Ham Radio Corner

[CJB]

I know there's got to be other radio enthusiasts in the Kahr community..... be nice to see who's who and whats up with your radio stuff.

ICOM 75 receiver, ICOM 718 transceiver, a 80 foot longwire on the ICOM 75 and a 40m dipole on the 718. The longwire has a 9:1 balun, and the dipole a 1:1

About as simple as it gets

[wyntrout]

LG G2. :D Kind of got out of active use after retiring in 1988. Licensed back in '78 while in Abilene at Dyess AFB and played around as novice for a few months and studied quite a bit. Then I went over to Dallas and tested for Tech, General, and Advanced... wasn't up to the 20 WPM and Xtra Class.

I had an Icom 2-meter all band mobile that I plugged into a B-52D ECM antenna and with a Shure noise-cancelling mike I had fun at 30,000+ feet as an aeronautical mobile... did that on a trip to England, too.

I loved playing around with antennas... making yagi's and quad beams... worked satellite 2m/10m. I always wanted to do some EME... would have been fantastic to talk to someone using moon-bounce.

It used to be fun when Hams were the only ones with handi-talkies and repeaters with phone patches. Now everybody is connected! My quad-cpu LG G2 is still super fast and can do just about anything after 3 years!

Wynn :)

[DavidWJ]

FT857D and assymetrical dipole. FT221, TS130S (with all the goodies), FT11R, and a Baofeng UV5RA won in a raffle I will use for satelites. Just started building the "QST 49er" for the 40m band which I'll use when hiking above Tahoe.
73, N6AEE

[yqtszhj]

It used to be fun when Hams were the only ones with handi-talkies and repeaters with phone patches. Now everybody is connected!

This is a good topic.

Keep it all in working order because one big event and the telecommunications network is on borrowed time. One good battery bank and some solar power and you'll be one of the few that can communicate.

I worked the aftermath of Katrina and everything was down on the gulf coast. Even if you could get fuel for generators the local infrastructure was wrecked so even if the long haul network stayed up you still couldn't hand off to your endpoints.

[Bills1873]

Our towboat was in the Donaldsonville/Darrow, LA harbor during Katrina, holding barge fleets from breaking loose. Soon as the cell towers went down, communication halted. What a cluster mess it was! Ham would've been good.

[CJB]

We had a few hurricanes in 2004/2005 here in Fl.... that last one, Wilma, hit us pretty hard. They said a C3, but I know factually that there were components of the storm that were C4 or possibly C5 (maybe...). I know this, because the local emergency management office had their aneometer blow off the roof of the 1 story concrete wall/roof building. It read 120 knots (about 137mph from memory) before going dead. I know this, because the first thing I did after the storm was go down the my local amateur radio supplier and grab every last 30 and 40 foot extendable pole type masts that he had. His roof was gone too! The store was nearly a total loss, and the owner of the place was too happy to let me have all the masts. I wanted them so my competition couldn't get 'em! When I went there, the county boys were looking to see what they could scrounge in the way of antennas and LMR400 cable to get their stuff back up, so I got talkin' to them, since weather stations are part of my job.

Anyway, no power for 15 or 16 days (I forget). All I had was my trusty little Lowe HF150 at the time, and my own homebrew "BP150" that I stuffed into a case spare that I got from Lowe in the UK. Those lead acid batteries were being charged with a solar panel and a Campbell PS12 charger as weather permitted. Crazy stuff. I miss sittin' in a lawn chair, eatin dinner - soup from a can - out in the evening as the sun went low. Cold chunky (or otherwise) soup and crakers. Thats all I had, and it was better than most folks had!

I was gonna save the IC718 for SHTF use, since I got plenty of big Astron supplies layin about the place. Thought some long wire and a tuner, or a dipole balun, or both.... some insulators, some rope, a made up RG8x feedline... and I could set up anyplace power was. I don't think I'd run the 718 much off anything less than a truck battery - while the engine was running. But.... I got the room for the 40m dipole... so up it went.

[CPTKILLER]

Two handhelds and a HF Rig with a terrible antenna due to deed restrictions.

[Bobshouse]

40 channels with sideband and a power mic, breaker breaker one-nine!!

[Bawanna]

Ya got your ears on? Come back. 10-10 at the local choke and puke gudby.

[AIRret]

You folks are speaking another language!!! I do respect your knowledge, ABSOLUTELY!!!
I DO understand the "extreme" value of the HAM radio. SOOOOO, what should a beginner do??? What minimum equipment should I have?
Hubby and I have talked about this for a couple of years…….but talk is cheap and it doesn't "really" solve problems!

