- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
3.980.00 Oregon Emergency net. @ 18:00 West coast time.. haha.. like 1 minute from now
case if you can hear it or not?
case if you can hear it or not?
CB Radio and Ham Radio
- Thread starter Kyle
- Start date
- Location
- Covington, Va
I'll tune up on you and see!!! hihi
- Location
- Covington, Va
What's your call again Marv?
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
KG7QLE
net is now started
net is now started
- Location
- Covington, Va
OK, All I hear is some old timers chewing the rag. 80 probably won't carry across the country tonight. It's been REALLY short all day.
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Its weak for me as well.. S-Meter showing S15 for 120 miles away.. lots of snow in the signal tonight.
had to try..
had to try..
- Location
- Covington, Va
Little rant: Working a little pile up on 80 on a freq that I check around and asked if it was in use and after 30-40min a guy gets on there, no ID and starts QRMing me. Interrupting a contact and yacking about my spacing. 5 minutes left in the QSO party.
Well when the party was over, I go up to where they were and throw out my call. One of them, but not the guy that was QRMing answers. So I hang out for a bit, catch some flack for the QSO party. Whatever. They gave some advice about my audio settings (radio reset itself a while back) and I thank them. But no one is talking. One person is kinda talking to themselves and the only other person on freq said "I'm watching TV, I'll be back in a bit." Literally radio silence.
So one of them gives me a little more flack and I just said I wanted to come say hi now that the contest was over and see what they were discussing that was so pressing that someone had to come interrupt my run. Radio silence again. So I apologize again for the issue, state that I'm not there to make enemies but had to see what was so important, say my 73 and wish them all a good week.
I don't think these guys expect to have folks track them down like that. Maybe they'll keep quiet next time. But I was pretty ticked off. It's a contest, we all know how they go. People try to give proper spacing but most of the time 2kc is all you can hope for. Which isn't right but I should have been just outside his pass-band and if not, a little notching should have knocked me clean of their freq. It's what we HAVE to do on the VaFoneNet. There's a net just below us every night that bleeds over but we notch and move on. Heck, I've dialed up .5kc on my old TenTec to clear them on RX for the net before.
Anyways, I needed to vent and my local radio buddies are all out and about right now.
Well when the party was over, I go up to where they were and throw out my call. One of them, but not the guy that was QRMing answers. So I hang out for a bit, catch some flack for the QSO party. Whatever. They gave some advice about my audio settings (radio reset itself a while back) and I thank them. But no one is talking. One person is kinda talking to themselves and the only other person on freq said "I'm watching TV, I'll be back in a bit." Literally radio silence.
So one of them gives me a little more flack and I just said I wanted to come say hi now that the contest was over and see what they were discussing that was so pressing that someone had to come interrupt my run. Radio silence again. So I apologize again for the issue, state that I'm not there to make enemies but had to see what was so important, say my 73 and wish them all a good week.
I don't think these guys expect to have folks track them down like that. Maybe they'll keep quiet next time. But I was pretty ticked off. It's a contest, we all know how they go. People try to give proper spacing but most of the time 2kc is all you can hope for. Which isn't right but I should have been just outside his pass-band and if not, a little notching should have knocked me clean of their freq. It's what we HAVE to do on the VaFoneNet. There's a net just below us every night that bleeds over but we notch and move on. Heck, I've dialed up .5kc on my old TenTec to clear them on RX for the net before.
Anyways, I needed to vent and my local radio buddies are all out and about right now.
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
I hate when in the Nets. People checking in from tri states.. Then people Tuning the Freq, with the Squeal.. that drowns every one out.. Or bleed over radio stations from Japan ( Least my area).
Sounds them others are just flat out grumpy.. and want to hog the Freq's.. FCC likes to pound them folks.. If they get enough flack from other users.
its one thing nice about ham.. It's more controlled and people are nice.. Like in all walks of life, you get the ME ME ME persons..
Sounds them others are just flat out grumpy.. and want to hog the Freq's.. FCC likes to pound them folks.. If they get enough flack from other users.
its one thing nice about ham.. It's more controlled and people are nice.. Like in all walks of life, you get the ME ME ME persons..
- Location
- Covington, Va
Yep. And I get it, you don't have anything else to do but sit there with a radio on 24/7 set to the same frequency and not talking just so you can shoo folks off YOUR frequency. But it's probably two days a month that a contest covers you up. Take one night and read a book and another and fuss at your wife instead of you invalid friends...
