/diy/ - Do It Yourself

The correct link for the preview seeing as op is braindead.
ftp://ftp.cybsec.io/pub/Cyberpunk/Tech/Radio/radio_FAQ_Preview10.htm

>>1757874
>op is braindead
Nah, I just don't check mystery ftp addresses. Someone should actually host a live http version instead of using fly-by-night ftp servers.

K4:
Basic K4 transceiver provides 160-6 m, all-mode coverage; 100 W output; five receive RF sources; and wideband dual watch, allowing the main and sub receivers to be set for the same or different bands.

K4D:
Adds KDIV4 option, with a second set of band-pass filters and additional direct- sampling ADC module. This allows the two receivers to use different antennas – a requirement for diversity receive. Having two sets of band-pass filters also optimizes signal handling when the receivers are on different bands and/or antennas.

K4HD:
Includes all of the above, plus our dual superhet module, the KHDR4. Ideal for competitive field day, contesting, and DXpedition stations. Each superhet receive section includes two crystal filters: one SSB/data bandwidth, one CW bandwidth. The superhet’s 8 MHz IF has excellent dynamic range, so additional crystal filters are not required.

>>1757887
>op is braindead
confirmed

>>1757869
I have a question for ham people.How much do analogue repeaters distort the baseband signal?Is it possible to transmit voice band 2400 baud ffsk thorough an analogue repeater?

>>1757951
no.

>>1757958
The mark and space frequencies are 1200Hz and 2400Hz,so why not?

>>1757963
I take that back, you can.

>>1757951
Might not endear you to the boomers that operate the repeater but yeah.

>>1757869
yeah thesekidsthesedays they don't know whatwhatitellyouwhat they'relazymillenialsdon't know nuthinhowstheweatheryour5x9 73 kxg824 rogeroverandout.

>>1757872 >>1757891
For the price I am surprised it doesn't also support 630 m and 2200 m.

Am I correct that the point of the smaller vertical antennas like 6 foot max is to increase the height so that you have longer range over the earths curve?

Why is it now acceptable to make threads before they've even hit the bump limit?

>>1758277
Monetised commercial propaganda has preference.

>>1758234
I really don't understand this question. Antenna size depends on wavelength.

>>1758291
This thread sponsored by Elecraft you mean?

>>1758293
>This thread sponsored by Elecraft you mean?
Yeah they paid me $10 000. Unbelievable huh

i have several hundred feet of 12g wire, and im on about an acre. i have a few dipoles up, but would making a giant loop around my property make a decent rx antenna?

also, did anyone have a good time on field day?

>>1758333
>but would making a giant loop around my property make a decent rx antenna?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhombic_antenna
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage_antenna

>>1758345
Rhombic antenna seems interesting. i know a few people who have made beverage antenna but they were not that pleased with them. thanks for the info, time to do some reading

>>1758234
If you're using VHF or higher, yes. They are line-of-sight. Also, to clarify, the resonant frequency of the antenna is what is important, not the physical size.

>>1758333
Skywire Loop Antenna
https://www.donkeith.com/n4kc/article.php?p=12

>>1758385
interesting. everything seems pretty simple, except how the 2 runs of coax attached terminate where i need to plug into the radio

>>1758348
Some reading for receiving antenna comparisons:

https://www.k7tjr.com/rx1comparison.htm
and
http://www.w8ji.com/receiving.htm

>>1758389
He just used that to get the ladder-line (open wire feeder) into the house. You could use a balun and run normal coax instead, among 100 other ways.

>>1758408
ah, a balun makes it a lot easier. i know that some antennas want certain lengths of coax to help it radiate.
thanks for the explanation and the picture

>>1758333
i operated js8 casually. i still need to go through my log

So my FIL is giving me his old IC-756. This will be my first HF rig - the catch being that the auto antenna tuner is evidently busted.
Once I get it I want to crack it open and see if I can repair it. If it's something simple like the stepper motor I may be able to handle that.

Barring that, is there anything preventing me from just using an external tuner?

>>1758442
Nope. That's a pretty nice rig to be given, though.

>>1758456
It is. He won't take my money, so I'm helping him redo his rooftop antennas as repayment.
I suspect that was his plan all along.

Hello lads! I'd like to build an antenna for my baofeng and was wondering if anyone here has plans or instructions on how to do that? I've never done anything with radios/antennae before but I'm looking for a fun weekend project so I can learn more about how everything functions.

Why do people participate in FT8 but don't upload to LoTW, eQSL, and ClubLog?
Do they enjoy watching paint dry that much?

>>1759010
how do i do it? been looking to get into digital
>>1758992
look up a slim jim antenna. or ground plane. going to need to run coax to wherever your antenna is going to go from you memefeng

>>1759024
>how do i do it? been looking to get into digital
What kind of radio do you have?

>>1759030
7300. been having trouble hooking it up to my new pc. once i plug it in, no other sound comes out of my pc.
id like to leave it on all the time and not have to plug/unplug all the time.

>>1759033
Are you plugging it in via USB? Windows? Go into sound devices and you'll probably find you need to set your default output device back to the original.

>>1758456
Physical buttons in the frame for the display is probably a better solution than touch buttons alone as in K4 >>1757869 >>1757872 The screen could get worn out, some of my older phones lost touch sensitivity around the screen after years of use.

>>1759041
>Are you plugging it in via USB? Windows?
yes
ill try to find it, i just dont understand why only one would work at a time, laptops ive taken from the dump never had this problem. i thought with building one i would have no problems

>>1759050
This is what you're looking for. It's nothing to do with the computer itself, it's just Windows being a fag.

>>1758442

>>1758442
Sweet.
totes bitch, head over to ebay and score a nice tuner. i'd recommend a Dentron, Johnson Matchbox, anything from Heathkit or TenTec.

>>1759024
Cool thanks man!

>>1758992
Maybe look into a yagi if you live in a country where repeaters are a thing. It can be find trying to ding far away ones with a yagi and a hand-held.

>>1758992
Maybe look into a yagi if you live in a country where repeaters are a thing. It can be fun trying to ding far away ones with a yagi and a hand-held.