[Bawanna]

I'd not lose any sleep or do any worrying about it. When the time comes that we rely on Ham radio's to communicate we'll plenty of more important stuff to be losing sleep and worrying about.

Most of this radio talk is miles over my head too, don't let that bug ya neither. I'm used to it myself.

[CJB]

You folks are speaking another language!!! I do respect your knowledge, ABSOLUTELY!!!
I DO understand the "extreme" value of the HAM radio. SOOOOO, what should a beginner do??? What minimum equipment should I have?
Hubby and I have talked about this for a couple of years…….but talk is cheap and it doesn't "really" solve problems!

See if you can visit your local ham radio supply shop, as they'll have information regarding classes, if any are held locally. The classes aren't too terribly bad, and usually, they get you the information you need to PASS THE TEST, not necessarily actually "know" a lot of the technical mumbo. The rules and regs are most important, imho, as the tech side has gotten to the point that you're not gonna be a Jedi-Ham, and build your own transmitter. But.... ya gotta know what the test is gonna be looking for, so its all important to pass the test, after that... just remember the rules and regs.

There are online study guides. There are printed study guides. There are online practice tests too, which are really helpful. Here's why..... The tests are 35 questions each, for the lower and middle grade of license. Each exam uses thirty five questions from a pool of about 300 or 350 possibles. The pool is broken into subsections, so you will get tested on each topic. You take those practice tests, say... two a night after you do some study. The online practice has the correct answer after you complete the test. Read the correct answer, try to see what its correct. Do that for a week before taking the REAL test... you'll ace the damn thing!

Tests are $15 for all three in one session. You can take the entry level test, pass it, take the middle level, pass it, and then the highest level and, say... not pass. Ok, for $15 you got the "General" level license. Want the top level (not really needed, btw) you gotta pay another $15 next time - since its $15 per session.

The Technician level is lowest, allows voice operation on the upper end of the "shortwave" band, and then voice on the UHF and VHF bands. The General is middle and gives you about 95 percent of all operation permissions. The Extra level is highest and gives you a little extra (and braggin' rights I suppose).

There is NO NEED FOR MORSE CODE anymore, and any level... hip hip hooray for that.

So, thats how you get your "ticket"

As you're doing that, you can get an entry level radio for the license type you desire and set it up - but don't transmit. Use it to listen, and spend some time listening, as you'll learn the ropes, the protocol, how things go... sort of like getting to a forum and just hanging out a bit before posting. Makes you more socially adjusted. Hams have a certain way of doing things that has been traditional, but not set into any rule or regulation, but why rock the boat needlessly?

Once you pass your test, you'll have your license to operate. And there you go!

You can buy a used entry level radio for about $350-400 for a recent (or current) model. Most need a DC power supply, another $150 for a new one, or half that for used. Then an antenna...... That is the rub.

Antennas are band (frequency) specific, some take up lots of space (for lower frequency bands) and most like to be high in the air. HEIGHT MAKES MIGHT is the old radiomen's phrase. Tall antennas generally pick up less noise, receive better and transmit better. You're choice of antenna, and thus the choice of which band(s) you'll operate on, and how well you'll operate, is largely dependent on the space you have to set things up, and money. Again... visit that ham radio supply shop, they'll have solutions for you.

You can buy some nice stuff used online, hams are usually an amiable lot to deal with. I just bought an $850 radio for less than half price, only nine months old. Hams also get GAS (gear acquisition syndrome). They're often trading up, or trading back to something they liked better.

I have little need for lots of trading or swappin' as my intended use is mostly emergency communication, SHTF stuff. We get a storm, or there's some sort of trouble... hams get the message out when phone's are down and power is gone. Mentioned earlier that I had my little made in England shortwave tuned in after the hurricanes when power and phone (landline and cell) were down. Local "AM" radio was ok for where to get free ice and a few gallons of water if you needed it, but very short on real world conditions outside the local area. Ham operators and shortwave stations gave lots of information that you couldn't get off local radio. BTW, all ham radios make great shortwave radios, you can listen to everything on them, but only transmit on the ham bands.

Hope that helps!

[CJB]

When the time comes that we rely on Ham radio's to communicate we'll plenty of more important stuff to be losing sleep and worrying about.

Aint it nice tho, when the hams are getting information in and out when its the only way to do so?

And you wanna hear the pulse of America? Just tune in the ham's chewin up the fat at night... you'll soon think of what real America thinks of any recent event. Plus, I heard that if you show an Islamist that you're a ham, he'll leave you alone!

[jeepster09]

One ringy two ringy......

