Ham Radio?

[Caladin2]

Is anyone on this forum into Ham Radios?

 

[pm]

I don't know that I'd say that I'm into ham radios, but I have an active technician-grade radio license (call sign is `KC0OUM`). I most use it to make the high altitude wireless telemetry "experiments" that I do stay legal. ("experiments" in quotes because pretty much I just goof around with video and telemtry download from very small electric planes). I've never really gotten involved with real ham radios, although I have some hobbist friends that I've watched and listened to.

 

[cardiac]

Yep, have been active in amateur radio for about 20 years. It is one of the only communications avenues that will continue to work when the shit hits the fan. Best example is during the chaos of hurricane Katrina, ham radio was used to dispatch police, fire, and EMS around the area. When land lines and cell towers, and public safety repeaters/radios are down due to whatever reason, amateur radio while carry on...

Bob

 

[SunnyD]

Old "tech+" license here, still valid, haven't used it in years though.

 

[cardiac]

Old "tech+" license here, still valid, haven't used it in years though.

Don't forget to renew it. It is good for 10 years. Doesn't hurt to have it around....

Bob

 

[herm0016]

kilo delta 8 delta yankee oscar here. I used this a lot in college when i was coordinating for a search and rescue org. I would get a call and would have to get the group together and dispatch whatever equipment we would need. nearly all of our members had hams. we used them to communicate in the field also, each team would consist of a radio operator, a navigator, and a searcher.

 

[Caladin2]

Well I hope do don't mind If I "Chew the Rag" on this forum with you about a setup for my shack.

I am a week or two short of getting my license and I wanted to get some gear.

Here is my current setup I am looking at?

Yaesu FT-60R <HT>
Yaesu MH-34B4B Hand speaker mic
EDC-5B DC Cable with voltage regulation and cigarette lighter plug
Diamond SRH77CA Antenna
RF adapter to connect a BNC type antenna to the SMA antenna jack.
VAC-370 Desk Top Rapid Charger
CT-27A Radio to radio cloning cable


Yaesu FT-8800R <Mobile\Home>
YSK-8900 FT8800/8900 separation kit. 19.7 feet (6 m)
MFJ-281 ClearTone speaker
Larsen NMO 2/70 aNTENNA 3.44DB W/NMOK MOUNT
ADMS-2I Windows 2000/XP/Vista PC programming software CD with USB to 6 pin mini DIN cable


The FT8800R will be both in my rig when I'm out and my base when I'm home. What do recommend for my home setup?

example...
Power supply

Coax

antenna

Tuner

Do I have anything I don't need or things I may be missing.

Thanks

 

[cardiac]

Well I hope do don't mind If I "Chew the Rag" on this forum with you about a setup for my shack.

I am a week or two short of getting my license and I wanted to get some gear.

Here is my current setup I am looking at?

Yaesu FT-60R <HT>
Yaesu MH-34B4B Hand speaker mic
EDC-5B DC Cable with voltage regulation and cigarette lighter plug
Diamond SRH77CA Antenna
RF adapter to connect a BNC type antenna to the SMA antenna jack.
VAC-370 Desk Top Rapid Charger
CT-27A Radio to radio cloning cable


Yaesu FT-8800R <Mobile\Home>
YSK-8900 FT8800/8900 separation kit. 19.7 feet (6 m)
MFJ-281 ClearTone speaker
Larsen NMO 2/70 aNTENNA 3.44DB W/NMOK MOUNT
ADMS-2I Windows 2000/XP/Vista PC programming software CD with USB to 6 pin mini DIN cable


The FT8800R will be both in my rig when I'm out and my base when I'm home. What do recommend for my home setup?

example...
Power supply

Coax

antenna

Tuner

Do I have anything I don't need or things I may be missing.

Thanks

The 8800 is a nice dual-bander. I had one in my truck for quite a few years. It will serve you well. As far as a base antenna goes, a good 2meter/440mhz from Comet (I have a CX-333 tribander), Cushcraft, Diamond, etc. will do you fine. Just remember, the higher you get it up, the better it will perform.

I am partial to the Astron power supplies. You might find one $20 cheaper, but it's not worth it. Make sure you get one that is 25 amp or better. Your 8800 will only draw about 10-12 amps, but if you decide to get an HF rig, then you are all set and don't have to buy another supply.

You shouldn't need a tuner. Not for 2/440...

Get the best coax you can afford. On 440 mhz you have a lot of loss. Get something like 9913 coax. Hardline is usually way too expensive.

Get a nice speaker for at home. It is a lot easier to listen for long stretches with a good quality speaker.

Have fun with the hobby, and drop me a PM if you have any questions later on....

Bob - K9YH

 

[SunnyD]

Don't forget to renew it. It is good for 10 years. Doesn't hurt to have it around....

Bob

I'm good till 2018 I think.

 

[Unheard]

Active General Class here, hope to be extra on the 19th of this month. Not currently on HF since I don't have an antenna up due to moving @ the first of the month, but I am active on VHF and UHF.

 

[SunnyD]

Active General Class here, hope to be extra on the 19th of this month. Not currently on HF since I don't have an antenna up due to moving @ the first of the month, but I am active on VHF and UHF.

Does extra still give you the "right" to put satellites into space legally?

 

[Unheard]

Does extra still give you the "right" to put satellites into space legally?

The rules based on a "space station":

Space station:
Definition
A space station in the amateur-satellite service is an amateur station
located more than 50 km above the Earth's surface.

