XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated

Amateur/Ham Radio

///////////////////////////////////////////
New Ham here! Excited to be part of the community!

Posted: 13 May 2022 03:14 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up2u3p/new_ham_here_excited_to_be_part_of_the_community/

submitted by /u/thespacecowboy4
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Seriously?

Posted: 13 May 2022 02:41 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up266q/seriously/

submitted by /u/AmericanRadioClub
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
hsabank.com - 1000 usd to all users !!!!

Posted: 14 May 2022 08:36 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upjr89/hsabankcom_1000_usd_to_all_users/


To receive, you need have a registered HSABank account (www.hsabank.com)
You will not receive a bonus if your have new account.
HSABank will reward you old accounts opened through Individual or Group
Online.
How to get $1000 bonus to HSABank account:
Follow bonus link myaccounts.hsabank.com/bonus2022 Login to your HSABank account Click on myHealth Portfolio Scroll down Click Check bonus status
If your button (Check bonus status) is disabled or missing, your account is
not eligible for this offer.

https://preview.redd.it/usofvid1ogz81.jpg?width=1175&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba62f417a551bd1060b9c1ad76d49c71d8a8ec20
submitted
by /u/NV-Daedra
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Code inspector paid me a visit for RFI

Posted: 13 May 2022 08:07 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up84z2/code_inspector_paid_me_a_visit_for_rfi/


Moved into a new house in the suburbs in December and put up a G5RV type antenna from a 30ft flexiglass pole that is plainly visible. A few weeks
ago my next door neighbor told me "Youre messing up everyones internet. Its messing up the TV."
Hmm. OK. I told him Id see if I can make some changes. So I moved the
antenna a bit, and also got hold of some good quality Beldin 9913 as I
thought my cheap RG8X cables might be pretending to be antennas. I have 2 monitors in the shack, one of which is VERY sensitive to RFI in the shack.
It gets wavy lines, esp. on 80m. I took all the ferrites off of it, so it
would be my canary in the coal mine. With the new 9913 I get very little
RFI on it, just a blip when the XMTR keys. Im using an FTDX-1200 at `100W.
Ive pretty much stopped using 80m or 60m, and have been trying to stick to
20 and above (not hard with these wild sunspots).
Id put together an explanatory letter for the neighbor saying I was a ham,
was happy to help, theres some things that can be done (ferrites) that Id install for him, etc. I also explained theres another ham in the house immediately across the alley from him with a similar setup. Did not have
the chance to give it to him yet.
I got home the other day to find a warning notice on my door (bright green thing) saying 1) my weeds were too high and 2) I was causing interference.
I was a bit nonplussed on the weeds thing, since Id mowed 4 days ago. This
is the first warm weather and dandelions have been springing up like crazy,
and of course this is a new lawn for me.
So I call the code guy. He said several people had complained. He had
checked me out and knew I had a valid license. He had just called the FCC,
and said he wanted to talk to me before he files a complaint with them. I talked to him for a while, and tried to explain how the Federal regulations work. He said he had been a cop for a long time, knew the laws, knew the
state code, and pretty much wouldnt let me talk. So I listen. He asked some probing questions about where the antenna was in relation to the property
line because theres a 5 foot setback rule (I looked in the town and county
code and couldnt find it, but I know that is a code in many other places).
I told him I had no amplifier, and used HF frequencies, as he asked about
that.
When I got a chance to talk, I told him Im happy to work with the neighbors
to remedy the situation, and had written a letter for them explaining it. I told them that I cant do much unless they tell me what is happening and
when, so I can get an idea of what might be causing an issue (certain frequencies, power levels, etc). He said he wants to come next week and
inspect my station, and I said, fine. I am pretty sure that was cop code
(Ive worked in law enforcement) for "I want to come over and see what dirt
I can find on you" because he has no clue about HF radio. Doesnt bother me. Since Im an attorney, I probably know the law better than he does, and
heavy handed civil servants or threats of calling the FCC mean nothing.
Well, no, thats not true: Id be happy to have an FCC engineer come check
the station out. Would be nice to see what they say.

If anyone has ever been through similar issues, Id appreciate your thoughts.

