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I've managed to open my local repeater from 25 miles away (tone bursting) with my stock antenna on my Kenwood F7E over 5 Watts. I know that's not really the same as chatting and having readable speech, but at the time I was really quite chuffed.
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Sep 4, 2009 10:04
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| # ? May 10, 2024 12:32 |
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This might interest some of you. The Penn State Amateur Radio Club turned 100 years old this year, and I was the president for this awesome event. And to celebrate, we ran a special event station K3PSU out of our station on campus. Station:  View from sttion:  We have a tri-band yagi up there on the top we were going to use, but a storm has rotated it out of position, and we were concerned about using it before we could bolt it back to the rotor. Notice in the picture that the HF yagi (big one) is like 45 degrees off of the 2 meter beam antenna (the small one). It's like 90 degrees now, we really need to get it fixed. So, we set up the best inverted V antenna we could. Mounting on the mast:  "Inverted V"  Over 2 days, with an unannounced station, we made over 200 contacts. I thought that was pretty cool. I'll just post up our QSL card from the event to wrap up the story.   Here's what it's based on: http://blog.nickleghorn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/qsl-psarc-w3ya-a3ya.gif
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Sep 4, 2009 12:09
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I routinely talk through a repeater using 5 watts or less that is 30 miles north of me. I can key up most of the repeaters on my HT as I can on my mobile. Jpole and mag mount do help a lot over the whip antenna I have. I've done 50ish miles on it using my Yagi. I've also gotten skip openings and talked from Tennessee back to Atlanta. HF - I've conducted several dx contacts with my kenwood at its lowest power setting. Mostly to the carribean and Canada, but 2-3 from Europe and South America. These were usually done at a park of some type. At home its all noise; so even if people are anwering me back, I can't hear them. HFX fucked around with this message at 20:29 on Sep 4, 2009 |
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Sep 4, 2009 20:25
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Many years ago I once made a 2-meter dx contact without really meaning to on my htx-202. On 5W with external power from a 12v SLA battery and on the rubberducky antenna I made a contact from whitewater state park here in Indiana to Terra Haute.. roughly 100-120 miles. I'm convinced it was during a really nice VHF propagation period though. http://www.mountainlake.k12.mn.us/ham/aprs/path.cgi?map=na This was also 10-14 years ago so different solar conditions than we have today. I never got a qsl card to back up my claim though.
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Sep 5, 2009 06:01
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Would anybody be interested in buying a Yaesu VX-1R for $30 or so? If there's any interest I'll post up a proper SA-Mart thread with more details.
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Sep 8, 2009 00:34
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PM'd ya, but I'll post here too. I'm interested in it.
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Sep 8, 2009 00:48
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I'm trying to find a half-decent entry level rig to get started on the Ham bands and also with SWL. I have an IC-701 but it has no AM support so I'm selling it. I really want to be able to listen to the whole spectrum, or closet to it, and transmit on at least one Ham band. However the last radio recommendation I got in this thread, some time ago, was for a Yaesu FT-100D.. and the going price seems to be about $600?!! Holy gently caress. I went to the trouble of getting a General license and I really don't want it to go to waste. Basically all I am looking for... General coverage for Rx, Tx on at least one Ham band. LED/LCD frequency readout would be nice. Should be easy to hook up to a PC to do PSK/CW/SSTV/etc. Can be cheap, can be falling apart, can look like poo poo, so long as it works. I'd really prefer it not be a handheld unit. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thank you 
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Sep 8, 2009 04:51
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I'm finally going to mount my Arrow OSJ146/440 on my roof. The guides I'm finding just explain that I need to ground the antenna or tell where to place it, and other obvious poo poo. I need to know, physically, how to mount this thing so it doesn't blow off during a Texas thunderstorm, and how to get my coax line from the antenna into my office. It came with a five-foot wooden pole for sticking into the ground, but I've got this roof and a love of dangerous activities. Can someone point me in the right direction? Epicenter posted:Does anyone have a suggestion? Thank you I'm also very interested in this. I have a feeling we'll have to be hitting up the used market. Also, what the hell happened to your website, Epicenter. It used to be the haven for terrible SM.net dorks personal bullshit. grilldos fucked around with this message at 23:49 on Sep 10, 2009 |
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Sep 9, 2009 01:07
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Epicenter posted:I'm trying to find a half-decent entry level rig to get started on the Ham bands and also with SWL. I have an IC-701 but it has no AM support so I'm selling it. I really want to be able to listen to the whole spectrum, or closet to it, and transmit on at least one Ham band. Well it won't do you any good on UHF, but you can find Kenwood TS450S for around $400. Sadely, HF frequency stuff other then boat anchors is rather expensive.
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Sep 10, 2009 21:38
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Is the Yaesu FT-60R still considered a good buy for a beginning technician?
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Sep 15, 2009 04:14
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LtDan posted:Is the Yaesu FT-60R still considered a good buy for a beginning technician? If it works, definitely. I still have an FT-50R and other than having to buy a new battery (I let it sit unused for a few years) it works perfectly.
