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Jonny 290 posted:Sniep, your condobucket for the antenna is pro. We did one of those a few years ago, but instead stuck one of those old 19 foot Radio Shack push up masts in the wet concrete. We actually hung a little TV rotor and a 4 element 2M beam on the top; we put the bucket where we wanted it, marked its position, then ran 3 eyebolts into the deck and pushed the mast up, then ran guy ropes. It held through the tail end of several Carolina hurricanes - the guy ropes were key. I'm sure the 100 pounds of concrete didn't hurt either, of course. Yeah, about 45 lbs of concrete here, but, it's not supporting anything that tall, just this X50 for now and maybe another x50 or similar antenna moving forward (the 2nd mount I put in just as forethought.) I doubt even at our windiest here in Denver that that bucket is gonna turn over and if it does, no power lines in the way and it'd just be on my balcony so I'm really not to worried, again, I'm fairly doubtful that any winds here would even touch that bucket. I've pressed against it and pulled down with at least 10 lbs of force and the bucket doesn't even move. Edit: To that end, the fact that the antenna is fiberglass and flexible, then the mount, then the PVC, gives a lot of flex leeway - the cement is strong and heavy but I really doubt anything under 10 feet is gonna be able to move that bucket an inch. And the mount itself, I tightened down the bottom one pretty well, but the top, while being tight, still in the case of winds might shift a little which is by my intention - If it does get that windy out, the antenna could shift that mount back a few and be angled 10 or 20 degrees from it, which would offset a lot of the stress. Already got stress points taken into consideration. 
Sniep fucked around with this message at 06:44 on Oct 18, 2011 |
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Oct 18, 2011 06:19
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Just to make sure, the FT-857d uses plain old, standard ethernet and phone cables as its extension kit, right?
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Oct 18, 2011 16:36
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iostream.h posted:Just to make sure, the FT-857d uses plain old, standard ethernet and phone cables as its extension kit, right? RJ45 and RJ11 to be more precise. I have an 817ND, and the manual specifies the same mic that my 817ND uses which is certainly terminated with an RJ45. Oddly, the manual doesn't spec the connectors for the 857D, and the drawing shows the same picture for the control jack as it does for the mic jack. edit: It may be an RJ10 i.e. a handset jack, which is what my IC706MKIIG uses Pimblor fucked around with this message at 00:07 on Oct 19, 2011 |
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Oct 19, 2011 00:05
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Argh, my FT-857d appears to be dead. When I plug it into power I hear a repeated clicking, no display at all. If I unplug the faceplate and leave the remote DTMF mic plugged in, it doesn't click, but nothing happens. Bought a new 6 pin RJ12 cable for the faceplate (verified with Yaesu that it's a plain, straight connection) problem persists. Attempts to power up with the mic disconnected result in the same. I'm at a loss, and I utterly hate the thought of sending this in to Yaesu because I'm poor.  This REALLY sucks, since I'm in a place now where I CAN have a good antenna, no neighbors and should be able to enjoy this a bit more. DAMNIT.
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Oct 19, 2011 20:09
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 05:18 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Oct 19, 2011 22:24
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Haha 6 pin mic plug! That was a dark era in ham rigs - after the 4 pin but before the 8's. Those KDK's are solid as they come. Unfortunately running older V/UHF gear is really hard on repeaters because ERRYBODY runs CTCSS* now, but for simplex they are great. I had a Kenwood TR-7800 for my first radio, roughly the same era. Also the same goblins with tone boards and the backup battery. I still miss it. If nothing else, that KDK would make for a splendid packet rig. *as a Motorola Solutions employee I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all that the terms "PL", "Private Line" and "PL tone" are registered trademarks of my company and that CTCSS is the proper way to refer to a non vendor specific subaudible tone system :P
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Oct 20, 2011 10:07
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Jonny 290 posted:*as a Motorola Solutions employee I would like to take this opportunity to remind you all that the terms "PL", "Private Line" and "PL tone" are registered trademarks of my company and that CTCSS is the proper way to refer to a non vendor specific subaudible tone system :P This just makes the anti-IP-law part of my brain lock in on calling them PL. Genericized trademarks for everybody! Nothing against Moto, just I despise when a company feels the need to have their own trademark name for something that already has a name. Double points when the name implies something that isn't true, like the private part of PL. wolrah fucked around with this message at 15:22 on Oct 20, 2011 |
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Oct 20, 2011 14:43
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Oct 21, 2011 00:10
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Update: The hole in the frame of my patio door window that I thought was perfect sized to push a PL259 through is a fraction of a millimeter too small, so I need to cut the cable and recrimp. Damnit. Now I need to buy a coax crimper and an end.