>>1759143
>country where repeaters are a thing
I do, cool I'll look that up too

>>1759043
K

>>1759060
ill look for it. i havent used windows in years, going to 10 was a jump.
>>1759135
no problem. if you want an easy directional antenna, a moxon might be a good idea. going to build one for 6m myself today

>>1759407
Could you document the process? I'd love to see what it looks like step by step

>>1759417
>1. Gather materials
>2. Measure and cut elements to correct length
>3. Assemble
>4. Install
>5. Tweak tuning if needed

>>1759431
pics tho

>>1759465
http://thestingyham.blogspot.com/2017/08/20m-moxon-antenna-portable-build.html
https://www.jpole-antenna.com/2014/06/11/building-the-6-meter-moxon-antenna/
Just adjust the lengths to the appropriate ones for your chosen frequency.

>>1759465
>spoon-feed my lazy ass
>I'm too lazy to query a search engine
Take the cock out of your mouth and make an effort.

>>1759591
make me

>>1759407
>i havent used windows in years, going to 10 was a jump.
Do you normally use Linux? If so, I can help you with a very simple solution.

>>1759736
>a very simple solution.
Go on, I'm all ears

>>1759010
I use made up ham call (I'm unlicensed), I can't register there and upload a log.

>>1759753
Connect your radio to a Windows VM on your Linux host. This allows you to leave your sound settings stock on both systems, making it very easy to run decoding software on the Linux host. For example, I run SDRUno on my Windows VM and the sound card is shared with the host OS, so all I have to do is open up WSJT-X and GridTracker, and the shit just works. None of this nonsense of using Virtuaul Cables and changing settings per device and use case. Also, Windows has a nasty habit of reversing settings after updates, so you may find yourself struggling to get certain applications to work again.

>>1759010
I mostly do it to test band conditions and antenna performance.

What power do people use with FT8?

Is 100W enough (assuming I have shitty antenna) to reach other continents? Or should I go balls in and invest in 1000W PA?

>>1759905
1500w minimum.

>>1759905
100 watts is fine, I can hit 60 countries a day with 20 watts on 40/80. What's wrong with your antenna?

>>1759952
>What's wrong with your antenna?
It's just a piece of wire hanging out of my window. It's about 20-24 ft.

>>1759952
>, I can hit 60 countries a day with 20 watts on 40/80
Hm. hmm. really?

>>1759417
i have a pretty shitty camera,(6yr old cell phone)
but i could try, didnt get to it yesterday. decided it would be better to clean up the shack before i added more to it.
i know what you mean by wanting pictures though, it sounds confusing.
>>1759736
i was using linux, but windows seemed like it would be easier. im not that great with computers..but im learning.
PC seems to be giving off a bit of RFI, but nowhere near as bad as my laptop.
its in progress
>>1759955
>It's just a piece of wire hanging out of my window
build a dipole

>>1759955
>Hm. hmm. really?
Yup. As the guy above said, build a dipole and if you don't have a tuner, get one.

>>1759010
I would argue that FT8 in general is like watching paint dry on a wall. What time I did it I never logged unless someone logged me first. Even had a paper QSL card mailed to me by someone. Imagine: spending money on a stamp to confirm an FT8 contact. It boggles the mind.

>>1759905
25 watts on 40 meters had my call showing up in Antarctica on PSKReporter.

>>1759030
I have 3 QSO from Japan in the past week. I just need one of them to QSL for WAC. They better have the coronavirus or been eaten by godzilla.

>>1760006
>watching paint dry
You can enhance your experience by listening to the whining bot chorus on 7074.
Pic: Antarctica now has a voice, a real human.

>>1759958
>build a dipole
Is it normal for dipoles and monopoles to pick up overwhelming amounts of mains buzz?

anyone know what the ISS is sending out? might have to find my qfh antenna and pull it in

>>1760057
Nah, I’ll go 4 KHz down and utilize modes where I can trade more than just a callsign and signal report. Sorry, but FT8 is so mind-numbing.

>>1760076
If it sounds like data hash, it's 95% likely to be slow scan TV images. If not that, it's the early warning signal that aliens are in the upper atmosphere.

>>1760122
its sstv, pretty sure
>>1760081
what else? im getting my digital station going, what are you using?

>>1760081
7070 and 14070? Good choice.

>>1760170
Funny you should ask. I was originally using an old Dell laptop running Windows 7. I never bothered with any kind of interface as it worked well enough by just connecting the audio line in/out directly to the DIN connector on the back of my radio (Yaesu FT-450D). It fucked up on me for the last time so I got a Raspberry Pi 4 with a USB soundcard dongle. Unfortunately, I have ground loop problems and am currently sorting that out.

>Inb4 just buy a signalink
I’m a homebrew kinda guy. Half the fun is building it yourself.

>>1760179
Occasionally 14.230 too. SSTV is fun.

>>1760006
>Imagine: spending money on a stamp to confirm an FT8 contact. It boggles the mind.

Well doesn't that apply to the whole ham thing? Why would you want to confirm the TWO fucking way contact?

I fucking hear ya ask me anything and I'll answer you

>>1760006
>25 watts on 40 meters had my call showing up in Antarctica on PSKReporter.

What antenna

>>1760230
Dipole.

>>1760232
Antenna height? Orientation?

>>1760081
>utilize modes where I c
What are these? PSK? RTTY?

>>1760257
35-40 feet guesstimate with an inverted V configuration. 50 feet of mini 8 coax.

>>1760258
PSK31 mostly. Some Olivia. RTTY only during contests as it seems nobody else does it any other time.

Also think I solved the issue with the Pi.

>>1757869
>https://hamexam.org/
>have no actual knowledge of /ham/ terms
>still get 60%
wat

Omelette bro was talking about currently having laryngitis for over a half hour today.

Now 3 guys are talking about the history of spam (the food).

>>1760261
>Also think I solved the issue with the Pi.
what was it? shitty smps?

>>1760318
AC ground hum. A few passive components and it pretty much all went away. Still a little ripple maybe but not bad. Had a QSO with it on PSK31 so it must be working well enough.

>>1760321
Are you using chinese audio cables?

>Are you using chinese audio cables?

the cables haven't spoken a word since i bought 'em so i dunno.

>>1760343
Fuck chinks

>>1760323
What does that have to do with anything? I mean yeah probably so because I bought them from Walmart but still... cable is cable.

