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

[stigggeh]

New in the shack!

I don't normally bother with the older stuff especially not radios that are renowned for modding by the ESSB lot, and I'm not not a collector either.

The light isn't great in here at the moment so the picture is a bit naff - but condition for the age (it could be 15-25 years old) of it is just astonishing! I give it a quick rub down with the anti-bac wipes when I unboxed & tested it in the shack but thats about it.

 

[Chris Wilson]

Looks brand new, a nice buy! In the last few days there have been a couple of TS-950's come up on Ebay, one untested went for well over a thousand quid, and there's one sold working "used condition" for just under. I fancy either an Icom IC-775DSP or an IC-781, there have been minimal gains in RX performance since those, away from direct conversion SDR's and TX wise many current rigs are worse than the older ones! Now you have the weeknd to do some Voodoo mods to it....

 

[Feek]

I don't normally bother with the older stuff especially not radios that are renound for modding by the ESSB lot and I'm not not a collector either.

Strange people, very strange.

That's a lovely looking wireless, I've used an 870 briefly but I've never owned one. I like it.

 

[Feek]

I just removed a diode from my 5100 to enable the cross band repeater. I'm quite pleased it worked because I don't think I'd have been able to put it back.

Here it is, next to a £1 coin for scale.

 

[stigggeh]

Looks brand new, a nice buy! In the last few days there have been a couple of TS-950's come up on Ebay, one untested went for well over a thousand quid, and there's one sold working "used condition" for just under. I fancy either an Icom IC-775DSP or an IC-781, there have been minimal gains in RX performance since those, away from direct conversion SDR's and TX wise many current rigs are worse than the older ones! Now you have the weeknd to do some Voodoo mods to it....

Added another picture added earlier

My mate has a really nice 775DSP, I've fancied one for a while and asked him to give me first dibs if he decides to sell. At the moment it's just about buying radios I have wanted to own in the past using them for a bit and then passing them on - renting them i suppose An FT1000 Mk5 is on the list but finding a decent one at a reasonable price is near impossible these days. I bought the TS870 with a view to sell again, but it's just too nice to sell on knowing i'd never find another like it. So it's attached to the 40/80 antenna and I think i'll keep it there

I use a Icom IC7600 as my main radio and to be honest I couldn't do without a scope now - am I lazy, Yes . There's no upgrade path that offers good value for money from it so I think it will be my main radio for at least another 5 years. The 7610 costs 2.5x what i'd get for the 7600 on the used market and the upgrade would be minimal. I like a radio (which I can look at) so a Flex/Anan is off the cards for me.

With that - I'll stick to 'renting' old radios for a bit

 

[FloppyPoppy]

So I think I posted in here before taking about how cool some of the stuff here is.

Never used ham before but understand there are a lot of rules/licences ect in place to prevent Joe blogs from being a donkey on them though I'm sure with the advent of cheap transceivers some trolls slip through here and there.

Anyways me and one of the office girls at work have noticed were spending about 30minutes a day in transit around our work facility to discuss work matters and it's both frustrating and a time waste. We asked our boss if she would get us walkie talkies to remedy this and we were swiftly told to do one.

They haven't however said we can't bring our own in. so I find this to be a perfect excuse to dip my finger in ham radio operation but I want to do it right of course.

The kit I am looking at is what's probably the devil's work to some of you gents (UV-5R) but following advice of Adam Savage : if you think you need/want something get a cheapish one that has the features you need and if you use it until it breaks then you should invest in a high quality one. I think that principle applies here.

My use of them will be the work use as laid out above (probably overkill for what we need) but I would also like to have a listen to what goes on over the radio waves at home and have even seen people picking up the iss and that just blows my mind hence wanting a ham transceiver and not one of those pre defined 8 channel walkie talkies that would negate the licence issue.

My understanding is that its perfectly legal for me to own these and listen to the waves without a licence so that would be perfect for my personal none work use but the problem comes when wanting to transmit/broadcast. So is there a licence/exam/course that would cater for me to set up/operate these handsets within the workplace as a "private" network without the other person requiring a licence to communicate back to myself?

Thanks for any guidance!

 

[Feek]

The UV-5R is a perfectly fine, cheap as chips wireless. I've got two here, both with flat batteries and both the chargers are broken and it's not practical to repair them but I don't really care.

