What's new

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

Hi,

We had an interesting occurrence on 3947 last night. That being during the late edition of the Virginia Fone Net, which starts at 7:30 PM eastern.

Someone broke in asking: 'Net control, why is your signal so wide?' No call sign, so this person was ignored. And, we had some bleeding over from 3950 and 3945 ourselves. No big deal from my point of view. I just twiddle the filter controls to cut some from the Lo and Hi sides of my bandpass and so narrow down my receive bandwidth and minimize it. I was operating with 1.6 kHz myself.

Now, this is super easy with the modern rigs which have DSP filtering. It was pretty easy with my old Kenwood TS850s as it has filters in both IFs and so I could perform this Lo Cut and Hi Cut even without having a DSP. Even my older TS430s can do this by selecting the 1.8 kHz filter and shifting the IF up a bit to a happy point between 3945 and 3950. The old 430s has only one IF with filters in it. Heck, the old Collins and Drake tube receivers could do this, pretty much the same way. Narrow the IF bandpass and shift it some if necessary.

If one bought the optional narrow SSB filter, that is. This is one place where it costs one to be cheap. The modern DSP equipped radios don't need extra filters as the DSP mimics filters and usually does a better job at it. Of course, I have no idea what Mr NoCall had by way of a radio. But, I bet whatever kind it was, he doesn't know how to use it.

What happens is a strong signal appears to be really wide if one doesn't use their attenuator and RF Gain control to reduce the strong signal down to where one is hearing it at s2 to s3 and then tune up and down to obtain an approximation of occupied bandwidth. That's best measured on a Spectrum Analyzer or with a calibrated Measuring Receiver where we have no RF amplification and a step attenuator in our front end. Precisely set the peak of the signal and then measure it.

We need to be able to get a peak reading without swamping the front end and then find the -6 dB points on the slope of the signal and the measure the bandwidth between them. I happen to have some older RF test equipment in the shack because I have mostly old radios and I like to periodically check them without having to tote them downstairs to my RF Lab (where newer equipment lives).

I also use the old TS430s as Diversity Receive, especially on nets, hooked to a longwire. This often times hears better than the dipole which I use for transceive. The longwire is only happy as a transmitting antenna on 160m, which it is now an end-fed full-wave.

So, now it was simply a matter of hooking the longwire to the spectrum analyzer and performing a measurement. The net control was occupying 2.6 kHz. So, not wide.

I find where so many hams never get a good understanding of how a signal looks like a pitched tent between the peak of the signal and the noise floor. A spectrum analyzer shows this clearly, but so few hams ever become exposed to such an instrument. Sadly. An understanding of how all this works helps to avoid the situation which occurred last night. Someone tuning way too far down the slopes of the signal and so thinking it was too wide.

73

Stan - w2ck
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
An understanding of how all this works helps to avoid the situation which occurred last night.
The very reason you need a license and to study before you transmit. I'm an old CB'r and I know that! Not sure if you're radio works, take it to a tech.

Thanks for the write up Stan, I got a little of that, having watched Oscilloscopes being used to diagnose the CNC's I used to run. Having set-up a few antennae's myself I do have a basic understanding of the wave.

~doug~
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
@flask28 : I'ma gonna git me one of those green tents tell the War Department she needs to start introducing me like I'm a Big Star when we entertain and I'll come out of the "Green Room" whilst "The Tonight Show" theme song plays on my TracFone!

'bout time I got the respect I deserve around here doggone!
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
@flask28 : I'ma gonna git me one of those green tents tell the War Department she needs to start introducing me like I'm a Big Star when we entertain and I'll come out of the "Green Room" whilst "The Tonight Show" theme song plays on my TracFone!

'bout time I got the respect I deserve around here doggone!
I'm cueing up Doc Severinsen right now!

~doug~
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
'd recommend getting a base station setup out of the gate, rather than a hand held (HT) like most hams seem to do. Why not just start with a huge awesome signal first, then you can get a HT later.

