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dv6speed posted:I put up a 40 meter dipole today. I had to use a guy wire to support the center insulator, which I made out of an SO-239 and some plexiglass. That's pretty cool. I wish I could do something like that but I have a townhouse. You should still be able to work into Europe on 40 just after dusk with the dipole at the existing location. You can also work EU into the night (until their sunrise) but there will be increasing amounts of QRM from US stations to the west of you as the night goes on.
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Sep 9, 2010 13:00
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| # ? May 11, 2024 10:39 |
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Dijkstra posted:That's pretty cool. I wish I could do something like that but I have a townhouse. You should still be able to work into Europe on 40 just after dusk with the dipole at the existing location. You can also work EU into the night (until their sunrise) but there will be increasing amounts of QRM from US stations to the west of you as the night goes on. I've heard some stations that I was pretty sure was talking to Europe, but I couldn't hear the other side. I'll keep at it, I'm sure once the bands open a little more I can get out there as is, but I still believe getting the antenna up a bit higher will go a long way to help.
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Sep 9, 2010 13:34
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dv6speed posted:I've gotten to Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Illinois, New Hampshire, and Ontario so far. Just out of curiosity, how is the Dipole oriented? It looks like most of your contacts are fairly high-angle single-hop... and since your antenna is only roughly 25-30ft high that makes some sense, but re-orienting it could help (along with getting it higher.) You may also want to make a 20 meter dipole, or try to tune up your 40m on 20... 30 feet is plenty high for 20m. Starting about 3pm eastern 20m will open up and you should be able to hear Caribbean stations and some European ones. I work Italy, France, Germany, or one of the Adriatics daily on 20 PSK. Sideband is harder though because you have to compete with guys running a KW.
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Sep 9, 2010 14:14
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Dijkstra posted:Just out of curiosity, how is the Dipole oriented? It looks like most of your contacts are fairly high-angle single-hop... and since your antenna is only roughly 25-30ft high that makes some sense, but re-orienting it could help (along with getting it higher.) When you say try to tune up the 40m on 20, you mean using my antenna tuner? Speaking of PSK, I should try to download some PSK software and try decoding some signals.
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Sep 9, 2010 14:26
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dv6speed posted:The dipole is slightly sloping since I wasn't able to get it as high in the tree as the connection point on the house. The dipole leg that is higher up in the air is connected to the center conductor of the coax. Yeah, just use the MFJ tuner you have... You should be able to find a tutorial or something for it online. It will match better on 15 meters than 20, but you should be able to tune it up. I wouldn't expect too much on 20 though so you may want to think about adding a 20 meter dipole. Having a good 20 meter antenna is almost a must if you want to work DX. As far as PSK goes, you should definitely think about giving it a whirl. Nobody really runs more than 50watts on PSK so the playing field is more even for those without amplifiers. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to copy signals you can barely hear. If you just want to decode, all you need is to download some free software like Digipan and set it to use the main soundcard in your computer. Hold the PC mic up to your receiver's speaker and play with the volume settings on the rig and the computer until you get good copy. That's really it. If you decide to work PSK I recommend buying a dedicated soundcard like the Signalink USB with the appropriate accessory cable for your rig. They're under $100. Dijkstra fucked around with this message at 15:00 on Sep 9, 2010 |
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Sep 9, 2010 14:53
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I can't believe I haven't checked in to this thread in so long! I thought I had put it in my favorites but I hadn't.  I spent the past 1.5 years doing jack poo poo thanks to spending all of that time living in an apartment. Half of that time I couldn't even put up an antenna if I wanted to. I dislocated my shoulder and I couldn't use it too well for several months. Anyways, I've long since recovered from surgery and rehab. Our lease is expiring. And we're moving into a HOUSE! The wife has already cleared me to put up antennas. I stopped after she said yes. I don't think she fully knows how big and massive antennas can get. So I'll stop while I'm ahead.  Now even better, we're moving not too far from Tampa. Which means I'm not too far from a huge air force base (MacDill). Hopefully I'll be able to catch some really cool military stuff. Failing that, Tampa International Airport ought to have some fun stuff to listen to. Maybe I can pick up some ACARS or something. I won't have a radio to transmit with since I'm still on an entry level salary and we have a baby on the way. But I'll at least have my Winradio to listen with. 
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Sep 9, 2010 18:41
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I just talked to Hungary on 40m LSB. If you aren't familiar with your geography, that's on the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean as dv6speed. Amateur radio is loving awesome. Edit: My buddy just told me got to Moscow today on 20m. (He's in Delaware too). Tomorrow's project: build 20m antenna. Edit2: The dude I talked to was HA8RM. You need to go to qrz.com and look at the picture of his antenna farm. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 03:47 on Sep 10, 2010 |
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Sep 10, 2010 03:35
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dv6speed posted:Tomorrow's project: build 20m antenna. I had JUST enough coax left too. I love it when it works out right like that. I didn't need a guy wire either!
