The Ham Shack - B&B's Amateur Radio Club

[KQY61]

Hi,

My thinking is now this one is in the Clubs section, it probably ought to be the main ham thread. But, the guys in the other thread probably had that one in their subscribed list as I did. So, maybe we will all congregate here now.

Yeah, the HF bands are up and down like a yo-yo. Which, for me, is always fun. I use 500 foot longwires (good all the way down to the bottom of our one-and-only MF band) and 10-20 watts on all the bands below 30 MHz. My thinking being that if a band is open, that'll do fine. And, if it is dead, 1 kW and a beam really won't work all that well either. Or, should that be ether?

Stan

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I agree. Evan 1.5 kw isnt helping me to get any new dx. I just got to be calm, Relax, and wait a few more years. I hate saying years.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I got my badge from the ARRL for VE. So now I'm an Extra Class, Code Knowing, VE. Dont think I can get anymore behind me besides working for the ARRL. Also got my SKCC number and have been collecting other SKCC members numbers for more certificates. Wish conditions were better. I know, years. But i hate to say it out loud.

 

[bberg100]

I got my badge from the ARRL for VE. So now I'm an Extra Class, Code Knowing, VE. Dont think I can get anymore behind me besides working for the ARRL. Also got my SKCC number and have been collecting other SKCC members numbers for more certificates. Wish conditions were better. I know, years. But i hate to say it out loud.

FB OM.

Had a lot of weird noise on the bands here the last week or so, very regular almost a herringbone type pattern on the waterfall. Like an electric motor or such. Seen it before, but it has been a few years. Dunno if it is atmospheric or local. Today it is gone, but still not much activity coming through.

 

[KQY61]

I got my badge from the ARRL for VE. So now I'm an Extra Class, Code Knowing, VE. Dont think I can get anymore behind me besides working for the ARRL. Also got my SKCC number and have been collecting other SKCC members numbers for more certificates. Wish conditions were better. I know, years. But i hate to say it out loud.

Hi,

So, now you work on the General Radiotelephone, and then a Broadcast, and then a Radar, Endorsements.

73s

Stan

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Hi,

So, now you work on the General Radiotelephone, and then a Broadcast, and then a Radar, Endorsements.

73s

Stan

Dang-it Stan!
I just looked them up. Dont know if i want to go that way. I dont like water and dont think ill be operating meritime mobile. But i guess your right. Im not at the end of licening. Ha.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I have found that having those professional licenses greatly helps land jobs, even when the jobs have nothing to do with radio.

But, yes, the point is they offer opportunities to learn more about radio, picking up where the Extra leaves off.

Stan

 

[poppi]

A dear friend of mine passed away a few months ago unexpectedly and left all gear with his wife. And the wife has asked me to come get the gear to sell it for her as she has no idea about ham radio stuff. All of it is current Icom equipment.

And many of you are aware of the flooding down here in Louisiana. This lady's house just got about 4 inches of water so the gear didn't get directly wet. But it's been setting there for a little over a week now.

I don't think it will be too bad as it's all solid state but you never can tell.

Any ideas on how bad it might be and how to clean this stuff up?

 

[HazMat Shaver]

As far as cleaning, a bit of rubbing alcohol on a rag to wipe down the outsides. Alcohol and a cleaning brush on the boards inside clean them up but would let it sit for a day afterwards to be sure its all dry. Fire-up the station and check displays and see if it all works. If there are tubes in play id pull them out and then clean board and wipe down tubes then wait a day. Be carful of tubes. Dont get electricuted. If you dont know what your doing with them or with big caps like in a power supply curcuit i recommend you dont go playing in it. Damage to them and you are possible.

I think id start with making sure everything is dry. Put an anilyser on the feed line to antenna and test vswr. If good than hook up station and give it a go.
Good luck.

 

[oc_in_fw]

As far as cleaning, a bit of rubbing alcohol on a rag to wipe down the outsides. Alcohol and a cleaning brush on the boards inside clean them up but would let it sit for a day afterwards to be sure its all dry. Fire-up the station and check displays and see if it all works. If there are tubes in play id pull them out and then clean board and wipe down tubes then wait a day. Be carful of tubes. Dont get electricuted. If you dont know what your doing with them or with big caps like in a power supply curcuit i recommend you dont go playing in it. Damage to them and you are possible.

