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eHam Forums / Misc / RE: Selling/buying used equipment (LONG)...
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on: October 08, 2012, 12:36:23 PM
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I am simply hoping that all of us will continue to enjoy one of the few things left in life that can have redeeming value without politicians and corrupt individuals taking it from us. I'm a big thrift store shopper and enjoy a great yard sale, just like the next guy. Could you imagine these activities being made into a crime? Could you ever imagine living in a society where selling something used to another person is prohibited or so bothersome to not make it worth it? I just purchased a Cushcraft beam antenna for pennies on the dollar. It was something I needed and, like so many others nowadays, I find myself just short of rolling in the dough.  The seller got what he wanted, I got what I wanted, and we saved something from the landfill or a worthless existence in some storage unit somewhere, deteriorating. Here's to keeping at least some of the liberties that made this country the most precious place in the world to live. Rant over... 73 folks... Jason KF7GTU Bandon, Oregon |
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eHam Forums / Misc / Selling/buying used equipment (LONG)...
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on: October 08, 2012, 09:48:07 AM
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I think it is vital that all of us recognize the potential importance of this situation, so I am offering this to the eHam folks in the Misc. forum. It is a long post, but I feel it will directly influence HAM radio and our way of life. Please forgive me if there is a more appropriate place for this. I am posting a message I emailed to many folks this morning, in the interest of education. Hello HAM brothers and sisters... I am going to expound for a time on a developing situation I discovered this morning; one which may affect much of the amateur radio landscape. In fact, it could alter many of our day to day experiences both related to and unrelated to amateur radio. Before I do, let me give you a few "disclaimers". First, I do not have a direct financial dog in this fight (that is, I do not derive a significant source of income in this situation). Second, I am aware that there are many international amateur operators on this list and I suggest that they do not really need to see this, they can skip over this unless they desire to continue reading on. Third, this post, though deeply steeped in the law and politics of the United States, is not intended to be partisan and directly affects all amateur operators, regardless of political affiliation. One more thought... I'd imagine that this could erupt some sort of flame war on this list. I will respectfully ask that any of you with strong feelings about this issue email me directly off list ( kf7gtu@tidelink.net) and I will try to keep everyone who sends me an email in the loop on direct responses. Of course, you folks are free to communicate as you see fit, including forwarding this brief to family, friends and other amateur operators. This could impact the vast majority of folks in our United States. Some of you may have already seen what I am going to describe. I am going to try to keep it succinct. However, I wanted to share my own experience, which is something that I believe most HAM folks encounter in their life. As time goes by I have noticed a fracturing of our society, and in fact, our world. It is difficult, if not impossible, to ignore the increasing rift between human beings in many places on this planet. One of the very few places that I have not seen a growth in this rift is the amateur radio community. Yes, there are little spats from time to time between operators. Sometimes we forget to be as thoughtful and patient as we should be. However, the old adage, "the ties that bind" truly does apply to most HAM's out there. There are a few attributes that the overwhelming majority of operators -- that I have met and interacted with -- have shared. Conscientious, considerate, prepared, involved, observant, and downright near genius (or exceeding in genius, as many consider themselves!) all come to mind. Another wonderful trait that many, many of our group share is kindness. When I first got involved in amateur radio, I like many others, bought a second hand used rig. Think about that. How many of you do not have something in your collection that came as a direct result of another amateur operator giving you an excellent deal on something you needed/wanted to begin using that new shiny license? Sometimes we were even given gifts, items that came free of charge, because a thoughtful HAM knew we would need it or find it to be handy. One of the vertebrae of the activity known as amateur radio is thrifty operating principal and practice. Many of us take it to the extreme, but all operators that are capable of doing so should be attempting to repair their broken equipment, educate another operator or improve this activity in any way they can. It is not solely about the number or quality of our QSO's, it is about helping others reach that same plateau of quantity and quality. It is about learning and educating. It is about building goodwill and assisting others. Your opportunity to purchase used equipment (or even be the recipient of free equipment) could be in great peril. Before you guffaw and assume that this is crazy talk that could not possibly be true, I want to make you aware of something hitting the U.S. Supreme Court late this month (October 2012). It regards