Improving your Handy Talkie

You’ve clicked something incorrectly. It’s listenable directly on the website in the OP, available on many podcast streams, and on YouTube: . None of these require anything but a functional internet connected device. There are never any charges or special drivers or software to listen to the ICQ Podcast. Have a nice day...

 

Handheld transceiver
Portable radio
Walkie-Talkie
Handy-Talkie
PTT Radio
are all terms commercial radio manufactures use through the years, some trademarked. I would say battery radio but at one time all radios ran on batteries.
Now in 1960 Dad had a portable Motorola radio. Had tubes, two 60 volt batters for B+ and a lot of D cells. Telephone handset had a PTT button, Dreake TR-22 was featherweight in comparsion. Next was a handy-talkie from Motorola. This was around 1962. Still the size of a brick. They cost thousands of dollars. When Dad retired in 1983 he provided his own radio that covered police and commercial auto patch channels I maintained.
When I got my Tech I got Dad to take me to Long's Electronics. I bought two Icom IC2AT's. About the size of a dollar bill. I gave Dad one and and kept one. I figured I owed him.
I found the best way to improve my HT was to go up on the 18th floor and talk from there.

Now why did Hams flock to VHF FM starting in the 50's? FCC outlawed wideband FM deviation. Suddenly lots of commercial radios were surplus. 6 meter AM might have been king but soon lots of guys were playing with 2 meter simplex. Then the FCC relaxed the rules on repeaters for Hams!

73
John

 

I improved my handie scratchies years ago: they are still in the drawer and they're happy there...

 

I use a J-Pole @ 10 feet.
Paul KG7IRJ Ohio

 

I do about half my SOTA activations on a 2m FM HT. A J-pole at 10' or higher on top of a summit absolutely booms across the land, so to speak. I've made contacts out as far as 65 miles on 5 watts that way. The only caveat is that if your HT has a poor front end and you're in an RF-rich environment, you could actually hear *less* than with the rubber ducky antenna. But, a good radio or quiet conditions will work great.

Chris

 

My first was a Kenwood TR-2500. Made a home made 2 meter antenna with an so-239 and some wire. Primitive, but it worked.

Mark

 

Longest contact I have made with an HT was with my first radio, Icom T90A. The range was about 150 miles on simplex using the stock rubber duck. The caveat is that I was standing 60ft above the water on the flight deck of the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) in front of the control tower, which made a pretty good reflector. It was certainly an improvement. For the internet police... Yes, I had permission from the CO to use my radio and was within the conditions he gave me.

 

Still got my FT-470 here too, Scott ... I've re-packed a couple of original Yaesu battery packs ... but have used the alkaline-cell pack with NiMH for a while now ... still chugs along!!

 

The baofengs are fine. I've had mine for going on six years now. Still works perfectly.

 

That is how I started my 2 meter. A J-POLE on the roof added 20 miles to my range.

 

There is a 15W relay on a mountain 90km (56mi) to where I live. From the top of a building, it can hear my cheap Chinese handheld with its rubber antenna in VHF (easy) and UHF (not so well, but it works). From inside a building, lower stairs with higher buildings around, the handheld can receive the relay in VHF transmitting with 15W and 7.5W (the relay runs tests regularly).

 

Well, throw out the $5 one you bought on fleabay. Yeah, pet peave for me too. Muffled, garbled, or sounds like they're talking into a tomato can.
Spend the bucks to get the real mic.

 

My First was a Kenwood Tr 2300 with original Telescopic-Antenna. Currently I'm using a Wouxun KG UV8plus.
I want to get back my TR

 

A speaker mic is essential to use of an HT, in my opinion.