HAM radios???

[FSJ Thing]

I, like a few other members like Klank, am getting into HAM radios. After looking at the questions for technician, I'm going to go for general and refresh my morse code. However, I went to several radio shops here in Denver and none of them "know much about HAM radios" so they all keep recommending me to go to another shop, usually all the way across town from their own. So I'm curious, what kind of radio should I be looking for? Here's what I wanna do with it. I wanna have it mounted in my truck, but when it's in my garage, I want to be able to hook it to a different antenna mounted on the roof of my house and sit in the cab and relax while seeing if anyone is awake in Austrailia. What kinds of radios do you HAM guys like and what price ranges should I be looking at for a used one? I'd like on that has multiple modes. Any HAM input is appriciated! TIA

[ December 02, 2003, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Wago Thing ]

[bigun]

you are lucky in Denver area yo can hit the 145.145 2meter repeater and talk up and down the front range on a Walky Talky with 2 meter you can get away with handi talki the other you would probaly want for long distance would be a 10 meter as far sa I know I have never seen a ten meter handi. I am suppried you are having problems finding a radio shop there when I lived in denver area there where several ham shops. If you have a scanner tune it to the 145.145 reapeter they used to have a swap net on where alot of the times the guys will even give out their phone numbers so you have a way to contact them with out having to have a radio and they are always loking for new people you may even be able to find an elmer. I have had good luck with kenwood, Radioshack, and Yasu. You could also check at radioshack for a repeater book it has allthe registered repeaters broken down by state and city it is great when you are traveling and believe me once you get started you will want thisin every vehicle you own. My father was a truck driver who ran from Alb to Seattle and back every week I went with him took 2 meter and clamp on attena and was able to taklk to people any time of the day or night the only place that was diferant was Saltlake where they did acknowalge that I was there but did not include me in conversation LOL Hope this helps you might want to get ahold of rande he has kept up more than I have Oh by the way that repeater I told youof links all the way through NM and branchs off to Tx Arz. and CAl

[FSJ Thing]

Thanks bigun! I went to three different radio and electronic shops and they all deal in repairing those motorola handheld doohickies. the first one I went to was on Sheridan, and they sent me to another shop on Iliff, and they sent me to a shop on Wadsworth! I looked in the phone book (before going all the way across town each time) and all three of those shops where listed under "Radio-Citizens Band" but the phone book doesn't have a HAM listing section, so that was all I had to go on. Near as I can tell, there just isn't enough intrest for it here in Denver to support a shop. Radioshack here doesn't stock anything, and the dude at the shop told me that they might have something in their catalog and could check online, but in the catalog, all they have relating to HAM radios where antennas. I'm sure that somewhere here in Denver there is a shop with HAM radio equipment, but I can't find any advertisements of any kind. I'll keep looking for a 2m/10m dual band setup though. I've seen a few on ebay for around $500, but I don't want to spend quite that much just yet. Thanks again!

[bigun]

matt let see if we can get Rande over here I know he is more up to date than I am I haven't made a call since my dad died in 96 that was whenhe broke in the middle of a conversation and told me he had to sign off I have kept the license up but that is it I have been getting interested again so I'll see what I can find for you because unless every body died up there ham was big but the last time I was up there was in 93or 94

[Rande]

I'm here! I'm here! ;)

Ok, let's see, how much bandwidth do we have?

Matt, there are several really good, feature packed, compact, multi-band, multi-mode, HF rigs on the market. For all the features, $600-$800 is not a bad price for a brand new rig. These same rigs can be purchased for much less used on several Ham radio classified sites. I'll supply some links below. In good used condition, expect to pay $300 - $600 depending on model, features and condition.

Ok, some talk about these radios. Most run 100 watts of power out. That's usually plenty. They all will talk in AM, SSB, FM and some digital modes. They have many memories that not only remember what frequency you were on but what mode you were using and can automatically retune an antenna matching unit. Most also will go higher in frequency than the regular HF bands. Some include 6 meters, 2 meters, and 440mhz.

