/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>1957079
That's a nice clock, Ahmed. Wanna bring it to the new thread?

What's the best site to monitor how well each band is doing around the world?

>>1957066
If you want to go balls deep into tube circuits there are tube models available on the Internet for LTSpice
It's good to test theories without building or burning up anything

>>1957085
Keep it up, anon. Dirka dirka.
>>1957135
Gridtracker and hamqsl.com should point you in the right direction.

Did doplar-train dude ever make progress?

I'll work my way up from the power supply up to all the filament heating circuits, they're parallel to all the rest so far.
Then all the busted elcos will be replaced. In theory, no other work needs to be done. One rectifier valve is gone, broke off its socket with the wiring damaged. I'll have to buy it if it can't be saved.

>>1957484
I was meant to reply to you >>1957138, thanks, anon.

Thoughts on GNU radio?

I have an ancient IC-736 coming in tomorrow, I’m intending to use it as my main rig. The only problem I foresee is that VOX apparently doesn’t work for accessory input, so I’ll probably need to construct a PTT circuit, and at that point I might as well make a circuit for the line in/out as well.

I found this schematic on the web but I’ve got a couple questions. Do I really need the 600:600 transformers? And can the optocoupler ground go into pin 2(GND) here?

>>1957758
For anyone curious, if it wasn’t clear already this was to enable use of digital modes

>>1957758
>And can the optocoupler ground go into pin 2(GND) here?
As long as the displayed connection and 2 are on the same side of the device connection, yes.
>Do I really need the 600:600 transformers?
I'm stupid and you need to show me what they are. Are those the two black blocks on top?
Generally speaking, I'm afraid yes. You want everything as loosely coupled as possible otherwise you'll have no clean audio signal and/or problems with rig control while transmitting.

glows sweating and defecating in their trousers as we speak

>>1957758
>Do I really need the 600:600 transformers?
Maybe. See if you get hummm.
>And can the optocoupler ground go into pin 2(GND) here
2 is probably signal ground.

These bands are lit.
I need an amp.

>>1957895
true

i>>1957895
>Please copy Bravo
>Please copy Unlimited
Alpha nowhere to be found

Jesus I don't know what thread to go in anymore, schizoposting has reached a new level.

>>1958004
>Post diagram
Pic related, AZ1 is likely broken. There are two unnumbered switches, these are most likely switched in sync with the volume knob. I found there's a problem with that switch, too, can't turn it on (=to read low resistance on the contacts).

>>1957985
>find a usable rectifier tube
I think I'm lucky, the wiring is OK. There's ways to glue it back again into the socket without damaging it further.

>>1958004 >>1958304
>Pic related
Damn...

>>1957080
well it appears that ham radio is dead. guess I will just an hero.

>>1958305
At first, an old radio looks like an untraceable spaghetti bowl of wires and parts but it becomes a lot easier as you gain experience.
First thing I would do is check the power transformer. Take the rectifier tube out and power up the transformer and let it run for a while. You don't want to go to the trouble of rebuilding a chassis and then find the transformer is no good.
Those electrolytics have to go, if they're over 20 years old they are unreliable.
one 45uF and three 6uF. 350 volts is probably enough but 450 volts are generally used. I can't find any 6uF but 8uF are available, and 45uF is very large value for the first filter and I would strongly suggest replacing that with 20 or 22uF instead. That 100uF EBL1 cathode bypass needs to be changed as well.
Going from right to left:
80nF (0.08uF) at the output transformer, you're not going to find this value any longer. I would go with 0.047uF / 200 volt.
10nF (0.01uF from volume control) 200 volt.
0.1uF at switch section 11 600 volt.
3nF (0.003uF) 600 volt.
0.5uF to EF9 screen 600 volt (seems to me a very high value and 0.047uF would work OK)
0.5uF to EF9 cathode 100 volt (0.47uF)
0.1uF at first IF transformer secondary 200 volt
1.5nF (1500pF) EF9 cathode to AVC 200 volt (if this is mica then leave it)
0.1uF EK2 anode supply bypass 600 volt
50nF (0.05uF) AVC - 200 volt 0.047uF
10nF (0.01uF) cathode of EK2 to oscillator coil 600 volt
0.1uF EK2 G3, G5 bypass 600 volt
No value at EK2 cathode 0.1uF 200 volt
80nF and 13.5nF I would leave these unless forced to replace them.
Just jumper that open power switch for now, often a switch will show open with a meter but work out with mains power.

>>1958462
Missed two
0.05uF EM1 grid to cathode 0.047uF 200 volt
3nF EBL1 anode to cathode 0.003uF 600 volt
Also check those 1250 ohm resistors in the power supply.
You can just replace the electrolytics and the radio should work but I wouldn't walk away from it.

>>1958469
>>1958462
Thanks, anon, I saved that to a text file. Good to see there are still real people in that thread, too.
>Just jumper that open power switch for now, often a switch will show open with a meter but work out with mains power.
That's good to know. It would be strange that such a sturdy mechanical device would fail first, given it's also encapsulated and the nearby two potis for internal and external loudspeakers (correct readings when turned) are safely assumed not to have leaked dust into the switch, right?

>>1958473
>nearby
I meant they're all mounted together on one axis, on two shafts (for a knob each). One shaft drives the external loudspeaker pot, the other both the power switch and the internal speaker volume.

>>1958473
>That's good to know. It would be strange that such a sturdy mechanical device would fail first, given it's also encapsulated and the nearby two potis for internal and external loudspeakers (correct readings when turned) are safely assumed not to have leaked dust into the switch, right?

The contacts probably are tarnished or corroded a little bit. I sometimes have this problem with a radio that hasn't been used for a long time. Usually (not always) when you use mains power this will work out. If it shows even an instant of making contact with your meter then it will probably be OK with mains power. Either way I will not replace an original volume control because the power switch is bad, I just plug it in when I want to use it.

>>1958477
The front section looks like the tone control, wiper to +HV first filter cap and one end to a black capacitor marked 80000 (the 0.08uF cap).

>>1958485
>If it shows even an instant of making contact with your meter
I think I've observed small peaks of conductivity when working the switch - most of the time it displayed infinite (>20MOhm on that meter).

>The front section looks like the tone control, wiper to +HV first filter cap and one end to a black capacitor marked 80000 (the 0.08uF cap).
Thanks, man. You just showed me the mistake I made. I tried it out. The switch works as it should, I just had to put the knob back on to have enough force to turn it full zero.
The back section is connected to the power switch and the 0.35 MOhm volume control (front knob).
The back knob/front section is a 0.5MOhm pot for tone control, thanks.
It is also connected to a steel string that is rigged to move something inside an aluminium tube/cage. It is not the frequency varicap. What could that possibly be?

>>1958517
tone switch section 11, perhaps.