I'd go with this dual band (VHF and UHF) antenna, then stick it on some type of mast and get it up 20' or so (the higher the better, mine is at 40'). I've used so many different things for masts - some were not really good ideas. Painter poles work pretty well!
OK, so I getting my "shack" started up with my old Cobra 148 GTL and a Francis "Hot Rod" 5' fiberglass mobile antenna stuck on top of my metal awning.
I have made a few contacts, so I know the radio is working, and I'm starting to look at dual band TRAM 1480 base antenna. Any other antenna's I should be looking at for the 11 meter band?

~doug~
 
OK, so I getting my "shack" started up with my old Cobra 148 GTL and a Francis "Hot Rod" 5' fiberglass mobile antenna stuck on top of my metal awning.
I have made a few contacts, so I know the radio is working, and I'm starting to look at dual band TRAM 1480 base antenna. Any other antenna's I should be looking at for the 11 meter band?

~doug~

Congratulations on getting on the air! Doug is in the shack!

That Tram is going to work great for UHF/VHF. For 11m maybe something like the Sirio 827. Most of the Sirio line are going to boom out there, go for the tallest one you can talk the LOTH into. Keeping in mind you'll want it on at least 10-15 of mast if you can.
 

Fred D

Member of The Illiterati
OK, so I getting my "shack" started up with my old Cobra 148 GTL and a Francis "Hot Rod" 5' fiberglass mobile antenna stuck on top of my metal awning.
I have made a few contacts, so I know the radio is working, and I'm starting to look at dual band TRAM 1480 base antenna. Any other antenna's I should be looking at for the 11 meter band?

~doug~
This post sure brings back wonderful memories from long ago. When I was a teenager about 45 years ago, I had several modified 11-meter radios. My two favorites were a Cobra 138, and a Tram D201, both modified for 10 meters. The Tram was my favorite, but the Cobra was also a great radio. I also had Astatic D104 Silver Eagle microphones on them. My first antenna was a "Big Stick" but I upgraded that to a much larger 5/8 wave antenna.


73,
Fred NB2B
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
Congratulations on getting on the air! Doug is in the shack!

That Tram is going to work great for UHF/VHF. For 11m maybe something like the Sirio 827. Most of the Sirio line are going to boom out there, go for the tallest one you can talk the LOTH into. Keeping in mind you'll want it on at least 10-15 of mast if you can.
I know that height makes might with antenna's, but we get some pretty high winds so I went with the TRAM 1480 that I'm going to mount on an old satellite dish antenna mount that it already bolted pretty solidly to my roof. Home Depot is shipping me one tomorrow and I should have it up by the end of the weekend, after I seal it up tight with silicon and tape...
I should be able to upgrade to a 2 meter radio and it is supposed to work on 10 meters also, my Cobra has been modified for 10 meters, and I do have a footwarmer (aka: illegal amplification device/linear) like just about every CB'r I have ever met.
I also had Astatic D104 Silver Eagle microphones on them
I just put a fresh battery in my D104 I have had since the middle 1980's, and I also had a "Big Stick"!

~doug~
 
I've fallen 4 pages behind on this thread. What a slacker I am.

Just a few comments...
You can use CB antennas on ham bands but you must tune your antenna for it. Although if you tune it for the middle of 10m it won't reach 11m anymore. A tuner inline helps but it just makes your radio happy. It doesn't help get you out farther. One of my hobbies being a truck driver and a Ham is I tune and repairing CB Radios. I'm the only one left in this area who does it. Most all the local truck drivers know me. I'm known as Mr. Wicked on 11m. And I follow all radio rules. Meaning when the guy who calls me says they have a Galaxy 98vhp or a Connex or a Styker I ask for their call sign. Without a Call Sign, I tell them the first thing I'm going to do is remove the mods from their radios so they won't work on 11m. Then fix it. And no I will not re-Mod the radio. I'm licensed by the FCC and follow the rules. Now the driver wants his Cobra or any other CB radio fixed or tuned or antennas installed and tuned I'm happy to do it. I will mod but will not add amps. I want all radios to work as well as they can but legally.

