How many ham operators here

[R_Bert]

I have my Tech license. I haven't used it much at all but want to learn more. I just have a hand held Baofeng, but it's been good for what it is. I'd like to get a good mobil setup in my truck and base station at home. I built a Jpole antenna for the attic but haven't tried it out yet.

Get started. wear it out.

 

VHF & UHF are truly amazing parts of the spectrum. 

 

There are technical solutions that dramatically increase your range and capability, and on all levels are fun to explore.  On 50 MHz, I have worked 115 countries and all 50 states, and on 144 MHz, I have worked 7 countries  and 42 states (all confirmed, and all on terrestrial modes). I would have to check, but I think I have worked ~30 states on 432 MHz, and ~25 countries (moonbounce).

[Wingshooter]

Get started. wear it out.
 
VHF & UHF are truly amazing parts of the spectrum. 
 
There are technical solutions that dramatically increase your range and capability, and on all levels are fun to explore.  On 50 MHz, I have worked 115 countries and all 50 states, and on 144 MHz, I have worked 7 countries  and 42 states (all confirmed, and all on terrestrial modes). I would have to check, but I think I have worked ~30 states on 432 MHz, and ~25 countries (moonbounce).

Wow, that's awesome!

[R_Bert]

Wow, that's awesome!

I have been doing ham radio a long time. Anyone can do the stuff I have done.

[Wingshooter]

I definitely need to start using mine more and learning it's capabilities.

[Ron Padilla]

Bert, I would like to hear more about what type of equipment you are or were using when making some of your comments. unfortunatly I had to sell all my stuff so I will be starting over but have to do it on the low end, and i hadnt been in it all that long when I was getting rid of my stuff and still had lots to learn. Thanks

[glowdotGlock]

I occasionally talk skip in the 27 mhz band. I may have a few things that I can't mention here. I have talked to several states over the years. There is a guy the goes by "Motor Mouth Maul" in Cali I've talked to several times. You can find him on youtube. Me, I'm 509 waving the hand and reading the mail.

[R_Bert]

Bert, I would like to hear more about what type of equipment you are or were using when making some of your comments. unfortunatly I had to sell all my stuff so I will be starting over but have to do it on the low end, and i hadnt been in it all that long when I was getting rid of my stuff and still had lots to learn. Thanks

 

Ron,

 

I had a number of setups, but generally, I would guess 85% of my contacts were made with nominal equipment - a multi-mode rig at 100 watt level, using mast-mount preamps, a single M2 Inc Yagi beam, fed with salvaged hardline (Andrews LDF4-50), mounted 50' - 75'  (but first several years as low as 25'). 

 

I also from time to time ran the same kind of station portable, where I did hill / mountain topping (same type of antennas around 20' above ground),

 

and I also ran a lot of mobile using pairs of KB6KQ loops. 

 

The real key was to watch the propagation indicators and conditions, keep a rig turned on in the background when home, and developing a network of buddies across the country who will alert you when something is going on.

 

BTW, I am around Knoxville.  The *most exciting qso I was ever in* was when on 144.200 I heard a station in DM04 (California) announce himself.  The opening only lasted about 30 seconds, and worse, I initially thought it was on my 50 MHz radio, not the 144!  Anyway, I did not have my act together (attention on wrong rig, antenna slightly off, amplifier cold).  The station heard me calling, actually got my call & "QRZ" ed.  But, N4VC, Al Pierce in Nashville heard the guy, and snatched him up (I would have done the same)...setting a record that was published in QST magazine. I heard that station on a single yagi, 25' in the air at home.

 

Another time, I was in Oak Ridge, TN and worked the Turks & Caicos Islands on 144 MHz while  mobile using a pair of those loops.  Several other area stations also worked it ( BTW, I never heard CA again on 144).

 

SO...by far, the most important factor is a modest station, to be there when the propagation appears, and to be relatively ready for a short opening.

Edited January 23, 2015 by R_Bert

[Caster]

I think you'll find TGO home to more bacon operators than ham operators.

[R_Bert]

I think you'll find TGO home to more bacon operators than ham operators.

Bacon is good. Especially wrapped around portabella & grilled.

[Ron Padilla]

We did get the baofeng set up to hit the repeater out by Dover today and from the reports they are doing ok. They were freah out of the box with out the battery being charged and the stock antenna, so with some work we can start working that for a while. That my Christmas present from my so. I use to be on 27 mhz a few times myself as the years went by, being a former truck driver that is what we used to run, later in years the handle was truck doc ron, when I drove it used to be the muff d!ver my wife never did like that handle but that was then this is now.