[AIRret]

Lots of great information…..Thanks.
If a tall antenna makes a big difference in a HAM radio system I guess we are out. We live in a condo and they don't allow "any" antenna's!
We are also on the road 9 months a year in our fifth wheel, so a tall antenna won't work.
I guess we'll buy a quality short wave radio that we can take with us.
At least we will know what's going on.
Thanks again, I'm always learning

[CJB]

There are lots of mobile options.....the 5th wheel is do-able.

[Bawanna]

Yup. We have and I've seen other agencies with incident buses with antenna that go really really high.

[DavidWJ]

Amateur Radio is the go-to mode of communications during nearly any disaster, huricanes, tornados, etc... When phone lines are down or cell service is congested, AR is there. Check out the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).

I don't get much out of talking to other HAMS, but equipment and contacts are another thing. Got the distance contact bug in the 90s with a 2 meter "boat anchor" from the 70s while talking with a couple of girls during their conversation between two islands in Hawaii. I live in California and was lucky to get "Tropospheric Ducting" for that contact.

[jeepster09]

"Tropospheric Ducting" .....right here:

[Bawanna]

I gots to order me some of that tropospheric ducting.

[CJB]

don't forget the tropospheric duct tape!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/05/d3/08/05d308433ba91d57ce36632c9abae5c5.jpg

[wb4tjh]

Ya got your ears on? Come back. 10-10 at the local choke and puke gudby.........That's CB talk and has NOTHING to do with Amateur (ham) radio. The Amateur Service has been in existence since before World War One, and CB only came into existence in the 1950s. Hams have to pass written FCC tests to obtain a license. We don't share any frequencies with CB radio.

[wb4tjh]

That silly CB talk has NOTHING to do with Amateur Radio. We share NOTHING with the CB radio clowns. CB is confined to 40 designated channels in the 11 meter band. Hams legally operate bands from 160 meters up thru the microwave frequencies. We have to pass FCC licensing tests to obtain an Amateur license. I've had my amateur license for 46 years, and my shack these days consists of three HF radios, two Yaesu and one Elecraft, several VHF/UHF radios, a couple of linear amps, and my main antenna is a 130 wire dipole at 45 feet, fed with balanced feed line.

[jeepster09]

Oh.....the dipole.

[CJB]

Resistors are futile!

[CJB]

Seriously.... gotta set up a new antenna, or two really. One is going to be a receive only longwire, the other.... not quite sure yet. Leaning on doing a longwire tuner and setting up a 65 foot sloper. That's probably the most easily accomplished.

Of course the Evil Elmer in me, wants a rig that will blow out Christmas lights downtown, whenever I happen to key up.... (ahem).

[Bills1873]

Clark W. CJB Griswald, esq!

[earle8888]

We had a few hurricanes in 2004/2005 here in Fl.... that last one, Wilma, hit us pretty hard. They said a C3, but I know factually that there were components of the storm that were C4 or possibly C5 (maybe...). I know this, because the local emergency management office had their aneometer blow off the roof of the 1 story concrete wall/roof building. It read 120 knots (about 137mph from memory) before going dead. I know this, because the first thing I did after the storm was go down the my local amateur radio supplier and grab every last 30 and 40 foot extendable pole type masts that he had. His roof was gone too! The store was nearly a total loss, and the owner of the place was too happy to let me have all the masts. I wanted them so my competition couldn't get 'em! When I went there, the county boys were looking to see what they could scrounge in the way of antennas and LMR400 cable to get their stuff back up, so I got talkin' to them, since weather stations are part of my job.

Anyway, no power for 15 or 16 days (I forget). All I had was my trusty little Lowe HF150 at the time, and my own homebrew "BP150" that I stuffed into a case spare that I got from Lowe in the UK. Those lead acid batteries were being charged with a solar panel and a Campbell PS12 charger as weather permitted. Crazy stuff. I miss sittin' in a lawn chair, eatin dinner - soup from a can - out in the evening as the sun went low. Cold chunky (or otherwise) soup and crakers. Thats all I had, and it was better than most folks had!

I was gonna save the IC718 for SHTF use, since I got plenty of big Astron supplies layin about the place. Thought some long wire and a tuner, or a dipole balun, or both.... some insulators, some rope, a made up RG8x feedline... and I could set up anyplace power was. I don't think I'd run the 718 much off anything less than a truck battery - while the engine was running. But.... I got the room for the 40m dipole... so up it went.
Just finished 80 meter delta loop. Feed by 450 ladder, into nye.viking tuner..
Am is valient/a390a receiver
Icom 746, and 756 pro ll, c twk s drake. 706mk2 moble.

