XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated

Amateur/Ham Radio

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Guy is a legend

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 09:06 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8i5o3/guy_is_a_legend/


I’m listening to KA5DOB making multiple contacts, and literally walking people through the menus of their radios. “Yeah sounds like your bass and treble settings are at 0,0 from the factory. So hold that button F on your
rig. Find the menu item… and put treble to 4. You’re still bassy so…” Likewise “change this setting, you’ll get automatic 2 extra dB, a lotta more people will hear you.”
73 73 to you, Jimmie. submitted by /u/CloudSill
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Okay fess up! Which one of you was this?!?!?

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 07:49 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8gtb2/okay_fess_up_which_one_of_you_was_this/

submitted by /u/aacmckay
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Tried my hand at a 2m/70cm ground plane antenna

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 05:56 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8es2p/tried_my_hand_at_a_2m70cm_ground_plane_antenna/

submitted by /u/pjwhitney84
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Electronic Circuitry Diagnosis And Fault Finding [Repair]: Mr Carlson's Lab walks through testing and repair of a 1930's tube type broadcast receiver.

Posted: 04 Dec 2021 02:44 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8n4nf/electronic_circuitry_diagnosis_and_fault_finding/

submitted by /u/Freekmagnet
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Made my first phone transmitter today!

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 07:59 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8gzcd/made_my_first_phone_transmitter_today/


Having limited myself to digimode and CW transmitters (and one
transceiver!) in the past, I had a little excitement today. I stumbled on a little electret microphone capsule Id forgotten about. Ive never made a
circuit with a microphone, so I thought Id put a few things together on the breadboard....
Its kind of like LEGO.
... and one thing led to another: what if I push that into a mixer; and
then how about a little RF PA; and a low pass filter? And by the time I was done, I had a little DSB transmitter:
Block diagram of a crummy DSB transmitter
I was able to record myself on my FT-818 here in the lab (SSB Demod Here;
yes, the tunings slightly off, hah!), and I was really surprised how well
it came out. I havent really thought much about building a homebrew phone transmitter, but this was so easy to slap together, now Im intrigued...
This evening I spent some time drafting up a much more elaborate preamp for
the microphone, with some active filtering, and a better gain profile.
This homebrew stuff is challenging and easy at the same time. What a fun
part of the hobby! submitted by /u/jephthai
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Need Info: Portable HF antenna...

Posted: 04 Dec 2021 05:08 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8pcb7/need_info_portable_hf_antenna/


I am looking into options for portable, low-power, HF operations. I have a
good setup with an EFHW and balun, but this requires trees and/or a
telescopic pole. I saw the Wolf River Coil TIA setup, but the only review I read cautioned about the telescopic antenna. So, looking for other options,
I have come to the reddit ham community for some good ideas. I travel frequently, and I would like to be able to carry the QRP equipment with me. Ideas? TNX es 73 de David AE4LH submitted by /u/afpriest2007
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Thousands of ships off Chinas coast vanish [from AIS]

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 02:04 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8a5u4/thousands_of_ships_off_chinas_coast_vanish_from/

submitted by /u/kc2syk
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ISO shoulder microphone with decent sound quality and K-plug

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 12:22 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r886sd/iso_shoulder_microphone_with_decent_sound_quality/

submitted by /u/Cast-Iron-101
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Share your experience with 60 meters!

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 04:15 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8cuux/share_your_experience_with_60_meters/


Hello!
Has anybody here had any experience with 60 meters? What’s the propagation like? Is it night time only or are regional contacts possible during the
day? I’ve been really interested in 60 meters recently so I’ll excited to hear your experience! submitted by /u/Midnight_man_
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Which frequencies to use on my Duplex MMDVM hotspot?

