Any Ham Radio operators here?

[Aric2000]

Ham radio, Amateur radio is a GREAT hobby, it is also a very educational experience for homeschoolers, Boy Scouts, etc.

Studying for a ham license is an excellent educational opportunity, BUT, it is also a great way to give back to your community.

I am a General class ham, and working on my upgrade to extra, I work at parades, emergency preparedness exercises, nets, and of course during emergencies.

So, who else is involved in ham radio, and what are you involved in as far as your community is concerned?

[DoctorDoom]

Years ago (back in the tubes & home brew era) I considered it, but nothing ever came of it. IAC, I'm too much of a bastard for anyone to want to talk to me. <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/DocDoom777/evilgrin.gif" />

[The_Sonarman]

I'm a ham. Been active since early 90's

[Lazarus]

Im curious about it... I once bought a Shortwave receiver and I used to enjoy listening to broadcasts from around the world... But I admit I know little about Ham radio...

What is involved as far as hardware and licensing?... And what does one do with it? What are its capabilities?

[tacitus]

Use to be a HAM operator, code only, back in the mid 60's. Gave it up in 67 when I went to `Nam.

[Aric2000]

Im curious about it... I once bought a Shortwave receiver and I used to enjoy listening to broadcasts from around the world... But I admit I know little about Ham radio...

What is involved as far as hardware and licensing?... And what does one do with it? What are its capabilities?

I missed this, sorry.....

Hardware can be relatively inexpensive, you can get on the 2 meter FM local bands for less then $200, this is the most popular band. We have repeaters set up all over the country, and you can talk across counties, and some across states, and others from state to state, it is amazing technology.

You no longer need the code to get onto the most popular VHF and UHF bands, but you do need to take a theory and rules test.

For the HF bands, which are worldwide frequencies, when the conditions are right, you need 5WPM morse code, and take a General class exam, and then you can upgrade to Extra, which opens ALL ham bands to you.

It really is a fun hobby, I talked to Europe on 80 the other night, and to Puerto Rico on 40 the other night.

I enjoy the hobby, and have separate Ham shack up in the attic, but will probably be moving it to my closet in the computer room, because that way I can do both, instead of one or the other.

[Aric2000]

HOOYAHH!!!

Check out my NEW baby!!

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/0777spec.html

http://www.ham.dmz.ro/pictures/yaesu/vx7r.jpg
This is such a sweet little rig, I can't wait to get it on the air, charging the batteries for the first time right now!!

It does 6 meter, 2 meter, 440, and 220, it's a QUAD band handi talkie!! Just too fricking nice!!

[dPrasse]

Sweet !

I started several times but never finished ....

I have plans for old tube type equipment , including the radio gear that went with Ad. Byrd ... Burgess Battery designed radios , battery power supplies and special battery boxes that kept the dry cells active in extreme cold ....

[Aric2000]

Sweet !

I started several times but never finished ....

I have plans for old tube type equipment , including the radio gear that went with Ad. Byrd ... Burgess Battery designed radios , battery power supplies and special battery boxes that kept the dry cells active in extreme cold ....

I have an old tube full band reciever, whenever I plug it in, the antenna shocks me, I have got to figure out where the short is, but it still works, those old tube radios are Bullet proof, I keep it in case of a nuclear war..LOL

[dPrasse]

You laugh about nuke war , but , during Gulf War I I supplied the Navy with quite a few 45v B batteries for back-up com , just in case of Nukes flying ....

I'm doing reseach on the "evolution" ;) of battery powered shortwave gear ....

AC powered radios are "evil" :D at least for a battery manufacturer !

[Aric2000]

You laugh about nuke war , but , during Gulf War I I supplied the Navy with quite a few 45v B batteries for back-up com , just in case of Nukes flying ....

I'm doing reseach on the "evolution" ;) of battey powered shortwave gear ....

AC powered radios are "evil" :D at least for a battey manufacturer !

What, are you telling me that you can't get a battery to alternate? LOL

This new radio I have has a Lithium Ion battery, much better then the old batteries, but the darn thing is taking FOREVER to charge up.

Any suggestions? Is there a way to charge them a little faster without burning them up?

[DoctorDoom]

I have an old tube full band reciever, whenever I plug it in, the antenna shocks me ...Try reversing the plug in the receptacle. Old radios were often transformerless, and the chassis was connected directly to one side of the line cord. If it happened to be the hot leg ...