>>1958568
Switch 11 is on a pertinax switchboard, I counted them. According to the plan, this one is used for connecting a grammophone to the audio frequency stage.
The switchboard is actuated by a rotating camshaft that switches No. 11 on only in that mode (called "Phono" on the display wheel).

Also, I don't hear any clicking or switching. The steel string must be attached to a spring inside the tube and it is a smooth motion all the way, back and forth when turning the knob.

>>1958594
No idea, then .. possibly an antenna peaking adjustment but nothing like that is drawn on the diagram.
Missed another capacitor, I think it's marked 7nF (0.068uF) between the 500 ohm resistor and switch section 8 is the EK2 oscillator plate (G2) supply bypass 600 volt. This one is going to be value critical as it is in the short-wave oscillator tuned circuit.
Another one beside EF9 going from the anode to the AVC end of the secondary of the first IF transformer but that would have to be a small value. You might look for that one and see if it has a value written on it.
So the phono input circuit comes in that 3 pin connector marked TA, top pin is the audio, couples through the 0.1uF to the grid of EF9 and then the output is at the 10k resistor in the anode circuit. 0.003uF bypass, 0.1uF coupling through switch section 11 to the volume control. I really couldn't understand what that was all doing in there. Maybe that 0.5uF screen bypass has to be so large to pass the audio without losing the bass.
EF9 is being used as an audio amp in the phono connection and as an IF amplifier when used as a radio .. neat.
My guess is that TA input top and middle pins should be connected together when not used as an input.

>>1958660
>My guess is that TA input top and middle pins should be connected together when not used as an input.
No, should not be necessary, there also isn't such a bypass dongle on other restored examples of this radio.
Thanks for all the help, I saved all in one text file for later.
Getting the foundation for my antenna mast tomorrow, in a few days I'll continue as you suggest by trying for any faults of the power supply before doing anything else.

>>1958678
Ham radio antenna?

>>1958783
>Ham radio antenna?
Fuck yeah. D130J on top, inverted V fan dipole (DX-CC) below.
>dat pic
Fuck yeah.

>>1959057
I rebuilt the power supply board using CGS251T450R4C 250uF 450 volt capacitors, 1N4007 diodes and new bleeder resistors.

>>1959080
The caps were so tall that I had to file the terminals flush with the bottom insulator and mount the power supply board to the underside of the chassis for them to fit with the cover installed. Used the same caps in my HP23 power supply. Now it would only take a screwdriver to replace the filters the next time.

>>1959084
All my gear is up and running with new caps and tubes but I still need to get an antenna up, I don't think I have the room for a 40 meter dipole. Just listening right now.

>>1957080
boys I got a bonus this year, and I have around $600 to spend on new gear, what should it be?
Something essential?

>>1959098
A good antenna tuner perhaps?

>>1959098
Congrats on the bonus.
Where are ya in the hobby and where do you want to go?

>>1959080
>>1959084
That's serious and good work, good to have you look at the mess I've in front of me.
>>1959086
What's the receiver at the right, next to the desk lamp?

Is Palstar the right choice for a legal-limit amp?
MFJ | Ameritron seems to be getting a lot of shit thrown their way.

>>1959141
Thanks, and well, year ago I bought 2 baofengs, and since then I read basic literature and do mockup exams, I am waiting for the lockdown to end and I'll go to my local club to take the exam register and meet with others in the area.
And frankly I want to have it all, and I know 600 is not enough for nearly 1% of it lol, so I want some expert opinion on what a rookie should get when starting.
Like, what are the mistakes you made years ago? What should I look for etc.? I know I shouldn't rush and buy the first thing that I want, it will probably be a mistake.

So yeah, what are good essential pieces of gear that every rookie should get and have good value.

>>1959202
Not the same anon, what do you want to go into? Want to do shortwave/HF or stick to 2m/70cm?
If you stick to 2/70, do you have sufficient repeaters around you, perhaps an Echolink one where you can go far?

>>1959202
>mockup exams
Some countries are doing online testing
>mistakes you made
Buying cheap Chinese connections. Baofangs have their place, but I pinched a dollar per connector, and they corroded and ... what a waste.
Be patient and don't be afraid to buy used.
I learn by seeing and doing. Don't be intimidated by a piece of equipment you don't have.
Buy things you'll grow into. I bought a 100W manual tuner. Then a 250W auto tuner. Now I'm asking >>1959197 about a 2,000 watt tuner.
Could have saved $300 by going straight to the top, but younger me never saw that. I have 2 backups, but ehh.
>good essential pieces
Antenna. Start by making your own
Analyzer ($45 Nano VNA and free software)
Tuner
Transmitter computer cable.
Additional power/SWR meter is also helpful
Coax and misc connections
Make a coax tester.
What this guy said >>1959206. Ham is a big, big hobby. I kept my advise generic to accommodate HF and VHF. Why you want to get in and what you think you want to do are big pieces to help shape our advice.

>>1959212
>>1959206

Thanks a lot, I'll have to sort some things out in my head before going further from here, I am about to move to the country side, where I suspect the repeaters are not that close.

>>1959249
North America?
>https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/NationSearch.php

>>1959374
>my rig
>pic related: my new antenna pole, at the top a D130J discone. DX-CC fan dipole will follow.
Just got the foundation and finished erecting the pole today.

Anyone made transceivers on breadboards? Thinking of trying but not sure if stray capacitances etc are too much of a problem. I am thinking of HF band frequencies.

>>1959573
Voice gets complicated.

>>1959573
ime 5-10pF parasitics will suck up anything over 10MHz. Use good spacing, and twist leads together when necessary

>>1959159
>What's the receiver at the right, next to the desk lamp?

It's a Grunow 501. Nice little chromefront set.

>>1959381
Let me know what you think of that fan dipole.
Looks like you prefer CW. I've never done well with an electronic keyer, prefer my 100 year old Vibroplex.

>>1959674
>Grunow 501
>1934
>hnnng
Pic related, searched for it on the net

>>1959686
I'm preparing to do a preliminary install just now, without the final cabling. Currently it's a 39m coax going through a labyrinth, I want to make it more direct.
The Digi Keyer and USB interface were all in a whole lot of an SK ham's belongings. Straight key is all I want. For /out/ I have an FT-817D, in a suitcase together with a Czech military straight key.
>pic related but not mine
One day I'll get a US Army key though that you can clamp to your knee.

>>1959686
Also, this is an awesome key! It could use a bit of dusting and a drop of gun oil.

>>1959686
>Let me know what you think of that fan dipole.
hnnnng I like it very much so far, but it's just a preliminary setup, need to do the cabling for both the discone and the dipole.

Going to get an antenna system for Christmas, recommendations on ATU and antenna for within £250 budget? I'm thinking of a 42ft endfed

>>1960112
$200 tuner and a $50 NanoVNA plus a spool of electrical wire to make your own antennas.
>>1960067
This nut spent $200 on $5 of household scrap wire.

>>1960116
>This nut spent $200 on $5 of household scrap wire.
I didn't, it was all included in a SK ham's belongings.