If you are used to CBs, get ready for a shock when you see the sophistication of these radios. Some to look at are the: Yaesu FT-100, Icom IC-706 mkIIG, the Kenwood TS-50, the Alinco DR-70.

If you can't find a Ham radio store near you, get on the net. AES (amatuer electronic supply), Burghardt (SP?), Ham Radio Outlet, are the largest.

For mobile HF radio work, the antenna is a major compromise. DO NOT scrimp on the antenna. Be prepared to spend real money for a real antenna system. A mobil antenna tuner is very important. It allows the radio to transmit safely on frequencies above and below what the antenna is initially tuned to. You see, for a transmitter, the antenna length is related to frequency its transmitting on. When you change frequency, the antenna should be retuned for the new frequency. These ham radios have a wide range of frequencies to transmit on. Retuning the antenna everytime you move a few hundred kilohertz in frequency is not practical. The antenna tuner will not retune the antenna, it will retune the antenna system so the radio has a good match to transmit into. Makes whatever antenna you use much more versitile.

These new radios can control an automatic mobile tuner. See why I say be ready to spend some money?

Now, after having said all that scary stuff, you can get by for a while with a less sophisticated antenna system. Just realize its limitations.

These radio don't use knobs like older radios did. To change parameters, you have to get into a menu and change settings that way. A real bother while driving and trying to adjust squelch, filters etc. Most folks find some basic settings that they can live with in most situations and leave it at that, changing things only when really neccesary.

Here are some great places to find info. Some are sites just like the IFSJA, with different areas devoted to different subjects. Newbies are welcome by most, basic questions are usually answered well by folks interested in helping.

http://www.eham.net/
http://www.qrz.com/
http://www.arrl.org/
http://www.qth.com/
http://www.aesham.com/
http://www.burghardt-amateur.com/
http://www.hamradio.com/
http://www.hamswap.com/hamgearforsale.html
http://www.hamrad.com/hamtrade.htm
http://www.radioinc.com/
http://www.rigpix.com/
http://www.hamgate.net/~larc/forsale.htm

Those ought to keep you busy for a while. eHam has some really good forums to read through. Lots of great info there just by reading through the posts in the various forums. You may see some of my dumb questions there. ;)

[bigun]

see I told you he was up on it more than I am thanks rande noe I have to start reading to LOL

[Rande]

Charlie, now you need to work on that 5 wpm code and upgrade to General at least!

[bigun]

I am old class tech. I think they callit tech plus now and I don't think I could do code now to save my life

[Rande]

Oh, ok. Since you are a tech+, then you already have the code requirement behind you.

[FSJ Thing]

LOL! Thanks alot, both of you! I'll be surfing through those sites all day today at work. I really appriciate it. I knew that HAM wasn't going to be like a CB, but to be honest, I didn't think it would be as complicated as your starting to make it look. Regardless, I think it's only piqued my intrest even more. This is gonna be fun! Thanks again Rande and bigun! Oh, yeah, and I found a shop here in Denver, but it might not exist anymore. I went to one more electronics shop after work yesterday, and they found an old business card for a HAM shop out in Aurora, so I'll try calling them a little later this morning and see if they still exist.

[bigun]

it just sounds harder it is like other things once you start you get used todoing things with out thinking most of your 2 meter rigs will automatically set offsets send dtmf signals and if you think cell phones are great wait till you are out in the middle of nowhere and are able if you belong to the club bring up the phone patch. I had always been interested in Ham as akid but it wasn't till a fishing trip in Co. that I decided I needed some way to comunicate where there were no phones. at that time cell phones were still very bulky and only corporate people had them. I had taken a friend of mines 10 daughter fishing on a saturday we had gone up where we normaly liked to go a lake called Yankee Doodle up above Rollens Pass at 11,000 ft well that day the wind came up and blew us off the mountain so we went to another lake I found on the map. Why'll driving to the other lake my watch strap broke and not thinking I trhrough it in the glove box. To make an already long story short we were real late getting home by the time I got there her mother was in panic, her step father was trying to calm her down Peggy had already called a friend of mine who was loading up his ramcharger with every thing he could think of for a mountain rescue and as a former navy medic attached to a Marine force recon unit in VN.he could think of alot. When I got aholdof him the only thing he was waiting on was his son to get to his house so they could go, that is when I got serious about ham Jennifer the 10 year old in thisstory also got her license She is/was KB0HXB her mother died a few years ago and the last I had heard she had become a man hater and moved to The Peoples Republic of Boulder. I recently renewed my license but in searching FCC I don't think she renewed hers.

