Free State Wyoming Forum
Discussions Not Related To Free State Wyoming (FSW) => Everything Else => Radio and Communications => Topic started by: Don Wills on July 17, 2012, 11:21:35 AM
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I would be interested in a new sub-forum titled "Amateur Radio" or "Radio Communications" or something like that under "Everything Else". Anybody else interested?
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Great idea! I'll bring that up with the Admins.
Terence
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yeah I would like that too
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...ish.
I don't have a Ticket, but I do have 2m (139-174) handhelds...
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I'm definitely interested.
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Me too!
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Yep.
Tex
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New guy and lurker, looking forward to it.
Jackson
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bump
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I'm interested
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I'm also interested!
Just need info and certification and....(the list goes on).... ;D
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Count me in. :) I can say I am officially “studying” now for my ticket.
(As in I just got my books and have started reading them!)
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I just picked up my GMRS license and sit for the technician test on 9/8. I bought a Wouxun 6D handheld and am starting the search for vehicle units. It would be nice to have the sub-forum to serve as a radio friendly discussion group and to act as a FSW freq coordinator for all of us.
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It looks like I will be taking my tests in Sundance this Friday. Wish me luck!
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Your wish is my command: I wish you luck! ;D
Feel better now?
Ham test? or otherwise?
BTW, four of us had a on air chat this morning, with one more joining in but too weak to take part. That's five active FSW folks communicating on air. And a few more in the wings about to climb on board.
Mac
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Good luck, Rhodges!
Kelly
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Go Richard!
Holy Smokes, that makes three FSWers that will have tested in two months, Mac says no less than
five met on the air, this morning, and two more studying up for the first test!
I just picked up my GMRS license and sit for the technician test on 9/8. I bought a Wouxun 6D handheld and am starting the search for vehicle units. It would be nice to have the sub-forum to serve as a radio friendly discussion group and to act as a FSW freq coordinator for all of us.
Just went through all this, HCM2B, and it was great fun thinking through all the options. You could
stick with your Wouxun and connect it to a VHF/UHF antenna mounted on your car (The handhelds
don't work well when used inside the vehicle) or really go for it and try to setup for HF in the car, as well.
I've setup a 'ham box' in the back of the truck with the radio and a spare car battery that powers
everything and gets recharged when the car is running. The cool thing about that is the radio can
be run without the car running and the spare battery can also power lots of other things for
outdoor adventures (Without risking running down the main car battery).
I'm still vetting HF antenna options for the truck but VHF/UHF is working very well!
Terence
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Good luck to all testing. I'll bet you all make it, and then need to get on the air! ;D
I've been doing this for a while, and find the learning comes in the fast and slow types. The fast is when you get confused and do something like reverse wire a power supply, and the slow is seeing how the bands change throughout the 11 solar cycle.
No matter how much you've seen so far, we haven't seen it all yet.
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I just tried to set this up,
but goofed and got this message.
We'll get it cleared up.
Sorry for the delay.
Boston
Board Radio Communications (Ham, amateur, etc.) does not have a valid parent. Use the 'find and repair errors' function to fix this.
Admin, this may require a fix above even my "pay grade".
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@Terence,
I plan to stick with VHF/UHF in the vehicles. The plan is to use a handheld dualband radio via a crossband repeater in the vehicles. That gives 25+ W of transmit power out of a 1W handheld (low power) when within range of the vehicle. At the house, an aerial setup with HF-UHF capability, but that will have to wait for $$.
Down here, we can routinely talk throughout the valley on a system of repeaters in both UHF/VHF but also in GMRS freqs. These repeaters get us over the mountain to Vegas, too. Networks such as these are relatively cheap to setup and maintain. That may be a consideration for a Wyoming network - a long term project to cover WY with a known repeater net that all can access.
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@Terence,
I plan to stick with VHF/UHF in the vehicles. The plan is to use a handheld dualband radio via a crossband repeater in the vehicles. That gives 25+ W of transmit power out of a 1W handheld (low power) when within range of the vehicle. At the house, an aerial setup with HF-UHF capability, but that will have to wait for $$.
Down here, we can routinely talk throughout the valley on a system of repeaters in both UHF/VHF but also in GMRS freqs. These repeaters get us over the mountain to Vegas, too. Networks such as these are relatively cheap to setup and maintain. That may be a consideration for a Wyoming network - a long term project to cover WY with a known repeater net that all can access.