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Oct 21, 2011 00:53
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Oct 21, 2011 01:04
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Jose Pointero posted:Can't file down the hole a little bit? I'm trying right now but all i have is a super cheap hacksaw - and two holes to make it through in and outside - it's obvious the person before me who drilled it was feeding a smaller connector through for probably a satellite dish (Do those use a connector smaller in diameter than PL259?? IDK.)
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Oct 21, 2011 01:21
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Oct 21, 2011 01:36
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Jose Pointero posted:yeah those are the same as regular tv coax whatever that one is called. Go to Harbor Freight and get a thin metal file...should do the trick. Negative, the hole on the outside was even worse and i don't feel like damaging the window any more than it was and possibly being tagged for the cost of it - I just cut the cable, fed it through the long way so the original connector is now on the antenna and indoors I just put on a screw-on connector from rat shack, seems to be working fine for now. Will do a proper one soon, but, this gets me back on the air without using a HT.
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Oct 21, 2011 02:45
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I confess to using those little set screw PL259's now and then, especially when paired with lovely rat shack RG58 that would just melt to pieces if you actually tried to solder one on. They're okay if you carefully install them. They're so not weatherproof but you got it indoors, you'll be fine.
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Oct 21, 2011 08:48
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xergm posted:How did you feed the magnet wire out the window? I've got the same pack and I've been thinking about throwing it out my dorm room window. Not sure if the screen's going to cause a problem though. Other alternatives might be putting up a horizontal loop around the perimeter of the room. The green spool fits a little more than once around the room. The screen is plastic, but, the frame is aluminum. I just popped the corner of the frame, and stuck something insulating between the wire and the frame so it went in between. I'm sure it was coupling to the window frame somewhat, but it worked anyways. I used the red one and you can't see it at all really unless you're right on it (you will run into it if it is at face height). If you can get it out there somewhere where it's up and then you can "tap in" that may work. You did say dorm though so you'd have to suffer with the window being open, and maybe stuffing a blanket in there or something. I suppose if you insulated it, and, the wire was long enough that you didn't care, you could close the window on it (up/down type window). You'll have some RF near you, that's for sure, but, run <25W and it _should_ be okay?
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Oct 27, 2011 21:21
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I may try the antenna bucket. I tried a jpole indoors but all I did was set off the smoke detectors in the hallway with that. Plus RF everywhere to boot. There's a guy nearby that sells shitstream antennas but I will order something better. That looks relatively short. Since the gutter is right outside my window (2nd floor (1.5?)) I was looking at clamping a trunk-lip type mount NMO goober to it and sticking a 1/4l whip on it. Obviously, less gain, but, more stealth. Otherwise antenna-bucket would be on ground level to keep the VHF outta here and that I don't really want to do.