I think id start with making sure everything is dry. Put an anilyser on the feed line to antenna and test vswr. If good than hook up station and give it a go.
Good luck.

Contact cleaner might work, too. It evaporates very quickly.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Anyone else a SKCC member?
And for those who are not, it stands for...
Straight Key Century Club.
Anyone?

 

[FarmerTan]

Hi,

I have found that having those professional licenses greatly helps land jobs, even when the jobs have nothing to do with radio.



Stan
Hey all. Worked with a kid at radio shack who had ZERO interest in becoming a Ham. I only worked there during the holidays while he worked year round
He called me one summer day when it was slow and had read the ARRL study book. Asked me where he could test. Took him the next Saturday, and he was only one question away from passing the code as well!
Just a brilliant kid. Fast forward 2 months. He interviews with Bosch. The guy asks him a question that the kid tells him in no uncertain terms is a stupid one. He tells him it was a trick question. Now this kid with an Associate Degree is competing with guys with their Bachelor's. He then looks at his resume, see's that he's a Ham and he gets the job!

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Very Cool. It has never helped me in my job hunting but my Clean drivers lic helps me land any driving job I want. But you never know in this world who is a HAM and who isn't. The interviewer might just be a HAM.

 

[John Rose]

Not a HAM, but I worked here for 17 years as a transmitter tech, before it shut down 2012 and I got early retirement (but with full pension, yay!).


That's the Sackville shortwave Tx site for Radio Canada International.
It had about 28 HRSS antennas, powered by seven ABB/Thomcast/Thales 250 kW transmitter, and three 100 kW Harris transmitters.

We got a lot of HAM tourists back in the day. They found it hard to believe that only one of us (out of about 20, at the time) was a HAM.

How many of you can say you've been inside your transmitter? I mean really inside, because there's enough room inside the cabinet for several people to squish in. Almost the size of a small shipping container.

Ah. Here are five of them:

They're about twice as long as what you can see in the photo, and the power supplies were in another building.

From '86 to '96 I was a RATT for the CBC Northern Service. Somewhat more interesting, in it's own way.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

Those look a lot like IBM Mainframe frames, except they have too many controls.

I have worked on AM and FM radio and TV B'cast, but the SW stuff is on a much larger scale. Always impressive.

Stan

 

[bberg100]

Ideas needed.

I have an MJF 901B tuner to take portable. 100w rig - FT-450D or 857D. My intention is to just toss a random wire in the trees and a ground wire or 12 tossed out through the woods. The ideas I need are for areas without trees, being an avid amateur astronomer trees are not real compatible with viewing so I am looking for ideas on antennas for these areas. I don't want to spend the 400+ for a Buddipole or MFJ loop or ... I am thinking something like a 15-20 foot vertical, base loading probably homebrew, similar to MFJ 2286.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I like the surplus military masts with one of their telescoping dipoles up top. Good down to 40m by setting the section length. Probably work OK all the way out using your tuner. These are easy to put up with a couple helpers and also bidirectional and easy to steer by torquing the mast.

I have also had good luck with an Outbacker on a roof mount. Makes for a short tripod mast. Add in six ground radials and you're in business. The plus here is you can do it alone. The minus is the setup costs more than the Army Surplus stuff.

Stan

 

[bberg100]

Hi,

I like the surplus military masts with one of their telescoping dipoles up top. Good down to 40m by setting the section length. Probably work OK all the way out using your tuner. These are easy to put up with a couple helpers and also bidirectional and easy to steer by torquing the mast.

I have also had good luck with an Outbacker on a roof mount. Makes for a short tripod mast. Add in six ground radials and you're in business. The plus here is you can do it alone. The minus is the setup costs more than the Army Surplus stuff.

Stan

I always look at those masts at swap meets, never pick one up.

 

[phoeg]

N1HOB from Oklahoma City checking in.

 

[bberg100]

N1HOB from Oklahoma City checking in.

Howdy

W0BBB