XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated

Amateur/Ham Radio

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Weekly Information / Mentor / New License Thread

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 06:00 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smqwii/weekly_information_mentor_new_license_thread/


This thread is used for those who just passed their tests to introduce themselves, a place to ask questions that you think dont deserve its own
thread and a place to brag!
Posts will be sorted by new!
Before posting, please make sure to read our FAQs and Wiki Page as your question might have already been answered.
Also make sure to check out our Rules Page
Weekly Nets And Chat Rooms: DMR Net: 0000 UTC Tuesday (Monday night US,
8pm Eastern). No net control. Brandmeister TG 98003. Also linked via
echolink. More info can be found here. HF Net: 01:30 UTC Monday Morning
(Sunday night US). Coordinate via IRC, no net control. Information can be
found here CW Noob Net: 02:30 UTC Saturday Morning (Friday night US). Coordinate via IRC, no net control. Information can be found here Official
IRC Channel - #RedditNet on Geekshed. Link to web-based client is here but
feel free to use whatever client you like. Official Discord Server - /r/amateurradio is on discord. Click here to join Collegiate Ham Radio
Groupme is here Young Amateurs Communications Ham Team EchoLink Net 19:00 Central Saturday Night Redditnet group on the Brandmeister network - TG
98003 - Listen Live - This talkgroup is bridged to AllStarLink node 48224
and Echolink node W5RI-L and on D-Star via XLX216 Module E North American Traffic and Awards Net Nightly at 22:30Z on 7.185. If youd like to join a weekly net for new and returning amateurs, check out the details at http://ftroop.vk6flab.com, the net runs every week on Saturday, from 00:00
to 01:00 UTC on Echolink, IRLP, AllStar Link and 2m FM via various
repeaters. You can also listen via the brandmeister hoseline! Link on
homepage. submitted by /u/AutoModerator
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Did you know that you can transmit on a Raspberry without any extra
equipment?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 04:18 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn5lzd/did_you_know_that_you_can_transmit_on_a_raspberry/

submitted by /u/-Alchem1st-
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My Winter Field Day 2022 Station - 73's VA7DDU

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 05:39 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn7ebs/my_winter_field_day_2022_station_73s_va7ddu/

submitted by /u/darryldowney
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PSA: The Bluetooth on the Icom ID-52 won't pair with hearing aids due to missing BT Low Energy Audio profile

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 07:32 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn9uye/psa_the_bluetooth_on_the_icom_id52_wont_pair_with/


Ive noticed a slight nuance in the specs advertising for the Icom ID-52.
The radio is advertised to support Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, however Ive confirmed with Icoms support that it does not support the Low Energy Audio profile that is part of the BT LE spec. Im not sure why this is left out as
all BT LE controller chips are capable of supporting the LEA profile.
The radio will pair with headsets and works fine in that manner, however it wont pair with the Bluetooth feature that is available on modern hearing
aids due to lacking the BT Low Energy Audio profile. Hearing aids dont have large enough batteries for it to be practical for them to sync up using the normal Headset Profile or the Handsfree Profile.
I believe the issue to be a software problem as, to my knowledge, all BT
4.0 LE hardware supports the LEA profile. Icom could potentially fix this
with a firmware update.
If you are interested in supporting Amateur Radio operators with hearing
loss then please consider contacting Icom and asking them to implement this feature in an upcoming firmware update. submitted by /u/IKanSpl
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Are hams pushing the boundary of monetization?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 02:12 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn2lp5/are_hams_pushing_the_boundary_of_monetization/


Ive noticed recently operators using things like YouTube and APRS to
advertise their own products. On D-Star there is a ham who will jump into
30C (A popular US reflector) and advertise he is "Live streaming". Live
streams and YouTube is monetized. Meaning, They are using ham radio to bait
and call people to watch their channel which in turns makes the ham money.
I am also seeing the use of "#MYPRODUCT" in APRS beacons, straight from aprsdroid. There are callsigns attached, so the advert is legal, but I was curious how this is skirting the lines of legality. Should these users be called out? submitted by /u/buckfutter82
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How hard would it be to make an amplifier at home?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 08:03 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/snaidq/how_hard_would_it_be_to_make_an_amplifier_at_home/


I’m just curious. I’ve gotten pretty familiar with BJT amplifier topologies/equations from school, so I’m curious: Is there really much more that goes into an RF amplifier than the transistor layouts that I’ve
learned in school?
I know when you get into UHF and above it gets more difficult, but I’m particularly interested in VHF and below.
Thanks guys! submitted by /u/Professor_Stank
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possible group CQ call

