Amateur Radio FAQ

Traveler · Feb 2, 2018

Deep Thought said:
Products? Sure. Quality control and durability? not so much.

^^ This. Very hit or miss. You may need to open an MFJ product up when you first get it, and fix cold solder joints, or loose wires.

E.Shell · Feb 2, 2018

K31 said:
Begin the ~~Lee vs.~~ RCBS vs Redding debate....

FIFY

I have several MFJ products and they've OK, but horror stories do abound, like Hi Points

K31 · Feb 3, 2018

E.Shell said:
FIFY

No debate. Although Redding makes good products they don't hold a candle to RCBS service. At least in my experience.

Traveler · Feb 3, 2018

Picked up some nice vintage tube radios today at the FrostFest.

https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/t4xb.html

https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/commrxvr/r4b.html

cms1528 · Feb 3, 2018

Well, I used the phrase "good" stuff, not top of the line or state of the art. Sorry my sliding scale of quality was not up to snuff. It's just affordable hardware for folks just starting out in an expensive hobby.

Baccusboy · Feb 3, 2018

Engine4 said:
What's an good entry level swr/watt meter to get?

Ameritron makes nice peak-reading meters. I wouldn't get one that is not peak-reading, but that's just me.

I got an AWM30B

http://www.ameritron.com/Product.php?productid=AWM-30B

K31 · Feb 4, 2018

cms1528 said:
Well, I used the phrase "good" stuff, not top of the line or state of the art. Sorry my sliding scale of quality was not up to snuff. It's just affordable hardware for folks just starting out in an expensive hobby.

MFJ is a hot button for some but if you look in their shack you'll likely find one or more pieces of MFJ gear.

cms1528 · Feb 4, 2018

That's funny I have a friend just like that. He really has little to say in the positive yet there's three different MFJ meters stacked in a tower.

Baccusboy · Feb 4, 2018

Here's something interesting. My ham friend, VK4YS recorded me in a QSO from Korea, using the $20 Behringer xm8500 dynamic mic:

Boxcab · Feb 5, 2018

Put in some Vol time at ARRC this weekend. Helped the crew hand wind some coils for some antenna tuners they will use during Summerfest.

.

Baccusboy · Feb 10, 2018

Those coils are nice! What did you use for the coil separators?

Here's a look at the fun magnetic loop I made for the office. First contact was on 17m, from here in Korea (HL1ZIX) to France (F4WBN). Almost 6,000 miles, short path -- could have been long path, but pretty sure it was short path. The pencil is to help with tuning.

Boxcab · Feb 14, 2018

Baccusboy said:
Those coils are nice! What did you use for the coil separators?

Here's a look at the fun magnetic loop I made for the office. First contact was on 17m, from here in Korea (HL1ZIX) to France (F4WBN). Almost 6,000 miles, short path -- could have been long path, but pretty sure it was short path. The pencil is to help with tuning.

We used aircraft grommet caterpillar... used to line holes through bulkheads and protect wiring on aircraft.

I may pick your brain on loops some day.

.

K31 · Feb 14, 2018

On Amazon Lightning Deals for the next 4 hours $29:

BaoFeng Pofung GT-5TP 8/4/1 Watt Tri-Power Dual Band Two-Way Radio Walkie Talkie with Dual PTT & 2000mAh Battery & Earpiece Headset

vette97 · Feb 15, 2018

Baccusboy said:
Here's a look at the fun magnetic loop I made for the office. First contact was on 17m, from here in Korea (HL1ZIX) to France (F4WBN). Almost 6,000 miles, short path -- could have been long path, but pretty sure it was short path. The pencil is to help with tuning.

Good work on that loop! It's remarkable how effective they are. I own an AlexLoop and have been amazed how effective it's been on 40-10 using QRP.

I'm playing with an end fed wire and 9:1 Unun. I was able to string up 41' of wire and worked Azores on 17m no problem. I just purchased 250' of poly-stealth and want to shop for a drone to deploy it in an inverted L. Combined with a folded counterpoise, I should be able to work effectively on 160 on up.

Engine4 · Feb 28, 2018

What websites do you guys regularly use to buy your radios & antennas?

K31 · Feb 28, 2018

Engine4 said:
What websites do you guys regularly use to buy your radios & antennas?

For Transcievers (other than ChiCom HTs) either HRO (Ham Radio Outlet) or Gigaparts seem to have about the same prices depending on what specials they are running. With HRO you can go to either NOVA or DE stores to check them out before you buy. Gigaparts web presence sucks though. DX Engineering is a good outfit also but doesn't seem to have the same variety. They have an excellent customer service reputation though.

Antennas, it depends on what you are looking for HT antenna, wire antenna for HF, massive tower with rotator?