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Oct 27, 2011 21:25
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It's been awhile since I posted here, but has anyone else noticed the massive opening on 10m lately? I turned on my little 20 watt Radio Shack htx-10 for the first time since May, and from here in northeast Ohio, I was able to work Saskatoon, Guadalajara, Argentina, Miami, Atlanta, and St. Croix. Considering my antenna is a folded dipole hung 15 feet up in a tree with clothesline, I'm sort of dumbfounded. MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 08:04 on Oct 31, 2011 |
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Oct 31, 2011 07:49
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MullardEL34 posted:It's been awhile since I posted here, but has anyone else noticed the massive opening on 10m lately? I turned on my little 20 watt Radio Shack htx-10 for the first time since May, and from here in northeast Ohio, I was able to work Saskatoon, Guadalajara, Argentina, Miami, Atlanta, and St. Croix. Yeah, sunspot activity has been insane from what I hear. Unfortunately, I don't have anything lower freq than 2 meter  (Licensed for it, just don't have the gear)
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Oct 31, 2011 09:18
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MullardEL34 posted:It's been awhile since I posted here, but has anyone else noticed the massive opening on 10m lately? I turned on my little 20 watt Radio Shack htx-10 for the first time since May, and from here in northeast Ohio, I was able to work Saskatoon, Guadalajara, Argentina, Miami, Atlanta, and St. Croix. Yep. I'm in Portland OR using a 5W FT-817ND with my "antenna" simply being a length of wire strung up about horizontally about 6ft off the ground (TERRIBLE antenna options here at this apartment). I've been able to hit Japan with RTTY, eastern Minnesota with PSK31 and New Hampshire with JT65, all with good signal responses. No telling what I'd be able to do with a decent antenna. And keep in mind, this is a 5W radio with the TX adjusted lower for a good signal that isn't overdriven, not max power. Maybe 2 or 3W of actual output. Also, JT65 is magic. It picks out and decodes signals that are below the noise floor that I can't see on the waterfall and can't hear with my ears. The designated frequencies, even/odd minute TX/RX that's tied to your computer's synchronized clock and its incredibly slow rate probably help.
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Nov 6, 2011 21:33
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Sniep posted:Yeah, sunspot activity has been insane from what I hear. Unfortunately, I don't have anything lower freq than 2 meter See if there is someone with a remote base or HF linked station you can connect to.
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Nov 10, 2011 00:14
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Catastrophe posted:Yep. I'm in Portland OR using a 5W FT-817ND with my "antenna" simply being a length of wire strung up about horizontally about 6ft off the ground (TERRIBLE antenna options here at this apartment). I've been able to hit Japan with RTTY, eastern Minnesota with PSK31 and New Hampshire with JT65, all with good signal responses. No telling what I'd be able to do with a decent antenna. And keep in mind, this is a 5W radio with the TX adjusted lower for a good signal that isn't overdriven, not max power. Maybe 2 or 3W of actual output. I ran that the other day and hit germany with no problems, on 25' of wire indoors at 20W on 40m. I got tired of listening to the data input monitor (?) on my TS480 listening to beeping and tones so I killed it off, but, it was kind of neat. If I had a second rig and antenna I'd probably park it on that just because you can let it chill off to the side for contacts while you're doing something else. e: Content - Is anyone participating in the November ARRL sweeps this weekend on phone? Our club wants to do it, but, there's no club entry category. We're probably going to run multi-op and take turns on the radio / eating
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Nov 10, 2011 00:16
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Catastrophe posted:Yep. I'm in Portland OR using a 5W FT-817ND with my "antenna" simply being a length of wire strung up about horizontally about 6ft off the ground (TERRIBLE antenna options here at this apartment). I've been able to hit Japan with RTTY, eastern Minnesota with PSK31 and New Hampshire with JT65, all with good signal responses. No telling what I'd be able to do with a decent antenna. And keep in mind, this is a 5W radio with the TX adjusted lower for a good signal that isn't overdriven, not max power. Maybe 2 or 3W of actual output. 30 meters is fun as hell and sounds right up your alley. Check it out. Still no radioin' here, saving for Christmas and the tree for one end of my 75m dipole came down this year so I have to figure that out. On the hilarious upside, I know this is not in any way shape or form certified but OH DEAR LORD DO I WANT ONE. This is the epitome of swiss army knife Asian shitphones. Throw in a prepaid SIM and this is pretty much the ultimate "hurricane coming and you can grab ONE electronic device" candidate. http://www.409shop.com/409shop_product.php?id=105986 
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Nov 10, 2011 11:59
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I came across the same thing on eBay last night and I agree, I want one badly.
