Amateur Radio FAQ

JamesH · Aug 23, 2016

ironpony said:
Quick question - Buddy picked up two Vertex Standard 16 ch radios(storage container find), well used, I see them cheap on ebay but what channels might they be programmed for or are they worth having for some reason? will he need a license? model VX-351-G7-5 no display.
PS- still studying, having a good busy summer but enjoying the challenge.

I don't know about these particular radios or their suitability for conversion to amateur radio use. In general, there are many hams who buy commercial radios and reprogram them for use in the ham bands, and it's completely legal for a licensed amateur to modify his own equipment for use in the ham bands. As licensed amateurs, we have the unique ability to self-certify equipment for use in the amateur radio service.

Note that this does not allow you to modify or use equipment in other services, such as FRS or GMRS.

Baccusboy · Aug 30, 2016

K31 said:
I know several people who have KX3's and are very happy with them. KX2 seems like it's designed to be more of a portable QRP rig than the KX3 was.

I got my KX2, and wasted no time talking all over Asia with it, and South as far as Australia. I love this rig. Sound is really great (via headphones). It actually has a wider dynamic range than my Yaesu FT950, and pulls weak signals out of the noise much better. This is actually with a noisy 40m 1/4 wave vertical, in the middle of the city, with S7+ noise. I added a video clip of the antenna, at the end:

POP57 · Aug 31, 2016

Experienced a little ducting this morning. A DC radio station" WTOP" was coming in like gangbusters. That's about 100 miles and I've never heard them before on my table top radio. I'm guessing that 2 meters is being affected as well.

K31 · Sep 1, 2016

Baccusboy said:
I got my KX2, and wasted no time talking all over Asia with it, and South as far as Australia. I love this rig. Sound is really great (via headphones). It actually has a wider dynamic range than my Yaesu FT950, and pulls weak signals out of the noise much better. This is actually with a noisy 40m 1/4 wave vertical, in the middle of the city, with S7+ noise. I added a video clip of the antenna, at the end:

There are a couple of DXpeditions in Mongolia, one going on now for a month and another shorter one. I'll bet you could hit those.

2016 Aug30 2016 Sep24 Mongolia JT

20160717 By OK1DBS as JT1DBS fm Ulaan Baatar for 1st two week, then fm Batshireet using JT1DBS/3; HF

016 Sep01 2016 Sep04 Mongolia JT5NH

20160823 By JA0JHQ; 160-10m; CW SSB; mainly for All-Asian DX Contest (SSB); outside contest mainly CW on 160m, WARC bands, 10m; QSL also OK via JARL Buro (preferred) or direct

StickShaker · Sep 1, 2016

POP57 said:
Experienced a little ducting this morning. A DC radio station" WTOP" was coming in like gangbusters. That's about 100 miles and I've never heard them before on my table top radio. I'm guessing that 2 meters is being affected as well.

Same here yesterday. A distant station was trying to wipe out DC101.

Hyper-W · Sep 5, 2016

StickShaker said:
Same here yesterday. A distant station was trying to wipe out DC101.

At 22,500 watts ERP, that would be quite the accomplishment!!

StickShaker · Sep 5, 2016

Hyper-W said:
At 22,500 watts ERP, that would be quite the accomplishment!!

Ducting is amazing, although I was in southern Howard County. I used to spend a lot of time in Ocean City Md. and business travel in the Norfolk area. Quite often late at night and early morning I could hit the DC area VHF and UHF repeaters full quieting with a handheld.

Welder84 · Sep 5, 2016

Very nice write up.

K31 · Sep 5, 2016

Welder84 said:
Very nice write up.

I assume you mean the FAQ. Thank you.

Pinecone · Sep 6, 2016

StickShaker said:
Ducting is amazing, although I was in southern Howard County. I used to spend a lot of time in Ocean City Md. and business travel in the Norfolk area. Quite often late at night and early morning I could hit the DC area VHF and UHF repeaters full quieting with a handheld.

Many years ago I heard a tape of a ducting contact.

California to Hawaii, on 440 FM voice. Clear as a local contact.

Oh, and this was hand held to hand held. On rubber duck antennas.

StickShaker · Sep 6, 2016

Pinecone said:
Many years ago I heard a tape of a ducting contact.

California to Hawaii, on 440 FM voice. Clear as a local contact.

Oh, and this was hand held to hand held. On rubber duck antennas.

Sounds familiar...I think I read an article about it. My most memorable was a meteor scatter contact that lasted just long enough to exchange call signs. Everything was dead quiet and then all of the sudden some Canadian came blasting through on 52.525 FM. Afterwards I was like, WTH was that all about! :lol2:

K31 · Sep 9, 2016

This is a month away now.

K31 said:
Two day Technician class coming up in October.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-free...cram-hyattsville-maryland-tickets-26833232922

gamer_jim · Sep 9, 2016

I had a dream last night that I was in a 2M contest.

Do they even have such a thing?

K31 · Sep 9, 2016

gamer_jim said:
I had a dream last night that I was in a 2M contest.

Do they even have such a thing?

Going on now...er, soon...

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2016-09-08#toc08

Biggfoot44 · Sep 9, 2016

Ok, I haven't been by this thread for a while. The link in post #1458 is *interesting* .

StickShaker · Sep 9, 2016

gamer_jim said:
I had a dream last night that I was in a 2M contest.

Do they even have such a thing?

The VHF contests are really cool. So many bands and modes to play with. Tower space was at a premium though so I figured out a way to use my VHF, 220, and 440 beams both horizontal and vertical by moving them with pneumatic cylinders.

ironpony · Sep 9, 2016

StickShaker said:
The VHF contests are really cool. So many bands and modes to play with. Tower space was at a premium though so I figured out a way to use my VHF, 220, and 440 beams both horizontal and vertical by moving them with pneumatic cylinders.

Pretty good thinking and nice work.

StickShaker · Sep 9, 2016

ironpony said:
Pretty good thinking and nice work.

Thanks!

Pinecone · Sep 10, 2016

StickShaker said:
Sounds familiar...I think I read an article about it. My most memorable was a meteor scatter contact that lasted just long enough to exchange call signs. Everything was dead quiet and then all of the sudden some Canadian came blasting through on 52.525 FM. Afterwards I was like, WTH was that all about!

I worked a 10m contest (I was not contesting, but many were) with E-layer cloud skip.

The cloud was moving and the contacts slowly moved from MN/WI area to IL/IN/MI to OH.

It was very cool watching that.

StickShaker · Sep 10, 2016

Pinecone said:
I worked a 10m contest (I was not contesting, but many were) with E-layer cloud skip.

The cloud was moving and the contacts slowly moved from MN/WI area to IL/IN/MI to OH.

It was very cool watching that.

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