something called the "first-sale doctrine" and if things continue as they have been going thus far, you will likely find it very difficult to buy or sell any second hand items without sweeping changes to our nations laws. The main gist is this: the doctrine of first-sale copyright allows a manufacturer to have control only over the first sale of a physical item. If that item is purchased by an individual, that individual is then allowed and entitled to resell/provide that same item to anyone else at any cost (or no cost) without any responsibility to the manufacturer. This could, and I am serious here folks, be changed before we know it. It is possible that any item that we purchase can not be resold without passing a portion of that sale onto the manufacturer. And, it is possible that a manufacturer may choose to outlaw any future sales at all. Let me give you a couple of real life examples detailing what this may mean to you. Imagine visiting with a fellow HAM at their home. They are showing you their new radio purchase. You two are enjoying the discussion and eventually he tells you that he no longer needs his old radio (since he already has 4 spares!  ) and he is looking to part with it for the right price. You discover that the radio he is selling is something you would be interested in and that the price is right. You hand over the cash and take his old, currently unused radio. You are glad for the purchase because it just gave you something worthwhile and you paid a fair price for it. That will cease to occur. Another example is more stark. No more HAMfest or swap & sell gatherings. The overwhelming majority of amateur operators appear and enjoy these sales and for many it is due to finding great deals on used equipment and/or parts while chatting with friends and colleagues. How many of us have not found an excellent deal on a roll of RG-58 or a dirty old microphone we really needed to have and didn't mind cleaning up and putting back into production? That experience would suddenly become illegal. There are very, very few examples of purchasable items that do not contain some components that are derived from the "global economy". Think about it. Coffee makers, automobiles, handheld HT's, books, programming cables, pencils, etc. the list goes on and on. You may not be able to sell these items free of royalty or reporting responsibility to the original manufacturer in the very near future.This will make waves with any person inside or outside of the amateur radio operating community. However, I consider it to be a more insidious blow to our way of life than to some others. Some of you might be thinking that I am imagining this situation or assuming that I am an alertist attempting to cause disruption. However, I will pass along an example of a news article which you can read for yourself and decide if this situation is as dire as it could be: http://www.marketwatch.com/Story/story/print?guid=AEC86DBA-0DA1-11E2-AC22-002128049AD6I wanted to send along this QST to all fellow domestic U.S. operators and encourage you to educate your friends, families and fellow operators in kind. Keep an eye on this folks. In my compiling of this email I have attempted to adhere to the amateur operators creed. How many of you know the amateur operators creed? I will paste it below: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Radio Amateur is: Considerate…never knowingly uses the air in such a way to lesson the pleasure of others. Loyal…offers loyalty, encouragement and support to their fellow radio amateurs, their local radio club, and to the American Radio Relay League, through which Amateur Radio is represented. Progressive…with knowledge abreast of science. It is well-built and efficient. Operating practice is above reproach. Friendly…slow and patient sending when requested, friendly advice and counsel to the beginner, kindly assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are marks of the amateur spirit. Balanced…radio is their hobby. They never allow it to interfere with any of the duties they owe to their home, job, church, school, or community. Patriotic…their knowledge and their station are always ready for the service of his country and their community/ Who wrote the Amateur’s Creed? The Amateur Creed was composed in 1928 by Paul M. Segal – then 9EEA in Denver, and General Counsel of the ARRL. The creed has been updated a few times over the intervening years, to update the text and put it into contemporary terms. The Amateur’s Creed appears in a number of ARRL publications such as the Handbook, and is just as valid today as it has been for nearly 70 years. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 73 folks... Jason KF7GTU Bandon, Oregon |
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eHam Forums / VHF / UHF / 2m beam ideas/suggestions?
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on: July 16, 2012, 11:23:24 AM
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Hello folks...
I am looking to homebrew a 2 meter beam for long range (less than 150 mile) repeater and shorter distance simplex contacts. I need some advice on suggestions.
The reason I need advice is because I have 50 feet of 1/4" copper refrigeration tubing. I can't find a single plan out there that would use this material and I am beginning to wonder if it is even worth trying to use it for this project. I was thinking that some 1/4 copper tubing a a large wooden dowel or 2x2, etc. might make a pretty decent beam. If I was to dedicate 25 feet of the tubing, I'd image a pretty strong yagi setup.
Any suggestions, advice, alternatives would be appreciated. Thank to all who respond, have a splendid week.