>>1960123
Old folks and marketing 'magic'.
I'm sure it'll do well for you - I may have to make one. I think we both agree neither of us would buy one and it's wise advice not to tell a noob to buy one either.

and 99! Someone is waking up.

>>1960126
Well, the guy had no financial troubles at all. I'll have to thank his family for letting me scratch the surface of that goldmine.
I could start a serious electronics engineering business if I bought it all.

>>1960128
In 3 days the big spot should be facing our side of the sun again, I've been told.

>>1960141
>Black Friday
damn those family obligations

>>1960144
Sheeeiiiit...

>>1960128
TRIPLE DIGITS

Brought you a gift from /pol/.

Holy shit.
>MFJ tour
>full of niggers monkeying around.
Never again buying anything MFJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iour9TfzUA&t=9s

>>1960345
>AMERICAN MADE!

>>1960348

>>1960241
Skip has been fucking awesome the past few days.

>>1960348
>Aye wut that juice be puttin in der
Appears to be fabric glue
>Aww. Lawk ti't!
Never again, MFJ\Ameritron. Never again.

>>1960345

Evening gentilmen. !k! Sent me here.
I want to buy a cheap -for start- uhf/vhf walkie-talkie
Since baoefeng gets heavily shilled everywhere I ll get one also

I work on a ship and almost every time I get on one the motorolas (gp340/dp1400) are fucked. Either damaged antennas or shit batteries.
I posted on /n/ maritime and got suggested uv5r or 8hp (being better).
I don't intend on using them in rain or outside for that matter so slash proof would be enough for me. Understood baoefengs are not water/weather proof altho pic related suggests they are

Being able to do both uhf and vhf is a must as on some ships they use uhf on other vhf for onboard communication
Ill order from ali express since they are 50% cheaper than in my country.

Could you guys recommend me a good one. Aliexpress links if isnot too much bother.
I see a lot of bundles usb cable, 8w antena, extensions etc
Also a lot of models:2020 model triband, maxx with 5800 mha batteries, and other shit.

What should I look for. Are they good the job? Any other cheap suggestions?

>>1960717
Gather yourself.
Why do you want to talk on VHF/UHF? If it's for a maritime lifeline where commercial products can't survive, you need to take 'cheap' and 'cheapest' out of your vocabulary.

>>1960723
For onboard communications
I don't want to spend too much money on it. Ive searched for profesional products and they are expensive or too bulky. This will be my personal radio that I will take care of.

>>1960726
>I don't want to spend too much money on it
You've made that abundantly clear.
I prefer the UV-82 line, but all are relatively similar and will only survive so much abuse. Also upgrade the antenna and remember a $30 radio won't survive better than commercially made $300 radios.

>>1960717
DP1400 could be running Mototrbo.
If that’s the case your bofangs won’t work.

Why not just buy a good battery and antenna for the company owned radio? Spray paint and engrave them so there is no question they are yours. When your done then put their shit back on and turn it in.

And if your really want to own one the Motorola CP200D’s can be found new for 400. Used XPR portables under 300.

Also if this is a repeater system or licensed frequency is your employer ok with you operating on their shit with your own equipment?

>>1960745
My assumption is he's a 'Septic Associate' and wants to look cool and listen to others on the boats he goes to while sucking up all their shit. AND BEST VALUE, BEST PRICE!!
There seem to be allocated frequencies in some countries for maritime FM work, though the max output may be 1w ...
Fact is, he's hellbent on buying a Baofeng at the cheapest price possible and adapting it to his needs.

>>1960745
They are just for communication onboard. Standard use walkie talkie shit.
The ones that we use onboard atm are programed to work on standard marine vhf frequencies 56 allocated channels in total. The ones we have gp340 and dp1400 have Max 16 channels and they are pre programmed. So if I get one new I have to change them accordingly to every vsl I go to match the ones there. Pain in the ass.
On some vsl they use for internal comms uhf radios with some limited channels. So I thought getting one where I can just enter manually the freq (vhf ones are standard and I can find the exact freq for said channel in the book) is the way to go. Don't know the vhf/uhf channel or freq? Juat put it in acan dan keep the ships vhf/uhf button pressed until it detects it. Save it and use it.

>>1960758
Just put it in scanmode, and keep the ships vhf/uhf button pressed until it detects it.

>>1960717
>in my country.
in-my-country fags should be burned at the stake.

>>1960766
>in my country.
It's such a fucking douchy thing to say. Just say your country or region or don't bring it up.
>Well, with my sexual identity, and with only these shoes, and given where I am, I think it's time for lunch.

>>1960758
Buying 2 different devices and caring them around to match each ships radios is what I want to avoid. Plus I have no acces to the ships radios settings as this is done ashore before they reach the ship. 100 different models and makers each with their own fucking cables and software I don't have or worked with.

In short I need a cheap walkie talkie that has a large spectrum of freq that I can manually enter via keyboard and use on the spot.

Ex. We use for onboard comms marine vhf ch 13 check the book = 156.650mhz, enter it via keyboard and bam talk to the mates.
Too much trafic on said ch in port as other ships may use it. Tell the guys to switch to ch 77 check the book 156.875 mhz and bam clear comms

>>1960780
Buy a marine radio, you dumb fuck.

>>1960781
Whay if they use an uhf radio you dumb fuck?

>>1960781
Ok, which model Baofag?

>>1960789
The Japanese one

>>1960793
How do I find that in WSJT?

>>1960797
Trout?

>>1960805
If I get a ham license, does that exempt me from a fishing license?

>>1960807
Nope, and you still need your trout stamp in addition to the fishing license.

Are there any vhf/uhf handhelds that are or can be converted to (via off-the-shelf battery pack) run on 18650 LiPo batteries? Two of them, ideally.

Any good Black Friday deals out there?
I'm in the market for a legal limit tuner.

>>1960985
20 years ago I bought an aftermarket 6xAA batterybox for my Kenwood TH-D7. Bulky, but lasts ages. I guess you can 3D-print something similar for almost any handheld.
at the time I was already whining about no handheld natively accepting AA's or 18650's; at the time everyone said you couldn't draw enough power for enough time.

also, today basically everyone has a spare powerbank capable of no less than 5v 1a; decent ones can output 5v 2.4a; I can't believe radio manufacturers are so afraid of 5v input.

>>1957080
How do you find good discussion nets? All the nets listed by my local club are just emcomm nets where everyone says present with no other activity, or stuff like OMISS that only exists for the purpose of helping people speed run various awards. Also, recall hearing the term round table net before, should I look into these in particular?

>>1961138
At least you have options. My nearest repeater net is the most stuck up thing I've ever listened to. I'd still give the emcomm nets a try though. Make yourself useful a bit, you'll notice other nets by chance.

>>1961179
>repeater net
Get on HF.
20 meters is like /b/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiPWVmnby3U

>>1961184
I fucking love the US of A, it has a place right next to my Austria.

