Amateur Radio (Ham)

[bakerjw]

I've never had trouble with ground wave on 20 meters. You are correct though that there is a zone between ground wave and skip.

[Blaubart]

didn't they abandon Morse code after 1999

Yeah, it's not Y2K compliant.

[continuity]

Not to thread jack, but has anyone tried HAM realtime video transmissions? Gave it a go with a 2m setup a few years ago but like everything else it's a need two to play kinda thing. Could get some short (1/4 mile) xmission pickup on uhf antennaed, cable channel tuned tv's, but nothing worth writing home about. Got bored and packed the equip. away.

[Cheetah]

I was actually looking at a video transmitter that I think was on 2m, you had to have a license for it, and they had a canada only version of it that was too powerful for US. I was looking to put it in a UAV type application, robotics is kind of a hobby, but I've never played with planes, thought it would be a pretty wicked hookup. No hands-on though

[TypeR632]

So do you guys think the yaesu vx-8dr would be a good starter ham radio? I really don't know what I want to do yet so I want something that is capable of everything when I'm ready. Is there a better handheld out there?

I've got the arrl study guide on the way. No one had it locally.

[bakerjw]

Great!!!
That should get you by. But keep an eye out for some dual or tri band radios on special or closeout. HTs are good but mobiles give you that added distance.

[TypeR632]

Real Dual Ham Band Operation (V+V/U+U/V+U)
With two independant Amateur band recievers, listen to either the same or different bands simultaneously.

Wide Band Receiver

Covers from 500kHz to 999.990MHz, continuous reception for Short-wave, FM/AM broadcasts, analog TV stations, audio aircraft, public service channels, etc. (Cellular band blocked)

This is info for the Yaesu VX-8DR. Is this not a dual band radio?



What is the best Handheld: has the most options.

What is the best Mobile Unit: has the most options.

[Diomed]

Not to thread jack, but has anyone tried HAM realtime video transmissions? Gave it a go with a 2m setup a few years ago but like everything else it's a need two to play kinda thing. Could get some short (1/4 mile) xmission pickup on uhf antennaed, cable channel tuned tv's, but nothing worth writing home about. Got bored and packed the equip. away.

I don't think I want to know what ham camwhores look like...

[elijah79]

I don't know if by asking this question I'll be attempting to ressurect a dinosaur, but does anyone know anything about Packet Radio anymore? I've got an old laptop that I've wanted to hook up. I'm having trouble finding a TNC for a reasonable price in my area but I'm still looking.
The one thing that sparks my curiosity is this: Do I need a second radio to hook up to the TNC and then to the laptop? Geez... so many questions. If anyone knows anything about Packet Radio, I'd greatly appreciate the chance to bend your ear on the subject if you don't mind.
I'm finishing up the course to get my Amateur Radio License via the internet on the ARRL website.

[bakerjw]

I never got involved with packet or aprs because it tied up a radio. But I believe the connections go like this. So if you want to talk at the same time as running packet it would require 2 radios as one is dedicated to data purposes.

Radio <--> TNC <--> PC

A friend does some packet work and also APRS. When he came down a couple of years ago on a visit I was able to get updates on his position for the entire trip through a web site. It was pretty neat. Until I noticed him stopped for a long time. Ended up that he had a brake rotor seize up.

Packet takes me back to the good old days of FidoNet.

[continuity]

...The one thing that sparks my curiosity is this: Do I need a second radio to hook up to the TNC and then to the laptop?..

In my experience, when connected to a node via TNC/commputer, a radio will only be able to do packet or data duty. A second radio will be needed for voice transmission. I have used a HT for packet transmission.

In the gulf coast area of Texas, a local amature radio group provides a check point record at various locations along a several day canoe race. The idea is to afford overdue participants better survival chances and rescuers a time sensitive starting point. The locations are generally remote and packet radio is used to update a control centeral matrix relative participants progress. Same system would be used in a disaster scenareo at Red Cross survival shelters relative the shelter population.

[Cheetah]

I'm finishing up the course to get my Amateur Radio License via the internet on the ARRL website.

Can you provide a link to this? I've been looking and can only find references to books or other websites

[gunham]

http://www.arrl.org/

[Cheetah]

Thanks for the effort, gunham haha. I know ARRL's site, but I can't find this course on their website that elijah79 mentioned.

[TypeR632]

I've been studying the ARRL study book for the last couple of days. I also found practice tests on eham.com.

[stevesm]

Thanks for the effort, gunham haha. I know ARRL's site, but I can't find this course on their website that elijah79 mentioned.

Try this, http://www.arrl.org/online-courses

[stevesm]

I've been studying the ARRL study book for the last couple of days. I also found practice tests on eham.com.

This has been helpfull to me. http://www.qrz.com/xtest2.html It's how I passed my Teck liscence.

[dblas]

...The one thing that sparks my curiosity is this: Do I need a second radio to hook up to the TNC and then to the laptop?..