Eligibility
Any FCC-licensed amateur station is eligible to operate as a space station.Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 9 of 65

Special provisions
A space station must be capable of effecting a cessation of transmissions by telecommand whenever so ordered by the FCC.
Space station may transmit following types of communications:
Automatic retransmission of signals from Earth stations and other space stations

One-way communications

Telemetry consisting of specially coded messages

Authorized frequencies (space station)
Only the 40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m amateur service HF bands have frequencies authorized to space stations.
The 2 meter VHF amateur service band has frequencies available for space stations.
The 70 cm, 23 cm, 13 cm amateur service UHF bands have frequencies available for a space station.

Notification requirements
The licensee of a space station must give the FCC International Bureau the
first written pre-space notification no less than 27 months prior to
initiating space station transmissions.

 

[SunnyD]

The rules based on a "space station":

Space station:
Definition
A space station in the amateur-satellite service is an amateur station
located more than 50 km above the Earth's surface.

Eligibility
Any FCC-licensed amateur station is eligible to operate as a space station.Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 9 of 65

Special provisions
A space station must be capable of effecting a cessation of transmissions by telecommand whenever so ordered by the FCC.
Space station may transmit following types of communications:
Automatic retransmission of signals from Earth stations and other space stations
One-way communications
Telemetry consisting of specially coded messages

Authorized frequencies (space station)
Only the 40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m amateur service HF bands have frequencies authorized to space stations.
The 2 meter VHF amateur service band has frequencies available for space stations.
The 70 cm, 23 cm, 13 cm amateur service UHF bands have frequencies available for a space station.

Notification requirements
The licensee of a space station must give the FCC International Bureau the
first written pre-space notification no less than 27 months prior to
initiating space station transmissions.

Cool, so ANY class can do it now? When I got my license, only extra class was authorized to file the paperwork for it (though lower classes could work with an extra class to build/maintain/use said satellite).

I need to get me some hydrazine now...

 

[Caladin2]

Thanks for all the help. I have a few more questions. One of my coworkers who has a Ham recommend the Yaesu FT-897D for my base down the road once I get my feet wet. Based on this info if I do choose to go that route since its costly. I would like to get things in order beforehand to help belay the cost up front.

Power supplys below would cover me for the FT-8800R and then when I upgrade the base to FT-897D Im Gtg I assume? Will any of the ones below cover the job and since your an Astron man is one of the two btter then the other?
Astron RS-35M
Astron RS-35A
Yaesu FP-1030A


I assume I will need a differnt antenna setup for this since it has both HF and 6 meters [HF/50 MHz] and also one for 2 meters and 70 cm [144/430]. Would that mean I need two antenna for it to be optimal? And if so would the Comet CX-333 and then XX work together?

Also I assume this would need a tuner since it has HF?

Im sorry to be a bother. Im just one of those guys that like to plan it out on paper and make the best choices for current and long term.

 

[cardiac]

Caladin, the RS-35M and the 35A are the same supply, it's just the "M" model has the voltage/amperage meters on it.

Having a tuner for HF is handy to have. Throw up a center-fed dipole and work all the HF bands with a tuner. The 897 is a nice rig. Go over to www.eham.net and read the reviews on it.

Most antennas will work together if you keep them separated enough....

Bob

 

[Unheard]

Thanks for all the help. I have a few more questions. One of my coworkers who has a Ham recommend the Yaesu FT-897D for my base down the road once I get my feet wet. Based on this info if I do choose to go that route since its costly. I would like to get things in order beforehand to help belay the cost up front.

Power supplys below would cover me for the FT-8800R and then when I upgrade the base to FT-897D Im Gtg I assume? Will any of the ones below cover the job and since your an Astron man is one of the two btter then the other?
Astron RS-35M
Astron RS-35A
Yaesu FP-1030A


I assume I will need a differnt antenna setup for this since it has both HF and 6 meters [HF/50 MHz] and also one for 2 meters and 70 cm [144/430]. Would that mean I need two antenna for it to be optimal? And if so would the Comet CX-333 and then XX work together?

Also I assume this would need a tuner since it has HF?

Im sorry to be a bother. Im just one of those guys that like to plan it out on paper and make the best choices for current and long term.

Let's see if I can help you out.

Radio:
The FT-897D is a good radio, but that's not to say it's a great radio. Having HF/UHF/VHF all in one radio causes you to sacrifice. The upside is you get 2m and 70cm all mode out of that radio. Since you are already looking @ a FT-8800 for your shack, why not take a look @ the FT-450/AT. 160-6m radio, IF DSP (the DSP on the 897 is AF), and comes in around $500-600. You can get the AT model, which comes with a basic antenna tuner built in (wont match high SWR). Optionally, get the non-AT model ($450-500), and pickup a good LDG tuner for around $100.

Power Supplies:
The ones you list would work fine for either rig. I personally run a Samlex 35A which is a solid state PSU. A lot of hams will complain about noise, but this seems to only come from cheap/old units. Mine produces no hash.

Antenna:
Either setup (FT-897D, or FT-8800 & FT-450) will required 2 or more antennas. For 2m/70cm you can get 1 antenna that will work with both (remember, electricity takes the path of least resistance, so the antennas are designed with 2 resonant elements built into one). For HF, you could do a setup of mono-band antenna's, with a switch to choose, or a multi-band antenna, and tighten it up with the tuner. If you have the yard/trees, take a look @ dipoles, if not, a vertical will be right up your alley. I've used both with great results.


With all this said, HAM radio is like PC's. Everyone has a different opinion about everything. What I posted, just happens to be mine. If you have any more questions, just let me know. I look forward to hearing you on the air one day.

73 de KJ4CTS