That's a well thought out plan, alright. It's amazing how much is being done with these
little dual-band handhelds, nowadays. I also like your idea of incorporating GMRS into
the approach since it becomes a way to include non-hams.
The HF home setup is a big one with so many options they make your head spin.
Good luck on your upcoming test. . . .
Terence
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I just tried to set this up,
but goofed and got this message.
We'll get it cleared up.
Sorry for the delay.
Boston
Board Radio Communications (Ham, amateur, etc.) does not have a valid parent. Use the 'find and repair errors' function to fix this.
Admin, this may require a fix above even my "pay grade".
Ok, that makes it a task for after our SMF forum upgrade then.
Until then we can self-organize and title threads in categories so they're more easily
moved later. Here's some categories/thread subjects (For now) that come to mind.
Please add your feedback/suggestions here.
Getting On the Air
Wyoming Nets
Equipment Recs.
Elmer Questions
Mobile HF
VHF/UHF
MURS, GMRS, FRS and Non-Amateur Band Communications
Software for Radio
Digital Modes and Operation
Antennas, Feedlines, Tuners and Analyzers
Terence
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OK, I'm dense: what is equipment recs. ?
Mac
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Equipment recs. = equipment recommendations. :D
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OK, I'm dense: what is equipment recs. ?
Mac
Yep, 300dragonflies got what I had in mind, thanks. Should it be 'Reqs.'?
Terence
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OK, I'm dense: what is equipment recs. ?
Mac
Yep, 300dragonflies got what I had in mind, thanks. Should it be 'Reqs.'?
Terence
Reqs makes me think more of Requirements than Recommendations. I like Recs better. Or is there a space limitation to putting Recommendations or Suggestions?
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@Terence,
I plan to stick with VHF/UHF in the vehicles. The plan is to use a handheld dualband radio via a crossband repeater in the vehicles. That gives 25+ W of transmit power out of a 1W handheld (low power) when within range of the vehicle. At the house, an aerial setup with HF-UHF capability, but that will have to wait for $$.
Isn't that always the case?
My VHF Handhelds are 5W (both wide and narrow) between 136 & 174 MHz
If anybody is interested, I have a spreadsheet of the non-Wyolink Freqs & Repeater Tones used in EMS/Fire in Goshen/Platte/Niobrara
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Likewise mine is a 5w. I just like to keep the power down to save battery juice when out in the boonies. If you can get the signal to your vehicle, the cross band repeater will boost it up to its max output. When further away, the 5w capability is there to get the reach you need to hit your vehicle. It's sort of cool to talk to buddies 100 miles away across a mountain from a 1w hand-held 2 miles from your car in the middle of the desert. It's a long way from playing soldier with Walkie-talkies as kids!
The question of putting HF in a vehicle is interesting. The need for antenna tuning presents some challenges. Additionally, you can dial into an Echolink from a handheld and talk all over the world as long as the Internet is up. That's obviously not a great solution in a survival type situation, but it is functional and fun for now.
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For those who are keeping track, Mac still holds the title for best test score. I got one wrong on General and five on Extra. Oh, well.
In my opinion, the Extra test was pretty hard. I actually guessed at a couple questions and hoped for the best. Even though I thought I was prepared, it still took almost an hour to take the tests for Technician, General, and Extra. Taking the online tests is great, but for some reason, it seemed so much slower with pen and paper.
I am very thankful for the three volunteer examiners who gave up part of their evening to sit for a test of just one guy in Sundance. They seem to be great people, and I hope to work with them in future amateur radio activities.
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Congratulations and well done!
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Congratulations Richard!
So, you took all three in one sitting? I was thinking of studying up for T&G for the first round, not all three! What a task to study for three levels at once.
Thanks for the additional motivation.
Terence,
How about a “Test Questions” board for questions about the test and posting upcoming tests (or bragging about scores!)
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Congrats, Richard!
Kelly
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Awesome, Richard. Congrats on your EXTRA achievement!
I agree the extra test is hard. Both the book and the question pools are more
than the Tech and General, combined.
Congratulations Richard!
So, you took all three in one sitting? I was thinking of studying up for T&G for the first round, not all three! What a task to study for three levels at once.
Thanks for the additional motivation.
