BEEN OFF THE AIR FOR SOME TIME

[Sonar]

First due to health issues. Then equipment issues (amplifier needs repair.) Then my antenna came down in a 60-70 mile an hour (gust) wind storm here in NJ.
While I was ill I didn't think much or care about whether or not I was on the air.
Now that I'm feeling better I certainly am beginning to miss Keying up my microphone. I miss hearing the clunk of my Sonar's relay. I miss calling CQ on SSB and the little kid type excitement I get when a far off station replies. It really sucks not being able to use my equipment because of technical problems. I can't even watch the many youtube skip clips any longer. It's God damn upsetting to hear others enjoying the hobby while I can't. So I don't watch those clips anymore. It's been about 8 months now. At least it feels that long. I am predicting that I'll be back on the air sometime in September or October. Damn it really sucks! Have you ever experienced not being able to get on the are due to problems out of your control? If I don't see or talk to my girl in a 24-hour period I begin to get separation anxiety. I'm actually feeling the same type of separation anxiety anxiety except it's not my girl I'm missing it's not being able to get on the air. Have you gone through long periods of no radio operation and all you could do was wait until everything comes together? Have you every experienced operation separation? If so how long did it last and how did you deal with it? PS right now it's become a financial issue keeping me from getting back on the air. Medical bills have built up and although I could ignore some of them for a while and get back on the air all that would accomplish is me losing sleep knowing that these bills need to be paid first. Adult priorities really suck! 73. Ps. I give my left testicle to be 25 again. I'll even throw a pinky in for good measure. Lol

 

[codeman]

I am missing out in skip right now due to my work truck being in and out of the shop. I have been running my boss's truck and the radio is awful in. So boring only hearing static.

What's the problem with your antenna?

You could always try a cheap dipole antenna. I use one from time to time I bought from eBay called Dr. Dipole. It works well for DX even strung up just 10ft off the ground.

 

[Riverman]

First due to health issues. Then equipment issues (amplifier needs repair.) Then my antenna came down in a 60-70 mile an hour (gusts) wind storm here in NJ.
While I was ill I didn't think much or care about whether or not I was on the air.
Now that I'm feeling better I certainly am beginning to miss Keying up my microphone. I miss hearing the clunk of my Sonar's relay. I miss calling CQ on SSB and the little kid type excitement I get when a far off station replies. It really sucks not being able to use my equipment because of technical problems. I can't even watch the many youtube skip clips any longer. It's God damn upsetting to hear others enjoying the hobby while I can't. So I don't watch those clips anymore. It's been about 8 months now. At least it feels that long. I am predicting that I'll be back on the air sometime in September or October. Damn it really sucks! Have you ever experienced not being able to get on the are due to problems out of your control? If I don't see or talk to my girl in a 24-hour period I begin to get separation anxiety. I'm actually feeling the same type of separation anxiety anxiety except it's not my girl I'm missing it's not being able to get on the air. Have you gone through long periods of no radio operation and all you could do was wait until everything comes together? Have you every experienced operation separation? If so how long did it last and how did you deal with it? PS right now it's become a financial issue keeping me from getting back on the air. Medical bills have built up and although I could ignore some of them for a while and get back on the air all that would accomplish is me losing sleep knowing that these bills need to be paid first. Adult priorities really suck! 73. Ps. I give my left testicle to be 25 again. I'll even throwing a pinky for good measure. Lol

Tell us what exactly what you need to get back on the air, JoJo.

Oh, and I'd give one just to be 50 again.

 

[Sonar]

I am missing out in skip right now due to my work truck being in and out of the shop. I have been running my boss's truck and the radio is awful in. So boring only hearing static.

What's the problem with your antenna?

You could always try a cheap dipole antenna. I use one from time to time I bought from eBay called Dr. Dipole. It works well for DX even strung up just 10ft off the ground.

