Talk to me about amateur shortwave radio

[TGO David]

As I am starting to set up one of our vehicles for some "expeditions" later this year, I have begun looking into mobile shortwave (aka HAM) radio for it rather than equipping solely with a CB. Specifically I believe I have narrowed down my search to the Yaesu FT-9800R due to it having quad-band flexibility and the option of remotely mounting the core unit and only having the faceplate to contend with out in the open.

Tentatively I am planning on going to take the ARRL Technician class license test next weekend. I've looked through the test prep materials and none of it is very difficult given my education background in electrical engineering with a focus on communications.

Who else here is into amateur radio and what sort of mobile rigs are you running?

[enfield]

We have an ICOM 2m/440 unit (207?) in the car and an ICOM 706 (HF/VHF/UHF) in my truck, both with remotely mounted control heads. ICOM, Yaesu and Kenwood all make good equipment, Alinco and ADI less so, IMHO.

[56FordGuy]

I got my Tech license a few years ago. Had a Yaesu FT-8800R in the truck.

The test is fairly easy, especially if you have an electronics background. I'm not up on current laws, but at the time I got my license the Technician level couldn't operate on 10 meters. I was hearing about the FCC making changes to things about the time I got out of it.

Good luck!

[enfield]

Techs can operate phone from 28.300 to 28.500 Mhz, and CW from 28.000 to 28.300.

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

Cant help ya David but it is something I have always wanted to get into, at one time some of the licenses required Morse code, which at one time I did know well.

One day Lord Willing I'll join yall.

Good luck in finding the right set-up

[kb4ns]

at one time some of the licenses required Morse code

Yeah, the b*stards at the FCC dropped the 20wpm requirement down to 5wpm about a month after I got my Extra and then dropped it altogether. Not to mention getting rid of the Advanced license that I had to freakin' test through.

David, I have a Yaesu FT-7800R in my squad car, but I think I could count on one hand the number of times I've actually had it on. I pretty much keep it in there for emergencies, bad weather, etc. Yaesu (just like the other major brands) makes good stuff and I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Personally, I think if I was going to spend over $400 for a mobile rig, I'd throw a couple hundred more in and get something like the FT-857D. The 8900 will only do FM on 10M. When the solar cycle picks back up (and it's on the upswing), you can have a BLAST on 10M SSB. 10M FM never really did anything for me (or most folks for that matter) and I don't think you'll have a ton of company there. You can do SOOOO much more with the 857D. I used to have an 857D (before I had a kid and became broke) and I absolutely loved it. There was very little that it couldn't do. Not to mention - HF IS WHERE ALL THE FUN IS. If you decide that you wanna play in the HF world, the 857D will be ready to rock and roll.

If you don't think you'll do much HF operating, I'd stick with either a 2m mobile or, at the most, a dual bander and save your money. 2M is by far the most popular band with 70cm a distant second (around here, at least). If you're like most folks, you'll have one or two 2m repeaters programmed in and rarely leave those channels.

That's my

I'm more than happy to help you in any way I can, even though I'm not nearly as active as I once was. And fear not about the test (especially if you have a strong background). I got my tech license when I was 14 and completed General, Advanced, and Extra when I was 15. If my dumb butt could do it, I have full faith in you!

[kb4ns]

Oh, and if you thought being a gun nut was expensive...

[TGO David]

Primarily I'm looking for this as a means of comm when we're out away from places where CB is useful. Like the mountains in Colorado, etc. I'm sure there's a big possibility that I'll get hooked on it though.

[mikegideon]

Good to see some hams in the group. I've had a commercial license forever, but had way too much RF in my job to make it a hobby too. Never learned any code either.

Great hobby. I love radio. Here's one of my RF plants...

[Ropin4gold]

There is not too much "action" on 10 meter FM or 6 meters for that matter. I think if you didn't want HF that a dual band (2m/440) would be plenty. There are a ton of repeaters all over the US and I wouldn't think it would be too difficult to meet your needs with the repeater. You can buy one with cross band repeat (Ft-8800 among others) and be away from the vehicle and have a handheld and be good to go. The handheld talks back to the truck and then the truck hits the repeater. There are lots of clubs around that can answer your questions or you can pm/ or email me for further if you want. I am an extra class operator.

[Cherokee Slim]

I had a Tech+ license, and had passed the General written exam. When they changes the licenses I ended up with a plain old Tech license. I don't know If it's worth the bother of doing anything else. I have several boxes of radios that have followed me from Colombia to Mexico to Peru and back to Soddy Daisy. I haven't even unpacked them yet. Is it really worth the trouble anymore? Not asking for flames, it's a legit question.

KC4IHO/HK3IHO

Cherokee Slim

[mikegideon]

I had a Tech+ license, and had passed the General written exam. When they changes the licenses I ended up with a plain old Tech license. I don't know If it's worth the bother of doing anything else. I have several boxes of radios that have followed me from Colombia to Mexico to Peru and back to Soddy Daisy. I haven't even unpacked them yet. Is it really worth the trouble anymore? Not asking for flames, it's a legit question.