Jason
KF7GTU
Bandon, Oregon
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: Super portable antenna
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on: January 20, 2012, 01:48:39 PM
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Operation inside a building is always tricky. You don't know how the wiring / ducting in the walls will affect the antenna, and performance will be greatly dependent on the building materials used. Being able to get an antenna outside - putting it on your balcony, sticking it out a window, or running coax out to an antenna on your car - is likely to give much better performance. Hotel rooms are often plagued with electrical noise, making it difficult to hear much of anything. It isn't difficult to wind a loading coil to use with a telescoping whip of whatever length you can find: there are many such designs available, both commercial and home-made. For use in a hotel room, you'll need to be able to work in a height less than 8', and 6' for a vertical is probably more practical (to avoid proximity to the ceiling, which may contain wiring, etc.) Efficiency of such an antenna can be reasonable on 20m through 10m, but drops on the lower frequencies. You'll need at least one radial for each band you are going to operate, which can be laying on the floor. The most successful operation I've managed from a motel was where I could step out on the balcony on the top floor and toss a wire over the peak of the roof. Another time I made a grappling hook out of a wire coat hanger and tossed it out the window into the rain gutter across the alley. If the window frames are aluminum they are often all bonded together and make a good ground plane for a whip antenna stuck out the window. Unfortunately, many hotel windows don't open, and you need to take a different approach. For 10m I'd try a dipole strung across the room - it certainly is cheap and can be made from light wire. You'll either need adjustable ends or a tuner, however, as you can't count on the resonant frequency when installed indoors. Where you can't get a full length antenna, you can fold the ends around. A small antenna with the ends already folded up is the "Notebook Antenna": http://www.n5ese.com/notebk_ant.htmProbably the simplest approach is to make such an antenna that resonates close to 40m and feed it with twinlead to a tuner - that should work up through 10m. Another option is some sort of small "magnetic" loop antenna. Here is a homebrew example: http://www.qsl.net/7n3wvm/mag-loop.html, and there are also commercial ones available. Such an antenna should give good results on 20 - 10m, and some versions will tune as low as 40m, though efficiency will be lower. This seems like better than excellent advice. I just looked at the notebook antenna. REMARKABLE. At least, in theory. I'll just have to try that out, you have really helped me to get a great idea for my next antenna project. Jason Bandon, Oregon KF7GTU |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: Super portable antenna
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on: January 20, 2012, 01:46:50 PM
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The price of that multband antenna is certainly right. One resonant radial for the band of interest and you are on the air.
It should work well on 20 meters and up.
Well, it seems to get pretty decent remarks from the folks here @ eHam. I might just do it. I'll be looking into it more. Thanks! Jason |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: Super portable antenna
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on: January 20, 2012, 01:37:56 PM
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Check out the PAR end fedz halfwave antennas,or better yet make your own efhw with a homebrew coupler.See ( www.AA5TB ) website Thanks! I'll check it out now... Take care... Jason |
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eHam Forums / QRP / Super portable antenna
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on: January 20, 2012, 08:30:29 AM
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Hi folks... I have heard it said that before the rig must come the antenna. I will keep it short... I would like a couple ideas for antennas that can be erected in less than 30 minutes inside of a motel/hotel room for QRP HF action. I thought this might be a tall order until I found this: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantm/5578.htmlI am wondering if this antenna is worth the investment, or other ideas you may have. Also, I love the look/sound of this antenna (connected to the IC-703) but cannot find suitable plans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC3SwMilWvoI have yet to decide on a rig or exactly what bands I would like to work on HF (40m and 10m possibly?). However, I will be happier with the portability of the antenna and maybe choosing bands from that aspect. For me, portability is key. Thanks again folks... Jason Bandon, Oregon KF7GTU |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: QRP and can't solder...
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on: January 20, 2012, 08:22:13 AM
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My advice would be to look for a used Yaesu FT-817 in the $350-400 price range. That will work all modes and bands up to 440 MHz (except 60m & 220 MHz). You would have enough money left for a tuner, CW paddle and homebrew wire antennas. You can even do digital modes while you are working on your CW skills. Current draw is a bit high for long portable trips but still not bad for such a capable little rig. See all the YouTube videos of guys going portable with them.
The extra power (20W) of the discontinued SGC2020 may make it a good used candidate as well. I am always leery of recomending a new HF ham start out with QRP if they don't know CW well. This may be the wrong forum to say it, but QRP SSB combined with typical beginner mistakes or tiny antennas can lead to a poor first HF experience for some folks.
If you would like to try a kit, the Small Wonder Series of monoband CW transceivers are great little rigs for around $25 each. They are very portable and low current and use through hole parts for ease of soldering. I doubt you could screw it up beyond repair, but if you did, the cost would be low. Accessories are also good candidates for a first kit. Maybe the Elecraft tuner?
Lastly, get a mentor or join a local club if possible. A little help from an old timer, maybe at their station, can really help you get off to a good start.
Good luck and 73,
John KJ6HZ
Thank you John, I have been looking into this and I appreciate the tips. I hope to hear you on out there some time, I have been working on my Code Quick. Jason |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: QRP and can't solder...