My first antenna was a hand-built wire dipole sold buy a guy on eBay who builds them for every band. It worked fairly well even though it was very low to the ground. The main problem is being stock if I were to put that dipole up. While I was using the dipole I was also using the Phantom. The 650 Watts definitely helped. All three of my amplifiers need attention. I'm hoping to get my Phantom in the mail shortly. I've got 808 Shady tree mechanic whom I became friends with after selling him one of my Sonar 2340's. He's going to already driving down to South Jersey from his Delaware qth in order to as has reinstall my IMAX 2000. I need to replace both pl259's on my lmr 400. and he's actually going to take the ride to my qth in order to pick up some items I have for him and delays and while he's here he's going to take my lmr400 home with him. He's going to install the new pl259's connectors at his qth. Once my Phantom is repaired and many of them in my possession I will give 808 a call and set up a day I'm wet she can come down and put up my IMAX 2000. As I mentioned in my old pay it came down in a windstorm. I have a brand new back up IMAX 2000 the garage and that's the one 808 will be putting up. I'm hoping during a weekend in September everything should be good to go and I'll be back on the air again. I could only imagine how much good DX on missing. It is what it is but it's difficult at the same time. I really enjoy the hobby and actually realize how much I truly do enjoy it now that I don't have access to the equipment that allows us 2 enjoy the hobby. Weather sometimes life's A bitch. I shouldn't be complaining as my health issues have improved tremendously over the last months. Except for an emergency appendectomy which isn't actually an illness and isn't associated with the health issues I've been having over the past two and a half years. I'm looking forward to getting back on the air and talkin to all you guys and girls once again. Until then 73.

 

[Riverman]

Sounds like a plan.
Hooray for Shadetree Mechanic!
Maybe one of the members with the equipment and know-how will repair one of your amps at little or no cost as an act of kindness for a fellow member.

 

[S&W357]

Can't keep a good man down. Sounds like you have a plan and a target date Sonar. That's a good thing!

 

[357magnum]

That " No Radio " thing I'm sure has happened to a few of us . Myself anyway when I moved it was 9 years before I got back on the air , then realized how much I missed it ! I just had to go w/out my amp for a few weeks & I must say That Sucked ! But I'm up & running again full force ! For Now anyway .

 

[Woody-202]

Catch DX via SDR websites. It's receive-only but at least you'll be able to hear what's going on. It might ease the withdrawal until you get back on the air.

 

[Sonar]

Sounds like a plan.
Hooray for Shadetree Mechanic!
Maybe one of the members with the equipment and know-how will repair one of your amps at little or no cost as an act of kindness for a fellow member.

I would appreciate someone offering to repair my Phantom on the cheap but I wouldn't accept. There are people going through rougher time's then myself. I found a tech who did a great job on my 350z. His prices were extremely fair. He completed the work quickly too.
I'll be sending him the Phantom shortly. I should be financially back on my feet (sort of speak LOL) within the next month or so. I missed so much work while I was Ill and I'm just beginning to catch up. I think the Phantom might have a burnt rectifier or two (3, 4, 5, ect ect lol) It'll probably only cost me about $150 including shipping to repair. Once the amplifier comes back I'll set up something with 808 so that he can drive down and put my antenna up. 808 is really a great person and although we've never met I'm certainly looking forward to that day. It's amazing how people who enjoy our hobby can become acquainted and even friends with each other due to something like the sale or a piece of equipment. After selling 808 one of my two Sonar 2340's we continued to correspond. I think he appreciated the fact that I went out of my way to show him that the sonar was exactly as I described and gave him a very fair price he decided that putting my IMAX 2000 on top of 25 foot telescopic mast I bought would be a way to return what he thought was a favor. I will be giving 808 a bunch of equipment I have no use for and is taking up so much closet space that I could use for other things. I wanna metion that 808 offered to install the telescopic mast I bought before I told him I had a bunch of stuff I've 'no use for and is to much for me to box and ship if I were to sell it and that he was welcomed to take it with him when he comes to install the antenna. I'm giving 808 the equipment because he's the only person into the hobby that I ever invited to my home. And he will be the one to have to rummage through my closet. We'll both pick out the items that I've no use for and he'll take them home with him. I also told him if there was anything that he couldn't use and a local who wasn't in a financial position to purchase something that I happened to give him and he himself wasn't going to use that he would pass it along to them free of charge. Since 808 decided to. Put my IMAX on top of the telescopic mast my antenna was taken down by high winds. Even though the work he will be doing has basically stayed the same it worked out okay for me since I have a brand new backup IMAX 2000 in the garage and I decided instead of putting the old one on top of the telescopic mast I will now be putting a brand-new IMAX on top of that mast. Anyway. I just wanted to let 808 know how much I appreciate what he will be doing for me. He is also going to install brand new pl259's on my LMR 400 and will be rewiring the 5 pin mic input to a 1/4" phone jack on the " midfi" interface I bought along with a Beringer 802 and Shure sm58.
The Beringer 802 Shure sm58 and interface only charged the mids and highs when hooked up to my Madison.
I've since learned that for an EQ/mixer to affect the lows (which was the reason I purchased the 3 items) the transmitter being used in concert with these items must transmit at or above 3 kihz wide.
Mike (Mike's radio repair) said that the 2340 is one of only a few CB radios that actually transmitts at 3 khz wide. I'll let you know how that workout. If it indeed does affect the lows/bass I'll probably make a YouTube video and then post.shareit here. I'm actually going to post it on YouTube and then share it here even if it doesn't work. Maybe people will stop buying those $125 + interfaces for use on CB radios that don't operate 3 kilohertz wide (or better.)
Thanks for throwing that out there riverman. I think your intention was that someone would pick up on your suggestion and offer to repair my amplifier for free or for the cost of parts and shipping. I also want to let people who might be confused by this reply know that the reason I need someone to put up my antenna is that I am disabled and cannot do so on my own. 73's

