Amateur Radio FAQ

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  • Keystone70

    MSI Executive Member
    Apr 14, 2012
    748
    HoCo
    If you really have neighbor problems, a homemade 2m ground plane made of coat hangers on an so239 is basically invisible. You can attach it to a vent pipe with a piece of PVC pipe. Paint the PVC gray or get the gray kind. No one will ever see it.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Ok thats a great idea but it might look odd mounted on the side of my chimney.

    Okay, wrap red ribbon around it in a spiral pattern and if you're questioned say it was a Christmas decoration you forgot/put up early.
     

    cms1528

    Active Member
    Feb 26, 2013
    802
    the FTM-400DX has been really great. Check the nearby radio clubs to see if they are running Wires-X repeaters. If so the ease of wireless digital radio communications is amazing.

    I could not agree more, great radio. :thumbsup:
     

    Winged Pig

    Active Member
    Aug 20, 2008
    736
    Calvert County
    Maybe I missed something, but if you have an attic why not put it in there? I have two, a Diamond X-30 dual band and a Daimond CR-320A tri band. Both are connected to HT's and both work very well. I have a Diamond (yes, I'm a Diamond fan) X-6000 on top of my tower and it's connected to an Icom 2730A in my shack. Honestly, when hitting local repeaters they all work fine. I did have to assemble a ground plane (just some wires on a base) for the CR-320A.
     
    Last edited:

    mac1_131

    MSI Executive Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 31, 2009
    3,280
    I’m working on this problem too, and not sure which direction to go. Access to the firewall is extremely limited inside of the engine compartment.

    Several forums talk about using a fuse block tap. My car has a bunch of unused fuse spaces for high amperage features like rear heated seats, which are not included with my model. It seems like I could just tap one of these sockets. From what I can tell the max current my radio will draw is about 15A when transmitting at 50 watts.
    You can often find a big rubber grommet in the firewall with wires run through it. I use an awl to carefully poke a hole in the side of it and then run a fish tape through the hole to pull the red and black wire through.
     

    mac1_131

    MSI Executive Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 31, 2009
    3,280
    I have a question about mounting a VHF/UHF diamond antenna on my roof. I was talking to friend and he said I should check with my HOA first. I didn’t think it would be an issue but i did find a paragraph in the covenants which prohibit any TV, Radio or satellite antennas of any type.

    However at least 1/4 of my neighbors have Direct TV dishes on their homes and that’s never been enforced. I also read about some FCC rules which prohibit HOA’s from restricting antennas for OTA TV broadcast.

    So my question is this.....

    If I put up a diamond dual band antenna could it be used for OTA HD TV signals? If they give me any grief, I can just tell them it’s a TV antenna and they can pound sand.
    You can try that sometimes it works.

    Your observations are correct, tv antenna covenants not enforceable but they are enforceable for ham antennas.

    Get a UHF to F connector adapter so you can hook your TV to it if needed.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    Maybe I missed something, but if you have an attic why not put it in there? I have two, a Diamond X-30 dual band and a Daimond CR-320A tri band. Both are connected to HT's and both work very well. I have a Diamond (yes, I'm a Diamond fan) X-6000 on top of my tower and it's connected to an Icom 2730A in my shack. Honestly, when hitting local repeaters they all work fine. I did have to assemble a ground plane (just some wires on a base) for the CR-320A.



    Well the X200a arrived today and I went ahead and set it up in my attic where the J-Pole was located. I’m getting 1.00 SWR at 2m and 1.03 at 70cm. Seems like a great piece of hardware.

    The only think I’m wondering is how much signal interference I am susceptible to, because the antenna is about 4ft from an Attic fan and 6ft from my HVAC heat pump/air handler not to mention there are a lot of metal truss joining plates all over the place around the attic.
     

    Winged Pig

    Active Member
    Aug 20, 2008
    736
    Calvert County
    Well the X200a arrived today and I went ahead and set it up in my attic where the J-Pole was located. I’m getting 1.00 SWR at 2m and 1.03 at 70cm. Seems like a great piece of hardware.

    The only think I’m wondering is how much signal interference I am susceptible to, because the antenna is about 4ft from an Attic fan and 6ft from my HVAC heat pump/air handler not to mention there are a lot of metal truss joining plates all over the place around the attic.

    Congrats on your new antenna. Sounds like it's working great.

    While I have not actually measured the signal strength from my attic mounted antennas, using my totally un-scientific, S.W.A.G., let's give this a shot method of testing (which amounts to me asking for signal reports) my antennas are not adversely affected by the other items in my attic. These items consist of metal truss joining plates, a radon fan, two bathroom vent fans and their respective ducting, an attic fan, a vent pipe and a light fixture. Not saying that they do not affect my signals, just that I can't tell.

    Truth be told, it's way too hot, there's too much insulation and not enough head room up there for me to care about what might amount to a small increase in signal strength at this point. :D

    Good luck with your antenna!
     

    TheBert

    The Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 10, 2013
    7,687
    Gaithersburg, Maryland
    Depending on where you put it, just put it up and make them tell you to take it down. Your biggest concern would be direct neighbors. If they complain, you may have to accommodate them. If it is installed not be a sore thumb, they may not even notice it.
    I live in an HOA and installed the x50 off my deck. The mast runs up the side of the deck from ground and appears above the deck above the base of the roof line. No one has said a thing in two years. I have an endfed long wire in the trees in my front yard for over a year. Again, nothing said. Do your best to blend in and reasonable people will not even notice. If necessary, tell them it is no different then all those dishes.
    Better to ask forgiveness then to beg permission.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

    My HOA doesn't have the funds to pursue a case against a home owner. hn I was on the board I had to deliver a letter to a home owner who had an contrary to the HOA rules shed under his deck. When I handed him the letter at his front door he said I am a lawyer and I responded so what. When it came time for him to refinance his mortgage he took down the contrary to HOA rules shed under his deck.

    My HOA has a reserve fund of about $6000 which would be depleted rather quickly if they got into a pissing match with any of the 48 home owners in the neighborhood.
     

    CrazySanMan

    2013'er
    Mar 4, 2013
    11,390
    Colorful Colorado
    I passed the Technician and General exams this morning!

    I didn't take the Extra exam. My son wants to get his Technician license so I'm going to wait until he's ready and then take the Extra when he takes the Technician exam.
     

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