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Ham Radio?

Started by GregE, September 12, 2020, 10:28:18 PM

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GregE

 Anybody a Hammy??  Just passed my Tech rating exam today. Found the test location yesterday and had one day to study up.  2 meter Kenwood TM 281A comes Tuesday.  Antennai make the deal and $$

75 miles out last week and a fellow boater chided me for not having one to share info Not on VHF 68.  Always good to have additional safety gear.
Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

Kimbrey

What antenna Gregg?  I'm using Morad for both my vhf and 2m on the new boat.  The radio is an Icom something or the other.  Don't remember since I purchased it last year.  Now that I have the gear I guess I better get the license before I install it but I tend to listen more than yack.....I'm shy
2005 Sea Legend --Sold--replaced with 26' Duckworth—Sold—replaced with 28' Farallon Walkaround

croaker stroker


Don't you also need a VHF license if you travel more than 24 miles from shore ? (International Waters)
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

StreamFixer

I hold Extra ticket...  W7SFR

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

GregE

#4
Kim, its a Morad 146 HD   $247 with mount adapter section and cable.  Is your ICOM 2 band?

Nice call letters SFR!!   :clap:  Waiting for FCC to get me in the data base.  Advance has A**** now,  I hadn't noticed that.  I thought K was west and W east of Mississippi R.

they offered and I took the General test also after just skimming thru some study stuff.  No Go at this station, 
"What is the output PEP from a transmitter if an oscilloscope measures 200 volts peak-to-peak across a 50 ohm dummy load connected to the transmitter output?"   

"If a receiver mixes a 13.800 MHz VFO with a 14.255 MHz received signal to produce a 455 kHz intermediate frequency (IF) signal, what type of interference will a 13.345 MHz signal produce in the receiver?"

"What is the approximate junction threshold voltage of a germanium diode?"  :shrug9:

But will retake Oct 10 and will be ready then- need to find Ham For Dummies.  Don't think I'll set up a large base station but with repeaters may be able to reach home from the boat.


Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

ATGEP

I picked up a few baofeng UV-82's . They are incredibly versatile, I have marine VHF, FRS , and few repeaters freqs programmed. They are supposedly water resistant and have fm radio receive built in. Not to shabby for $25

StreamFixer

Just pick up an ARRL General Study guide.  ALL the questions and answers are in that manual.  There is also a disc that will administer the questions the same as the exam.  Then your responses are evaluated in a manner that shows you which areas you need to focus on in your studies.  The wuestions are exadctly what are on the exam.  They only change the questions every 7 or 8 years or so.  Best of luck Greg.  Let me know if I can help.

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

GregE

#7
Thanks.
I have read through the on-line HamExam.org General study guide from NA0Q but wanted more background.  the ARRL Understanding Basic Electronics and Silver's Ham for Dummies will arrive Tuesday.

Still not passing the practice exam.  I need to pace this so it will be retained for Oct 10

G
https://www.kb6nu.com/product/no-nonsense-general-class-license-study-guide-for-tests-given-between-july-2019-and-june-2023-pdf-version/

Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

StreamFixer

You may wish to check out the manual that Buck offers.  Things have changed a lot since I studied and took my exams 2011/2012...  None of the on-line nonsense...

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

GregE

Will do

See if this on-line test opens for you and try it.
35 questions of 5** in the question pool.

https://hamexam.org/exam/16-General

I just passed one-  time to wait for the books

Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

Kimbrey

2005 Sea Legend --Sold--replaced with 26' Duckworth—Sold—replaced with 28' Farallon Walkaround

StreamFixer

Quote from: GregE on September 14, 2020, 03:35:34 PM
Will do

See if this on-line test opens for you and try it.
35 questions of 5** in the question pool.

https://hamexam.org/exam/16-General

I just passed one-  time to wait for the books

You actually expect me to remember that stuff???  You silly boy   :jester:

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

GregE

Which begs the question........  why so many obscure questions that nobody will remember and will look up in a reference if ever needed?
It seems the Ham community that writes the test purposely set out to limit the "common folks" from "our elite group"

Here's some more examples.  These Practice questions are actually part of the pool that 35 are pulled from for the test and readily available in many practice web sites- no secret crib source.

What value of an AC signal produces the same power dissipation in a resistor as a DC voltage of the same value?

What is the frequency above which a low-pass filter's output power is less than half the input power?

What standing wave ratio will result when connecting a 50 ohm feed line to a non-reactive load having 10 ohm impedance?


Are they looking for operators or design electrical engineers- who BTW would look up most of this stuff or become familiar with it from repeated use?!??!


Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

StreamFixer

They are looking for people with enough interest to learn the basics.  Remember all of the details, of course not.  Learn that they exist and where to find solutions?  You betcha...  Kind of like having to learn all of the details of a helo operating system and how to fly one...  Did you ever have to auto rotate after you left the school?  If not did you know how to do so --  and how it worked to the nth detail that you had to learn in school?

Same thing with Ham radio.  Learn the basics and where to find the answers.  You may never use it, but you know it exists and how the find the answers.  If you wish to remain an operator, that's fine, or you might become interested in the computer driven radios, or antenna development or, like some of us old farts, interested in CW and QRP communication using CW...  Satellite or moon signal bouncing, the list goes on.  If you do not wish to learn the information at the level required for a higher license, be satisfied with the license you have and call it good.