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on: January 20, 2012, 08:20:25 AM
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I can offer you an alternative suggestion that has not been in the prior replies. The MFJ 9410 and 9440 with the optional CW adapters. I picked my two (9440 and 9420) up used from a "Flea-bay" seller for around $175 each and continue to be amazed by the great performance. They are both SSB/CW QRP radios and you can probably obtain the two of them (9440 and 9410) for far less than the $500 you mentioned. Please look them up in the reviews here on eham.net. My review of the 9420 is the one where I worked Southern Asiatic Russia near Kazakhstan and Mongolia one evening on SSB with only 5 watts. They are small, fun to use and, if you replace the incandescent lamp with an LED, can run off of SLA battery power for hours upon hours at a time. BTW, the antenna here is only a 1/2 size G5RV a 15' high.
And, I responded to your direct email on this, thank you again. EXCELLENT information...  Jason |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: QRP and can't solder...
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on: January 20, 2012, 08:19:23 AM
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An Icom 703 will get you all HF bands, phone and CW, for a bit more than a 2-4 band CW kit, and the antenna tuner is built in. You will need some decent antennas - for 40 and up, you can make a dipole out of tape measures - rig up the center connection, reel out each side to 234/Fmhz - in Oregon, you should have no shortage of trees to hang antennas from!
CW will get you a lot more contacts than phone for a given power level and antenna.
Boy, I really like the look of that rig and wish I could find one used! Too bad they don't make them any longer... |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: QRP and can't solder...
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on: January 20, 2012, 08:17:25 AM
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What we call "Vitamin B" is actually a group of similar nutrients. You can buy specific varieties of B if you know exactly what you want, or you can get the B Complex super mix with all the popular varieties. Think of that as the shotgun approach to make sure you get at least one flavor that can do you some good. I've found that B will improve my energy level and helps me stay positive in my outlook... Whenever I get a little too moody a capsule of B usually straightens me out in an hour or two and I always buy the B Complex combo version. B will also turn your urine a bright yellow so don't freak when that happens. Think of it as an indication the pill is working...........  Thanks! I'll take a look and I really thank you for the tip off on the color change. |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: QRP and can't solder...
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on: January 14, 2012, 12:05:40 AM
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Sorry to hear about your shaking; have you looked into vitamins or supplements for help? I recently discovered that as I age, I'm not getting enough vitamin B12 in my diet. B12 helps the body to produce melatonin, which helps relieve nervousness. I would think, too, that if you can hold a camera steady, you could do the same with a soldering iron--with a little practice. Be that as it may, a couple of kits you may want to look at are the Juma ( http://www.nikkemedia.fi/juma-trx2/) and the MMR40 ( http://www.qrpkits.com/mmr40.html), and I think either company can help put you in touch with a builder who can assemble them for you. The MMR40 has the builder's manual posted online, so you can gauge for yourself if it is beyond your capabilities. Otherwise, have someone build you an Elecraft or look for one of the Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood field-friendly rigs. Good luck with the upgrade. Hi! Yes, it has only been the last couple of camera purchases that have really allowed me to shoot in nearly any condition. In the past, I have had trouble with indoor shooting or low light situations. With higher ISO settings, in camera stabilization, etc., I can now shoot in a wider variety of opportunities. Sadly, I still have the occasional blurred image at 100% size. However, since I shoot mainly fine art landscapes, I am mainly outside in fair weather. Plus, a tripod and timed shutter release (or remote release) are a God-send for people like me. Thank you for the ideas on the kits. I hadn't have considered the kit companies having the ability to provide an assembler for me. I'll definitely look into that! Jason Bandon, Oregon KF7GTU P.S.-- I don't FEEL nervous, but will look into the B-12 suggestion, I have not tried to address it with any actual specific supplements. |
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eHam Forums / QRP / RE: QRP and can't solder...
