Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

I get the sneaky suspicion that Kenwood is going to exit the Amateur Radio Market or they are about to discontinue a bunch of radios and replace them with a significant "next generation" upgrade in radio technology.
I'm hoping for the latter with a focus on digital modes, blue tooth, internal digi-rigs, low low power consumption and a near seamless integration with Linux, Windows, and Mac. Internal GPS and APRS tech.

The digital / information world is really begging for a great Ham Radio experience - no longer stuck in the days of tubes and morse code and QSL cards. Nothing wrong if that's what you like - keep it up! But so much more stuff can be done digitally to diversify the hobby. Especially now that they lifted the baud rate.

 

I've got a Yaesu ftm-200 in mine, it's pretty solid and decently easy on the wallet.

 

Do you have any more pictures of how it's installed? I have a wireless carplay adapter too, mine screwed into the bottom one and just kinda in the way, but it was a "I need to get this in for a trip this weekend" sort of install Did you just screw the mounting bracket into the center stack on the top of the cubby there?

 

Yep - it's just screwed in. radio's under the driver seat. The wireless androidauto job holds just fine with the adhesive it came with. One day I'd like to move it to the center console or behind the dash.

 

Ahhhh it was just the faceplate got it. Mines not that fancy

 

Had a chance to check out a new spiderbeam 12M telescoping mast last night. Using a hitch mounted flag pole holder with the bottom cut off, and a 67' efhw antenna. Mast is pretty rugged, not too flimsy at the top.

 

Anyone in SoCal mind sharing their repeaters ?

 

https://www.repeaterbook.com/index.php/en-us/

 

https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/index.php?country_code=US&state_id=06

When I look for repeaters to add, I try to add ones that are part of a linked system or have wide area coverage and preferably on emergency power.

 

Messing around with a portable APRS I-gate using an old phone and a

$18 Baofeng UV-5R VHF/UHF Dual Band Radio 144-148MHz 420-450MHz Transceiver

Baofeng UV-5R. So far haven’t had any luck other than when it picks up my own transmissions from a different radio.

 

Thanks I’m going to try that and see what I can hear

 

It doesn't list it as a feature to search by really but having "Auto-Patch" or "Phone Patch" is also a plus. It's nice when I'm out to be well outside cell coverage and still hit a repeater that lets me call into the wife and let her know I'm doing fine and what my last known GPS location is. Also if that kind of thing interests you, look for APRS repeaters that you can transmit digitally and send text messages to.

https://youtu.be/a63PY74mEYw?si=8bsXnWZo2ok58YU6

 

Some interesting datapoints from this afternoon’s testing. There were times my truck transmissions would go directly to my i-gate then 30 seconds later down the road the next transmission would hit the digipeater about 16 miles away and end up at the i-gate 85 miles away. Another instance it went from directly to my i-gate, next transmission to a digipeater 60 miles away (skipping the usual closer digipeaters) on to an i-gate another 40 miles NW, then to my I-gate a mile or two away on the next transmission.

 

That would work with a Yaesu FTM-500 ?

 

APRS and SMS/TEXT?
That works with ANY radio if you run an app on your phone and have it talk to your radio to send the digital tones (technically analog). I've done it with a Baofeng. Easier with an FT-60.
I've even considered a cheap secondary 2M radio for the truck and an android tablet for running APRS and messaging.

 

SMSGTE is offline indefinitely. https://smsgte.org/

 

Or she could watch your progress on APRS.fi. Or any of the apps for that. Just requires you to beacon.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Fudge!

 

2024 Boston Marathon volunteer page up and open.

Here's the ARO volunteer quick guide, link to the BAA site to register is on here as well.

https://hamradioboston.freshdesk.co...024-volunteer-registration-step-by-step-guide

 

Simple and easy APRS digipeater setup powered by a standard cigarette lighter/12v outlet.