Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Considering ditching my cb and going gmrs. I don’t mind paying the 70 for the license and I like that all of us can use it. Especially when we are out and my kids want to go hiking I just toss them a ht and can communicate for a fair distance. We went out this weekend and the cb chatter was just awful. Even if we’re already communicating some jack wagon kept coming in wanting to talk about bs that none of us gave two craps about.

 

That's good. Good thinking behind that one.

 

I have a 3d printer and a CNC mill. Send me an STL file and I can do something for ya.

 

I keep a small CB in the truck for traveling...traffic and bear reports kind of thing. Otherwise there's the Yaesu dual band, and a

$160 Midland – MXT275 MicroMobile® GMRS Radio – 15 watts Two-Way Radio with Integrated Control Microphone – Overland Caravanning Tractors – Detachable External Magnetic Mount Antenna - 8 Repeater Channels

GMRS radio. I travel with different groups, and most use GMRS, having moved away from CB. It's great for family / groups. Like you say, toss 'em a radio and go. I keep a couple of these on hand as loaners.

 

I ordered the same gmrs radio the 3db ghost antenna and the cable for it. Along with two more sets of Anderson power poles and an extra 3.5mm external speaker. We picked up 4 midland gxt1000 from a yard sale today for 20.00 that was what pushed me over for it. My wife says to keep the Cb where it is and just have it in case and just throw the mic in the glove box until I need it. She’s so smart lol.

 

Anyone use a server power supply as a base station radio supply? I picked up two for $20.

 

Not me but 60amps....

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCi0fo8Hymf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Exactly. Lots of power at the right price.

 

I'd be fine with using one of those while I'm right at the station.

But when I'm doing digital work I'll walk away and just let the scope observe the qso. When it comes to some electronics I do favor having a UL stamp.

 

I’m sure you can find a UL stamp on epay...

 

Installed my phone holder, ham radio and CB yesterday and finished up today.

For the CB, I have a fire stick antenna and ran the fire flex coax under the bed rail cap, behind the tail light, over the wheel well to the passenger grommet. JUST had enough cable to reach the radio on the dash. Mic wire is ran behind the radio and is attached to the antenna wire with a Velcro strap. Keeps it from hanging in front of the stereo. It’s held to the accessory mount with a magnetic mic holder.
For the ham radio, I have a Diamond SG7900 and ran C213SMA cable. Was a little worried Because that cable is only 13.5’ long. But wired it through a small grove I made behind the bed light, over the wheel well to the driver’s side grommet. Had just enough to reach the head unit which is under the driver’s seat. Mic is set up next to the e-brake. So far everything sounds good. Might want to put an external speaker on the CB cause the internal one isn’t so loud. Might do the same with the ham radio since the head unit is under the seat.

 

I figure with its use in servers containing lots of valuable data, and the CE listing, it's probably okay. Neither my MacBook or Kenwood radio have UL listings either.

I'm going to design a switch and plug enclosure for it so it looks acceptable on the shelf.

 

I need some help. The radio(s) in question here are UV-5Rs:
Yesterday I got my Ed Fong DBJ-1, assembled it and threw it up in the attic. Once I got all my connectors together, I hooked the antenna up to my BaoFeng. I didn't get any responses on simplex (which isn't a huge surprise), but what IS surprising is that I wasn't hearing the receive (no tails, no responses, etc) on certain repeaters. One of the repeaters I couldn't hear is the closest one to my house and I've always been able to hit it with the Nagoya 701 I bought for my Baofeng.

I ran a test where I keyed up and spoke in the radio hooked up to the DBJ-1 (radio #1), and had a separate Baofeng (radio #2) next to me with the 701, I could hear me talking and the repeater tail in #2 (And even someone responding) but NOTHING in the #1. If I switch which radio is using the DBJ-1 and 701, the radio hooked up to the DBJ-1 is always the one that can't hear the receive. I noticed this same problem a few months ago when I was playing around with a mag mount antenna. Anytime one of these BaoFengs is hooked up to an external antenna, I can't hear this same repeater (and a few more).

What gives?

 

Dang, I keep missing FTM-400XDs on QRZ by a few hours... One was just posted and sold this morning at 630

 

Hey all. Brand new operator here. Just got my Basic with Honours certificate up here in Canada.

Callsign: VA7BGM
Setup: mobile in my taco with a Icom ID-4100A and I'm playing with some antenna setups currently. I'm using a mag mount and CR320A. Thinking about going SG7900A... We'll see.

I'm currently figuring out how to do everything. I've so far used DStar to reach my uncle and can be found in REF026B. Otherwise I'm monitoring local repeaters here in the Vancouver area.

73

 

Can you hit the repeater on the beofeng from your attic? Or has it always been outside? Also, how much coax are you running?

 

I can HIT the repeater from radio #1 (attic antenna), but I can't receive. I can tx and rx from radio #2 (BaoFeng with Nayoga).
I actually just had a QSO from my mobile radio in the garage (5w into a different repeater I can't seem to hit with my new antenna) with a guy that said he had a similar issue and noticed that BaoFengs in general have problems with antennas that aren't rubber duckies; SWR is way off. I wouldn't think that would affect my receive tho?
Either way, sounds like I need to fast-track my base radio as my interim plan of HT into Attic antenna isn't gonna work. Do you think this would still happen with a TYT radio?
Edit: 40ft of 400Max from DX Engineering

 

I’m a n00b here so take it for what it’s worth.
I have a

$50 UV-5R Ham Radio Handheld Long Range (UV-5R 8Watt) UHF/VHF Radio with 2 Rechargeable Battery, Portable Radio for Adults with Earpiece, GV-771 Antenna, BAOFENG Programming Cable (3rd Gen)

UV-5R something-or-other that claims 8W. I had the Nagoya antenna on it and had ok results. I added a counterpoise and couldn’t tell a difference. I dropped it from the top of my truck and it landed right on the Nagoya antenna.

I put the rubber duck antenna back on and noticed a diminished performance so I ordered a Signal Stick out of UT. It’s just a piece of Piano Wire with a connector attached to it.

I noticed a MARKED improvement. Even over the Nagoya. I can hit most of the repeaters in town now with a few exceptions. The guy that makes the Signal Stick told me that RF noise from the unit might cause issues with the Signal Stick but I didn’t notice any. That’s probably my n00b-ness.

If your having problems with an attic antenna I would think there is too much resistance in the length of coax. The Baofeng are not great units and I feel like adding a long length of coax will really amplify any noise problems it has.

But FWIW the Signal Stick works great for me and I recommend it as a way of getting by until you get your Mobile/Base unit.
-M

 

Have you checked the squelch of your handheld? How about the SWR of your antenna system?