Terence,
How about a “Test Questions” board for questions about the test and posting upcoming tests (or bragging about scores!)
I think your approach to go for the Technician and possibly General is the best way to go.
I'd hate see someone not show up for the Technician test, for example, because they felt pressure
to take more tests in one sitting. I made that mistake in 1994 while preparing for the then Morse
code requirement.
Sure, with so many FSWers prepping for communications it would be great to have a thread
discussing test questions and such.
Terence
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I did a FCC Licensing search entering only my zip code in the search field. There are currently about 80 licensed Amateurs in my area. I recognized a few names and gave them a call. A couple of them are family members of those guys I know. I think I have found my new local Elmer’s who I won’t need to start fresh with, and a connection to some good starter equipment!
My thought is to drive around and see what type of antennas these guys are flying and compare them to homes with old unused looking antennas. When I find a few that look decent, I plan to leave a note at the door offering to disassemble and remove the tower (at my own “liability and risk”) and give them fifty bucks or so.
Has anyone done something like this before, or have any better ideas for getting on the air for the first time w/o breaking the bank on all new unfamiliar equipment. This is still a startup hobby for me, and I have time on my side (for now).
BTW, I have checked CL and there is a running add from a guy scooping up all the Ham equipment in this corner of the state on the cheap. I’ll probably contact him at some point to see if he is selling, but I am sure with him knowing what he is buying and advertising as such, he is the reason low priced equipment does not appear too often, if at all, on CL.
Thanks
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My advice to anyone studying for these tests is to buy the 3 study guides that ARRL publishes, but buy them from Amazon at a discounted price, no sales tax, and free shipping if you buy 2 or more.
The books are quite well done. They explain in the various topics what you need to know. The text is footnoted so you know that THIS particular sentence is the one on the test, then they follow up the section telling you to answer questions 2A, 3D, 3E-3G, and 5A, etc. And the questions at the back are reversed X-referenced back to the page in which the explanation is given.
The pool of questions is known up front. All you have to do is know ALL of them!
The online tests, at QRZ.com are good for measuring your progress, but they don't explain the reason behind anything.
Terence, myself, and now Richard have taken the 3 tests in one sitting and passed them with flying colors. It's a lot of effort, but worth it.
Mac
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I passed my technician test yesterday...34/35. I tried the General, but having not studied at all for that material, I did not even come close. That is next on the list though. Once I have my callsign, I will post it.
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Excellent!
This is something on my "To Learn" list - I keep forgetting to start on it! That list is soooooo long. I hope I have time to get through most of it.
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I passed my technician test yesterday...34/35. I tried the General, but having not studied at all for that material, I did not even come close. That is next on the list though. Once I have my callsign, I will post it.
Congrats!
I checked the license of an astronaut talking from the space station during orbit. License class? Technician!
Terence
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To my utter amazement I received my call sign today (at least it's active on the FCC website). It is KF7YMN. If you are in the Vegas area look me up. I usually monitor 145.555 and there is a radio link that brings the Vegas traffic over the hill to us.
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That's great! One step at a time. You should be able to get that 155 repeater from anywhere in the valley and into the verboten lands of Kalifornia.
Mac
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That is correct Mac. It works well up to the powerlines just east of Baker, north to Amargosa, and almost to Mesquite. I have a friend who is buddies with Art Bell, so I scored an intro to him. He offered to have me over and show me his HF stuff. I'm looking forward to learning that side of radio.
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I'd like to have a sit-down with Art Bell and find out how much of the load of BS I fed him & his listeners years ago he actually believed (as he inferred) and how much is schtick.
It was hilarious to listen to the series of follow-on callers who "verified" the story I made up....
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Having spoken with him a few times and having listened to him for quite a while on the air and on the ham bands, my gut says it was mostly schtick. He seems to me to be a gracious Elmer and friend to quite a few people, but down to earth. His radio past rarely comes up in conversations.
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Is Art Bell still living in the Philippines? I heard years ago he married a girl local to there and moved away.
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He lives here in Pahrump...about a mile north of the brothels. I don't know about any residence he may or may not have in the Phillipines.
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I used to ride my bike by his place and look at the antennae. Sometimes my biking friend and I used to stop and rest under a tree in front of Sheri's and the "girls" would yell out the windows and invite us in for a tease. Pahrump is known for being the closest town and lodging to Front Sight as well as the closest legal brothels to Las Vegas. But I digress . . . . .
