******** The Official amateur radio thread ********

[Feek]

Buy an SWR meter!

Seriously, it's one of the most important pieces of test gear you can have. I've got a Power Master II from Array Solutions and it sits in line all the time because apart from anything else, it's a quick and simple visual check to make sure everything is OK.

You don't need an expensive one, even a cheapy Watson job from W&S will do the job well enough.

I'd also use copper wire rather than washing line. I've bought a few reels from Rapid in the past as their trade counter is on my way home and their prices are sensible. Good results can be obtained with an indoor dipole - Of course it's a compromise but properly tuned, it'll certainly radiate for you.

 

[oulton]

I wouldn't have put it right in front of the window!

 

[Kobi]

Describe popular? There are several clubs in Bristol, ours meets weekly with around 20 or so people turning up. I think I read somewhere there are around 55,000 amateur radio users in the UK.

Ah haha yeah, not as popular as I thought. My grandad, uncle, neighbour and a few other of my dads friends had them, just assumed it was pretty popular back then. But they have all died/no longer use them. Dads still got all his kit in the attic. The only one that still uses it is the old boy across the road, he's got some new antenna, some MIJ thing. Looks like a black doughnut on a pole.

 

[Zephyz]

Ham Radio

So I'm reading a book and the author is talking about a ham radio. I was wondering what is a ham radio and are they still in use today and did you have one?

 

[doofer]

It's hard to listen to them due to all the crackling.

 

[G-MAN2004]

It's hard to listen to them due to all the crackling.

 

[Mr Blonde]

It's a pig to learn.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio

 

[Surveyor]

******** The Official amateur radio thread ********

 

[Feek]

So I'm reading a book and the author is talking about a ham radio. I was wondering what is a ham radio and are they still in use today and did you have one?

Yes! What book was it?

 

[bitslice]

An Internet cookie says it is some post apocalyptic novel

 

[Zephyz]

Yes! What book was it?

It was in a biography, iWoz by Steve Wozniak and in another book by Kevin Mitnick. So what was ham radio like in 80s before the internet?

 

[Snaggle]

Picked up a little 2m handheld to see how busy my local area is . Been inactive for 6+ years so should be fun

 

[Skidder]

Next time I want something preposterous to further a hobby and my wife objects I will show her this thread and she will probably count herself lucky and given in.

 

[stigggeh]

Picked up a little 2m handheld to see how busy my local area is . Been inactive for 6+ years so should be fun

Enjoy the quiz

2m round here, although civilized is like posh CB. Its rare I hear any tech talk which is why i don't bother.

 

[Feek]

I'm surprised that I didn't post anything in this thread when I replaced my aerial last year. I took down the Cushcraft and replaced it with a Hexbeam. Yes, it looks like a rotary washing line!

It's slightly bigger than the original beam but due to the style of aerial, the visual impact is lower.

 

[Morbius]

I'm surprised that I didn't post anything in this thread when I replaced my aerial last year. I took down the Cushcraft and replaced it with a Hexbeam. Yes, it looks like a rotary washing line!

I'd get some old shirts and peg them to it, just to confuse the neighbours.

 

[Feek]

It's been done! I had to replace the elements and so it was up there without them for a few days......

Pegs were no good, I had to use cable ties.

 

[Feek]

I've been doing some more work with a new version of the very low powered transmitter I talked about much earlier in this thread. The new kit will not only do the very slow Morse I mentioned but also a mode called WSPR (pronounced "whisper") which stands for “Weak Signal Propagation Reporter.”

WSPR signals convey a callsign, grid locator, and power level using a compressed data format with strong forward error correction and narrow-band modulation. The protocol is effective at signal-to-noise ratios as low as –28 dB in a 2.5 kHz bandwidth. Receiving stations with internet access may automatically upload reception reports to a central database and the associated web site provides a simple user interface for querying the database, along with a mapping facility.

Here's the transmitter. I'm using a 13.8V supply through a heatsinked 7805 regulator for the 5V supply into the actual unit. It's not boxed yet and that's my next job.

Frequency control is by a DDS synthesiser, GPS locked (GPS not shown) and the 5p coin glued onto the DDS chip is acting as a heatsink.

Power output is around 150mW, lower than your average mobile phone and using the online database I was able to determine that my signal was being received by all these stations over a 24 hour period.

Not bad for a £17 transmitter

 

[Chris Wilson]

Awesome stuff, I was into digital modes for a long while until I got over my "microphone fright", but I will have to have a go with some other modes. I have a 1 watt Softrock RX/TX I have built, works ok on low power SSB, must try WSPR sometime. Just got a 60 foot tower up, and have to decide whether to get a hex beam or a wire Yagi for HF, I am currently using a 180 meter circumference horizontal quad loop. I am also putting up a big 2 meter Yagi and a 70 cms crossed Yagi, now the weather is better. Nice job on the TX So, south America and Tasmania next then?