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 06:59 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn94zn/possible_group_cq_call/


I just heard several stations responding to a "up for grabs" call on the 40 meter band. When a station gave its call sign others would respond with a signal report sometimes followed by a QSO ?. It sounded like a different
and sort of a group way to call CQ. I wonder if I am correct in my thinking
as this is a new one on me. submitted by /u/spot1938
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NH looking to restrict any type of antenna in residential areas

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 03:43 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smoaou/nh_looking_to_restrict_any_type_of_antenna_in/


There is a bill up for public comments today in the NH House that appears
to want to restrict the installation of any telecommunication antenna near
any people.
It looks like the initial intent of the bill was from the aluminum foil hat people that are in fear of "5G", but the wording of the bill does not
specify the frequencies or types of signals, but just the installation of antennas in specific areas. The text of the bill are:

The placement of telecommunication antennas on any existing structure,
existing pole, new pole, or tower constructed after the enactment of this paragraph shall be placed at least 1,640 feet from residentially zoned
areas, parks, playgrounds, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, and schools
A link to the bill is here: https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/pdf.aspx?id=29663&q=billVersion There are no exceptions for police, fire, ems, amateur, or anything else
for that matter, so it appears to be overreaching and was obviously written without consulting people that have any understanding of radio technologies
and just based on propaganda found on Facebook and other reliable
sources. submitted by /u/technogeek61
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Multimeter Recommendation

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 04:31 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn5wqa/multimeter_recommendation/


Its an auxiliary piece of equipment, but Im a bit in the weeds on picking
one out. Id like one thatll cover my ham needs and swing some auto and home duty as needed. Looking to spend $75-100.
One that appears to fit the bill is the Klein MM600: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-1000V-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter-MM600/206517337
Am I in the right ballpark? Thanks for the help! submitted by
/u/lostsherlock
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A query on etiquette

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 02:35 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn365l/a_query_on_etiquette/


I recently moved to a new neighborhood and noticed an exceptionally obvious
HAM using their lack of HOA to the fullest with a rather impressive
multiple massive HF antennas setup. Im a relatively inexperienced General license, is it weird to just knock on his door or something? A better way
to introduce myself? Set up a yagi and start flooding his antennas with "Hi
im your new neighbor" on repeat on multiple frequencies seems like a silly
way to get someones attention too! submitted by /u/7SigmaEvent
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You've been thrown back in time and tasked with building a pair of radio transceivers with indigenous components, how would you do it?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 11:06 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smy1lg/youve_been_thrown_back_in_time_and_tasked_with/


Okay, lets have some fun. Youve been thrown back in time and tasked with building a working pair of working transceivers transmitters and recivers.
The rules are: You may pick any historical time period and culture you
wish prior to the invention of the radio. You may only use indigenous
material local to the time period to construct your pair of radios provided such material is plausibly available to an individual of means. That is,
assume you have a rich benefactor but assume nation-state levels of
resources. Making your own specialized tools via indigenous material that
helps you make what you really need is a valid interpretation of rule #2. Indeed, such creativity is encouraged. You may only use the knowledge in
your own head, no reference materials make the trip with you. Genuine CW is ideal but spark-gap is acceptable.
Discuss!
EDIT: As was rightly pointed out to me a "transceiver" was a relatively
late addition to radio. I should have said "transmitter and receiver." submitted by /u/s-ro_mojosa
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Crystal Radio Drinking Game?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 01:55 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn26au/crystal_radio_drinking_game/


Hello all!
Im new to reddit, so Ill apologize if Im doing it wrong.
Ive been an electronics hobbyist for decades. Recently I was describing to
my wife how, as a kid, I would lie in bed at night and listen to my crystal radio, and how it worked with no power source. She was very intrigued, so I bought a kit online for us to build together (I could have built one from scratch, but a kit would be easier for her and would look nicer). Shes very excited but wants to have a few themed alcoholic drinks while building.
Your ideas please as to what would be a Crystal Radio Themed Beverage?
Thanks! submitted by /u/Jivedaddy1229
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Help on nomenclature 90s era Special Forces radio

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 02:41 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn3b9a/help_on_nomenclature_90s_era_special_forces_radio/


