Although I could have most any "reasonable" antenna, and in the past had a 60 foot tower/beam, etc., I prefer to keep it simple and basic so have settled on:

- 80 meter coax fed inverted vee dipole with apex at 35 feet and ends at a manageable 10 to 15 feet

- Butternut HF-9V multiband ground mounted vertical

- 1/4 wave 160 meter "L" attached at the Butternut feedpoint and runs up to a pole near the Butternut and then over to a tree

I find that I need the NVIS capability of the dipole on 75/80, but then the Butternut is effective on 40, 30 and 20. If I was interested in the higher frequencies I might want a better or higher antenna, but I am not interested in having any that require an antenna rotator.

For VHF, I have an attic 50 cent homebrew ground plane and an additional homebrew J-pole at 30 feet for longer distances on two meters.

My location is a ridge farm, so is mostly in the clear at a good elevation relative to other terrain.

There is only one freely available program that can provide full computer control and that is Ham Radio Deluxe. No other program that I have tried can come close in terms of ergonomics or actual function.

I use almost all ICOM rigs (primarly 7000's, 746 Pro, 756 Pro II and III) and HRD can even switch the "D" digital modes on and off. Other programs I have tried, not only can not do this but they actually turn off the "D" mode when you don't want this to occur!

Although I have used homebrew CI-V and audio interfaces for digital modes, if you only want to use the control part, I recommend the West Mountain RigTalk USB to CI-V. Moderate cost at around $60, extremely small and greatly simplifies the cabling since it is one small cable from the computer to the rig.

Because some ICOM rigs, such as your 706 series, can not key the PTT via the CI-V, you will need two ports if you need PTT keying as well as other rig control functions.

For hard keying of the PTT, I recommend the low cost, high quality Unified Microsystems SCI-6 Sound Card Interface Kit. Easy to assemble, but you do have to make up your own cables to the rig and you will have to use a COM port or USB to COM port adapter from the computer with a simple cable (two wires) to the SCI-6 which uses totally standard RCA phono plugs for the most of the cable connections except it comes with standard hard wired sound card mini stereo phone plug cables.

This solution will give you the necessary connections to do sound card digital modes at no extra charge. Unlike some other products, both the audio in and audio out are isolated.

W1AW may not always be on an exact frequency due to the fact that the frequency may be in use. Of course they can not always hear stations that a distant station might hear.

This issue of what is the actual frequency comes up a lot with digital operators and Dave was right on target that it should always be the actual frequency and typically it is the center frequency. Some rigs have a sweet spot at 1000 Hz and others, such as my ICOM rigs are at 1500 Hz. That means that I need to set my dial frequency below the actual frequency by 1500 Hz if using USB.

Hams that insist on using dial frequency, should always state the offset. Since many incorrectly assume that it  is dial + 1000 Hz, those of us with a different offset need to convert this for our rig and it can be easy to make an error.

Although I am not much of a contester, I sometimes dabble a bit and recently tried N1MM again and actually got it to work on Vista. The learning curve is pretty steep, but then again, sometimes non-intuitive methods can be much faster in effecting changes, e.g, bands, modes, etc.

If I operate on phone, I either use the rig's handmike or a fixed stand for my Heil PR781 and ICOM 756 Pro III. Not very convenient or practical for contesting.

It seem to recall that I once came a cross an article (QST?) on installing a clip on mike to an existing headset.

Has anyone had success with this approach or do you find that the best way is to buy a headset/mike combination?

The articles on interfacing computer or cellphone headset/mikes could be a low cost alternative, but are there any that are good enough for this kind of application?

Many antennas are based on the "dipole" or having two poles. In fact, when I teach my classes, I go over this two sided concept (or two poles).  

Typically, half wavelength antennas are considered dipoles by most of us and it does not matter if they are fed in the center or the end or in between.

For more information, I might suggest the ARRL Antenna Book. As they point out, " A fundamental type of antenna is the center-fed halfwave dipole", but they go on to say that "there are also versions of dipoles that are not fed in the center. These are called off-center-fed-dipoles."

As you move the feedpoint out from the center, matching can be a challenge, but in some cases the design has other values that are worth the tradeoff, but when you feed the dipole on the end, you can expect very high impedances which can be difficult to match. Also, an end fed half wave dipole, has another side (pole) which often becomes the outside of the feed line unless major effort is made to decouple.

And dipoles don't have to be half wavelength since we have many variations on the basic theme with extended designs.

The main advantage of the half wave center fed dipole is the simplicity and ease of matching nominal coax impedances to a non-reactive load.

