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Brand new to ham radio. Help please.

A

angel eyes

Member
Jul 2, 2010
7
0
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So I bought a Yaesu FT-101EX off ebay and now I have a 10 meter dipole antenna. Mounted the antenna on the roof and got it all hooked up.

I can't seem to get a single 10 meter station to tune in. What am I doing wrong?

I am brand new to all this and understand very little but would like to at least be able to do some listening. Any help would be appreciated.
 

Just for grins, try going to a different band, 20 meters for instance. Can you hear anything there? I'm not saying to transmit there, just trying to see if the radio is working at all.
- 'Doc
 
How do you know that 10 meters was open during your testing?
Click to expand...

I don't know. I only tried to listen. I am brand new to all this and don't know anyone in person that I can turn to for assistance. I have lurked here for a while but still have no real clue.:confused:

Just for grins, try going to a different band, 20 meters for instance. Can you hear anything there? I'm not saying to transmit there, just trying to see if the radio is working at all.
Click to expand...

Not really. It seems like it's tuning in and once in a while I catch the faintest talking but it's like I can never dial it in.

As for the radio itself, it has the plastic on the front yet, the inspection tags attached, and came in the original box. Not really a scuff or a scratch on it and I bought from a reputable seller who claimed it was "tested and working", not that it means anything.
 
Try searching for a beacon between 28.200 to 28.300. The beacon will be CW (Morse code).
Not sure where you are located, but I am picking up strong signals on 28.225, 28.275, 28.300 in central California. I ran the entire band and did not hear anything.
One more thing you may want to do, is check out VHFDX.NET, by Gabriel - EA6VQ.
Click on "Real time QSO and propagation maps"
Click on the tabs for World or N.America and the tab for 28 Mhz.
 
If you are licensed do you have a friend thats also licensed?? That would be a good way to test it you could pick a frequency and talk to one another. Ohh and I was also thinking of the possibility that the band is dead.
 
First thing you MUST DO is download the manual and study it. The preselect control also tunes the recieve to the band you are trying to listen to. Also, be very careful because the radio contains lethal voltages, and will kill you. Improper tuning WILL kill the radio.( Finals are very expensive) Read the manual and do not plug the rig in til you understand how to use it correctly.

Not trying to sound harsh, but those are the facts.
 
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Try searching for a beacon between 28.200 to 28.300. The beacon will be CW (Morse code).
Click to expand...

I'm hearing something there, I just don't hear the Morse code that is being broadcast on it.

I am located in Tampa Bay.
 
So far, i thnk the best advice was to read the manual that should have come with it. If there was no manual with it, that radio is not as 'new' as it may look. Finding and down loading that manual is a very, very good idea! There's nothing 'intuitive' about it's operation without some reading. It's nothing like newer radios, after all, the thing is something like 25 - 30 years old.
The advice about finding someone near you to help is also very good. It will help prevent some of the "Oops!" thingys that can ruin your whole day.
Good luck!
- 'Doc
 

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