so would a CB swr meter work for ham in the 2m/70cm bands or that is totally different? Hadn't really thought about that until now.
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New HAM with lots of questions....
- Thread starter Sniper308
- Start date
Ya, I should know better than that. I guess I just got so wrapped up in ordering stuff I was like "Ok, SWR meter, I have one of those" lol. I keep forgetting this is a totally different ballgame. Im just so used to only dealing with one type of radio that I guess it habit.
I ordered a meter made for my radio from AES. Luckily I called them and they had not sent my antenna and coax out yet so I was able to just add it. I also added a 3ft jumper of the RG8U to match the 50ft for the antenna. Hopefully the meter I ordered will be reliable. I have never used a cross needle meter before. I know a lot of people swear by them. We will see.
MFJ 817C: Ham & Amateur Radios - Equipment, Parts and Supply | AES
I ordered a meter made for my radio from AES. Luckily I called them and they had not sent my antenna and coax out yet so I was able to just add it. I also added a 3ft jumper of the RG8U to match the 50ft for the antenna. Hopefully the meter I ordered will be reliable. I have never used a cross needle meter before. I know a lot of people swear by them. We will see.
MFJ 817C: Ham & Amateur Radios - Equipment, Parts and Supply | AES
Just keep in mind that the two meter movements provide THREE separate scales; one for forward power, one for reflected power, and the point where the needles cross, giving the SWR. The scale is a series of somewhat vertical lines and you interpolate from there.
If you have (or make) a 2:1 dummy load (which will measure either 25 ohms or 100 ohms), you can prove to yourself and others that the SWR does NOT increase when you increase power.
If you have (or make) a 2:1 dummy load (which will measure either 25 ohms or 100 ohms), you can prove to yourself and others that the SWR does NOT increase when you increase power.
Congrats on your license!
You got a Dstar radio - that is very cool!
The coax choice may be OK for 2m @ 50 ft; but at ~440mhz it will be a bit lossy. At UHF freqs; coax quality needs to be top grade. Times/Microwave LMR-400 would be best.
http://www.saarsham.net/coax.html
Nice choice on the antenna; a J-pole. Be sure to isolate it from ground and mast and be sure not to mount it near a metal roof. Might want to fashion a choke coil near the antenna feedpoint too; or use snap-on ferrite beads. Just helped a local operator sort out these same issues with his J-pole the other day.
You got a Dstar radio - that is very cool!
The coax choice may be OK for 2m @ 50 ft; but at ~440mhz it will be a bit lossy. At UHF freqs; coax quality needs to be top grade. Times/Microwave LMR-400 would be best.
http://www.saarsham.net/coax.html
Nice choice on the antenna; a J-pole. Be sure to isolate it from ground and mast and be sure not to mount it near a metal roof. Might want to fashion a choke coil near the antenna feedpoint too; or use snap-on ferrite beads. Just helped a local operator sort out these same issues with his J-pole the other day.
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Not necessarily true. I pick up lots of simplex chatter, and with good signal, at 30-40 miles with my mobile rig with nothing more than a simple, non loaded, 1/4 wave whip on the roof of my truck. There are too many variables to determine any kind of definite range.
Originally Posted by BJ radionut 
2 meters and above are OK Simplex...Have no use for repeaters except SKYWARN....Takes a decent antenna with some good height 40ft+ to get 50-60 miles...
That was exactly My point and why I made the statement....some op's expect way to much from 144mc and above...I gave a medium expectation...I get way over a 100 miles on 2mtr's with a antenna at 45ft...Someone else could use the same set-up and get only half that...To many factors at those freq's to say...BuyThis, do this, expect this....???
I guess I don't have much use for those freq's....the're ok just prefer HF & 6mtr's
All the Best
Gary
2 meters and above are OK Simplex...Have no use for repeaters except SKYWARN....Takes a decent antenna with some good height 40ft+ to get 50-60 miles...
