The Sinbad repeater system in eastern Utah. It rocks.
HAM radio - misc info, for sale, etc
- Thread starter alia176
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The Sinbad repeater system in eastern Utah. It rocks.
I got my call sign and noticed not too many folks in the club put it in their sig line. Are there privacy concerns with doing this? Are there some kind of obscure rules that would discourage me from doing this?
no rules, but, since anyone can find your callsign by your name in the FCC database... so i guess by giving your callsign you are giving name and address to anyone who sees your sig if they know how google works.
If I were ordering a mag mount antenna base, what suggestions would people have for brand, model, cable/antenna interface/fittings? I'm still educating myself on coax cable fitting styles and antenna mount designations.
I picked up a very good mag mount with an NMO fitting for cheap from SW Antennas at one of the local Hamfests. Not your cheap CB mag mount and it is not going anywhere once it latches on. You'll want to put some shrink wrap between the mount and your paint if you plan to keep that hundy in pristine condition. I know where you can get some.
I prefer NMO for mounts.
-Mike-
I prefer NMO for mounts.
-Mike-
Yes. I've seen the photos. I'd give it a try. With the CB mag mount, I will take a cotton towel with windex and wipe both the spot on the paint where it will stick and the bottom of the mag mount before I stick them together. Having a white truck helps hide small scratches really well.
alia176
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Marc,
Couple of things worth mentioning: as mentioned previously ANY mag mount with coax will work with CB or HAM radios. Both types of mobile radios use the same PL259 connections on the back of the radios. HOWEVER, this giant connector is not available on the tiny HT radios so they use a small connection for the little rubber ducky antennas and this connection is either BNC or SMA connectors. I have a mag mount that I use for CB, mobile or HT radios as needed. Adapters to go from PL259 to either SMA or BNC connector in order to connect your HT radio are inexpensive.
If you find a mag mount antenna that uses a super skinny coax cable, I think that'll work better than a fat coax cable. My reasoning is that you're slamming your door on this coax and the thinner the coax the less likely you'll damage it. As soon as you compress a coax insulation and reduce that dielectric material, you reduce the effectiveness of the coax. As an example, the coax cable in both of our 80s area hair smaller than 1/8" and they have a very tight bending radius and easy to work with.
For starters, don't even worry about a mag mount antenna. It's rather surprising how far you can throw a signal from HT in a convoy situation. Instead, I'd spend the money on a 12vdc cig lighter plug, a separate mic/speaker combo and a good quality rubber ducky antenna. These radios with dinky speakers can be hard to hear while driving so if you clip the mic/speaker thing to your shirt, you can easily hear what's going on w/o cranking the volume of the HT super loud and annoy your occupants. Just a thought.
Couple of things worth mentioning: as mentioned previously ANY mag mount with coax will work with CB or HAM radios. Both types of mobile radios use the same PL259 connections on the back of the radios. HOWEVER, this giant connector is not available on the tiny HT radios so they use a small connection for the little rubber ducky antennas and this connection is either BNC or SMA connectors. I have a mag mount that I use for CB, mobile or HT radios as needed. Adapters to go from PL259 to either SMA or BNC connector in order to connect your HT radio are inexpensive.
If you find a mag mount antenna that uses a super skinny coax cable, I think that'll work better than a fat coax cable. My reasoning is that you're slamming your door on this coax and the thinner the coax the less likely you'll damage it. As soon as you compress a coax insulation and reduce that dielectric material, you reduce the effectiveness of the coax. As an example, the coax cable in both of our 80s area hair smaller than 1/8" and they have a very tight bending radius and easy to work with.
For starters, don't even worry about a mag mount antenna. It's rather surprising how far you can throw a signal from HT in a convoy situation. Instead, I'd spend the money on a 12vdc cig lighter plug, a separate mic/speaker combo and a good quality rubber ducky antenna. These radios with dinky speakers can be hard to hear while driving so if you clip the mic/speaker thing to your shirt, you can easily hear what's going on w/o cranking the volume of the HT super loud and annoy your occupants. Just a thought.
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Heads up Ash: I told Dad to ask you about what he would need to get his HAM license. He apparently thinks it's a lot of work to get it done.
Dan
Tell your Dad to pick up the Know Your Talking book at Radio Shack. Go to the question pool in the back of the book and read the question and only the correct answer. Do this until the questions and answers are memorized. Take the test. Then go back and read the book after you have your license. Memorizing the questions are easier than it seems.
Or he can barrow my book "Technican Class" by Gordon West. I ussed that to start, but I cramed on the online test exam to pass. Either way, not hard to pass it.
Marc, I have Jon's old Yaseu 2800 moblile unit. He already had a lot of it programed already, so it was a no brainer for me. That and a Comet SBB-1 (rubber ducky) I get great reception. That model attechaches to to the rear hatch of the '80 but I can hear calls anywhere from south of NM to Publeo CO, to western, AZ. jjust off the Sandia repeater. I have even heard voices from the Moab channels.
Scored a decent deal on Ebay today. I'm getting the following all in "mint condition" and in original packaging:
Yaesu:
VX-7R HT Submersible (silver) w/ Li-Ion battery pack, A/C charger,antenna)
73A4B Submersible Speaker Mic
ADMS 1G Programming Software and USB Cable
CD-15A Desktop Rapid Charger
FBA-23AA Battery Case (Emergency low power with Alkaline AA batteries)
VX-7R radio case
Nagoya:
NA773 Telscoping Antenna
All this for $400 shipped. A new radio alone is $350.
Now all I need is a DC power cord for the car and eventually an external antenna.
Yaesu:
VX-7R HT Submersible (silver) w/ Li-Ion battery pack, A/C charger,antenna)
73A4B Submersible Speaker Mic
ADMS 1G Programming Software and USB Cable
CD-15A Desktop Rapid Charger
FBA-23AA Battery Case (Emergency low power with Alkaline AA batteries)
VX-7R radio case
Nagoya:
NA773 Telscoping Antenna
All this for $400 shipped. A new radio alone is $350.
Now all I need is a DC power cord for the car and eventually an external antenna.
1911
chupacabra
Congratulations Marc, that is a great little radio for a good deal. I highly recommend the MFJ-295R speaker mic as another good improvement. MFJ Enterprises Inc.
That's about as cheap as a CB. Certainly a lot less expensive than my VX-7R was. Now nobody can have the excuse that a HAM radio is too expensive.
Dang! 65 bucks!?
Double dang!
Go commando and don't worry about it.
