Amateur radio

[Terranosaurus]

I kinow we've a few ham users on here so thought I'd ask your advice.

I got my Foundation License a few weeks back -infact you may have seen me in the pic in the RSGB mag - will probably do intermediate in due course and if thats not too bad maybe full - but really I got it to be able to use the radios as a tool to do other things not a hobby in its own right if you know what I mean.

Anyway I'm looking fior a set for mobile use, mainly 2m and 10m I suppose but would be nice to have vhf and uhf incase I fancy using it more extensively. Main use will be with others out green laning and 4x4 Response work.

Advice sought on rigs and twigs suitable for mobile use.

Might also go for a 2m handheld if anyone has any advice on them that would be useful too.

 

[Deleted Member S]

Hi HB :smile: I would have a chat with Cosmic as he's really into his radio's :smile: but it'll be a day or two before he's back on :smile:

 

[jims-terrano]

Hi HB, glad to hear you got a license. If or when you want to do your next course look us at North Wakefield Club.
Anyway how about a Yaesu 8900 mobile rig, 2,70, 6 and 10 with wide band receive. I have heard of people opening these radios up to have wide band transmit. I've had the 8800 which is the same only just 2 and 70, this has been a cracking radio.
Try the Yaesu VX7 hand held, this is again wide band receive but transmits on 2, 70 and 6. However these too can be opened up in the same way.

I think this could tie in well with your 4x4 response, if you ever do an event you could be a link between RAYNET.

Drop me a PM if you want to know anything else I'm more than happy to help you.


Jim T

 

[Terranosaurus]

Thanks for that 8800 and 800 seem tobe the ones others i know are going for though some have opted for 857s but i rally can't justify that sort of expense (or maybe i can, but.....)

Mario Brashill from RSGB and Ian Reynolds (one of our members) who's just done his train the trainer course are looking at putting something together but if that doesn't come together might take you up, wakefield just down the road really.

 

[andian61]

Amateur Radio

Hi mate not long since sent off for my licence after having passed it in 1987 (old city and guilds style). Anyway glad you have taken the first step and can certainly recommend a mobile ariel that is good to use on both 2m and 70cms if required that I bought new for £19.99. Ive just got to have a look at it as it is left on the vehicle or failing that find the wrapper for it so keep you posted on that bit of info. As for my first rig I have gone for a nice little Yaesu 8900R that is a quad banded set catering for 10 metres 6m 2m and 70cm this I bought via the net for £250 which I feel is excellent for the money. Oh just to say from what I was seeing on these pages I thought CB radio was the main radio of choice for green laning and such or am I mistaken (dont worry I am a CBer also so as not to ruffle any feathers but I feel those amateurs now groan as they see me admitting to that oh well cant please all of the people all of the time only some maybe some of the time). Andy

 

[Terranosaurus]

Yes CB is the method of choice for most of the 4x4 community but since I go out with Humber Yorks 4x4 Response quite often green laning and over a third of us are now licensed (we had 11 pass the foundation just the other week and have a few Full license holders too) I suspect we'll be using ham if only for the novelty value, everyone will still have their cb rigs still in place I'm sure.


Advice on aerials definitely sort - wish they did a springer for amateur, I've knocked ten bells out of mine and its still like new, mag mount never failed either, though its on a solid mount now.

 

[jims-terrano]

Forgot to mention that I use a Watson Dual Band antenna, no specific model. It's approx 1m and has a small coil at the bottom, this has twanged on many a low branch the odd time that I have been out and about. I converted a truck mirror mounting for my roof bars for the aerial. If your worried get two, a taller one for normal use and better performance and get one of those small floppy mag mount aerials that are very thin and floppy and about 14inch tall. They sell for about a tenner.

Try Lee at LAM in Hoyland nr Barnsley or Steve at LAR on the A650 just off Junction 41.

Nothing to be ashamed about using CB, it still has it's uses such as GL. I have to admit the last time I heard one it seemed to be full of swearing local yobs, I guess it is the reason why some people dislike it.

Jim T

 

[Deleted Member]

Congratulations HB on getting your licence! :wink:
As I'm only a "MM" in your case an "M",we are capped at 10w at the minute and I'm sure we can only use 2m and 70cms
Probably changed again.. :lol:
I just use a kenwood dual bander handset in the car,just plug in car supply and attach a mag mount via connectors!
In my area,which has loads of valleys.On S20(calling ch) we get the same range as on the cb's,were lucky round here as in that there are only truckers on the cb's here and a few others,that i could count on one hand.
But if you go into the city's you still get the muppets!
Repeaters are very good though,i have three to choose from,one which has a huge footprint,right from Dundee across to Glasgow and down into North Northumberland!
Just working on getting a better set up in the house for 2m!!
I use Echolink on the computer,i know a lot of peeps don't like it,but it's the only way i can speak state side!!

:lol: :lol:

 

[Draconis]

Ahhh the good ole days

I considered going for my Ham licence years ago, I would have walked it having been in the Royal Signals, I laughed at the minimum morse speed they required 11 wpm wasn't it ? I was a turbo morse monkey in my day and could whack out 35- 40 wpm on a door knocker and receive at over 75wpm AND transcribe to teleprinter .... alas I never seemed to have the time for it shame

do they still require morse for the licence ?