>>1961184
that sounds like CB in the 80's

>>1961045
>decent ones can output 5v 2.4a
dude do some research you can get ones that output up to 20v at 7 amps. Shit there are ones now that can start your car.

>>1961179
I'm more interested in HF right now but want to know what I'm getting into first, I've been listening with online SDRs but I'm not really sure how to find a discussion net yet. I've had my license about 5 years now and have yet to do anything other than scan local frequencies and hear very little.

>>1961249
If you're in the US, there are some pretty based nets on 40 and 80m.

>>1961259
I'm wondering if there's an efficient way I can find them. I've found people rag chewing but I'm not sure if I've found any organized nets or just stumbled across a couple friends who happened to be on at the same time when I do hear multiple people.

>>1961268
>I'm wondering if there's an efficient way I can find them.
Look at the band plan and scan the phone freq's around 7,8,9pm.
> I've found people rag chewing
Try asking them?
Ham radio is very much a social hobby. Don't worry if your new and sound autistic. Who cares. Everyone in hamradio is autistic or retarded as fuck. Hi Hi

>>1961292
>Try asking them?
I don't have an HF rig right now. I'm just listening on web based SDRs.

>>1961298
Then just lurk in the phone sections of the bands around the top of the hour.
Listen in AM to 3.885. The big dicks there are normally interesting to listen to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkUxH-Zi2aI

>buy a shortwave radio at the local thrift store because it's $3
>fuck around with it and don't hear anything
>bring up online SDR that's located nearby and look for strong signals to try to tune to since maybe they'll just come in really quiet
>can't actually tune to the frequencies of any of the signals I'm seeing
>look up list of shortwave bands
>this thing can tune to one full band and part of another out of the 8 "shortwave" band option it has
>tune to the longwave band and hear metal
What the fuck? It can tune to some channels on the 11 meter citizen band as well. I suppose tomorrow I'll test it with the CB radio in my car and see if the problem is just that the display is completely off.

>>1960128
What's this?

Can you make a living doing ham stuff? Or maybe do something with it as a side gig?

>>1960730
You are full of shit. The only baofeng that is worth its money is the original uv-5r. All other versions are gimmicks that sound better but have much slower scanning speed or heatsink capability S/N all that stuff.
The + series is a prime example of cutting down material cost and making it sound better. There is no baofeng with more watts, they are all equal.

Just get the uv-5r if you are looking for 2 and 70cm coms, put a nagoya 771 or similar on that for literal 2$ and you have 30km communication even without line of sight

>>1961421
You can build antennas for Wifi and advertise it/bundle it with the nessecary hardware for long range wifi bridges.

Satelite coms is another one, altough elon made that easy enough for "any" consumer. I dont really know the field, but I know if you wanna make money selling to hams themselves youll have a very small audience.

What Idea do you have already? What device do you wanna create? Whats missing in the economy?

>>1961222
I have one of them, a jumpstarter "12V 300A for 20 seconds" with sockets for 19V 3.5A and 12V 10A (apart from the usual USB ports).
Well, it just contains three 3700mAh 18650s, officially totalling 41 watt/hours; it could be enough for a SOTA hike if your rig doesn't require more than 10-15 watts when transmitting.

>>1961403
same here.
Bought a genuine Grundig Yacht Boy 700 and it only gets FM broadcasts. Should crack open it and check if the external antenna is actually connected.

>>1961421
probably yes. Local dude (not US) makes a good dime off machining antenna masts, chucked components, rugged power supplies.

>>1961403
>>tune to the longwave band and hear metal
>What the fuck?
There are still a few long wave broadcast stations in Eastern Europe and Africa.

>>1961481
You wont hear much on shortwave with a little whhhhip antenna unless the bands are open. Try listening around dusk.

>>1961413
KYS
>>1961426
>2m and 70cm
>uv-5r and nagoya 771 . . . you have 30km communication even without line of sight
Come back to reality.
>>1961481
>>1961403
A lot of shortwave radios will only pick up AM broadcasts, that is, no SSB.

>>1961413
Solar numbers that explain part of how propagation conditions will be. Solar activity has a great influx on the ionosphere.

>>1961652
>KYS
Gatekeeping a dying hobby, you're kys without noticing.

>finish cabling for antenna mast
>put discone on top, connect it
>what a job, have to stick the screws to the screwdriver because getting between the radials is hell
>add fan dipole, connect it
>mast can only get so erect
>bands are dead in Europe this evening
>mfw

>>1961413
>https://hamradioschool.com/sunspots-and-propagation/
HF is very dependent on solar conditions. When the band is said to be "open" the conditions are good. You can work the world on 5 watts. When they are "closed" you might not even be able to talk across your county on 100 watts.

Lots of guys follow these charts and sunspot maps to predict. Brainlets like myself just listen to broadcast AM to see if 160 is open. Or WWV's for the mid bands. Or the superbowl niggers on 27.025 to see if 10 is opening.

>>1961710
>propagation conditions
Ok two questions cuz I'm new to this stuff
1. Does solar activity affect satellite communications?
2. Can you tell how how active the sun is/is going to be with regular ham stuff, or do you need something specific for that?

General here with an odd question. Looking to get my in-laws a TV antenna for Christmas
>In the US and Canada, the VHF television band occupies frequencies between 54 and 216MHzand the UHF band between 470 and 890MHz. In general, VHF channels are numbered 2 to 13 and UHF channels 14 to 51.
Is a generic Yagi and pre-amp the right route? So many gimicks and marketing out there.

>>1961762
>1
Not that much. It would have to be a massive flair or something to knock around stuff in the Ghz but it has happened. It affects HF (suff under 30Mhz) hour by hour. Sometimes VHF opens and you get some DX on 2Meters.
>2
This is a massive subject. Search up stuff on "Propagation". Predicting it is a science and can be fun.
To know the conditions right now is easy. Just listen.

>>1961769
Look on a site like tvfool and see what stations are actually there.
FCC REPACK is eliminating everything under channel 36. Not every market has VHF stations. A directional Yagi wouldn't work so good if all the stations are in different directions.

https://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

>>1961783
>under channel 36
I am dumb.
Repack is eliminating everything ABOVE 36 and giving it to the cellniggers.
So antennas that still lists 890Mhz are an old design. Being resinate there will only hurt RX when the cellular towers overload the TV's front end. They sell "LTE Traps" now to help with this.

TV band ends at 608Mhz now.

>>1961783
Thanks, seems only +/-16 stations are in range. Had no clue they were still shifting frequencies. Guess I'm getting into a tangled web. Ugh. Happy turkey day and 73

Do any of the VHF and lower amateur radio bands face any significant threat from corporate interests? I know we've been losing bands UHF and higher either due to them being sold off or just becoming extremely noisy due to being shared with the ISM bands.