See if you can visit your local ham radio supply shop, as they'll have information regarding classes, if any are held locally. The classes aren't too terribly bad, and usually, they get you the information you need to PASS THE TEST, not necessarily actually "know" a lot of the technical mumbo. The rules and regs are most important, imho, as the tech side has gotten to the point that you're not gonna be a Jedi-Ham, and build your own transmitter. But.... ya gotta know what the test is gonna be looking for, so its all important to pass the test, after that... just remember the rules and regs.

There are online study guides. There are printed study guides. There are online practice tests too, which are really helpful. Here's why..... The tests are 35 questions each, for the lower and middle grade of license. Each exam uses thirty five questions from a pool of about 300 or 350 possibles. The pool is broken into subsections, so you will get tested on each topic. You take those practice tests, say... two a night after you do some study. The online practice has the correct answer after you complete the test. Read the correct answer, try to see what its correct. Do that for a week before taking the REAL test... you'll ace the damn thing!

Tests are $15 for all three in one session. You can take the entry level test, pass it, take the middle level, pass it, and then the highest level and, say... not pass. Ok, for $15 you got the "General" level license. Want the top level (not really needed, btw) you gotta pay another $15 next time - since its $15 per session.

The Technician level is lowest, allows voice operation on the upper end of the "shortwave" band, and then voice on the UHF and VHF bands. The General is middle and gives you about 95 percent of all operation permissions. The Extra level is highest and gives you a little extra (and braggin' rights I suppose).

There is NO NEED FOR MORSE CODE anymore, and any level... hip hip hooray for that.

So, thats how you get your "ticket"

As you're doing that, you can get an entry level radio for the license type you desire and set it up - but don't transmit. Use it to listen, and spend some time listening, as you'll learn the ropes, the protocol, how things go... sort of like getting to a forum and just hanging out a bit before posting. Makes you more socially adjusted. Hams have a certain way of doing things that has been traditional, but not set into any rule or regulation, but why rock the boat needlessly?

Once you pass your test, you'll have your license to operate. And there you go!

You can buy a used entry level radio for about $350-400 for a recent (or current) model. Most need a DC power supply, another $150 for a new one, or half that for used. Then an antenna...... That is the rub.

Antennas are band (frequency) specific, some take up lots of space (for lower frequency bands) and most like to be high in the air. HEIGHT MAKES MIGHT is the old radiomen's phrase. Tall antennas generally pick up less noise, receive better and transmit better. You're choice of antenna, and thus the choice of which band(s) you'll operate on, and how well you'll operate, is largely dependent on the space you have to set things up, and money. Again... visit that ham radio supply shop, they'll have solutions for you.

You can buy some nice stuff used online, hams are usually an amiable lot to deal with. I just bought an $850 radio for less than half price, only nine months old. Hams also get GAS (gear acquisition syndrome). They're often trading up, or trading back to something they liked better.

I have little need for lots of trading or swappin' as my intended use is mostly emergency communication, SHTF stuff. We get a storm, or there's some sort of trouble... hams get the message out when phone's are down and power is gone. Mentioned earlier that I had my little made in England shortwave tuned in after the hurricanes when power and phone (landline and cell) were down. Local "AM" radio was ok for where to get free ice and a few gallons of water if you needed it, but very short on real world conditions outside the local area. Ham operators and shortwave stations gave lots of information that you couldn't get off local radio. BTW, all ham radios make great shortwave radios, you can listen to everything on them, but only transmit on the ham bands.

Hope that helps!


KL0NR

[CJB]

I decided on the antenna(s). Ordered a New-Tronics 4BTV Hustler vertical 10-40m @ 1500 watts. I'm told they'll actually take "at least" twice that (ahem). I don't think I'll be on any sort of DX on 80m, I just don't have the antenna space in the current set of circumstances. Got a really long droopin' power line that goes diagonally across the back field, and oak trees that pretty much block the rest. But 40m and 20m are fun too.

Should be a fun weekend if I can get my fabricator to weld up some aluminum for me, as a base for that antenna.

http://users.gilanet.com/~tfrost/ham-radio.jpg

[jeepster09]

I think I got a couple of photos of your antenna.....looking good, needs a couple more legs and it should about be good!

[yqtszhj]

I think I got a couple of photos of your antenna.....looking good, needs a couple more legs and it should about be good!

I don't even know what I'm looking at and I know that is just too cool.

[CJB]

Looks like the HAARP array up in Alaska to me... and yah... at least a few more to round out an otherwise plain-Jane antenna farm.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program_sit e.jpg

Another look at the "tinfoil hat" base.

[CJB]

I've been thinking about my call sign, which I have no control over, and is issued by the FCC.