>>1760269
its mostly just basic electronic knowledge

>>1760432
>cable is cable.
oh yous trollin

>>1760464
>oh yous trollin

No u. The issue I had would’ve manifested itself regardless of cable quality.

>>1760476
i see. ive fixed a lot of issues just by switching to higher quality cables.

just turned on my rig,and i have huge spikes ever 10 mhz, 160-40.
this is nice

>>1760269
It's made to be easy. They only have it to keep absolute retards out. I mean common anon, there's plenty of 13 year olds with licenses.

>>1760269
Tech exam is super easy. General ain’t much more so. Extra is a tad bit difficult.

>>1760511
Define an absolute retard because I’ve met some people that make me wonder if someone else took the test for them.

>>1760525
Drooling on the desk absolute.

>>1760269
>https://hamexam.org/

I do electronics as a hobby, but know nothing at all about HAM, specifically.

>>1760547
If you like electronics, ham radio might be very enjoyable for you. You could build a lot of your own shit and put it on the air.

>turn over CB
>see this
wat in tarnation?
I can't seem to find a straight answer as to whether cw is legal on cb. Signs point to 'no' - not that this particularly matters, but it has me curious.
I kind of want to see if I can wire up a key and get it to work.

>>1760432
>but still... cable is cable.
Cheap Chinese audio cables may (and often) have non existing shields and bad solder joints (the ones with intermittent connection).

Intermittent joints may generate mains modulated hum and noise.

Bad shielding also leads to hum and interference.

>>1760481
>i see. ive fixed a lot of issues just by switching to higher quality cables.
Same here. I've also found that I got bad USB cableS (like 2 of 3) where shields were flapping loose (not soldered at all, just kind of crimped to the USB connectors). Noticed that if I flex cable or wiggle it near the connectors I get huge noise level change across all of the bands (that's RTL-SDR). RIpped appart the cables, soldered the shield and bam, noise levels like 20 dB lower.

>>1760677
Probably an international or Euro model (see pic related)

This was pulled off a web forum so take it with a grain of salt but,

>95.631 says:

>(c) A CB transmitter may transmit only emission types A1D, H1D, J1D, R1D, A3E, H3E, J3E, R3E. A non-voice emission is limited to selective calling
>or tone-operated squelch tones to establish
>or continue voice communications.
>See § 95.412 (b) and (c).

>So, CW is not allowed.

>>1760715
Interesting. Thanks, anon.
This must be either a foreign model, or the mfr just has a universal rear panel since the jack has labels for both CW and PA - which seems odd.
It's a Galaxy 959, which I forgot to mention.

Anyway, I don't mean to sidetrack the thread since I dunno how CB is regarded here.

>>1760711
i have a lot of trouble soldering those shit cables
>>1760715
>a childrens band plan
ohhhhh no no no

>>1760753
>i have a lot of trouble soldering those shit cables
Ha! That's the reason why chinks don't bother soldering the shields. That's the reason why there are intermittent contacts and bad solder joints

The cables are often made of recycled shit and it's hard to impossible to assemble a decent cable.

>>1760774
just received crimpers in the mail. gonna see how these work. i figure they would be better for the cheaper coax

I'm a technician license and I'm planning on attending that ham fest in Orlando, Florida next week. I'm trying to buy an HF rig that has a waterfall so I can see stations transmitting as I'm scrolling 10 meters. What does everyone recommend? My budget is like $300.

Can I get a waterfall addition to an older HF rig? I've got a Kenwood TS-520 and would appreciate having a waterfall. So, I'm just curious.

>>1760851
>Rig with a waterfall for $300
Keep dreaming bud. Most radios can be IF tapped so a panadapter can be added but the TS-520 isn't one of them. Your options are keep saving, get QRP Chinkshit and operate off 10 watts with a waterfall or get a quality SDR like an RSP to use separately.

Has any paper-chaser automated WSJT?
If JTAlert can manipulate the 'Band Activity' column, all that would need to be done is add a click.

>>1760885
Yes, FT8 can be botted, look up SV5DKL. Usually quite easy to spot and mess with though, not to mention ARRL fags will do what they can to invalidate your awards for running automated.

>>1760885
>>1760891
http://www.edtk.de/ft8-helper/ft8-en.html
https://sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt-z/

>>1760851
save you shekels. you will be so happy you did in the long run.

>>1760851
If that's your budget, just get an SDR and switch.
It's a $50 vs $500 solution.

>>1760908
....now tell him what radio you got after that...

>>1760908
If he wants to be ballin, an RSP1A is the way to go, blows the RTL out the water. An upconverter and RTL combo is fine though, direct sampling is alright if you have a quiet area and a decent antenna but you miss a lot.

>>1760909
You betcha I upgraded to the IC-7300, but if my budget were $300, which is what it was, that was my waterfall solution.
I'm so thankful I upgraded.

>>1760922
haha i pretty much did the same thing.
im just trying to help him avoid hording old rigs, as many of us do.
although its nice to give it to new hams, and theyll help you do some antenna or ham work around the place

The /ham/ FAQ is now available in Wiki format, on the Wiki used by >>/g/cyb, see >>g/74607332

https://wiki.cybsec.io/index.php/HamFAQ

>>1761032
>>>/g/74607735

What sort of antenna should I do for my qrp rig? I have an x5105 and am not interested in the digital modes. I'm thinking an end fed half wave, for ease of set up, and have seen some whips that claim to work all bands, but am unsure.

>>1761459
Whatever the ATU can match.

>be me
>finally get win10 and 7300 to work together
>PSK reporter says 21 countries in under 2 hrs
i cant wait until i put my antenna up better, it looks like a big smiley face

>>1761672
>27 countries
i had no idea it was this popular.

>>1761674
>i had no idea it was this popular.
FT8? If I leave my system in monitor mode I can get 1000-2000 receives a day on PSKReporter from 50-80 countries and I'm in a bad QTH. Boomers love digital modes.