Is it feasible to communicate in morse code over long distances using rape whistles? Can you get a rape whistle that only works when you cover a hole with your finger like a recorder so that you can more efficiently send morse code with it?

>>1961803
Pretty sure. There's even a QRP transceiver that works without batteries, just by the operator's whistling into a dynamic (or piezo?) microphone.

>>1961710
>spoon feed me or else it's gate keeping!

>>1961819
>posts a picture with only cryptic abbreviations and numbers
>anon asks what this is
>spoonfeeding
5/10 for making me reply with pasta
>it's so cool that you were just born with all that badass knowledge and was never an amature or biginner before. But please just get the fuck out, faggot

>>1961421
you can sell trash to preppers. Most people just treat this as a money burning hobby, like the audiophiles

>>1961826
http://www.hamqsl.com/solar2.html#usingdata

HOW do i make a big slash on DA BOWL? I Want to be a MAWL DRAPPA /I am tired of being a mudd duck come ooooun

>>1961835
Thanks!

>>1961792
See if they are all uhf. If there is no vhf the that makes things much easier. That chart shows some strong signals so you may not need anything fancy.

>>1961826

Anyone have a way for a cheap HF antenna?

>>1961838
>get chrome cobra29
>open it up and turn everything to max, snip limit diode and filters.
>get astron99 from walmart
>get biggest rm italy amp newegg carries
>get chrome echo power mic and turn to max
>get cheapest rg58 coax you can find on ebay
>fuck checking swr and shit, just tune in 6
>yell "world wide nigga! world wide nigga! I just got down click click!"
then just sit back and read the mail.

>>1961403
Well I just tested it with my CB radio and it will receive when tuned to the same frequency as the lower CB channels. Time to take it apart and see if I can make it actually receive on shortwave bands like it should rather than on other frequencies around them. It should be possible since I found I could move the band switch between positions to get more frequency ranges.

>>1961931
Hit the band switch contacts with some cleaner. They probably never used SW and those positions are all oxidized.
You should be able to hear WWV if your in the USA.
https://www.nist.gov/time-distribution/radio-station-wwv

>>1961778
Appreciate the answers

some guy on 3945 claiming to be using a prototype baofeng HF radio

I think it was joe italiano

>>1962108
sounds like bait
>>1962126
could be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b8mWfY5n78

>>1962136
they're still going on I'm listening here
http://websdr.lumpkinschools.com/

>>1962137
Those are just a bunch of FLORIDA MAN's fucking around. Goob WW4US has a serious station not a bofang.

>>1961426
this fuck tard never heard of a dm-1801 lmao!!!!!

found an article about sdr, now I'm here. Is radio culture just like more subversive bbs/irc/usenet? What is the most gratifying part about it for you?

>>1961403
>>1961931
>get the back of the case off the piece of shit
>immediately see what looks like a cold solder joint
>tons of solder joints where barely enough solder was used
>wires aren't long enough to remove the circuit board from the case without desoldering them from the board
>I didn't need to remove the screw that held the antenna on, and the wire that goes to the antenna was actually soldered to that screw, and the wire isn't long enough to solder back on without awkwardly trying to lean the other half of the case on top of the board
>who knows what horrors await once I get the board off so that I can actually clean the switch
What the fuck? I've taken apart a lot of shit over the years including extremely cheap Chinese shit that wasn't even meant to last past the life of the soldered watch batteries inside of it and I have never seen something that looked this shitty. I hate to do it, but I think I'm just going to throw this thing away because there is no chance that this doesn't turn into a major time sink with a good chance of never working properly.

>>1962199
Do you have a WD40 can with a straw? Force that in the switch and rock it back and forth. At this point what do you have to lose?

>>1962207
I don't have any WD-40 currently, and the switch isn't a nice slider on the side of the radio. There's a knob on the front of the radio with a gear on the inside, which meshes with a gear on a second circuit board underneath the circuit board that I'd need to desolder wires to remove. Also, on further inspection the travel stops are on the knob rather than the gear and switch that it engages so I don't even know what the fuck it would do at this point when I put it back together given the gear that attaches to the knob is the smaller of the two. The more I look at it the more amazed I am that they were even able to put this piece of shit together in the first place and have it work as much as it did.

Here's a page on Universal Radio with more pictures than this piece of shit deserves:
https://www.universal-radio.com/used/sold365.html

>>1961894
29 foot wire

>>1962213
Wow that thing is way shittier then i was imaging. I was imaging something like pic related.
Toss that thing in the parts bin. Even if you get it going it isnt going to be worth using.

>>1962223
>Toss that thing in the parts bin
With how shitty it is I don't think I'd even trust the parts in it for other projects. I also noticed that the circuit board was warped as well after I made that post.

>>1962185
old dudes talking about their medical procedures is why i keep coming back

>>1962185
>Is radio culture just like more subversive bbs/irc/usenet?
It predates those by about 75 years so its hard to compare. It's not very subversive. The culture is goofy, autistic, and retarded all wrapped up in one.

>>1958319
I want to know this man.

>>1959686
>Let me know what you think of that fan dipole.
Did the final install. What's missing is stormproof rigging of the mast and ends of the dipole.
It's great. I have to do two additional short cables though to connect a switch to quickly change from dipole to discone.

>>1962340
Nice setup
>connect a switch
Outdoors? Been thinking of doing something similar.

HERE
WE
GO!
https://youtu.be/L6L-FutZmw8

>>1962466
>cofreffe!

>>1962466

>>1962470
GPS users BTFO

>>1962470
What a tight little bod

10 meters is strait fire.
7Q6M is Africa.

>>1962371
At first, outdoors; as soon as the tubing is done to get into my house more directly, the switch is going to wander inside.

>>1962549
very nice. Get huge conduit - I could only get 1 run of lmr400 in a 1" diameter.

>>1962557
Yeah, it's even hard to do an 8-turn choke with that cable... thanks

>>1962574
For chokes and ferrite toroids I make a small pigtail of rg58 or 142 at the antenna feedpoint.and wrap that rather then trying to wrap LMR400.

Putting ferrites on everything knocked all my RFI problems out.

How bad is Guyana? Of all the hams around it, can none do DXPeditions?

Just recently got my Technician license. The single repeater I can actually hit is all but dead, and all the clubs nearby aren't meeting because of covid. I bought a shitty Baofeng UV-82 to talk to friends while backpacking and hunting, and that's been working so far. From what I've been reading, it seems like all the actually cool stuff like QRP operating JS8Call/FT8 is going to require me to upgrade to General in order to make full use of the HF band. Does /ham/ have any recommendations for what to do in the meantime?

>>1962803
Is that one repeater connected to Echolink?

>>1962804

Unfortunately not, Repeaterbook doesn't show any Echolink repeaters in my county.

>>1962816
You could make it a project, bringing that repeater into the Echolink network.
Seriously, would be good for you and the rest.

Plus - do Extra. You'll manage, and it's easy.