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Sep 10, 2010 19:57
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Region 1 Field Day report   So here's the location of LA1K/P this last Saturday. In this photo there are four dipoles (including 80m and 160m), a Butternut HF vertical, a 2m vertical, a 2m beam hand-rotated, a 6m beam fixed south and a 20m beam with electric rotator, the latter two antennas on top of a couple of Texas Towers. We ran the most of it on three rigs out of the back of that white lorry. The tent was set up for digimode HF and 6m and 2m operation. Since the national Field Day rules dictate that each band can only have one of our rigs on it at each time, we used handhelds to coordinate which rigs ran on which band. We also brought satellite antennas. Power was supplied by two Honda generators. One of the generators powered only to the lorry, while the other powered the tent and the other half of the lorry. The parents of a member gave us access to a cabin a few hundred meters away for sleeping and making warm meals. We did not operate from the cabin, but we did set up a fill-in digipeater there. APRS packets went out, but I don't think its receive worked as it should. We started set-up about 7 in the morning, and were up and running in time for contest start at 1500 (1300Z) - except for the satellite antennas, which were put off until later. I spent most of the beginning of the contest time in the tent. Unfortunately, transmitting in the tent on HF caused bad interference in the lorry, so we had to spend almost all the time in the tent trying 6m and 2m. 6m seemed dead - at least we didn't make any contacts on it; the 2m only reached repeaters, which doesn't count in the contest. During the 24 hours, only two digimode contacts were made from the tent, but fortunately we did run some digimode from the lorry. We wanted to try running some satellites, but things were so busy in the lorry with good band openings that we did not set up the satellite antennas, and we only tried a little on a handheld whip. We actually heard a bit of the satellite, but we didn't get in. (In the last hour, we tried a satellite on a proper Arrow antenna, but no joy.) About midnight, I went back to the cabin to freshen up a bit and then went down to the lorry. I got to work 20 m, 80 m and 160 m and made contacts in Slovenia, the Virgin Islands, Italy, Germany and Denmark, among others. It was really fun! In the morning, I handed the rig over to the next guy and went to sleep until 1400. At 1500, we stopped operating, saved the logs, and went back for eggs and bacon. Then we rigged down the antennas, packed up and went home. We made about 800 contacts total. Two of our members went around on radio shows promoting Field Day, which will also give us some extra points. More pictures: http://bilder.la1k.no/fd2010/
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Sep 10, 2010 21:00
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If any of you ham-goons out there feel like ragchewing with dv6speed, I just found out a local repeater I can hit very well (W3UD) is hooked up to Echolink. Send me a message on AIM (moya034) and I'll tune my radio in.
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Sep 12, 2010 15:24
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My local repeater is IRLP and the DTMF mic on my TM-231A doens't work I could use the Echolink PC program but that's a bit lame. I think there's an echolink node on 900Mhz here but I gotta find it.
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Sep 13, 2010 14:41
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Partycat posted:I could use the Echolink PC program but that's a bit lame. Partycat posted:I think there's an echolink node on 900Mhz here but I gotta find it.
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Sep 13, 2010 22:43
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Partycat posted:My local repeater is IRLP and the DTMF mic on my TM-231A doens't work
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Sep 14, 2010 00:19
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dv6speed posted:Just hold your telephone's speaker up to the microphone. http://www.dsptutor.freeuk.com/dtmf/ToneGenerator.html or practice humming.
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Sep 14, 2010 00:50
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I'm actually considering going all chop-shop on the microphone and building an interface box, with a mic, a DTMF keypad, and audio in/out w/ vox or something, since it seems it would be pretty straight forward to do. But I'm lazy as all hell too. I think I have an apple newton that has a phone dialer app I can hook up to it instead and just use that.
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Sep 17, 2010 15:51
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This is pretty much the definition of an experimental antenna. 2 element quad, vertically polarized, for 2 meters. I built it with the intention of hitting a far away repeater, but still not quite enough gain, so I won't be making a permanent version. I'll probably build a multi-element yagi next. Partycat posted:I'm actually considering going all chop-shop on the microphone and building an interface box, with a mic, a DTMF keypad, and audio in/out w/ vox or something, since it seems it would be pretty straight forward to do. Partycat posted:But I'm lazy as all hell too. Of course, in the mean time, there's always the Echolink software. 
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Sep 17, 2010 20:31
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Yeah I got that but I'm getting in touch with my feminine side tonight with a case of Mich Ultra so ... maybe tomorrow . There's a guy that runs an Echolink/IRLP on 70cm that I can try to hit but he's way south of me, otherwise its 900mhz. I think RatShack doesn't sell those any more either. But if I can hack in an "audio in" somewhere I can pipe in my apple newton or something that has 'dialer'.