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Sep 15, 2009 14:49
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LtDan posted:Is the Yaesu FT-60R still considered a good buy for a beginning technician? I still love mine. Just keep in mind the battery should be fully discharged before recharging, which can be inconvenient at times.
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Sep 15, 2009 14:54
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Ok, I'm finally getting off my rear end and getting myself licensed. Thankfully there are 2 organizations doing exams (ARRL and W5YI) in Austin, TX so I don't have to worry about not being able to get into an exam. I'll be taking the Technician exam this Saturday through W5YI. Already got my FCC FRN too. Edit: Any Austin, TX HamGoons on here?
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Sep 16, 2009 17:57
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I'm in Dallas, and there are plenty of other Texas ham dudes. A handful of us are in the IRC channel, if you give a poo poo about IRC.
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Sep 16, 2009 18:06
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Alright, so I'm probably about to come into possession of a) A Kenwood TM-201A and a b) Kenwood TR-2600A, slightly before I get my actual license. ... Should I just kill myself now, or are these actually worth a drat?
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Sep 18, 2009 14:31
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Itachi posted:Alright, so I'm probably about to come into possession of a) A Kenwood TM-201A and a b) Kenwood TR-2600A, slightly before I get my actual license.
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Sep 18, 2009 21:35
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Took and passed my technician exam. Woohoo! EDIT: Now I need a decent radio. Any suggestions?
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Sep 19, 2009 21:24
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dethl posted:EDIT: Now I need a decent radio. Any suggestions? For a handheld, look at the Icom line. A nice, cheap tri-bander is only about $200, and a D-STAR UHF/VHF is only $500.
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Sep 20, 2009 00:44
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The FT-60r is also a goon favorite, for under 200 bucks. Take your time and research all your options. It's half the fun! Also, if you buy a handheld, buy an additional handheld antenna. It's so worth it. I can still pick up the police band of my old town from here, 30 miles away.
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Sep 20, 2009 00:54
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foghorn posted:For a handheld, look at the Icom line. A nice, cheap tri-bander is only about $200, and a D-STAR UHF/VHF is only $500. I've got to step up and disagree... unless you want DSTAR, the cheaper line of icom HTs are, well, junk. Yaesu owns the cheap end market for HTs, and the FT-60R is still one of the best values for a dual bander. To step up from that, with a better battery and smaller form factor, plus more receive coverage and other nifty features, the VX-8R for $370 is a killer radio, and still cheaper than any Icom you could get into that's worth a drat. (Personal opinion, of course)
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Sep 20, 2009 07:17
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Sniep posted:I've got to step up and disagree... unless you want DSTAR, the cheaper line of icom HTs are, well, junk. Yaesu owns the cheap end market for HTs, and the FT-60R is still one of the best values for a dual bander. To step up from that, with a better battery and smaller form factor, plus more receive coverage and other nifty features, the VX-8R for $370 is a killer radio, and still cheaper than any Icom you could get into that's worth a drat. (Personal opinion, of course) I'll second this. The VX-7R is a good radio too. However, having a good mobile rig / base rig is nice too. You won't believe the difference in sound quality. People who have only talked to me a few times don't recognize me when I swap over to my FT-8800 from my 7R. Even at the same wattage, I'm much clearer on the 8800. If you can afford it and are planning to do HF work, I would suggest the FT-857D. It is a phenomenal radio for the price, and you won't have the immediate desire to go out and buy another radio which can be a problem with HT's.
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Sep 20, 2009 07:50
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HFX posted:I'll second this. The VX-7R is a good radio too. However, having a good mobile rig / base rig is nice too. You won't believe the difference in sound quality. People who have only talked to me a few times don't recognize me when I swap over to my FT-8800 from my 7R. Even at the same wattage, I'm much clearer on the 8800.
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Sep 20, 2009 07:55
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nmfree posted:Are you using the built-in mic, and if so, have you done the mic mod on the VX-7? In order to get it to comply with whatever ridiculous military submersion standard they basically had to cover the mic element with a piece of rubber/gasketing/whatever that reportedly makes the user sound really muffled. I actually use the external non waterproof mic as I usually leave the radio strapped to something and just pic up the mic (it is much easier). One detract from the VX-7R that I have noticed is that when using DTFM tones, the 3 is a little wide compared to other radios. This can occasionally cause problems using echolink, autopatch, or linked repeaters. HFX fucked around with this message at 08:05 on Sep 20, 2009 |
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Sep 20, 2009 07:59
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I really like the idea of using an HT as my main radio for the time being. I'm already studying for my General exam and do anticipate getting into the HF bands for data (I would love to set up a netbook and an HT out in the field). I'll still probably buy a dual-band while I get my feet wet, but what is the best tri-band HT that I can use for data (and how would I go about hooking up said HT into my comp)?
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Sep 21, 2009 05:14
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drat the FCC can haul rear end on new licenses. My callsign is KF5DER. 
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Sep 22, 2009 21:24
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 der. Best random callsign yet. Congrats.