>>1962803
You can do a little HF as a tech. 10 meters SSB.

>>1962823

It's also on top of a water tower, so my chances of doing that are basically zero. Right now I'm taking things one step at a time, and trying to learn as much as I can for the time being.

>>1962803
You could use your baofeng(s) and play with some digital modes via fldigi or Andflmsg on a phone. SSTV with your buddies over frs if they're not hams...

No reason you can't setup a network via js8call on 2m/70cm either.

Experiment with homebrew antennas.

>>1962852
>No reason you can't setup a network via js8call on 2m/70cm either.
Advance warning, FT8/JS8 sucks on FM, it's a sideband mode.

>>1962879
Voice levels of suck or slightly better?

>>1962879
[citation needed]
It is bandwidth inefficient. But there is no reason for it not to work well.

How are tube amps still a thing with the existence of transistors?

>>1963283
They can handle higher power with greater impedance mismatch. IMO I find the circuits to be simpler as well.

>>1963283
High power rf transistors are expensive and rare. RF tubes are still cheap. They are also still used at lot in high power commercial broadcasting.
813 toob was first made in the 1930s. It’s still in production today in Russia and China.

The sun is ALIVE
http://k0lwc.com/massive-sunspot-rotating-towards-earth-thanksgiving-weekend/
Gona be another good 10M day

Guys what is a 10 Mhz reference signal used for and how does it work? I don't do HAM but I work with VSAT technology for a satellite company and I am not entirely sure what it is

>>1963358
10Mhz, 5Mhz, and 1pps signals are used to discipline internal oscillators to keep everything on frequency and in phase. Used a lot in cellular and 2 way radio systems when you need to do simulcast.

Any suggestions on a rookie handheld ham guy who wants a high power mobile set up?

I have a good solar panel which can fast charge a 142kwh battery. I have a BF-f8 hp and a 30-40 watt amplifier. I have Andersen power pole connections on everything and a dc to dc adjustable step down converter to connect my battery banks to my amp. I also have a BF antenna and magnetic base that I can extend away from me.

I want to be able to carry a long range set up on my back for my shtf bag. Given perfect conditions (essentially if I were high enough on a mountain to be above everything) would this be suitable for anything meaningful? Should I just focus on my antenna, more power?

Thanks

49 states left for WAS on all bands, 160-6 including 60.

>>1963344
>Gona be another good 10M day
Yes.

>>1963382
Sounds great, do you need HF, VHF/UHF?
I'd suggest a fiberglass telescope pole and some lightweight dipole. Plus the equipment to secure it fast.

>>1963382

I don't feel like waiting for, nor dropping the money on a variable capacitor

I've seen little doodads that are essentially rotary switches connected to a bank of resistors, so you can select from a large amount of (admittedly still discrete) resistance values, based on the orientation of the selector knob(s).
Would doing the same with a bank of ceramic caps be a viable substitute for a variable capacitor? Or is there
>lol RF electronics go fuck yourself
wizardry going on that would make it infeasible

>>1963397
Did everybody forget about 6? When is that going to wake up?

>>1963406
Soon.

>>1963406
>Did everybody forget about 6
Yes. This last solar cycle has been so shit unless you had locals it was pointless. Hopefully the sun stays awake and 6 can reclaim it's reputation as the "magic band". 11 has been rollin, hopefully hams wake up to the fact 10 is working again. Spread the word!

>>1963382
mobile=car
portable=man carried

Building a high powered portable V\U setup isn't going to be much fun. No one will be able to reciprocate. You need some HF in your life.

>>1963398
Would you mind telling me the benefits of each in terms of power consumption?

I have a bunch of stupid questions regarding materials science that I always try to find help online for but I’d have to be a scientist to understand. You mentioned fiberglass pole...I think I may have a metal one but on my BF I know I have a telescoping antenna that’s about the same size or longer when fully extended. Why couldn’t I just obtain an adapter and use that? Is your suggestion based on weight of carry?

My favorite part about setting this up is securing it lol. Had fun designing, printing, and fitting the seating for all my electrical equipment inside a 50 cal ammo box. Everything kinda fits perfectly I might add a custom 21700 battery pack and stick an mppt inside to make it a power station and ham radio w amp.

>>1963485
What do you see in hf?

>>1963522
>Would you mind telling me the benefits of each in terms of power consumption?
Well, if you want to rely on a local VHF/UHF repeater network, your power consumption can be drastically reduced.
Sounds you want to be SHTF-proof though. That's where your amp becomes useful. There's great multiband antennas for HF that you can mount to your car's trailer hook. I'll post it as soon as I remember the brand.

>>1963533
Really fuckin appreciate this. Thank you.

>>1963533
>There's great multiband antennas for HF that you can mount to your car's trailer hook. I'll post it as soon as I remember the brand.
Screwdriver antenna? Tarheel? Scorpion?

>>1963544
>Screwdriver antenna? Tarheel? Scorpion?
Thanks, you nailed it!
>>1963541
>>1963533
There you go:
https://www.tarheelantennas.com/model_200a_hp

>>1963524
>What do you see in hf?
The world.
V/U is line of site. And 90% of it's users are people dependent on repeaters with their little FM HTs.

If you got your tech license then you can do HF on the bottom of the 10m. There are some cheap $220 "export" radios that are targeted to the CBers but they actually do /ok/ on 10.
Mount one in a box with battery. 104" whip or toss a dipole in the air and your on the air.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoZSpb80V7s

HAWAII QSL-ED FROM THE EAST COAST ON 10M!

>>1963630
total chad

The superbowl niggers have been having a field day with these conditions. When 10M is open then CB is wide open. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDTO2kVswVU

Maybe I should put something up for 6M just in case it really does turn.

Is there any good Linux based software for learning morse code? I've tried a couple programs that are in the Debian repository and they just seem incredibly lazily done. CWCP/XCWCP for example doesn't allow you to select anything other than a few preset character group options or everything and seems to clip most or all of the first dit off characters a lot of times, especially if you try setting the speed to 20 WPM or higher.

>>1963404
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfspvTR-gCY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgsnODpVWVw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK8H7nmfB_0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPDmkUDQwow

Or go with variable inductance instead:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VkHQDmsHO0

Is there any way of guaranteeing 24/7 comms around the world using ham radio? Even FT8 with 1500 watts and a decent antenna wouldn't get everywhere in the world with bad conditions, right?

>>1964116
No, and that helps keep the frequencies somewhat safe from commercial interests.

Automatic Link Establishment may be what you're in too. Check out hflink.com

If the antenna on the left is 5dbi, how much better is it than the one on the right? I don't know what dbi it is.
I don't know shit about wireless so i was wondering what improvements could i expect if i swap the small one on the right with the left one (both are made for the 868mhz frequency)
Right now i am getting about 500 meters max signal distance in the city, so i would like to do better than that

Hey nerds, looking to upgrade from my Baomeme to a brand-name HT. I want build quality and low spurious emissions, but no extra gay features. People are saying Yaesu FT3D, what's your take?