[4x4n In A Cherokee In Colorado]

Rande your alright! What do you think of the Ranger 2950? For 10-11 meter. I have a Ranger 6900f25 myself and love it! Its super clean....

[2ndtimearround]

Ham radio -- where to start. I have been licensed since I was a teen (over 25 years) I have:

1. Worked HF Mobile and talked to the world, imagine, chatting with a guy in Ireland while communicating to work
2. Worked amateur satellites -- fun but lots of technical work
3. Stayed up for 24 hours straight in a ham radio contest
4. Used very low power and worked the world on a slinky antenna with CW
5. Worked emergencies (Great Ice Storm of '98) on 2 metres; dispatched to take medical personal to work during the great Nor'Easter of 93 (combined 4 wheeling and ham radio).

....the list goes on. Just like 4 wheeling ham radio is what you make of it. The secret, start small, read, do, and read some more. If you can find a "Elmer", or good club, great, and above all have fun!

A good place to start http://www.arrl.org

73 de VA3LGD

Lawrence

73 = Best wishes
de = from
Elmer = Senior, experienced ham that takes you under his/her wing
VA3LGD = my Canadian Call sign, LGD is my initials. :D

[ December 04, 2003, 06:33 PM: Message edited by: 2ndtimearround ]

[Rande]

The RCI 2950 is a great radio. I've had several. The 2950DX is even better. The output transisters for the Uniden/President 2510 and 2600 radios can be hard to find these days. Late in the production, they changed the transisiters and those are still easy to find but the earlier ones are getting hard to find and getting expensive.

If someone wanted a 10 meter ham radio these days, I would recommend the RCI radios.

[bigun]

was with a buddy working south america on president grant with digi peter mobile on 50 watts. was with same guy in his ham shack in 89? when they had the earthquake he was talking to a guy out there when it started the guy thought his daughter was jerking on the back of his chair till he looked up and saw his boat anchor(old tube type rig) bouncing on the shelf. LOL

[bigun]

I have a radioshack 10 meter bought down in florida in 92-93 used on my way back to Alb. don't think I've turned on since.

[2Stock]

Hey guys. Glad to see this thread. I have been shopping transcievers for a couple of months since a friend ("Elmer") has been encouraging me to get my license for years. It will be a long process I know but I thought I would get a radio first and just monitor while I am learning. I have learned a lot just by surfing the Ebay ham radio section http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plistings/category40065/index.html?from=R11

There are quite a few mobile 2 meter rigs. Myself, I'm looking for something like a Kenwood 820S and then, as needed, pick up a mobile later.

[Rande]

Ah yes, the infamous HTX-100. Built by Uniden, very similar to the Uniden/President 2510, but didn't have AM in it. Another Radio Shack mistake. Its a good radio, just should have had AM in it. The mics were rather poor for sound quality.

[bigun]

well it is sitting out in my truck right now I am trying to figure out where to mount it in my dodge unfortunatly the dodge don't have the space my 68 3/4 ford had.

[Rande]

Charlie, a good replacement mic will help those radios. Don't get me wrong, they really are good radios. Its was just the poor mic and the absence of the AM mode that decided things for me.

2stock, that Kenwood is a big beast! A great radio though. Look for a flickering digital display in those things. It was a common developement in them. The TS-830 is a very similar radio but has the extra bands the FCC authorized in the early 80s. You may look for one of those instead.

The problem with the old tube rigs is the cost of replacement tubes, and the constant tuning of the output tubes. You select a frequency to transmit on, tune the radio up and you can start talking. If you move very far away from that frequency, you have to retune. If you change bands, you retune again. Being a lazy butt, I just got tired of doing that all the time especially considering the modern transister radios need no tuning.