My long-defunct Hallicrafters S-38E was that way. Check the chassis voltage to ground with the plug in both ways.

Is there a way to charge them a little faster without burning them up?Could be one cell is bad. I've had that with NiMH cells fresh from the blisterpack. LI cells, being the products of imperfect man, will on rare occasion be DOA.

[dPrasse]

Toshiba is the only manufacturer that I am aware of that has fast charge Lithium Ion ...

[Aric2000]

Try reversing the plug in the receptacle. Old radios were often transformerless, and the chassis was connected directly to one side of the line cord. If it happened to be the hot leg ...

My long-defunct Hallicrafters S-38E was that way. Check the chassis voltage to ground with the plug in both ways.

Could be one cell is bad. I've had that with NiMH cells fresh from the blisterpack. LI cells, being the products of imperfect man, will on rare occasion be DOA.

You know, I never thought about that, but you're right Dr Doom, thank you, I will do that, reverse the plug and see what happens, but oh yeah, that thing gave me a huge shock, so I bet it was the hot leg running through the chassis.

Thank you sir, thank you very much, I have been afraid to plug it in, now I will give it a shot....

And as far as the new radio, it's been charging for 4 hours and is still not charged all the way, I am a little impatient though, because I want to play with my new toy...

[DoctorDoom]

This is my latest toy. Unlike the usual comm receivers, it covers 30 KHz-60 MHz. It's a sweet li'l box.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/DocDoom777/R75.jpg" />

[DoctorDoom]

And as far as the new radio, it's been charging for 4 hours and is still not charged all the way ...That's not uncommon for a charging time, especially if the cells are charged in the radio, where heat can't easily dissipate. Ergo, they limit the current to a safe level temperature-wise. You might see 8 hours before it's all the way up.

[Aric2000]

This is my latest toy. Unlike the usual comm receivers, it covers 30 KHz-60 MHz. It's a sweet li'l box.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/DocDoom777/R75.jpg

Those are sweet, I have heard some REAL nice things about them.

I can't afford one, but they are nice, my new toy supposedly can hear where that one can, except SSB, which sucks, but that is what my Kenwood TS-120 is for..LOL

This handitalkie, and my HF rig are the ONLY things that I have that are not Icom, Radios that is, Icom makes really GOOD stuff.

[dPrasse]

This is my portable shortwave receiver ...
Realistic DX440 ..

http://www.bobhudson.com/sangean/dx440.jpg

not the most high tech , but it has great reception ...

covers all frequencies fom 150 kHz to 29999 KHz + FM broadcast ...

[DoctorDoom]

I have one of those beasts, but it's all but useless with the built-in antenna (at least here in my aluminum-sided house). It needs a long-wire. It has good ears with an outside antenna.

[Aric2000]

This is my latest toy. Unlike the usual comm receivers, it covers 30 KHz-60 MHz. It's a sweet li'l box.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/DocDoom777/R75.jpg

Have you seen all the accessories for this thing?

WOW!!!

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/commrxvr/0175.html

You can even control it with your PC....

This is one of the few scanner antennas built for those frequencies, although a discone would probably work, but I don't think it would be as efficient as this one is.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/wideant/1547.html

I like Universal radio for thier very nice website, but I have never bought anything from them, yeah, I'm bad....

[Peachdiane]

I was sitting here when I saw this big arse antenna snake up! :lol:

I got a ham radio kit when I was little.... only worked on it for a short time before moving to another "project."

Nifty radios!!!

http://www.dandjradiowaves.com/Ebay/DJ-Sales--Store.jpg

[dPrasse]

Here is the Burgess Battery gear built for Byrd ...

http://www.radiold.com/byrd/byrd_radios/burgessradiopicture.jpg

[DoctorDoom]

I like Universal radio for thier very nice website, but I have never bought anything from them, yeah, I'm bad....UR is where I bought the Icom.

This is one of the few scanner antennas built for those frequencies ...For the ultimate SW antenna, try this one.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2097.jpg

RF Systems DX-One Professional MkII Active Antenna (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/1246.html)

List Price: $699.95
Your Price: $669.95

Buy two at that price! :D

[Aric2000]

UR is where I bought the Icom.

For the ultimate SW antenna, try this one.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2097.jpg

RF Systems DX-One Professional MkII Active Antenna (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/1246.html)

List Price: $699.95
Your Price: $669.95

Buy two at that price! :D

OMG, I won't pay that much for a beam.... WOW!!!