 

[Riverman]

Thanks for throwing that out there riverman. I think your intention was that someone would pick up on your suggestion and offer to repair my amplifier for free or for the cost of parts and shipping.

You're welcome.
Am a little surprised (and disappointed) there were no offers.
If I lived closer, I'd come help Shadetree with your antenna.
We need more like him.

 

[Sonar]

You're welcome.
Am a little surprised (and disappointed) there were no offers.
If I lived closer, I'd come help Shadetree with your antenna.
We need more like him.

I have absolutely no doubt that you would help 808 if you were geographically in a position to do so. 808 is indeed a good person. I know there are plenty more like him out there. I just want you to know that people do favors for me everyday and I always pay it forward. As a matter of fact I don't actually need people to do favors for me in order for me to do favors for other's. There are those who aren't as fortunate as myself. I always lend a hand when I can. Most of the time I don't need to be asked for a favor. I usually know when someone needs something and if it's something I can do or help them take care of themselves I do it without having to be asked. It would be nice to have someone here to give 808 a hand. My dad is 89 years old. Is still up for a challenge usually no matter how physical that challenge My be. I have a feeling it's going to wind up being 808 and my dad putting the antenna up. My dad was the one who put up the first one. And that required putting together the non-penetrating roof mount then loading 8 standard size cinder blocks onto its frame. @ 89 years old he did a very good job. 808 will not be alone in this endeavor. Thanks Riverman.

 

[Sonar]

Catch DX via SDR websites. It's receive-only but at least you'll be able to hear what's going on. It might ease the withdrawal until you get back on the air.

Lol. That's a good analogy. I'm going through dxing withdrawal. I don't know if you've ever heard of hamsphere? It's basically a online live chat website with a virtual transceiver. I tried a free trial but after using it about a half a dozen times I deleted the app. It just isn't the same. They do have and optional 4 pay feature that actually mimics DX conditions. The for free trial allowed me to talk to people from all over the world. It eventually began to feel like I was speaking to someone over the phone. There are rules just like ham radio. One needs to use their hamsphere given call sign in order to break in. And all the other rules basically follow the amateur radio rules similar to the ones set in the US. Back to the pay hamsphere service. From what I've gathered it's more realistic as hamspheres computer system will mimic current dxing conditions. While speaking to somebody on the pay form they will actually have signal dropout and increase just like ionosphere conditions do two radio signals in real life. You can set your output from qrpay to 100 Watts. If I recall one might even be able to adjust their output to legal limit. I actually tried it while my station was working 100%. The reason I tried it was because it was during a time when not only was there no conditions for skip but even locals stopped turning there stations on. 73. PS. After thinking about what I had added to my reply about hamsphere I thought I'd see if there were any videos explaining what it is and what it does. Out of the two I watched for a minute or so this seems to be the most comprehensively explained YouTube posting about hamsphere. It's not for me but maybe there's someone else out there who hasn't heard of it or another similar application. I haven't heard of any others but then again I haven't looked. I'm assuming there are quite a few that are similar. Hamsphere happens to be the one that I used. So this is the one I'll share.

 

[TheRATT]

If you were in the Seattle area I'd lend whatever hand I could. Good luck to you!

 

[Sonar]

If you were in the Seattle area I'd lend whatever hand I could. Good luck to you!

I have no doubt you would. I can't wait to be back on air. I'm gonna listen for all of you and give y'all good people a shout. I'm going to assume and hope that conditions are as good as they are now or even better.Thank you and blessings. 73's

 

[357magnum]

I'm sure living closer would help , not much interest on 11m these days here . I've been trying to get help putting my beam up for 3 years , brand new Sirio 27-4 in the box . I can do all the basic setup just need help on the roof part . I'm disabled also & getting older ( 65 ) . I'm not supposed to be up there as I take med's for seizures . I still do it but I have to wait till my wife isn't home . I know it's not that funny but .. You Do What You Have To Do ! Thank God I've been lucky so far . But I haven't been up there in a year .