Amateur Radio FAQ

[weeman]

Do you realize how laughable that sounds?

106-136 is the air band, if it were messing with that, there would be news stories. Licensed business band across 150-cantremember. Public service band 151-159, again, hell to pay. NWS frequencies at 162-163, people would complain about how they can't hear their weather info.

All up and down the east coast? Really? 10,000ft gives you a line-of-sight of 154 miles. The only reason they claim to cover 680 miles is that they're looking at the airspace, not the ground.

Call up the JLENS P.A.O. if you really think its messing with your radio. But its not. Call out that idiot on facebook.

Why all the hostility? The fact that he knew the problem I was experiencing specifically, without me saying exactly what was going on, lends more plausibility to his explanation. Your internet tough guy smack talking does not. Tell me then, what is causing my interference which is occurring on more than one radio, and only on the 2m band?

 

[awptickes]

Because it doesn't make sense.

Think about it a bit longer. Do a spectrum sweep. Try turning stuff in your own home off. Go outside your home, if it gets stronger, it's outside. If it gets weaker, it's inside.


You're a licensed amateur radio operator, use some of the skills you learned and find the interference source.

The JLENS aerostat is getting blamed for EVERYTHING right now -- down to the snow we got, lol.


Bel Air has a 2m problem too. It's a malfunctioning cellular tower that Crown Castle won't do anything about, because even though it's coming from their tower, they lease the tower space and they won't tell the tenants to "check their stuff" without an FCC order. FCC's budget got cut again, so they're not coming out any time soon.

 

[awptickes]

I'll even spend an afternoon with you to help you find the source. Just PM me to coordinate if you want help.

No internet tough-guy here, I'll buy you a beer if it is JLENS interfering with your 2m rig.

 

[K31]

Testing and Hamfest tonight (yes, Monday March 16, 2015) in Frederick.

Sorry for the last notice, but "tonight"?

The Frederick Amateur Radio Club is pleased to announce our upcoming
Indoor Tailgating Expo and Hamfest on Monday, March 16, 2015. The event
will take place in the Social Hall of the Independent Hose Company fire
station located at 310 Baughmans Ln. in Frederick. Setup begins at 5:00
PM with the event scheduled from 6:00-9:00 PM. Admission is free to all,
and non-members can reserve two "tailgating" tables for $20.00
(additional tables are $5.00 each). We will offer a license testing
session, two $50.00 and two $25.00 ARRL gift certificate door prizes,
demonstrations and more.

This is a great opportunity to sell your unwanted ham gear. Mark your
calendars, tell a friend, come one come all!!! Hope to see you there.

Jeff Fishman, KB3FIO
Hamfest Chairman
ljfish1@comcast.net
240-285-6596

Indoor Tailgating Expo
Monday, March 16, 2015
Location: Independent Hose Company
310 Baughmans Lane
Frederick, MD 21701
Website: <www.frederickarc.org>
Sponsor: Frederick Amateur Radio Club
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Talk-In: 146.520 Simplex
Public Contact: Jeff Fishman, KB3FIO
905 Twin Oak Court
Frederick, MD 21701
Phone: 240-285-6596
E-mail: <ljfish1@comcast.net>

 

[chale127]

yeah that's an odd one, they used to do it on a Sat or Sunday i think many moons ago
might be low traffic, good chance to win one of those gift Certs

 

[tourrider]

Why all the hostility? The fact that he knew the problem I was experiencing specifically, without me saying exactly what was going on, lends more plausibility to his explanation. Your internet tough guy smack talking does not. Tell me then, what is causing my interference which is occurring on more than one radio, and only on the 2m band?

Do you have a fish tank, or any florescent fixtures?



Sent from Foxtrot-Mike 19

 

[awptickes]

So, I found the real story about 149.30:
Some folks had been using that frequency for years, but their authorization was revoked approximately ten years ago but they kept using the frequency. They lodged a complaint to the FCC when they started to hear what they believed was malicious interference, who turned it over to the APG Spectrum Manager, who discovered this. The 149.30 frequency is a "Collision Avoidance Beacon" on the Aerostat, and the idea is that it detects an aircraft on a course that could end in a collision and it tells the aircraft "Hey, get out of here, you're gonna hit me!"

The people who had that authorization allegedly didn't know it had been revoked. I can see how that could leave someone sour, but seriously? Their authorization was revoked.


Weeman, my offer to help you find the source of interference still stands. We all have a vested interest in finding and reporting interference sources.