My understanding is that its perfectly legal for me to own these and listen to the waves without a licence so that would be perfect for my personal none work use but the problem comes when wanting to transmit/broadcast. So is there a licence/exam/course that would cater for me to set up/operate these handsets within the workplace as a "private" network without the other person requiring a licence to communicate back to myself?

You're correct that it's perfectly legal to buy them and nobody is going to be bothered if you use them to listen to amateurs or PMR users on 446MHz.

Regarding the second part, this sounds as though you want to be able to transmit, have others receive you but not reply. If that's the case then the amateur radio licence isn't for you. "Broadcasting", ie transmitting on a one to many basis isn't allowed under the amateur radio licence.

If you used them on the public 446MHz licence free frequencies, you could do this and the other person can reply but technically, using a Baofeng for 446MHz is illegal because it breaks a number of the regulations regarding PMR446. However, I doubt anyone would even notice that you're doing it and wouldn't care either.

Even if you all take the Foundation exam and get licences then I still don't think that amateur radio is the solution you're looking for because one of the terms of the licence is that:

1(1) The Licensee shall ensure that the Radio Equipment is only used:

1. (a) for the purpose of self-training in radio communications, including conducting technical investigations; and
   (b) as a leisure activity and not for commercial purposes of any kind.

It sounds to me as though you're wanting something for commercial use which means that amateur radio is right out of the question.

 

[FloppyPoppy]

You're correct that it's perfectly legal to buy them and nobody is going to be bothered if you use them to listen to amateurs or PMR users on 446MHz.

That's good to have re confirmed look forward to having a listen!

Regarding the second part, this sounds as though you want to be able to transmit, have others receive you but not reply. If that's the case then the amateur radio licence isn't for you. "Broadcasting", ie transmitting on a one to many basis isn't allowed under the amateur radio licence.

So you misunderstood or i poorly explained the work use sorry! I do want to be able to transmit and also have the other person be able to respond to me to give an idea of the interactions we have would be something along the lines of

A: Do you need a return tomorrow?
B: Yes please can i get 30 Pallets back
A: Sure no problem.

As you can see it's a very short interaction but one that takes place daily and can often take over 5 minutes of wandering around to find one another to have this conversation. They are many other conversations like this hence wanting to get a solution in place.

If you used them on the public 446MHz licence free frequencies, you could do this and the other person can reply but technically, using a Baofeng for 446MHz is illegal because it breaks a number of the regulations regarding PMR446. However, I doubt anyone would even notice that you're doing it and wouldn't care either.

That is certainly interesting but i of course wouldn't want to be doing anything illegal, in particularly at work as it's one thing to do that myself and another to involve other people without their knowledge. The above public 446MHz frequencies. Am i understanding correct that they are known as PMR and are the ones £10 asda walkie talkie sets have as pre defined channels that you can flick through? And PMR is the UK/EU equivalent to Americas FRS but not compatible?

Even if you all take the Foundation exam and get licences then I still don't think that amateur radio is the solution you're looking for because one of the terms of the licence is that:

1(1) The Licensee shall ensure that the Radio Equipment is only used:

1. (a) for the purpose of self-training in radio communications, including conducting technical investigations; and
   (b) as a leisure activity and not for commercial purposes of any kind.

It sounds to me as though you're wanting something for commercial use which means that amateur radio is right out of the question.

Thanks for that information! This is why i have been doing research and asking questions as i don't want to get myself or anyone in the ****

I did find this interesting however

THE "UK SIMPLE" LICENCE - "BASIC RIGHT TO USE THE MORE POWERFUL RADIOS"
This licence is effectively a licence to use the more powerful radios anywhere in the United Kingdom, using a set of frequencies that are shared by all users of this licence. This licence is quick and easy to apply for, costs £75 per organisation, and is valid for five years.

It is ideal for most users of business radios, and is the only choice for those who need to be able to use their radios anywhere in the UK.

This is certainly of interest but is also contrary to the licence information you laid out above. Or am i missing something?



Sorry for the bombardment of questions/information as you know im just dipping a finger in here so a lot to learn! And thanks for your help/time.

 

[Feek]

That is certainly interesting but i of course wouldn't want to be doing anything illegal, in particularly at work as it's one thing to do that myself and another to involve other people without their knowledge. The above public 446MHz frequencies. Am i understanding correct that they are known as PMR and are the ones £10 asda walkie talkie sets have as pre defined channels that you can flick through? And PMR is the UK/EU equivalent to Americas FRS but not compatible?

