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linuxgeek said:
if memory serve me, 225 main street newington ct. old phone number was 203-666-1541 i think. back in the old days they were on lasalle road w.hartford ct. only old farts remember that far back
CQ CQ CQ .. calling all amateur radio operators
- Thread starter linuxgeek
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if memory serve me, 225 main street newington ct. old phone number was 203-666-1541 i think. back in the old days they were on lasalle road w.hartford ct. only old farts remember that far back
linuxgeek
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rjohns86us said:
As far as I've heard we'll be running 3F. Still have some tower & antenna work to do before we are ready--upgrades which just hadn't happened till now. I was volenteered to be the generator captain (i.e. I turn it on and prove it works and clear out all the wasp nests from its storage area so the area is clear for our alergic members).
This will be my first field day. I did my novice & tech back in the late 80's, but only in the last couple months did I receive my general. Mainly was active on 2m talking with my dad through the tall repeater in Deland, FL (it's up around 1200 ft). With my dad gone, I mainly did more supporting people getting on the air than getting on the air myself. Via my involvement with ARES/RACES, my activity level is increasing.
After I do some server upgrades today, depending on how awake I am when I'm done, I may try some 6m & 10m from a top one of the parking garages. Not sure what the propogation patterns are looking like currently. Last I looked at the tropo-ducting, the SE was glowing.
Lady Christabel
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W4MCO And the CQ voice you'll hear will be mine.
My youngest will likely be licensed by then, but if not, she can have fun on the GOTA station.
My youngest will likely be licensed by then, but if not, she can have fun on the GOTA station.
Lady Christabel
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You don't need Morse for the Technician class, just General and above.
And yes, you should look into Amateur Radio. It's very deliciously geeky.
And yes, you should look into Amateur Radio. It's very deliciously geeky.
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the League has a museum in their lobby, stuff going back to Hiram Percy Maxim's days. very interesting stuff, and W1AW is there too.
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well doesn't the USA have to fall in line with what the UN and the TCU work out with other countries so that reciprocal licensing makes sense?
when is the next WARC scheduled? they had one in 79 i think, has there been one since to divy up the radio spectrum to all that wish to use it?
when is the next WARC scheduled? they had one in 79 i think, has there been one since to divy up the radio spectrum to all that wish to use it?
linuxgeek
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shyly curious said:
Far as I know, we have to follow tready, but I've seen a lot of messages about other countries dropping the code requirement. Not sure how much they may be restructuring their license privilages also.
Not sure on the WARC.
Re: Re: Re: CQ CQ CQ .. calling all amateur radio operators
Right this very second...no.
And there is no internet access down there.
All we were told is that channel 3 is what we use if we need help...lol.
I hope we never need help. lol
But my 13 yr old wants to listen to the silly truckers on it...so we will have to figure it out.
linuxgeek said:
Right this very second...no.
And there is no internet access down there.
All we were told is that channel 3 is what we use if we need help...lol.
I hope we never need help. lol
But my 13 yr old wants to listen to the silly truckers on it...so we will have to figure it out.
linuxgeek
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Re: Re: Re: Re: CQ CQ CQ .. calling all amateur radio operators
eep, no internet. That actually caused goose bumps...
It has been a while since I used CB, but as I recall, it was fairly straight forward. 40 channels. Channel 9 desiginated for emergencies & traveler assistance/information--it may be that channel 3 is the channel the community you are going to uses. Channel 19 is often a channel the truckers use. Hopefully, there will be a useful manual if it has gotten more robust than I'm remembering. There are a number of web sites.
No license is necessary to use CB radio. FCC compliant CD radios put out a maximum of 5 watts of power. On an average system, each watt of power will get your signal out a mile. Range of a CD radio can be legally increased by using a hi-gain antenna (generally larger so it can pick up signals from farther away and will put out more of a signal when you transmit). Having the antenna higher in the air will also help. When putting up an antenna, the FCC has put a 60 foot limit on CB radio antennas.
FCC's web page on CB Radio: http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/cb/
Personally, if the CB radio is going to be your main lifeline out, I would look at amateur radio as an alternative. I say this for a couple of reasons:
1) Since there is no license needed to use CB radio, you have no idea who you are talking to on the air. There have been cases where a person put out a call for help on Channel 9 for a broken down car or such, and who responded wasn't there to help.