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Buddies Tram 2m/70 Antenna. had a SWR of 3.. I told him. BAD BAD as he has water in his cable.. He removed antenna today.. sure as Scat was full of water. Weep hole plugged? or seal ? dunno..
I had to check mine.. Tossed the SWR meter on. Dialed in 146.5200 SWR 1:1 1:2.. PERFECT!!! whew no water in my Base antenna.. Doing triple Sealing of connections paid off..
BEER time.. after all that hard work.
I had to check mine.. Tossed the SWR meter on. Dialed in 146.5200 SWR 1:1 1:2.. PERFECT!!! whew no water in my Base antenna.. Doing triple Sealing of connections paid off..
BEER time.. after all that hard work.
- Location
- Covington, Va
Nice! Always good to have results from your work. Enjoy that beer. I'm night capping with a little Skrewball and banana.
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
banana skrewball.. sounds like a healthy meal
Its been awhile since checking SWR.. was worth it.. and feel good all are up to spec's. whew
Its been awhile since checking SWR.. was worth it.. and feel good all are up to spec's. whew
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Unplugged the Antenna for awhile, checking it daily.. Checked this morning can see some good water flow seepage.
Do have another Antenna mount an cable coming. Dam Chinese Virus is slowing down shipping.. April 17th roughly. grrrrrrr.
Will shake it some and check SWR on it.. while its wet.. Rain is Sterile, but once it goes in cable it will pick up copper Minerals etc.. Raising SWR well in theory.. ;-)
photo of cable this morning.
Do have another Antenna mount an cable coming. Dam Chinese Virus is slowing down shipping.. April 17th roughly. grrrrrrr.
Will shake it some and check SWR on it.. while its wet.. Rain is Sterile, but once it goes in cable it will pick up copper Minerals etc.. Raising SWR well in theory.. ;-)
photo of cable this morning.
- Location
- Covington, Va
That's nuts! Is that external?
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Yep, its mounted on Roof Rack back right corner. Cable slides in the hatch and snakes under the seats to radio.
Checked SWR with it being wet. 146.5288 = 1:1 needle barley moved up.. Using calling freq as my Zero point.
found it odd. that It showed a low SWR. with wet cable. Maybe needs to oxidize before swr climbs up?.
Checked SWR with it being wet. 146.5288 = 1:1 needle barley moved up.. Using calling freq as my Zero point.
found it odd. that It showed a low SWR. with wet cable. Maybe needs to oxidize before swr climbs up?.
- Location
- Covington, Va
Probably. Build some reactance in the cable. You might need to get some coax sealant tape. PM me your address. Might have something to help.
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Thx for the offer.. I have several rolls of the Silicon Coax tape. self Fusing stuff. Made habit of Black electrical tape first layer, Add self fusing Silicone tape, another layer of electrical tape For protecting the tape.
Sealed this with Rubber coating sealant. top to bottom.. Not sure how it gets into cable. Either crappy outer cable, fails.. added dia electric grease to the threads. This antenna even added Cable protector cover. Ran from roof to inside. It's got me baffled.. even others look at it.. they scratch head.
Mag mounts fail in rainy states. Switching brackets and will apply More goo tape to help. Have Mirror mount stainless steel bracket coming with 17' cable.
If Historical profile is correct this will fail in 1 year. Last time I try the Roof mount. When fails will use the OPEK hood mount, 3 inches of coax will be exposed rest of it sheltered in the Engine bay.. etc.. My range will drop some.
if anything gives me a project to do.. soon. ;-) 4th time is the charm!
Sealed this with Rubber coating sealant. top to bottom.. Not sure how it gets into cable. Either crappy outer cable, fails.. added dia electric grease to the threads. This antenna even added Cable protector cover. Ran from roof to inside. It's got me baffled.. even others look at it.. they scratch head.
Mag mounts fail in rainy states. Switching brackets and will apply More goo tape to help. Have Mirror mount stainless steel bracket coming with 17' cable.
If Historical profile is correct this will fail in 1 year. Last time I try the Roof mount. When fails will use the OPEK hood mount, 3 inches of coax will be exposed rest of it sheltered in the Engine bay.. etc.. My range will drop some.
if anything gives me a project to do.. soon. ;-) 4th time is the charm!
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
UPDATE:
****HISTORY: This mag mount was my first Antenna set up style. First one was never sealed Just hooked up antenna stuck to roof basket. My Best SWR sweet spot Back Right corner. 7 months later. water felt.. Bought another new base. Add silicone wrap on base. Failed 10 months later!.
