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106
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eHam Forums / Elmers / RE: IC-7000 cant hear MW broadcast but cheap transistor can?
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on: October 10, 2012, 10:36:05 PM
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Hi all, I have an IC-7000 transceiver with a G5RV and it works well on the ham bands, 80m, 40m, etc but it can only get one or two very strong local AM stations, yet the cheap portable radio can hear them. Also I have a Kenwood HT TH-F6A which when switched to the internal bar antenna, can hear some AM stations but not as well as the transistor.
Is this an antenna type issue, or is the Icom just deaf down low? I can do better with a crystal set! lolThe F6 will work much better if you connect an sma to so-239 adapter,then put a few feet of wire into that. Don`t use the built in bar antenna,as it`s deaf. This will work better for hf than broadcast,because the sensitivity for those bands is really bad. Many hf rigs use a front end attenuator on the broadcast bands. You may notice if you go from 160m to am broadcast you`ll hear a click as it engages. If it sounds like you lost 10-20 db gain,that`s what happened.
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107
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eHam Forums / Elmers / RE: Power Level
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on: October 10, 2012, 03:01:54 PM
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Often it`s necessary to run qro,not cause your signal is weak,but because the other guy`s noise level is bad. I often here this from European hams. "Sorry om,please repeat,the qrn here is bad."I don`t usually have a problem hearing them,however. Location does matter.
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109
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eHam Forums / Elmers / RE: 20 Meter Hamstick Dipole - Vertical? Feed with Twin Lead?
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on: October 09, 2012, 09:24:30 AM
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I'm always puzzled over the infatuation with dipole or yagi antennas created with Hamsticks. Why would you do that? If you can get away with putting up the 30' mast, install an inverted vee cut for 20M at the top of the mast and feed it with 300 ohm TV feedline if you can still find it, or use the window-type ladder line if not. Feed it with a balanced tuner or an imbalanced tuner with a ferrite balun at the output of the tuner. You'll be amazed at how well it will work compared to the Hamsticks. You can make the antenna out of very small gauge wire and it will be practically invisible.
73, K8AC
Not only is this a much better radiator,it usually eliminates any rf in the shack problems,due to it being a balanced antenna. |
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110
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eHam Forums / Amplifiers / RE: AL-80B on Loaded 120v Circuit
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on: October 05, 2012, 02:11:52 PM
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Because of the voltage drop it`s quite possible to lose 400-500 volts by using 120v. The amp will work,but you might never get full rated output no matter how hard you drive it. If you only use 100-200 watts it`s hardly worth the electric for the little gain you`d get. If you could run the other appliances off another circuit and save the amp for that 1 circuit it might help.
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111
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eHam Forums / RFI / EMI / RE: NB and NR Performance Comparisons?
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on: October 05, 2012, 01:28:31 PM
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Recently I had the chance to try the nb in my `857D cause of what appeared to be man made qrm from something local. It caused a sudden s5 or more noise level. I found it to be most effective on the bands above 30m,it zapped the noise completely. On 30m and below it caused distortion and some ghost signals to appear.
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112
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eHam Forums / Elmers / RE: Affordable headphones?
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on: October 01, 2012, 12:16:26 PM
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I still use my Koss TD/65 headphones. I have tried several in the past and these sound the best for me on HF. They are 39 dollars at several places. 73 Jim W5JJG
I have a pair of Koss UR-40 I got from Rat Shack for about $50. They are very comfy(cover your ears completely) and sound great with plenty of bass. They come with a lifetime warrenty. |
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113
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eHam Forums / Misc / RE: Dummy load questions
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on: October 01, 2012, 11:51:03 AM
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The built in dummy load in the MFJ 989C will handle 100 watts just fine,however their claim of 100 watts for ten minutes or 1kw for 10 seconds is very misleading! I`ve used mine at 100 watts to test power out levels on each band. That resistor gets very hot. Loading a kw into it would melt it and your amp. Shame on you MFJ for making a claim you know is a lie.
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114
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eHam Forums / Misc / RE: radio sensitivity
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on: October 01, 2012, 11:29:56 AM
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I agree Jim. That was my point. Many old rigs were horrible on 10 or 15m,hence the term,"deaf as a post."
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115
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eHam Forums / Misc / RE: radio sensitivity
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on: September 29, 2012, 02:04:26 PM
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Listen to an HW-16 on 15m,then listen to any modern day rig on the same band. Then tell me it`s a non-issue.
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116
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eHam Forums / Misc / RE: radio sensitivity
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on: September 27, 2012, 05:58:06 PM
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Yes,I meant microvolt. Maybe measurement in db would be a better indicator than an "s" unit. Noise level certainly has gotton much worse than it used to be.
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117
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eHam Forums / Misc / radio sensitivity
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on: September 26, 2012, 01:00:18 PM
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A typical Heath era rig might have a sensitivity rating of 1mv. Typical today`s rigs are .2mv. If you were using two rigs with those ratings with the same antenna,conditions,etc. what difference would that make as far as "S" meter readings? Approximately speaking.
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118
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eHam Forums / DXing / RE: Most interesting band?
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on: September 26, 2012, 12:53:23 PM
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When I started the thread I was thinking that 15m is the most interesting band. Not the most reliable, not open the most, but the most interesting. You sure get some surprise openings on it, like working 9V at 11am one June morning, or catching XW0X at 2:00pm in the ARRL Dx contest back in 2002. Catching the E51 dxpedition recently at 9am on CW! Unexpected things like that. I also had a blast DXing on 15m during my novice days when I was limited to 21.1 to 21.2 CW on that band.
Anyone else love 15m?
John AF5CC
I agree. The first VK I ever worked was on 15 novice band. It is much more consistent than 10m. I like 17 and 40 also. |
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