Its all up to you though. A used TS-820 or 830 will cost $300-$400. A used transister rig will cost only $50-$100 more.

I used to have a set of Drake twins, a Swan 500, a Kenwood TS-820, A Yaesu FT-101EX, and I now have a Swan 400. All tube radios! I've had enough of the tuning! ;)

[bigun]

My first reciver was monster all band tube name departs from me at this time but Iused to work security on the swing shift was too keyed up to go right to bed when I got home so I would go in turn on radio to let it warm up thnego in turn on stove under tea kettle take a shower come out make a cup of herbel tea then go in and listen to the world using heat off tubes to keep cup warm LOL

[bigun]

My first 2 meter rigwas a Kenwood TM211A went bad on me some time ago and have been trying to find some place to get it fixed or replace it

[4x4n In A Cherokee In Colorado]

We have a ol bird in Colo. Springs we all talk to that has an old Browning Tube Type Mark 3 Base Station on a really long Ant. I have to tell ya that old Browning is sure one AWESOME radio I hear him for 30-40 away miles when I go to work at 4:15 am every Morn...........Speaking of.. better get to bed, got another 450 miles to pound out tomorrow.

[bigun]

73s

[Rande]

I had an old Hallicrafters SX-110 shortwave receiver that I used to go to sleep to. The old timers say: real radios glow in the dark.

The best buy I have found in a 2 meter radio is the old KDK FM-240. A really compact radio with analog controls, just a few memories (16) and just a few features. Great little radios.
The new radios are so complicated I just can't get used to them. Especially in a mobile installation. Too many features to keep track of and too many complicated control schemes.

[bigun]

I liked the little kenwood because it just velcroed to the dash cover and I could preset channels in it that way when I was traveling when I stopped for gas I would pull out the 3X5 cards I had prepaired before set in new freq. and be ready to go

[J10/J20 Project]

Hey All,
Sorry not to hijack the thread. But while on this subject I would like to know if any out there might know what I have? My father was into everything so I get to figure out what it all is and if worth keeping. I'm not sure what a Ham radio is.
What I have it is a
Knight Star Roamer
Allied Radio corporation. Chicago
Pic in my Misc folder.
http://community.webshots.com/user/paul93xj

Thank's
Paul

[Rande]

I checked your misc. pics but didn't see it there. Anyway, Knight was a kit maker. You would order the kit and assemble the radio yourself. Problem with that is, you never know who built it or how good a job they did. Its like buying a Heathkit radio. They're self assembled. They are good designs though. Knight kits were very popular. I used to have a Knight T-150A receiver and it was a great radio for a kit.

Here's a link with some info on it: http://www.dxing.com/rx/span.htm

Allied built ready made receivers under their own name.

[ December 30, 2003, 07:29 PM: Message edited by: Rande ]

[J10/J20 Project]

Thanks Rande,
My dad was into all that as a kid so I would guess he built it and I would say he did nothing half Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley. He took pride in all that he did. I had a Heath kit mini bike as a kid this thing had 2 speeds and a big fat back tire.
Pics should be up now.
It has to be at least 40 years old maybe?
nice link thanks

[ December 04, 2003, 08:56 PM: Message edited by: J10/J20 Project ]

[bigun]

Well from pics you can tell it is a tube rig looks like some kind of all mode reciever

[Rande]

Its actually just an AM receiver. At least according to the website I linked to.

[bigun]

hmm ok I was reading some guy complaning that his doesn't work any more it washis 8th grade science fair project LOL

[2Stock]

Rande:

Thanks for heads-up on the Kenwood 830. My Elmer has a 820S with the problem you described. I looked on Ebay for the KDK FM 240 and found other KDK's: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=kdk&catref=C3&socolumnlayout=3&from=R2&sacategory=40065&BasicSearch=

Looks like a very inexpensive way to start.

[klank]

I'll just keep studying, take test, than convince wife to let me get equipment. My dork dad had equipment he was gonna give me but he thought I didn't want to get into it so he gave it away. That's why I'm doing this all by myself. If you want it done you gotta do it yourself.