That was exactly My point and why I made the statement....some op's expect way to much from 144mc and above...I gave a medium expectation...I get way over a 100 miles on 2mtr's with a antenna at 45ft...Someone else could use the same set-up and get only half that...To many factors at those freq's to say...BuyThis, do this, expect this....???
I guess I don't have much use for those freq's....the're ok just prefer HF & 6mtr's
All the Best
Gary
What ever you do, do NOT get rid of that radio or antenna or the truck it is mounted on!!! It is truly in a class by itself if you can copy simplex with good quality at 30-40 miles on a 1/4 wave mobile antenna.
That is of course unless you are parked on the top of a high hill somewhere. The topography of Maine is somewhat similar to here and 30-40 miles simplex is just not possible unless I am on top of a real high hill and so is the other station. I don't run crap gear either. IC-2000H or FT-857D with a CA-2x4SR antenna.The best simplex range I have been able to get while mobile was 56 miles from a location 150 feet high with 30 watts and a 5/8 wave antenna to a base station at 750 feet with a collinear groundplane antenna. It was like a pipeline as less than 1/8 mile either way from that location it was not possible at all. This was on a commercial freq. at 172 MHz but the range is the same basically as 2m.
I think wen BJ was talking about distances he was talking in general normally accepted everyday situations like I am. Not those times when all the stars line up ad you get lucky and make a simplex contact at 70 miles but normally the limit is much less.
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Well today is the day. I'm patiently waiting for the UPS man to get here. Looking forward to talking with some fellow hams. Come on UPS man
Fill us in....How many times did you time out the local repeater today
Enjoy
All the Best:w00t:
BJ
Enjoy
All the Best:w00t:
BJ
Ok. Its official. I'm in love. I received the radio on Tuesday. No antenna though. Bummer. The antenna showed up on Wednesday about 4pm. Took me to mid day Thursday to get everything hooked up and tuned in. Im loving 2m so far. I have made more contacts in one day on 2m than all of the contacts I have had on CB over the past year. I spoke with several people here in SC ranging from locations from Charleston, to Camden, to Greenville. I sat in on two NETS on Thursday night and am listening on a NET as I type now on 145.190. This is a phenomenal radio. It is so clear. I am getting much better range out of the 2m band than I had originally planned. Im sure its the repeaters. I still have not learned to use all of the features of the radio but Im working on it. I have DSTAR up and working and have been playing aound on a few of the DV repeaters here in Columbia. The GPS feature is pretty nice too.
I just cant say enough good stuff about this radio. My SWR is 1.0/1.1:1 on most of the channels on both bands only rising to around 1.3:1 on the outer limits of the 23cm band. All reports from everyone I spoke with said I was loud and clear and had excellent audio. The guy in Greenville even so far as to ask me what I was talking on as he couldn't believe my sound quality talking from Columbia. Im going to end up wearing this thing out. Anyway back to the NET. You guys will be seeing me around for sure. Im hooked now.
I just cant say enough good stuff about this radio. My SWR is 1.0/1.1:1 on most of the channels on both bands only rising to around 1.3:1 on the outer limits of the 23cm band. All reports from everyone I spoke with said I was loud and clear and had excellent audio. The guy in Greenville even so far as to ask me what I was talking on as he couldn't believe my sound quality talking from Columbia. Im going to end up wearing this thing out. Anyway back to the NET. You guys will be seeing me around for sure. Im hooked now.
Yet another one hooked !! Sounds like you are enjoying yourself Sniper
You will be giddy when you go to the HF bands..It is nice to be able to turn on the radio and hear someone chatting away 24/7
You will be giddy when you go to the HF bands..It is nice to be able to turn on the radio and hear someone chatting away 24/7
Louis
Congrats on passing the test and opening up to the world of ham. Looks like you picked a good radio and antenna, just ensure you use good coax like LMR400, as when you go up in frequency, you need better coax. The typical CB coax such as mini 8 will work on UHF but it's lossy for UHF so you may not be putting out a full signal.