I got my extra class when I was feeling froggy. I would never want to try to do that again. That was a hell of a test. I tested at 15wpm CW just to learn something new, not because my license said I had too. And I'm glad I did. CW is a great mode. After that, I took the VE Exam so I could help test newbies.
My antenna/beam is all automatic. I mouse click in a spot listed on a website and the antenna rotates, changes mode and freq, then tunes to be resonant on that freq. Then all I have to do is key up. No tuners in my station.
The expense of having a beam and tower is worth it if you have the space. My antenna is a SteppIR.

My rig is old compared to most HF nowadays. Ft1000mp. I've never played with a K3 or used any of the graphs that let you see what is happening on the band electronically.
The general test is not hard. Mainly common sense and basic electronics if I remember right. 2020 I had to re-up my 10-year license. That didn't cost me a thing. Just did the paperwork. Too bad they don't send you a license anymore for your wall. Now you have to print it out.

I have QSL cards from 224 entities/countries. I see a lot of hams are now doing WSL cards through email. I'd rather not. The old way is good for me. Plus I have so many of my own cards already made. LOL. I've dabbled with these new digital modes and see it works. Low power and digital gets you a lot now. But I'm a DXer. Chasing a new country on HF is what I enjoy. Not much of a rag chewer and VUF and UHF are not for me.

If you are going to get a General Lic. I recommend you go big! Put up as big of an antenna as you can get away with, and build a station properly with all the grounding and filtering, and protection the first time. It's best this way and you won't have as many questions about if your station is working as well as the next guy. Radio clubs are great to help you get started. But I found after a couple of years I didn't need the help or want to spend the time with them.

Enjoy radio. It's a great hobby. It can help you to learn more and more which is always a good thing. Go as big as you can. And for god's sake, Learn CW. It's a lot more fun than these digital modes that don't take work to make contacts. To me, Click click click then log is not working someone. JMO.

I will try to keep an eye on this thread more often.
 
Last edited:
KN6TBJ checking in. So glad to get pointed at this part of the site. I got my Tech license about a year ago, and getting started. I have an Icom IC-705 up in the Sierra National Forest. I also have a handheld that I take in the car. Mostly been trying various repeaters so far. Also using the IC-705 to scan police/fire/emergency channels.

Glad to find you all here!
 
I just found The Ham Shack this moment. I was gunna Barber Shop this link, but I highly suspect that this is the group that 'may' find this one most interesting.
Sure got my attention.

I'll go back and read the 13 pages soonish, but I 'am' super interested in getting my HAM license, although unless I can do it online in Canada, it'll be tricky.
But...I did work Radios in the military. I was with JSR (if ya make me I'll look up the year) when we won the Noble Skywave competition. I was in Noble Skywave twice, but the second time I was at JDCS, didn't have the same kit etc, so while we made New Zealand from Halifax, we didn't score well overall. (That was with an NVIS antenna).
I'm qualified HCLOS and TacSat. (Retired/3b medical).

But anyhow...getting back to my excitement.

This is new tech to me, I dunno if anyone else knows about it, and if you do...tell me more!

It seems they've figured out how to read sound waves off fibre optic cables underwater. Listed from 0.1hz to 85hz in the infographic, but I can't imagine why it would read up to the fracture point of the cables...

The device is called an Interrogator. You plug it in to the FibOp line and it pulses light, and can read the compression of the cable very accurately.


If it's no hoax, it's an astounding piece of new technology. And I can't personally see how it wouldn't work. Makes sense underwater from my comms knowledge. But if anyone knows anything...
 
I cant say fir sure for Canada but in the states you have to take a test on paper. Not online. The test is then checked by 3 people so no other way to get your lic as far as i know. I was a VE for a while but gave it up when conditions got bad. A VE is the person who checks your test
 
I cant say fir sure for Canada but in the states you have to take a test on paper. Not online. The test is then checked by 3 people so no other way to get your lic as far as i know. I was a VE for a while but gave it up when conditions got bad. A VE is the person who checks your test
I was trying to get it done when I lived in Trenton, ON. There was a club and examiners available there, but I ended up moving to Haida Gwaii. There is one examiner listed on the website, but I've tried calling and gotten no answer.

I'll probably end up having to travel to get tested. So that could take some time.
 
Hi,

There are online tests here in the US now. A product of COVID. The ARRL, for one, I think. I work under Laurel, and we do not administer online exams and only use paper. Some other VECs use tablets instead of paper.

