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In other news, apparently the FCC wants to give hams secondary privileges on 2200m (1 watt EIRP) and 630m (5 watts EIRP) across the same range as a lot of the rest of the world, and the 1.9-2.0 section of 160m could be raised to primary. http://www.arrl.org/news/view/fcc-proposes-to-permit-amateur-access-to-2200-and-630-meters I guess good news for those who like low bitrate digital modes.
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Apr 30, 2015 04:23
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Jonny 290 posted:old-solder-balls mods????
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Apr 30, 2015 12:41
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If the system designers are nice they'll include a pilot tone or something to let people align their receivers, SDR systems could probably autocal off something like that pretty easily. Gonna dismantle a satellite LNB some time and check how they're built, hopefully there's a PLL at the heart of it that can be fed with a stable reference from the radio.
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Apr 30, 2015 13:47
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wolrah posted:In other news, apparently the FCC wants to give hams secondary privileges on 2200m (1 watt EIRP) and 630m (5 watts EIRP) across the same range as a lot of the rest of the world, and the 1.9-2.0 section of 160m could be raised to primary. To be fair, this is what a loading coil for that band looks like. The trash can gives you a pretty good sense of scale.   You could pump quite a bit of power into that before hitting 1W EIRP. Unless of course you have some crazy acreage for something more efficient. 
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Apr 30, 2015 14:00
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Yeah you run 100w into a 1% efficient antenna on 136 Also I looked up DB6NT transverter prices - you can get 200mw of 10ghz or 20 mw of 24ghz for 400 bucks kit form, or 600 bucks assembled. That's reasonable as hell imo.
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Apr 30, 2015 17:14
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Some quick newbie questions while I study for my tech exam next month. 1. For APRS broadcasting, if I install a transmitter in my car would it be against FCC rules if my wife drives it to the grocery store while I'm not in the car? 2. I've read a good bit on how to setup said APRS transmitter, but am lost on figuring out what I would need at home to receive the broadcasts and decode them? I think I would need to make a digipeater? Oh and all this microwave chat is confusing as all hell but sounds awesome for combing radio with my kerbal obsession.
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May 4, 2015 14:49
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SpaceCadetBob posted:1. For APRS broadcasting, if I install a transmitter in my car would it be against FCC rules if my wife drives it to the grocery store while I'm not in the car? You would still be considered the control operator, so this should be fine. Just like when people use APRS on unmanned balloons and the like. SpaceCadetBob posted:2. I've read a good bit on how to setup said APRS transmitter, but am lost on figuring out what I would need at home to receive the broadcasts and decode them? I think I would need to make a digipeater? You don't need much of anything more than a way to receive 144.39 and software to decode the broadcasts. A digipeater is to receive and then retransmit and APRS broadcasts.
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May 4, 2015 15:26
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Motronic posted:You would still be considered the control operator, so this should be fine. Just like when people use APRS on unmanned balloons and the like. Thanks! In that case I wonder if I could use my SDR dongle to try catching data for now till I get my license. fake edit: Yep I can, guess I should have just looked on youtube to begin with.
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May 4, 2015 15:48
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SpaceCadetBob posted:Thanks! In that case I wonder if I could use my SDR dongle to try catching data for now till I get my license. you sure can!
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May 4, 2015 15:55
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SpaceCadetBob posted:Thanks! In that case I wonder if I could use my SDR dongle to try catching data for now till I get my license. That's a perfect setup for this. No problems trying to get a radio/scanner to play nice on the line in to your computer.
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May 4, 2015 16:27
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You can also just check the aprs signal reports on a site like aprs.fi Edit: I mean for utility, far be it from me to suggest you should build a receiver. blugu64 fucked around with this message at 16:41 on May 4, 2015 |
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May 4, 2015 16:38
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I got a 50 foot roll of RG-62 in the mail. If you want a few feet for an eggbeater/potato masher phasing harness, i'll kick you a chunk for shipping cost when it gets here while supplies last
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May 4, 2015 22:47
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So having to wait to take my tech exam is killing my instant gratification and impulse purchase vices. As such I'd like to buy a receiver/scanner that can trawl the local repeater and EMS/Police frequencies. Google keeps throwing this model at me http://www.uniden.com/products/productdetail.cfm?product=BC355N, but would love to get some actual recommendations before I end up buying a piece of junk through sheer ignorance.
