Problem/Issue:

I am currently building a 'go' bag for skywarn and other ARES activities and I want to 'grab' my 'good' antenna out of my attic installation to use with my 'go' bag. The 'good' antenna is a Cushcraft Dual Band Ringo($100) that I can attach to a tripod.

No real problem....However, I currently have my base radio plugged into the 'good' antenna.  I have a second 2m only radio plugged into a 2m only antenna that I use for tinkering with APRS and as my 'backup' radio. So I really dont care at this point if it's on during an emergency or not. (I have a third 'go' radio)

My manual procedure to get everything setup to 'leave' the house on a skywarn/ARES run is the following:

- Power off the shack radios
- In the shack unscrew the 2m only radio from the 2m only antenna
- In the shack unscrew the base radio from the 'good' antenna
- In the shack screw in the base radio to the 2m only antenna
- Go upstairs and unscrew the 'good' antenna from it's coax (antenna is in the attic..easy access)
- Go back down stairs and power up the radios
- Run a quick signal test
- Take the 'good' antenna and hit the road

What I'd like to get to is this:
- In the shack power off the 2m only radio
- In the shack flip an A/B type switch to put the base radio on the 2m only antenna
- Go upstairs and unscrew the 'good' antenna from it's coax (A/B switch should be 'protecting' me from getting zapped should the base radio transmit without me..dont see how it would..but you never know)
- Take the 'good' antenna and hit the road

Im thinking I need some kind of splitter/replexer/duplexer/blah/etc for this kind of wiring setup but I have no idea what.

If all this turns out to cost more than buying another antenna I figure I'll probably just buy/build a dedicated antenna for my 'go' bag. If so..which one does anyone recommend for a 35W output on at least 2m/440 band. It needs to be able to handle bad weather and be attachable to a tripod.

Thanks!

-Tyler

Yup I think that's the problem. When I used WinAPRS for a couple hours it was fairly crippled unless you send them money.

Well I dont have specific experience with your choice of equipment but in my case the issue was I didnt have the right cable pinouts for TX.

It could also be that you actually ARE transmitting it's that nobody is responding to you. I've never had someone respond to a "hello? anybody home?" message

Try and find a local APRS person in your area and see if they see you on their APRS maps. If they do..you are transmitting you just didnt know it

or

Do you have a TX light on your TNC where you can see if you transmit?

Okay. First off put the GPS in the closet. You dont need it to get your weather station on APRS and only adds to the confusion. You only need a GPS if you intend to do APRS mobile.

Step 1: Take your TNC and connect it to the computer.

Step 2: Install your favorite APRS software and make sure you have control of the TNC, configure it, Send commands to it, see the blinky lights change, etc

Step 3: Plug in your radio to the TNC (I believe you said these are combined so skip this step for you)

Step 4: Can you 'see' other stations on your APRS software. If not continue futzing until you can.

Step 5: Plugin your weather station

Step 6: Can you view your 'own weather data' via your APRS software? If not continue futzing until you can.

Step 7: Plugin your GPS unit (if you think you really need to) or you can simply hard code the Lon/Lat if this is a home weather station.

Those are the basic steps. You'll need to get more specific help for the specific products you have selected. (eg: the radio, tnc, aprs software)

I got my TNC up and I can see 300+ stations and Im broadcasting my weather and what not. Looks cool.

But......now what?

-Tyler

Well...I went to Lowes and picked up a multimeter and 4 fuses. You can never have too many you know. This will come in handy later..keep reading.

- Checked my power cord and the power supply with the multimeter. Didnt know what I was looking for but it looked the same on both ends so I figured I had the polarity right. 50/50 chance right?

- installed fuse #1

- Plugged in the power cord

- Turned on the unit..POOOF  fuse #1 gone

*sigh*

- Looked at the power cable again and realized it had a white stripe down one side..wouldnt you know it..that's the red side and I had it plugged into the black connector of the power supply. Doh!

- Disconnected power

- Switched the connectors around and installed fuse #2

- Plugged in the power cord

- Turned on the unit...WHEEE!! TNC lights up.

