I've taken my HT on the plane MANY times.  I never have it on though, but it is better than checking it IMO.  As a matter of fact, my laptop power supply and digital camera have caused more problems than my HT ever did.

Ahh!  This mic has a little jack down in the bottom of it that could handle an external speaker.  I'm just trying to keep the clutter down.  Since there is a decent on-board speaker on the VX-5R itself, I would hope that it could be enabled...

I've also contacted Yaesu and am waiting for their response.

2 Calls... funny story.

I upgraded to General in August and in my ignorance, I thought I was going to get a new call.  Well, I didn't and applied for a systematic one.  Same 2x3.  I made Extra a little over 2 weeks ago and applied for a Vanity.  I'm just waiting on my vanity to come through before I sync up my calls.  KE5BTA is my username, KE5CLP is my current systematic call.

On the manual, I could not find anything there to help me with this.  Surprisingly, that was the first place I looked!  RTFM is something I usually tell others, so I am pretty good about not violating it myself.

I'd appreciate any help by anyone out there on this.  Thanks!

I've got a VX-5R and the little hand held mic to go with it.  I recently installed a little Panavise mount in my Tahoe (dude, that company is fargin sweet!) so I can slap that baby on there.  Perfect for the 2m/70cm mobile operations that I do.

My question is, the little external mic that you can buy to go with that thing (MH-34B4B) will turn off the on-board speaker when it is plugged in.  This means, that the only sounds eminated will originate from that mic/speaker combo.  That speaker in there is REALLY horrible (I was really not expecting much) and what I would ideally like to do is have it NOT disable the onboard speaker.  I.e., I hear sound from both speakers on RX, not just the one.

Is there a mod or a function anyone knows about that will allow this to happen?  I spose I'm probably going to need to get the MH-37A4B to better RX people with, but I'm wondering how I can better the speaker for long car rides with the family, etc.

Any ideas would be mucho helpful!

73,

Brando (KE5CLP)

I was happening across some catalog stuff (just browsing, you know) and I noticed MFJ puts out a product called the Lightning Surge Protector (MFJ-270).  You hook it inline with your antenna feeds and it supposedly pops on a surge.  Can this really protect against a lightning strike?  I can't imagine that a lightning hit would just magically stop right at this device then divert to ground without still damaging anything else hooked up to it.

Worthy investment?  Pipe Dream?

73,

Brando

I started my Ham licensing this year!  I got Tech back on 6/19.  I am a bit of an overachiever though, and just completed Extra almost 2 weeks ago.  Waiting on that vanity call to hopefully come through for me

I'm looking forward to doing some work this winter on HF as well as satellite work.  We're currently in the process of finding a new place, so I've got to wait a little bit, but I know it will be worth it eventually

How do eggbeaters really perform as it relates to satellites?  The theory being, vertically polarized near the horizon (useful for simplex or hitting 2m repeaters for nets) and then circular overhead.  So in theory adjusting for doppler is the only thing you need to do to maintain connection throughout.

What I'd like to do is get 2 of em, 1 2m, 1 70cm and run them for satellite work.  Though I'm wondering about something.  The radio I am looking at has ONE antenna connection for anything over 6m.  I'm trying to figure out how I can xmit on one band and receive on the other with 2 antennas hooked into one in/out.  Boy I'd love some ideas on that too.

Sounds like a sweet sweet product.  It might be priced a little high, but I'd be in the market.

I am currently putting together a base station rig similar to this and had an interesting conversation with Yaesu.  First off, the radial kit is ONLY for 2m/70cm and has no grounding effect on the HF bands (or even 6m).  Secondly, you need serious grounding in the form of metal flashing, copper plates or radials on the HF side to get it working well.  

Here is my concern though.  It has vertical polarization.  Thats great for 6m+, but what about for HF?  I was under the assumption that most HF is horizontally polarized.  Although after reading some info on broadcast stations (WWV), those are vertically polarized.

Maybe someone could give a ham some advice?  I don't mind throwing a UHF/VHF antenna on the house as well as a decent HF setup, but I sure would like to have the most versitile setup with 2 or 3 antennas.  Personally, I don't have a problem running a simple dipole down the length of my roof and getting a decent antenna tuner to tune it for the various HF bands.

My main use at the house is currently UHF/VHF packet stuff (I am very interested in bouncing communications off of the ISS/Satellites), very basic HF DX (phone mainly, but some CW), and ARES/RACES.  Thanks!

I'm also having this issue.  Its on Com 5.

Gotcha.  I spose the next logical question might be why would someone mod it in the first place?    And how can Yaesu get away with producing a radio that can be modified apparently easily when it could be used to break many regs?

Thanks for the help!  After reading a bit more about FRS/GMRS, I don't think I would be in violation (provided I had the appropriate GMRS license) to use the VX-5R to communicate via GMRS frequencies would I?  Its requirements are up to 5 watts (which the VX-5R maxes out on) and it allows detatchable antennas (and repeaters too, strangely enough).

Comments?

Hah, well thanks for the info.  FYI, I said I was GOING to do it, but I did not say I DID it.  I don't have a working soldering iron over here and I'm not entirely comfortable messing with high dollar electronics in such a way.  Besides, only operating in a band (which I have not) not licensed to the Technician is a violation of the license.

Thanks for the ideas on the radio though (and your enthusiastic reply)!  If anyone else has any other ideas, I'd love to hear em!

Greets folks! I am new HAM and I am looking to modify my VX-5 radio in the following manner.

I'd like to get an external amp & antenna to use here at the house (on battery backup) when I am transmitting here on 6m, 2m, and 70cm so that I can get a bit more power out of my radio. An added bonus would be to have that same ability mobile (so the amp would have a 110 & DC adaptors) so that I can slap the amp & antenna on my car if I were going on an extended trip. I'm really not sure I want to buy more radios at this time. From what I hear, this particular radio is quite flexible and could be modified in various ways to accomplish what I have suggested above. I've visited mods.dk and gotten some great tips on how to freeband it (which I plan to do, mainly so I can use FRS, 2m & 70cm with my folks down at the lake all from the same unit) but nothing really on what I am looking to do.

What sorts of equipment could anyone here suggest so that I could accomplish this? Thanks in advance for your time and consideration!!