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Sep 22, 2009 22:09
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dethl posted:drat the FCC can haul rear end on new licenses. Once you get setup with radio(s), hop on the Saltgrass Link System. I monitor that thing most every day in the mornings between 0800 and 1100 depending on the day, then again in the afternoons after 1400. Sometimes though, the regulars get on there and you can't get a word in edgewise, but there are times during the day (and particularly at night) that it's quiet enough for the rest of us to use it. Edit: And if you want to coordinate a QSO, I can PM or email you with my contact information and callsign.
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Sep 23, 2009 05:17
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TNLTRPB posted:Once you get setup with radio(s), hop on the Saltgrass Link System. I monitor that thing most every day in the mornings between 0800 and 1100 depending on the day, then again in the afternoons after 1400. Sometimes though, the regulars get on there and you can't get a word in edgewise, but there are times during the day (and particularly at night) that it's quiet enough for the rest of us to use it. So many in Texas, and none very close to Dallas. That's unfortunate.
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Sep 23, 2009 05:33
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TNLTRPB posted:Once you get setup with radio(s), hop on the Saltgrass Link System. I monitor that thing most every day in the mornings between 0800 and 1100 depending on the day, then again in the afternoons after 1400. Sometimes though, the regulars get on there and you can't get a word in edgewise, but there are times during the day (and particularly at night) that it's quiet enough for the rest of us to use it. Sounds good to me. I should have a radio at the end of the week (yay for some old debts being repaid to me).
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Sep 23, 2009 06:01
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I just passed my tech and general exam, yay! Thankfully, my university has an amateur radio group that has a hamshack I can use to cruise the repeaters and HF stuff once my registration clears.
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Sep 23, 2009 06:04
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Grilldos posted:So many in Texas, and none very close to Dallas. That's unfortunate. There's an IRLP repeater in the DFW area that can be used to access the link system. I can't remember the details of the repeater, but the IRLP node number to access Saltgrass from any IRLP repeater is 9455.
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Sep 23, 2009 06:41
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The Kenwood 201A I mentioned will be here tomorrow, hopefully! The next time I'll have the time to go take the exam, though, is halfway through next month. drat.
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Sep 23, 2009 13:44
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I have enough money now to afford my first HT though I'm having a debate with myself. The local radio store here has the Icom IC-T7H Sport dual-band 6w HT for $170 whereas the price for the FT-60R is still $185. Should I still get the FT-60R?
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Sep 24, 2009 06:26
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Yes. Few will disagree with me.
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Sep 24, 2009 07:28
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dethl posted:I have enough money now to afford my first HT though I'm having a debate with myself. The local radio store here has the Icom IC-T7H Sport dual-band 6w HT for $170 whereas the price for the FT-60R is still $185. Should I still get the FT-60R? That icom ships with a AA battery pack, so you'll have to spring for a rechargable pack and charger on top of the cost, and even that is NiCD, where as the FT-60R has a NiMH battery and charger included (NiMH is a better battery technology than nicads, to boot.) That's just one reason that the FT-60R is better, but, many come down to preference. Having held both, I ended up with the FT-60R myself without a question.
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Sep 24, 2009 08:37
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Well drat, the FT-60R is $170 over at Gigaparts. Time to order. EDIT: It's done. I should have a new FT-60R at my doorstep next week. Harpsychord fucked around with this message at 17:17 on Sep 24, 2009 |
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Sep 24, 2009 17:05
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Does anybody know of any smaller online shops that have a good deal on a Yaesu FT-8800R? (Or any better suggestions? This rig just seems like the best option) I want to get one with the face detach kit for my car, but it seems like the prices on them are jacked way up. I haven't shopped mobile rigs in years, so I could just be crazy, too Thanks!
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Sep 28, 2009 13:32
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mkosmo posted:Does anybody know of any smaller online shops that have a good deal on a Yaesu FT-8800R? (Or any better suggestions? This rig just seems like the best option) I want to get one with the face detach kit for my car, but it seems like the prices on them are jacked way up. I haven't shopped mobile rigs in years, so I could just be crazy, too :)
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Sep 28, 2009 21:10
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Stay away from GigaParts - they do not trust their customers at all. I'm having issues getting my FT-60R thanks to UPS trying to deliver while I'm at work. GigaParts refuses to have UPS hold the package for pickup (apparently they've been burned too many times via PayPal, which is odd considering that's the only thing they accept payments through). EDIT: Supposedly they take other payments, but don't advertise it well. They lose my business nonetheless. EDIT2: Apparently putting down "Adult Signature Only" means that if UPS ships while you're at work...you'll never get any packages from them since GigaParts refuses to allow pickup at a UPS hub. Epic fail. The radio heads back tomorrow and they will start a refund for me. Universal Radio for sure now. Harpsychord fucked around with this message at 05:29 on Sep 29, 2009 |
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Sep 28, 2009 23:05
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| # ? May 10, 2024 12:32 |
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I'm seconding Universal Radio. Ordered my FT-60r through there, as well as an antenna and some other equipment. Fast service and great shipping deals, too. Also, their website has a page dedicated to cats if you are into that sort of thing.
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Sep 29, 2009 02:11
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