Amateur Radio FAQ

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  • gamer_jim

    Podcaster
    Feb 12, 2008
    13,233
    Hanover, PA
    I had a chance to set up my HF rig on the porch this past Sunday. First time on HF in several months. I didn't have my antenna strung up well so I didn't hear much besides FT8 and CW. I really need to learn CW.

    I'm also going to try to engineer a better portable mast for the 130' EFHW. I'm going to use a series of smaller pvc pipes bolted together. We'll see how that goes. I'll share my design if it's successful.
     

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    Keystone70

    MSI Executive Member
    Apr 14, 2012
    748
    HoCo
    I had a chance to set up my HF rig on the porch this past Sunday. First time on HF in several months. I didn't have my antenna strung up well so I didn't hear much besides FT8 and CW. I really need to learn CW.



    I'm also going to try to engineer a better portable mast for the 130' EFHW. I'm going to use a series of smaller pvc pipes bolted together. We'll see how that goes. I'll share my design if it's successful.
    I don't think the bands were very good last weekend. Throw that wire up on the tree. Bow and arrow, sling shot, whatever as high as you can get it. String the excess to another tree or whatever you can use. I do pretty well with my endfed; but the bands are not very good right now.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
     

    gamer_jim

    Podcaster
    Feb 12, 2008
    13,233
    Hanover, PA
    The Koch method worked for me, and was sooo much better than rote memorization. You basically start with two letters - K and M - and progressively add more as you get more proficient. When I was learning, I spent 30 minutes a day at lunch doing code study while I ate. I did that on-and-off for a month before I took the exam.

    Thanks. I have the app on my tablet for this. I started and got ok for about 10 letters at 15 wpm. Then I started reading about the best way to learn CW. The thing it said NOT to do was to build a lookup table in your head, which was exactly what I was doing. I was struggling to hear the words as if it were it's own language. Then I got discouraged and quit. I'll try to pick it up again, I guess slow CW is better than no CW.

    One thing about CW that really encourages me is when I was at my old house I was picking up a guy from Antartica. I thought that was cool as hell. I don't know if he could have heard me with my 100 watts but it would have been neat to try. I have a straight key my elmer gave me. I really need to get back into this.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    All of this Beofang talk lately got me inspired to finally get a Yaseu mobile transceiver. I’m going to set it up in the basement temporarily and start getting active OTA then move it into
    my car. Now I need to decide on what to do about an antenna.
     

    Keystone70

    MSI Executive Member
    Apr 14, 2012
    748
    HoCo
    I have the FTM100 at home and in the car. I can recommend the Diamond 770 for the car. You can also use it at home. Does not require a ground for rf.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    I have the FTM100 at home and in the car. I can recommend the Diamond 770 for the car. You can also use it at home. Does not require a ground for rf.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk



    For home I built a J-Pole I’m going to mount it in the attic and see what I can do. For my car I’m really not sure. I drive an SUV and I only have about 12” clearance from the roof to the garage header. I also do a lot of work in downtown DC and need to park in some low garages.
     

    Keystone70

    MSI Executive Member
    Apr 14, 2012
    748
    HoCo
    For home I built a J-Pole I’m going to mount it in the attic and see what I can do. For my car I’m really not sure. I drive an SUV and I only have about 12” clearance from the roof to the garage header. I also do a lot of work in downtown DC and need to park in some low garages.
    Not a problem. The available mounts for the 770 allow you to mount on the back hatch along the side of the hatch. Mine is only 14" higher than the car roof. I can talk on the Columbia repeater from the Eastern shore. Half of the antenna is below the roofline, but works well.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    Not a problem. The available mounts for the 770 allow you to mount on the back hatch along the side of the hatch. Mine is only 14" higher than the car roof. I can talk on the Columbia repeater from the Eastern shore. Half of the antenna is below the roofline, but works well.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk



    I was reading that if you mount to the bumper it effects the effective transmission pattern.

    I would like a 1/4 wave 19” antenna on the roof angled backwards about 45° would be reasonably effective. I could position it right in the middle rear of the roof. I cannot find any discussion to support or refute my idea. If it works it would only stick up 13” above the roof.
     

    Keystone70

    MSI Executive Member
    Apr 14, 2012
    748
    HoCo
    I was reading that if you mount to the bumper it effects the effective transmission pattern.