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Sep 18, 2010 02:46
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Anybody here got a 50w or 75w, 2m or 2m/70cm transceiver collecting dust? PM me if you do.
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Sep 19, 2010 22:07
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I think I'm ready for the Technician test - I'm taking it Oct 9. I'm scared though because after I get my call I'm going to buy a cheap dual band HT and then I know it's going to be all downhill from there and my wallet will never be the same 
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Sep 21, 2010 13:20
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QPZIL posted:I think I'm ready for the Technician test - I'm taking it Oct 9. QPZIL posted:I'm scared though because after I get my call I'm going to buy a cheap dual band HT and then I know it's going to be all downhill from there and my wallet will never be the same
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Sep 21, 2010 13:42
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dv6speed posted:Good luck! My best piece of advice is to read a study guide for the general exam the night before, and give that test a try too after you pass your technician, which you will. Seconded on both counts. Although you may be better served going with that cheap HT and saving your pennies for a decent HF rig. Depending on your area a 5 watt HT may or may not get you talking to repeaters, and even if it can there's no guarantee that you'll get a response.
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Sep 21, 2010 14:34
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BigHustle posted:Seconded on both counts. So what you're saying is hold off on the General license until I can afford a HF rig?
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Sep 21, 2010 15:03
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No, don't hold off on the General test - take it if you can. Perhaps you'll be able to borrow an old unused HF radio or use a club station, etc.
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Sep 21, 2010 17:06
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Definitely go for the highest level of licensing you can comfortably pass. I can't afford any equipment right now, but I went for general on my first try. With 2 weeks of preparation, general will be no sweat if you have brains at all. I'm right now studying for Extra. Still no equipment.
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Sep 21, 2010 17:39
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Nthing the go for the General license sentiment here. If you're at the point where you can regularly ace the QRZ technician practice tests, it isn't that big a leap to get to where you can pass the General exam. Heck, I literally studied for the General by printing out the K3DIO study material (http://www.hamelmer.com) and only reading it every time I needed to take a crap. Between toilet readings and QRZ practice tests, I was able to pass the General exam. Heh, and I also have no equipment. I just listen with my Winradio card.
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Sep 21, 2010 17:53
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I also echo the sentiment- going straight to General is definitely fairly easy, convenient, and worth it (won't have to repay and resit for the test later!) (I don't have any equipment either.)
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Sep 21, 2010 19:35
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QPZIL posted:So what you're saying is hold off on the General license until I can afford a HF rig? You probably will want a HT no matter what, because they are useful and awesome, but he was saying that depending on where you live, you may want to start with a radio that has more power. I have an HT now myself. While the 5 watts works fine for all the 70cm repeaters I've tried hitting, there are couple 2m repeaters that I'm having problems hitting where I really need more power. A radio like the Yaesu 857, if you can afford it, would be the best thing to start with, because it can do everything you'll want, HF/2m/70cm in one box that you can set on your desk, or take with you in a backpack. If that's out of your price range, consider a basic dual band mobile rig. You'll want both an HT for fun and field events, and a mobile for the power, the question is which one should you buy first. Personally, I wish I had went with the mobile, since I'm already wishing I had more power on 2m band. (Plus around here, most of the field events that happen, they have spare HT's to loan out) That all being said, if it's a question of buying an HT or no radio at all because your budget is tight, by all means, go with the HT since it's better then nothing, plus they do double duty as scanners outside of the ham bands. Mine can listen to any frequency I want, except maybe cell phones. (It even listens to the HF bands, but it doesn't have any CW or SSB circuitry, so don't expect to do any real HF listening, but it will get AM shortwave broadcasts, tho not quite as good as my HF radio.) I have had fun listening to public service and commercial communications* however. *I really believe some of these commercial users have no idea people with scanners can listen to them, judging by some of the things I've heard. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 20:16 on Sep 21, 2010 |
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Sep 21, 2010 20:01
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I'm not an expert in electrical engineering, but I'm drat sure this is the finest Linear power supply circuit I've come across for a hobby guy to build. The same dude also has a 40a switching power supply circuit too.
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Sep 21, 2010 20:28
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Huh. You can tell how good communication in the upper HF and lower VHF bands will be based on the number of sunspots that exist at that moment. That's loving cool 
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Sep 21, 2010 21:45
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QPZIL posted:So what you're saying is hold off on the General license until I can afford a HF rig? dv6speed decoded my message correctly. Go for the General, even the Extra if you can get it in one sitting. Just be prepared to want to go for more power if you start with an HT in an area without a lot of local traffic. Speaking of, I got that TH-F6A and programmed it. It took me about 3 weeks to actually make a contact though... It seems that on the repeaters I can hit from the house no one is on unless it's a pre-planned net and on the ones further out I've tried, no one will return your call unless you're a club member. And there's constant wonder why the hobby is dying...
