30 years ago, I built a mixer using LM741 opamps. I am still using it. You can probably find a schematic on the internet or buy a kit or built item from someone such as PartsExpress.

The Hamvention is in May. You should be able to find a great used 100MHz Tektronics scope with probes out in the flea market for under $150.00. I picked one up on late Saturday for $100.00, with probes, manual, and snap on cover.
100Mhz is kinda narrow these days, but work just fine for what hams need a scope for.

on the AC scale, it MAY BE reading PEAK. Remember that the RMS voltage is .707 x peak. Early DMM's displayed PEAK VOLTAGE.

On the DC scale, are you sure you do not have a multiplier selected?

Your next meter need not be a Fluke unless you are going to be using the meter every day, but there are many good meters out there. Your next meter should show AC voltage in "true RMS".

ham band radio, you will be hard pressed to find a better manpack rig than the IC-703.

"commercial radio", you could look a surplus PRC-1099, Vertex has a current production para-military rig as does an AU company called Coden.

I like my IC-703, while on a picnic table or in a GI ALICE pack.

GOOD LUCK!

I have all but given up hope on finding lot to build. Imagine the response when you say...

I'm a ham and want s 55 foot tower...
I own a 40 foot motor home and want to park it on my property.

and the topper is...
I want to build a LOG HOME.

After they stop the stare that has you thinking you must have a third eye, they usually say "uhhhh, not here".

the FT-208R requied an external read that as OPTIONAL CTCSS board.

Check out Communications Specialties (CommSpec) for the board. They can also tell you how to install it.

"Next time use a Pyramid or a Triplite!"

only if you want to replaced the device being powered too.

congratulations on your first 10m contact...

too bad that you have a 70 year old call sign, one of the many faults of the vanity program.

let me rain on this parade...

I would NEVER make a portable my first and only transceiver.


A portable/hand held radio is a nice ADDITION to an existing station, but they have been the cause for many to lose interest in the hobby.

They do not make good mobile radios, you will always discover later that you need an external antenna, and you will need to keep the batteries charged, so now you have an antenna cable and a power cable hanging out of the radio, the same radio that you need to pick up, every time you need to talk. Oh, yes, you can add a speaker mic, so now you have three cables hanging out of that tiny radio. Compounded is the tiny speaker, you will want an external speaker too - 4 cables, it is getting crowded. Pretty soon, you will discover that 5 or 6 watts is not enough to hit the repeater all the time... add one dual band amp or two mono band amps and a diplexer. Pretty soon, you will have to dedicate the passenger seat to your handy-dandy hand held.

I would suggest buying a good mobile radio and then a simple hand held.

you could just extend the CI-V port as well as the TX/RX audio lines and the PTT from the 13 pin mini DIN connector. Then use a program such as PSKDeluxe to control the radio via the CI-V port. Thats a lot of wire to run and the potential for RF getting back into the radio control lines is very high.

I have not heard the latest on reciprical licenses, but there was a time when the US Tech license would not recipricate anywhere.

Don't know about any places up in the frozen tundra, but down here in the Lower 48, I have seen them at;

AutoZone
Advanced Auto Parts
Costco
NAPA


Costco will be the cheapest.

I've repaired my RS35M several times. I've always found the parts I need at www.debco.com (K8CLA)

if you got to read the manual, then the application is wrong.

why not? please explain.