Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Just so you know power isn't all that important. Doubling power does not double the range. Doubling power only gets you +3dB on the receiving end. For example I can talk to Los Angeles from San Diego with 10W on my mobile rig which can do 50W. Why use 50W when 10W will do just fine? For around town I use 5W on all the local repeaters and it works just fine.

Here are some recommendations:

I've heard very good things about the flexi-whip antenna (150 Watt) from reputable members on EXPO.

I personally like Larsen antennas for their quality. Here is a complete catalog.

Not sure which antenna you have for middle of nowhere, but I assume it's one of the longer ones. If so, the difference of course will be the effective radiated pattern. For the long explanation click here. Here is the short visual version see this diagram:



You talking to helicopters or you in the bottom of a slot canyon? The 1/4 wave is best for that (radiating up). For talking across vast flat distances like the desert, the 5/8 wave will be best.

It really depends on the manufacturer. For example, the NMO Larsen antennas are all rated between 100-200 watts. A vast majority of Comtelco NMO antennas are good for 200 Watts, The Diamond and Comet line vary widely depending on model.

 

I use this, has a spring built in, reliable antenna.
http://www.monstermarketplace.com/c...-w-spring-144-174mhz-3db-gain-49-tapered-whip

 

^ Laird makes some top-notch antennas. The California Highway Patrol uses a variety of them.

 

So according to the Larsen catalog , when I stuck my 5/8 wave on my mag mount which was then mounted on a empty paint can attacehed to a broom stick was a bad idea. Instead I should have used a 1/2 wave antenna


You can see part of it here attached to the Ez up canopy


My mobile base station for desert racing. for remote pit areas

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

Thinking of going with this one.
http://www.wpsantennas.com/b132s-an...dmodels132-525mhzunitygain21straightwhip.aspx

 

good antenna, very broadband as well.

 

and for those not wanting a whip antenna, these actually work well if set up correctly

My dad has one on his Raptor.

http://www.wpsantennas.com/trat1420...awhitenmomountwithpatentedfielddiversity.aspx

 

Hey guys! A frirnd here gave me his ham study so I can start studying up and get my ham license. I am pretty excited to learn this stuff so I can at least partially understand the stuff you guys talk about on here!

 

Nice! The exam is stupid easy to pass with a minimum amount of studying. Good luck when you get around to taking it.

 

Anyone up for a QSO in the near future? Maritime mobile up here in Kodiak; BS'ing trough the local IRLP node while we're waiting to deliver our fish.. Etc.

We are on a trip right now, should be in late tonight or tomorrow..

Jake

KG7DVI

 

Start working on that general class maritime mobile is a lot of fun just call CQ and you'll have more QSO's then you can handle!

 

The radio not the antenna. For years I used land mobile re-tuned radios they would do a 100 watts but most of the ham stuff is only 50 watts more so because of the PA cooling, the heat sinks take up a lot of room people want small and you can't have power with out cooling. My old Micor weight 25#! As far as an antennas a 5/8's is a good choice it at least has some gain. I think many people missed the part about "using the least amount of power to communicate effectively" There are two repeaters on top of Mt Washington 29 miles from my house I have no problem with a rubber duck and 5 watts why would I need 50 watts and a gain antenna in the truck to do the same thing? QRP works for thousands of miles!

 

I have to agree 100%, I run 5 watts in the truck most of the time, 6,144 and 440 most of the time I never have an issue hitting repeaters, even the open desert I never really run anything over 10watts. I was just commenting the other day to a local that I could hear on the input of a local repeater from my HT while he was 20 miles away, I think folks are just lazy.

 

Ah, okay, that makes sense.

I like QRP too! I was thinking of one day acquiring the packable FT-817 I'd like to operate from remote sites with it.

^ Very nice setup. Nice and organized, looks good.

I'm curious, are you running a dedicated 6-meter radio like the DR-06T or maybe a multi-bander like the FT-8900R? I've seen you post before that you'd talk to folks in Arizona while climbing out the desert on I-8 near Jacumba. Is 6-meters FM difficult to operate in and around the city due to RFI (noise)? I also know there are some number of repeaters in our area as well. Just curious about 6M...

 

As a side hobby to ham, I am adopting the scanning hobby as well. A friend of mine loaned me a Uniden Bearcat 996T radio scanner. I've been having a ball with it.

I made a thread over at EXPO about it. It seems like the perfect companion to a VHF-UHF ham rig.

 

I listen to the scanner often, pretty spectacular to hear the local PD and Sheriffs their calls sometimes.

 

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I'm curious, are you running a dedicated 6-meter radio like the DR-06T or maybe a multi-bander like the FT-8900R? I've seen you post before that you'd talk to folks in Arizona while climbing out the desert on I-8 near Jacumba. Is 6-meters FM difficult to operate in and around the city due to RFI (noise)? I also know there are some number of repeaters in our area as well. Just curious about 6M...[/QUOTE]

6 meters is called the magic band and for good reason when the band is open thousands of miles is doable (SSB) when it's not repeaters work fine. I have a 6 meter repeater and when the band is open I turn off the PL tones and we can then communicate with repeaters 100's of miles away. The 8900R is a nice radio I have one in my truck the antennas are longer I use a triband antenna on my truck because I have never seen a real need for 10 meter FM it is heavy and the triband is 1/4 wave on 6 the 4 band is not. FM 6m is not too much of a problem with noise 6 meter AM is a big problem with noise the 8900R is only FM. I often use 6 meter AM at home on 50.400 it's pretty much local stuff maybe a 100 miles.

 

Thanks Tim for the info on the 6-Meter.

 

ME think it is time to add a little APRS to my rig. Planning on buying a Kenwood TH-D72A and AvMap G6 soon. I think I will get an amp for it too. Maybe use my mag mount 2m/70cm antenna. So I need to get a new antenna for my FT-8800, not sure I want to install one in the roof, maybe a bed mount.

I am torn, roof mount and then have to remove when ever I pull into the garage to do maintenance or clean it. or bed mount and loose some gain.

FYI- I have a sun roof, so real estate is limited on the roof.