KC4IHO/HK3IHO

Cherokee Slim

I have a bunch of friends that are deep into it, and work all bands regularly. Depends on the person.

[kb4ns]

It's always "worth it". I haven't keyed up on an amateur band in a long time, but that's just because I don't have the extra cash to get back into it right now. If I had the rigs just sitting around, I'd be very tempted to fire 'em back up.

I guess I could always get a cheap rig and throw up a random wire hooked to a good tuner. When I was a kid, that's what I did with a used President HR-2510. Made my first HF contact with an old feller in California. Continued playing HF that way for a year or two, making contacts in everywhere from Russia to Australia - all off that 25w 10M rig and a random wire. That was when I got addicted to HF and pretty much put V/U on the back burner. Saved my money and moved on to a better HF rig. Nowadays, you can get a compact radio that covers from 70cm all the way to 160M for less than you spend on most 1911's. Technology has hurt the hobby in many ways, but it has helped in others.

Edited May 2, 2010 by kb4ns

[TGO David]

The question of whether it is worth it or not is easily answered by a look at current events in middle TN. Flooding everywhere. Granted, we are fortunate that cell towers and landline phones are still up, but I look at shortwave as another form of "preparedness" in general.

For me, more specifically, it may be the only form of comm we have available to us in an emergency situation when we set out to run some of the ORV trails in the high desert later this year. A good CB radio is worth about... 5-10 miles at most without [illegal] amplification. Mobile shortwave is much more suited to the task.

[kb4ns]

The problem that I saw with CB is that it goes almost completely unwatched. The FCC allows 4 watts max legal output from a CB radio. You have folks on there pushing over a kilowatt. You can't talk to anyone without a trucker in another state blowing you off the air with his fancy synthesized voice. It's ridiculous and that is how I ended up finding ham radio as a kid. I wasn't gonna break the rules and was fascinated by radios. Thank goodness for those "elmers" who helped me along the way!

VHF and UHF are "line of sight". They're great for around town. If you need some serious distance covered, HF is the way to go. When you get your Tech license, you'll have some HF options, but the only thing you'd be able to do with that 8900 is FM. Like a previous poster said, you won't find very many folks to talk to. Sideband is where it's at.

[enfield]

If your VHF/UHF rig isn't within sight of a repeater, it won't do you much good out there in the boonies. You can expect simplex comms to work out to about 10 miles or so, but that may not get you any assistance in case of an emergency.

Not saying that amateur radio isn't a good idea for you, just saying that it has it's limitations too. HF will get you out maybe 2-300 miles on 75 meters at night and in the early morning. 40 meters is fairly reliable out to 500 miles until early afternoon and you can work DX on it at night.

I'd look into a PLB for the best protection. EMERGENCY BEACONS

[TGO David]

Thankfully the FCC allows you to break the rules and communicate on any available frequency in any available mode if you are in an emergency situation, regardless of your license status or class.

[mikegideon]

Thankfully the FCC allows you to break the rules and communicate on any available frequency in any available mode if you are in an emergency situation, regardless of your license status or class.

Nothing beats HF for long range, except for a sat phone. We started using some hams for hurricane recovery, but always sent in a couple of sat phones.

[enfield]

Thankfully the FCC allows you to break the rules and communicate on any available frequency in any available mode if you are in an emergency situation, regardless of your license status or class.

Seriously though, will you have the knowledge to set up and effectively use an HF station? You don't even have a license yet.

[mikegideon]

Seriously though, will you have the knowledge to set up and effectively use an HF station? You don't even have a license yet.

There are plenty of guys around town to show him the ropes. An electronics background can be helpful, but RF is a black art. Lots of voodoo.

[kb4ns]

Seriously though, will you have the knowledge to set up and effectively use an HF station? You don't even have a license yet.

Exactly. You can easily kill a radio if you don't know what you're doing. Three words - S W R

[enfield]

Still, it's not good planning to rely on doing something you've never done to save yourself. The provision in the FCC regs was not designed to relieve people from the obligation to educate themselves or obtain licenses, but to prevent them from being prosecuted if the SHTF and they were lucky. That's not a survival plan.

Edited May 2, 2010 by enfield

[mikegideon]

Exactly. You can easily kill a radio if you don't know what you're doing. Three words - S W R

i haven't played with ham rigs in years. You would think that they would put VSWR foldback circuits in them these days. I would also think that it's tougher to blow a final in an SSB rig, because it has to be linear.

Never a bad idea to get something like this if you're gonna dink with HF antennas...

- Vector Impedance Analyzers - Network Analyzers - AEA Technology Inc.

[enfield]

In an emergency situation, ther only difference between a broken radio and a radio that won't transmit due to protection circuitry is that, in the latter case, your heirs get a functioning radio.

[mikegideon]

Still, it's not good planning to rely on doing something you've never done to save yourself. The provision in the FCC regs was not designed to relieve people from the obligation to educate themselves or obtain licenses, but to prevent them from being prosecuted if the SHTF and they were lucky. That's not a survival plan.

That's kinda why I mentioned sat phones.

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