This last one. Sealed the Crap out of it(photo).. extra cover on coax too inside Hatch. 13 months later.. Water!! CRAP. ( slow learner!! haha )
Pulled the Old Antenna off the Browning Mag Mount base. inspected inside base antenna coil. NO water intrusion spotted or felt!! Felt safe saying antenna section is good!
Coax to Mag Mount failed. Not gonna inspect for Weak point. I sealed the crap out of it, top to bottom.
Bought Tram Mirror bracket mount. Hooked to Roof Basket. Coax Silicone seal base an added wire protector sleeve.. Done.
Checked SWR
Calling Freq: 146.51880 = 1:1:2 Close enough for Real world use. even with Tree branch 1 foot away.. still good results.
SWR 149.983 =1:7:0 Well with in spec's.
Tried few Repeaters 40 miles away Got good Results back. Tried one 150 miles. Opened, but just static.. haha.. Just tickled it enough to open.. just too far. I be Happy happy..
Time: 45 minutes
1.5 beers For Keeping hydrated!
DONE.
Now, Avoid concrete Parking Garages! Will shear it off.. Bad enough Logging roads, I like to explore..
Time will tell!!
****HISTORY: This mag mount was my first Antenna set up style. First one was never sealed Just hooked up antenna stuck to roof basket. My Best SWR sweet spot Back Right corner. 7 months later. water felt.. Bought another new base. Add silicone wrap on base. Failed 10 months later!.
This last one. Sealed the Crap out of it(photo).. extra cover on coax too inside Hatch. 13 months later.. Water!! CRAP. ( slow learner!! haha )
Pulled the Old Antenna off the Browning Mag Mount base. inspected inside base antenna coil. NO water intrusion spotted or felt!! Felt safe saying antenna section is good!
Coax to Mag Mount failed. Not gonna inspect for Weak point. I sealed the crap out of it, top to bottom.
Bought Tram Mirror bracket mount. Hooked to Roof Basket. Coax Silicone seal base an added wire protector sleeve.. Done.
Checked SWR
Calling Freq: 146.51880 = 1:1:2 Close enough for Real world use. even with Tree branch 1 foot away.. still good results.
SWR 149.983 =1:7:0 Well with in spec's.
Tried few Repeaters 40 miles away Got good Results back. Tried one 150 miles. Opened, but just static.. haha.. Just tickled it enough to open.. just too far. I be Happy happy..
Time: 45 minutes
1.5 beers For Keeping hydrated!
DONE.
Now, Avoid concrete Parking Garages! Will shear it off.. Bad enough Logging roads, I like to explore..
Time will tell!!
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
had to post it.
2M wave length. Any closer with 50 watts, your Cells will Heat up and cook!!!. Cell Phone Freq. Exempt from rule. ;-)
2M wave length. Any closer with 50 watts, your Cells will Heat up and cook!!!. Cell Phone Freq. Exempt from rule. ;-)
- Location
- Covington, Va
Bought a cheap BTECH 25x4 from a buddy and worked out some trading with him for the ammo can and made this little camp radio. Has 2x 6V 12aH batteries and a NMO thru-hole mount on top of the can.
Framing is made with cutting board material.
Works out good! Gotta put my program in the radio and it'll be set for camp this weekend!
Framing is made with cutting board material.
Works out good! Gotta put my program in the radio and it'll be set for camp this weekend!
RM975
First Fill-Up (of many)
- Location
- Templeton, Ca
Very nice. Clean look.
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
GOOD Job on it
That is a slick set up.. How do yea charge up batteries? Remove an charge or wired for charging.
add more foam so Mic does not bounce around.
Dang Bomb Proof.
That is a slick set up.. How do yea charge up batteries? Remove an charge or wired for charging.
add more foam so Mic does not bounce around.
Dang Bomb Proof.
- Location
- Covington, Va
Right now it's remove and charge. I would like to add a charge controller in the future to use solar or a power supply to charge it. But that will have to wait for the time being.
I would also like to swap the NMO mount out for a N connector and get one of the foldable antennas and a N9TAX wire j-pole with N connector as well.
It's only money right?
- Location
- Covington, Va
My RaspberryPi, case and preloaded software should be here today.
I'm going to use it as a terminal for an APRS I-Gate here locally. The club's digipeater doesn't cover the city very well so I'm hoping this will be a good fill in.
I already had the FT-1900R and Signalink USB as well as 20' of mast, a 5/8W Comet base antenna and a section of LMR400 to feed it with.