Yup, that's the ones and that's the system.

This is certainly of interest but is also contrary to the licence information you laid out above. Or am i missing something?

Yes, the simple UK licence is not an amateur radio licence so it's not bound by the conditions I posted. I'd never actually heard of this licence before a couple of weeks ago so it's something new on me but I did some research on it then and found this which is a sample of the licence itself. There are a fixed number of available frequencies and they're shared with all other Simple UK licence holders around the country. It looks as though a Beofeng would be ideal for these with their five watts output power, zero gain aerials and ability to use the 449MHz frequencies.

That name though, "Simple UK" - It really sucks!

 

[FloppyPoppy]

Yup, that's the ones and that's the system.


Yes, the simple UK licence is not an amateur radio licence so it's not bound by the conditions I posted. I'd never actually heard of this licence before a couple of weeks ago so it's something new on me but I did some research on it then and found this which is a sample of the licence itself. There are a fixed number of available frequencies and they're shared with all other Simple UK licence holders around the country. It looks as though a Beofeng would be ideal for these with their five watts output power, zero gain aerials and ability to use the 449MHz frequencies.

That name though, "Simple UK" - It really sucks!

I think Ofcom need someone to proof read their works

This Licence is issued by the Office of Communications (“Ofcom”) on 31 July 2999

either that or they have a delorean.

I will seek out a contact in ofcom to discuss this licence and ensure my proposed use it within it's guidelines. But i also agree Simple UK is awful. I mean " Basic UK, Entry UK, Beginner UK " all of those would be miles better IMO

I have my first uv-5r now! only ordered the one for now to have a look at the settings and such have also ordered a new antenna and programming cable for it as it didn't come with one despite the websites listing picture showing one.

Currently scanning through the 70cm band now! suspect the stock antenna is hindering this though as i am getting a lot of noise and broken signals Though im sure my current lack of knowledge is also contributing to this

 

[Ian_Eb]

Bit of a long shot here but, does anyone here have a uv5r charger base (working or not) that they don't want?

Due to a hefty amount of stupidity on my part, I binned a carrier bag out of the car without checking it. It contained 2 x gt3 radios and the uv5r charger, but not the radio. Along with three of the hand mics and some other stuff.

I have a gt3 base, but they don't fit the uv5r. I am thinking I can just get a base and use it all again, rather than buying a whole unit.

Also, what should I be looking at for a decent handheld these days? Do I *need* digital or is that just a good thing to have?

 

[Feek]

Bit of a long shot here but, does anyone here have a uv5r charger base (working or not) that they don't want?

I've got two broken ones, they're useless, effectively unrepairable.

Also, what should I be looking at for a decent handheld these days? Do I *need* digital or is that just a good thing to have?

Nobody needs digital! The Anytone 878 is a decent enough handheld, even if you only use it for analogue radio. The Kenwood TM-D74E is superb wires, whether you use it for D-STAR or not. What's your budget?

 

[Ian_Eb]

Budget is going to be largely determined by what I can get for the Alinco DX-SR8 that I have in the shed. After messing around for the last 6 months, I have decided that I dontt have the space, time, money or facilities for HF

 

[Ian_Eb]

Having looked in the base of the GT3 charger, there is a small PCB that I presume handles the charge. It is brand new so I was thinking that I could just swap it from one base to another if it came to it. The alternative was to break out the Dremel and adjust the base to take the different shape.

 

[Ian_Eb]

After some careful trimming with a Stanley knife I managed to get the UV5r to start charging. That is step one done i guess

Budget is looking to be around £350 - £375 at the moment. Do i go handheld or do i get a mobile unit? decisions, decisions...

 

[MrWhippy]

Suppose I better pop my head above water in here as I've just this morning passed my Foundation test online.
Thought I'd spend all my extra covid granted free time trying out a new hobby and signed up when I heard that testing was going online and the practical assesment requirement was being dropped.
And then I got less free time not more, because I work in a special needs school and it not only stayed open (for some students) but also stayed open during the easter and half term holidays. Ho hum.

Anyways, what now? Got to wait a few days on my certificate coming through and then I can apply for my M7 call sign.
Can't count the number of times I've had Baofeng in my amazon shopping cart but not pulled the trigger. Not sure I fancy local though and no idea if there's much traffic where I live anyway.