The thinkin' part is the phonetic alphabet that you gotta say after you say your call sign. For instance, if I was KA4BCD I'd say something like "KA4BCD Kilo Alpha Fower Bravo Charlie Delta"

And its those Bravo Charlie Delta words that makes or breaks it, turns your "call sign" into a "cool sign".

Allow me to elucidate further.

There are bona-fide "cool" phonetic letters that can be in your call sign.

Everybody gets a break with one of two cool ones, just for being in the program, but after that, you're on yer own.

That is to say, everybody gets a W or a K, which are Whiskey (way f'n cool!) or Kilo (still cool).


Other uber cool letters with phonetics:

B=Bravo D=Delta F=Foxtrot N=November T=Tango V=Victor (of course!) Z=Zulu W=Whiskey falls into that category.


Then come sort of cool ones:

A=Alpha H=Hotel S=Sierra X=Xray Y=Yankee


The rest are just blase, just there... ho hum... except... for the real jerk phonetics

G=Golf M=Mike U=Uniform

You never want one of those last three.


And, Florida, Georgia and Alabama get the letter 4, which is "Fower", the second most cool number, only behind 9 which is "Niner"


So, some ass-wipe out in Kalifornia probably has a really cool call sign wasted on him, like WN9VTF which would be Whiskey November Niner Victor Tango Foxtrot <=== how cool is that!

I'll probably get KG4MJU (Kilo Golf Fower Mike Juliet Uniform.... totally f'ing lame).


Just the thought of the day

[Bobshouse]

So they don't issue license numbers like they do for tv and radio stations? Kxxx for West Coast and Wxxx for East?

[Dragracer]

I've been thinking about my call sign, which I have no control over, and is issued by the FCC.


You do know there's a vanity call sign program that allows you to choose your own call sign?????

[CJB]

Yah I do.... might indulge, dunno

[CJB]

They used to, but now... its really a sort of random thing I've been told.

There's guys here with W and K prefix, but the 4 area designator - which can be changed, but I doubt they've all been through the change process

[Dragracer]

http://www.arrl.org/vanity-call-signs

[DavidWJ]

Yeah, and Vanity Call Signs are free now. You need only apply and specify a few different call signs you'd like to have. The FCC will pick the first one that's available.

Radios are very useful in the off-roading world too. Our local 4x4 club have all obtained their Novice licenses because CB radios are so limited. Bottom line to getting a HAM license: memorize the latest tests (questions and answers posted on the FCC website), then take the test before you forget.

[wyntrout]

I may buy some "prepper" radios some time in the future and I don't know if I've really given up Ham Radio, but I'm hanging on to my original CSS .-- -.. ..... .... . -.

--... ...--

[AIRret]

I may buy some "prepper" radios some time in the future and I don't know if I've really given up Ham Radio, but I'm hanging on to my original CSS .-- -.. ..... .... . -.

--... ...--
Wyn, could you be specific…..what type of "prepper radios" are you considering?

[wyntrout]

Inexpensive Chinese-made VHF/UHF FM radios with Ham+ coverage... a couple of handietalkies would be nice... keep them in metal ammo boxes... just basic communication if the SHTF. I have a couple of GMRS that I've rescued numerous times from leaking batteries, as well as a few AC/DC base-type units made for intercom-like use. One has WX channels and I have a few better antennas.

When my wife was working she was usually 9 miles or so away and If we had some kind of electromagnetic event and vehicles and communication went down, i wanted to be able to contact her. I bought a folding bike for the trunk of her car and was trying to assemble a kit for her to get home with. It would do little good for me to abandon our home and go try to find her on a bicycle. Anyhow, she lost her case worker job and she decided she's through working. She's 10 years younger and still has a year and a half to go for early Social Security, but we're both retired USAF and I have Social Security, so we're doing fine.

She became uninterested in continuing to prepare for anything like that. I envisioned her having a belt with pistol, ammo, pepper spray, and water and snacks, whatever to help her get home. A working radio, especially a real Ham HT would be great in an emergency.

I can't vouch for any brand, but I've seen conversation by preppers about the cheap Chinese HTs. The FRS and GMRS HT's have been sold like toys for so long that I don't think they would be much better than CB's.

Still, it's just a thought... been spending next months budget on ammo the last few months and wishing I could afford something like an AR-10 and equipping it with minimum accessories and ammo.

North Korea and Iran are really worrisome. I'm afraid that either will use nukes the first chance they get. Then there are solar flares and wayward asteroids. I don't sit around worrying about that stuff, though.

I do put in a plug for Conservative values and try to persuade people on Facebook that this election is too important for the future of our Republic... too important to not vote, protest vote, or anything besides voting for Trump. I'll shut up... don't want to go political here. I do press "Like" a lot and rant a bit.

