Anyone going to be at the Jeffco Hamfest Sunday? I'm going!
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Anyone going to be at the Jeffco Hamfest Sunday? I'm going!
i can head up there soon if you needQuote:
Originally Posted by jim
but the number of teeth is the true questionQuote:
Originally Posted by Irving
cool thanks mainly etiquette is what I am lackingQuote:
Originally Posted by gnihcraes
no wife no GF..... I do what I wantsQuote:
Originally Posted by streetglideok
cutting hay but I will shoot you a txt tomorrow want to hit some simplex and see if we can talk now that I am legitQuote:
Originally Posted by rbeau30
Awesome! lemme know where you are transmitting I'll monitor as I'm driving out there.
I should be there ~ 9am. Let me know if there is a meet up time and place. Ask about anyone working the show if they have seen K B 0 U Q T and they will point me out. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by rbeau30
I'll monitor 146.520 simplex and 145.490, it is the repeater "talk in" for anyone needing directions and stuff usually. RED Honda FIT.
Hamfest parking lot is a great place to get ideas on mounting antennas.
Is there a website for this? When and where? I might be able to go...Quote:
Originally Posted by rbeau30
One other thing. Some in my neighborhood are asking about what would be a neighborhood net. The desire is to be able to selectively net about 100 homes over a 3/4 mile diameter, and be able to restrict conversation to only those 100 or so designated homes. The digital eXRS radios sounded about ideal, but they went out of business last August. FRS and GMRS are out because of the eavsdropping problem, as are ham frequencies.
I am hearing there may be a sort of "radio" that may suit our needs just fine - the Motorola/Nextel i355. These are sort of dual mode radios made a few years ago. In one mode (maybe the primary mode), they are a digital cell phone that uses a proprietary cell communication technology. In the other mode, they are a digtal 900 MHz radio with encoded communications that can be programmed with all of the addresses in a net. You can call point-to-point, point-to-selective group, or point to net. They are only about 1/2 watt or so, and from what I hear have about a 1.5 or 2 mile max range. I looked on Ebay, and used i355s are available for $25 - $50 ea. The reason they are so cheap is the digital cell network went under last year or so, and the cell phone part is now useless.
My question is if you guys have heard of these and can shed additional light on them, or know of other suitable technologies that don't require a test, a license, are cheap, easy to use, and prevent eavsdropping?
Me too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Singlestack
As you wishedQuote:
Originally Posted by Singlestack
http://www.w0tx.org/hamfest.htm
I already blew a enough on a new mobile radio a few weeks ago, I have to be good for a while.
I'll monitor that as well, I'll probably be there already though.
Grey Dodge Ram 1500
Pick that one out in a crowd!
I'll be there in the late morning to check out the new user Q&A event. Do you think I can pick up some how to books there?Quote:
Originally Posted by streetglideok
Heading out shortly, need to hit the ATM and then the show for a snack. (doughnut)
Heading there too. Will be in black motorcycle shirt with Glock hat.Quote:
Originally Posted by gnihcraes
-just back from it, tech done, general next.
Good. I need to study and do for general.Quote:
Originally Posted by hatidua
I'm blocking your truck so you can't get in it. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by SuperiorDG
Congrats on passing. Should know your callsign within a week.Quote:
Originally Posted by hatidua
Thanks. I'm primarily interested in 2M and thus would stop at this point but I want my (deceased) father's call sign so I'll need to pass the general in order to obtain that.Quote:
Originally Posted by streetglideok
So I'm back from hamfest. It's crazy how this happened right when I was looking for just this kind of information. Sighed up to DRC with the help of gnihcraes, thanks. Did not spend much time taking with him, but my brain was pretty overwhelmed. Spent a little money on programming software for the Baofeng and picked another one up and a big battery and car port thing. There is a lot for me to learn but this HAM radio is not as intimidating as first thought. I think once I get a chance to learn a little more then I will GTG.
You'll get the hang of it, just take one thing at a time. Learn the frequencies for 2 meter and program your radio, listen to the folks, study a book, play with practice tests online. I took the practice test for general the other night, no studying, bombed it. lol. 40% or something like that, but I figure not bad for never studying.Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperiorDG
PM for help and questions you may have. Show up to a meeting or two, visit with some folks, most are very very smart people. They will help and explain things.
As we discussed, don't get all worried about the weird ham radio slang, QSL QSO QRP all that jargon.
GnihcraessearchinG
I saw this go out today on a ham mailing list:
Quote:
Come join us for a half day workshop aimed primarily at the new Technician Licensees and the soon to be General Licensees to help them learn more about amateur radio.
While you’re here you’ll learn what it takes to be a ham radio operator, experience a live working emergency net, try out a myriad of antennas, check out some sweet mobile radio installations, and ask an Elmer, “What the heck is the difference between AM, FM and SSB?” Getting started in ham radio has never been so much fun!
When: Saturday, September 14th, 2013
Times: 9 am - 2 pm
Where: Prairie Winds Elementary School
790 King’s Deer Point East Monument, CO 80132
For more information contact James (KDØMFO) at james@hamradioschool.com or visit www.w0tlm.com.
Thanks ChadAmberg! Looks like just what I need to get started...Quote:
Originally Posted by ChadAmberg
Well, I think I reached a crossroads of sorts in my ham radio investigation. After joining ARRL, I read the ARRL operators guide and talked to many ham operators. My conclusion is, at least at this point in my life, that I'm not putting together a base station or home HF rig. A mobile rig is to me a very different proposition, and I do believe I want a mobile rig, possibly with HF too.