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Nov 10, 2011 20:37
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Nov 11, 2011 03:54
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Sooo... I bought something. Woo for the final leg of my packet station.  (not my image, but that's the model) + the sound card upgrade in it. Moving along step by step here.
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Nov 13, 2011 08:54
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So I am going to be getting into HAM, but I have a question, what would be the best bands to go for on a sailboat?
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Nov 13, 2011 20:31
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Quick question, I'd like to remove the AM/FM antenna on my car and mount a 2m/70cm antenna to keep my car looking pretty much stock. Any ideas where I could find a mount that would work? Google wasn't much help sadly.
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Nov 13, 2011 21:26
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Sniep posted:Sooo... I bought something. I have one of those, it heats up p good in the regulator but it works. It will do 9600 baud and a bunch of stuff. The sound card addon is nothing but a command that switches it to that input for keying... and a sound card. It's also huge.
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Nov 14, 2011 01:13
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SiB posted:So I am going to be getting into HAM, but I have a question, what would be the best bands to go for on a sailboat? All of them, with a tuner, but there's 24/7 marine nets on 14,3 MHz (20m) so that's a good place to start. If you have the money, and you sail a lot, maybe get something like the Icom M802/M801E and tuner, so you can do both marine SSB with DSC/alerting and amateur radio with the same radio. Get an EPIRB too if you're ever outside sea area A1. Thankfully, you won't need to get a full commercial radio license to operate a marine SSB radio on a private pleasure craft, but you'll need something called a Long Range Certificate, Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit or similar which covers marine SSB and maybe satellite. Many long distance cruisers use Sail Mail with Pactor or PSKmail with PSK31 for email and internet access. You can use the same modes in the amateur service, except unlike marine SSB amateur radio can't be used for commercial stuff like booking chandler services, nor for encrypted connections (SSL, TLS, etc.). You can also get stuff like weather fax, satellite images, navigation warnings, etc. from the radio. In the past you'd often need dedicated receivers, but on a private sail boat you'd often just connect a laptop to the radio and use it for everything from NAVTEX and digital maps to emails. While this video is a bit outdated, it's a good intro on marine SSB and satellite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIgbipbdpJI I think the biggest change since that video is that some of the older Inmarsat satellites have been replaced with newer ones, and the COSPAS SARSAT system now uses both low-earth orbit AND geo-stationary satellites, leading to faster EPIRB detection. Also required listening watch on VHF channel 16 is about to be discontinued any day now(TM). Vir fucked around with this message at 03:05 on Nov 14, 2011 |
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Nov 14, 2011 02:08
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Nov 14, 2011 04:53
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Partycat posted:I have one of those, it heats up p good in the regulator but it works. Can you elaborate on that a bit? He said it was set up for PACTOR (1 only) and the SC addon - what does that mean that it is nothing but a command?
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Nov 14, 2011 06:15
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blugu64 posted:Quick question, I'd like to remove the AM/FM antenna on my car and mount a 2m/70cm antenna to keep my car looking pretty much stock. Any ideas where I could find a mount that would work? Google wasn't much help sadly.  v
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Nov 14, 2011 06:23
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Sniep posted:Can you elaborate on that a bit? He said it was set up for PACTOR (1 only) and the SC addon - what does that mean that it is nothing but a command? It has been a bit since I looked at it, but, I believe what you end up doing is switching the input lines to the sound card and basically just using the PK to key the radio - if you got a deal on the unit with it in there then it's not bad, but, otherwise you'd be paying for an upgrade where they basically shoved a USB sound card in the case. There's one there now that looks like it has a USB hub jammed in it too for some reason. Not that it's a bad thing, but, they'll charge you for it. It will do PACTOR with the add on, the mailbox was an add on too but I doubt you'd need that. PACTOR II/III are not available to anything other than some high priced items. It will do CW up to some large WPM, 1200/9600 packet, rtty, fax, meteor scatter, a bunch of stuff. With the sound card you can do pretty much anything but then throw it back to TNC and shut your computer down and let it beacon a fixed APRS beacon and/or digi for you. I have the manual, I can try to scan it .