Dipoles (half wave antennas) can be fed at the center, offset from center (Window type), or end fed "j-pole or zepp type.

In general, I would recommend a centerfed antenna. If you want multiband capability, you can add additional parallel dipole elements or purchase a commercial design if you do not want to build.

For a good overview of antennas, and if you are interested in public service/emergency communications, I have an article on the HFDEC (Hams for Disaster and Emergency Communications) yahoogroup, but you have to be a member to access the files section.

One of the main differences between base and mobile rigs of similar price is the larger size. More expensive base rigs tend to have improved receiver performance. The Yaesu 857D and ICOM 706 series are moderate performers but are actually quite good for the price.

If you want to operate CW or digital modes, then the filtering can be of increased importance. The more expensive rigs have DSP filters which means you don't have to buy any optional filters, which are very expensive and each discrete filter is good for only one bandwidth, e.g, 500 Hz for CW/Digital, or perhaps 1.8 KHz for very tight phone bandwidth for contesting or DXing competitively.

Many of the base rigs are primarily designed for HF use although in recent years 6 meters has become technically possible to add to most rigs now.

A very good all purpose mobile type rig is the ICOM IC-7000. Very nice display, moderately good receiver for that price class, and DSP filtering that is adjustable for many different settings to meet your preferences once you have this capability.

My wife has a couple of 7000's and I have an ICOM 756 Pro III and 746 Pro for main rigs. I like the 756 Pro series as good all around rigs although a bit large if you want a smaller form factor.

Using Ham Radio Deluxe, you have nearly complete computer control of any of these rigs and many other modern rigs that can interface with a computer.

We are very fortunate to have so much low cost equipment compared to the way it was when I was first licensed in the early 1960's.

I have a document on the hfdec (hams for disaster and emergency communications) yahoogroup that goes into a very good overview of antennas (both VHF and HF) that might appeal to hams just starting out (or even if hamming a while).

You would have to join the group, so this is a bit self serving, HI.

The doc is in the files section under Antennas and Support folder and is entitled "Antenna Information for New Hams."

Incidentally, there are a number of other articles including some on my homebrew quick set up antenna supports such as a using a discarded heavy duty patio umbrella (skeleton) upside down as an instant portable support.

Fldigi is one of the best of the current multimode digital sound card programs. It is the only one that works cross platform and works just as well on Windows Vista and XP as it does on Linux, FreeBSD, or Mac OSX.

It can not compete with the ultra high end programs currently only available on MS Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7, particularly Ham Radio Deluxe/Digital Master 780, which has full rig control, but it has all of the popular modes as well as interfacing with flarq to provide the NBEMS Narrow Bandwidth Emergency Messaging System) ARQ messaging that will not be available on HRD/DM780.

Similarly, fldigi also works under MS-Windows programs to provide a client for the PSKmail system using the new java program.

I have run Fldigi on Linux a few years ago on one of my cmputers, and now running it on XP and Vista, and find it very competitive, no matter what the platform.

You can expect to be quite pleased with fldigi.

Troposcatter would work on 2 meters with adequate power and antennas, but would be quite expensive, requiring towers, beams, amplifiers, etc.

Closer in skywave (NVIS) would be the simplest method to maintain communications over that distance. Remember that contrary to some claims you will hear, the higher your NVIS dipole is, providing it is no higher than a quarter wave, the stronger the signals will be. Lowering the antenna to say 1/10 wave will significantly weaken the transmitted signal.

The receive noise levels will be lowered with the very low NVIS dipole, but the S/N ratio will be about the same. I have run tests on comparing a low and moderate height dipole and the difference is quite a few dB. I would suggest dipoles on each end at around 60 feet high for 160, 80 and possibly 60 meters if you can use that band.

If you look at the FoF2 (critical frequency) it is not often that it is high enough for 7 MHz, depending where you live. So the lower bands tend to be the best NVIS bands. And of course there are digital modes that will work very well when phone is useless.

The days of using VHF packet for longer distance traffic are long gone with the demise of many of our packet networks but you could set up a local group for casual messaging use.

One of the easiest might be to use the built in BBS's in some of the old packet boxes. The downside is that packet requires very good signals to work well compared to some of the newer technology now available with low cost sound card modes, e.g., Domino EX and even MT-63. VHF packet, can be quite fast at 1200 baud, but if signals are weak the throughput can go to zero when other modes are solid at "only" 50 to 200 wpm.

The new modes don't have a good BBS structure, but do you really need this for public service/emergency use?

You must have phone (voice) for primary tactical communications in those kind of situations. Digital modes are nice to have, especially when sending large amounts of traffic. Unfortunately, very few hams are remotely interested in this based upon my experiences over many years so it is quite a challenge to motivate a critical mass of local hams. You need to have a cadre of competent operators before an event occurs.

