to make PP's semi permenant, I use a very small zip tie to hold 2 sets together. pulled snug and they will stay for ever,  cut the tie and pull apart. also works on a PP to a rig runner. In a pinch you can use a twistie tie off a bread wrapper.

alinco makes some pretty good  HT's, too. Give HRO  Ham radio outlet a call and talk to them about what you want and if is over 100 bucks, you get free shipping too.

check out the MA5B, it will actually do fine on a 30 foot oush up mast with guys. and a medium rotor.

I always just tune the amp for maximum power out ( that where the dip and peak  points are, ) keeping it under 700 mills, and then turn the power down on the radio a tad so you are not pushing it for every stinkin watt you can get.  they cannot hear the difference between 400 and 6oo watts on the other end.  so input 35 or 40 watts for 400 -600 out, depending on band an antenna and enjoy.

RE: Minimum sized rotor for Cushcraft MA5B

« Reply #2 on: Today at 05:18:04 AM »


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Use a cheap U105 TV rotator.  They are less than $100.  And then add a TB105 thrust bearing.  I think I paid $25 for mine at R&L Electronics, but the price might have changed.  I show the proper way to use the TB105 in the "Articles" section of my website at www.ad5x.com


I used a tv rotor and the TB 105 thrust bearing and it does hold  a ma5b . I would really look around for a yaesu 400 series, or even a ham 2 or 3 rotor to be on the safe side  but the tv rotor with thrust bearing will work.

find a supptteries with the tabs attached.  you will ruin the new batteries if you try to solder to them.  the tabs commercially used have the tabs welded on  so its omne quick zap and not long sustained heat which ruins the battery. or check out the battery lady ( Ni cad lady ?)
.

I have multiple radios now, and have owned many more over the years. I have an Orion for my main "contest grade " radio and I use a ts 2000 in the shack, mostly for 2m and 440 and sometimes 6 and 10 meters  ssb and cw and rtty. The ts 200 is great for 2m/440 repeater work because it has vox so I don't have to push the button to talk.  The ts 2000 does not have a great receiver on hf, but it works.  IN my car IO run an ft 857 and a kenwood on 900 megs. I n my truck I have 5 radios including a second ft 857 d and a 2m/ 220 mhz/  900mhz/ 1.2 ghz / 440 mhz and some bands are represented 2 times, but on different antennas.  I have 2 antennas on the car ( ATAS 120 and a 900 mhz vert) and I have 8 antennas on the pickup truck.

I would reccommend the ft857 as a real good choice for a multiband radio, and you can still get them new for around $800 and they work with automatic with the ATAS 120 through 40 meters. They have a good menu which is alphabetical and easy to use.  get a nifty book for the main info.  Ts 2000 is larger for a base unit, and still run about $1200 or more, and the ft 847 is equivlent and a bit cheaper ( used, no longer made) but no vox.  So yes get a  rig that will do 2m/440/6m sideband, fm, and cw, psk, rtty, and such. so you are not stuck on 2 m fm repeater only.

I find that listening to the experience of others helps me in my ham functions. For some mode, ( psk 31, RTTY  and such) you absolutely need a computer. If you get on a net ( we refer to them as listening nets) and you are the new guy, there will be 20 or 30 others  wanting to work you the first night, which is difficult on a paper log.

you can add notes to most loggers, so you can make those contacts note if you choose.  I used to use paper logs, but my logs from 1978 to 1081 got wiped out in a flood here, so I had to rebuild as well as I could from the qsl cards from back then that were not wiped out.  So now I get my logs on two loggers (N3FJP's AC log and DXLabsuite) plus I use N1MM for contesting.

so yes, you can use a paper log book, but take my word for it. it is a pain in the derriere to log in 10,000 contacts  by hand form a  paper log into a computer log.  also they help you keep tract of worked all states, DXCC and so on.  your choice, but as a modest dxer and contester and rag chewer, I have about 40,000 contacts and that is a big pile of papers. DO as you wish, and I have terrible handwriting, so some of my contacts are hard to decipher. I prefer  computerized logs.

leave the radio home, and enjoy the cruise with the  wife/ family. play radio when you get home. (besides Marine Mobile does not count for any awards.)

sell the 1500 and get a 100 watt radio.  for about the same price, you can get one of the origonal sdr rigs , a ten tec pegasus

M2  ( m squared ) make a 1000 watter, and I have one at 400 watts made by mirage which is several years old,

fan dipole

I second the N3FJP logger. you can try it for  30 contacts for free, and it is only like 10 bucks if you like it or 39 bucks for the entire set of all logs, and free updates for ever. It took me several months to type in all my old paper logs  to  electronic. you can get some programs to load the calls with out typing, (telnet) and use of logbook of the world, and such. It is hand to have a logging program.  Another free one is DXLabs. good luck have fun

I so agree.  I would run a straight rg 8 or lmr 400 type of coax  directly from the radio and to the antenna. 2 meter ringo is not a great lightning rod.  I think there is a well grounded street light or something much higher  near by to act as a  lightning attractor.  I would not worry about it.  I have several verts around the house and a 40 foot tower, and they are only grounded by their coax. so far no problems.

M6GOM, I beg to differ with you.  In my car I have a trunk lip mount on the trunk lid and when driving at speed the trunk lid floats up and down on the rubber gasket and the hinges make intermittent contact, causing picket fencing while driving freeway speeds..With a ground from the battery to the chassis, and a ground fro the radio to the chassis, and a ground braid from the shield side of the mount to the bolt on the chassis side of the trunk mount solved the problem.  no ground loops, every thing has a ground to the chassis, and it is a unibody construction car.

In my pick up I have five radios , several of which are multiband and have 8 antennas. 4 are on the roof of the cab ( 220mhz/900 mhz/1.2 ghz and a 2m 440 ) on nmo mounts and the other 4 are on the bed rails, ( 2m/440/6m , a 2m only, an ATAS 120 and a DK 3, mostly for 80 and 160 mobile).the truck has a grounded rack holding the radios, and the coax shield for all the antennas is grounded at the antennas, and there is bonding between the battery and the chassis. They all work fine with no problems.

I also have a 1600/800 watt poser inverter for 120 volts AC so I can run my laptop and a pot of coffee when contesting mobile.  Ain't bad for an old disabled vet who has all this done by friends. and they work fine.