Ham Radio Operatiors

[ctdemolay0405]

Hey all, i saw that at least one other member on here is a ham radio operator, anyone else on here?

[jdowney]

Well, not me....but.....

I do tune this just about every workday....
14227
210 GHz to 285 GHz

Just for detecting signal, we wouldn't know a modulated signal if it came down and bit us.

We also have a 345 GHz receiver and a 650 GHz receiver, but we don't use them as much.

[jonboy20]

What the hell is that....popcorn maker? There is someone at my work that burns popcorn everytime they make it but afgter 5 rounds of layoffs they are still there....go figure, but stock did make it to 85 cents today, so not bad....considering most was bought at 15 bucks. OK off rant.,.....what it that?

Whats up with ham radios? Something that we should look into? I figure that maybe the Hollywood guys that made Independence day are right and Ham will be the only thing left....Kind of like my job. I ask about firewall protection for OS/2 and I get laught at since nobody writes code for OS/2.

[rustypirate]

I will be getting an SSB for my boat shortly, probably an iCom 802

[cbear]

jdowney, what the heck is at those frequencies? How are the transmission lines made? I'm a former Navy radar ET, and those freqs are insane!

[Phirebug]

once upon a long ago, i was KB9HDN. got my general and then lost interest over the years. i think the license has expired by now.

[RandyCOG3]

Been one since I was 16.

RandyCOG3

[jdowney]

jdowney, what the heck is at those frequencies? How are the transmission lines made? I'm a former Navy radar ET, and those freqs are insane!

We're looking at astronomical objects that emit radio energy at those frequencies (and lower ones too, but thats done at other telescopes). The big stainless drum is a vacuum chamber that gets cooled to about 70 K or so, then there's localized parts inside that get down to 4K.

Signal coming out of the receiver goes down to the computer room on heavy coax cable, then gets downconverted to something usable by our data collecting filters (no idea how those work!). The LO used for tuning goes to the receiver in waveguide rather than on cables.

I used to work with another receiver that was in the 80-180 GHz range, it was more fun because in addition to tuning the LO, I had to tune some of the frequency doublers and the actual detector as well. This receiver hardly even requires much skill to run, so its a bit dull.

(sorry about the hi-jack!)

[ctdemolay0405]

Been one since I was 16.

RandyCOG3

as have i, it was a requirement to get my drivers license... my parents thought it would be easier than a cell phone....... they were wrong

[JC Speiser]

I've been in and around radio since high school - but never got "legal" until 3 years ago. My wife and I are Generals, and my son is a Technician.

We are about ready to retire, and I guess we were looking for something else to do -

I'm KI4OIU and active in the weather / Skywarn arena -

She is KI4QCC and active in the ARES area - specifically with the juniors - our county chapter just started a Junior ARES unit.

Being a ham is still new to me - I still get excited when I make a contact in California or Europe with my modest 100 watt station and some scrap wire hanging 20 feet off the ground.

Now I will tell you that I have a complete RF digital station set up with Packet, Aprs, computer interface for PSK, Hellscriber, CW, Airmail, SSTV ect. While digital is nice and handy, IMHO it's not real ham radio.

Both of us are active while mobile with Icom 706's for HF and Kenwood D700's for UHF/VHF and APRS work. And of course my truck has plenty of other toys for everything else - which seems to change with the wind!


I didn't mean to get this lengthy with the first post!

73 JC KI4OIU

[JC Speiser]

I will be getting an SSB for my boat shortly, probably an iCom 802

I have heard that the Icom 802 was an excellent SSb Marine AND Ham radio!

What are you going to use for a matching unit - or are you going to get the Icom AT-140 tuner as a package deal?

The "tuner" or matching unit on the back of my Explorer is an Icom AH3 - originally intended for boats, as a matter of fact that particular box in the picture was mounted on a sail boat for more than 5 years and traveled around the Caribbean...not my boat but the original owner. When they sold the boat and bought a condo I bought the radio equipment off of the boat.

[foxtoxen]

What is a ham radio?

[RandyCOG3]

What is a ham radio?

