Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

https://youtu.be/71N6Re5t6Xc

 

Worked 2 of them last night KA6LMS/1 and KA6LMS/8. Was working on /3 but the pile up was just too big to break with 100w.

 

Starting point is tech there are a zillion things you can do now including work the world via hot spots, sats, and other methods. I have been licensed for like 30 years and did not even get a General class until the dropped the code requirement it was some thing that I would never use so I had no interest in learning code. With smaller gear it make mobile/remote use a lot easier, get your feet wet the rest will follow in good time and you'll have extra cash to buy the big stuff! I will add it is an addiction.

 

Yep and be a good ham stay out of there with your ham gear. The ham gear is not type excepted and despite what the Chinese say neither are their radios.

 

Maybe the 1-cent fix.

after checking coax length for shorts, bonding trunk hinge to body and body to frame and sanding off connection points, the meter didn’t move:


Then I thought even though the tab in the antenna base has a mark on it that makes it look like it’s making contact with the mount, maybe the bracket is too thick and there is no contact.


I located a suitable conductor and slid it behind the seal.

Behold, improved numbers:


1.46 set and 14.46db at 145mhz is much better, I think. I’m just starting to learn how to use this instrument, so . Anything I should be aware of? Think I can improve this or should I be happy with the results and just get a mount with a longer stud?

 

Awesome work troubleshooting the problem....
There will be more problems like this to solve...
Welcome to becoming an Amateur Radio o\Operator.

AE4BM

 

Thanks for the encouragement to work it out. Looking forward to more puzzles.

KN6NCR

 

And now you have a good tool in your toolbag.

I had the same problem with my Larsen antenna. I just bent the tab down.

 

Ditch the penny bend the tab they are quite strong and stainless. Those Chinese analyzers do at least give you an ideal but don't expect miracles. Don't know about it's options but a Smith Chart is a hard one to use you are better off with a frequency sweep.

 

Thanks, I will bend the tab. Just used the penny to try to get a connection.

 

An ohm meter also cures many ailments.

 

True but maybe not this one. I say this because when I was troubleshooting my mobile installation I checked continuity between the center conductor of the coax and the antenna radiating element. There was no continuity. I though there was an issue but the antenna was fine. The matching circuit in the antenna base doesn't always connect the coax center lead to the radiator. Lesson learned.

 

What antenna was that?

 

While I know absolutely nothing about Ham radios, my good friend’s grandpa had one in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s until his death... I’ll never forget his call sign... WD8PON... Witch Doctor ”8” Poor Ole Nelly... I thought that was the funniest shit ever.

 

https://www.gigaparts.com/larsen-nmo2-70b.html

 

I recently applied to renew my ham license and am looking for a 10 meter radio with a remote mount face. I’d like to find one that’s marine grade so if my Jeep is topless and I get stuck in the rain, I’m safe.

Anyone have good recommendations for one?

 

Motorola made the CDM1250 / CDM1550 for low band VHF. They won't go below 29.7 MHz, but there is a way to mod the codeplug to get it to go down to 29.52 MHz so it can include the FM portion of the band. They're not submersible, but they could withstand some rain or spray. There's no VFO, only programmed channels. They pop up on ebay every now and then.

 

HB9CVQ calling CQDX on 3795.0 too much static to hear him good

 

Hello all. Just bought a 2009 access cab (actually my wife’s idea) . I will be putting in an Icom 2730a as soon as there are back in stock. I have been a ham ( general) for 8 years.

Tim
KC3AZA

 

Hey Tim! Welcome. That's a pretty rig. Kind of wish I'd gone with it over the FT-100DR sometimes.