I think this is going to be a fun setup!
I'm going to use it as a terminal for an APRS I-Gate here locally. The club's digipeater doesn't cover the city very well so I'm hoping this will be a good fill in.
I already had the FT-1900R and Signalink USB as well as 20' of mast, a 5/8W Comet base antenna and a section of LMR400 to feed it with.
I think this is going to be a fun setup!
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
That should work.. Once its up, And a give others a new point to access. 20 foot mast will give a good height above the roof tops in area.
LMR400 Is a good Cable..
LMR400 Is a good Cable..
- Location
- Covington, Va
20' won't make it above my house roof from the garage. My yard is steep and the garage is on the same elevation as my basement.
Is need about 1300' to get above the hill behind my house. Haha!
Is need about 1300' to get above the hill behind my house. Haha!
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
1300 feet.. might be tad much for Cables..
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Had some Boomers, heading straight for me the other night. Watching the Live Radar feed. seeing the flashes & Delayed booms.. Thinking to self OH CRAP My ANTENNAS!!..
Powered off the radios, Un-hooked my HF cables tossed outside To dangle near the ground. With 130 Feet Of Wire strung 30 feet horizontal is a big Donkey Bunn TARGET.. Least it would Zap outside Vs $1400 Radio+ Would be ;-( bad..
My Dual Band, and 6 Meter cables Stuffed in Cooking Silicone gloves, Tossed them into Plastic Trash can. With that sitting on Plastic Desk mat.
Would it work?? Who knows.!!. But GOOD news.. No Big Flash BOOM inside. WORKED!!! haha Did have Few strikes Near me.
Powered off the radios, Un-hooked my HF cables tossed outside To dangle near the ground. With 130 Feet Of Wire strung 30 feet horizontal is a big Donkey Bunn TARGET.. Least it would Zap outside Vs $1400 Radio+ Would be ;-( bad..
My Dual Band, and 6 Meter cables Stuffed in Cooking Silicone gloves, Tossed them into Plastic Trash can. With that sitting on Plastic Desk mat.
Would it work?? Who knows.!!. But GOOD news.. No Big Flash BOOM inside. WORKED!!! haha Did have Few strikes Near me.
1300 is easy. If you go with 6" air dielectric coax.
Springfield
Bought an X
- Location
- Sunny Florida
I was on a sailboat in Chesapeake Bay with 4' VHF radio whip antenna on top of 40' mast. Thunderstorms started moving in, so disconnected antenna cable from back of VHF. It started snapping a spark between conductor and plug shield every 4-5 seconds. Didn't want gasoline fumes in cabin to explode so I put a small ball of aluminum foil into connector to short conductor to shield. No more sparking, and antenna worked fine after storms left and reconnected to VHF.
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Now that is a good way to short out the antenna for arcing.. Just think if that was still attached to the Radio, Sending surges into radio..
A Direct strike to antenna, even with them Lighting Protector plugs. Will be costly!!. Rather unplug to be safe.. Just part of the Game Playing with Ham Radio's and having a Antenna farm. ;-)
A Direct strike to antenna, even with them Lighting Protector plugs. Will be costly!!. Rather unplug to be safe.. Just part of the Game Playing with Ham Radio's and having a Antenna farm. ;-)
- Location
- Covington, Va
I had a radio start popping during a snow storm once. Got it disconnected and shorted quickly. No damage but it was eye opening.
So I know this isn't Ham/CB, but it's related. One of my stations is a 50KW AM. For those who have never had the experience of an AM tower, the entire thing is energized from the bottom of the structure to the very top. There's different ways to feed a tower like this, but this one has a 18" thick piece of oil filled ceramic to insulate the tower from the ground and multiple ceramic isolators (johnny balls) in the guy wires keeping the tension on it. During wind storms, or even distant lighting storms, you can hear the static build up on the tower and the arcs jumping across the isolators. First few times I heard it it freaked me you pretty bad, end even would leave the site during these times. Now it's a curiosity.
- Location
- McMinnville, Orygun
Now that is some good wattage.. It would cook my antenna's if I ran that.. let alone fuzz up the neighbors cats & chickens. Those insulators are big, Bet that Grounding system is stout!.
I hear the static bursts on HF bands.. When Boomers are with in 500 miles of me.. Get to hear that Crackle Bursts.. Plus, bonus China's over the Horizon Radar. I think was 76 cycles per second..