Wynn :)

[AIRret]

Wynn, I'm also retired AF and am very familiar with the risks of EMP! It's an easy way to take over a country without destroying buildings, roads etc.
I was a weapons controller and a lock for NORAD and when I was stationed at the AF Academy one of my additional duties was being the disaster preparedness officer. Sadly, that position was treated like a joke….I won't go into the details.
Hubby and I are not over the top peppers but we have a few supplies put aside. I believe every family in America should be able to sustain themselves for at least 2 weeks (preferably a month). It sure would help calm things down, it would be especially effective in smaller disasters like Katrina.
Thanks for the information, I appreciate it!

[wyntrout]

I wasn't very helpful. I've searched for stuff like the radios to see what people were saying about them. Some guys really give those cheap radios a going over with sophisticated equipment to see how 'clean" they are.

The North Koreans are trying to test doing everything and I shudder at the thought of them launching a "peaceful" satellite that passes over our nation... a perfect vehicle for carrying out an EMP attack.

Solar flares are a possibility, too, should we pass into a solar coronal ejection... all scary stuff.

We keep several weeks worth of water and food on hand. I have a weeks worth of Mountain Home meals that just require hot water for preparation... breakfasts and one regular meal.

I'm not really into prepping but I do have gas masks and Kevlar helmets. :D I can see Blount Island and the container handling cranes from my seat here. Blount Isalnd is a Marine Depot or something for shipping military stuff in and out of the country... especially war supplies and vehicles. During the Second Gulf War I watched the entire aviation component of the 101st Airborne fly by on their way to the Depot... quite a show... thousands of helicopters of every sort.

I think about those facilities being targeted and what it would be like for us being that close... about two miles away. A lot of my stuff works for hurricanes or tornadoes, too.

I could see having some kind of HF backup for communications, but it's a matter of cost and use. I hate to buy stuff with limited funds and not have a pressing use for it.

Cell phones and smart phones have really spoiled us. I read One Second After when it came out and it was not the first or last book that I've read on the EMP subject. I read a lot of science fiction... since I learned to read in the very early 50's. I hope that it never happens, but we have enemies that will attack us in a heartbeat when they get the capability.

I did restock my ammo, buying almost 6K rounds of centerfire handgun ammo. This talk about stopping Internet gun and ammo sales is really bothersome!

As for EMP, we didn't study it as much when I was active duty. It was just one of the side effects of the weapons we were going to employ. We were expecting that if launched under EWO conditions... Emergency War Order. We would be creating it and experiencing the effects of our weapons and the enemy's. The Rooskies even had nuclear-tipped ainti-aircraft missiles! I'm sure glad that we got past the Cold War, but now we have other threats.

Ham Radio was a lot of fun and it can be a great help in emergencies. It always comes up as the main source of information in national emergencies, especially if the power grid goes down. Most Hams have alternate sources of power and some protected equipment for backup.

We have supplies for a month or so, food-wise, but security would be our biggest problem with the unprepared, but willing to "share" your stuff crowds... the "Zombies"!

Wynn :)

[CJB]

Well... if you're worried about EMP, go getchself a nice used Hammerlund receiver, or Collins transceiver (or transmitter if you have a Hammerlund too). All tubes, caps, resistors, coils and switches. Totally EMP proof.

I joke - the day after the big one, I can still plug in any of my blackface or brownface Fender amps and keep on rockin'.

[wyntrout]

I had quite a few antennas up at my house in Abilene, Texas, (Dyess AFB) before I went to Europe. I just have a few mobile antennas now, but have coax and wire and an SWR meter (HF and VHF) in case I needed to throw something together.

As I said, the cell phones and smartphones have really changed our lives. If cellular and WIFI went down, most people wouldn't know what to do.

I like having my quad-CPU mini computer/camera/phone/book/GPS and more, with me.

Wynn :D

[CJB]

aw hell, you could whip up a dipole antenna for almost any band with not too much more than wire and some insulators!

[AIRret]

Kim Jong Un, is a crazy man. In my opinion the most likely attack would come from him or Iran. Not that there are not other candidates.

It would be nice to have a local, "responsible/reasonable" place to go……strength in numbers. I'm afraid that in local civil unrest my neighbors would be heading to our house looking for protection. Many of them are very elderly (5 are 87 - 93) so I have no issue with that, but I don't want 50 people in our 1,500 square foot condo.

[wyntrout]

Yes, that's the problem with an urban location. We're in a house but it's not really defensible with just the two of us and walls that won't stop much... brick veneer on the front and HardiBoard elsewhere. I would like to be in rural Texas with a 'bunker-type" house out of sight, but that would take winning the lottery... not much equity in this house with the housing decline in 2007.

