Topic: ham radio

[333]

My last post was about the FM draw.  Bobby is talking about the AM draw.  Even if you are just listening, there's a s'load of stuff out there to hear!

[BobbyR]

My last post was about the FM draw.  Bobby is talking about the AM draw.  Even if you are just listening, there's a s'load of stuff out there to hear!

Well as i got more sophisticated I also have have FM gear. I still have a multiwave antenna on the roof. I had a resistor go bad in one of my Unidens and it somehow caused the radio to malfunction and receive 865-895 Mhz analog signals. It would also pick up cordless phones from a mile away. I still travel with my little ICOM to see what is going on with the Police, Fire, Aircraft and SW.

[fuzzybutt]

well, i have a mobile cb that i had modifed when i got it (cb shack down in waldo fl) and it swings to 27w now with nothing more than a good antenna. i'm looking into licensing and maybe trying to find a local club to meet up with .

[BobbyR]

well, i have a mobile cb that i had modifed when i got it (cb shack down in waldo fl) and it swings to 27w now with nothing more than a good antenna. i'm looking into licensing and maybe trying to find a local club to meet up with .

I hope you parked and walked into Waldo, it is the #1 speed trap in the US. If you want a 150W linear for that bad boy we can talk.

[fuzzybutt]

when my parents were still living, they lived in riverview fl, me in columbia sc. i was down there once a month at least and i used to go I95 to I10 then down 301 to 326 in ocala to hit 75. i know waldo well.

[techy5025]

I was first licensed in 1957...WN4BNN. College got in the way of hamming and I didn't renew the license. Got back in in the '70's chasing DX...which kept me up many nights. Funny how the hams in Asia operate on a different schedule from us in the states. 

I still have all the gear...including an original Heathkit SB220 which would work on 11 meters with about 2KW output on SSB. A Th6DXX antenna is stored in the attic, but I doubt the neighbors will let me put it up on a 130 ft. tower like I had at the previous house. 

With the internet allowing quick global communication, talking to someone via radio in far away countries as lost most of its appeal though. How about motorcycle mobile on 2 meters though? 

Jim - WB4VVF

[fuzzybutt]

I was first licensed in 1957...WN4BNN. College got in the way of hamming and I didn't renew the license. Got back in in the '70's chasing DX...which kept me up many nights. Funny how the hams in Asia operate on a different schedule from us in the states. 

I still have all the gear...including an original Heathkit SB220 which would work on 11 meters with about 2KW output on SSB. A Th6DXX antenna is stored in the attic, but I doubt the neighbors will let me put it up on a 130 ft. tower like I had at the previous house. 

With the internet allowing quick global communication, talking to someone via radio in far away countries as lost most of its appeal though. How about motorcycle mobile on 2 meters though? 

Jim - WB4VVF

want to sell some equipment? where in florida are you?

[333]

I was first licensed in 1957...WN4BNN. College got in the way of hamming and I didn't renew the license. Got back in in the '70's chasing DX...which kept me up many nights. Funny how the hams in Asia operate on a different schedule from us in the states. 

I still have all the gear...including an original Heathkit SB220 which would work on 11 meters with about 2KW output on SSB. A Th6DXX antenna is stored in the attic, but I doubt the neighbors will let me put it up on a 130 ft. tower like I had at the previous house. 

With the internet allowing quick global communication, talking to someone via radio in far away countries as lost most of its appeal though. How about motorcycle mobile on 2 meters though? 

Jim - WB4VVF

The neighbors can't say jack about a Ham tower.  The FCC has seen to that.  I've tried 2 meters on the bike, and I can't seem to get rid of the ignition noise.  And I used to install Motorola professionally!  I haven't tried my latest radio though.

                                              Stan K7RDH

[techy5025]

I am in a subdivision that has a HOA. They might not mind a hidden dipole, but I doubt a tall tower would pass muster. They also have lots more money to file lawsuits.

Jim

[oldfordguy]

I haven't heard anyone mention the ARES net.  My wife and I are hams, and in Kansas our ARES net provides the National Weather Service & local TV stations with up to the minute spotter reports during bad weather.  They are an invaluable part of our early warning system for tornadoes.  Also, during the 911 attacks in NY, all of the cell towers were gone, and the Ham radio community provided emergency communications during the crisis.  Our local club even has a "repeater" van that they provide to the police when the location they are in has poor reception for the police radios (the van has repeaters both for ham freqencies, and the police band stuff as well.)  They train once a year with our local emergency relief community to be ready for emergencies of all kinds.  Unfortunately, the internet has killed most of the interest in ham radio, and that's why they did away with the morse code requirements.  The government still views hams as the last resort in emergency communications. 

[333]

I am in a subdivision that has a HOA. They might not mind a hidden dipole, but I doubt a tall tower would pass muster. They also have lots more money to file lawsuits.

Jim

The law I'm referring to prohibits home owners associations from stopping you from putting up a Ham radio tower.  Besides, altitude isn't as much of a factor with AM like it is with FM.