Thankfully, there are some newer paradigms that have been working well for some public service oriented groups and you will be reading about this soon in a major publication from what I have heard. This is particularly true of NBEMS which is a free (as in beer and as in speech) open source system that solves many of the problems we face. And often not even requiring an interface for VHF as long as a computer is available.

For VHF interfacing with e-mail for casual use, you could use packet to Winlink 2000, however this assumes you have telpacs or the newer RMSpacket servers in your immediate area. You will likely not want to build any kind of infrastructure that requires nearby internet access since it will not be reliable enough during a communications emergency. In my area there are only a few such servers in the entire state, mostly in a couple of high population areas.

While e-mail is not as important for public service/emergency use, it can be useful, so you might consider some HF connectivity. At this time, reasonable cost connections are only available through the PSKmail system, however it is quite nascent here in the U.S. That may change if they add more server stations, using improved modes, on more bands. The Linux client version is being ported to MS Windows so it is much more viable now. And they plan to eventually port all the Linux features, including the critically needed ARQ peer to peer feature.

I might mention that FAE400/FAE2000 modes (available only with the free Multipsk software), has the ability to provide ARQ chat mode and ARQ messaging mode in one package. It does not have any e-mail.

The Winlink 2000 system will be adding the WINMOR sound card mode protocol in the near future. This will provide low cost HF connections with an adaptable protocol, however it is not clear if it will provide the needed peer to peer connection that is critical for practical public service communication within one system.

Public service communications will likely always be a part of amateur radio considering is the first listed of the five principles expressed in Part 97.

Our main communications need is tactical. Phone works the best due to the necessary immediacy and knowledge of whether information was communicated to the other party. CW modes will likely continue to decline for public service use since most new hams are not becoming proficient. Digital modes are improving and there are some ARQ techniques that can be used e.g., NBEMS, FAE400, as well as some robust non ARQ modes that are useful for HF and VHF.

There are new technologies that are coming along that could prove to be workable, e.g., MS Windows version of PSKmail with peer to peer communication.

Also, WINMOR may be the first released ARQ adaptive digital sound card which at least would allow for the possibility of low cost HF e-mail linking. This assumes internet access at the appropriate locations. If it included peer to peer capability, it could become the most useful public service digital mode available.

Since it is an open protocol, others may develop enhanced programs that provide what we are currently missing from our digital technologies.

The 703+ is fairly pricey, but the volume is probably fairly low. The Yaesu FT-857D is one of the best, if not the best, lower priced HF/VHF/UHF multimode rigs on the market at this time at that price point. This is especially true if you need 2 meter SSB/FM capability.

The price of today's rigs is unbelievably low in historic terms. When I was a (very) poor kid in college back in the early 1960's, I managed to somehow scrap together around $200 to buy a Clegg 22er (10 watts, xtal controlled TX, tunable 2 meter transceiver). Consider that with inflation, that is equivalent to $1400 today. Think what you can now get with half that amount. Yet I actually hear some people complain about the price of equipment!

I would expect the cost to manufacture and market a low end HF transceiver with SSB is not much less than the the previously mentioned low end rigs. Lower cost rigs tend to be CW QRP rigs. I am sure the margins are much higher on the mid to higher end rigs.

It may come to pass that rigs with older designs, e.g., Scouts, 2020's, etc., may become available from the lowest cost areas of production.

Recently, it was noted by hams such as Skip, KH6TY, that some of the newer modes, in particular Domino EX, can work well using FM modulation. In fact, they were able to do as well or better with Domino EX 8, than using SSB phone.

I have run some recent tests and found that since almost all hams have an VHF FM rigs, that this can work surprisingly well. Of course digital modes will work even better on SSB. Since most hams have vertically polarized antennas, I might suggest trying it out with other local hams. You don't even have to use an interface since you can use "acoustic coupling" by holding a mike near the speaker of the rig and the rig's speaker near a computer speaker. It is legal on VHF and up, to talk into the mike and send digital data too. Either switching back and forth or simultaneously with some modes.

Several decades ago, some of us used to do VHF RTTY using simplex or even regenerative repeaters to extend range. These new modes allow us to do basically the same thing.

As you probably know, GlobalSET has changed quite a bit for this next event as they no longer want individual ham participation. Only ECG's (Emergency Communication Groups that are associated with specific agencies and have pre-registered with their country's IARU Emergency Coordinator. Here in the U.S. that would be Dennis Dura at ARRL HQ.

Are any of you activating as a group for this activity?