Don'the Fergit to donate to the repeater operator for the phone calls
Ham experience
- Thread starter LandCruiserPhil
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Don'the Fergit to donate to the repeater operator for the phone calls
Where is that info available?
http://www.arca-az.org/main/arca_clubs.html
http://www.w7ara.org/z/Information.aspx
http://www.eaars.com/repeaterguidelines.pdf
From the Eastern Arizona Amateur Radio Society (Probably NOT operating any repeater you are currently using in Phoenix, but a good example)
Support: EAARS is an open membership club, and sponsors all of the repeaters on the network. There is
considerable cost involved with purchase, installation, maintenance, and ongoing services. If you use the
system frequently, please join to support the system. The dues are only $24 a year, so it shouldn’t be a burden
on anyone. No one will be asked to leave, or refrain from using the repeater simply because they are not a
member. If you hear a new user on the system frequently, encourage them to join the club and point them to
our website. www.eaars.com
In Phoenix you might be using an ARA repeater:
http://www.w7ara.org/z/Information.aspx
ARA Repeater Sites
Mount Ord, Sunflower White Tanks, West of Glendale
Smith Peak, Aguila Shaw Butte, Phoenix
Scottsdale Airpark Greens Peak, McNary
Pinal Peak, Globe Mount Elden, Flagstaff
Chase Bank, Phoenix Bank of America, Mesa
Usery Pass, Mesa Daisy Mountain, Desert Hills
http://www.w7ara.org/z/Information.aspx
http://www.eaars.com/repeaterguidelines.pdf
From the Eastern Arizona Amateur Radio Society (Probably NOT operating any repeater you are currently using in Phoenix, but a good example)
Support: EAARS is an open membership club, and sponsors all of the repeaters on the network. There is
considerable cost involved with purchase, installation, maintenance, and ongoing services. If you use the
system frequently, please join to support the system. The dues are only $24 a year, so it shouldn’t be a burden
on anyone. No one will be asked to leave, or refrain from using the repeater simply because they are not a
member. If you hear a new user on the system frequently, encourage them to join the club and point them to
our website. www.eaars.com
In Phoenix you might be using an ARA repeater:
http://www.w7ara.org/z/Information.aspx
ARA Repeater Sites
Mount Ord, Sunflower White Tanks, West of Glendale
Smith Peak, Aguila Shaw Butte, Phoenix
Scottsdale Airpark Greens Peak, McNary
Pinal Peak, Globe Mount Elden, Flagstaff
Chase Bank, Phoenix Bank of America, Mesa
Usery Pass, Mesa Daisy Mountain, Desert Hills
I guess it's individual experience. I had no luck get any responses to calls on my HT when I had the OEM Yaesu antenna inside my Tacoma. Added the adapter/mag mount NMO antenna and it made a world of difference.
It is condition dependent - you may not have received any response had you had the external antenna at that exact moment. All sorts of things play into Rx/Tx, radiated power is just one.
That said, a 1dB or more insertion loss of extra adapter and mount cable, a few 0.25dB insertion losses of extra connectors and reflections added by sketchy assembly, and you are down 3dB (1/2 power) pretty quickly. In some cases the antenna gain can 'get' some of that back... but as in anything, ymmv.
That said, a 1dB or more insertion loss of extra adapter and mount cable, a few 0.25dB insertion losses of extra connectors and reflections added by sketchy assembly, and you are down 3dB (1/2 power) pretty quickly. In some cases the antenna gain can 'get' some of that back... but as in anything, ymmv.
So I messed around today during lunch. I had both the SRJ77CA mounted directly to the HT, and the roof-mounted Tram with the additional adapter required for the BaoFeng. From my parking lot in Chandler on the SRJ77CA, I could easily listen in on a conversation from the Usery repeater, about 26 miles away. I immediately powered down, and switched antennas to the roof mounted one, and... nada. Couldn't hear anything. Back to the SRJ77CA direct to the HT, and back listening in. I'm using the roof mounted one straight out of the box, so I'm guessing it needs some tweaking, too. I don't know jack about that, but assuming you can't use the SWR meter from a CB, right? Cuz that would be too easy...
In the interest of quality control, here (first image) is an example of what not to buy. The concept is fine, but this execution is very typical and will ruin the connectors it plugs in to (a radio mfg may void a warranty for this). Note how the solder flows up over the gold plating with a nasty flux residue (dark stuff). Not only does it make the connection unreliable, it fouls and may damage the joining connector by springing it open too far. Third image shows the gold plate as it should look when finished (no trace of solder); and fourth image is of a properly soldered silver plated connector (no solder on the outside of the pin - its all kept inside the hollow).
By the way, good UHF cables can cost thousands of dollars - even used off eBay they still cost hundreds. Home usable cables can be purchased for much less, but expect to pay for what you get - its one of those few areas where time and workmanship still matters.
1)
... cheap F-SMA to PL-259 cable from Amazon - first clue is the bulkhead SMA rather than a cable connector.
2)
... solder has wicked down the outside of the pin, over the expensive and important gold plated surface
... still has black flux residue which is non-conductive and will fould the mating connector
3)
4)
... close up of a properly soldered silver connector: no solder wicked out from the inside of the pin; and residue was cleaned off.
5)
... inexpensive cable from Amazon that shows a good solder job.
Link to Gore: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/products/cables/coaxialmicrowave/coaxial-microwave-cable-landing.html
By the way, good UHF cables can cost thousands of dollars - even used off eBay they still cost hundreds. Home usable cables can be purchased for much less, but expect to pay for what you get - its one of those few areas where time and workmanship still matters.
1)
... cheap F-SMA to PL-259 cable from Amazon - first clue is the bulkhead SMA rather than a cable connector.
2)
... solder has wicked down the outside of the pin, over the expensive and important gold plated surface
... still has black flux residue which is non-conductive and will fould the mating connector
3)
4)
... close up of a properly soldered silver connector: no solder wicked out from the inside of the pin; and residue was cleaned off.
5)
... inexpensive cable from Amazon that shows a good solder job.
Link to Gore: http://www.gore.com/en_xx/products/cables/coaxialmicrowave/coaxial-microwave-cable-landing.html
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