Since you have general, I recommend stepping into an HF rig at some point. HF lets you work the world, and 20 meters is a popular band for around the clock DXing. 40 meters is also good but is better at night. These all run on SSB, and if you've ever worked DX on SSB CB, it's very similar....except you'll be using your FCC issued call sign instead of some made up call sign. The lingo is also different - they use Q codes on ham, and don't use CB lingo.
The good thing about HF is you can make the antenna yourself with some 14-16 gauge wire and an SO-239 connector into a dipole, then hang the dipole high in the tree with some garden twine. I've done this several times with good results, and I didn't have much $ in the antenna. I usually snatch the SO-239's from a pile of junk parts CB's I keep stashed in the garage, but Rat Shack also sells SO-239's. Decide on what frequency to cut the dipole for - the instructions are all over the internet, however the best way is if you know of someone with an antenna analyzer who can dial in precisely what frequency the dipole is for, then you can trim/solder on extra to get it to your desired frequency.
As for HF rigs, there's plenty on the market to choose from - the Kenwood TS50 comes to mind. I myself have a Kenwood TS2000.....it does 2 m, 70 cm, 6 m, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40, 80 and 160 m....it doesn't do 1.25 m or 60 m....I like it because it's an "all in one" box that keeps me from having a multitude of radios in the house as I do not have a dedicated ham shack where I can have an ass load of radios....so my station is in the kitchen, and the lack of clutter from have an all in one also keeps the mrs. happy.
Also another tidbit.....see if there's a local ham club and get acquainted with them.....some of them may be able to "Elmer" you....as well as loan you meters/test gear, etc....also find out when the next "
hamfest" will be in your local area....hamfests are a swap meet for ham radio guys/gals who come looking to buy, sell or even trade ham gear. It's a great way to get stuff you need for less than it costs new.
Congrats on passing the test and opening up to the world of ham. Looks like you picked a good radio and antenna, just ensure you use good coax like LMR400, as when you go up in frequency, you need better coax. The typical CB coax such as mini 8 will work on UHF but it's lossy for UHF so you may not be putting out a full signal.
Since you have general, I recommend stepping into an HF rig at some point. HF lets you work the world, and 20 meters is a popular band for around the clock DXing. 40 meters is also good but is better at night. These all run on SSB, and if you've ever worked DX on SSB CB, it's very similar....except you'll be using your FCC issued call sign instead of some made up call sign. The lingo is also different - they use Q codes on ham, and don't use CB lingo.
The good thing about HF is you can make the antenna yourself with some 14-16 gauge wire and an SO-239 connector into a dipole, then hang the dipole high in the tree with some garden twine. I've done this several times with good results, and I didn't have much $ in the antenna. I usually snatch the SO-239's from a pile of junk parts CB's I keep stashed in the garage, but Rat Shack also sells SO-239's. Decide on what frequency to cut the dipole for - the instructions are all over the internet, however the best way is if you know of someone with an antenna analyzer who can dial in precisely what frequency the dipole is for, then you can trim/solder on extra to get it to your desired frequency.
As for HF rigs, there's plenty on the market to choose from - the Kenwood TS50 comes to mind. I myself have a Kenwood TS2000.....it does 2 m, 70 cm, 6 m, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40, 80 and 160 m....it doesn't do 1.25 m or 60 m....I like it because it's an "all in one" box that keeps me from having a multitude of radios in the house as I do not have a dedicated ham shack where I can have an ass load of radios....so my station is in the kitchen, and the lack of clutter from have an all in one also keeps the mrs. happy.
Also another tidbit.....see if there's a local ham club and get acquainted with them.....some of them may be able to "Elmer" you....as well as loan you meters/test gear, etc....also find out when the next "
hamfest" will be in your local area....hamfests are a swap meet for ham radio guys/gals who come looking to buy, sell or even trade ham gear. It's a great way to get stuff you need for less than it costs new.