[R_Bert]

Good deal, Ron.  Those Baofengs are popular.  Lots of capability for the price, although I understand they can be somewhat hard to program. Lot's of people use them around here.  Apparently some dude was able to order them for $18 shipped last year on a special group order.

[glowdotGlock]

When any of you get on a repeater in Southern Middle TN let me know and which frequency. I'm not a ham operator so I can't key up but I can monitor. Edited January 23, 2015 by glowdotGlock

[Ron Padilla]

it has been somewhat problamatic getting them programed let alone working there have been about 8 radios sent out and still not sure if they are working ok. the 2 we were testing today are hitting the repeater ok, but were not being able to talk radio to radio so not sure yet what is going on. It will probably be over the weekend before we can spend more time, I will post the freq numbers later gotta run right now.

[hardknox00001]

I haven't been on the air in a while but the 146.91 repeater has a large footprint.  Its on Short Mountain just east of Woodbury TN.  They have a hamfest every year at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park I think the last of August.  In years past I know there was a hamfest that occurred in Gladeville not far from the Speedway on I840 too.  Chattanooga has a bigger one, Cave City KY has one that I've never been to but have heard about.  Get a card in the mail for one in Birmingham.  Dayton OH is a HUGE one every year, it all depends on how far you wanna go.  Come to think of it, I don't ever really remember Nashville having much of one at all, at least that I've never heard of.  Maybe they do and I just don't know about it.

 

Currently, I have a Rohn 45 tower that I need to put up and a Mosley Pro 57 to put on top of it.  Need to find a rotor shelf and thrust bearing with the plate for that, along with control cable, mast pipe, etc.   For a base, I was running an Alinco DX-70 on the switching power supply they make through a Heathkit SB-220 out to a Gap Titan antenna until I mowed the coax in half, haven't fixed that yet.  I tried mobile work with a Yaesu FT-897 rig in the pickup truck but had too much RF noise and it messed with the transmission while truck was moving so I quit that.

 

Long story short, there are ham operators on here, even Mr. TGO David is one.  Hopefully you will find what you seek.

[10-Ring]

I think you'll find TGO home to more bacon operators than ham operators.

I'm a bacon operator...

[Ron Padilla]

it would be nice if there was a bunch of guys that we could set a ham chat, if there were high enough repeaters that could handle the traffic. Then maybe hunting info for the verious seasons could be shared, just a thinking out load kind of thing.

[Wingshooter]

Good deal, Ron. Those Baofengs are popular. Lots of capability for the price, although I understand they can be somewhat hard to program. Lot's of people use them around here. Apparently some dude was able to order them for $18 shipped last year on a special group order.

it has been somewhat problamatic getting them programed let alone working there have been about 8 radios sent out and still not sure if they are working ok. the 2 we were testing today are hitting the repeater ok, but were not being able to talk radio to radio so not sure yet what is going on. It will probably be over the weekend before we can spend more time, I will post the freq numbers later gotta run right now.

I don't think mine even came with any instructions at all about programming, but CHIRP software works great for mine. http://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Home

This cable works for me to program it http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HQZE5IA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Edited January 24, 2015 by Wingshooter

[Ron Padilla]

what we dicovered is that chrip doesnt always work depending what firm ware the radio was built with, we sent back some because they would not work with chirp The ones we have now were able to program the manual way, however they were not talikng radio to radio, but that a very short period of time spent with them today giving them the go over right after taking out of the box. So hopefully over the weekend we will be able to spend some time trying to program with chirp and see how it goes.

[Wingshooter]

what we dicovered is that chrip doesnt always work depending what firm ware the radio was built with, we sent back some because they would not work with chirp The ones we have now were able to program the manual way, however they were not talikng radio to radio, but that a very short period of time spent with them today giving them the go over right after taking out of the box. So hopefully over the weekend we will be able to spend some time trying to program with chirp and see how it goes.

Hopefully you'll get them to program. My dad has the same radio as me, and he couldn't get his to communicate with Chirp. He tried my cable and it worked, so it was his cable causing problems... Just a thought.

[Ron Padilla]

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

[Ron Padilla]

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

[Ron Padilla]

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

[Ron Padilla]

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

[DaveTN]

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

 
 

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

 
 

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

 
 

we might have to look in to another cable to get these to program.

Maybe it isn't the cable.

[Ron Padilla]

Yes yes very true :)

it was late

thats my excuse and I am sticking to