HRO has some of all of these but may not be the best or stock exactly what yo want.

Keystone70 · Feb 28, 2018

vette97 said:
Good work on that loop! It's remarkable how effective they are. I own an AlexLoop and have been amazed how effective it's been on 40-10 using QRP.

I'm playing with an end fed wire and 9:1 Unun. I was able to string up 41' of wire and worked Azores on 17m no problem. I just purchased 250' of poly-stealth and want to shop for a drone to deploy it in an inverted L. Combined with a folded counterpoise, I should be able to work effectively on 160 on up.

Is the end fed the one from the EARC in Hawaii? I am thinking of getting that for my HF rig when I get one. Like to know how yours is working?

vette97 · Feb 28, 2018

Keystone70 said:
Is the end fed the one from the EARC in Hawaii? I am thinking of getting that for my HF rig when I get one. Like to know how yours is working?

Yep, it's the EARC from Hawaii. It's more of a portable / emergency Unun because I think it lacks weather proofing. I've been using it with a 41' wire mainly on 20m and 17m on the digital mode FT8 and have worked the Azores and Australia. It's surprisingly good.

However, I had this hair brain idea to buy a drone, a drop mechanism, and get a line over a 125' tree in my back yard. After a few test runs, I was successful yesterday. Today, I pulled 124.5' of poly-stealth 18AWG wire all the way up and connected it to the EARCHI Unun on my shed. I just finished this afternoon. Signals are stronger than both the 41' wire and the G5RV I have hidden in the woods. But, I'm also pickup up more noise on this wire, which is typical for a vertical.

Anyway, I have a Balun Designs 9:1 on order and hope to get that in a few days. It's built better. I want to put a folded counterpoise on the ground side of it and tack that to the side of my shed. I have to experiment with wire lengths.

https://www.balundesigns.com/model-9132-9-1-unun-1-5-54mhz-2kw/

I'm antenna restricted but have been getting by at this residence without being discovered since 2000. I was first licensed in 1988. My current setup is an Elecraft KX3 to a KXPA100 amplifier. And a KX2 with an Alex Loop or a wire for portable ops.

Keystone70 · Feb 28, 2018

vette97 said:
Yep, it's the EARC from Hawaii. It's more of a portable / emergency Unun because I think it lacks weather proofing. I've been using it with a 41' wire mainly on 20m and 17m on the digital mode FT8 and have worked the Azores and Australia. It's surprisingly good.

However, I had this hair brain idea to buy a drone, a drop mechanism, and get a line over a 125' tree in my back yard. After a few test runs, I was successful yesterday. Today, I pulled 124.5' of poly-stealth 18AWG wire all the way up and connected it to the EARCHI Unun on my shed. I just finished this afternoon. Signals are stronger than both the 41' wire and the G5RV I have hidden in the woods. But, I'm also pickup up more noise on this wire, which is typical for a vertical.

Anyway, I have a Balun Designs 9:1 on order and hope to get that in a few days. It's built better. I want to put a folded counterpoise on the ground side of it and tack that to the side of my shed. I have to experiment with wire lengths.

https://www.balundesigns.com/model-9132-9-1-unun-1-5-54mhz-2kw/

I'm antenna restricted but have been getting by at this residence without being discovered since 2000. I was first licensed in 1988. My current setup is an Elecraft KX3 to a KXPA100 amplifier. And a KX2 with an Alex Loop or a wire for portable ops.

Thanks for the response. My plan is to get the kit from EARC; take the UNUN apart and caulk it with silicone inside and out, and run the wire up a tree out front. I'm going to bury a counterpoise underground from the UNUN at the base of the tree. I figure 20' of wire should do. I haven't found any antenna restriction in the HOA documents; but, don't want to push it. This should be pretty invisible.

Now to find a HF rig I can afford

vette97 · Feb 28, 2018

Keystone70 said:
Thanks for the response. My plan is to get the kit from EARC; take the UNUN apart and caulk it with silicone inside and out, and run the wire up a tree out front. I'm going to bury a counterpoise underground from the UNUN at the base of the tree. I figure 20' of wire should do. I haven't found any antenna restriction in the HOA documents; but, don't want to push it. This should be pretty invisible.

Now to find a HF rig I can afford

Cool! I caution you to not bury that counterpoise. It's equivalent to 1 radial, coupled to ground, and that will actually hurt your performance. If you must bury, go with multiple wires, different lengths, as radials. But if you're not restricted, some 18AWG poly stealth is practically invisible in trees. Also, stick with wire lengths that won't resonate on any of the HF ham bands. One ham calcuated that the following end fed wire lengths work well: 29' 35.5' 41' 58'

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