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 01:22 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r89i6a/which_frequencies_to_use_on_my_duplex_mmdvm/

submitted by /u/Cast-Iron-101
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Do radio waves affect the body in any way? (The internet is full of crap on this topic so I figured I will ask here)

Posted: 04 Dec 2021 01:42 AM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8m9om/do_radio_waves_affect_the_body_in_any_way_the/


I’m just asking if they do because the ARRL said there is a bit of science research with this but the evidence isn’t huge. submitted by /u/Markdaboi2250
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This Ham Radio Is Unsafe At Any Frequency -- Hackaday

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 01:01 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r891n3/this_ham_radio_is_unsafe_at_any_frequency_hackaday/

submitted by /u/ishmal
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Practicing CW on 2m repeaters

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 02:17 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8afnr/practicing_cw_on_2m_repeaters/


Hey guys, I figured out how to do CW on repeaters. You don’t even need a
key. All you need to do is kerchunk it in the same pattern as your Morse
Code message.
Just thought I’d share this life hack with you all. submitted by /u/Professor_Stank
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[India] Ham radio operators help reunion of woman with family after 37 years

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 02:01 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8a3nm/india_ham_radio_operators_help_reunion_of_woman/

submitted by /u/kc2syk
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[OC] Amateur Radio and the art of getting started ...

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 05:00 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8dpc4/oc_amateur_radio_and_the_art_of_getting_started/


One of the regular topics of conversation in amateur radio, especially for those new to the community, is where to start? The sheer volume of
available options is often overwhelming. If youve never encountered the complexity associated with this amazing hobby the experience can be disheartening and even demoralising.
In my early years I was results driven. Getting on air, making noise,
logging a contact, adding a country, winning a contest, rinse and repeat,
get better, do more. There have been numerous occasions when I came home
from one of my adventures disappointed, sometimes bitterly so.
That happened for quite some time, until one day I realised that the
journey in and of itself is the reward.
That might sound disingenuous, so let me illustrate.
This week I set-up an automatic beacon in my shack that can be heard by stations around the planet, letting me know just how far my signal can
travel at any particular moment, using my own station antenna and local propagation. As projects go, it continues to be an adventure.
As you might recall, I like low power operation, truth be told, I love low power. The smaller, the better. Less is more and all that. I recently
completed the first leg of a journey to set-up a permanent beacon. For
years Id been dabbling around the edges. On the weekend, whilst I was in my shack, Id regularly set-up my computer and radio, set it to WSPR beacon and
see what stations heard me. I couldnt turn my radio below 5 Watts, so thats what I used. Before you start, yes, I could turn down the volume, but that involves math and I wanted a result, now.
It filled a gap using WSPR, Weak Signal Propagation Reporter, like that.
For a while, I improved on things by having a receiver set-up that
monitored the bands all day every day and recently I turned it back on,
with limited success, more on that shortly.
What I really wanted was to see where my signal was going, not what I could hear. I received a few emails suggesting that a ZachTek WSPR Desktop transmitter, built and sold by Harry, SM7PNV, would be just the ticket. Its
a little metal box with USB and SMA connectors. One SMA for the supplied
GPS antenna, used for location and time, the other for a transmit antenna.
USB provides serial for configuration and power if its operating in
stand-alone mode. Yes, you can operate it without needing a computer and if
you want it does band-hopping. After configuring it with things like your callsign and bands, you can plug-in the GPS, your antenna and power it via
USB and it will run as an automatic 200 milliwatt WSPR beacon.
That device in turn prompted a journey to discover a more appropriate
antenna, since my current station antenna uses an automatic tuner that wont
get triggered by this tiny transmitter. That caused an exploration in how
and where to mount any new antenna, with a side-trip into finding a
specific anti-seize compound locally. To pick the mounting hardware, I had
to get into wind loading, how strong my satellite dish mount might be, how
to install and tune a multi-band antenna. The list just keeps growing and
that voyage continues.
Im tracking the requirements with a project specific check-list, just to
make sure that I dont miss any steps and have a place to document new discoveries when they invariably hit me in the face. So-far, so-good.
The WSPR monitor receiver is currently connected to a generic telescopic dipole, mounted indoors, which in the past gave me a much better result
than my station vertical, so I should be able to keep both running.
Next on the list is to construct a live propagation map for my station,
then a way to switch modes on that map, so I can tell if its worth calling
CQ without going blue in the face. Im also working on a WSPR transmitter
for 2m and 70cm, because they are under served in my neck of the woods.
The takeaway from all this is that whilst there are many steps, and truth
be told, that list is growing as I learn, each step is tiny and doable. The only thing that separates me from someone who doesnt know where to start,
is this.
I started. You can too. Anywhere. Doesnt matter. Pick anything that tickles your fancy. Start digging. Its a hobby, not a profession. What ever floats
your boat, what ever makes you excited, what ever youre interested in, pick
it and do something, anything.
Thats how you get anywhere in Amateur Radio, and Open Source, and life for
that matter, just start.
Im Onno VK6FLAB
TL;DR This is the transcript of the weekly Foundations of Amateur Radio
podcast - for other episodes, see http://vk6flab.com/ submitted by
/u/vk6flab
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Balcony railing clamp mount for antenna