>>1761689
this is great. my antenna is slumped, and facing N/S. gonna give it a bit of a fix tomorrow, and maybe pull a Vdipole up, just to test.
i wonder if anyone had configured a 20/40 moxon to fit on 1 rotor, as thats all i have. but im thinking a moxon will be my best bet

>>1761693
>but im thinking a moxon will be my best bet
Why is that?
why not yagi

>>1762016
40m yagi would be pretty big, and i moxon seems like it would be lighter and easier to construct with what i have here.
plus i only have a cheap tv rotor, i think its only good for a 100lbs

>>1762016
Yagis are impractical for HF. Moxons are great. With a 6M moxon you can work Meteor scatter easily.

>>1762032
if only we could all have stacked 160m yagis

>>1762036
Me personally, I think it would be awesome to have a phased array.

>>1762072
For HF? If you're into that, give this a read.
http://tm1o.free.fr/4SQ/80m/en_ver_final4-sq_03_04_15.pdf

Are there many good solo ham activities?
The technical aspects of radio really interest me, but I always find that the worst part of every hobby is other hobbyists.
How far can I get in this area without interacting with other hams?

>>1762081
If you want to be straight up boomer ham and chase QSOs and awards then FT8 and similar digital modes have zero interaction beyond clicking a couple of buttons to exchange signal reports.
Otherwise there's plenty of fun to be had with space. Radioastronomy and satellites are both excellent technical challenges.

>>1762032
Could a Moxen get a 10M DXCC 'these days' in flyover USA?
I need a better antenna, but don't have much space.

>>1762086
digital, yeah. im on the east coast and i was getting all over SA

>>1762086
I don't see why not, a directional antenna is going to give you a better chance of pulling it off assuming we're talking about FT8 or something.

>>1762088
>>1762087
Rock on. I've got a whip antenna and fear I've maxed out at 53 countries.
I don't have the room for a big-ass directional boom, so I'm eyeing a small Mox. or a loop

>>1762079
Yes, for HF. I like building my own shit and I would like something directional and steerable but don’t really care for the expense of a tower and Yagi. Was one option I was looking into.

>>1762094
53 countries on 10m?
i got 87 countries monitoring in the last 24 hrs, 6/10/20/40/80. psk reporter is pretty neat

>>1762123
I wish, 53 QSLs from 80M to 15M in January. I'm 'seen' all over Europe, SA, and Oceania on the right bands at the right times, but it seems to be slow going now as I try to get that first DXCC.
In hindsight, I do know it takes some folks 5 years on digital to get 5xDXCC

>Listening to local repeater conversation on RTL-SDR
>Decide to join in
>Fire up 220MHz transceiver
>Begin transmitting callsign
>Computer BSODs
>Realize I forgot to unplug the SDR's antenna
>The outdoor antenna
>The discone that is five meters or so from the 50 watt transmitter's antenna

How fucked is my computer now, /ham/?

>>1762162
Computer is probably fine, SDR is probably fucked. Hope it was just an RTL

Hello. Are there any commercial radios available that can listen to HAM frequencies that do not require a license to own?

>>1762165
>listen to HAM frequencies
See any SDR. A good setup isn't expensive. For standalone there are Tecsun and similar shortwave radios that can demodulate SSB and tune to HF ham bands. If you've got money to burn look into proper communication receivers like the R71A. None of these need a license. What ham bands did you have in mind?

>>1762170
Thank you for the input. I would like really any radio so that I can listen into what people are reporting on in case metaphorical shit was to hit the proverbial fan. The HAM bands seem to be quite far between, so really having good coverage of just a few or any HAM band really would be good enough. My price range is really not much above 150USD and I'm in Europe. Thank you again.
Also do SSB modulation affect AM recieving quality? Sorry if it's a tarded question but my knowledge of radios is next to nonexistent.

>>1758408
I use a section of pipe insulation in my window. Cut a small slot to feed the feedline in (300ohm) which goes to my tuner. Seals nice in the window, no wind or cold comes in.

>>1760677
It's not illegal. Go crazy man.

>>1762176
>Also do SSB modulation affect AM recieving quality?
No, different things. Don't worry about them. Your best bet is spending 100 on an SDRPlay RSP1A and the rest on antennas. The RSP1A covers you from 1kHz to 2GHz so you can do everything ranging from listening to longwave to monitoring satellites.

>>1762182
Thank you! Again sorry for being a tard, but got good recommendations for long range antenna? I wont ask you to teach me how to use one of these, but I will also ask if you know if you could run one of these things on a Rasberry or if there is any other specaialized equipment for it (instead of using a PC)?

>>1762187
For HF all you need is a long wire and a $10 balun, look up Nooelec for the latter. For VHF/UHF a dipole or colinear work well. You could use it with a Raspberry pi but you lose a lot of functionality like selectable filters and wide bandwidth.

>>1762195
I see. Do I need any more wiring or equipment to string it all together, or is all I need a PC, a SDR, a balun and an antenna?

>>1762197
That's all you need to cover the HF bands. For VHF/UHF antennas you don't normally need a balun.

>>1762198
Thanks. Do I really not need any adapters or wiring? And cables for the PC?

>>1762200
Well you need a USB cable yeah. If you get a balun 9:1 from Nooelec you don't need any adapters because it's SMA like the RSP. Otherwise it will depend on your antenna, adapters are cheap if you need then.

>>1762203
Alright! Mini-USB or Micro-USB? Or is it USB-USB?

>>1762204
Aw come on man, don't be a spoon-feed retard, Google the simple stuff. It's USB-A to USB-B though. You'll also need coaxial cable to go between the SDR and the antenna/balun if you haven't figured that out.

>>1762208
Yep that's all. Thanks.

>>1762032
>Yagis are impractical for HF.
The original question was about 20/40m moxons

Big guns do use yagis and shit like that.

You are probably going to want to get an AM broadcast band filter, too. There are a lot of high-powered AM broadcasters around that can drown out your reception and appear all over the band without one.

>>1762164
Thankfully, it was just an RTL. Both it and the computer are still functional, though I noticed that the RTL is not as receiving as well. So, I just ordered a new one as well as one of those front-end receiver protectors.

>>1760269
Got licsenced at 11... Not hard

Can I do PSK31 with a Kenwood TS-430S? It's an older rig for HF, I'd like to do PSK31 on 10 meters possibly.

If not, do I need a special rig for PSK31? I'm going to Hamcation in Orlando, Florida next weekend and I'd like to know so I can buy efficiently.