[Aric2000]

UR is where I bought the Icom.

For the ultimate SW antenna, try this one.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2097.jpg

RF Systems DX-One Professional MkII Active Antenna (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/1246.html)

List Price: $699.95
Your Price: $669.95

Buy two at that price! :D

Here is a site with some nice basic Longwire antenna designs, the closer to the length of the frequency you are listening to, the better, and the higher the wavelength, 1/2 wave instead of 1/4 wave etc, in other words, the more metal the better...

http://www.hamuniverse.com/shortwaveantenna.html

This site has ALL kinds of Shortwave radio antenna designs.

http://ac6v.com/swl.htm#ANT

I LOVE building my own antennas, I have a 15 meter longwire, a 20 meter longwire, and a 40 meter longwire, all that I have built myself. They point North south, and my multiband commercial G5RV points East West.

I am working on a new satelite antenna, using old Satelite dishes and other asundry parts, but since you won't be transmitting, just listening, a Shortwave longwire should be easy, although you said that you had one.

But, Like I said, the closer to the frequency length you can get the better, and the larger the wavelength you can get the better as well.

[DoctorDoom]

I ordered the Radiomaster A-50 from UR. I'll give that a shot. The longwire works, but it's not omni-directional, and I don't have a lot of room for running several of them. I'm not into listening to the ultra-weak signals, but I don't like to be confined to a directional pattern.

[dPrasse]

That is the advantage of being on a farm ... I could string various long-wires between trees and such , in multiple directions ....

[The_Sonarman]

I am a General class ham, and working on my upgrade to extra, I work at parades, emergency preparedness exercises, nets, and of course during emergencies.

So, who else is involved in ham radio, and what are you involved in as far as your community is concerned?
I run around in the rain, Storm Spotting in inclement weather. So far, I've only had to run from one tornado.... that was fun.

I'm also on the local Emergency Management group. So is Rocketman, who drops into this chatsite from time to time.

[dPrasse]

Sonar ?
This just a past time or a job ?

I love storms , always have ... one evening , a serious storm was coming behind us in N.Colorado,SW Ne ... , we spun the truck around to get some pics ....

just a few weeks ago , a funnel cloud went overhead of our soccer field , while everyone runs 4 cover , I grab the cam and start takin' pix ...

[Aric2000]

I run around in the rain, Storm Spotting in inclement weather. So far, I've only had to run from one tornado.... that was fun.

I'm also on the local Emergency Management group. So is Rocketman, who drops into this chatsite from time to time.

I don't live in an area for good storm chasing, Washington state, but, flood watch, earthquake preparedness, and we can't forget VOLCANOES!! LOL

I am involved in RACES, ERES, and others, as well as search and rescue, which is REALLY why I wanted this Yaesu rig, and the parades and other public service functions.

I LOVE being a Ham, but my FAVORITE function is field day, came in 2nd nationally in our class again this year, hopefully the conditions will be better next year and we can come in first.

[dPrasse]

and we can't forget VOLCANOES!! LOL

I LOVE being a Ham, but my FAVORITE function is field day, came in 2nd nationally in our class again this year, hopefully the conditions will be better next year and we can come in first.

I was driving truck south out of Seattle when your volcanoe belched earlier this year ... what a neat sight !

The local Ham group here in Freeport used to have Field Day , not sure if they still participate ... Be kind of neat to have a rig in my truck ...

[Aric2000]

Got the cable and software for my VX7R today, and am playing with it.

What a fricking ball!!!

This thing picks up everything, and can be set up to transmit on FRS frequencies as well.

OK, so does anyone have a good site that has Shortwave and scanner frequencies from around the country?

I want to get the Fire and police, aircraft etc into this thing so I can listen in all the fun...

Thanks

[dPrasse]

Radio Shack has a large book of scanner freq's ... not sure of the accuracies ...

[The_Sonarman]

Sonar ?
This just a past time or a job ?
Closer to a ocassional job. We're in the direct path of most of the nasty stuff that hits Dallas and Fort Worth. The National Weather Service in Dallas likes to send us looking at specific items before the bad stuff gets to DFW.

[dPrasse]

Sounds like fun ... a real adrenaline rush

[The_Sonarman]

Sounds like fun ... a real adrenaline rush
It was, especially the time I had to run for it. That was close enough.