A good fun trick to do.. Take one of those 4 foot OR 8 Ft. Florescent light tubes. Find some High Power tension lines. When you know they are crackling pretty good.
walk under them at Night. Hold Tube Upright.. behold the Power!! your now sporting a light saber! works with the little Bulbs too.. Best with tubes!.
And yes.. that is RF energy making it glow.. ;-)
Disclaimer: walk under.. NO climbing towers, OR poles to perform this Feat!.. I do not want Men in Cheap suits sporting Stink-in badges show up again.. ;-)..
I hear the static bursts on HF bands.. When Boomers are with in 500 miles of me.. Get to hear that Crackle Bursts.. Plus, bonus China's over the Horizon Radar. I think was 76 cycles per second..
A good fun trick to do.. Take one of those 4 foot OR 8 Ft. Florescent light tubes. Find some High Power tension lines. When you know they are crackling pretty good.
walk under them at Night. Hold Tube Upright.. behold the Power!! your now sporting a light saber! works with the little Bulbs too.. Best with tubes!.
And yes.. that is RF energy making it glow.. ;-)
Disclaimer: walk under.. NO climbing towers, OR poles to perform this Feat!.. I do not want Men in Cheap suits sporting Stink-in badges show up again.. ;-)..
- Location
- Covington, Va
Been playing with the Pi and Direwolf on and off today. Had a lot of trouble this morning then realized I was editing the documentation .conf file instead of the one the software was looking at during setup.
I'm NOT a computer guy so Linux is especially frustrating for me.....
Anyways, I'm keying the Signalink now. I've got to set the jumpers in it for my 1900 and then it'll be test time to see if I've got any reasonable settings. Then I'm going to set it up as a digipeater, then finally an i-gate.
Hopefully then I'll get the antenna updated since I'll be moving my little 1/4w ground plane to the house and set my 5/8w up for 144.390 and put it up on the mast with the LMR400. That should make a nice setup.
I'm NOT a computer guy so Linux is especially frustrating for me.....
Anyways, I'm keying the Signalink now. I've got to set the jumpers in it for my 1900 and then it'll be test time to see if I've got any reasonable settings. Then I'm going to set it up as a digipeater, then finally an i-gate.
Hopefully then I'll get the antenna updated since I'll be moving my little 1/4w ground plane to the house and set my 5/8w up for 144.390 and put it up on the mast with the LMR400. That should make a nice setup.
I should add that this is a commercial station, for those wondering .
My now boss did the fluorescent tube trick when I got into radio back in 01. And that was on a 5Kw station. We keep most of the dangerous stuff behind a screen, but sometimes you have to have it exposed.
The feed line for the 50Kw from the matching network to the tower is about 7' above the ground. High enough to not knock it on accident, but if you're not paying attention...
My now boss did the fluorescent tube trick when I got into radio back in 01. And that was on a 5Kw station. We keep most of the dangerous stuff behind a screen, but sometimes you have to have it exposed.
The feed line for the 50Kw from the matching network to the tower is about 7' above the ground. High enough to not knock it on accident, but if you're not paying attention...
- Location
- Covington, Va
Got my setup in the garage and running. Still learning!
Bought a book on Linux, it's not helping yet...
Also learned how NOT to beacon using SLOT. About 15 consecutive TX and IG packets each in the span of a minute, that was a surprise.
Bought a book on Linux, it's not helping yet...
Also learned how NOT to beacon using SLOT. About 15 consecutive TX and IG packets each in the span of a minute, that was a surprise.
- Location
- Denton, TX
Sounds cool, probably sound much cooler if I knew what you were talking about..haha
I've got the Baofeng sp? handheld but still haven't gotten around to studying for a test. I started some you tube vids a few years ago, a cpl diff x, when I planned to get into it but now that I actually have a radio.. I'll probably have endless q's but I'll save them all till I have half a clue..
- Location
- Covington, Va
Buy the ARRL study guide. It's a great way to learn the info for actual use vs just answering questions. Be sure to only study the CORRECT answers though to help with testing.
Is a whole new world and is full of rabbit hole, such as this i-gate project that just keeps expanding. It's possible this rabbit hole will look like a pit mine shortly!
But there's a lot of fun to be had!
- Location
- Denton, TX
Right on! My best friends gpa growing up was a vet and he had a shed full of radio equip with a huge antenna out back. I can't remember now it's been 30yrs but he was talking to people all over the globe I think. Always wanted to get into it but figured I'd wait till I was old and needed a reason outta the house. Now I like the idea of reaching farther for help if needed while wheeling.