Noob's Corner

[CaptureCom]

Well, Surfer_Dude snagged one of the best handhelds out there.  Great impulse purchase.  Rugged, frequency agile, and well-supported.

www.kc8unj.com/

Go to the site and download the VX-7 Commander software (freeware).  It does tricks you cannot get from the OEM software.  Take heed to the previous warnings about knowing how to program your VX-7 manually...and at a minimum, know how to load a frequency into the VFO with the necessary settings.  By all means, load your radio with everything you think you may ever need, and use the software.  Verify you loaded the frequencies correctly.  Discoveries in the field can impact operations efficiency.  When it comes to input errors, they are easier to detect when reviewing the channel table in the Commander software.  Hopefully with all the accessories, you have a programming cable.

This is a really fun hobby.  Enjoy.  Use 73 as you see fit.  You'll hear me use 10-codes occasionally.  All about having fun. 

[Surfer_Dude]

Thanks captureCom....

[Chuck]

Don't know if this is entirely true but sounds right.  If it is there should be an education process as to why Amateur radio is so important.  As we know when we have problems all or some communication is shut down, except for Ham communications.  I know of one Boy Scout with his license.  Seems like a perfect area to start stressing the importance.

Ham Radio
Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory.. However, proliferation of the Internet and its popularity among youth has caused the decline of amateur radio. In the past five years alone, the number of people holding active ham radio licenses has dropped by 50,000, even
though Morse Code is no longer a requirement.
 

[RobertW]

I know there is a teacher here in the SF Valley who has his students talk third party on his Ham Radio during lunch.

He's actively trying to spark an interest in Ham Radio.

They get a lot of Hams talking back to them and encouraging them to get more interested in Ham and get their license.

[Tomas]

Hey everyone,

Two of my friends just became hams. They are both on tight budgets and asked for my recommendation for basic radios. I'm leaning towards the Yaesu FT-250R, I'm a little curious about the FT-270R as well but I don't think these guys want to buy speaker mics. Does anyone know if the FT-270 has the same audio problems as the VX-170. One of my friends likes to fish and spends a bit of time in a kayak at Jackson Lake.

I'd love any input on either of these radios.

[mopdog]

I'm such an almost-ham that all I have to show for it is a general CSCE, but I purchased a Kenwood TH-72A and have been programming it.  There are several lists of frequencies pertinent to our area both within and without this website.   From http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php?topic=14438.0 I see the following Simplex freqs:
 
146.050                   WSimplx1
145.520                   WSimplx2
145.550                   WSimplx3
147.525                   WSimpTac

Per the TASMA bandplan, WSimplx1 is within repeater bands, and WSimplx2 and WSimplx 3 are 5 kHz off the recommended 15 kHz centers.   The Tactical falls into TASMA plans.    Is there some reason for this deviation?

Best Best Regardses,

K-TBD-6-TBD

[mopdog]

I suppose I have my answer in my new awareness that there seems to be certain differences of guidance between agencies, and different ideas also between different local clubs as to what the interpretation is.   I suppose I just need to let my hair hang down and relax.   Noob anxiety as I wait for a call sign and a first broadcast....

[mopdog]

Very interesting hobby.   Made my first DX contact today,  3,420 miles away in Venezuela.  59/55 on 14.226, about 1100 Watts.   Would like to commemorate with a QSL card.   The man's qrz bio states, "If you still need an old qsl or recent qsl you must send a SAE with two green stamps."    Can anyone tell me just what is might be meant when a Venezuelan says, "two green stamps"?   Any recommended site for my own QSL card generation?

Seven Three

[Bob C]

A "green stamp" is a dollar bill. When I was doing the QSL card thing, I used the bureau for incoming cards. That kept costs down nicely (although it is generally slower than getting a card directly from the contact)


More info here: http://www.eham.net/newham/qslcards

[Ishy]

I have a Yaesu VX-170 handheld and *barely* know how to use it, but I'm learning...

At work, we just got Vertex VX-450 walkie-talkies. I can monitor the Vertex's frequencies (channel 1 is 160.1000) on my Yaesu , but I cannot transmit. Ideally I use my Yaesu for both.

Is there an acceptable work around to make that happen?

[ak7v]

I have a Yaesu VX-170 handheld and *barely* know how to use it, but I'm learning...

At work, we just got Vertex VX-450 walkie-talkies. I can monitor the Vertex's frequencies (channel 1 is 160.1000) on my Yaesu , but I cannot transmit. Ideally I use my Yaesu for both.

Is there an acceptable work around to make that happen?

Not legally.  The modified VX-170 won't have "Type Certification" for the service occupying 160.1MHz.

Now you can legally use your VX-450 on the ham bands if you can get it programmed to go there. 

[mopdog]

Yup.  Sure enough, this is still pretty cool.   My employer provides a station for employee use with an Orion TenTec, a 1500W Ameritron amp, and a Force 12 C4XL up 15m, and it just performs.    I was looking for Hawaii and to my surprise heard some British-sounding ZS's.  Looked it up, saw that it was South Africa on the long path, and got a long path QSL out of it.   