Mac
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Is anyone operating an Echolink node in WY? I would like to get on and visit but need the "address".
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Is anyone operating an Echolink node in WY? I would like to get on and visit but need the "address".
#750622. Doing a search for Wyoming shows:
*Wyoming* - Wyoming Reflector - Node# 256748
N0VOW-R - Node# 342623
KC7BJY-L - Node# 363938
Terence
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Thanks much. I will start playing with them. Listen for me! KF7YMN.
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Hmmmm. Don't know about that!
I'm still using that old analog SSB stuff.
But then again, 40 years ago I was using digital, but in a different format:
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;D
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..-. -.. -. -. -.--
Morse is fun...still working to increase my listening speed, but I can send fairly quickly. It's necessary to learn to hear the letters...you can't translate quickly enough.
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My son twisted my arm to study for the Technician's test, then dragged me to Sundance where we both passed Technician and both failed miserably the General test. I plan to try the General test again in February or so, this fall on the ranch has been too busy for me to get serious about study.
My beginners radio is supposed to arrive next Monday, I've gathered some other bits and pieces to make it go when it arrives. Son Lorn made his first contact with a guy in Florida on Monday and was elated about that :)
Clem KF7ZQL
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My son twisted my arm to study for the Technician's test, then dragged me to Sundance where we both passed Technician and both failed miserably the General test. I plan to try the General test again in February or so, this fall on the ranch has been too busy for me to get serious about study.
My beginners radio is supposed to arrive next Monday, I've gathered some other bits and pieces to make it go when it arrives. Son Lorn made his first contact with a guy in Florida on Monday and was elated about that :)
Clem KF7ZQL
CONGRATs to you and Lorn, Clem!
Sounds like you've done more than a few things right since Lorn is dragging you rather
than the other way around.
Terence AE7WM
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Yah, my "little boy" has grown up and is quite a guy, we're very proud of him. He gregarious and likes to meet new folks, he's looking forward to making more contacts with his radio. Spouse and are both introverts and reclusive and can't figure where we went right with this kid ;D
Middle son Ross in Minnesota, perked up his ears when he heard that Lorn and dad had become Hams. He a techie kind of guy and will probably follow our lead and become an amateur radio guy also, just so we don't get ahead of him ;D
I obtained my first FCC license in 1961 when I was a student pilot, it's a "Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit", I used it almost daily while driving airplanes, until I retired in 1990.
Clem
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Yah, my "little boy" has grown up and is quite a guy, we're very proud of him. He gregarious and likes to meet new folks, he's looking forward to making more contacts with his radio. Spouse and are both introverts and reclusive and can't figure where we went right with this kid ;D
Middle son Ross in Minnesota, perked up his ears when he heard that Lorn and dad had become Hams. He a techie kind of guy and will probably follow our lead and become an amateur radio guy also, just so we don't get ahead of him ;D
I obtained my first FCC license in 1961 when I was a student pilot, it's a "Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit", I used it almost daily while driving airplanes, until I retired in 1990.
Clem
That license category is still active, Clem: Very well respected on commercial ships.
Three is better than one and one is better than none . . . on the airwaves. I look forward
to a QSO from all of you.
Terence
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That license category is still active, Clem: Very well respected on commercial ships.
Mine is very worn and tattered, I needed to carry it with me every day I went flying, the company line check airmen or FAA guys would ask to see the darn permit once a year or so.
I look forward to a QSO from all of you.
Terence
Who knows, I just might get brave enough to press that transmit button again some day and you'll probably hear from my boys someday too ;D
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I obtained my first FCC license in 1961 when I was a student pilot, it's a "Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit", I used it almost daily while driving airplanes, until I retired in 1990.
That license category is still active, Clem: Very well respected on commercial ships.
Things must have changed. When I got my FAA/FCC pilot's radio license (late 80's), it was just a dumb mail-in form where my "license" was a part of the card they just cut out and sent back. There was no test, just a fee. Like the old CB licenses (blue paper, four bucks, mine was KACR5042.)
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Yup, same thing in 1961, " just a dumb mail-in form where my "license" was a part of the card they just cut out and sent back.". Not a very important .gov permit in my estimation ??? Still, if I hadn't had the silly permit in possession, they would have shut down the whole flight at the next stop and sent for a new captain. RULES ARE RULES, you know ! ;D
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Morse is fun...still working to increase my listening speed, but I can send fairly quickly. It's necessary to learn to hear the letters...you can't translate quickly enough.
