Author Topic: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum  (Read 29740 times)

Offline Kelly

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #15 on: August 21, 2012, 10:11:25 AM »
Good luck, Rhodges!

Kelly
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Offline Terence

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #16 on: August 21, 2012, 10:38:42 AM »

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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Offline SunDog

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2012, 02:52:01 PM »
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.

Offline Boston

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #18 on: August 21, 2012, 06:34:21 PM »
I just tried to set this up,
but goofed and got this message.

We'll get it cleared up.
Sorry for the delay.

Boston


Quote
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".

Offline HCM2B

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #19 on: August 22, 2012, 10:09:23 AM »
@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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Offline Terence

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #20 on: August 22, 2012, 10:24:47 AM »
@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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Offline Terence

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #21 on: August 22, 2012, 10:26:42 AM »
I just tried to set this up,
but goofed and got this message.

We'll get it cleared up.
Sorry for the delay.

Boston


Quote
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

Liberty is “Stolen” by your own signature. Find the adhesion contracts and deal with them.

Offline manfromnevada

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #22 on: August 22, 2012, 07:30:13 PM »
OK, I'm dense: what is equipment recs.  ?

Mac
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<Edmund Burke>

Offline 300dragonflies

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #23 on: August 22, 2012, 09:06:04 PM »
Equipment recs. = equipment recommendations. :D

Offline Terence

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #24 on: August 22, 2012, 09:27:31 PM »
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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Offline Mjolnir

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #25 on: August 23, 2012, 06:47:36 AM »
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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Offline Old Ironsights

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #26 on: August 23, 2012, 07:15:06 AM »
@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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Offline HCM2B

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #27 on: August 24, 2012, 11:12:21 PM »
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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Offline rhodges

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #28 on: August 24, 2012, 11:33:05 PM »
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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Offline redtailhawk

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Re: Request: new Amateur Radio sub-forum
« Reply #29 on: August 25, 2012, 07:13:31 AM »
Congratulations and well done!