>>1762379
Yep sure.
Obv you need a PC, audio cables and a cable for CAT interface. You can do PSK31, FT8, slow scan TV whatever you want

>>1762393
>cable for CAT interface
>cables for audio
This is where I get lost. Aside from that, will any PC work or do I need a special OS and software to be able and receive FT8/PSK31 messages?

>>1762400
>I need a special OS and software to be able and receive FT8/PSK31 messages?

The SW is free and available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS. No worries

With regard to audio and CAT just google the rig name and "CAT" or "audio cable".

>>1762179
Ladder line doesn't like to be run next walls and metal surfaces. This is the reason for the coax, to minimize the negative effects. Does it do anything? Who knows. If you read the original text, the guy doesn't have an answer either.

In regards to ladder line, I had a thought the other day. It’s probably stupid but I want other people to tell me it is just to be sure.

If I have a 50 ohm antenna I want to put up but a coax run is prohibitively expensive due to the distance of the run, could I use 50 ohm coax at the shack and antenna with ladder line and baluns at either end in order to reduce losses and expense with a lengthy run of feedline or is there a better way?

It may come as a big surprise, but the tests I present in this article strongly suggest that these “no-nos” are largely untrue. You‘ll also see an easy home-brew method for using open line in adverse situations you may have never even considered.

Instead of just baldly accepting ham hearsay that my idea was ridiculous, I
began searching the internet and the literature for actual loss figures for
open line in other than in open air. Guess what? There are no hard figures,
only unsupported opinions. I wanted real answers, so I decided to run
quantitative tests of my own.

Figure 1: Adverse, non-open-air, situations for 450 Ohm window line: (1) on dry concrete, (2) lying on wet garden soil (3) directly on an aluminum patio roof, (4) in the open (comparison reference). Figure 2: 450 Ohm window line encased in the polyethylene foam tubing for insulating 34 in. pipe.

Source: http://www.w6nbc.com/articles/openwireline.pdf

>>1762673
Very interesting. I think I will start considering open wire line for future antenna projects. Coax gets expensive when you’re trying to cover huge distances with low losses.

Stupid question, but if the impedance of air is ~370ohm, why do we make everything 50 ohm? Is it literally just to match with coax?

>>1762673

>>1762706
Free space doesn't know where your antenna and your radio are, you need a feed line. 450Ω 300Ω 75Ω 50Ω are common transmission line impedances.
https://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedias/why-fifty-ohms

>>1762620
>If I have a 50 ohm antenna I want to put up but a coax run is prohibitively expensive due to the distance of the run, could I use 50 ohm coax at the shack and antenna with ladder line and baluns at either end in order to reduce losses and expense with a lengthy run of feedline or is there a better way?

Well you have to compare losses per ft for the ladder line of your choice vs the best coax you can get.

Plus you have to factor losses in baluns and probably expect that the ladder line to pick up more noise (as it's not shielded)

>>1762948
>pick up more noise
Noise is common mode, signal is differential.

>>1763016
what the fuck is that?

air gap?

>>1763039
Hardline. The air gap is there because air is the dielectric material in this case.

>>1763044
well, i doubt ill ever be using that. i used lmr400, and that was a bit of a pain to work with. i dont think our repeaters even use anything like that.

>>1762948
And I was thinking the same thing. The reason why I asked is because I have just shy of two acres of property. If I could, I would have various antennas all about my property but running several hundred feet of coax is either going to incur huge losses or huge expense. Hence my idea of using cheaper ladder line as a way to make longer runs with less loss and less expense.

>>1763045
I doubt I will too just because of cost. I have no idea what the amateur repeaters in the area use but I know for a fact that our repeaters at work use fairly long runs of hardline about as big around as my thumb.

>>1763047
there is some gov agency that has space on one of our towers, and they have some real thick stuff on there, maybe its this. i guess i always assumed that there were a few cables running inside.

Is red to Ted copper actually aluminum?

I just got into DMR. Does anyone even use this shit? I listened to it on scan the whole day and nobody got on.

>>1763297
Looks like magnet wire to me. Solid copper wire thats coated with an enamel which has the color (color usually used to ID the wire diameter). The enamel serves as electrical insulation vs. a vinyl type covering.

>>1763391
What were you listening to? A local repeater or a hotspot? What either of those directed to connect to a talk group?

building a 6m and 10m delta loop, how far away should they be from each other?
would there be any problem running the 2 coax together back to the shack?

>>1762400
>do I need a special OS and software to be able and receive FT8/PSK31 messages?
Nope. Get Fldigi, and you can use it to receive and transmit most any popular mode.

>>1763605
FLDigi and WSJT-X and you're covered for everything but JS8Call.

>>1763608
Pretty much.They work a lot better than some of the other software, too.

>>1763548
A local repeater that's connected to a bunch of talk groups. I listened - nothing. Someone said a hotspot would open the horizons up a bit further and I'd be able to access other talk groups. I guess I'll do that instead.

>>1763796
theres always someone on dmr. especially on the world wide talk groups

Can an MMDVM style hotspot be used to cross protocols? Lets say there's an NXDN repeater near me, could I use a hotspot to access it with my regular DMR handheld?

>>1763796
Local repeaters all operate in different ways with DMR. You need to ask the repeater owner or club what talkgroups are set for what timeslots on the repeater. Then find out if those TGs are static (always connected to the repeater) or dynamic (disconnect after length of time). Dynamic TGs will require you or someone to key-up the talkgroup on the repeater before it connects and transmits through the repeater.

This is why hotspots give you more flexibility. They allow you to use any TG on demand. Repeaters are locked down and very limited to prevent random people in the area from constantly hopping TG's and causing chaos.

>>1763925
Yes, they allow cross over for DMR to YSF and P25 for sure. Don't think they allow crossover from/to D-Star though.

Do you guys have a go-to source for propagation forecast/predictions?

>>1764456

>>1757869
Just bought my first radio, /ham/, a Yaesu FT-60. I'm excited to get on the air. Should I replace the antenna? Any suggestions? Also, is there a guide for making contacts? I know the basics, but I don't want to fuck up!