Have spent many hours on the forums and youtube. Initially I feel drawn towards long distance HF (but I don't have £1200 quid to throw at an Icom 7300) and low power kit builds (but I can't until intermediate). Not sure where to start really, and a bit overwhelmed by options. Maybe second hand for the value for money, but again, too much choice. Quite fancy rolling my own wire and dipole at some point, for fun and cheapness.

Might do a bit more fantasy browsing on the bay and also try and get some signals out of this Nooelec SDR toy I picked up but haven't yet done anything with.

 

[Feek]

After messing around for the last 6 months, I have decided that I dontt have the space, time, money or facilities for HF

HF can be done relatively inexpensively but I can understand this. The learning curve is potentially quite high and getting a VHF/UHF station is much easier and cheaper

After some careful trimming with a Stanley knife I managed to get the UV5r to start charging.

Excellent news.

Do i go handheld or do i get a mobile unit?

Mobile. A proper mobile wireless with a real microphone and speaker is so much more satisfying to use than a handheld. Look at the Yaesu FTM-100 (which gives you C4FM if you want it), Yaesu FT-8900 or Kenwood TM-V71E. They're all technically 'old' models but they're all very good and aren't overpriced. As for an aerial, something like a Diamond X50 or an X200 will do you perfectly well for a home station.

I've just this morning passed my Foundation test online.

Congratulations! I prefer buying new but it's worth looking at second hand kit. The IC-7300 is a very capable radio and when it was released, it pretty much took the wind out of the TS-590 but that's still not to say the the 590 isn’t a fantastic radio and if you can find one second hand, it's an absolute bargain.
Building your own dipole is straightforward and as I'm a fan of resonant aerials, it's something I recommend. It's also worth looking at a Cobweb which is a multiband aerial made up of multiple folded dipoles. It's omnidirectional and each element is a true dipole for each band so it's a resonant aerial and doesn't need an ATU.

Whatever you do, don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to get on every band and mode possible as quickly as possible. The hobby isn't going away and there's plenty of time to experiment and see what you fancy doing.

However, while you've got the Foundation stuff fresh in your mind, pick up a copy of the Intermediate manual and start studying that. It's just been announced that as from August, the testing will be available online so get yourself up the ladder as quickly as you can

 

[Ian_Eb]

Hmm... That gives me some stuff to think about.

I had been looking at the FT2D or possibly the FT3D.

Now I have the Alinco DR-735E, The Icom IC-2730, Wouxon KG-UV980PL or the Yaesu FTM-100 in my short(ish) list

Don't suppose you have any experience of these at all? If so, how do they rank against each other?

I suppose my other option is to keep the HF radio and get myself into gear and work round space/time issues

 

[Chris Wilson]

VHF / UHF hand helds aside, once you want a base station VHF / UHF aerial set up it's as much of a pain or more as an HF one, in that you have either horizontal polarization for SSB or vertical for FM, so you need two aerials or a crossed Yagi. A crossed Yagi needs 2 feed lines. A Yagi is also very directional, so you also need a rotator and controller. VHF is terrible down RG-58 co-ax, and UHF a waste of time, you need thick expensive stuff. Sometimes a wire antenna for HF is refreshingly straightforward

I just put up a cubical quad for the 20 metre band and am blown away by how good it is, both fro reception and transmission. Downsides are they are big, a bit fragile, a PITA to mount (due to size) and being directional need a rotator and a mast. I am very fortunate to have a lot of space, but a 20 metre dipole isn't very big, just needs wire, 3 insulators, a home made balun and eithe co-ax or ladder line feeder to the rig. Active loop antennas for reception can work surprisingly well on LF / MF and HF, and are very small. I use and recommend a Wellbrook active wide aperture loop. On LF and MF it's nearly as good as my big horizontal wire loop, but not as good higher up. You can't TX into them however, they are receive only antennas.

 

[Ian_Eb]

This is what I am beginning to think. I have the HF rig, so why not just sort the antenna and see what is out there. If i sell/trade-in then I am stuck with FM at vhf for the budget and then there is probably a lot I am missing out on.

Mrs will be unhappy about anything visible, so that is my next 'challenge', to construct something that is somewhat unobtrusive or stealth.

Think it is probably time to hit the books etc.