The main reason I'm not putting a home rig together is more or less lifestyle related. My job is already extremely sedentary, and puts my butt in a chair for 40-50 hours a week. Add in normal email and internet usage, and that is a LOT of hours on my tail. I really don't need another hobby that sits me down for even more hours - I just physically can't do that. I have observed many of the members of state radio clubs, and observe that most members seem to be some combination of elderly, handicapped, or quite obese. For them, I get it - but I don't fit into those categories (yet).
The other thing I am discovering is the learning curve for effective HF comms is very steep compared to line of sight UHF/VHF. The dollar investment is considerably higher, as well.
I may well decide at some point that the station investment is worthwhile, but for now its on ice. My next area of investigation is likely to be line of sight semi-secure comms - and I'm getting further along that path. Anyway, just an update...
That and rag-chewing gets REALLY old REALLY fast.. I don't like people. Why the eff would I want to talk to more of them. Just to tell them how their signal is doing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Singlestack
At least on the Interwebs the stuff is categorized and indexed so I can search for it later.
I'd make the drive down for that but have had something else pencil'd in for that date for months now.Quote:
Originally Posted by ChadAmberg
Can't say I blame you on that. I've had my general for a little over a year now, and still do 2m/440 only. Now I, and you both have learned a little bit with working local events, etc, but HF is a different breed. It can turn into a lot of money really fast, and I already have a bunch of irons in the fire now. If or when I do get into HF, I think it'll be portable operations only for now. If we were in a seismically active area, or hurricane prone area I would look at it differently. Other than Yellowstone, we are pretty benign here. I think(call the fire dept) that getting something like the icom 718 or similar, a tuner, and stuff to make a dipole antenna or a couple of them, or wire antennas to run in trees would keep things rather inexpensive, but it's going to be a while, at least till we can get black jesus out of the whitehouse and get the country moving again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Singlestack
You know, I felt both elated and saddened by this little epiphany I had. On one hand, it means I'm making the conscious decision to limit my time going down a somewhat bottomless pit but on the other hand it means I'm intentionally giving up experiencing point-to-point very long distance communications - which was the motivating factor for me going into ham radio in the first place. Kind of a wierd feeling...
I wouldn't completely scratch it off the list. I think it is feasible to get into HF without a ton of money, but it won't happen at home. Finding a radio that isn't an arm and a leg won't be hard, its learning to make your own antenna and save a lot there that will be. I don't think either of us fit the "contester" description,lol
Having grown up being surrounded by parents/uncles/grandparents/etc. that participated in the HF game nightly, I guess the fascination-factor just isn't there for me. My dad, every night, would stay up into the wee hours of the morning communicating (sorry, "working stations"...) all over the world in a quest to get all those cute little cards with a photo and the other persons' call sign on them (QSL cards). For me, getting the license was strictly about being able to run 2M between my wife and I. I took the test last month, she takes it tomorrow. I have no interest, whatsoever, in hearing one-on-one, how some sheep rancher in NZ is doing, or working the station on Pitcairn simply to check that one off the to-do list. I wholeheartedly support those that do, but it was never my intent and remains outside the scope of interest for me.
I had to zoom waaaay out on Google Maps for that one!Quote:
Originally Posted by hatidua
Couple of stories that popped up today about local hams. Some members of this site may have been involved with the recent activity.
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1035767
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingne...lp-emergencies
I've not been involved. Not sure I will unless it really gets bad and they needs a lot of help. I don't think in all my ham years, and club membership, have I been needed for much. it's a bit of a "clique" as to who will be helping in an emergency. There are folks in clubs and part of the EOC's that thrive on emergency communications, they will be first in line. (10 radios in the car, 20 antennas, type of guy) :)
For years, I had an emergency kit, radios, manuals, antennas, batteries, all the "stuff" and never ever was able to use it. But that is how it goes. All the pieces are still here, but not ready.
Hey guys, my neighbor has some old antenna in his parents attic. It is old stuff, probably from the 1970's. He doesn't remember what it is specifically and some of it might not even be there. Is an antenna like that something that someone would want, or will it be outdated? I already asked him if he would let it go and he said that he would.
Worth taking a look at, just have to figure out what it is, and I know people who could help if we can't get it done. :)
take some pics, or grab it and then we can try to piece it together.
Rather have the stuff to use and not use it, then have a need but nothing to use. Haven't been asked to help here but once for a shelter this year, so far. Down here, its not the clubs that participate, its RACES and ARES. Definitely some of those 10 radios in a car guys out there, but not enough to handle everything if it goes down like it did in boulder and Larimer counties. I didn't get involved with the expectation of doing stuff. I did so with the idea of, if they need me, I'll help.
I see that Jack Ciaccia is involved with both articles. He is one of our senior BCARES guys, and I worked the emergency net with him on Friday.Quote:
Originally Posted by streetglideok
NBC news did a pretty good story that included our radio desk at the Boulder EOC: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly...7369/#53027369
At about 2:30 to 2:50 you see a quick view of the situation room at the EOC, followed by the radio desk. Jack is the guy in the blue shirt. The guy in the black shirt is Allen Bishop, who is (among other things) our technical coordinator and liaison with the Boulder Cty Sheriffs dept. I just posted another thread with other pictures of the radio desk when I was there on Friday.
Not sure if it is visible, but the Yaesu 897 on the right is used for packet.
I met Jack a few months ago at our quarterly meeting, as well as the SEC. They asked for volunteers tonight to sign up for the possibility of filling in for region 1, to give some of you a little break.
More help is always needed...