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 01:02 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8926z/balcony_railing_clamp_mount_for_antenna/


Any suggestions for a clamp that could mount a vertical HF antenna (in this case a Comet HFJ-350 Toy box) to a balcony railing? I recognize this is a
very compromised antenna.
I live in an apartment with a large balcony, most of which is not covered.
Ive been playing around with a few different types of antennas including a
loop and random-wire type, but given the fact I have to put it up and take
it down all the time (which is time consuming and annoying) my next
experiment will be with a loaded vertical with counterpoise.
I want to try mounting my HFJ-350 to the railing but cant do anything that
will damage the finish. Im also not sure where the best place to mount it
would be - the top railing is a bit curved around the top. The vertical
pillars could be used but then Id need to have some type of mount that can perhaps adjust the antenna angle. I have the CGW-560 counterpoise kit and assume I can just hang this off the side?
Ideally Id want a clamp type mount that has an SO-239 barrel or bulkhead connector on it, or the ability to mount one, so I can just screw the HFJ
right onto it. It would also be nice to have this so I can use something
else I end up buying in future (buddistick, WRC etc and maybe even a
VHF/UHF later one). Not sure what other types of connectors other vertical antennas mount to...
It would be great if the clamps were rubberized to avoid damaging the
finish of the rail but if there are any other ways to avoid damage Id be
open to it.
Ive been searching online all day and have found all sorts of clamps but nothing that looks ideal.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
As an aside, I noticed the MFJ-1622 and thought that might be a good
option, except Im not sure if the grip mechanism would damage the finish or not. I read very mixed reviews about this antenna as well given how big of
a compromise it is and how finicky tuning it is, but I cant imagine its
that much better or worse than the HFJ-350 that I got. Im open to getting
the MFJ too to experiment with, but unfortunately its sold out locally and
is on order. If its only marginally better than the Comet, I dont see a
point in buying it...

https://preview.redd.it/c2eeqnpq5e381.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cfd61dbc21e4a59b22af9177e3dd4336fdde5ce2

https://preview.redd.it/qkymw3mx5e381.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b1a0c3fbe55c2d3609cf3c485e58ac141cb0ebd7

https://preview.redd.it/64s1jxy06e381.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ba9c6b8682f29926a2f567c7dbdf883554d945a
submitted
by /u/gimmesnows
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Just in case your radio has PMS (Programmable Memory Scan)

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 12:59 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8905h/just_in_case_your_radio_has_pms_programmable/

submitted by /u/thelastcubscout
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(un)popular opinion: Using FT-8 at high powers makes you lame .

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 07:55 PM PST https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/r8gx4p/unpopular_opinion_using_ft8_at_high_powers_makes/


obtain off weak signal mode yah jabroney. Also learn CW you nerds. Haha, I
kid, you don’t have to learn CW; but seriously why are you even on FT-8? To make your logbook look cool? Do I use FT-8? Yeah I do, but I use it at 100 watts and more often less to check how my antenna is doing and propagation
and band‍ conditions. You look like a doofus when you say you worked all states and over 100 countries with ft-8 at 500+ watts. Maybe I just don’t
get it. After all it’s a hobby, enjoy it how yah want! Ain’t hurting no one, except when you’re blasting on top of the 1 watt guy. submitted by /u/CurrentlyLyingSo
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