>>1764475
You're licenced right? It's a VHF/UHF dual bander so obvious first question is, are there any repeaters near you? If so that's your first stop.

>>1764476
I'm Technician class, and yes, I believe there is a pretty active series of repeaters in my area.

>>1764478
They're going to be 99% of your usage then, pretty much nobody uses VHF or UHF simplex anymore because the range is terrible.

>>1764481
Do people do contesting on those repeaters?

>>1764482
No. You're going to need to get into HF if you want to do contesting.

>>1764482
Contesting is not allowed using repeaters.

7.200.000 (40 Meters)
Somebody beat this motherfucker.

>>1764992
I was about to check https://sdr.hu/ and then I get a demand to register!??

>>1764992
did you fail?

>>1757874
thx anon

>>1764489
not necesarily. theres plenty of vhf contesting to be done

>>1765002
>https://sdr.hu/
>register
Never knew of this website until you just posted this. Is this useful?

So I know that trying to transmit without an antenna or load connected can potentially damage your radio.
But if is attempted, does ANY detectable signal escape the radio at all in the process?

I am a radio retard so please forgive.

I'm just getting into HF and bought this exact model radio. It's an older model but it works great. What do all the buttons and knobs mean? Can I get a quick rundown, i'm sure someone here knows and could inform me briefly instead of the retarded essays on Google about this stuff.

>>1765339
It is mentioned in the FAQ. This is now wikified and put up here: https://wiki.cybsec.io/index.php/HamFAQ
And yes, it was a very useful way to located SDR stations around the world.

>>1765355
So, if I choose a station that is broadcasting nearby to me can I gauge whether or not I'd hear their same signals? Can I hear myself xmiting on HF with this? Very neat program.

>>1765360
You can easily find that out on your own. The webrx I use is 440km away and it doesn't hear my Pixie but it receives a lot I cannot hear.

>>1765002
Yeah, the guy who runs it is an asshole, you need a license/callsign to sign up. Just use WebSDR.

>>1765348
>Spoonfeed retard the post
Get the manual for your rig and go from there. You won't get far in the hobby if you can't learn on your own.

>>1765399
another retarded snobby ham boomer imagine that.

>>1765348
>Can I get a quick rundown
There are 30 buttons. That alone makes it impossible to be brief. All are labled with standard nomenclature, but if you don't know these this could take a long, long time.

You get one free:
CW: Continuous Wave - used for Morse code.

>>1765412
Appreciate your help, I located an IC-735 manual online so I'll give this a read in a bit. Thanks for your help fellow man.

whats the difference between a 10meter ground plane antenna or a 10meter vertical?

>>1765446
Both antennas for the 10 m band? A vertical can be a L/2 dipole, the ground plane is usually L/4. Both have vertical polarisation.

>>1765469
hmm. im going for DX, im just having trouble figuring out which one i want to build, the ground plane seems a lot easier. trying to figure out what one has a lower take off angle

can you tell me why i would use one over the other? pretty sure i have all the parts to build both.

>>1758333
>and im on about an acre
Be ambitious! I submit the legendary Wullenweber.

>>1757951
>>1757963
No. The repeater _may_ be capable of this data rate if the audio emphasis/ de-emphasis circuitry is bypassed.
If you do afsk and single side band you'll see that as you increase speed you're bandwidth increases as well. This was a difficult concept for me. If you do CW (pretty much fsk with just a mark amirite?), even though it's on one frequency it takes more and more bandwidth the faster you go.

>>1757951
To answer your question, you _might_ be able to force 300 baud through the repeater. It's mainly the emphasis circuits limiting it a.f.a.i.k.
Polite sage

>>1765489
https://m0ukd.com/calculators/quarter-wave-ground-plane-antenna-calculator/
A 5..10 meter mast would be needed to keep the elevation low enough. Note that the 4 radials are part of the antenna, i.e. they radiate too. The angle of 45° is for the 50Ω feed coax. Some people use a (slightly shortened) CB GP.

>>1765398
>the guy who runs it is an asshole, you need a license/callsign to sign up.
>>1765404

>>1765540
>fsk with just a mark
CW is OOK (on/off keying of the carrier), an extreme form of AM. The speed is the 'modulation' frequency. The effect of clicks (fast transitions) can be reduced (pic).

>>1765561
thanks. just realized that all the digital on 10m is right below my privileges.

i guess im not understanding why a vertical would be good for dx, but a ground plane wouldnt be

>>1765623
>vertical would be good for dx
I've never heard that and can't imagine why it would be. A groundplane _is_ a vertical antenna after all. What I can observe though is that myths propagate much faster than the speed of reason.
>below my privileges
The 10 m band is currently almost dead anyway. Maybe in a few years when the sunspots come back again you have the necessary privileges for 28.074 etc.

>saying your call sign after every fucking sentence

Massively homosexual

>>1765661
>A groundplane _is_ a vertical antenna after all
thats what i thought. i just really want to build one, im not sure why.
ive been running pskreporter for 6 and 10 with wsjtx the other day, and lots of people were making the trip from SA up to the east coast.
6meter is pretty much just in the states.

anyway, what i really need is a yagi for what i want to do. found this
https://www.qsl.net/dk7zb/Moxon/Dualband-Moxon_10+6m.htm
but its a bit above my skill right now.
im just going to find a simple design for a 6m yagi, and go from there

>>1765676
>https://www.qsl.net/dk7zb/Moxon/Dualband-Moxon_10+6m.htm
Mixed Cu and Al. Is that a good idea?

>>1765817
Well, I'm guessing its a compromising antenna, I don't think it'll be that bad for him
That or just build two different yagis

>>1765661
>10m band is nearly dead
Would you say 12 or 15 would be the most reasonable highest useable DX band for contesting?
I'm looking to make the smallest directional antenna for my backyard. I've gotten QSLs from South Africa, Japan, and Russia with a vert wire, but it's time to journey father.

>>1765909
17s quite popular.

>>1765909
12 is a warc band so contesting is prohibited

>>1765817
>Mixed Cu and Al. Is that a good idea?
i.....i dont know...

>>1765909
I would say at this point in the solar cycle that would be 15 meters. Made a couple contacts in Aruba and Argentina over the weekend during the RTTY contest. Still better off going to 20 or 40 though.