[Rande]

2stock, I do suggest you start out with some older radios. The new, menu driven radios are great but difficult to get used to with the complicated control systems.

Those old KDK radios like the 2033 or whatever, are good radios but kinda big. Like a full size CB rig. There are some good Alinco 2 meter radios that are good buys. Alinco really came on the scene about 15 years ago or so. They were a bargain at the time and the radios have stood the test of time. They were simple, cost effective radios. A good place to start on 2 meters. Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu are the big three.

Get on some of those Ham radios sites, join in the forums and ask questions. A lot of those sites have practice tests you can take. These practice tests use the FCC's question pool so they are very good. An easy way to know when you are ready.

[ December 05, 2003, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: Rande ]

[Will work for Wag]

I learned to use all the buttons on the remote mike for my Ic 2720h the same way I learned to type. I memorized the buttons and practiced using touch to find the buttons. Of course, I practiced in the driveway until I had it down; have to keep the eyes on the road. smile.gif

[ December 05, 2003, 10:10 PM: Message edited by: Will work for Wag ]

[bigun]

Matt I went the other way I got into it then got my dad invovled LOL

[klank]

I love going the other way. My dads just a dork.

[Uncleben03]

You colorado guys are lucky. I love when i go out there and get the opportunity to run the 2M Colorado Connection system all along the eastern part of the state. Kinda nice to be able to hit half the state on all those linked repeaters.

If you're looking for a good 2M rig, try a radioshack. I know thats a bad word, but thats the only mobile I've ever owned (had a HT, yaesu vx-1r), and its held up for 3 years inside 3 different Jeeps, and my truck so far, and all 4 were high dust environments.
-ben

[thejum57]

Lawrence, are you guys (our Northern brothers) also listed in the QRZ directory? My sister in-law has a new beau from Canada, who claims to be a HAM, but isn't listed. He's one of those people who knows everything, and I'm just trying to call him on at least one! smile.gif Thanx , Jim

[Rande]

Whats his call sign? There are several call lists on the net.

http://www.wm7d.net/perl/ulsquery.pl

http://www.buck.com/cgi-bin/do_hamcallexe

http://www.qrz.com/callsign.html?callsign=W9NNN

http://www.eham.net/

http://www.arrl.org/

[ January 15, 2004, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: Rande ]

[thejum57]

His call is VE3SSP, when I look it up on QRZ it come out as someone else....from Onterio though! Maybe it ran out, and someone else picked it up?? I could just ask him but he's a master of BS:)

[Rande]

Looks like that call sign is still valid for the name: Steven Patriquin 402 TOKE TIMMINS, ON P4N 6V7

If the call sign had expired, it would not be reissued for several years. Any ham, Canadian or U.S. can regain an expired call sign within a couple of years of its expiration.

You can tell him you were looking through a Ham radio site and ran his call sign and there seems to be a problem. His call is listed under another guy's name. He should check into it, must be a screw up in the government's system.

If he's a well known BS'er, this call sign of his is likely more of the same. If you confront him about it, he'll probably just spew forth more BS to cover for the earlier BS.

[thejum57]

So, you know this guy???? smile.gif Well his name is Steve, but last name is Gracey, hummmmm doesn't seem to match up! Talking to him, he does seem to know HAM radio, but the call sign thing is odd, at best. Thanx for the input, and yes if I confronted him there would just be more BS!!! Lucky for me, I only have to deal with him on holidays etc.

[Mike D]

Bigun, sorry... but the feed through's on those are a pain to replace.. and usally after the first repair.. its over with... because they break the trace from the board,.. broken twice/3rd time, there isnt anything left to solder to... i have 2 211a(one mobil version 245, one base.. and they have the same problem) -- dead.

Iv been using a 706M2G im my wagoneer for a while now.

General class...... bty.

[bigun]

bummer oh well it was a good and faithfull servant during it time. I did like it's size and ease of use plus it was my first and you always remember the first LOL

[klank]

Well guys I've been studying for my test and I take it April 10th.. I hope Matt Faber is doing the same.