I'm afraid you need to work on your accuracy as well!
What you sent was:
FDNNY
Mac
I guess none of the other hams here noticed?
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I definitely need to work on my accuracy! That slip is the funniest of all! Good catch.
On a brighter note, have begun acquiring some gear. I now have a 40' push up pole, a couple more handhelds, and have it on hood authority that Santa will be delivering a Diamond antenna along with a Kenwood TM-V71A. Things are definitely looking up.
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................ along with a Kenwood TM-V71A.
That Kenwood TM-V71A looked good to me as a starter radio and mine was supposed to have been delivered yesterday. The box was apparently too big to fit into our mailbox so the rural carrier took it back to Moorcroft for pickup tomorrow :P :( Disappointment ! I wanted to at least try the thing out. I think I've gathered enough extra stuff to make it work.
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Yah, my "little boy" has grown up and is quite a guy, we're very proud of him. He gregarious and likes to meet new folks, he's looking forward to making more contacts with his radio. Spouse and are both introverts and reclusive and can't figure where we went right with this kid ;D
Middle son Ross in Minnesota, perked up his ears when he heard that Lorn and dad had become Hams. He a techie kind of guy and will probably follow our lead and become an amateur radio guy also, just so we don't get ahead of him ;D
I obtained my first FCC license in 1961 when I was a student pilot, it's a "Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit", I used it almost daily while driving airplanes, until I retired in 1990.
Clem
That license category is still active, Clem: Very well respected on commercial ships.
Three is better than one and one is better than none . . . on the airwaves. I look forward
to a QSO from all of you.
Terence
I thought you were talking about the 3rd class radiotelegraph operators license which
has some hefty prerequisites:
http://www.narte.org/h/fccabout.asp#TROC
There's no longer a radio permit required for airline pilots unless they happen to
have HF devices on board. In other words, VHF/UHF operating is implicitly 'granted' with
your pilots license.
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I definitely need to work on my accuracy! That slip is the funniest of all! Good catch.
On a brighter note, have begun acquiring some gear. I now have a 40' push up pole, a couple more handhelds, and have it on hood authority that Santa will be delivering a Diamond antenna along with a Kenwood TM-V71A. Things are definitely looking up.
Is that 40' pole a tripod of some sort? I have an 18-foot tripod in the truck ($130) and that
was about the best size/cost/height solution available. If you've found a mobile 40 footer please
do tell!
Terence
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I wouldn't call it a mobile antenna, though I suppose you could stick it on top of a truck for transport and set it up in the boonies fairly easily. It is just 4 sections of 10' pipe that sleeve inside one another. You plant the base on a stick of rebar, attach your antenna, and push it up. For long-term mounts you need to ground it properly and guy wire it. To make it an efficient mobile antenna rig might be too much of a pain but it would be possible. I think a loop or inverted L might be the way to go for a good long range mobile antenna. We recently set one of these up in less than an hour at work-including multiple guy wires. It's easy work.
I plan to use it at my home. I live in one of the more elevated areas of town and will be able to hit most areas of the valley from my home with a 5w handheld. When the new Kenwood gets up and running, I will be pushing 50w through an 11dB gain antenna. I can hardly wait.
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I wouldn't call it a mobile antenna, though I suppose you could stick it on top of a truck for transport and set it up in the boonies fairly easily. It is just 4 sections of 10' pipe that sleeve inside one another. You plant the base on a stick of rebar, attach your antenna, and push it up. For long-term mounts you need to ground it properly and guy wire it. To make it an efficient mobile antenna rig might be too much of a pain but it would be possible. I think a loop or inverted L might be the way to go for a good long range mobile antenna. We recently set one of these up in less than an hour at work-including multiple guy wires. It's easy work.
I plan to use it at my home. I live in one of the more elevated areas of town and will be able to hit most areas of the valley from my home with a 5w handheld. When the new Kenwood gets up and running, I will be pushing 50w through an 11dB gain antenna. I can hardly wait.
Ok, thanks for the details an that. Sounds great for a semi-permanent install.
For now I'll stick with the 18' tripod (24' if put on top of the truck). It's only for
quick mobile HF, anyway.
Terence