INGO HAM radio thread - official

[Piobair]

I passed written to general, but muffed the 13WPM, so I'm just a tech, but not quite the lowliest; I'm a grandfathered old tech. Yay me! I'd only studied the code for a month, though.

If you passed the General written test, you can get upgraded to a General license. Get a volunteer examiner to certify the form, and you'll get credit for the test you've already passed.

Worked for me. I had a Tech license, with the General test but 5wpm code. Grandfathered in to Tech Plus, then grandfathered again to General.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I know; at the time, it was what it was, but I think I'd have to retake the written now, as long as it's been. I have everything I need right now, though.

 

[jedi]

Can an "over the airwaves" TV antenna be used with a HAM Radio provided that I have the right connection between coax and hand held?
-Jedi

 

[NapalmFTW]

For listening, definitely... for transmitting... eh. I wouldn't.

Do you know if you have any splitters/amplifiers etc. in circuit before you squirt some RF (radio frequency) energy up the coax?

Anything by Diamond for external antennas work. MFJ do some "alright" base station antennas.

 

[jedi]

For listening, definitely... for transmitting... eh. I wouldn't.

Do you know if you have any splitters/amplifiers etc. in circuit before you squirt some RF (radio frequency) energy up the coax?

Anything by Diamond for external antennas work. MFJ do some "alright" base station antennas.

Why not for tx?

There is 1 amplifier in the circuit right now. It goes as follows:

Antenna -> Amplifier -> Splitter Box -> cables to each room + some smaller splitters for multiple drops in some rooms.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

What freq would you be trying to tx on with the antenna. Antennas are designed and made to work on particular bands. If you have an 800 band analog TV antenna and try to push 2m out of it. A, it will not be tuned properly and could cause issues with your radio. and B would probably sound like poop for not being used on a correct band antenna.

Think about it like this.

Lets say, I have a .45 caliber gun. I then load a mag/clip full of .40 caliber bullets, and try to fire them. What would happen? Maybe nothing, maybe something really terrible

 

[jedi]

AHHHH FMJ that makes more sense (gun analogy). OK I'll be patient then and wait for the ham-car antenna I ordered online. =)

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Smart move, my friend.

73

 

[canav844]

Can an "over the airwaves" TV antenna be used with a HAM Radio provided that I have the right connection between coax and hand held?
-Jedi

What freq would you be trying to tx on with the antenna. Antennas are designed and made to work on particular bands. If you have an 800 band analog TV antenna and try to push 2m out of it. A, it will not be tuned properly and could cause issues with your radio. and B would probably sound like poop for not being used on a correct band antenna.

Think about it like this.

Lets say, I have a .45 caliber gun. I then load a mag/clip full of .40 caliber bullets, and try to fire them. What would happen? Maybe nothing, maybe something really terrible

FMJ hit's it pretty good, however there are some TV antennas that are close enough that you can use an auto tuner to make up the difference in the length of the wire electrically, but you will sacrifice some performance with those, so they aren't really recommended (and a bit hard to come by for VHF/UHF. However if you look up the DIYs for antennas out there, there are a few popular designs that modify old TV antennas to work for VHF/UHF (a dipole design seems to be particularly popular), and there are many more that have a TV antenna "look" so what the rest of the world assumes is a logarithmic TV receive antenna, is actually a 2m SSB yagi on a stronger rotator.

Also keep in mind that TV coax and typical radio coax are different levels of resistance, which presents some electrical issues that need to be accounted for to prevent SWR issues.

 

[The Keymaster]

There would also be am impedance match issue, as most ham equipment requires 50 ohms, and TV antennas usually require 75 ohms.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

VSWR. Plus, since there's an amplifier in the chain, pointed the wrong way at that, your results transmitting will be extremely poor at the best, smoke most likely. A nice discone will transmit and receive very well at anything from 100-3000MHz. Get into HF, and it's a whole other ballgame. Mostly just lots of wire high up off the ground in various ways. Nothing really exotic; just some reading and understanding to do.

 

[The Keymaster]

Yep, I'm spending tomorrow hanging a new HF antenna.

 

[Piobair]

AHHHH FMJ that makes more sense (gun analogy). OK I'll be patient then and wait for the ham-car antenna I ordered online. =)

I know you've already ordered, but for the future, consider Amateur Electronic Supply (AES.) They usually do same-day shipping, and it's next-day ground delivery from Milwaukee to NWI.

Welcome to AESHAM.COM

 

[jedi]

Smart move, my friend.

73

BTW the is 73! I know it's your nerdy good bye ending I'm getting off the channel. But what is the origins of "73"?

I know you've already ordered, but for the future, consider Amateur Electronic Supply (AES.) They usually do same-day shipping, and it's next-day ground delivery from Milwaukee to NWI.

Welcome to AESHAM.COM

They don't seem to have the UV-3R radios we got in the group buy?
Actually got the antenna for ~ $18 w/ shipping from the vendor we did the group buy.

-Jedi

 

[Piobair]

'73' is a hold-over from the days of landline telegraphy. A lot of codes were used as shorthand to save transmission time.

And AES apparently doesn't carry the Baofeng line, but they do carry Wouxun. Antenna connectors are the same - female SMA.

 

[Sailor]

Does this mean we have to post and use our "official" call signs too?

If you have a call sign and want to join the ham group pm me. This way your call is not out in the public just with other hams.

 

[jedi]

So my magnet car antenna finally arrived today. Am wondering is it OK to use indoors? (IE. radio waves and all) with my 4.6w hand held? The cable is long enough that I can probably put it on the top shelf of a bookcase and be 1/2 a room away.

-Jedi

 

[Sailor]

Yeah that is fine but it needs a ground plane to work, it has to be on metal like your fridge or cookie sheet. The bigger the ground plane the better the performance.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

4.6W? No problem. That's kindergarten power. You've been using it with a duck already, right? If you have aluminum siding, it could cramp your signal. Outsideness, as well as altitude are your friends with that sort of setup. A ground plane or counterpoise can help, too.

 

[Dead Duck]

So my magnet car antenna finally arrived today. Am wondering is it OK to use indoors? (IE. radio waves and all) with my 4.6w hand held? The cable is long enough that I can probably put it on the top shelf of a bookcase and be 1/2 a room away.

-Jedi

Just stick it to the top of your safe but you'll only be able to contact "PINK HAM" operators.