More correctly called Amateur Radio... you'd wear out the Internet trying to answer that question. "Hams" are people who have passed a written test to get their License. Tests vary from pretty rudimentary, on up. Morse Code, long a barrier to many, is no longer a requirement for licensing.
I am NOT the biggest fan of the ARRL, but here's a helpful link for getting started: http://www.wedothat-radio.org/ , or their main page at http://www.arrl.org.
There are many, many facets of ham radio, voice, digital, local, world-wide, bouncing signals off the Moon or ionized meteor trails... it goes on and on.

They didn't make much noise about it at the time, but IIRC, on 2 occasions, some computer glitch left the Space Shuttle somewhat unable to communicate with Earth...except for hams on board, for a little while. Quite a few astronauts are hams...

You can spend $50, or $500, or $50K, or anywhere in between.
Hopefully, others will pipe in with their thoughts.

RandyCOG3

[RandyCOG3]

as have i, it was a requirement to get my drivers license... my parents thought it would be easier than a cell phone....... they were wrong

When I was 16, about the only people that could make phone calls without a land-line connection were hams, through a repeater with an autopatch. People were baffled when they could hear what was obviously the sound of a phone ringing, coming out of the speaker in your handheld radio... heck, cordless phones were pretty uncommon then, cell phones didn't exist.

RandyCOG3

[ctdemolay0405]

haha, nice

my dad bought me an HT when i got my license, and its charged and in my filing cabinet next to my desk..... never used, never really did anything with it, but if i ever need to.... i have it - just like our guns, better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it

[gtty]

Kb5vta

[RandyCOG3]

KZ4RV (Code-type Extra...)

[RandyCOG3]

Kb5vta

If you hear N5JV or W5BV, tell 'em their brother Randy says Hello... they're in Manvel and Pearland.

RandyCOG3

[rustypirate]

JC, I have not settled on a tuner yet, although with all my rigging I can mount a sizable length of antenna and may not need one.

I will probably get an amplifier for it as well to push the signal a bit farther.

[JC Speiser]

Well, I know this thread has been dead for a month, but I was playing with the new cell phone camera and took this photo...

Here is the truck this month...it seems to change constantly! One day I'll hit upon the combination that I want and stick with it. :rolleyes:

That's a Motorola Spectra 110 Watt VHF Control Head, Icom IC-706 Control Head, and a Radio Shack Trunking Scanner in the dash...when I'm not talking I'm listening to the JVC Arsenal 6 speaker system, XM Radio and the 10 inch Subwoofer powered by the 450 Watt Amp under the back seat.

Yes, I have a high frequency hearing loss!

and...I think some of you might recognize the logo on the back!

[JC Speiser]

and...

It's only fair to post a pic of the wife's Expedition setup....you can tell that I like PVC!

Kenwood D700a Dualband Head w/APRS - another Icom IC-706 Control Head, and a Garmin GPS.

She just has the stock Stereo Package from Ford :wink:

Oh yeah, and a "modest" antenna mount off of the side of her hitch...:rockon:

[musibike]

HAM radio will end up being the only communication source soon. I still have a Heathkit transceiver with tubes. Something that they will not give you a DIGITAL BOX to monitor and control what or who you can work transmission with.

Tubes are somewhat EMP resistant. I know some of the military stuff is pretty hardened for EMP too now.

I need to fire that thing up and keep the filter caps in good shape. Just run the receiver.

[JC Speiser]

Your right about that! I run my Heathkit HW 104 monthly just to keep the caps fresh. I have an almost complete SB series station - just looking for a few accessories for it.

The newest equipment in my shack (besides the 706's in the trucks) are Yaesu 767GX for HF and 736R for VHF/UHF...I like the 80's gear. BUT my dream station is a Heathkit SB 101 setup....still working on it!

[weasel_master]

I'm signed up to take the first test in a week. Most of the questions are pretty easy but there's a few I need to study up on. Where's a good source for study info?

[JC Speiser]

I cannot recommend www.eham.net too much. The online testing modules are great! www.qrz.com also has fantastic online testing modules...mix them up and take ALL of the exams. If you spend 2 hours a night studying online you can pass the tech test!

98 % of the tech test can be memorized. I know that's herasey (sp) to some...but once you get the tech license you'll get hooked and take the General!

Good luck and let us know how it goes!