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Achmed Jones posted:so im lookin on amazon for rf modulators and lol If you want to use old NTSC TV's around your house and yard, take my advice... Go on eBay and look for a Drake or Blonder-Tounge Agile Modulator.  These were Head-End gear used at local cable offices to take composite feeds from satellites and send it on to the local cable subscribers. Set it to a VHF channel that's not being used in your area and build a basic dipole for the center frequency. I feed mine with a Roku so that I can control it VIA The Roku app.    MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 10:44 on May 29, 2022 |
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May 29, 2022 10:19
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| # ¿ May 8, 2024 21:49 |
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Achmed Jones posted:owns, thank you! do i need to be looking for specific keywords on these? RL Drake and Blonder-Tongue are the two manufacturers to look for. Here's a great article on how to do it! https://antiqueradio.org/HomeTVTransmitter.htm A video guide on building a dipole for the Modulator from Shango066: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4dhRt7tmd4 MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 02:12 on May 30, 2022 |
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May 29, 2022 18:24
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Achmed Jones posted:owns, thank you! do i need to be looking for specific keywords on these? Thanks for the kind words! Most of the consumer grade RF modulators available out there today are absolute garbage. I've seen some that spew Harmonics EVERYWHERE, and most of them have very poor quality, annoying, buzzy audio. You're better off paying a little bit more for the benefits of a professional piece of CATV broadcast gear and get the added benefit of the built in RF amp that makes it a viable low power transmitter. I used one of those 90's Casio Handheld LCD TVs to dial mine in so the signal fades out just about at the boundaries of my suburban yard, not that my neighbors would be scanning for VHF Channel 9 anyway. Have some more Vintage TV Screenshots:    EDIT: Also a video [https://www.veed.io/view/a2df9f43-8372-423d-97a0-58c3d5e2a371 MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 09:28 on Jun 3, 2022 |
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Jun 3, 2022 09:13
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Achmed Jones posted:oh wait is this just doing composite video over a type F connector (or bnc for the ones with bnc in)? so i just would need a dumb adapter? Yup, It's just composite over an F connector. All you need is one of these. 
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Jun 10, 2022 19:42
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Just an FYI, but digimodes like FT8 and JS8Call are becoming a big deal on 11 meters. There are CB operators making worldwide contacts using legal power (12W) on Channel 24 USB (27.235MHz) if you want to tune in on your SDRs.
MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 09:28 on Oct 23, 2022 |
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Oct 23, 2022 09:11
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So, a few weeks ago, a broken tree limb took down the lead line for my 80-10 EFHW longwire antenna. I decided that I was tired of dealing with antenna lead lines in my maple tree that constantly drops limbs, and really wanted to get a line over one of the big limbs of my 120'-ishTulip Poplar about 75' up. Previously I've used various slingshots, lead weights, and fishing reels with unsatisfactory results. Last week, I found this on Amazon.  https://a.co/d/50nCgjh It's basically a spearfishing slingshot gun... So I ordered it. It was like $65 shipped. It arrived last night around 7:30PM.  So I put it together and launched one of the darts into the Tulip tree around 8PM. This is the result:  I was able to pull a new paracord lead line over a limb 75Ft up. Sorry about the photos being so bad but the light was fading. I'll post photos of the EFHW back up in the morning. MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 14:02 on Aug 9, 2023 |
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Aug 9, 2023 09:06
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Helianthus Annuus posted:has anybody ever died while operating a ham radio from the bath tub? Not exactly, but this is close. The CPSC banned all metal CB base station antennas in the mid 80's because a few idiots mounted them too close to 38KV power lines, and when they blew over in high winds their owners either got fried in an arc flash or their houses burned down. Now all legal CB base antennas sold in the USA, no matter how expensive, are some variation on a hollow fiberglass pole with 18-22 feet of 16 gauge wire strung inside it and a matching network at the base where the PL259 screws in. MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 10:37 on Dec 3, 2023 |
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Dec 3, 2023 10:34
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spankmeister posted:CB people idiots? naaaah It had the side effect of wiping out all of the cheap metal 10m Verticals on the market, so  This kind of idiocy isn't unique to CB guys. There are dozens of posts on r/amateurradio asking if they can use their AC Weatherhead pipe to mount a 2m/70CM Antenna. 
MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 10:45 on Dec 3, 2023 |
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Dec 3, 2023 10:38
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So, I spent the last week doing practice tests on Hamstudy.org for an hour or so a night. I took one of the online VE Exams over Zoom on Sunday and PASSED my General upgrade, 34/35. It cost $15 and was pretty darn easy to set up. All I had to do was go on Zoom with 3 VE's, pan my laptop over the room to show my test area was clean, and take the test on exam.tools while they watched me on cam. 30 minutes later and they emailed me my CSCE form as a PDF. I'm pumped! I'm probably going to upgrade to Extra soon.
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Dec 13, 2023 10:28
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| # ¿ May 8, 2024 21:49 |
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Christmas came a few days late. I bought an Icom IC-730 off of a seller in Japan for $180 shipped. It arrived the day after Christmas in perfect Condition..  I've been having tons of fun Hunting POTA stations on 20 and 40M during the day, and rag-chewing with old dudes on 80 meters at night...  Also has anyone here here played around with RM-Noise? It's an AI filter for SSB and CW. It works insanely well here in my suburban QTH with insane noise levels. https://ournetplace.com/rm-noise/ MullardEL34 fucked around with this message at 10:34 on Jan 10, 2024 |
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Jan 10, 2024 10:31
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