Issue #25: Heard on the 2m Band . . .

I'm still pretty new to the hobby but no stranger to electronics, electricity!
having taught quite a few apprentices I'm used to training people.
the hobby is just another facet that i can use.
I don't mind being an Elmer!
If what i can teach here keeps someone from toasting themselves then its a blessing.
I do know from some of the things I've learned on this forum I'm going to build a highly directional portable am radio (Listener) for tracking down noisy insulators.

 

Thanks for the comment on QRZ forums . . . I've learned a TON about ham radio by reading forums, AND by moderating these discussions on Trials and Errors, where regulars like you pop up to teach me something! Dave, W7DGJ

 

2m is alive and well in this area. Several repeaters covering the region are available. Sponsored by our local club and provided to anyone free of charge. We even have a repeater on top of the police department's 300' tower. Club meetings are nets operating on the repeaters. Sporadic traffic other times.

KJ5CTX

 

Hi Monty, great fish you hauled in on that QRZ photo! Thank you for noting the local activities on 2m. I'd love to have an email from you, or a public post your choice, to tell me what would attract you to upgrade from your Tech license into General or Extra. You'd have a BLAST on the HF bands if you like 2m in its present status! Dave, W7DGJ (PS - QRZ has a great series of practice tests on the site, see the item under "Resources" on the top blue left to right bar). Select the General Test and see how many you'd get right. General isn't THAT much harder than Tech. Dave, W7DGJ

 

Helluva a deal for anyone who wants a solid HT:
For Sale - Icom V-80 2m HT | QRZ Forums
$40 shipped!!!

I'd buy it, but I already have 3 HTs and don't need a 4th.

Chris

 

So do I! It's a pain (to me at least) getting old, but I'm sure it beats the alternative!

73

 

I'm setting up s dual polarized 10 element Yagi to try both FM and SSB CW and FT8 work soon at home. Icon 7100 and a 350W amp. I'm giving up on the mobile work and repeaters both 2m and 70cm. I'm in south east FL. there is almost zero action down here on FM or C4FM.

 

Yesterday I did a combined SOTA/POTA activation in the Blue Ridge Mtns entirely on 2m/1.25m/70cm FM. The main goal was to wring out a new (to me) mobile rig I acquired for portable VHF contesting. I need to make sure the entire "system" of radio, battery, coax, and antenna(s) performed well in the field and to identify any shortcomings before my next contest outing. Call it a pressure test if you will.

I got more than enough contacts to successfully activate for SOTA and POTA. Of the ones I got, a small minority were active SOTA participants. Another small minority were aware of SOTA but not active in an organized fashion (ie they knew it existed and that's it). The rest were random people who heard my plaintive cries into the Aether and responded with a verbal lifeline.

I chit chatted with a few, so it wasn't all "59 and gud luk in the 'test". My log has some sizeable gaps between contacts and this is why. Usually, once I completed one conversation, I had another fish on the hook in less than a minute.

I even made a contact on 70cm. The guy wasn't watching spots, just hear me calling on 446 and wanted to let me know I was getting out and sounding good. My lone 1.25m contact was a fellow SOTA'r who was doing non-SOTA radio things in the region and decided to answer my call. I was using an HT for that one, but it worked all the same.

Chris

 

a bit late in this thread; however, the situation is exactly the same in Europe; here in Berlin (Germany) we have 14 local repeaters, and just on sunday morning one of them is busy with two old friends chatting before lunch; I am often in Italy, and in the past 10 years I can remember no more than three QSO's, otherwise the 1400+ repeaters are always silent, and nobody is going to answer to general calls;
on the other side, new hams can't say the difference between a resistor and a capacitor (I am not exaggerating); chatting with them is quite boring - even chatting about weather, we don't have a common field of knowledge and feelings;
to me, 53 years ago the radio was my first and lifelong love, but perhaps I (we?) lived in an era of idealism, of dreams; when I got my class A license I was proud of my 12 pages thesis; I can't see proudness in new hams or in young people;
when I was 12 my uncle taught me the principles of power supply filtering, so I could build a replacement of the dynamotor of my BC603 US tank receiver, today my parents would be put in jail for letting their child playing with the 250 volt anodic voltage;
probably it's right so, it's just the time flowing;
Andrew

 

I think theres a certain form of adventure and discovery in all of us, more so for those who venture into the world of amateur radio.
and even then there are myriad levels to which we are drawn to.
Bringing a prospective youth into the fold requires a deft touch.
Exposure to different modes, available resources, and above all acknowledgement and encouragement for demonstrating or acomplishing a build , homebrew or even contacts.