>>1765676
https://www.jpole-antenna.com/2014/06/11/building-the-6-meter-moxon-antenna/#comments

>>1765947
I've already gotten WAS and WAC on 80 and 40, and more than half way to DXCC.
I was hoping a directional, smaller antenna could compensate for the poor conditions on FT8. Oh well. Maybe come summer.

>poor conditions on FT8

>>1765971
So build for 20m? You get incredible range during daylight, moreso with a directional.

>>1765995
https://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/frank_radio_antenna_yagi.htm

>>1765211
This, but not with an FM dual band HT. VHF contesting can be fun, even with just FM simplex, but you need a higher-powered radio, and high-gain antenna, and low loss feedline to make it worthwhile.

>>1765623
>>1765661
Vertical antennas (and yes, a ground plane is a vertical) trows more signal at a lower angle onto the horizon than a horizontal antenna does. The lower the takeoff angle is, the farther the signal travels before it hits the ionosphere and bounces back to earth, giving it a farther total distance traveled.

>>1765676
Another easy antenna with a bit of gain and bi-directionality is an oblong-quad loop. 6 meters of wire formed into a 1x2 meter rectangle and oriented tall-wise. Roughly the shape and size of a large doorway and can be fed directly at the center of the lower short side with 50 ohm coax which makes it a horizontally polarized antenna. Being a full wavelength it gives you gain over a dipole or 1/4-wave, and is slightly directional broadside to the loop.

>>1765947
15 gets some activity right now at peaks times, but I would say 17M is kind of the sweet spot for DX at the moment. Just sucks it's such a limited chunk of bandwidth. 20M is the old stand-by for DX as well, but it can be very in-and-out for good propagation.

>>1766011
17 is a WARC band too so no contesting there either.

>>1766011
He said “highest usable band” so I figured it to be 15. Didn’t specify that it had to be worth a shit just usable.

>>1765971
Alternatively, you could simply raise your antenna, get a better feedline, or try to eliminate RF noise.

>>1766071
????

>>1766073
Thought I'd post the ARRLs money making ventures, nonprofit Form 990.

>>1765938
I am thinking this must end with electro corrosion which means a metal oxide junction which means partial rectification effect and thus noise and inefficiencies.

>>1766081
>must end with electro corrosion
unless you spray-seal it after assembly

>>1766003
Groundplane Antennas at Various Heights
Conclusion:
Do not mount groundplane antennas at heights between 0.25 and 1.25 wavelength. At those levels above ground most of the energy will be radiated at angles of 27° to 45° into the ionosphere. This phenomenon seems to be independent to the number of radials or other counterpoises. Further simulations indicates that this is true for all other variants of vertical antenna systems too.
https://www.qsl.net/df3lp/projects/vertical/index.html

yo check out my ham radio

>>1766198
get out

Why is 10 meters always dead? I was on 10 meters CQing for 11 hours straight... not a single thing. Is this the norm? I have a very good Diamond 28Mhz antenna that should punch through. I'm also putting 200 watts.

>>1766287
the solar cycle we are in means there is not very much sunspot activity and 10m relies very heavily on the magnetism caused by sunspotting.

>>1766299
>magnetism caused by sunspotting
you're confusing the issue. hf propagation relies on the electron density of the ionosphere, not on magnetism. sunspots indicate local magnetic activity on the surface of the sun which produces stronger UV radiation which in turn activates the ionosphere.

>>1766287
10 meter skip often occurs via sporadic E which is as the name suggests, sporadic. It tends to occur more often during daylight hours in the summer. It can be pretty crazy at times. You’ll hear dead air, then a whole bunch of stations for a few seconds or even a few minutes and then dead air again. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. Either leave your radio on while you’re doing other things or monitor the CB band which is just below 10 meters for skip. If 11 meters opens up, jump up to 10 and start calling CQ.

>>1766287
try digital

>>1766395
Not him, but 10m is dead no matter then and with what.

Wut?
>Special Note: Contacts in LoTW are currently not eligible for WAC credit

>>1766408
http://kd2eom.blogspot.com/2017/08/earn-wac-worked-all-continents-using.html

>>1766408
do i have to be part of the arrl to get these awards?
i really need to set up some logging software.
is there nothing out there that will do it automatically

>>1766415
>is there nothing out there that will do it automatically
Do what automatically?

I got these speakers. I want to use them but I don't know how, I know nothing about amplification. Still I tried them but the sound is very low when I connect one to the tv.
The label on them says output power 10W and 8 ohm impedance
They have a regular 3.5 jack

>>1766415
JTAlert.
>>1766442
Wrong thread?

>>1766442
>>1765922

>>1766444
>>1766445
Ops my bad

>>1765002 >>1765339
I found an alternative list of Kiwi SDR online:
http://kiwisdr.com/public/
This one also provides propagation maps:
https://ve3sun.com/KiwiSDR/

>>1766415
>>1766420
>I want awards, but I'd like to put forth no effort whatsoever.
>Why can't I just let an app run overnight so I can shitpost, then wake up to awards and recognition?

>>1757874
The FAQ is updated, now to avoid sdr.hu which requires registering for use. Also added are two links from OP msg about propagation and space weather.

ftp://ftp.cybsec.io/pub/Cyberpunk/Tech/Radio/radio_FAQ_Preview11.htm

>>1766444
neat, thats exactly what i was looking for

>>1766463
What's funny is links to everything that's needed for 100 percent automated FT8 are already posted further up the thread.

>>1766530
>>1766463
>Being this lonely and samefagging this hard

wew

>>1766543
Take your meds.

>>1766543
btfo

i have built a moxon, and i wanted to let you all know it is great.
that is all

>>1766565
you forgot to post the image

>>1765575
Is fsk not just ook on two frequencies?

>>1766615
no off state

>>1766620
Sure there is. On one frequency it turns on for a 1 and off for a 0. And on the other frequency it turns off for a 1 and on for a 0.

on/on vs on/off

You can now work the northernmost amateur radio station:
DP0POL/mm is active on board of a research vessel drifting in the arctic ice. Operator is Joerg, DJ0HO. As expected, conditions are pretty poor, so he currently concentrates on FT8 on 30m and 40m. QSL via DL5EBE.