Backstory... in the 90s, dropped in the jungle with an Army RATT rig on the back of a Hummer. Our vietnam-era HF radio (An/GRC-106) didnt like the
jungle environment and didnt have any output. Couldnt communicate
with "base" that our stuff was broke and couldnt relay for other teams
farther in the jungle back to "base". By base, I mean post. Anyway, found
some special forces guys (7th group green berets) and they let us use their radio to call post and chopper us out and get another working rig.
So, what I am trying to recall is the nomenclature of their HF radio. It
was mostly used by SF guys, but not exclusively. The key thing that may
help identify it is that it had pedal power/generator to charge or directly power the radio. I think it was a PRC something, but dont quote me on that.
It was skinny and wide, so like 2-3 inches tall, and maybe 24 inches wide
and maybe 24-30 inches deep. From what I recall, I think it had an
all-analog display, but I could be wrong on that. I think it ran from two disposable lithium batteries that were each the size of roughly a 12v/2A
SLA battery, but I may be confusing that with another radio system.
I think it was designed to be a manpack radio for the SF. Any ideas? Were
you one of the guys that helped us out in La Palma, Panama? For reals, you would remember my sgt because his name was SGT Noriega... in Panama, ha ha
ha, no joke.
PRC 50, 105, 70, something like that maybe? submitted by /u/BloodEnvironmental13
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Is it just me or is FT8 on 40M really crowded!

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 07:51 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sna92y/is_it_just_me_or_is_ft8_on_40m_really_crowded/


The entire band seems to be full from 200 through 1200hz. submitted by /u/CaptinKirk
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Can anyone help shed some light on what this homebrew unit may be. I got it
in a mystery box, and I assume it's ham related. Marker for scale.

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 12:04 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smzfj1/can_anyone_help_shed_some_light_on_what_this/

submitted by /u/frankenbeagle
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Am I measuring this repeater wrong?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 09:07 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/snbsdz/am_i_measuring_this_repeater_wrong/


Hello people, I want to measure the Tx output power of this suspicious
repeater to check if it has 50W as the manual says. Im using a good
spectrum analyzer with the channel power measure (setting channel BW to
25KHz), internally, the repeater has two mobile radios and a duplexer
(SGQ-45D 430. 500 440. 500), Im measuring this output with 0 attenuations.
When the repeater retransmits my handheld radio, only shows 27.6dBm
(~0.6W). What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for your patience.
FM Transmission
DMR Transmission submitted by /u/reto0110
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Quick question about building/using a nuclear powered battery in a crystal radio

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 02:23 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn2v8k/quick_question_about_buildingusing_a_nuclear/


This is a just for kicks/experimental idea that just came to me. I was
reading about making a nuclear battery by taking those tiny luminescent
tritium vials on keychains, surrounding a pile of them with photovoltaic
cells. It will apparently continually produce a very small voltage (tenths
of a volt or something) for years. This fascinates me and I was wondering
if theres any use for such a tiny current in any kind of crystal radio
circuit.
Because how freaking cool would a nuclear powered crystal radio be!
submitted by /u/Gullex
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Real-time triangulation

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 08:54 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smuv7q/realtime_triangulation/


Has anyone experimented with using multiple receivers several miles apart
to do real-time triangulation of VHF/UHF signals? Im thinking this could be
a fun project.
My thinking is you could put up several stations, each equipped with an
RTL-SDR and a GPS (mainly for precise timing, but also for positioning of
the station). Any demodulated FM signals would be stamped with an exact
time sent to a central server. The server would line up the signals and
work out the temporal offsets of each station. From there it could work out
the position of the transmitter. This could then be displayed on a map, and would show FM radio station transmitters, repeaters, etc.
The main reason Im limiting myself to FM is to make it easy to detect where theres a signal (so that Im not wasting a ton of processing on static). Im hoping it also eliminates multipath scattering (due to the capture effect).
I figure Im not the first person to have this idea with regards to ham
radio. I did some searching but I can only find people using a single directional antenna for fox hunting. submitted by /u/scd31
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Dictionary Hill W6/SC-366 Hike & SOTA Activation

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 07:29 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smsvpo/dictionary_hill_w6sc366_hike_sota_activation/

submitted by /u/cdn_ham
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Can ham radio pick up frequencies out of the dedicated Amateur radio bands?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 09:36 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smvvhy/can_ham_radio_pick_up_frequencies_out_of_the/


Hi, sorry if this question is too lame, stupid, or has been asked here
before. I am curious, can we use a Ham radio to listen to other (outside of amateur band) frequencies? Like, I have found out that the NOAA operates on frequencies between 162.4 to 162.55 MHz, can I use my Ham radio to monitor these frequencies? submitted by /u/writeryouneed
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S-Meter Scale Division Sizes! Why 6db units below S9 and then 20dB units
above?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 07:15 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn9i00/smeter_scale_division_sizes_why_6db_units_below/


