HAM Radio

[kafratta]

Hi all,

I have a question for you ham's out there. I got my Tech about 6mo ago but am still very green when it comes to this very complex field. I'm running on a Yaesu FT-60 portable 2m/70cm right now and it is good for hitting the Balto Area repeater and a few other repeaters around here, but symplex is only reaching about a 3mi radius. That short range is understandable b/c im only putting out 5W and only have a 12in diamond antenna on it. Im looking at getting into HF so I can have ptp comms over a very long distance. So in short I'm looking for a mobile that could get 2m, 20m, 60m (at minimum more is preffered). I am partial to Yaesu b/c of how great my portable is, but I am open to anything reliable. So anyone have or know of some good, wont crap out on you mobiles? If your looking to sell pm me. Also some mobile truck antennas for said radios.

I think the recent acts of nature should have everyone thinking of the fragility of cell/lan networks and alternative comms.

 

[xcavater]

with 5 watts you should be able to hit Ashton 147.000, Jessup 146.760, Columbia 147.135
sorry this is from memory, I can't recall the PL's.

73
N3YOU

 

[JasonN3ZBO]

If you're looking for a solid performer for HF work, I would highly recommend a Kenwood. I've owned several over the years and they have all been stellar performers.

73's
Jason

 

[K31]

I'm kind of wondering why you want to use 60M since it is channelized, a secondary band for amateurs, available to amateurs in only a few countries and you have to limit your power.

 

[kafratta]

B/c UMBC's ARC uses 60M alot I don't know why they do, or what the restrictions are like I said i barely know any of this stuff.

 

[OLM-Medic]

Get a good antenna (stop freeloading off of mine) you cheapo. 2m should be able to reach many miles with a good antenna and good elevation.

 

[kafratta]

stop trying to down play the downfalls of VHF and limited power lol, even mobile at. to mobile at. wont get far past 3mi I'm sure. 2W and 5W wont reach in our terrain. We need to upgrade. And if we are thinking about getting mobile 2M why not just get HF radios that will get 2M as well, and get our Gen over the next few weeks/months.

 

[sbarber7973]

Here is a good list to go by for repeaters in the area and such. Last year I was in Keyser WV on the top of a mountain and on 2M I was talking to a friend who was in Hyattsville Md on the 147.150 repeater

http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters/search/index.asp?state=Maryland

 

[vette97]

During the hurricane, Carroll County was running a net on 10m 29.3 USB. Can simply trim down a CB antenna and run 100w. Should work well.

 

[aberforth]

Last summer I was checking in to the BTN on 2m from Parkville with my Kenwood TH-22AT in low-power mode (which is 0.5W iirc) and I've only got an 8in diamond antenna on it. Don't know how well I was coming through, but nobody ever seemed to have a hard time copying my checkin.

73
--KB3TGL

 

[NY Transplant]

stop trying to down play the downfalls of VHF and limited power lol, even mobile at. to mobile at. wont get far past 3mi I'm sure. 2W and 5W wont reach in our terrain. We need to upgrade. And if we are thinking about getting mobile 2M why not just get HF radios that will get 2M as well, and get our Gen over the next few weeks/months.

When I was very active years ago, 99% of my activity was 6 Meters and above. There were times during band openings where I would work 2 meter simplex in my car with only 5 watts when I was living in Connecticut to people in Ohio, Tennessee, Maine and Georgia. I use to do Fast Scan Televsion on 10.5 and 24 GHz up to 6 miles using nothing but 10 miliwatts and a round snow sled as a dish.

I talk to people from different countries on amateur satellites and on 144, 432 and 1296 moonbounce. Anyone can talk around the world on HF with minimal effort and equipment. If you are up for a real challenge try it on 6 Meters and above. I do not consider VHF and above a downfall.

De K2AR

 

[OLM-Medic]

Me and the OP have been trying to establish simplex comms lately with 2m portable radios. I am using 3 watts connected to a mobile Diamond 770 magmount and he is using 5 watts portable with a portable flexible diamond antenna (which I have loaned him, COUGH COUGH lol).

Last night we lost communication at 3.5 miles. I was driving, he was standing outside.