Since amateur radio is licensed, there is a unique call sign given to each licensee. Through easily accessable databases on wireless.fcc.gov, www.qrz.com, etc. as well as printed copies of the databases, a person's callsign can be used to verify who and where the person is. Yes, a person can be on amateur radio frequencies claiming to have a callsign and give bogus information. However, amateur radio operators are self-policing, and have a hierarchy for reporting rule breakers to the FCC. They even have people who practice being able to hunt rule breakers locations.
2) While it is illegal by FCC rules, CB radios can be made to put out more than 5 watts. When the FCC catches a person doing this, the fines can be quite steep and they often will seize all equipment in violation or was used to carryout the violation.
The power limitations for amateur radio operators has a much higher ceiling. To compare, the amateur radio 2-meter band is used similarly to how CB radio is. As with CB, 2-meter has handheld radios, mobile radios to mount in a vehicle, and base stations. The handhelds usually put out 1 to 6 watts. The mobile radios usually put out up to 50 watts. The base stations do 100 watts or more.
Besides the raw power allowed on the 2-meter band, amatuer radio operators, clubs, & organizations will put up repeaters. Repeaters take a signal and retransmit it. Using a repeater can easily double the area you can be heard in or more. As an example, in Deland, FL there is a 2-meter repeater with its antenna near the top of a 1200 foot tower. By using this repeater, I can easily be heard up 75 miles, and often farther, away from where that tower stands.
If radio becomes hobby you, your husband, and/or you kid(s) become interested in, amateur radio will allow you to talk around the world. Depending on the interests of your 13 year old, having a background in amateur radio may contribute to the career he/she chooses. I have heard many testimonials of when applying for a job in a technical field, just being an amateur radio operator is what made them the applicant choosen.
And even if the technical aspect never catches any of you all's interest, it gives you thousands of people around the world to contact without having to worry about how many minutes you have used so far in a month. Some of the base station equipment can be rather pricey. On the handheld side, I've seen and used a decent one which sells for around $100 +/- depending where you buy it.
Mia62 said:
eep, no internet. That actually caused goose bumps...
It has been a while since I used CB, but as I recall, it was fairly straight forward. 40 channels. Channel 9 desiginated for emergencies & traveler assistance/information--it may be that channel 3 is the channel the community you are going to uses. Channel 19 is often a channel the truckers use. Hopefully, there will be a useful manual if it has gotten more robust than I'm remembering. There are a number of web sites.
No license is necessary to use CB radio. FCC compliant CD radios put out a maximum of 5 watts of power. On an average system, each watt of power will get your signal out a mile. Range of a CD radio can be legally increased by using a hi-gain antenna (generally larger so it can pick up signals from farther away and will put out more of a signal when you transmit). Having the antenna higher in the air will also help. When putting up an antenna, the FCC has put a 60 foot limit on CB radio antennas.
FCC's web page on CB Radio: http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/cb/
Personally, if the CB radio is going to be your main lifeline out, I would look at amateur radio as an alternative. I say this for a couple of reasons:
1) Since there is no license needed to use CB radio, you have no idea who you are talking to on the air. There have been cases where a person put out a call for help on Channel 9 for a broken down car or such, and who responded wasn't there to help.
Since amateur radio is licensed, there is a unique call sign given to each licensee. Through easily accessable databases on wireless.fcc.gov, www.qrz.com, etc. as well as printed copies of the databases, a person's callsign can be used to verify who and where the person is. Yes, a person can be on amateur radio frequencies claiming to have a callsign and give bogus information. However, amateur radio operators are self-policing, and have a hierarchy for reporting rule breakers to the FCC. They even have people who practice being able to hunt rule breakers locations.
2) While it is illegal by FCC rules, CB radios can be made to put out more than 5 watts. When the FCC catches a person doing this, the fines can be quite steep and they often will seize all equipment in violation or was used to carryout the violation.
The power limitations for amateur radio operators has a much higher ceiling. To compare, the amateur radio 2-meter band is used similarly to how CB radio is. As with CB, 2-meter has handheld radios, mobile radios to mount in a vehicle, and base stations. The handhelds usually put out 1 to 6 watts. The mobile radios usually put out up to 50 watts. The base stations do 100 watts or more.
Besides the raw power allowed on the 2-meter band, amatuer radio operators, clubs, & organizations will put up repeaters. Repeaters take a signal and retransmit it. Using a repeater can easily double the area you can be heard in or more. As an example, in Deland, FL there is a 2-meter repeater with its antenna near the top of a 1200 foot tower. By using this repeater, I can easily be heard up 75 miles, and often farther, away from where that tower stands.