 

[Terranosaurus]

To get your foundation license you just need an understanding of morse - which in reality means you have to send 1 or 2 words at any speed you like as long as it can be understood and receive a small handful too, but you can have a cheat sheet in front of you and ask for it repeating as many times as you want and as slow as you want - so really no you don't need to know morse just know how it works and be able to read.

IIRC you need to get 18 or more out of 25 on the exam and need to do a shot practical session using an instructors callsign, I spoke to someone just outside Milton Keynes from up in North Yorkshire.


We've got a bulk purchase deal going on with Waters and Stanton but might nip into one of those local shops, Jim, as I want another springer and mount as I'm putting a cb in my van.

 

[Terranosaurus]

Steve

yeah I've got M3XNS (my truck is XMS - shame not the same)

We're allowed to use the whole ham spectrum just with limited power, I'll find a link to the schedule and band plan and post it later.

 

[Deleted Member]

So we might be hearing you on your local repeater then,which is??? :lol:
If it's on Echolink i might hear you on sometime!!
:lol:

 

[Terranosaurus]

Various from what I've gathered, not sure what my local one is, not looked into them yet - no kit not an issue yet.

think I'm going to go for the 8900, the crossband talkthrough function could be really useful for response work and the 330 difference over the 8800 gives me 6m and 10m, which I'm led to believe should allow me to get alot further when conditions are right for it to skip.

Probably just get a 70cm/2m mobile antennae for now and looking it to something for 6m/10m later.

 

[andian61]

CB versus Amateur Radio

Hey I am definitely not ashamed to be a CBer and Amateur radio enthusiast as you can never deny your roots I say. Unfortunately I have twice been in convos on a repeater jst to say hi and have made the mistake of using what is termed CB language much to the irritation of some of the established amateur radio guys who have made very childish comments. I have said to them in no uncertain terms that I do not appreciate having waited so long to get my license to be treated in this way (one guy saying I must be a pirate as I wouldnt be talking this way otherwise). He eventually apologised but what a way to carry on and isnt exactly welcoming more recently I made the mistake of saying my personal is Andy which I admitted whilst I was talking could be a CB term however when I had signed off I heard a guy saying its quite simple just talk as you would do usually in English. does he not realise that CB language is a habit formed by using a microphone and I have been a CBer on and off since 1981 so hard habit to break at this stage. Fortunately I am not a youngster or someone who is easily put off seeing as I have spent a few hundred quid into the bargain to get on air so to speak (beggining to wonder was it worth it). Hey anyway sorry for the wing but thought I would say I wished I was nearer to some of you guys at least you would be more sympathetic to my occassional slip ups lol. Oh now to my original reason for posting Hummingbird the Aerial I got for both 2M and 70cm was a NR770H Dual Band Antenna converted to use a Mag mount and would definitely recommend the 8900 as you mentioned. Is that a Rog see cant help myself heheheh. Andy

 

[jims-terrano]

Heyup Andy, where abouts is your 20 -rotfl- or QTH to us G3's -rotfl-

Perhaps us hams on here could arrange to meet up on Echo Link sometime. CB has it's place but unfortunately like most things in life it gets abused by the few. I don't worry if people cut their teeth on CB as necomers to the hobby are needed or it will die simple as that. As you have noticed ham radio suffers from the few too.

Jim T

 

[andian61]

Hi JIm

Sorry not responded sooner my 20 or QTH is just outside Manchester near a town called Bury. Just wondering what repeater you usually operate on might be worth making a mutually agreeable date and time to see if we can contact each other. I have finally after quite a few months waiting got a home base ariel now in place so hope to hear from one or more of you guys from here. Andy

 

[Terranosaurus]

Jim - I gather Neil bought your 7800, he's kicking himslef though LAM have got a 2nd hand 8900 in with 22month warranty for £199 and I'm picking it up tomorrow :smile:

I'm in a hole here (about 9m above sea level) and even going up the road I just can't seem to open any of the repeaters around, though they're all a fair distance and my Kenwood handheld is only giving 2.5watt so all being well I should be able to open HD and HS from here with the proper rig and antennae, a friend was getting into Hudders and Sheff from Hull at the weekend DX on 10watt, but he was at Melton on a nice hill - we'll see....

 

[jims-terrano]

Hi H, yeah he did and I got to admit if I had seen the 8900 for that price it would of had my name on it.
Can you hear any repeaters??? If you can hear them but can't access them ensure the correct CTCSS is set. It's all flat around Selby so you should be able to open several. Send me a pm if you want then we don't bore everyone.

Jim

 

[Deleted Member]

HB sounds like your Kenwood is on half power?

 

[Terranosaurus]

Only puts out 2.5watt on the battery I have, with the bigger battery or running on battery eliminator it ramps up to 5w, being an old one the batteries where pretty poor I suppose back hen so it will have een a battery saving feature - not adjustable to my knowledge.