Something I find funny about it is the change in divisions above and below
S9. The S-Meter has basically been defined as S9 is 50uV at the receiver,
and each S-unit is a reduction in signal strength of 6dB or halving of the voltage at the receiver. Most radios only give the odd s-units of S1, S3,
S5, etc, so basically 12dB per division. However, when youre above S9 they suddenly go to 20dB per division. So +20db, +40dB, and +60dB.
On my FT-450D the divisions from 2 units (odd S numbers) S1 through to S9
are the same size as S9+20dB through S9+60dB. My Drake 2B, same thing. Same sized division above and below S9. My Yaesu FT-101D has larger divisions
higher than S9 than the divisions below. And I think thats the only radio
that gets it right. Or at least right from the perspective of not having to have two different scales when translating from dB to a linear distance. In electronics, logarithmic to linear conversions are super common. But having
to put on top of that a conversion of 12dB is this size below S9 and 20dB
above S9 just seems like a pain.
I know in the end it doesnt matter in this day of age. In my FT-450D its
all software anyways. And I can tell you having a history in embedded
software development, not a challenge to do in the least. But back when S-Meters were hardware.... well I would expect them all to be like my
FT-101D with slightly larger divisions above S9.
I wonder why when this was defined they didnt make the markings +12dB,
+24dB, and +36dB. Again maybe a moot point? Because its easy enough to
change the markings on a swing arm meter. But why the change between 12dB
sized units and 20dB sized units? submitted by /u/aacmckay
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Does FT8 make it too easy?

Posted: 06 Feb 2022 12:11 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sm6872/does_ft8_make_it_too_easy/

submitted by /u/HamRadioPrep
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Will this protocol work to transmit weather station sensor data over 700 to
800 meters?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 03:52 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/smofm8/will_this_protocol_work_to_transmit_weather/


I have a simple weather station that prints temperature, humidity, and wind speed. I want to transmit this data over a certain range, say 700 to 800 meters. I dont want to use LoRa or some other technology, I want to build
my own protocol that actually makes me learn things in depth. I dont want
to make it big or robust, all I want is to build a basic working circuit.

Im thinking of applying the following protocol and I dont have the right equipment to check for the ranges. Heres a simple diagram of how the entire system works.

protocol
What I am trying to do is to generate 1200 Hz and 2400 Hz tones for 0 and 1 bits of the weather station data. If it has low power, then I would use
some kind of amplifier, such as LM386. Now Ill send this tone to the FM transmitter. In my town, theres only one FM station and it works at 100
MHz, it has been the same for the past 15 to 20 years. So, I am thinking of using a frequency of 89 MHz in order to transmit these digital bits.

Once I transmit this data, I will use some kind of android app or Ill make
one on my own that decodes the data from the 1200 Hz and 2400 Hz tones from
the transmit signal. Just like how WxtoImg works for NOAA weather
satellites.
I want to know whether this setup works for a range of 700 to 800 meters or not. Also, I do not have a HAM radio license and Im currently preparing for
the exam. Will I get into any legal troubles if I only use this setup to transmit data in the evening for 10 to 15 minutes? assuming that Im transmitting on a frequency that was never in use in my area.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! submitted by
/u/WldePutln
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Is it possible to cap rssi level?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 05:46 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn7jss/is_it_possible_to_cap_rssi_level/


Im working on a project where I need to cap rssi on the receiver to a
specific level without affecting the rssi that is lower than the cap. For example, if rssi is higher than -100dbm, (-30dbm for example) I want it
capped at -100dbm and no higher. Signal that is lower (e.g -120dbm), should stay untouched and passed through. How do I achieve this? Thanks!
submitted by /u/dvtalk
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Non radiating Aerial Marker Balls?

Posted: 07 Feb 2022 05:28 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sn7600/non_radiating_aerial_marker_balls/


My primary radio location is next to a military base. I plan to put up a
large dipole antenna up at 120 feet. I am not near and airport but I would
like to marker balls up to warn anyone how is flying low. The marker balls
I have found are all metallic, will metallic marker balls impact an HF
dipole? The "dipole" is a 160 meter double zepp fed by ladder line. I plan
on using this antenna on 160, 80, and 40 meters and hopefully some of the
lower bands.
Even better is anyone aware of plastic marker balls?
Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/sage2791
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I made a crystal radio. With an actual crystal. And it kind of sort of
works!

Posted: 06 Feb 2022 02:58 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/sma97j/i_made_a_crystal_radio_with_an_actual_crystal_and/

submitted by /u/Gullex
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