Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

That is on outstanding performing antenna! I've used it on 2 vehicles in different locations, and always has incredible ears, and great get-out.

 

Ok

So I took the plunge

Yaesu FTM-400XDR on order from the dirty dirty
And cables
And antenna

I have a ditch light bracket on my truck.

Can I just slide the light outboard and mount the antenna like in this pic?

 

Or do I need to make a bracket and extend it away from the light?

Like this?

 

I put mine on an extension towards the outside. Same antenna. It worked great.

 

Why outside?

Just curious


Never mind

Once I temp mounted it inboard and outboard, was easy to see


Out board it is

 

It interfered with me opening the hood.

 

I might have had it in a dumb place. Your mileage may vary.

I really liked it there, it worked well, didn’t interfere with anything and I only used it for low power APRS stuff. I eventually moved it to the front of my ARB. Strictly for looks and later I justified it by saying it was for RF exposure.

 

I tried it both in and out.

With it out, looks balanced with the radio aerial.......

And let's be honest, the way a project looks is important!

 

It really is. I think you’ll be happy with it there if you’re not trying to lab test your setup. I had mine there just to get on the air because I was SO EXCITED.

I think you’re gonna have a blast with that radio and the antenna. It’s a phenomenal antenna. I run the kenwood d710g.

 

I am sad it wasn't in stock.....

But I will everything rewired when it does come in....

 

Went for a drive today to check out an old microwave tower site that AT&T used to move pone service across Utah. It has been decommissioned but I believe it has a cell phone transceiver on it now. I had made a contact with a guy in Price helped build and maintain the site when it was operational. Anyway, while I was at a high spot, I made a 42 mile simplex contact on 146.520. That was cool. I was getting S1-S2 from him and we were both operating with open squelch to make the contact. I think it was just beyond line of site as he was over the Moab rim from me on I-70.

Took the rough way home. Only about three miles direct from the towers but 35 minutes to traverse that distance.

 

Anyone know what the digital signal is on 10.100 right now?

 

I've been monitoring the local repeaters more this week and haven't heard any traffic. I keep thinking there is something wrong with my ftm-100 or with the speaker. I've heard nothing on 146.520, 146.460 or even our local repeater that covers the intermountain intertie. I'm hearing traffic on aprs and I get a return signal from the repeaters that do that. I'll have to check it tonight with a handheld to see if I have an issue.

 

It's probably (maybe?) weather RTTY data from a German station, DDK9.

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/rtty-station-location.476745/

According to KA0HCP:
10.100.8 Mhz
LSB
50 Baud
450 Hz Shift
Reverse Mark **May need to try switching Normal/Reverse
Unshift on Space (UoS)

http://30cw.net/ddk9

"DDK9 German WX RTTY (10101kHz)
The German Weather Service transmits weather and navigation information and warnings for ships around Europe via RTTY 24 hours a day 7 days a week on centre frequency of 10100.8 kHz with a spacing of 450 Hz radio teletype. Thus the transmitted tones are on carrier frequencies of 10100.575 and 10101.025 kHz.

The callsign for this frequency is DDK9 and the transmitting antenna is located at Pinneberg northern Germany. The transmitter power is 15kW and with an efficiency of around 70% radiates therefore ERP of around 7kW from a quarter wave ground plane located on a field at ground level with a copper network wire for the earth network.

This station deserves a mention here at 30CW.Net because of its continuous presence as a Primary user on 30m which must not be interfered with. It is the only Primary Fixed Service station on 30m that transmits all year round continuously. It therefore also serves as a very useful "beacon" for determining propagation conditions to Europe from overseas, or to Northern Germany from within Europe."

 

Pretty well my intro to amateur radio too. Pretty quiet. Look for nets (there is a list on ARRL) and check in there. There are at least three in my part of Utah every week.

Only made four contacts on simplex in the three months I've had my license. One contact calling CQ on 146.520. Other three are contacts I knew were going to be there.

 

Lol. Ask for a "mic check" on the repeaters. Might help






Also. Projects.

 

There is one guy, N7VWX, I usually chat with once a week now. I'll call in on my daily drive and he's usually just getting back into the house when I'm getting off the highway. A couple other repeat contacts but nothing real consistent. Kind of fun to get to know a guy over radio that I've never met and keep making contacts with him.

Projects are great. Handheld yagi, homemade j-pole, homemade TNC, QRP CW rig, plenty of projects.

 

It's just been oddly quite. There is generally some traffic on 146.520 but I haven't heard anything on there in days. It surprises me given what is going on.

I was able to confirm my mobile is working tonight with a handheld and I finally picked up some traffic on the intermountain as well.

 

What made you become an Amateur Radio Operator?

Me, few friends from the CB are amateurs. I dont hear them, ever on the V/Uhf or HF.

Why do i keep going back to Radios? I have no idea. I always end up making new wire HF antenna and giving it away when I get bored. I enjoy helping people, meeting new people.

I hide behind the mike, like this keyboard. No one knows what you look like, all the hear is your voice and the words you say.

I dunno, i just ramble..

 

Or call CQ on a repeater. It's bad form and if someone hears you they'll want to correct you. Which ends up confirming that you made the repeater. I suppose it's trolling.