If radio becomes hobby you, your husband, and/or you kid(s) become interested in, amateur radio will allow you to talk around the world. Depending on the interests of your 13 year old, having a background in amateur radio may contribute to the career he/she chooses. I have heard many testimonials of when applying for a job in a technical field, just being an amateur radio operator is what made them the applicant choosen.
And even if the technical aspect never catches any of you all's interest, it gives you thousands of people around the world to contact without having to worry about how many minutes you have used so far in a month. Some of the base station equipment can be rather pricey. On the handheld side, I've seen and used a decent one which sells for around $100 +/- depending where you buy it.
rjohns86us
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Last year was our first Field Day, so this year we are a bit more prepared. We have a great location, complete with a 120 ft training tower to string wire antennas from, as well as mounting one vertical up there.. I will be operating 20 meter phone station most of my operating time.....alternating with someone else doing logging.
6 meters has been wide open a couple of evenings this past week. I worked seven states and 17 stations in less than an hour Thursday evening. I love the magic band, and if there is a radio turned on in this house, I will be listening on 6 meters. I run the FT-847 driving a modified SB200 amp to a 6 element beam mounted about 60 ft .
6 meters has been wide open a couple of evenings this past week. I worked seven states and 17 stations in less than an hour Thursday evening. I love the magic band, and if there is a radio turned on in this house, I will be listening on 6 meters. I run the FT-847 driving a modified SB200 amp to a 6 element beam mounted about 60 ft .
linuxgeek said:
rjohns86us
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Just an update on the license proposals.
first, if we followed treaty alone, we would have eliminated the code requirement (not my opinion of whether we should or not) since the code was dropped as a requirement at the last conference and most (or at least many other countries have dropped that requirement for many classes of licenses.
There are several proposals before the FCC concening license restructuring, the most poplular being to eliminate it for General, retain it for Extra, and granting current techs General privileges. The FCC has promised to act promptly on those proposals and address all of them in one rule making procedure. Two of the proposals would create a new Novice Class with limited phone privileges on some of the HF bands.
They will probably eliminate the code requirement since I just passed my code and theory for general at yesterdays testing session
first, if we followed treaty alone, we would have eliminated the code requirement (not my opinion of whether we should or not) since the code was dropped as a requirement at the last conference and most (or at least many other countries have dropped that requirement for many classes of licenses.
There are several proposals before the FCC concening license restructuring, the most poplular being to eliminate it for General, retain it for Extra, and granting current techs General privileges. The FCC has promised to act promptly on those proposals and address all of them in one rule making procedure. Two of the proposals would create a new Novice Class with limited phone privileges on some of the HF bands.
They will probably eliminate the code requirement since I just passed my code and theory for general at yesterdays testing session
linuxgeek said:
linuxgeek
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rjohns86us said:
Sweet. From what I've seen, the ARES group here does their EOC HF via dipoles. Part of the work we did a couple of weekends ago was to replace a HF veritical with a 60 foot pushup tower and set it up to have rigging for 2 dipoles plus a 2m/70m vertical on the top. They strung one and tested it that day. The other HF equipment is on the 'war wagon'. I haven't had a chance to see inside it yet.
Radiowise, I have a FT-8900R in the vehicle with a Comet UHV-4. Being a new general class myself and having only worked on 2m & 70cm previously, I'm starting to wonder how much I will actually be able to do in the 8900R on 6m & 10m. It only does FM & AM; no SSB.
I'm starting to lust after the Icom 706 and equivilent other models. I've does a bit of poking at the tech specs, but not nearly enough to have a good idea which I want. At $800 + antennas, I've got a while to figure it out. I'm figuring the mobile I find with the automatic antenna tuner will have the suitespot in my heart.
I'm going to go and visit my mom some time in the next month so I can eyeball the rig my Dad had. May see if I can convince the mangement of the apt complex I'm at to allow me to string a loop in the trees behind the building I'm in. When we were signing the lease, they seemed interested in what amateur radio is, so I figure I have a chance. Already have a 2m/70cm vertical standing off from my balcony.
Ended up not getting done with my server upgrades until 2:30 last night. Spent a bit building the response to the CB question and then crashed. If I can get motivated, I want to hit to top of one the parking garages and see if I can hear WX4NHC on 10m during their test today. If not, I'll probalby just come home and check in with them via Echolink.
linuxgeek
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rjohns86us said:They will probably eliminate the code requirement since I just passed my code and theory for general at yesterdays testing session
Yeah, the same way I felt when I passed my written in March. Felt good to pass it just the same. I'm going to buy the ARRL Extra study guide and read through it. If most of it makes sense, I'll probably try that test over the summer.