I've narrowed it down to these models to buy for now. They are 2 meter. Anyone have an opinion on one or the other? Thanks if you do.

IC-T2H Sport ICOM (http://www.hamradio.com/web/gif/t2hsm.jpg)

IC-V8 ICOM (http://www.hamradio.com/web/gif/v8sm.jpg)

TH-K2AT Kenwood (http://209.35.194.58/web/gif/thk2.jpg)

VX-150/64B Yaesu (http://www.hamradio.com/web/gif/vx150sm.jpg)

[ March 25, 2004, 11:08 AM: Message edited by: klank ]

[FSJ Thing]

I bombed the test a few months ago when I took it. I though I had enough of the answers memorized to pass, and every question on the test I remembered reading on my answer sheet but couldn't remember the right answer for it! I'll talk the test again before Ouray, but a few other things are on the front burners right now... ;)

EDIT>>>I forgot to wish you well! good luck!

[ March 25, 2004, 01:51 PM: Message edited by: J-truck Thing ]

[klank]

Thanks!

[bigun]

with a handi talki you have the option of using it as a mobile with power cord external mike and speaker and atten.. Some times this has been done by the factory just like todays hands free phone set up except you still have to use the mike. But then you can pull it out and use it like a handi I know that is the way the Denver PD used to be setup

[jeeprme1]

COOl, Jeeps and Ham radio, so much in common. Both are fun taking to mountain tops, wife complains about both, both of them will empty pockets. Good luck on new hobby, it's alot of fun. I don't regret getting into it, very rewarding hobby. Hope to hear ya on the air. 73's and good luck. N0ZMP

[klank]

Ok, jeeprme1, what up with everyone in ham putting "73's" in their ending message. Got me confused and I see it everywhere.

[Don S]

Originally posted by klank:
Ok, jeeprme1, what up with everyone in ham putting "73's" in their ending message. ..
klank:

... "73's" is a code that means the same as Have a nice day. or

Have a good one ;) and CUL.. Don S..

ps I just got my ten-year renewal ...WB5ZCR

[2Stock]

Update: I found a mint Kenwood TS-830S on Ebay about a month ago and bought it. I am very happy with it so far. I need to do some mods to the the antenna and have some Andrews coax on the way from another ebay surplus store. I don't have a license yet. I am listening in on the 40 meter and 80 meter bands at night and some 20 meters in the day. If anybody is interested, there is a request before the FCC right now the change the license requirements for the Novice class to not require morse code. There are also some restrictions on which bands the Novice can transmit on. 73's

[Rande]

Not sure how much more the FCC is going to do for us. They can easily sell our bands for a tidy profit.

[Ferrets]

Hey guys, I just caught this thread out of the corner of my eye. I'm glad to see so many Ham FSJ's !

One of the coolest ham related things I've recently come across is echolink EchoLink (http://www.echolink.org)

I spoke with someone on Cape Bretton Island,NS. My signal went from my computer over echolink to the NS repeater - from there it was put out on 2M.

I think this will come in very handy when I am up there on vacation with a rig in my car - my parents ( both hams ) can link up from Long Island. THey are in Europe right now - I spoke with them this morning - It was wild - EchoLink allows conference calls mixing RF and INternet signals. My dad had 5 of his ham buddies in a QSO over three continents.

73's

Mark

PS - Rande, did you get that OD J20 home yet ? I'm planning on mounting some Mil radios in mine.... :rolleyes:

[2Stock]

Rande: I was listening on 80 meters last night to a conversation among several hams in your area of the country. They were concerned about the FCC taking HAM bands and using them for broadband video. They mentioned "BTL" and "BTL nodes" several times. I got the idea that this was some type of technology or maybe a company trying to promote the use of 400' towers to broadcast a service. I have not heard of that before in Texas so I wondered if this is something new to Minnesota. Is this your concern about the FCC selling bands? As far as I know, the only wireless broadband commercially available operates in the area of 5ghz+ and has a range of approx. 30 miles per tower.

Ferrets: Thanks for the reference to Echolink. I looked them up. Very interesting.