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on: January 13, 2012, 03:11:19 PM
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Hi Jason, It's nice to see that you are interested in QRP operation. I wasn't completely sure if you wanted to put a kit together or not. Off hand I don't know of any small / less expensive kits that offer both 40m and 10m and phone/cw. Two larger kits I know of that do are more expensive are the Elecraft K2 and KX3 (not out yet but they are taking orders), but those are out of the range you want to spend. The KX3 does not require soldering also, it's more of an assembly process of plugging boards together, screwing stuff together, putting knobs on, etc. Direct from elecraft they both fall outside the price range. There are some kits that get you somewhat close to what you are looking for. Elecraft has the KX1 or the K1 that are CW only, but are entirely self-contained (antenna tuner, battery, etc). They both can be had with two or four bands for right at or below the $500 price. I just finished a KX1 a few weeks ago. If you'd like to try building something smaller to begin with, try out a Rockmite. It's a self-contained single-band single-frequency CW rig and it costs about 30 bucks. You're starting out smaller, but you can try out kit building to see if you're ready to tackle something bigger. Finding kits that do both CW and SSB are a bit harder but they are out there. The one I know of that would fall down in your price range is all surface mount ( http://www.sdr-cube.com/). If you don't really want to build a kit, there is always ebay / classifieds. You might be able to pick up a K2 at a good price. It's a little heavier than some of the smaller stuff but you can most likely find one with the SSB module and they already do 80-10m. My friend sold one a few months ago that was fully loaded for about $600 so you might be able to find a good deal out there. Again, it's a little bulkier but it would probably fit in a backpack. Excellent advice... Thanks! Yes, I'd LIKE to do the solder together kit, but fear that my hands will just make the whole experience both too stressful and a financial disaster. I have a hard time keeping my hands steady enough to work with about a half inch of clearance between components. I did find the KX1 and that might be the way to go. If it can be assembled without the necessity of soldering, then I might just save up my money for that unit. I know the Elecraft name is well known and I have seen some YouTube videos about the KX1. I am pretty excited about it, now just to talk the YL into it! Thanks again... Jason Bandon, Oregon KF7GTU |
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eHam Forums / QRP / QRP and can't solder...
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on: January 13, 2012, 08:29:01 AM
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Hi folks... Well, I have a pretty kettle of fish here. Hahahaha... I have a difficult time holding my hands steady. Yes, I am fairly young, and no, I have not done anything to encourage this either by what I have smoked (which is nothing) or drank (which is usually just ice water). Regardless, I am interested in QRP operation. Specifically, I am very interested in portable DX type operation. Up to this point I have yet to acquire my General license but will be doing so in the next VE sessions locally. I want to have a QRP setup that includes at least 2 bands (maybe 40m and 10m?) and I hope for 2 modes, CW/SSB or maybe CW/AM? To this point, I know 3-5 words per minute CW (and yes, those are short words!). I am sure my CW will improve with time and experience, but I would still enjoy having some phone capability. It would be very important for me to throw everything into a small sling pack or similar bag (grocery sack size) and just go play with it, from the kitchen table to a coastal hill top. I shoot photographs and would love to fit everything in the same bag if possible. Low power, DXing, low cost, portability are all important to me. I find a few kits out there to put together yourself meeting some of these desires. Sadly, I can only solder in a dire pinch, at least a joint or two if there is enough room, but I just can't keep steady enough to keep from destroying things. I would like to know if anyone has any ideas for equipment. I know that low cost is a relative term, but I would be very happy to find something under $500, as would the YL. I don't need a lot of power or fancy features. Just a dial or two, some switches for control and the ability to talk mainly phone at first as I build my CW. Take care, have a great day... Jason Bandon, Oregon KF7GTU |
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eHam Forums / Mobile Ham / RE: First mobile HF rig
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on: January 13, 2012, 02:59:35 AM
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I'm not writing from personal experience but I don't think the HF-featured radios are very feature rich in V/UHF. If you're looking for a mobile HF radio that can do a few things in VHF, then the HF mobiles will be fine, but they can't match a top-of-the-line dual-bander like the FTM-350AR or Kenwood or IC equivalent. With two simultaneous bands in either 2m or 70cm, cross-band repeat, APRS, and a lot of automation features that make them easy to use, they can't be beat. On the other hand, if you hardly use VHF (like me), then you don't need all that anyway. In that case, I would just concentrate on whatever you're looking for from HF. Personally I would take a FT-817 and a buddipole for a mobile/portable setup. I'd run an external amp and 2/70 antenna for mobile and the buddipole for portable/backpacking operations, but then I'm not so busy talking on HF that I can't stop while I'm driving, and I don't drive for long either. Come to think of it, I think I'd just leave a 2m rig in the car, and keep the 817 in a bag ready to go.
Hello! You know come to think of it, I like a lot of what you and the folks above were providing. It got me thinking a little different way. I really don't intend to work much HF mobile at all, at this point. My motivation was really for an easy radio install to use while traveling, but only while stopped at the end or beginning of the day. I can't imagine myself rolling down the freeway at 75MPH (where acceptable, of course) and working DX QSO's. Not that it hasn't been done, but that it just isn't something I would have to do. Which, really means I likely need to be in a different forum at this point. Maybe I'll see about a QRP forum, etc. Something that will allow me to carry just a couple things to use while we are in a motel room, or from the kitchen table with regularity. Thanks for getting my head in the right place here. I'll keep in mind the choices if I cannot find a suitable portable setup instead, to throw in a bag. Take care folks, thanks again! Jason Bandon, Oregon KF7GTU |
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