I became a VE during the beginning of the COVID restrictions. None of the usual venues for exams were available. I had a smallish office space we were not using in my wife's screenprinting business and so we turned it into an exam room. We had a limit of 10 persons for a group here in NC so we set up six examination tables such that no one was facing each other and used four VEs. Then we scheduled shifts for the examinees. Six for the first hour, and (usually) four for each additional hour (to allow for retests and multiple exams).

It worked out very well, although we often were at it from 9 AM to 5 PM.

I had to upgrade to Extra for this, which I had never felt a need for. I was a General and that floated my boat. But I had a 1st Class Commercial that morphed into a GROL in 1984 and am an radio design engineer. Plus, I have worked just about all the modes and bands available to hams. So, I simply sat down and took the test.

The most interesting part is that we still use the place, known as Banks Road from the road it is on. We have at least one session per month there, third Thursday of each month at 10 AM. This, for those which need a middle of the week daytime session. And, we use it for what we call Launch On Demand, which means any day or time someone needs. Often times we get several family members testing as a small group. The space is always set up ready to go and several other team leaders have a key. :)

Then, I go around to several places to administer exams, usually on the weekends. And then I also help to train new VE teams, which means more traveling. I'll be at Dayton again this year working all day Friday and Saturday to administer exams at the Hamvention. I get to shop on Sunday. That's OK as I don't need any more boat anchors anyway!

One of the good things to come out of COVID. With that crap we have to enjoy whatever good manages to come from it....

73

Stan
 
KN6TBJ checking in. So glad to get pointed at this part of the site. I got my Tech license about a year ago, and getting started. I have an Icom IC-705 up in the Sierra National Forest. I also have a handheld that I take in the car. Mostly been trying various repeaters so far. Also using the IC-705 to scan police/fire/emergency channels.

Glad to find you all here!

As a Technician in the States, you have access to all the ham bands in the VHF and UHF ranges. That is a lot of spectrum, but these frequencies have limited range, so conversations (QSOs) are often done through repeaters (or even networks of interconnected repeaters). Technicians have only limited privileges on the HF bands with some data and voice on the low end of the 10 meter band and CW (Morse code) on select portions of the 80 meter and 40 meter bands.


Once you get your General license, it will open up a lot more spectrum on the HF bands, including access to the 20 meter band and the WARC bands. There are still a few portions of these bands restricted to Advanced, and Amateur Extra licensees, but the General license opens up a lot of great opportunities. Getting your Technician is a great start, but do not stop there. There is an entire world (literally) open to you if you upgrade your current license.
 
I thank you Stan for doing your part to help new Hams to find the way.

Ray, I'm not sure if we have ever chatted about Radio. I'm not sure I knew you had your ticket.

Altreac, Living where you do, do you know Shaun? He lives on that island too. Also known as Rezdog?
 
I thank you Stan for doing your part to help new Hams to find the way.

Ray, I'm not sure if we have ever chatted about Radio. I'm not sure I knew you had your ticket.

Altreac, Living where you do, do you know Shaun? He lives on that island too. Also known as Rezdog?

I was never any good receiving Morse code. That prevented me from persuing my interest in ham radio earlier in life. After retirement, I learned that the Morse code requirement for licensing has been lifted. I passed the tests for Technician and General on the same day. I studied for about 8 months for the Amateur Extra exam. I am now a no-code extra with a vanity call. I do participate in a local ARES net on 2 meters. I used to be a net control operator, but gave that up. My HF activity is mostly on digital modes: PSK, RTTY, and FT8.

I live in an HOA and have severe antenna restrictions, so that limited my activity over the past few years of poor propagation. As solar activity reaches its peak over the next couple of years, propagation should be much improved, so I will be more active. I have achieved Worked All States and DX century club with slightly over 100 countries confirmed, but that pales in comparison to some of my friends who have been at this for decades. They are at the top of the DXCC honor roll with over 340 countries confirmed. Most of them are proficient at CW, but I am not. Although I can send CW at around 18 wpm, I struggle receiving at 5 wpm.
 
Top Bottom