*cheers heard by the wife in the other room*

- Turned off the unit and went to step 2 in the manual for plugging in the TNC to the computer.

- Grabbed a printer cable and plugged in one side to the 25pin on the TNC and one to the parallel port on the computer.

- Turned on the unit...POOOF  fuse #2 blown

*son of a motherless goat*
* Wife hears me yelling at the TNC for being stupid (note..Im yelling at an electronic object) *

- Turned off the power and installed fuse #3

At this point I realize I had been smart to buy more than one fuse.

- Take the printer cable and throw it against the wall

- Head up stairs and watch some TV

- Brilliant idea....I remember reading something about the pin-outs for building your own cable in the manual. Wonder if I have the parts to build a cable.

- Head back down stairs and check the manual..says in big letters (DO NOT USE A GENERIC RS232 CABLE THAT HAS MORE THAN 1-8 and 20 pin connected)

* sheepish grin..guess that was me no the TNC that was stupid*

- Take the pliers out and pull out all the extra pins from one end.

- Put the cable back in place and power up the unit.

WHOO HOO!! WE HAVE LIFE!

Doh! Had a nice local ham (K8YS) send me his phone number and he walked me through some stuff to check.

Looks like I didnt look close enough..the fuse was blown.

Time to go buy a new fuse and a couple basic electronic tools.

Thanks guys!

> regulator ICs

huh?

-Tyler

Fuse looks okay.  No broken 'line' in the tube or discoloration(sp?).

I think my problem might be I dont have the right power cord.  It doesnt look like what I would expect a 'commercial' power cord to look like but I dont know what it's suppose to look like. I've attempted to take one of my old RadioShack power cords that has a similar plug and cut the other end off and wire them up to the power supply...it didnt work either.

Another problem I have is I dont have the basic electronics equipment to check polarity and voltage and what not.

Im using a RadioShack DC/3amp power supply which is able to power up my Yaesu 5100 so I know it works.

-Tyler

I just picked up a used PK-232 from a friend who swears it worked when he put it away several years ago.  Anyway..I plug in the TNC and it wont power up.

I'd like someone in the Cinci, OH area who thinks he/she can look it over and tell me what's wrong...and possibly can fix it if it's really broken and not user error (me)

-Tyler

I went out and purchased this antenna (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamants/1960.html) and intend to install it in the attic of my house (restrictions you know).  

My wife is asking me about the safety of being near the antenna. Anybody have any idea/numbers for how close is 'safe' (as in acceptable exposure)?

She's concerned that if I put the antenna above one of the bedrooms in our house the person who sleps/lives in that bedroom is going to grow horns or something.

I will be operating at max 5W via my handheld until I upgrade my shack to something bigger. I dont think 5W is of any concern but is there some W to Distance from antenna calculation I can do for this type of antenna? So I can say something like:  The nearest a human can get is within 6 feet of the bottom of the antenna and emissions are 'safe' unless I trasmit over 250W....as an example

Thanks!

Sure. Drop me a private email with the specs and what not.  My email is in my profile.

Thanks!

Facts:
1. Im in a location with a 'no antenna' rule.
2. I use a VX-7R handheld (max 5W) as my station but will upgrade to a mobile probably (50W+)

I've looked at the Ventenna's as my possible solution but I thought maybe I could take a shot at building my own.  Im good at following instructions but know very little about electronics/radio theory/etc. Buying and screwing around with parts, cutters, etc is not a problem. I've browsed some of the online home built antenna websites but none seem to over detailed instructions. Most just have a parts list, a picture and some radio theory about where to cut wires and what not.

Anyone able to recommend a home built stealth antenna with a link to detailed instructions?

or

A 'for purchase' antenna that should do me well?

Thanks!

Im currently using one of the $5 RadioShack glass mount dual band antenna's and only work the local repeaters on 2m and 70cm.  What antenna should I be looking at to replace my RadioShack? It seems to work okay but Im sure I can do better. I drive a Saturn so it's one of those fiberglass cars

My current rig is a HandHeld VX-7R (max 5W)

I will probably upgrade to a 'mobile' rig sooner or later so the antenna should be able to handle up to 50W at least.

Thanks