Report from 2020-Feb-13 08:00 UTC
Position N 88°00' E 084°48' (88.0N 84.8E)
Barometer 1006.1 mb
Air temperature -28.9 °C
Dewpoint -31.9 °C
Water temperature -1.7 °C

Could someone lend a hand helping me predict when and where I should hunt for Alaska and Hawaii based off these few QSL times?

so, for the last few years i had a scanner hooked up to a discone, about 30 ft up, and its always been shit. finally got around to cleaning some of the shack up, and decided to tighten it up and take off a few feet to get everything looking nice. solder a new plug on and fire it up.
starts pulling in all types of stuff that ive never heard before, simplex coming in like theyre sitting right next to me.
check the coax i cut off, and its a dull, shitty solder job on the pin.

looks like my spring task is going to be replacing all this cheap coax.
why is there no slandered for coax?
the same type of coax could be made with copper stranded wire, foil, or whatever junk they put in there
whats your guys go to coax?

>>1767047
>why is there no [standard] for coax?
There is. Unbranded, generic, and trash that comes with antennas is usually shit. Buy name brand (Belden) and get good coax. Beware, it is expensive and there are a hundred different types to choose from. It's also a good idea to have quality connectors from a reputable company (Amphenol) too.

>>1767089
>Buy name brand (Belden) and get good coax
i dont mind it being expensive, i just want it to work. i have quality connectors, kinda felt stupid putting it on the cheap coax.
now, this is cheap coax, but i have 2 different cables of rg8x. one has foil, and the other has copper.
thats what i meant about standards
>>1767047
>slandered
not sure how i pulled that off, not even phone posting

>>1767047
When I buy coax I always go with double shielded.
Stranded center conductor on temporary or mobile installations.
Solder core for permanent installs.

Crimp and solder the pins. Use a little rtv silicon around the end of the barrel on the coax. Let it dry, then use some heat shrink from the connector down the cable (still leaving the connector free to turn). Then once installed, use rubber mastic self adhesive tape on the connector to weather proof it. Then cheap electrical tape (to provide UV shielding for the rubber tape). Make sure to strain relief the cable.
You can use automotive split loom to protect your outdoor coax (should be cheap from an auto store).
Have a place in the loom to let any water that got in to escape.
Have a drip loop before it enters your house.

This post was aimed at you or anyone doing something similar.

>>1767133
Solid*
Polite sage.

>>1767133
not him but thanks anyway, that's valuable info

How much does the circumference of the antenna wire, or whatever your using make a difference?
Say i had something copper, the size of a grain silo, and made a 80meter dipole out of it.
What would the result be like?

Anyone know of a vehicle sized transceiver with repeater functionality? Id like to be able to chat from my car while im driving, and switch to repeater to extend my range to talk to my friends while we are airshitting in the woods.

>>1767261
Look up “cage dipole”.

>>1767289
There’s shitloads of them. Just look online for mobile ham radios.

>>1767298
Can you name any specific models that have repeater function? I've been looking and haven't found much

>>1767307
cross band repeat

>>1767307
Are you and your friends licensed? Then take a look at these.
https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/transceivers-and-receivers/part-type/mobile-transceivers?SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Ascending&N=band-coverage%3A2-meters

If not, you’ll have to stick to GMRS. Be careful though, you technically gotta have a separate license for that too but it’s the only other band open to the general public that can legally use repeaters. Take a look at these.
https://midlandusa.com/product-category/micromobile/

>>1767402
didn't he want a mobile airshit repeater in his car?

>>1767402
>>1767402
Weve got enough guys in the group that are licensed to have at least one HAM in each team.

Just to be clear, I mean a radio that functions as the repeater, not just having access to other repeaters. Dont wanna clog up other peoples repeaters.

>>1767490
Oh, well I guess I misunderstood. I have a Kenwood TM-V71A that has crossband repeat. I believe some TYT models have this also.

Please be patient, I have autism.

something followed me home, can i keep it?

>>1767506
childrens band

>>1767506
40 CH FM 4 Watt, no AM, no duck talk.

>>1767532
no burger talk desired in yurop

>>1767537
Has been changed in 2016: D models e.g. now have 80 CH FM 4W, 40 CH AM 4W and 40 CH SSB 12W PEP.

>>1767499
>crossband repeat
Amazing.

3 left

>>1767564
huh?

New ham here. I tried getting on the repeater to make contacts, but no one is responding. Tried last night and this morning.

Is it just really rare for people to be on if there's not a net?

>>1767899
depends really. just leave it on to monitor the frequency.
also, be sure youve set the correct offset and PL tone, if there is one.

>>1767899
or you could try following your transmission up with "testing", might drag someone out to give you a signal report

>>1767899
Yes, a lot of times nobody is listening or won’t talk to you because they don’t know you. HF is much better in finding people to talk to. But the old geezers reee when anyone proposes giving more HF privileges to techs. Then they wonder why amateur radio is dying.

>>1767938
>old geezers reee when anyone proposes giving more HF privileges to techs
Upgrade your license if you want more privileges.

>>1767952
you never have the right to complain about people not on band ever again

my..my..my

What do you guys use to log contacts?

>>1767569
That was before we reach 310. We are on page 4 and will fall off in 2 days or so.

>>1768066
cqrlog

So when I recieve on certain frequencies on my uv5r radio, transmission clicks on and off like morse , but its not

>>1767952
I’m a general. Still think license classes are stupid. Maybe they made sense at one time but I don’t think they do anymore.

>>1768159
not him, but i see the point. some techs dont know shit, its not tough to pass.
but before you go hf i feel you should have some time operating, getting used to your rig or using a radio in general.

that being said....i wouldnt mind some space on 80/40/20, a lil slice of digital. but i guess its something to work for

>>1768040
Do you speak English?

>>1760350
Really good post!

>>1766198
Lold 2 much at this

>>1768079
>uv5r radio
How u like so far?

>>1768253
Cheap and easy, perfect for me because I just started with ham radio

>>1768426
The good thing is that the 'feng is illegal, with or without license.

New Thread
>>1768446
>>1768446
>>1768446
New Thread

>>1768253
>>1768426
uv 5r is garbage bleeds like hell. pos radio