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May 6, 2015 02:30
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SpaceCadetBob posted:So having to wait to take my tech exam is killing my instant gratification and impulse purchase vices. As such I'd like to buy a receiver/scanner that can trawl the local repeater and EMS/Police frequencies. You sure they aren't using a digital system? Without knowing where you're located or what you want to listen to we can't give you much advice.
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May 6, 2015 02:39
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PuTTY riot posted:You sure they aren't using a digital system? Without knowing where you're located or what you want to listen to we can't give you much advice. All of my local stuff is still analog. I can pick up all the local towns around me on an SDR#, and would just like to upgrade a bit to something that I can drag around with me a bit more since my only computer is a desktop atm.
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May 6, 2015 02:46
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Nah those little preset ones are garbage BC-75XLT is a pretty good little scanbox and you can actually punch a frequency in. Doesn't cover 800 mhz but it doesn't trunk anyways. Nice simple little radio, even after you get your license and a ham rig it'll be useful.
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May 6, 2015 16:26
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SpaceCadetBob posted:All of my local stuff is still analog. I can pick up all the local towns around me on an SDR#, and would just like to upgrade a bit to something that I can drag around with me a bit more since my only computer is a desktop atm. Got an Android Phone? http://sdrtouch.com/ Works with my Moto X, but I have to hub it because it draws too much power from the USB port. Or, just get the two-way that you want and don't push the talk button.
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May 6, 2015 19:55
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There's usually a way to program memories with the talk inhibited on 2-ways if you're worried. The trick for cheap Chinese HTs is often to set a repeater offset so high that the TX freq is outside operable range.
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May 6, 2015 20:29
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eddiewalker posted:There's usually a way to program memories with the talk inhibited on 2-ways if you're worried. FWIW you can turn off the transmit entirely with chirp and a programming cable. But the baofengs suck as scanners, they're so slow at it.
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May 6, 2015 20:31
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Thanks for all the input. I'm willing to be a bit spendy if it means I get a device that is good at scanning quickly and accurately. From what I was reading that a lot of HTs for hams don't necessarily scan police bands very well?
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May 6, 2015 20:42
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Dielectric posted:Got an Android Phone?
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May 7, 2015 06:40
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SoundMonkey posted:"We hosed up the injection molding and it cost like loving infinity dollars to get them to retool." Now they've shipped my SDRPlay but: As promised your RSP was picked up by our shipping agent on Monday 11th of May and is now on its way to you via Deutsche Post DHL. Unfortunately, due to an error at our shipping agent, we are unable to provide you with a tracking number. 
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May 14, 2015 07:44
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I dunno whether or not there's a dedicated SDR thread, so pardon me if babby's first SDR questions don't belong here. I'm looking at getting an RTL-SDR (namely this one) for monitoring 1090 MhZ for ADS-B. What type of connectors do I need for the antenna so I can get a longer one? An aside, Amazon suggests I get UHF SO239 PL259 female to MCX male right angle and SMA male to MCX male connectors. Are these necessary for just plugging the SDR into a Raspberry Pi?
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May 17, 2015 22:44
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Spaced God posted:I dunno whether or not there's a dedicated SDR thread, so pardon me if babby's first SDR questions don't belong here. I'm looking at getting an RTL-SDR (namely this one) for monitoring 1090 MhZ for ADS-B. What type of connectors do I need for the antenna so I can get a longer one? I used an MCX to SO239 pigtail. Amazon has 'em. Those are for the antenna connections only. The RTLSDR is USB, so you'd just plug it directly into one of your USB ports.
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May 17, 2015 23:13
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Spaced God posted:An aside, Amazon suggests I get UHF SO239 PL259 female to MCX male right angle and SMA male to MCX male connectors. Are these necessary for just plugging the SDR into a Raspberry Pi?
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May 17, 2015 23:48
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manero posted:I used an MCX to SO239 pigtail. Amazon has 'em. The only MCX to SO239s I could find are 20cm long. Do they not make them longer?
