Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

We just got our packet network back up here. Now I can’t find the damn power supply for the windoze laptop to get on there.

 

My little box has the charge controller stuffed under that switch panel. The screen is actually the LCD off the cheap PWM charge controller.

Tonight I setup my portable radio with only what was in the two ammo cans. EFHW, rope, radio, battery. I had everything for digital work too, I just didn't do any. Made a short contact with a guy in Cali on SSB. I have a pretty high takeoff angle with my antenna so close to the ground. Heard WA6QDQ at S4 from Hawaii but that is his accomplishment at 1kW.

 

It's okay to lose the "windoze" power supplies. No one likes them anyway.

 

I left the windoze a long time ago. Only keep an old one around for radio programming and now packet. Got to try out the Winlink.

 

You can pick up a raspberry pi for $35 and take care of those tasks. KM4ACK has logs of good videos and he built a script to install everything for you. Then you use your Mac (I assume) to display the desktop of the pi. Or if you are portable and ambitious, you can use a tablet to display the desktop.

 

So does anyone here have any experience with the yaesu 817 or 818? I am on the fence but have read the hf is pretty worthless due to the wattage. I heave even thought that I could get a external amp for when I use it as a base. Any thoughts?

 

I'd not waste my time with a qrp rig as my primary.

As a supplement rig, it would be tons of fun.

Same day with similar conditions a buddy of mine worked 4 stations and I worked 63 haha. He was qrp

 

they shipped a cat in the mail?

 

He was a door prize

 

https://xkcd.com/325/

 

I remember reading something a while back about some parts not being available for the 817’s anymore. I also wouldn’t go for a qrp rig as a primary. You’re going to be mighty frustrated trying to make contacts and get discouraged with current band conditions.

 

Post here if you do go the ammo can route. I'm currently planning out my hammo can build.

 

“Hammo can!” I’m stealing this. Hahaha

 

My wife's callsign is KJ7PMR, she just said, "that is really close to PMS." So I checked to see if some poor sucker got a callsign after her. And he did; poor Adam got his callsign yesterday just to be let down by the letters. https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=4317136

 

Congratulations to the wife. Was this recent?

 

Redoing my field raspberry pi.

What a pain. Boy do I love linux /gnu though

 

Yes, she scheduled her test for July 18th. I joined her and did my General upgrade the same Saturday.

Do you use KM4ACK's Build-A-Pi script?

 

I did not. It's too bulky. I really just need FLrig, FLdigi. JS8call, Direwolf and a Logging program

 

But you can install just those. You don't have to install everything. It is really only a script that takes care of installing those things for you.

 

oh gotcha. I was only familiar with his older file which was all or nothing.

All good now. Was just 4 programs haha