 

[weeman]

Awp, I appreciate the offer for help. I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I was out of town in the woods last week and thought I had sent a response from my tablet. The response I got from the local club was that it was from aircraft that is related to aerostat, not actually the blimp itself. I think you missed my sarcasm about the "spy blimp."

Any way I am going to try to get a more definite explanation from the local club. They might have actual information from the FCC is regards to this. I do not want to waste any ones time figuring this out if the answer is already there.

This is a link I found to someone experiencing the same issue I am having: Arrl Forum

I am not trying to argue, or say that you are wrong. It's just I am not the only one experiencing this same issue, and a plausible explanation was put forth without me give any specifics about what I was experiencing.

 

[weeman]

Do you have a fish tank, or any florescent fixtures?



Sent from Foxtrot-Mike 19

No, and nothing has changed in my house. This also was experienced far away from my house.

 

[BigCity]

Passed my Tech exam in Laurel this morning. Should have my callsign Monday afternoon!

 

[tourrider]

Passed my Tech exam in Laurel this morning. Should have my callsign Monday afternoon!

Congrats from k3dcx.

 

[tourrider]

No, and nothing has changed in my house. This also was experienced far away from my house.

Just checking. The neon bulb in aquarium heaters are known to be good rfi sources.

 

[HoCoRes]

Passed my Tech exam in Laurel this morning. Should have my callsign Monday afternoon!

Congrats!

 

[Kiev88cm]

Passed my Tech exam in Laurel this morning. Should have my callsign Monday afternoon!

congrats

 

[weeman]

Passed my Tech exam in Laurel this morning. Should have my callsign Monday afternoon!

Congratulations

 

[weeman]

Just checking. The neon bulb in aquarium heaters are known to be good rfi sources.

No problems, I appreciate any ideas to fix it.

 

[K31]

Passed my Tech exam in Laurel this morning. Should have my callsign Monday afternoon!

Congratulations!

 

[chale127]

OK, just wanted to give a update on my situation. Amazon referred me to the manufacturer who told me no dice. I then went back to amazon who sent me a replacement radio. Fantastic.

I received the radio yesterday, got it charged, programmed it, then started listening. Last night no problems everything is great. Turn it on this morning and it's back to making the crazy noises as seen in the video.

Now I thinking it has to be interference. I powered of both my wife and mine cell phones(they are the only change in the house since I noticed the issue), and the problem is still there. Next I decide to see if it is only one band.

Ah ha, it is only happening on the 2m and seems to start right around 144.100. I scanned through the whole 70cm band that this radio will receive and no issues what so ever. I go back to the 2m band and instantly it starts receiving the crazy tones.

Now remember on Monday I took the radio to Columbia and had no issues. Has any one else had any issues on 2m band in the Baltimore area? Is there a way I can track this? Any suggestions? Is it possible this radio just has issues on 2m all of the sudden(remember this is two different radios having the same issue)?

If you can't tell I'm lost as to how to proceed.

FIRST try taking the radio to another location (work, friend/relative house) and see if it still has the issue


Here is a quick way to determine what it is (if it's in your house) (Not as good as a DC/Daylight sweep but accomplishes the same thing with the tools you already have)
1. Turn on your radio and make sure the interference is happening.
2. Turn off your MAIN breaker.
3. If interference is gone, it 99% chance it is something in your house. If not, there a chance it could be a neighbor, but it is MUCH more difficult to track and fix.
4. IF the noise disappeared by killing the MAIN, ONE BY ONE turn each breaker back on, each time walking the house to make sure the noise has not returned. Once it returns, you have isolated what circuit the offending device is on, THEN one by one pull the plug(BEST OPTION) or kill at the source EACH item on the circuit. I had a neighbor who had a cheap flat screen that even when the TV was off but plugged in interfered with my HF Rig and to this day a cannot work 20M and Run a load of laundry through my washer..The above techniques helped at least locate the source of these items, sometimes they can easily be remedied, other times you just need to know to work around them.

 

[BigCity]

Finally got my callsign today.

KC3EOY

Question for you. I am thinking of eventually getting into Morse Code. Can you send CW on a HT or do you really need some kind of base unit for this?

 

[JamesH]

Question for you. I am thinking of eventually getting into Morse Code. Can you send CW on a HT or do you really need some kind of base unit for this?

Most HTs are FM only. You can do Modulated CW (MCW) over FM by playing the dits and dahs as audio tones, like repeaters do, but few people actually have Morse code conversations this way. Some clubs may do Morse practice using MCW over FM though.

Generally, you will want a base or mobile radio capable of CW mode to have CW contacts.