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May 17, 2015 23:54
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nmfree posted:For ADS-B the stock antenna should work OK, so I wouldn't worry about getting any of the adapters you listed. Stock antennas are definitely fine for ADS-B. My computer is on the partially underground level of a split-level with the stock 4" rubber duck stuck to the top of a file cabinet (putting it roughly at street level) and I still have about 30-60 miles of range depending on direction. Here's a screenshot from Virtual Radar Server showing the max range it's seen:  Grey is below 10k feet, green is 10k-20k, purple is 20k-30k, and red is over 30k. Range circles are at 20 mile intervals. It's been running since Friday around 10 AM other than when my PC goes to sleep at night. Obviously the range is reduced for aircraft closer to ground level by terrain, but an antenna alone won't help that without being higher off the ground. There's a hill to my north and two cities between me and CLE otherwise there would probably be a lot of traffic visible out that way.
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May 18, 2015 00:57
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Spaced God posted:The only MCX to SO239s I could find are 20cm long. Do they not make them longer? I should have expanded my response.. then buy coax with PL-259's, and plug it all into a better antenna 
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May 18, 2015 01:35
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Actually you can just use regular cable tv cable. Just get an adapter like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/121400953790?lpid=82&chn=ps. Then make a coax collinear antenna. Bam. $4 and a few things you probably already have lying around and you've got a real nice antenna. Spend another $3 and make a nice PVC enclosure for it. Just don't get schedule 40.
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May 18, 2015 01:57
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Motronic posted:
Bro I am building that poo poo TODAY  18 foot antenna in progress for my baofeng. Keldoclock fucked around with this message at 06:30 on May 23, 2015 |
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May 23, 2015 06:27
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SUVs with sunroofs are great cause you can get your chain link fence top rail antenna masts home
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May 23, 2015 06:31
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Jonny 290 posted:SUVs with sunroofs are great cause you can get your chain link fence top rail antenna masts home What if I told you I can remove the entire roof, and also the doors and front windshield? Great excuse to wear goggles on the freeway! I'm probably going to have to do that actually to make the final delivery for that thing. Keldoclock fucked around with this message at 06:47 on May 23, 2015 |
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May 23, 2015 06:42
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Jonny 290 posted:SUVs with sunroofs are great cause you can get your chain link fence top rail antenna masts home You joke about this but guys do that for the January/June VHF contests. Drop the end of the mast into a cup holder and put it up out the sunroof, so you can rotate beams. Obviously you don't do this while driving but still.
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May 25, 2015 19:39
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if I ever have a hardcore beater radio truck again im going to get a little bitty beam up on one of these  we have one in the bus and it's joyful
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May 25, 2015 20:56
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picked up a 100%, late-run (fixes performed), clean as a whistle icom 746 pro WITH an SM-20 desk mike for a pretty laugh worthy price 600 plus shipping so excited  real DSPofficially unloading my 271a and maybe a mobile rig
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May 26, 2015 02:08
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Question about VE's. I know they are reimbursed for travel expenses, but is that if they are one of the graders/regulars? Or is that if they show up at all a la "hey can i show up to your exam session since I'm a VE"? and they say sure you could as well?
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Jun 19, 2015 10:04
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i'm t+2 days on the Icom 746 and have already landed several grids and my first DX VHF contact (XE2CB out of DM12 just over the border) on six meters this is incredible fun i'm hooked i'm buying a beam. radio hasn't been this magic for me in years the e-skip may be helping juuuuust a little bit today 
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Jun 21, 2015 21:32
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Passed the technician exam today.  Also did the General exam since hey, I'd already paid for the test, got 20/35, so it shouldn't be much of a problem once I actually study for it.
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Jun 28, 2015 21:57
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I've decided this amateur radio stuff sounds fun. I got my study guide and a copy of the ARRL license manual coming in the mail this week. Do you guys generally take practice tests for The technical/general or is this just a "study and you'll be fine" affair?
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Jun 29, 2015 06:13
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Hamstudy.org is where it's at IMO
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Jun 29, 2015 06:39
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