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Nov 15, 2011 15:21
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Partycat posted:It has been a bit since I looked at it, but, I believe what you end up doing is switching the input lines to the sound card and basically just using the PK to key the radio - if you got a deal on the unit with it in there then it's not bad, but, otherwise you'd be paying for an upgrade where they basically shoved a USB sound card in the case. There's one there now that looks like it has a USB hub jammed in it too for some reason. Not that it's a bad thing, but, they'll charge you for it. That's fair. I got it for $250 shipped. I hope that wasn't a terrible price.
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Nov 16, 2011 03:29
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Well timewave will ram that unit directly up ur butt as far as price for them new - so yes . Especially if you want to use it, it's a great deal. On mine , the "sensitivity" knob fell apart, so I stuck a 10k pot in there and I just turn the knob less. You can do RTTY with it, and it feels old skool, to listen and tune the signal with the little LED bar things.
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Nov 17, 2011 01:47
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Vir posted:All of them, with a tuner, but there's 24/7 marine nets on 14,3 MHz (20m) so that's a good place to start. If you have the money, and you sail a lot, maybe get something like the Icom M802/M801E and tuner, so you can do both marine SSB with DSC/alerting and amateur radio with the same radio. Get an EPIRB too if you're ever outside sea area A1. Thankfully, you won't need to get a full commercial radio license to operate a marine SSB radio on a private pleasure craft, but you'll need something called a Long Range Certificate, Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit or similar which covers marine SSB and maybe satellite. Great thanks for that! Mot of it went over my head but i'm looking into it and understanding.
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Nov 17, 2011 05:08
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Whelp -- need to get my hands on one of these: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/2031.html
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Nov 18, 2011 06:08
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SiB posted:Great thanks for that! Mot of it went over my head but i'm looking into it and understanding. Cruising and sail forums often have threads or subforums about radio and computers aboard. Basically, amateur radio is a useful addition to communications, and fairly regularly gets used for emergencies, but you should also have a marine VHF radio and an EPIRB, and seriously consider marine SSB or satellite communication too. In the USA, you no longer need an operator license for marine VHF and the EPIRB, if you stay in US waters. If you go outside US waters or have a marine SSB radio, you'll need the RR license. The RR license doesn't require a test, only filling out a form and paying a fee, but you should learn the rules, and perhaps look at element 1 and 7 of the GMDSS question pool to see what sort of stuff you should know. More info here: http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/index.htm?&job=wncol Vir fucked around with this message at 14:03 on Nov 18, 2011 |
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Nov 18, 2011 10:03
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Jose Pointero fucked around with this message at 05:22 on Aug 28, 2019 |
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Nov 18, 2011 14:39
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So I signed up for the local radio club classes (5 total and 6th is the test) in preparation for the Canadian basic test. I have to wait until February 12th to write regardless of which way I go. Class is $50 and you get that back if you pass. With my current electronics and radio (just CB) experience I can knock out 60% consistently on the practice tests. I believe 70% is needed to pass the basic, and if you get 80% or higher then that's "with honors" so access to HF also! I'm certainly going to try for that. An HT with GPS will be purchased as soon as I can get it, I want to take advantage of APRS while i'm flying the paramotor and sailing the lakes. Then HF later on, like a FT-857d for example. I've only been looking at amateur radio for 15 years, its about time I do it.....
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Nov 27, 2011 08:42
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