nmfree posted:

That's no exaggeration.

Here's an article about this really cool antenna I built
That's pretty good for a no-code Tech/ Extra Lite
Whatever, if you like it, read it, otherwise get out
Here's a 10 page essay about how it was better back when I started in 1921. You see,

blugu64 posted:

Well guys I've got all the luck in the world. My new toy arrived today

complete with requisite 'Made in Japan' stickers. Its the Arrow II 2m/70cm yagi antenna that everyone and their brother is using to work FM satellites. I prepped everything and took a few pics in preperation for a nice post on the matter. Only to discover that they turned off the 2m/70cm repeater on AO-51 /today/ and it will be off for a week. Anyone have any recommendations on other FM satellites? If not I'll try again in a week or so.

My other project, getting APRS going, is kind of on hold because the setup program I need to use to configure my OpenTracker with my call and such only runs on windows. I'm a happy xubuntu camper and can't seem to find my WinXP CD. I just moved a few weeks ago so it's probably in a box in a closet.

TNLTRPB posted:

Here's the whole album: http://www.jtrg.org/Photoalbum/Members/AF4KK/AF4KK-Project%20Car/index.html

I honestly don't know what to say to that, doesn't even come close.

Radnor posted:

I've done it a few times using this Arrow antenna. I attached it to a camera tripod along with a compass and info from heavens-above.com. It was a little difficult to keep the antenna pointed and tilted at the right place in the sky but it's definitely doable with practice.

The videos from this guy show a similar setup.

McRib Sandwich posted:

For those of you lucky enough to own the VX-8R (or any other APRS-capable rig, for that matter), you might want to give a try to hitting the ISS's APRS digipeater sometime. With a 5-watt HT you'll be in the mud on low-angle passes, but if you wait for a high-elevation pass, you can get a couple packets through with enough tries, even on the stock rubber duck. All you need to change to beacon through the ISS is to make your digi path "ARISS" instead of the terrestrial "WIDE1-1, WIDE2-1"-style path. Remember also that the APRS digis in space don't use the standard 144.390 MHz that APRS uses on the ground; use 145.825 MHz instead. Since it's still APRS on VHF, for all but the highest passes you shouldn't need to compensate for Doppler shift — just leave the radio on 145.825 through the whole pass.

It sounds kinda corny, but there's something almost magical about the first time you digipeat APRS through a satellite, especially when you log onto ariss.net / aprs.fi afterwards and see that your most recent over-the-air path came from the freaking International Space Station. It's definitely one of those "hell yeah" moments in ham radio.

As for tracking satellite passes, http://amsat.org will calculate pass times and elevations of most currently-operational ham sats for you based on your lat/lon or your gridsquare; another awesome online sat tracker is N2YO, http://n2yo.com.

If you want to read a bit more into the "how" of APRS over ISS, there is also a pretty resourceful presentation about it that you can check out here: http://www.fars.k6ya.org/docs/aprs_via_iss.pdf

--

In other news, the OP is updated with new hams and thread checkins since late summer. The official tally at this point is 80 hams!

blugu64 posted:

Scottw330 posted:

Can you tell me more about this antenna?

AstroZamboni posted:

I know its a long time coming, but after much goading from his former ham (and pirate broadcaster) father and ham boss, SA SWL guru AstroZamboni is finally going to be taking his examinations for a technician license in 16 days!

[APPLAUSE]

My question to all of you experienced ham goons is this; I've been preparing for my exam using the flash cards and practice tests on this site. Would all of you say that this is a good study aid, or are there better practice tests out there?

AstroZamboni posted:

My shipment of LEGO parts came in, and I finally finished the morse key 100% (applause)! All of the wiring/soldering is finished, and this thing might just be my LEGO masterpiece.


Click here for the full 783x549 image.

Click here for the full 903x378 image.

Click here for the full 1001x721 image.

Click here for the full 933x467 image.

Click here for the full 851x549 image.

When your LEGO models start to require a certain amount of proficiency with soldering, you begin to realize that you have reached a potentially dangerous level of geekdom and think that it may be time to take inventory of your life.

Catastrophe posted:

Welp... lurking around the shortwave thread made me finally pick up a shortwave radio (Grundig G3). Playing with radios again made me miss my old Yaesu FT-11R 2m HT I used to have so I started looking around at current HTs to see what's available. I sold my old Yaesu because I picked it up with the idea I'd study for my license and actually USE the thing. Never happened. I ended up doing the MARS/CAP mod to it and sold it to a local police officer who had been eyeballing it since I bought it.

Fast forward 12 years to today and I just placed an order for a Yaesu VX-8R. It looks like it has a healthy list of both pros and cons but it seems like a nice little HT to have, overall. Quad band radio with 0.5-999MHz RX, GPS and Bluetooth modules available, APRS data ability built in, spectrum analyzer, submersible to 3ft, can monitor two signals at once, etc..

NOW I need to cram for my license and just go do it. I already know most of it, anyway. I just need to brush up and head out to the burbs to take the test.



EDIT: I'm told the thing is horrifyingly user-unfriendly and its operation requires heavy and constant references to the manual. Steep learning curve to its menu system. Lame.

Catastrophe posted:

Alright. I know this is obvious to every other ham here but I'm quickly finding out that there is a lot more to amateur radio than chatting back and forth with strangers on 2-meter repeaters.

So I set up my radio for APRS use.. I have no idea what it's actually good for but it's cool to see my callsign pop up at my location on http://aprs.fi and see who else is around me. This is like fancy technological stuff, right here!

The technician license gives you CW rights on a bunch of the HF bands so I'm going to string up a huge length of wire and see who I can reach with morse code, too.

Excitement!

The only thing I don't understand is why it seems like every 2 meter repeater around here has the same 'problem'. It seems like most any time there's someone speaking on it, there's a modem-like screeching data sound over their voice obstructing what they're saying. What kind of data is it and why is it always over everyone's voice??

Catastrophe posted:

I was going to get the GPS unit for mine until I looked it up and saw that the unit plus its mounting bracket are basically half the size of the radio itself and mounts awkwardly to the top of it.



Pass.

Prince of Dicks posted:

Get the speaker-mic and mount it to that.

Rev Quackers posted:

ok everyone who wants in on our Goon Ham Radio Club email me and i'll get the ball rolling.

kyle.hamilton AT gmail.com


Rev Quackers KG6BXW

dv6speed posted:

Miskatonic posted:

Is it possible to go hiking in the vast reaches of the Oregon cascades and still be in touch with other operators through amateur radio? What sort of equipment would I need? I'd rather pack light.

Motronic posted:

Whoohoo, just passed my General. Now I need to find an HF rig.