    I would like a 1/4 wave 19” antenna on the roof angled backwards about 45° would be reasonably effective. I could position it right in the middle rear of the roof. I cannot find any discussion to support or refute my idea. If it works it would only stick up 13” above the roof.
    Really, not sure it really matters much. Your car doesn't sit still. It's on the road travelling in different directions with multiple terrain considerations. Also, you mostly communicate through repeaters. I wouldn't overthink it too much. I have had very good results with it on the back hatch.

    Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    I was reading that if you mount to the bumper it effects the effective transmission pattern.

    I would like a 1/4 wave 19” antenna on the roof angled backwards about 45° would be reasonably effective. I could position it right in the middle rear of the roof. I cannot find any discussion to support or refute my idea. If it works it would only stick up 13” above the roof.

    I've gotten some NiTinol antennas for HTs and like them.

    https://signalstuff.com/antennas/

    I was looking for a mobile version and couldn't seem to find one for the consumer market but did find a company that makes one for public service.

    They aren't cheap, but the company says they'll replace it if it breaks.

    http://sti-co.com/public-safety/flexi-whip/

    https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/sti-co-roof-ft-niti-6442

    I haven't bought one yet, but like you, I frequently have to use garages and I have a spring-base center loaded antenna which takes a beating in some garages, especially those in downtown Annapolis.

    When it fails or I get a new vehicle I'm going to get one of these.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    I've gotten some NiTinol antennas for HTs and like them.



    https://signalstuff.com/antennas/



    I was looking for a mobile version and couldn't seem to find one for the consumer market but did find a company that makes one for public service.



    They aren't cheap, but the company says they'll replace it if it breaks.



    http://sti-co.com/public-safety/flexi-whip/



    https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/sti-co-roof-ft-niti-6442



    I haven't bought one yet, but like you, I frequently have to use garages and I have a spring-base center loaded antenna which takes a beating in some garages, especially those in downtown Annapolis.



    When it fails or I get a new vehicle I'm going to get one of these.


    Thats pretty cool and the cost may be worth it.

    Their covert model looks exactly like what I was thinking.
    http://sti-co.com/covert/
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,499
    God's Country
    Question for you more experienced guys.

    I got my homemade J-Pole antenna mounted up in my attic today at the peak of the roof. I got a really good shielded cable too.

    So I’m picking up a lot of digital signals that were not evident with the little antennas that came with the RTL-SDR. So out of curiosity I started to try and find out what these signals are. Using the FCC database and Radio reference.com most of them are public and private trunk networks.

    However I am getting a fairly strong periodic signal in Ellicott City on 152.1800 Mhz. I cannot find any registered license or transmitter info.

    Shouldn’t all digital transmitters be FCC registered and easily found in the database?

    Any other ideas on how to ID this transmitter?
     

    mac1_131

    MSI Executive Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 31, 2009
    3,280
    I was reading that if you mount to the bumper it effects the effective transmission pattern.

    I would like a 1/4 wave 19” antenna on the roof angled backwards about 45° would be reasonably effective. I could position it right in the middle rear of the roof. I cannot find any discussion to support or refute my idea. If it works it would only stick up 13” above the roof.
    It would work fine on two meters. Most of them are just thin spring steel whips so really no need to bend it back, if it hits something it will just spring back in to place
     

    mac1_131

    MSI Executive Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 31, 2009
    3,280
    Question for you more experienced guys.

    I got my homemade J-Pole antenna mounted up in my attic today at the peak of the roof. I got a really good shielded cable too.

    So I’m picking up a lot of digital signals that were not evident with the little antennas that came with the RTL-SDR. So out of curiosity I started to try and find out what these signals are. Using the FCC database and Radio reference.com most of them are public and private trunk networks.

    However I am getting a fairly strong periodic signal in Ellicott City on 152.1800 Mhz. I cannot find any registered license or transmitter info.

    Shouldn’t all digital transmitters be FCC registered and easily found in the database?

    Any other ideas on how to ID this transmitter?
    I think it's a paging transmitter frequency, might be on a Nationwide license so might be harder to search up
     

    KJackson

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 3, 2017
    8,613
    Carroll County
    If I didn't have tons of stuff to do before I leave for vacation on Thursday, I would be tempted to go. They will also be testing at the CARAFest at the Howard County Fairgrounds on Oct. 6th. I plan to try and go then.
     

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