Amateur Radio FAQ

[garym]

The 15 deg angle will not have a major impact on the antenna radiation that would cause you any issue.

 

[garym]

Yes! that's what I was thinking. the stock radio is 2 DIN big so I would also need to get a basic am/fm radio that is 1 big to make room for the amateur radio. The radio I really want to get, Kenwood TM-V71A, does have the option for the remote control head. Other than the mounting the entire radio versus just the control head, are there any advantages to using remote? Would the radio function any better if it's body were in the trunk? I would imagine airflow would be better.

If you remote the radio it will be easier for you to route and connect the antenna and power cables. You may gain better air circulation if you remote mount, as long as you don't bury it.

With a remote mount you will have 1 (maybe 2) small cables to deal with vs a fat power cable and antenna.

You also will not have the support issue if you just mount the head in the DIN.

 

[Pinecone]

I understand your point and I will order and read the book, surely I will. Meantime, my simple and direct question stands, and it really shouldn't need a whole book, or even a paragraph, to answer:

Where does the energy come from to produce heat inside the tuner?

It's there, and substantial. It positively absolutely had to come from someplace.

As for math, I'm not very good at it, but it seems straight up:

Amplifier Output Power - Tuner Losses (heat) = Power Delivered To Feedline/Antenna System

Now, please understand that I agree with the premise that feedline losses mount up and increase with reflected power, but a LOT of forward power never sees the feedline.

If that's not right, I believe I can accept a logical explanation, whether it apparently makes sense to me or not, try me.

It has been a while since I read it, so I can't answer.

 

[garym]

The radio I really want to get, Kenwood TM-V71A, does have the option for the remote control head.

Just looked at the V71A manual and it uses simple RJ connections to remote the head and mic (much like the FT-8800R I use). I made up my own extension cables, just need some silver satin flat cable, some RJ-45's and a crimp tool.

The mic plugs into the main body so you will need to remote that too. that can be run separate from the control head cable. On my FT-8800 install I ran that to the center console and my mic clips the center console between the drivers seat and it, easy to reach. On my IC-7000 the mic can connect to either the remote or the control head. For that I chose the control head.

I added some more pixs to my gallery , under a sub-category called Ham Stuff, that may give you some more ideas.

 

[Minuteman]

I wonder what kind of radio and power I would need to reach Harford County without using a repeater; is that even possible from Fort Meade?

By the way, on Tuesday there will be a public hearing to possibly change the law to not make it illegal for law-abiding citizens to own and carry Tasers for self defense. You might want to help them out, especially if you live there:

http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?p=3044800#post3044800

 

[K31]

I wonder what kind of radio and power I would need to reach Harford County without using a repeater; is that even possible from Fort Meade?

Without a good sized tower, or a tall building your best bet would be HF, even a QRP (5-10W) should be able to do it. 40M would be best for most times of the day. An NVIS antenna in both locations would probably also be best. That is again, without towers, and beam antennas.

 

[garym]

As K31 said, HF. 40M or 80M would be simple. Also 6M FM would work with probably a 1/4 wave and 100W but you'd have to have your antenna above a roof. I do know that 6M SSB, 100W and a simple antenna such as a halo 18' off the ground will work if you don't have HF privileges. You can also build some small beams made out of wire such as a Moxon to increase that.

 

[gamer_jim]

Aren't there like tons of repeaters in this area? Why would simplex be a requirement if there are so many repeaters, many of them linked, in this area?

Also, has anyone done much with D-Star?

 

[garym]

If you can establish comms without using a repeater then that frees repeaters for other users. Also you are not reliant on a repeater for comms if the SHTF.

 

[K31]

That was my assumption, that this was a SHTF scenario. There was a question earlier about repeaters in the Harford area so maybe the OP just can't reach a linked repeater that serves both. Repeaters also sometimes have backup power so they will work for a while in SHTF situations.

 

[garym]

Yes, we hope they work during SHTF, but do you want all your comms to rely on someone else?