[klank]

Tomorrow and Sunday I'm going to a class for my technician license. Sunday is a half day. I will than take my test the following Saturday. I have been taking a practice test on QRZ.com 2x a day to study. You know it's weird. I'm having a hard time finding terms for stuff. I can't even find a term for the word "Perigee" on arrl's website. Anyways, I'm trying real hard to pass this. I guess the club who puts this on has a cd they hand out that will help you pass the test that much quicker, and it's all free.

Wish me luck. I'm gonna be ready and I'm really excited. Wish me luck also that I get a really cool # for my license.

[klank]

Ok, so things are looking up. It's really dead at work today and I'm all caught up on work so I've been taking the practice tests on QRZ.com. I have passed 1 out of 3 tests. That's pretty good considering a month ago I really knew nothing about this stuff.

P.s. this Topic of the month stuff is like a ghost town. I'm here all alone.

[bigun]

Hey Matt good luck on the test 73s

[2Stock]

Just did some reading on the ARRL website and apparently the concern is over deployment of Broadband over Power Line BPL not BTL as I thought I heard.

[Rande]

Right, broadband over powerlines. Broadband internet service via the electrical powerlines running everywhere. These are unshielded wires, and will broadcast the signal wherever they are. Every block, every house. In the country, along every road and highwway, long antennas broadcasting interference. Japan has had terrible trouble with interference. Kiss ham, CB, AM broadcasting and shortwave reception goodbye!

The power companies and internet service companies stand to rake in huge profits from this so there is no way the FCC will lift a finger to help us. This could be the end of HF ham radio.

The sky really is falling.

[ April 08, 2004, 07:53 PM: Message edited by: Rande ]

[bigun]

HUH????? I heard about them talking about sending Internet down ac lines but hadn't heard about this problem. I guess I should have reasoned it out but!!!!!!!!!!!!

[klank]

I take my test tomorrow. I feel good about it.

The other name for volts is resistance, right?

[Don S]

Originally posted by klank:
I take my test tomorrow. I feel good about it.

The other name for volts is resistance, right?
..

klank:

... Yeah! Right!!!
But hey!! good luck to you.

Have a good one ;) and CUL.. Don S..

[bigun]

Originally posted by klank:
I take my test tomorrow. I feel good about it.

The other name for volts is resistance, right?Why do I get the idea that Matt is going to be posting a number of times that he is going to be taking his test????? 73s

[Rande]

So Matt, wha happen?

[klank]

Thank you very much! I passed my Technicians license. Party on!

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/party/party-smiley-038.gif

[bigun]

congrats matt

[klank]

Thanks. I think I'm in never never land.

Now we just need Matt (j truck thing) to pass.

pm me matt. I got a cd that might help you pass. And get the book by arrl. It totally helped me pass.

[klank]

I got my new call sign.

KE7ALS

Now I just need a radio.

[drives mopars]

aes .com

bill kk6dm

[klank]

Ok. So I got a radio. Vertex (Yaesu) vx-150. It's a 2 meter. It'll be good for starting out.

[nearboston]

Does anyone know where I can pick up a decent but inexpensive key to practice on?

[Rande]

http://search.cartserver.com/search/search.cgi?cartid=a-6994&category=newprices&maxhits=200&keywords=k1&go.x=15&go.y=7

[flatbackdragon]

J-truck thing
this may be well past your time for looking for equip but I searched google for "amateur radio in denver, co" and came up with a lot of places, clubs etc, someone at one of these site should be able to steer you to where you need to go. some hamfests of sorts are coming soon, check them out

[bigun]

lots of ham clubs in denver area also on air swap meets or used to be. when I started all I had was a scanner, one of the hams in my area had something for sale that he listed his Telephone number with so I called him and got in to th hobbie that way. There used to be a group that got on I beleive the 145.145 repeater at night that called them selves the dirty dozen they stayed on most of the night with defferent people checking in all the time. What was really cool about the repeaters was you could be on the eastern border of colorado and get in with 5/8ths of a watt .or find the severy weather net those crazys chase tornados