Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Mike, sounds like you're hitting the Catalina repeater just fine. It's pretty much line of sight from where you are, too bad my spot was a black hole for receiving anything. Your conversation with the other station was breaking the squelch but it was very faint and hard to distinguish through the noise.

Use that repeater for a little while and familiarize yourself with the proper repeater etiquette. I'm always monitoring that one, so I'll call you when I'm on it and you can do the same. Should be fine on my way down to work and back up in the afternoons.

Proper repeater etiquette: http://www.qsl.net/riafmrs/Repeater_Etiquette.html

 

So pirate radio was locked. That means either the other freq's are scrambled, too, or they just didn't want to answer. Hm. Now it doesn't explain why I couldn't reach Ryan from a few feet away unless his radio was outta whack. Got a lot of "error" messages transmitting around those freqs we were trying, though.

 

What freq was it? 2 meter band is from 144.100-148.000MHz. Anything above or below that will not let you transmit unless you have done the MARS/CAP mod on the radio. I just modified mine so I can use the commercial bands (above 148.000MHz) so I can listen in on races and communicate with the other guys at my shop.

 

^^ 447.something

Jeez, reading about this now... That mod sounds easy, but also a tadbit illegal. No bother, though. It looks like I need to be General or Extra to talk on those other bands, thouh. So, really, the only band TW and others are using the most of is 2m, eh? I just wasted money on a quad band...

 

That's a badass radio if you ever get into ham. It's not illegal to perform the mod, but it's illegal to transmit on those frequencies.

 

X2 the mod is legal

 

Oh! Was reading something on DezertRacers... Alright, so me trying to transmit firstly won't work without the mod, and secondly is illegal because I'm only Tech. Learning a lot, fellas.. lolol thanks.

Yeah, the radio is actually pretty dang cool. Having two simultaneous channels is fun to surf!

 

it isn't illegal because you are only a tech. to my understanding it is illegal to transmit on lets say a business band frequency because it is a HAM radio and can on legally transmit on HAM bands and not anything else.

 

Correct. No level of ham license is legal to transmit on commercial band frequencies from a 2 meter ham radio. Commercial businesses purchase specific radios dedicated to these frequencies so their employees can be in communication with each other.

 

Yes i have a business band radio

 

I passed my Technician exam today

Time to shop now (while waiting for my call sign) and totally clueless and undecided...

 

There are couple guys in this thread actively using a ham radio in their truck for off-road use. Seems like most use 2 Meter band radios, which is the 144-146 MHZ band. You can buy a solid brand new 2 meter MOBILE radio for $140 to $200, plus you will need an antenna ($30 to $70).

There are also dual band radios that communicate on 2 meter plus also cover the 440 MHz band. These run roughly $300 to $500. You need to know if any of you radio buddies (off-road buddies) have radios that operate a this 440 Mhz band only.

Another route you could take is to buy a handheld ham radio for communication. ($100 to $350). This has the obvious advantage of being able to be used at your home, or in your vehicle (or anywhere else). Handheld radios have a power limit of 5 watts (mobile radios are 50 to 75 watts). The handheld also looses range due to the short antenna (but you can adapt them for a real antenna). Plus battery life is short when talking.... but you can get extra battery packs or power cords for the vehicle or home.

If you can reach a repeater with any radio your "reach" is good with whatever radio you have. Remember these radios are basically "line of sight" operation, so that repeater with an antenna on top of a mountain or tall building is within reach for even a handheld from probably 25 miles IF there is not a mountain or big building in the pats between your antenna and the repeater. Once you are to the repeater it is like YOU are on top of that mountain.

Communication direct from one radio to another (no repeater involved) is called Simplex and this is what you would use when "wheeling" with a group of guys, and keep the radio on low transmit power.

Hope this helps..

 

GREAT post!

2m is 144-148AMHz though

 

Your Catalina repeater is 147.09 the offset is + so your TX frequency will be 147.690. They have the ability to turn off and on the PL tones it normally is not on but it does not hurt anything to use it any way it is 79.7 and you may as well program it in so you can bring it up when it's on. They most likely have issues with interference during times when there is a lift and turn it on to avoid kerchunking the repeater. The 8900 Yeasu is a hand full to manually program, the RT programing is top notch and their cables work. As a tech you are limited to 2 M, 440 CM, and 6 M general class for 10 M FM. Diamond makes a great 3 band antenna that is a full ¼ wave on 6 meters. I own a 8900 the main reason I bought it was for the 6 meter band capabilities finding 10 meter repeaters is a crap shoot when the 10M band is open you can talk for very long distance but it isn’t much when the band is quiet. 6M is a hoot no problem to talk to the east coast and beyond when the band is open. I believe there is a 6 meter repeater on Catalina island just google repeaters in your area.

 

^^Good info!

Looking at the 8900r manual last night said that yes, indeed, this radio is pre-programmed with the frequency shifts for our country. The computer wire is on its way, but I didn't have time to check out the Mac software.

Talking to the Catalina guys last night, he said this radio has something weird (WIRES) which frazzles the repeater. Amazing that he named my radio then talked me through fixing it in the same transmission! lol

 

You have WIRES too. http://www.yaesu.com/jp/en/wiresinfo-en/index.html

It's a Yaesu thing, like Kenwood's D-Link. Not very many WIRES repeaters out there. It can be annoying if you aren't talking to a WIRES repeater. There is a "INT" displayed on your screen if it is on. I don't remember the trick, but I think if you hold in the right vol button for a second it will turn it off. Or you can go into menu and turn it off too.

 

^ Yes! You must have WIRES, too. Pressing the left volume button turns it on and off. Guess mine was on when transmitting, and it was frazzling the repeater. heheh Seems pretty advanced to me, so it won't be getting much use.

Anyone here use the internet over your radio?

 

Anyone running a Kenwood TM-D710A and utilizing APRS?

 

Used Icom V8000. I have the same radio. Works great

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/3711372011.html

 

TWO more days until I take my Technician exam. Will the wait the week or 10 days until my call sign is listed and then I am going shopping! Probably just get a straight 2 Meter mobile radio for now.