6M, either FM or better yet SSB, I think would be a good fit, especially if there are Techs involved.

 

[K31]

Yes, we hope they work during SHTF, but do you want all your comms to rely on someone else?

Nope, just putting it out there.

 

[Minuteman]

I have been procrastinating, and have not yet begun to study for the Tech test. I have the current Tech book and website to study, just need to knock it out over a weekend.

Question: I see the test is changing (ARRL website), on 1 July 2014, it's not clear how many and which questions will be new. Am I better off studying for and taking the current Tech exam, or take the new one after June?

 

[K31]

I have been procrastinating, and have not yet begun to study for the Tech test. I have the current Tech book and website to study, just need to knock it out over a weekend.

Question: I see the test is changing (ARRL website), on 1 July 2014, it's not clear how many and which questions will be new. Am I better off studying for and taking the current Tech exam, or take the new one after June?

If you go to the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) www.ncvec.org you can see the current and new (post-July) pools. I was told one time the percentage that had to change but I can't recall. IIRC it works out to around 5 new questions that you might get on a test. It seems like they redesign the withdrawn questions with ones that are on the same topic.

So it's not the end of the world if you don't make it to the test prior to July 1, but then again, you've got 4 full months.

 

[Pinecone]

Yes, we hope they work during SHTF, but do you want all your comms to rely on someone else?

6M, either FM or better yet SSB, I think would be a good fit, especially if there are Techs involved.

There are some clubs that have emergency portable repeaters.

A buddy, years ago, designed a portable repeater that could be placed at any high place and run off of car/truck batteries salvaged from vehicles.

 

[chale127]

If you go to the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) www.ncvec.org you can see the current and new (post-July) pools. I was told one time the percentage that had to change but I can't recall. IIRC it works out to around 5 new questions that you might get on a test. It seems like they redesign the withdrawn questions with ones that are on the same topic.

So it's not the end of the world if you don't make it to the test prior to July 1, but then again, you've got 4 full months.

Most likely this is the case, i think the last Extra update made quite a few changes to the pool but in hindsight i think it may not have been enough to affect a pass/fail on the exam if you really did have a grasp on the basics

 

[K31]

Most likely this is the case, i think the last Extra update made quite a few changes to the pool but in hindsight i think it may not have been enough to affect a pass/fail on the exam if you really did have a grasp on the basics

I did the extra test the day it changed so all my studying was on the old pool. I believe there were two questions on my exam that I never saw before. I think the percentage is so small that on a random draw it would easily be possible that someone could get a test with no new questions. I don't think they are drawn randomly though. VEs only have to pick so many from each category and I assume they try to vary what's in a category between test "versions" they prepare. I'm just guessing though.

 

[chale127]

Mine was probably one of the last given in the old pool, but Rol Anders, K3RA, taught my upgrade class and was also on the question pool committee. He would chime in on questions that were going to be deleted, etc. I seem to remember it was quite a few in the pool but like you say, with the "random" draw, you could easily make a test with only a few of the updated questions.

 

[garym]

There are some clubs that have emergency portable repeaters.

A buddy, years ago, designed a portable repeater that could be placed at any high place and run off of car/truck batteries salvaged from vehicles.

Yes, many clubs including the AARC that I belong too revert to battery power. they are 1 tool in your ECOMM toolkit.

BTW, although these CHICOM radios are crap (cant meet their own published specs on TX or RX), here is a way to take 2 of them and make a repeater. Although they probably de-sense the hell out of each other this close it was interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KrH86Dzhnc

 

[garym]

Most likely this is the case, i think the last Extra update made quite a few changes to the pool but in hindsight i think it may not have been enough to affect a pass/fail on the exam if you really did have a grasp on the basics

Exactly, if you know the reason behind the answer vs just memorizing it wont matter much, if at all.

I studied the previous Extra class guide and took the test under the new pool and missed just 1 question.