Edit: I asked what was up with the weeds. He said, "Over 6 inches." Oh. OK.
Ill have to fix that. Funny thing is, this week about 50% of the yards in
the neighborhood (city, really) have these weeds, but someone Im the only
one who has a warning sticker on the door. My suspicion is that this ex-cop-code-enforcement-officer thinks hes got a bigtime code perp on his
hands that he can go after guns blazing. submitted by /u/3Lthrowaway18
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Annual Armed Forces Day Cross-Band Exercise

Posted: 14 May 2022 07:33 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upii6b/annual_armed_forces_day_crossband_exercise/

submitted by /u/Claurence421
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
I've never seen so many of the same antenna stacked like this before. Any
idea what it's for? Found in Nashville TN USA

Posted: 14 May 2022 08:20 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upjfhc/ive_never_seen_so_many_of_the_same_antenna/

submitted by /u/Beastlykings
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Six-meter mobile

Posted: 14 May 2022 08:19 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upjf5g/sixmeter_mobile/


Hey, are any of yall running 6 meters mobile? If so, are you on SSB or FM,
and what antenna are you using?
Ive been a ham for 40 years, and I know that most SSB uses horizontal polarization, but I really dont want to run a huge 6-meter square loop like
at https://www.m2inc.com/FG6MHOLOOP on my Subaru WRX. It would be much
simpler to run a Larsen NMO50B like at https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/lsn-nmo50b but Im not sure whether the Farraday rotation would take care of the polarization mismatch or not.
Is anybody with some direct experience here? submitted by /u/George_Parr
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Talking with the Moon: Inside Apollo's premodulation processor

Posted: 13 May 2022 08:49 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up8twk/talking_with_the_moon_inside_apollos/

submitted by /u/AI5EZ
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Latest Surplus Find

Posted: 13 May 2022 02:17 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up1nzp/latest_surplus_find/

submitted by /u/FlummoxedOne
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Yaesu 991 power output

Posted: 14 May 2022 06:03 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upgtst/yaesu_991_power_output/


Good morning all. New ham general operator. I bought a new Yaesu 991. Using
a Comet 250 multi band antenna. I am quite frustrated as I use the internal tuner which works fine, SWR under 1.5 however I show little output wattage. 5-10 watts. Read the manual over and over and cannot understand why.
Perhaps a setting set incorrectly ? Perhaps a bad radio?
Any help would be appreciated.
Brian KC1QIA submitted by /u/CountryCraftsman
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
What do I do if my call sign isn't assigned despite passing my tech test?

Posted: 13 May 2022 11:44 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upbfc9/what_do_i_do_if_my_call_sign_isnt_assigned/


(U.S.) Its been about a week and a half since I tested and passed the technicians test and the other person I tested with has already received
their callsign as of last week. How long should I wait before reaching out
to someone. I dont know the names of the volunteers that conducted the
test. submitted by /u/LeeHarveyLOLzwald
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Icom 7100 D-Star Issue with TO Field

Posted: 14 May 2022 08:27 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upjkmw/icom_7100_dstar_issue_with_to_field/


Hi all.
So Ive had a 7100 before and havent ran into this issue so Im sure its something Im missing.
I have my callsign entered and configured properly, however, when selecting
the TO field, then touching my call sign, I dont get all of the usual menu selections like:
Use reflector Link Unlink etc. Instead, it just returns back to the
repeater display and shows my callsign in the to field.
What step am I missing to get those additional options in the TO field?
Thanks!
FYI: Ive also posted this in the DStar sub submitted by /u/AI5DQ
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Found a Kenwood SM-220 station monitor at a garage sale, and my now life is complete

Posted: 13 May 2022 10:55 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/uoxegr/found_a_kenwood_sm220_station_monitor_at_a_garage/

submitted by /u/mr_noun
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
All my DX contacts are in the Pacific Northwest?

Posted: 14 May 2022 07:54 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upiwix/all_my_dx_contacts_are_in_the_pacific_northwest/


Im in Northern California near San Francisco, and after a week playing with
HF, Ive noticed that my contacts are skewed towards locations in Washington state and the Vancouver area. This is true for SSB phone as well as FT8
reports on the PSK Reporter map. On SSB I can sometimes hear stations from
the east, like Texas, Arizona, and Kansas, but I havent managed to talk to
any of them yet. Im wondering if this is a natural result of propagation combined with where there are higher densities of hams living, or if my
antenna has some unintended directionality.
I have a 20 watt Xiegu G90 and a horizontal EFHW antenna with the wire
running north-south. My yard is on a hillside that faces north, which is
partly why I suspect theres some unintentional directionality. Im mostly
using the 40m and 20m bands.
The effect is very noticeable on the PSK Reporter map, if I look for
stations that heard my signal with an SNR above 0 dB. There are 11 such stations in Washington - way more than anywhere else. 3 more near
Vancouver, 1 in Alberta, 2 in Alaska, 2 in Oregon. Also 1 in Utah and 5 in Arizona, which doesnt really fit the pattern. No reports above 0 dB
anywhere else, even though my signal is heard at lower levels across the
US, Europe, Asia, Australia, and NZ.
On SSB voice outside California, Ive made contacts in Washington state, the Vancouver area, western Montana, but nowhere else.
If you plotted all the stations more than 500 miles away from me, but less
than 1000 miles, it might match up pretty well with what Im seeing. West of
me is ocean, east of me is mostly low-population desert, mountain, and
plains states until the Mississippi River. South of me is Los Angeles and
San Diego, but they may be inside the skip zone, and beyond that is Mexico where theres a lower density of hams. So that leaves north.
Im wondering if this makes sense, and if theres anything simple I might do
to get better signals to the east. I thought my north-south antenna
orientation would already give some gain to the east and west. submitted
by /u/blinkybit
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
digi APRS not showing up on aprs.fi from anytone 878...