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Sep 22, 2010 01:57
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Actually two guys I work with are the president and vice-president of a local ham club that have a weekly ragchew net. There's at least 2 or 3 clubs in the area, so I'm sure there'd be good activity. The trick is finding a good dual band HT for ~$150
Count Thrashula fucked around with this message at 02:18 on Sep 22, 2010 |
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Sep 22, 2010 02:14
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BigHustle posted:It seems that on the repeaters I can hit from the house no one is on unless it's a pre-planned net and on the ones further out I've tried, no one will return your call unless you're a club member.
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Sep 22, 2010 10:18
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dv6speed posted:I see you are in NJ... can you get on the BEARS network out of curiosity? I just discovered it myself a couple days ago when I was scanning the ham bands in VFO mode. Actually, I moved out of Jersey in June and went back to MO. Looking at their repeater list, I wouldn't have been able to hit any of the PA repeaters from where I was located, but might have been able to hit their Lakehurst, NJ repeater from my backyard. One of the local clubs had a repeater at the same base, and I could tag it with my FT-60R if I was standing in a specific 2x2 patch of ground next to the garage. I got my ticket in February and used to listen in the garage, run out to the spot to transmit, then run back to the garage to get out of the cold. If you haven't had the chance, you might want to check out the W2NJR Linked Repeater System which covers most of NJ and parts of PA and NY. I used to be on there all the time. It gets pretty hilarious at times... Review my posts in this thread to get some links to a few recordings I made of the local drunk and the harassment he and others got.
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Sep 22, 2010 16:23
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I'm probably going to pick up the Wouxun KG-UVD1P after I get licensed. It's on the lower-end, but it's dual band (2m/70cm) and cheap (sub-$100 on eBay), so it'll give me a chance to play around before sinking some cash into it (which I can't afford right now). A guy in the local ham club (W4GG) wrote a really good review of it in the latest newsletter, so it seems like a solid buy.
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Sep 22, 2010 16:57
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QPZIL posted:I'm probably going to pick up the Wouxun KG-UVD1P after I get licensed. It's on the lower-end, but it's dual band (2m/70cm) and cheap (sub-$100 on eBay), so it'll give me a chance to play around before sinking some cash into it (which I can't afford right now). There were a few guys up in Jersey who had them who liked them and really had no complaints. The hams on the air with him did though... LOL EDIT: The other hams had issue with the fact that it wasn't 'name brand' or because it was 'Chinese crap destined to fail'. The guys using the radios sounded great when they were on the air. It was all OFs and brand whores complaining about nothing, as usual. BigHustle fucked around with this message at 23:05 on Sep 22, 2010 |
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Sep 22, 2010 23:03
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BigHustle posted:There were a few guys up in Jersey who had them who liked them and really had no complaints. The hams on the air with him did though... LOL Good to hear. Most of the bad stuff I've read is just the lovely Chingrish manual and the difficulty in programming channels, but there's a multitude of native-English-written guides online for that.
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Sep 22, 2010 23:12
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Maybe it's just me, but have you noticed that most of the people bitching about other people's equipment tend to sound like they're talking through tin cans attached with string?
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Sep 23, 2010 00:15
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loving sweet... A local ham who knows me from a gun club heard me talking on the air today about needing more power on the 2m band, and offered to let me borrow for as long as I need an "ADI AR-147" 60w 2 meter radio. Just got it set up and tested out. I can finally hit the Newtown Square repeater with good audio now. The hills in Aston are no longer match for dv6speed! My next antenna project I think will be to make a dedicated high gain 70cm antenna, hook that up to my HT to work UHF, and use my current J pole and this ADI radio for working 2m.
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Sep 23, 2010 00:42
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 04:47 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Sep 23, 2010 02:35
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Well, my initial 1x3 vanity call sign application got denied because they thought the last three letters would get confused with a Q signal that does not exist. Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight to see that would happen and put down more call signs on the form. I decided to apply for another call sign today. Lo and behold when I was looking at the list, to my amazement, I saw a 1x2 located in 3 land that I liked in green, so we'll see if I got the application in before anybody else did for it. If not I'll wind up with a 2x1... I packed that application full of call signs this time around. Edit: Well, this morning I looked on ae7q.com and it predicts I'll get my first pick at the 1x2 I wanted. There were no other applications yesterday or the day before for that callsign.  Interestingly enough, I have competition for my #10 choice, which is irrelevant to me. Edit2: This is the Genius page at ae7q.com. 
AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 14:15 on Sep 25, 2010 |
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Sep 24, 2010 22:46
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