>>1964065
Have you tried one of the online options in the OP's pastebin?
>how do I into Morse code in a good way?
>https://pastebin.com/K38U1Uwf

I've been listening to CW - I'm making progress 'hearing' letters.
I keep hearing dit dod dit dod dit. It seems to separate (in this instance) news headlines. Is it a special character I can't find? Slang?

>>1964232
.-.-. is plus.
.-.-.- is period.
.-..-. is quotation mark. Dunno which is used in headlines.

>>1964232
dit-dah-dit-dah-dit is the + sign or the prosign AR, end of transmission. You for example should use it at the end of a CQ when you're not in a QSO yet. Though dah-dit-dah, K ("come") is very commonly used in amateur CW.

>>1964234
>>1964236
Indeed, it would be a '+' then, but in context, I'm hearing 'AR'.
Many thanks for the prosign, I figured I would take it in due order - learn letters, numbers, punctuation, then common usage.

>>1964239
Learn the most common abbreviations and prosigns first.
Also, how to recognise the report (599 or 5nn - both mean 599 - is often used as a polite "yeah, you fine, next").
Once you immediately hear these, you at least know
>where in the convo you are
>what else is there to copy that isn't standard like callsigns, names, words

>>1964245
That's good advice, I have a long way to go before tackling ham conversations. I'm only at the point (with full attention) where I can grasp half the letters being sent at only 15wpm.
But progress is progress and that's all I can ask for.

>>1964251
You're on your way, just remember it's normal to know the Morse alphabet and be able to send just after two weeks and then wonder why progress in hearing is taking months.
This is a hard lesson learnt by everyone.

>>1961652
>Come back to reality.
Can you make that judgement? I receive the blabbering here daily and sometimes pump sctv and audio snippets over their repeater, which is 30km from here, no line of sight, there's a hills between. Tell me again how this is only possible with 7mhz or something. If I don't want to transmit I can listen in from a much greater distance in more than just suboptimal terrain.

Can you make that judgement? I receive the blabbering here daily and sometimes pump sctv and audio snippets over their repeater, which is 30km from here, no line of sight, there's a hills between. Tell me again how this is only possible with 7mhz or something. If I don't want to transmit I can listen in from a much greater distance in more than just suboptimal terrain.

>>1964192
that is a directional antenna that's why it can give higher intensity but only because it concentrates the signal into one direction

>>1964303
Well actually, in my country your wrong. literally.

>>1964224
I was looking for offline options for the initial learning of the alphabet, since I have a good memory and if I'm worried that if I just listen to something like the K7QO morse code course multiple times for practice when initially learning the alphabet I'll start copying from my memory of the random character combinations rather than from what I'm hearing. Those links are just for chatting online in morse code or learning Q codes.

>>1963397
10 meters has been wide open all day on the east coast. Europoors in the morning (Ireland and England) and now its flipped around to Texas way.

>>1964397
couldn't pick up spain, but got azornes. noticed that switch too

>>1964391
If you don't have a radio then try listening on the web SDR's to the CW sections of the bands.
Or just pick up a short wave radio that can do SSB and listen directly.

>>1957080
redpill me on cb radio

>>1964410
What do you want to know?
>bfy dot tw/PnLK

>>1964406
Again, I don't know the entire fucking alphabet yet you fucking subhuman. Just jumping in and trying to learn the whole alphabet at once rather than a character at a time is a massively inefficient use of time. All the old morse code courses I've seen involve learning by adding a character or two at a time.

>>1964410
The Jews are behind it.

>>1964418
thanks

>>1964410
It's shit but at the same time sometimes fun. It is like the /b/ of radio.

>>1964430
Pretty much, but also sprinkle in niggers

>>1964417
>massively inefficient use of time.
Anon your learning morse code in the CURRENT YEAR. This whole thing is a massive inefficient use of time. It's a hobby.

Have you tried hunting down rips of those old morse tapes? Most people started at 5wpm and worked up to 15.
https://lcwo.net/download

>>1964381
one direction? you mean a circle around it?

For the record, this >>1964417
angry, broken douche yelling at people who he's asking for help, isn't >>1964251. BK
>>1964065
Shoehorning Linux and software into learning to listen is just throwing up dumb roadblocks. There are podcasts and torrents if you need to be special.

>>1964443
>https://lcwo.net/download
Is actually a great site. Just remember to select the lesson 1. It defaults to the top lesson.

>>1964443
>Most people started at 5wpm and worked up to 15.
Yeah, just kneecap yourself by learning it slow enough to count the dits and dahs preventing you from going over 15 WPM without completely relearning it.

>>1964450
About 15 years ago I remember seeing someone using some old DOS program from god knows when that would randomly generate endless amounts of code sequences that could be tailored to learning characters the user might problems with or doesn't know without throwing all of it at the user at once along with letting you adjust the speed and other factors, and it all fit on a single floppy. How am I throwing up roadblocks asking about software with the same capabilities as something that was old enough and simple enough to be put on a floppy rather than downloading hours and hours of practice recordings that are objectively an inferior method of learning?

>>1964481
It seems like you know everything. Why are you here then?

>>1964481
CW Player seems to work on Linux, but it doesn't allow you to specify your pronouns nor does it have 'night mode', so it may not be good enough for you.
>http://www.f1orl.org/cwpeng.htm

>>1964481
>>1964472
This one is nice too, it does that Koch method, starting with only a few characterst first:
http://aa9pw.com/morsecode/

>>1964484
>It seems like you know everything.
Only because everyone in this general has apparently become more retarded since I last posted here a couple years ago. I don't see why wanting to use this magical machine in front of me to generate random morse code rather than being dependent on an internet connection and other people to generate it for me is such a foreign idea here.

>>1964472
There is also this for koch method.
http://naqcc.info/cw_koch.html

>>1964490
I don't know the alphabet, but I
>neeeeeeed to find some software to generate audio so I can listen to CW so I can learn it
>No! Your audio waves are inferior!!
Linux. Every time.

>>1964493
I've added yours and other links to a new pastebin for the next OP.
https://pastebin.com/M4yeNrCf

>>1964493
Better direct link. Boomer site with frames got me
http://www.g4fon.net/CW%20Trainer2.php

>>1964502
>>1964490
>it's so cool that you were just born with all that badass knowledge and was never an amature or biginner before. But please just get the fuck out, faggot

>>1964504
https://pastebin.com/s0CN1mik
Fuck.

>>1964507
>telling the teacher how to teach, then blaming them for you not learning

>>1964513
>falling for pasta

>my shit don't stink

>>1964575
>I want $1,500
wat

>>1964579
Exactly.
And I'm seeing them $800 used. Apparently a used speaker and PS are worth $700.