Posted: 14 May 2022 07:45 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upiq22/digi_aprs_not_showing_up_on_aprsfi_from_anytone/


picked up an anytone 878 yesterday and wanted to test out aprs. i have
digital aprs enabled and am connected to a local brandmeister dmr repeater.
the pop up on my radio says that digi aprs data is being sent, but aprs
doesnt show my callsign anywhere. gps is enabled and gps beacon is on.
help!! submitted by /u/nightcrawleryt
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Antenna Advice

Posted: 13 May 2022 05:36 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up5j9d/antenna_advice/


Hi yall! I just passed my Tech exam, and I am studying for the general exam (which I hope Ill pass in the next few weeks). I am looking to set up an antenna on the rooftop pictured here. The metal chimney (green line) is 32 inches tall (but I might be able to extend it by tying a PVC pole to it)
and around 16 ft to the edge here (blue line). What would be my best bet
for an antenna for (max) 20 m operation? Is a doublet / dipole feasible
here?

Thanks in advance for the advice :) https://preview.redd.it/e7v4ed137cz81.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6d9b36cb7655e3fd26efd6d7f8087dbdaca5b6cb
submitted
by /u/david_zhu2000
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Anytone 878 Plus, analog dual receive possible?

Posted: 14 May 2022 01:23 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upcsed/anytone_878_plus_analog_dual_receive_possible/


Hey peeps, looking to get into getting a proper radio and trying to see if
the 878 fits all my needs.
I often have to listen to two analog channels at the same time, and only
have to transmit on one of them. So channel A and B are received at the
same time but I only talk on A, for example. Not in digital mode, pure
analog.
Ive been reading some confusing mentions of people saying that dual
monitoring is not working on the 878, then I saw some people getting it to
work but they were talking about DMR, but maybe im not fully understanding
this yet. This is what I found before: https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/aseqqo/anytone_878_dual_channel_display/
So, does anyone know and give me a conclusive answer? Then I can pull the trigger on buying it. :)
Thanks, submitted by /u/Porn-Flakes
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
Starting work on a large horizontal loop antenna - please guide me!

Posted: 14 May 2022 07:12 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/upi30v/starting_work_on_a_large_horizontal_loop_antenna/


Hi all,
I’m finally getting started on a long-term ambition - a sky wire loop, and once it’s built, I will dive into the world of HF. I’ve got my general, but until now, haven’t had a station.
I have a few - actually a hundred - questions, but for now will limit to … let’s say, four?
1) the trees I’ve identified for my corners give me a circumference at,
very roughly, 215 feet - not resonant on any band; short of the 268 or so
for 80m but too long for 40m. I plan to have a remote automatic tuner and a
4:1 balun. Should I forget about resonant length, and just make the biggest loop I can?
2) I know I should have some sag in the antenna line for wind; beyond that
is there any reason to introduce even more wire, if the area of the loop is
the same?
3) do I need to clear all branches and leaves so the wire is untouched, if I’m Using an insulated wire?
4) Here’s the truly technical one: my understanding is that, for a
corner-fed horizontal loop, the primary gain is in the direction opposite
the feed line corner. But I want exactly the opposite. The ARRL antenna
book says I can reverse this effect by introducing inductive loading on the
two sides between feed corner and far corner. What the hell does that mean?
73, thanks y’all submitted by /u/Nink
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
NanoVNA-H unstable results

Posted: 14 May 2022 07:05 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/uphymd/nanovnah_unstable_results/


Hello I just buy NanoVNA-H from official store. I made calibration
procedure and begin to test it with my rh-771 antenna to see its SWR. But I cant get stable data. If my hands are near the device the chart is changing like crazy. Only when I put NanoVNA-H on table and dont touch anything I
can see that its stable. Is it a normal behavior? submitted by /u/adambellford
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
What does the Alinco DR-MD500 DMR mobile's 'Roaming Mode' do?

Posted: 13 May 2022 07:15 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up79q5/what_does_the_alinco_drmd500_dmr_mobiles_roaming/


Does it find repeaters as you travel without you having to program? Does it work for DMR repeaters only? Or UHF/VHF also? submitted by /u/fongaboo
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
solid green light and signal bars, not transmitting or receiving...
interfering with sms feature on anytime 878. any ideas?

