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Author Topic: Buying a new home ... Ham advice  (Read 579 times)

KI7LFD

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2022, 10:16:56 AM »

Just to give you some idea of my health, over the last MONTH I removed a 55 foot tower with the hex beam antenna. I took the whole thing apart ,,,,, over a months time, by myself. It was a real project that I work on for about 2 hours every day. It was one of those tasks that you have to work smart on. No brute force.

I'm a bit concerned about doing HF from the city. Everyone says "noise = QRM" is a serious problem. I was hoping to install a DX commander on my new property, if the lot size permits it. I will check city and county regs before I start and stay away for any restrictive HOA.

I currently live in a very rural area, with moose, deer, turkeys and other game animals. So this will be a big change, but a necessary one.

I hope this gives you some idea of my health limitations and my desires.  I sincerely appreciate all of the help and suggestions.

Warm Regards
Rich (KI7LFD)
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SWMAN

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #16 on: November 14, 2022, 10:29:48 AM »

 You better check how the neighborhood is on Friday and Saturday nights. Just hope that you don’t move near a neighbor who likes to blast his boom box late at night. I have a few around me here and I hate it. Also a lot of those people driving down the street with loud, loud bassy music in their cars. A real pain in the butt, at least for me it is.
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K7JQ

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #17 on: November 14, 2022, 10:54:54 AM »

Just to give you some idea of my health, over the last MONTH I removed a 55 foot tower with the hex beam antenna. I took the whole thing apart ,,,,, over a months time, by myself. It was a real project that I work on for about 2 hours every day. It was one of those tasks that you have to work smart on. No brute force.

I'm a bit concerned about doing HF from the city. Everyone says "noise = QRM" is a serious problem. I was hoping to install a DX commander on my new property, if the lot size permits it. I will check city and county regs before I start and stay away for any restrictive HOA.

I currently live in a very rural area, with moose, deer, turkeys and other game animals. So this will be a big change, but a necessary one.

I hope this gives you some idea of my health limitations and my desires.  I sincerely appreciate all of the help and suggestions.

Warm Regards
Rich (KI7LFD)

Apparently, you're not too physically handicapped if you dismantled a 55 foot tower and hex beam by yourself. A DX Commander is a vertical, not requiring any climbing. Many thousands of hams operate in the city, with various intensities of noise (QRN, not QRM), and still have success. It's up to you to do your due diligence, and check on all the things others have mentioned here, and other personal priorities, before you buy.
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N2SR

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #18 on: November 14, 2022, 11:04:49 AM »


Apparently, you're not too physically handicapped if you dismantled a 55 foot tower and hex beam by yourself. A DX Commander is a vertical, not requiring any climbing. Many thousands of hams operate in the city, with various intensities of noise (QRN, not QRM), and still have success. It's up to you to do your due diligence, and check on all the things others have mentioned here, and other personal priorities, before you buy.

Biggest thing you want to avoid in a city or dense suburban area is being adjacent to industry or commercial areas.  Don't buy a house behind a strip mall that is on a major road or near an industrial/manufacturing park. 

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AF5CC

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #19 on: November 14, 2022, 11:15:33 AM »

I live in a medium sized city now, in an older residential neighborhood (house built in 1942) and the noise level isn't bad at all.  I can work plenty of HF and DX with rather basic antennas.  I have had to get the power company out a couple of times to fix line noise, but they did get it done.  I am sure the noise level is higher than it used to be here with all of the cheap crummy switching PS in all electronic things, but it is definitely something I can still live with.

73 John AF5CC
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W3WN

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #20 on: November 15, 2022, 04:53:25 PM »

My wife and I will be moving to the Chicago suburbs do to health reasons. We're both in our mid 70's and will be moving near our daughter. I haven't started to look, so I'm early in the game.

I'm hoping some of you might provide me some advice on what to buy and what not to buy. I certainly avoid a HOA and also determine if they have any local antenna restrictions.

What else should I look for?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards,
Gezzer Rich
KI7LFD
Find a realtor who’s also a ham, preferably an active ham.

Trust me.  It will pay off. 
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ONAIR

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #21 on: November 15, 2022, 08:52:20 PM »

My wife and I will be moving to the Chicago suburbs do to health reasons. We're both in our mid 70's and will be moving near our daughter. I haven't started to look, so I'm early in the game.

I'm hoping some of you might provide me some advice on what to buy and what not to buy. I certainly avoid a HOA and also determine if they have any local antenna restrictions.

What else should I look for?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards,
Gezzer Rich
KI7LFD
  You may want to look into having a home built.  You'll have a lot more radio options, and can avoid a lot more issues that way.
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WA3SKN

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Re: Buying a new home ... Ham advice
« Reply #22 on: November 16, 2022, 09:47:54 AM »

Verticals pick up more noise, and noise is usually the problem.  Take a portable radio when shopping can catch the worst offenders.  You can fix the problems, but better to know about them before commiting!

-Mike.
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