I don't go to the Neighborhood Watch meetings... I pretty much watch OUR area all day. The cop across the street is a nice guy and a few other neighbors have a FEW guns... their wives even have carry permits, but we haven't discussed mutual support or anything like that.

We're just hoping that nothing happens... I guess!

I've been spending so much on ammo... and a few pistols... that I just don't have extra money for stuff that will hopefully just sit around.

:behindsofa:

[AIRret]

Yes, TX would be a good place to be. It's very patriotic, and yet it's the only Sate that has a right to secede. It was it's own country (republic) before it joined the
USA. Lots of good people there.
But in all likelihood it will be me and Hubby against the hoard. We don't have any immediate neighbors who carry. The ones that own guns are 87 and 90 with terrible arthritis…they have the will but they are too debilitated to train. It would be great to have 6 to 12 folks that would be able to support each other.
I wonder how all the underground groups formed and fought during WWII?
Maybe we'll get lucky and nothing drastic will happen.

[CJB]

Hamcave update:

For better or worse, there is an Ameritron 811H inbound, used, with low miles. The new vertical should possibly be completed this weekend. And my license upgrade to General is good to go.

Since about 1995 I've been screwing around with commercial radio installations. Ended up getting a GROL back in '97, and to date... something like 40 or 50 installs, with a boat load of Rohn towers as part of that in the last three years.

New General HA call sign is KM4WZU - "The BIG WAZOO!"

I don't have room for an 75/80m antenna, except perhaps a longwire sloper one of these days for local contact, but should (maybe? possibly?) be ok on 40 through 10 meters by this weekend's finish.

[CPTKILLER]

http://www.qsradio.com/shop-now.html#!/New-Item-Hammo-Can-Pro™-35-Go-Box-Without-Radio/p/68562707/category=8446816 - $349.73

http://www.qsradio.com/shop-now.html#!/New-Item-Hammo-Can-Pro™-18-Go-Box-Without-Radio/p/68562674/category=8446816 - $299.73

http://www.qsradio.com/shop-now.html#!/New-Item-Hammo-Can-12™-Go-Box-Without-Radio/p/68536524/category=8446816 - $249.73

http://www.qsradio.com/shop-now.html#!/New-Item-Hammo-PWR™-Portable-Power-Box/p/58978471/category=8446816 - $149.73

http://www.qsradio.com/shop-now.html#!/New-Item-Hammo-Can-XL™-Complete-Go-Box/p/58978487/category=8446816 - $349.73

These are innovative products for hams that can be home-brewed and done on your own. These are interesting portable units.

[wyntrout]

Good grief. Real Hams can throw stuff like that together with parts on hand for next to nothing! :D

[CJB]

Got the four band antenna up - Hustler 4BTV, on my flat roof it "just fits" Not perfect but up a little, and it has tuned radials. SWR seemed ok on low power, so I cranked up. Still ok!

First HF contact was Syracuse NY, followed by another in Osaka Japan. Then I had to disconnect things... as I had the wire rigged through an open door to test things. Got the wrong length bulkhead adapters - one far far too long, one too short. Go figure. That's, it all works, and I can fix the remaining bits tomorrow after work.

[CPTKILLER]

I agree, those are great home brew ham projects. It is a start using stuff you already have.

[CJB]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/MAIN/20161002_122913_zps6ygklxfe.jpg
The base I had fabricated

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/MAIN/20161002_122926_zps8cabz7lk.jpg
The fence posts that the base is connected to.....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/MAIN/20161004_183054_zps97c0yk6z.jpg
And there ya go... typical shoemaker's fab up, with a mix of off-the-shelf and home brew parts. And it works! A little tuning to do still, but its "real close".

Hope I don't lose it in Matthew.... yikes!

[GEARHEAD_ENG]

I'm not a Ham Radio guy per se, but I'm pretty familiar as I've helped my dad fix, program, and install commercial radios for the past 20 years. He started selling/repairing radios around 1975 for a small business called Comtronix and then went on to start his own business about 7 years ago after they closed up shop.

Things have changed a lot but if/when the SHTF, we'll be using radios and not cell phones (more than likely).

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[CJB]

That's pretty much part of my job description. Portables and mobiles, and mobiles as a base, all low wattage. I think the highest wattage I ever worked with at work was 35w max. Mostly we're doing industrial controls, and data to and from those controls, as well as environmental data from weather stations. You'd fit right into my crowd!

[CPTKILLER]

MY damn HOA won't allow an outside antenna. I still looking for a good stealth HF, VHF, & UHF solution to no avail.