[MojaveSidecar]

Yep I'm a noob... just passed the test last week and I have a Kenwood TFH6 with accessories on the way  from AES. Should be on the air for the first time hopefully this weekend.

I got a call out of the blue the other day from a lady in Apple Valley who said she had a radiogram for me.  Turns out it was from Bruce from ham class saying "Hi" and congrats on passing the test.   What the heck is a radiogram? ..i.e how does one send a radiogram? any costs associated with them, etc.?

TIA

Randy KJ6TAS

[InTheWood]

Yep I'm a noob... just passed the test last week and I have a Kenwood TFH6 with accessories on the way  from AES. Should be on the air for the first time hopefully this weekend.

I got a call out of the blue the other day from a lady in Apple Valley who said she had a radiogram for me.  Turns out it was from Bruce from ham class saying "Hi" and congrats on passing the test.   What the heck is a radiogram? ..i.e how does one send a radiogram? any costs associated with them, etc.?

TIA

Randy KJ6TAS

How cool! I'm a noob too as you know, but I remember the radiogram from the studying I did for the exam. It is a radio message passed from one operator to another until it reaches its destination. In this case, the operator called you on the phone to deliver the message.

No cost, it is just another way that hams get the message through!

Here is hoping I'll talk to you when we both get our radios soon!

[MojaveSidecar]

Hi Brian

Looking forward to talking to you too...   Should be online this Sunday hopefully.

It really surprised me to get this radiogram. I have no idea if this is a common practice for a ham to call a land line to deliver a message.  And although it seems as though a radiogram can be delivered from a radio source to a land line, I wonder if a radiogram can originate from a land line to be delivered to a radio endpoint.

Also, is a radiogram from a land line to radio or vise verse a routine thing or something that should only be used in a priority or emergency situation. 

The reason I am curious is that in my current situation, I have very little use for a cell phone.  If my wife needed to reach me while I was out on the bike with my HT, would a radiogram be a practical solution, or is there some other way I dont know about yet.

Inquiring noobs want to know. 

[SoCalGal]

I know all the hams with a lot of experience will tell you ways a ham setup would help with that, but if you were looking at a non-ham-radio solution, you might look at a SPOT receiver or the new DeLorme emergency communicator:
http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10820&minisite=10020
Pricey thinking but they might help in a tough spot - both are satellite-based.

Hams are so generous though - I've never forgotten how an unknown ham in Arizona patched through a phone call from my Coast Guard boyfriend in Chile to our residence in Orange County, back in the 70's.  The call was clear and was a great help to our long-distance relationship.

[InTheWood]

Hi Brian

Looking forward to talking to you too...   Should be online this Sunday hopefully.

It really surprised me to get this radiogram. I have no idea if this is a common practice for a ham to call a land line to deliver a message.  And although it seems as though a radiogram can be delivered from a radio source to a land line, I wonder if a radiogram can originate from a land line to be delivered to a radio endpoint.

Also, is a radiogram from a land line to radio or vise verse a routine thing or something that should only be used in a priority or emergency situation. 

The reason I am curious is that in my current situation, I have very little use for a cell phone.  If my wife needed to reach me while I was out on the bike with my HT, would a radiogram be a practical solution, or is there some other way I dont know about yet.

Inquiring noobs want to know. 

Sounds like a great use of a radiogram. The key would be having a point (or points) of contact between your wife and a ham operator who could relay the message.

I am sure you are already checking out phone patch repeaters.

It also sounds like it could be useful for your wife to get a ham license! I am trying to convince my wife to do the same.

[InTheWood]

So now I've got the Kenwood HT and I'm ready to go!

It took a few hours of on and off study and trial and error to figure out how to operate the various modes of this unit.  Even though our host thanks to our host was kind enough to use his data cable and data set to program in the numerous repeaters on my unit, I wanted to be able to  program in repeaters manually. It also took a while to get used to the dual receive. But I'm comfortable now and am ready to start.

Listening in I found an active net on the Keller Peak repeater. That was interesting. They have a website that lists other nets. I'm looking forward to several of those.

This Sunday we have the KW6WW Weekly Disaster Preparedness Net on the Table Mountain repeater.

Here are the noob questions:

1. What other repeaters have interesting nets?

2. What repeaters are used for conversations? More specifically, if another beginning ham and I want to try to talk after the Sunday net, what repeaters should we plan to use if we can't talk simplex?

[Wrightwood]

1. What other repeaters have interesting nets?
In this area, Keller has more nets than any other repeater that I'm aware of. Have you listened to the Grub Grabbers on Table 2m each morning at 7am? It's more of a social net but lots of good folks.

2. What repeaters are used for conversations? More specifically, if another beginning ham and I want to try to talk after the Sunday net, what repeaters should we plan to use if we can't talk simplex?
The Table 2m, 220, 440 or KW6WW 2m, 220, 440 are fine to carry on conversations as they are open repeaters. Some repeaters are considered closed and require a membership to use.

Here's a good repeater guide if you didn't pick up a printed one:
http://rptrlist.w6jpl.ampr.org/

[InTheWood]

Thanks for programming all the repeaters for me and thanks for the source for a programming cable!

I'll check out grub grabbers. Thanks for the open repeater suggestions. As a new ham I'm a little shy!