Unlike most of the stations running speech compressors, where you can hear their belts stretching or last night's pizza working it's way through the digestive system and the receiving station's S meter never fluctuates from the audio peaks, the proper setting is about 3db of compression.

This should keep your signal clean, narrow, sounding reasonaby good and not over tax your final PA.

One last thought.....use it if/when needed and not as SOP.

Did you ever hear the old story of the little chicken that started running around peeping happily because it was such a wonderful day and he wanted everyone in the area to know and share it with him? (No relation to the "Sky is Falling" chicken)

He finally attracted the attention of a local chicken hawk on patrol.

It's not the end of the story but it sure as heck was the end of the little chicken!

Moral of the story? Keep your 'beak' shut. If there is going to be a problem, it will find you soon enough.

I can give you a specific radio/filter combination review; I recently installed the Inrad 400Hz CW filter in my old IC-730.

It seems to do a fine job with no ringing. Between an almost too tight 250Hz and a getting kinda loose 500Hz. I'd give the Inrad 400 Hz filter Baby Bear's "...just right" rating.

If this one is truely representative of Inrad filters, I'd venture to say you will be pleased.

Cheers es 73, Bob

Try going to a different ground point.....or better yet, multiple points at different lengths. It kind of sounds like you hit a length/ground point that is causing your heartburn.

With no frames as we old timers knew and mostly composit and or plastic cars now-a-days, grounding is a true challenge. Even with the old "yank tanks" the size of the total car vs wavelengths was a compromise.

The one thing that is odd is that 75 and 40 are the usual trouble makers because of reactance.  Piddling with small caps across the center to antenna mount would usually make that go away and then the higher frequency bands needed re-adjusting.

I forgot to mention....be sure your balun is a current type.   The voltage types are a source of later grief especially if you either push lotsa watts thru them or run a constant higher output ie. am, rtty or sstv.

Unless the balun you have is marked I'm afraid I don't know how to tell one from the other.  Bob

I believe the big problem with MFJ stuff is inconsistant QC (or consistant lack there of).

It seems to be a crap shoot...sometimes it will be a great, bill filling 'widget' and the next person that gets the same thing gets the crap part of the crap shoot.

I'd hate to be the guy behind me in line because I have had good luck with the stuff.

Bob

Eric,  

Here is a website that I believe has all the answers and maybe a few ideas for you antenna project.
 http://www.packetradio.com/windom.html

I am not pushing Buck's antennas although I have been very pleased with my several purchases from him.


73 (only one 73 per....) and good luck.  Bob

Try an "online auction" website and do an item search for "2 meter mode". Lots'a rigs there.

They all will be older equipment because multi-mode, single banders didn't earn their keep from the manufacturers stand point so your choice is vintage equipment or a new DC to daylight box.

ALWAYS research completely whatever model you are interested in first, there were some that didn't exactly do their makers proud and some like the Icom IC275H were as good as they came and are valued highly.

If you happen to have an HF rig you might look into building or buying a transverter.

2 meter SSB activity varies from area to area but is always a lot more "ham radio" than walkie squalkies and repeaters (I think).

The UTC answer is correct.  Just be advised that the terms Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or just "Grenich", Zulu, and maybe a few others are sometimes used by oldtimers (like KC's vs. kHz's) and military types. They all mean the same.  The only two things semi-tricky until you get used to using UTC is DST changes your local offset and keeping in mind the date changes at midnight UTC.

In case you are wondering ..."why Greenwich, England?", why not London, New York or possibly Parsnip Falls, North Dakota?  Well, 'cause the town of Greenwich just happened to have the Prime Maridian running right through it so that's where them what cared about such stuff built their observatory.

Now, why is it UTC instead of CUT?  'Cause it's from the French wording.

Why the French wording?  Who the H#}} knows!?  

Kirk,
 
First, great that you are trying "sparks".

Second, all the bands have their quirks and 40, depending on when your are on, can really get flakey  as evening starts, the guy you are in QSO with may get blown off the air by a broadcast station that you haven't started to hear....yet!!!  or the band can just shift.

Third, I am mainly a CW op with relatively good code speed but I like hanging in the Tech+/Novice portion and working at the speed estabilished my the other op.
I remember how lonely and scarey it can be when the sweat from copying code is dripping on the paper.

Also, I have found the the well worn format of "NAME, NAME,   QTH,QTH,   RST, RST,   RIG HR, RIG HR,  ANT, ANT and WX HR is almost the extent of the QSO.  When I try leaving the beaten path with something else like "any other hobbies?", the job I am retired from, etc. I am meet with silence.  Just changing from the above to, 'ur 5nn hr in St. Louis, MO.' seems to shake some folks.

Do not be afraid or ashamed about missing stuff, sending errors or mis-spellings.  Its part of learning and no matter what boat you're in, most of us have been in that very same boat at one time or another.

Sometimes for what ever reason someone will panic, almost soil themselves and run to hide under their blanket.  It has always happened and will no doubt continue to happen from time to time.  Just pull the shattered pieces of your life together and spin the dial.

Bob

I found the best way to keep a clean signal to 1) disconnect the mic and use the aux. audio input 2)leave the mic gain and power levels where you usually have them for SSB and 3) Even if you have to put a volume control pot. on the interface device, vary the audio until you see your output in the desired 5 to 10 watt range.

If you must use the mic input, same-same. Vary your output with the audio drive of the interface. When ever you bump into any limiting on your radio, that's where the distortion comes in.  The metering on your radio is way too course to avoid PSK distortion.  

It should go without saying but sometimes these things need to be said most often; NO SPEECH PROCESSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Deactivate all the cutesy bells, bongs, gaaznarphs, etc. your computer makes as they will be transmitted.

Sounds like NS6Y may have let his panties get bunched up a bit prematurely.  I've only ordered one thing from them, a Par Omni for 2 meters and everything, from initial call to UPS's "drop, run and hope to God no one is following the truck to steal the stuff", was without a glitch.

In addition to the other "on the button" comments the TS520S probably won't comfortably 'throttle down' to the 5 watts drive used on CB amps. I would also be doubtful that the Firebird really puts out more than the TS520S if it is properly loaded into a good antenna. Most of those things list some breathtaking, al biet, completely unrealistic output.  
Remember, they are illegally marketed to ....(and I'm going to be gentle here)... electronically unsophisticated people.

I am glad you zero'ed in on the problem; finding RFI can sure be a challenge. You said you eliminated the TV because it was off. Obviously in this case it wasn't the TV but for the benefit of others.....  If the TV has a remote control it is NOT off; if it doesn't have one it's only a slight chance it is really off.  In order to save a penny or so on each set they only cut the HV to the CRT...the power supply (usually a cheap 'switcher') is always on.      

Need ideas. The rig works great but there is a buzz in the speaker when the squelch is engaged. It sounds like a multi vibrator (maybe). When the squelch is opened either by the control or an incoming signal it goes away. Any suggestions or even a place that KNOWS and works on Azdens? Thanks, Bob k0cba@yahoo.com