[GEARHEAD_ENG]

I've installed a lot of mobiles in Fire/EMS, Tour Busses, Farm Equipment, and Dump Trucks. We've setup a lot of base and repeater systems as well.

The biggest job my Dad and I did was for a new fire department located next to the Indianapolis Regional Airport. They needed the alert system to activate when the call tone came over from dispatch. This would turn the lights on in the bunk rooms, connect dispatch over the PA system, activate alarms and stobes throughout the station, and turn on the flashing yellow signals at the road to warn drivers. It was a fun project that took around 5-6 weekends to finish.



Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[CJB]

MY damn HOA won't allow an outside antenna. I still looking for a good stealth HF, VHF, & UHF solution to no avail.

Flagpole ....vertical w flag on it

[CPTKILLER]

That is an option but the liberal HOA won't allow that. I checked into it and that is not an option right now.

[CJB]

Today's contacts, in the 15 meter and 20 meter bands from Newjoisey, Canary Islands, and Italy.

I'm not into all this "meter band" stuff. Why cant you just say the frequency and that's it. Why do you have to specify "21.335 megaHertz on the 15 meter band", or "15 meters at 21.335 megaHertz". Why can't you just say "21.335 megaHertz" which is as precise as it comes.

When you look at it.... the "meters" are not even precise, but psycho-linguistic approximations. That is to say, the top end of the "20 meter" band is 14.350mHz - and if you do the calculation, that's 20.98mHz, nearly 21meters, and the rest of the allowed frequencies are actually over 21 meters. So why not call it the 21 meter band? Because 20 meters sounds better? Easier to remember? They're all like that. Even my night time favorite of "40 meters", which has its top frequency of 7.3mhz, which is 41meters, and goes up in meters from there. As frequency goes lowers, meters, or wavelength gets bigger.

If I started being precise, and called the 21 meter band and 41 meter band what they are, HAM folks would take offense!

And while I'm on HAM gripes.... I just love this one to the point of laughter....

There is a holdover from the morse code days, where abbreviations and certain codes are used. For instance, if you say QSL, that is asking for a response about your reception of the incoming radio signal, and your location. An acknowledgement of the senders efforts. In the morse days, they'd use morse code to key out the letters Q S L.

Similarly, in the morse days, if you wanted to find a wire, or wireless station (and wired telegraph was called a "station") that was active and running, you use the letters C and Q, or CQ, as a substitue code for "seek you", asking any station to respond. No gripes with those, as the tradition means a lot, and it does make things easy to understand in a medium where there is no face to face contact. And, telegraph stations were a lot like radio stations, as they heard "everything" and got to "relay" messages toward their destinations. They'd copy all incoming messages, and had the duty to send them to the next station down the line. In other words, the telegraph in Wilkes-Barre might want to contact Yuma. The message might have to be routed through Pittsburgh, Columbus, Louisville, Nashville, Memphis, Jackson, Shreveport, Dallas, Abilene, Midland, El Paso, Tuscon, Phoenix, and finally to Yuma. All of that taking maybe a half hour, depending on the length of the message. That was the quickest way to send a message in the 1860's.

Here's the gripe. A radio station calls "CQ CQ CQ, (call sign), CQ", or some variation of that, and it means they want to establish contact with anyone who can receive their signal and respond. So far so good. But, you make a response, and the station calling CQ will then proceed to talk up a storm, for what seems like ages... think in terms of 10 minutes or more... until the radio conditions fade, and you no longer can hear them. Its like they're calling for an ear to dump into. You don't have a conversation, but get to listen to a monologue. And such is HAM radio.

Enough griping.

[Radio]

I have sold off all my radios,amps etc manufactured all over Asia and purchased the Elecraft K3 line. Have been using a E-Z way tilt over tower, but am replacing the cabling. Just using a simple G5RV in a tree at about 50 feet for the moment. Our club, Kent Amateur Radio Society is very active with RACES and the EOC. We have a communication trailer that the 911 center has a space in if the need arises for redundancy.
73,
Richard, K3JB

[CPTKILLER]

I may go solely HF mobile because of my damn HOA. The ARRL is working on a law but I doubt that they can pull it off for outdoor antennas.

http://www.elecraft.com/KX2/kx2.htm

Interesting rig to consider. I don't have one but the reviews seem good within its limitations.

[Radio]

I have been using an Icom 7000 mobile till I broke the antenna on a tree branch.
I have not tried the KX line from Elecraft, but I really like dealing with a US company in California where the techs
are also Amateur Radio operators and can answer your questions in real time.

[CPTKILLER]

I agree.