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

fishmiester

Gregg, General class liscense holder here, ke7lst. I have a dual  band  kenwood in my truck, and an aforementioned baofeng for the boat. works well on the water, after I bought an after market antenna for it, the rubber duckey wasnt cutting it. I also have all the marine vhf freqs programed into it for a back up to the designated vhf on board. I have a friend that is using his regular vhf antenna for his 2 meter rig, seems to work fine. one word of caution, ham radio can get addictive. Fixer may chime in on this.
If it swims, Ill  chase it
84 17' Seachaser, 2010 90hp Tohatsu tldi, BF15 Honda Custom welded kicker bracket.#lovethisboat

GregE

About 1/2 way thru the first study book - continuing on and picking up a few things. Q code table, PSK 31 and repeaters were helpful

This is the mobile that came yesterday.  Mounted it and will connect the antennae today.

https://www.kenwood.com/ca/com/amateur/tm-281a/

https://www.morad.com/products/vhf-antenna-146-hd

still looking for my ratchet mount    :redface:
Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

StreamFixer

People are amazed at how much the effectiveness of a radio changes with changing the antenna.  For those in the know, 3 db signal change is about 50% of the power output.  An antenna with 6 db gain is putting out about 150% of radio's rated transmission power (a 5 w radio actually transmitting a 7.5w signal because of antenna efficiency).  Most rubber duckie antennae (what usually comes with an HT (Handheld)) run around -3db, or about half the rated power, i.e., if you think you are transmitting 5 watts with a -3 db (typical rubber duckie) you are actually transmitting the equivalent of 2.5 watts. 

Check for db gain when you are setting up an antenna, even for a truck or boat mounted mobile unit capable of 50w.  The antenna efficiency applies to mobile radios as well as ham.  You will be amazed at the difference in performance once you start trying to communicate with marginal stations.  If you are planning to run an HT radio, plan on spending an extra $20 or so to get a good antenna.  Hopefully it will arrive about the same time as the radio. 

When we are working with our SAR folks in the field, we can tell which radio has the better antenna even when they are side by side.  For our field SAR people, I often cut a roll-up antenna for our primary frequency.  With an SWR OF 1:1 to 1:1.2, Those roll-ups really make a difference when you are having to hole up for the night or spend an hour or so working on a subject in an area with poor reception.

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

dbhazjack

My Grandson got me interested in Ham a couple years ago. Last year I passed my Technician test, KJ7EVE. Do mostly listening, learning so far. Amazing number of nets out there that can consume more time than the AO forum  :popcorn:

Echolink is great way to tap into the broad spectrum of Ham nets around the world. I'm running a Yaesu FTM-400 for my truck mobile. Has come in real handy when traveling. I can join in at home with my iPhone through Echolink. I have recently been learning APRS. I would expect Fixer is using this in SAR ops. Wouldn't that be a great system for Arima Group fishing trips, especially offshore? While there is a learning curve, I've found it more user friendly than marine industry systems, NMEA, DCS, AIS, etc........(Check out the APRS map at https://aprs.fi) It includes all the AIS locations.

For the Non-Hammies, APRS is the Automatic Packet Reporting System. It has a dedicated freq and sends and receives beacon transmissions. When coupled with a laptop or tablet you see the location of repeaters, other users, AIS boats, etc. You can send text, pics, or see the call sign and freq that the person is using for simplex/repeater etc. As with all Ham use, it can't be used for business. Pretty cool anyway you cut it!

2013 17' Sea Chaser, 90 hp Honda, 8 hp Honda Kicker. SOLD

Mooch

Quote from: dbhazjack on September 17, 2020, 10:19:03 AM
For the Non-Hammies ....

And one who is interested in learning more.....
1. What are the benefits for marine use over VHF, especially offshore?
2. General rating needed or Technician sufficient?
Matt. 8:27    The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

fishmiester

Mooch, tech is all you need for 2 meter operation. General class greatly expands your legal operating range. Ham operators pretty much police their own bands, as in you very seldom hear profanity on the bands, and usually ham operators dont converse with non liscense holders, unless it is an emergency. Benifits are if you are tuned to a repeater (and there are many) your coverage can be up to 200 miles or so, depending on the location of the repeater you are using. The signal doesnt fade out its clear and crisp. It's not cb, you won't hear 10-4 good buddy. You don't have to use repeaters, the are designated simplex frequency's you can use, but you don't get the range that you do with a repeater. For the most part, ham operators are very polite and will help a fellow ham in any way they can. (like the Arima operators on here) You can get into ham radio for under a hundred bucks, or you can spend thousands, but you don't have to. hope this helps.
Lee ke7lst
If it swims, Ill  chase it
84 17' Seachaser, 2010 90hp Tohatsu tldi, BF15 Honda Custom welded kicker bracket.#lovethisboat

GregE

Limited participation.  Every boat has standard VHF

Charters and other dedicated boaters don't share much on VHF according to the recommendation  to come up to 2 meter given to me
Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

Mooch

Thanks for the info, gud buddies.  Sounds like the best way to get edumacated would be to jump in and study for the test.  Sounds like a good indoor winter project for me.
Matt. 8:27    The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

GregE

No 10-4 stuff on Ham.

Got the radio and antennae installed and working- had to run the wires expeditiously as the antennae lead is too short  2.5# with a Lot of heat sink so no fan.  Looking forward to more contacts and info.  I'll set it up in the house after boating off shore ends.



Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait

Ssericz

Greg that kenwood is a good unit but buy a voltage step up 12 -> 13.8

It will save your machine and also help transmit at rated power.

You can buy one on eBay for around $30
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F254375573597

Also that machine does not like water at all

Attached is the antenna I run

Fishin Machine

I know a lot of guides use ham radios, si know one can hear them talking. I need to get mine.
DDT
2003 19' Sea Ranger