Amateur Radio FAQ

[E.Shell]

...Still learning.

As are we all.

My pro-95 scanner picks up absolutely no ham conversations and my neighbors are wondering why I am sitting on my roof.

Sounds like you may have done something to turn off or attenuate the group if you're searching for them by group. In your location you should be able to hear several repeaters from inside your house easily.

Agreed, and/or, the frequencies are skipped/not selected.

Ironpony, a couple things:

1) There has to be activity on the ham frequency to stop the scanner. Even on a relatively quiet repeater, you'll still hear the station ID once in a while. If you are listening for activity on the simplex call frequencies, you may not hear anyone at all, due to limited range ion simplex and activity limited mostly to travelers.

Many repeaters are busiest during commuter rush hours, especially mornings, This would be a good time to listen for a specific repeater site to make sure you have your other settings correct. For example, you should be able to tune to the Davidsonville machine output frequency between 6 and 9 am and hear the regular crew, and much of the same between 3 and 6 pm.

2) Scanning:
a) If you're scanning the entire ham band, doing a continuous step up/down through the limits of the band, you're probably missing some hits just because it takes so long to run from one end to the other.
b) If you're doing 'channelized' scans, hopping from one specific repeater output to another specific repeater output, be sure you actually have the output side of the repeater programmed in.

3) Squelch:
a) Your squelch setting and adjustment should trigger on signal strength and not the published repeater tone.
b) Your linear squelch adjustment should be such that if you reduce it a fraction, the squelch 'opens' and allows static/dead air through. If you are much above triggering on noise, you may have it set too high to open with a normal signal.

4) Modulation type: Be sure it is set to demodulate FM signals.

5) Antenna: Most signals, such as those used by VHF/UHF repeaters, are FM and the convention is that FM signals are usually vertically polarized. Make sure your scanner antenna is vertical, since trying to get a vertically polarized signal on a horizontal antenna results in great losses.

Hope you figure it out.

 

[K31]

Many repeaters are busiest during commuter rush hours, especially mornings, This would be a good time to listen for a specific repeater site to make sure you have your other settings correct. For example, you should be able to tune to the Davidsonville machine output frequency between 6 and 9 am and hear the regular crew, and much of the same between 3 and 6 pm.

You may want to just tune to 147.105 Mhz instead of scanning to prove to yourself that you can hear the Davidsonville repeater.

Note that the net Ed is referring to is M-F excluding holidays and may not start exactly on time. The 3-6PM drive time is not a net so you may or may not hear chatter continually.

 

[K31]

At the time they were communicating, he wasn't dead. One was in the past, the other the future. You have to use your imagination.

Then how come you can't imagine he has a transmitter?

 

[POP57]

Then how come you can't imagine he has a transmitter?

Ok...you win.

 

[ironpony]

I actually have been listening to the D'ville repeater on the Baofeng (morning drives) so didn't turn on the scanner at the same time. Scanner is picking up a few conversations now, I just had bad timing when listening.
Thanks guys.

 

[BigCity]

I got an MFJ-4602 window pass through. (I know, don't say it.)

Since it is unfinished pine, I wonder what to finish it with. This will be on the "sunny" side of the house.

 

[JamesH]

I got an MFJ-4602 window pass through. (I know, don't say it.)



Since it is unfinished pine, I wonder what to finish it with. This will be on the "sunny" side of the house.

I have one of these as well. Despite MFJ's typical reputation, this unit still kept the weather out during Hurricane Sandy. It's fine in my book!

 

[K31]

I got an MFJ-4602 window pass through. (I know, don't say it.)

Since it is unfinished pine, I wonder what to finish it with. This will be on the "sunny" side of the house.

Personally, I would use some Krylon. Since most window trim is white, I'd stick with white. You might want to cut a piece of broom stick or something to wedge in the window since you probably won't be able to lock it. Or a bar for a sliding glass door hung down from the top to the window instead of using it horizontally.

I've heard some of the complaints about MFJ but they seem to involve solder joints. I've had two pieces of MFJ gear for years and they work flawlessly so far.

 

[BigCity]

They actually give you a second piece of wood to wedge between the two windows. Just cut it to size.

 

[K31]

They actually give you a second piece of wood to wedge between the two windows. Just cut it to size.

See there. People bad mouth MFJ but if you buy from them you not only get gear you can't find anywhere else, they also give you wood.

 

[POP57]

MFJ has gotten a bad rap on some things for years. I had a VHF/UHF frequency meter of theirs and it always performed well. Ended up selling it but only because I needed some cash at the time. I know where it lives, so I can always borrow it if necessary.

 

[mac1_131]

Mighty Fine Junk

Seriously, I have lots of their stuff. Good price point, basic gear that usually gets the job done.

 

[StickShaker]

Mighty Fine Junk

Seriously, I have lots of their stuff. Good price point, basic gear that usually gets the job done.

The Lee or maybe Harbor freight of ham radio. I was always happy with the items back when I was buying them, although there were a few turds I remember hearing about. I have one thing left which is a combination antenna analyzer/frequency meter. It was very handy to check or adjust the antenna for SWR at its installed location by yourself without having to make multiple trips up and down.

 

[Baccusboy]

One of those turds is the MFJ 1795. My friend bought that, along with the "ground plate," and is not only a terrible bear to set up, and clip the few dozen spokes to resonance -- it sucks. What a piece of junk.
To add insult to injury, he paid ANOTHER $200+ to take the thing with him on the plane.

Other products have been some Mighty Fine Junk, tho! I own two tuners, and began with their G5RV.

This is the same guy that spent over $2,000 to purchase two top-of-the-line Spiderbeam masts, and pay as much as a third pole to ship them to Korea, to raise a G5RV over 30 meters in the middle of a densely-populated city. He could have had a 40m Hexbeam on a mast, for less.

 

[markgrutz]

Hey fellers got a DMR question for everyone. I picked up a MD-380 DMR radio just to play with and sort of to see how well it worked in general. I got an ID from DMR-MARC and started looking for repeater info. From what I gather using repeaterbook, TMARC and DMR-MARC, It seems that there are only 6 active systems in MD (Towson, Ashton, Ocean City, Damascus, Princess Anne, and Rockville). Do these sound right? I have a few talkgroups put in but want to make sure I have all the applicable ones that I might need, and noticed that the TG info is missing from a number of those repeater listings on the various sites, and some info as far as Time Slot and TG numbers seem to vary.

So in short, any good leads on the TGs to have, the repeaters to have and any other helpful info.

Mark

 

[K31]

Hey fellers got a DMR question for everyone. I picked up a MD-380 DMR radio just to play with and sort of to see how well it worked in general. I got an ID from DMR-MARC and started looking for repeater info. From what I gather using repeaterbook, TMARC and DMR-MARC, It seems that there are only 6 active systems in MD (Towson, Ashton, Ocean City, Damascus, Princess Anne, and Rockville). Do these sound right? I have a few talkgroups put in but want to make sure I have all the applicable ones that I might need, and noticed that the TG info is missing from a number of those repeater listings on the various sites, and some info as far as Time Slot and TG numbers seem to vary.

So in short, any good leads on the TGs to have, the repeaters to have and any other helpful info.

Mark

That's actually more than I heard were active which was two. One sought coordination from TMARC for an Annapolis location but I believe they were attempting to find a permanent home for it last I heard.

 

[NY Transplant]

Some Ham Radio Humor;

 

[POP57]

 

[StickShaker]

The dog even knew.

 

[BigCity]

Not quite the Iwo Jima replica I was looking for there.