Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Got on HF for the time last Sat. Wolf river setup, but only ran the whip on 20m. Made 3 quick contacts before I packed it up. FL, TX, and CA. All 3 gave good signal reports.

Restarted learning Morse this week, and feel like I should be able to make a QSO in a week or so.

 

Looking at remounting my old FT-7900r back in the Tacoma (it's been living in my BJ73). For antenna mounts, I wanted to get away from the hood mount for RF exposure. I have a pacemaker now and don't want the signals too close. Also not drilling a hole in the roof. I am looking at tailgate mounts and for the second gen there looks to only be two options now that C4 and BAMF are not making them, Rago and Cali Raised are my options. Between the two it's about a $30 difference for an additional support leg. Thoughts on either of them?

 

@irish_11

I ditched my BAMF ones for the Rago ones. Mostly because the Ragos were stainless steal. I’m in the north east so everything painted or powder coated eventually peels off… and then rusts. Was happy with them. Bummed I can’t run them with my new cap (ARE DCU with barn doors…) but they cleared my old fiberglass Lear cap no problem. Also note I had to trim off the front most mount hole to clear my bed supports, but no issues using only two mounts.

Rago gets my vote obviously.

 

Stainless would make a difference. I am in the PNW where everything is wet most of the year. That is good to know. Also, DCU with barndoors is a sweet setup, I had something similar on my 1st gen and found it handy.

 

I've had a CaliRaised mount on my tacoma for a little over a year now, and it's starting rust in one spot where the powder coating has chipped off. I'll probably end up getting a Rago mount in the near future if they are made from stainless steel.

 

I tested for technician last Saturday and got my call sign today! Looking forward to getting on the air.

 

N.PHX too here. Where did you set up? Nice mobile set up BTW!

 

Up near Bartlett Lake, 33.89289384052258, -111.81956202131043

 

Hey guys, KQ4NXT. I just bought a 2012 Tacoma that's fairly modded and was looking at ways I can mount my SBB-7 NMO to it (its coming off of my old truck so I would rather not buy another antenna). If I use the Victory 4x4 hood hinge mount would that give me a good enough ground plane for the SBB-7?

Truck has a snorkel on passenger side, roof rack, and I would consider putting it somewhere in the bed depending on the setups you have used and if you can show me how you have yours rigged up.


Thanks!

 

The SBB-7 doesn't need a ground plane? I thought it did at 5/8 wave. I'm new to this stuff so I think I have misunderstood the ground plane deal.

 

No. It's ground independent.

 

That little knoll / hill top right where you turn off from Cave Creek Road to go to Bartlett is where I was able to hit Mt. Lemmon in Tucson with a 4watt Baofeng. 115 miles to the repeater and then the guy I was talking to was in Rio Rico near the border.

I had a friend that lived in Sierra Vista / Bisbee on a mountain that over looked Mexico. Used to go up there to link into the EAARS system to reach him since he didn't have cell reception. But that was only like 40 or 50 miles to the repeater.

 

We're pretty spoiled with our repeater networks in our State.

 

Good morning guys. I picked up my technician license back in August and upgraded to general last week. It’s been fun playing in the 10m kiddie pool but I’m looking forward to playing in all the bands. Hope to meet you on the air, 73!

KQ4UJN

 

CONGRATS!

 

Thanks

 

What part of Florida are you in? mine is KQ4NXT

 

I'm running an iCOM 718 with an NVIS antenna. I can usually hear and occasionally hit Florida from Phoenix. Mostly working JS8-Call on 20/40M, sometimes phone / voice.
N5MKH if you are ever on.

 

Tyler, I’m over in Milton. We had some conversation in a different thread a while back. You’re @KRAMERICA nephew I think? He and I met and had lunch down in Navarre a few years ago.

Greg, I’ve got an older Icom 706Mk2G that I bought from another club member. I’m running a vertical wire on a mast for now while I decide were to string up a permanent antenna at the house. I really haven’t gotten into the digital stuff yet.

 

FL folks!

I'm taking a bunch of crap to the (rescheduled) Melbourne hamfest to sell. 45G tower parts, shackles, turnbuckles, antenna switches, stack matches, tailtwister rotor, phillystran, various contest station accessories. Everything must go.

73,
N4GI