[fuzzybutt]

got a yaesu memorizer on the way. won it on ebay tonight. the seller is sending me books and requirements for licensing.

[Sam Green Racing]

I'm surprised SteveD hasn't joined in on this one, he worked in this field with Racal.
My brother also worked for Racal and worked on experimental stuff.
Although he only had a 2 metre licence, he was able to work the higher bands on Racal's licence.
Every ham that was on the air knew when my brother was starting up his equipment. I can't remember how many watts it was but it was in the thousands and it wiped out every one in the area for a short while;D it was that big it had a room of it's own.
The aerial for the system was the building itself.

Sam.

[BobbyR]

You guys are bringing me back. I guess I will study up and get my license.

[eldar]

Well maybe internet did kill off ham some but only cause people are lazy and just want things to work, they do not want to tinker.

Same thing happened to cb in the 90s when cell phones came out. i always shut up the people giving me crap for having a cb. I would tell them that I could talk to anyone in town for FREE. I had no minutes to worry about. I think cbs are making slow comebacks though. Ass I see hams doing too as people realize the fun it really can bring.

[333]

I think what happened to CB was it got too vulgar.  After the FCC gave up and stopped policing the CB airwaves, it just went downhill.  I remember when it first came out.  It was an easy way to get on the air without Morse Code and any test.  My Dad got licensed and it was very civil.  Call signs.  Someone's "handle" was their first name.  Everyone followed the rules, a little stricter than 2 meter is run today.  I still have the 2 tube sets that were my Dad's, as well as 1 more I picked up somewhere.  Truckers started using it and then other people wanting to be like truckers got into it. And then...  I tried to get back into it in the 90s, but it was "F" this and "S" on that.  I couldn't have it on around the kids.  Then around 96 I got a job at a local electronics/Ham store, EEB.  Some of you Hams might remember it as we did a fair amount of mail order.  That was when you were first able to get into a Tech license without Morse.

                                   Stan
                                         60s CB(family)  KKI 4576
                                         Original Ham     KF4OIZ
                                         Current Vanity  K7RDH   (my Mentor's old call-has vanity of                           
                                                                            his own)

[eldar]

Hmm, I do remember that happening to some extent. In my area, there were mostly guys on it but when some dude's chick grabbed the horn, she let fly what ever she wanted to say. In my area,women were usually the trouble. There were some guys to though.
It did go down when the "old timers" went off. We at least knew how to be civil on the air.

[Bob Wessner]

I knew I had one someplace, took a while to round it up. It's a picture of my father and his best friend "Doc" also a ham. This is my dad's corner of our basement (aka "shack") back when we lived in Merrick, N.Y. That would be in the 50's some time.

[BobbyR]

Yeah, my old man biuilt out first set out of some plans we found in a magzine. We even had call letters. It was kind of a community where a group of people would get together every nite  and chat about everything. Each group had a channel and it was also self policed. If someone got really out of hand and would not bend to peer pressure, we had a coax party and took him off the air. A straight pin thru the shielding and into the center conductor worked well. Just cut the pin flush to the insulation and some black magic marker, it was hard to spot.  
It was a nice time. I still have 2 tube sets at my dads, a Courier 1 and a 1M. Later I became an Outlaw outbanding with a modified Cobra 128GTL and 150W linear. I think I will fire that stuff up tonite. 
 

[Buber]

point taken. Dad may have even built his own gear. with or without the help of the kind folks at Heathkit(remember them?).

put down the shiny new radio catalog and get out the history book.


If you can ride on an old Honda, then you can talk(or ditty-bop) on an old Yaesu.

A decent one can be had for a few hundred $$$.
Radio worked just fine for half a century before transistors came along.(yup, it's a tube rig)
Your antenna can be a wire strung between a couple of trees.

First, ya need a license.


Cheers.

--...  ...--     -.- -.. --... ..- -.-. .-

Oh boy, did you put me on a memory lane... This is EXACTLY the rig i spent many nights in front working on a scout club station. SP6ZGK, those were times... we even once took part in WWCQ contest, boy, we were hyped for 48 hours, it was great....

My first thought about prices for equipment was - expensive is as expesive does (aka Forrest Gump  ) It's the same with motorcycles - you can have a bike fairly inexpensively, and you can spend a fortune on it - up to you....

And somebody here remarked that with teh era of global communication it lost its appeal. I think it a really valid remark. but still - got a TON of fantastic memories from tehtime. heck, I was even able to do Morse at some 9 groups speed..... 

Thanks for the pic. It really did it for me!

[eldar]

Bobby, I had forgot about the pin trick! I remember that one! I knew a few people who needed that done to them!

[333]

Hams are a bit less vigilante.  In that situation, a Ham would make a recording to send to the FCC.  When said Ham stops the recording, the control operator for the repeater is contacted, if he isn't listening already, and the repeater is shut off.

[BobbyR]

Bobby, I had forgot about the pin trick! I remember that one! I knew a few people who needed that done to them!

I am sorry to say that I was not always the sweet gentle guy that I am today.