In my experience, when connected to a node via TNC/commputer, a radio will only be able to do packet or data duty. A second radio will be needed for voice transmission. I have used a HT for packet transmission.

In the gulf coast area of Texas, a local amature radio group provides a check point record at various locations along a several day canoe race. The idea is to afford overdue participants better survival chances and rescuers a time sensitive starting point. The locations are generally remote and packet radio is used to update a control centeral matrix relative participants progress. Same system would be used in a disaster scenareo at Red Cross survival shelters relative the shelter population.

Since my computer is not hooked up all of the time for packet, I use the same radio for packet and voice.

Quad band mobile = Yaesu FT8900 (10m, 6m, 2m, 440).

Also check out winlink2000.org for e-mail via vhf and HF radio. No real internet network needed.

I have been licensed since '86 as a novice and had to pass 5 words per minute. Now I hold and Extra class license. A good local source for amateur equipment would be a local hamfest.

Just my .02 worth.

Any questions, let me know.

[vff]

Try Hamtestonline ( http://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/?gcl ... 4AodAToHmA ) I studied for 3 weeks and then took all 3 tests in one night to get my "Extra" ham license - Tech 97%, Gen 97% & Extra 94% - yes I did work at it. They've got a special going on right now where you can subscribe to all 3 tests for only $74.95 and your subsciption is valid for 2 years. It's a great interactive software program that knows your weak areas and will work you on them.

[US Ranger]

I thought it was interesting with the recent unrest in Egypt, the intenet had been shut down and there were several news reports that information was getting in and out of that country via the Ham operators.

My daughters tease me about my geekiness (ham General license, my 1951 Singer sewing machine, etc) but they have to admit when you factor in stuff like Harleys and cans, I'm the coolest geek they know. LOL

[dblas]

For those interested in upgrading their license to General, the question pool changes Jul 1, 2011.

So whatever study guide you have is good until then, but may only be so-so after that date.

If you are in the MD area and would like to take an exam, the Laurel ARC does FREE exams the 3rd Saturday of every month (except Nov and Dec) at the Laurel Women's club.

Just tossing the info out there for those that may be on the fence.

[Old Wanderer]

Interesting to come accross a Ham thread in a Silencer board....Maybe it was like living in a diverse neighborhood when you were a kid, but I got my Novice when I was 12, General with 13 WPM code @13 (K6HAY) and they had not yet invented multiple question test. It was "Draw a colpits oscilator, now draw a Hartley oscilator,". Being a kid, could not start to afford all the things for voice, so became really quick on CW....at my best I was close to 40 WPM with my old bug.

1987 I was in Palau, and there was a little SeeBee station there with 12 people. They had a ham station but nobody with a license. I returned to Reno, and went into a ham store and asked where the FCC was to renew my license, it was then I fould out how much everything had changed. They all laughed at me. Especially when I replied Extra when the asked what license I wanted to get.

Well the attitude sort of PMO, so I went and sat for all 5 exams 2 weeks later, and I still had no problem with 13 WPM but could not write fast enough for 20 WPM. 6 weeks later I passed the 20 WPM and got my extra (WX7W).

I really don't lament much about the FCC not requiring code, but it is the almost total lack of technical knowlege I miss. I grew up building everything but the reciever, now all people talk about is brand names. Now people study answering question they don't have a clew what they mean.

There will come a time when technical knowlege might be at a premium.

Proably the attitude of a lot of 72 YO coots.

[oldcoot]

tag

[dblas]

Interesting to come accross a Ham thread in a Silencer board....Maybe it was like living in a diverse neighborhood when you were a kid, but I got my Novice when I was 12, General with 13 WPM code @13 (K6HAY) and they had not yet invented multiple question test. It was "Draw a colpits oscilator, now draw a Hartley oscilator,". Being a kid, could not start to afford all the things for voice, so became really quick on CW....at my best I was close to 40 WPM with my old bug.

1987 I was in Palau, and there was a little SeeBee station there with 12 people. They had a ham station but nobody with a license. I returned to Reno, and went into a ham store and asked where the FCC was to renew my license, it was then I fould out how much everything had changed. They all laughed at me. Especially when I replied Extra when the asked what license I wanted to get.

Well the attitude sort of PMO, so I went and sat for all 5 exams 2 weeks later, and I still had no problem with 13 WPM but could not write fast enough for 20 WPM. 6 weeks later I passed the 20 WPM and got my extra (WX7W).

I really don't lament much about the FCC not requiring code, but it is the almost total lack of technical knowlege I miss. I grew up building everything but the reciever, now all people talk about is brand names. Now people study answering question they don't have a clew what they mean.

There will come a time when technical knowlege might be at a premium.

Proably the attitude of a lot of 72 YO coots.

I rebuilt my first radio, (Heathkit HW-101) back in the mid 80's, bought used and cheap as it wasn't working with all of the manuals. Started at the beginning and retested every stage, upgraded a fair amount of the radio, and it still works today.

DB