Posted: 13 May 2022 08:02 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up81yb/solid_green_light_and_signal_bars_not/

submitted by /u/nightcrawleryt
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
What kind of parabolic antenna is this? Seen this at some of the gas
stations in my area

Posted: 13 May 2022 08:23 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/uou6e0/what_kind_of_parabolic_antenna_is_this_seen_this/

submitted by /u/AggronIronTail
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
[OC] When should I go on air?

Posted: 13 May 2022 06:00 PM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/up5xx5/oc_when_should_i_go_on_air/


When you obtain your license theres a whole lot of learning to be had
before you even get started with your first transmission, but when you get there youll discover that learning has just begun and the rest of your life will be beset with challenges, quests, discovery and dawning understanding.
One of the early and recurring questions is around the best time to be on
air. Before I get into the why, the answer is, right now.
This interminable question will continue to haunt you throughout your life,
and the most pressing answer will be shaped around the missed opportunity. Youll discover tools that assist with predicting propagation, web-sites
that explain what the various layers of the ionosphere do and how they
affect your ability to use radio to make contact with other amateurs.
Theres learned discussion around testing and tracking propagation, special modes that help create your own maps for your own station and youll
discover an endless supply of experts who will advise you when you should
power up your transceiver and call CQ.
Whilst Ive only been an amateur for a short time. In the decade to date Ive learnt one thing about propagation. Despite all the tools, the discussion,
the maps and forecasts, there is no substitute for actually getting on air
and making noise. Over the past while Ive been watching the propagation
from my own shack using a 200 milliwatt beacon and Ive discovered that
running 24 hours a day, every day, well, almost every day, my signal gets
to places far beyond my wildest dreams.
I have also discovered trends. That is, the average distance of the signal reports is increasing over time. This isnt a linear thing, not even a
recurring thing, much like the ebb and flow of the tides, varying from day
to day, a little bit at a time, inexorably making your shoes wet when you
least expect it.
While to some extent weve tamed the prediction of the tides with complex
and interrelated cycles, discovered by using Fourier transforms, were
no-where near achieving this level of sophistication for the ionosphere and
its associated propagation.
Just like predicting a specific wave is still beyond the capabilities of a
tide table, predicting the ability of a radio wave to make it from your
antenna to that of another amateur is beyond any tool we have today.
Another way to look at predicting the complexity associated with the
ionosphere is comparing it to weather forecasting. We have national
forecasting bodies, with millions of sensors, super computing cycles that
dwarf most other research, a global network of satellite sensors, roughly a quarter of which have some form of earth sensing capability, transmitting terrabytes of data every day and still we cannot determine where on Earth
its going to rain tomorrow.
The ionosphere, whilst its being monitored, is not nearly as well
resourced. Its not nearly as visible to the average person as the packing
of an umbrella and the political perception of need is nowehere near as
urgent as getting the weather right.
So, absent accurate forecasting, finding a better way to determine when to
get on air is required. That said, Ive discovered that regret is the
biggest motivator to get on air. The day after a contest when a friend made
a contact with an amazing station, or the lunch break where I didnt power
the radio on to discover a random opening to a clamouring horde of calls looking to make contact.
So, my best advice to you is to get on air whenever you can. You might not
make a contact every time, but youll discover what the bands look like
right now and youll have the chance of hitting the jackpot with a rare
contact and truth be told, I think your chances of making a contact are
higher than winning the lottery.
When you do take that step, youll start discovering the ebb and flow of the bands, discover the characteristic sound that each band makes and what a
band sounds like when its open and when its not. Youll hear stations far
and wide, discover that while there are trends in propagation, there are no rules. From one moment to the next, youll discover the thrill of hearing something unexpected.
One thing to consider, if you get on air for the sole purpose to make
contacts, youre likely going to be disappointed. Its like fishing. Most
people dont get up at some crazy hour, sit on a damp jetty, freezing parts
of their anatomy off for the sole purpose of catching fish.
So, get on air and make some noise, today.
Im Onno VK6FLAB
TL;DR This is the transcript of the weekly Foundations of Amateur Radio
podcast - for other episodes, see http://vk6flab.com/ submitted by
/u/vk6flab
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
I designed a tiny crossband repeater/APRS transceiver for weather balloons. Hoping for some feedback before I get the board made

Posted: 13 May 2022 03:40 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/uooun3/i_designed_a_tiny_crossband_repeateraprs/

submitted by /u/scd31
[link] [comments]

///////////////////////////////////////////
What to do about music playing on a repeater?

Posted: 13 May 2022 11:28 AM PDT https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/uoy3ln/what_to_do_about_music_playing_on_a_repeater/


Someone is playing Always on Time by Emotional Orange and Where I wanna be
Boy by Miss Jones on repeater K3YGG. submitted by /u/joe_rt
[link] [comments]

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)