Buildathons?
A great way but requires materials and helps to have a sponsor.
Kiosk
Multiple types and facets need displayed but that can be a logistics nightmare to set up.
Space constraints aside.
Hamfests?
There again in order for it to attract a prospective new ham four things are required.
Location: it needs to be near enough to be worth attending.

Information: you can never have enough information available.
Going into a hobby such as this can be very overwhelming and often intimidating.

Your first impression of ham radio is morse code and Cb like radio.
Yet when you delve into it, you open a veritable Pandoras box.
It drastically changes your perspective.
And from my perspective as someone still new to this hobby as well as being a teacher, i can see where it could be a bit overwhelming by its sheer complexity.

And cost:
Yes cell phones can do one hell of a lot.
And they require an extensive network to be in place.
Its a highly complex technology device.
And comparative cost of cellphone vs amateur radio is a no brainer
Cellphones are by far cheaper than amateur radio and have much more functionality.

So think like a new ham who just might not have a substantial disposable income.
Is that used radio with no guarantee worth $1,200.00 or is that antenna you could probably homebrew worth $ 350.00

And 4th
There has to be more than a passing interest.
Our curiosity pushed us further into the hobby.
If that curiosity is not there, then the hobby is ignored.

I love this hobby because it brings us together in a common format to exchange ideas, opinions, and knowledge in more than just amateur radio.
73 everyone.
Warm wishes and Happy Holidays no matter what your faith is.
Ted Kc3tec.

 

JEQ, I am amazed to think my ever cautious and not unknowledgeable father permitted me to run with a 500 volt power supply built on an open breadboard. Lethal voltages were exposed and close by. God looks out for curious 14 year olds I guess...

 

LS, God is always a good friend to a 14 year old kid, but I would add that trust is a good training strategy; my uncle was well aware of the danger involved with HV, but he trusted I understood his advices about HV's dangers; "scientia potentia est", knowledge is power wrote Thomas Hobbes in 1668 - still true today to avoid elcctrocutions!

 

ICOM with the IC-9700 (admittedly NOT a cheap radio @ $1700); it's actually a tri-band radio, 144 MHz., 430MHz., & 1.2 GHz. Worked 16 grids on 2 meter SSB & FT8 during last weekend's ARRL VHF contest with it. Also did well on 432 MHz. & 12 GHz. SSB. I use it almost daily on the amateur satellites; RS-44 has about a 6000 - mile footprint (from my Southeastern MA QTH, I've worked Brazil & Central America, Alaska, many West coast US stations, & many European stations).

If the $1700 price tag is too high for you, there are PLENTY of used multi-mode VHF & UHF radios around; check the QRZ marketplace or any hamfests. The predecessor radios to my IC-9700 was a IC-275H (2 meter 100 watt) and ICOM IC-475A (70 cm 25 watt); they are typically in the price range of around $400 (I still have them both as backup radios). Just be aware, the "A" versions of the ICOM -75 series radios are notorious for internal AC power supply failures; but even if the AC supply is dead (they are an early switching power supply design & make the 25 watt radios run HOTTER than the 100 watt "H" versions). they will usually run nice and cool if run on 12 VDC. I have a rare ICOM IC-375A 220 MHz. multimode that I run in exactly this fashion. Kenwood also made several 2 meter multimodes (the TS-711 comes to mind), as well as Yaesu. ICOM also made a series of QRP (3 WATT) analog SSB / CW portables, the IC-502 (6 meter) , IC-202 (2 meter), & IC-402 (70 cm.); these were originally designed with hilltopping in mind, have built-in 1/4 wave whip antenna & connectors for external ones; I've seen them sell for between $90 to $250, depending on condition.

There is LOTS more to 2 meters than just FM & repeaters!

Tom WA1LBK