The same night we were struggling to get comms from about 3 miles away due to terrain. I was at another location, and decided to go up into a 2 story shed with my antenna and the comms became crystal clear.

I am 99% sure the problems are due to having a poor antenna on his side, poor elevation on both of our sides, and poor wattage for both of us. Sure 2m simplex isn't going to go hundreds of miles, but I'm sure it can go much farther than this with better antennas, more power, and more elevation.

Thoughts?

p.s. Keep in mind we have no problem hitting the repeaters. We are trying to get a decent simplex range in case the repeaters were to fail for any reason.

 

[K31]

Me and the OP have been trying to establish simplex comms lately with 2m portable radios. I am using 3 watts connected to a mobile Diamond 770 magmount and he is using 5 watts portable with a portable flexible diamond antenna (which I have loaned him, COUGH COUGH lol).

Last night we lost communication at 3.5 miles. I was driving, he was standing outside.

The same night we were struggling to get comms from about 3 miles away due to terrain. I was at another location, and decided to go up into a 2 story shed with my antenna and the comms became crystal clear.

I am 99% sure the problems are due to having a poor antenna on his side, poor elevation on both of our sides, and poor wattage for both of us. Sure 2m simplex isn't going to go hundreds of miles, but I'm sure it can go much farther than this with better antennas, more power, and more elevation.

Thoughts?

p.s. Keep in mind we have no problem hitting the repeaters. We are trying to get a decent simplex range in case the repeaters were to fail for any reason.

Do you have to use HTs? Your going to get a lot more power with mobile station of course and you can get a single band mobile for about the cost of and HT. Also do you both have 70cm? Maybe if the problem is intervening structures you'll get better performance.

 

[K31]

When I was very active years ago, 99% of my activity was 6 Meters and above. There were times during band openings where I would work 2 meter simplex in my car with only 5 watts when I was living in Connecticut to people in Ohio, Tennessee, Maine and Georgia. I use to do Fast Scan Televsion on 10.5 and 24 GHz up to 6 miles using nothing but 10 miliwatts and a round snow sled as a dish.

I talk to people from different countries on amateur satellites and on 144, 432 and 1296 moonbounce. Anyone can talk around the world on HF with minimal effort and equipment. If you are up for a real challenge try it on 6 Meters and above. I do not consider VHF and above a downfall.

De K2AR

There's an active ATV group in Laurel with an ATV repeater.

 

[jerielg]

Look into a Yaesu 857/D. All the HF Bands plus 6/2/70 at decent power. It's small enough to backpack with a 7 amp Gel Cell or put in the vehicle. Works great as a home rig too. I think it's around $810.00 at HRO. It's a very good disaster radio. ICOM makes an equivalent rig with slightly better specks but it's about $500.00 more. Hope this helps.

Now go get that General ticket. It's really not that hard and opens up a lot more possibilities. If I can help, please let me know.


Jerry
N3JG

 

[jerielg]

You could try building a couple of small yagis for 2M and throwing them on some of the fiberglass poles that are available from ebay. I bough a bag containing 40 feet of poles for $24.00 including shipping. You can probably put together a 4 or 5 element yagi pretty cheap if you scrounge the materials. Plenty of plans around. Don't get too wrapped around the axle about getting the last dB of gain out of the antenna. Sometimes its more about being able o do he field expedient thing.

73

Jerry
N3JG

 

[kafratta]

Thanks for the references guys. Just ordered a 49'' larsen mobile antennea hopefully me and OLM can get some distance now, 3mi just wont cut it. Also might look at trying to increase our watts out bc i think both me and OLM are a ways from having 800 to drop on a radio...poor college students lol.

 

[K31]

The yagi idea is good if you're working from a fixed location.

 

[Kilroy]

Who administers licensing tests near Columbia/Laurel? Before I moved here I was studying, but couldn't find a testing location near me. I'm sure someone in the area does them?

 

[K31]

Who administers licensing tests near Columbia/Laurel? Before I moved here I was studying, but couldn't find a testing location near me. I'm sure someone in the area does them?

The Laurel VEC conducts them for most of central Md., free.

http://www.larcmd.org/vec