>>1964575
>plastic on screeM
>original HAD microphone
Used ic-7300 from an illiterate home
Used speaker and PS
$1,500
Some of these folks are trolling and I want to troll back

160m been alright at night lately with all these sunspots?

THE SUN HAS AWAKEN
>https://spaceweather.com/
>MAJOR SOLAR FLARE: Earlier today (Nov. 29th at 1311UT), Earth-orbiting satellites detected the biggest solar flare in more than 3 years. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded this extreme-ultraviolet movie of the M4.4 category blast

>>1964729
Everything under 10mhz is btfo.

Have a few old pages I may as well share for the lulz

Nov 1955

>paying for a tv repair on credit

>>1964759
That reminds me of Thomas Watson buying up cash registers out of customers' hands to replace them with his own CTR machines (later IBM).

Rate my first transmitter.

>>1964795
I still wonder how this shit works.

Sound demo eagleboard.ga/pic/images/eagleboard.ga_6897.mp4
Frequency is all over the place, because no trim caps

>>1964795
Nice freestyle construction.

It's unstable in frequency because it's a free running LC oscillator.

I suspect the oscillator is providing the FM because the voltage being impressed on the transistor is providing variable capacitance.

>>1964795
Joining the Club. 11.9MHz tx needs audio moduliation part.

>>1964902
1220kHz

>>1964575
>>1964579
The Chad Boomer

oh man low frequencies are so cool, those fuckers penetrate fucking anything, walls, trees, metal
i pity the >1GhZ fool with his short waves getting cockblocked by every fucking cleanex in the way

It's generally the other way, higher frequencies have an easier time going through things. But lower frequencies have an easier time turning corners. However very low and ultra low frequencies can be used for transmitting through the ground, through the water to submarines etc.

>>1964902
>KT315/361
Based

>>1965010
>>1964902
>>1964795
These are nice transmitters. Wanna bring them to the FCC headquarters?

>>1965248
Sure. There were always some faggot radio stations on my frequency that interfere with my transmitter. And I barely can tune the freq

>>1965248
why not, at minimum I would get a readings of my trasmitter

>>1964733
This morning England and Ireland all up in my burger radio on 38LSB

Yesterday morning Jolly Roger (135) out of Central England was in on 19 AM.
I haven’t heard skip like this in a long time.

anyone see any cyber monday deals for ham stuff?

>>1965337
Gigaparts did a half assed 'deals' on their leftover crap. That's about all I see
>https://www.gigaparts.com/holiday-specials

>>1965341
ive been looking but i havent seen much. those are pretty shitty deals

>>1964493
>>1964504
'Just Learn Morse Code' is another free and lovely program using the Koch method.

What's the point of traffic nets? Are there actually rare occasions when they have traffic or is this just another form of LARPing? I've listened to several and have never heard any traffic.

>>1965548
Holy shit I just heard someone announce they had traffic after countless hours of listening to these nets in the background... and there's no one available to actually relay it. What the fuck?

>>1965248
Part 15 is quite generous on the broadcast band. If this is illegal then nearly every tube type superheterodyne radio is going to be also. The oscillator in my Crosley 817 'super 8' uses a 6K6 at 180 volts for example.

>>1965561
>dat dial
HNNNNG

You're right, I was just kidding. No progress yet on the valve radio by the way, this week I'll start again with testing the power supply, in series with a light bulb and a fire extinguisher.

>>1965579
Is that what has all these useless girls all in a bunch these days? Someone wrote 'man' in an ad 65 years ago?

>>1965563
If you use an unoccupied broadcast frequency then you are highly unlikely to generate any complaints. I have never logged a station on 1210, 1220 or 1230kHz at this location. Making what you transmit sound like it is a regular broadcast station reduces your risk even more. Part 15 limits the range to 200 feet (I take that to mean 200 feet off your property) which in my experience takes an unshielded oscillator with no antenna connection drawing 1 watt to approach.

>>1962836
Got that rig on the way.Amazon had them for a good price.10mtrs mobile here I come.Anyone on 12?

>>1965844
Amazon doesn't have good deals.

Alright, this makes me want to get into QRP
Paraset radio
>https://qrpbuilder.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/paraset-110910.pdf
>The “Paraset” is a small (for 1940’s standards”), low power, vacuum tube, CW, clandesitne
transceiver. It was parachuted behind enemy lines, to Allied resistance groups in northern
Europe, and Scandinavia during WW II.

I don't have any more room for another wall wort for an LED.
Would snipping it before the transformer and adding it to the PS suffice? Why would companies not offer that instead?

>>1966204
You know a place cheaper then 220 for that radio?

>>1966296

>>1966299
Oh well. At least I’ll have it today.
Bazos got me again.
I’ll keep that site in mind for next time.

>>1966299
Wut

>>1966323
Fucking Bazos.

>>1966323
Fucking Bazos!

>>1964754
in 1955 women were cute, fit and smart.

>>1966437
I wish I hadn't tossed most of these - I picked a big box of them up from a yard sale for free. It was before I could appreciate the history and 1990's ham theories that have largely stayed the same.
Anyway, one of these magazines had a 'funny TV repairman' section where a housewife heard a pop from the TV, assumed it was a blown cap, and put a pan under the TV in case anything leaked,
The joke was the lady thought it would leak - the repairman laughed and re-assured her no harm would come to the carpet.
I don't know any woman who knows what a capacitor is, let alone one that knows there's fluid inside. I think all of us here were born in the wrong timeline.

>>1966443
The Internet Archive collects all sorts of old publications, from magazines to comics. You could contact them about your archive.

>>1966447
I wish I still had them, but I was in a bind and had to toss them last year.
Found this one under the bed this week, it's where the pics above came from.

>>1966451
*pic related

>>1966331
>Based Bazos.
The sun better show up tomorrow.

>>1966452
>Volt-ohm-milliammeter

>>1966455

>>1966443
>I don't know any woman who knows what a capacitor is, let alone one that knows there's fluid inside. I think all of us here were born in the wrong timeline.
Is this some secret knowledge that you expect women to know but not men? Because the vast majority of people today don't even know what a capacitor is, and even fewer know that some can leak any sort of fluid.

>>1966461
You'll never be a woman. Men are more electrically inclined.
It was understood she knew it was a liquid filled cap, which, yes, would put to shame most men today.

>>1966455
>Hickock 455
>pic
Greetings from >>>/k/.

>>1966467
Approved

>>1966466
>Men are more electrically inclined.
Except that knowledge is so uncommon among people who use electronic devices these days that trying to judge the general population on it based on a broad and unrelated factor such as sex is fucking retarded.

>>1966475
>Pointing out the discrepancy of a 1955 magazine about a woman not knowing a capacitor won't leak on her carpet can't be discussed in this current environment because of the discrepancy
Are you a troll or drugged? Was it the tranny reference?

>>1966443
>>1966475
>>1966466
>>1966461
>housewife heard a pop from the TV

the truth is she thought that egg cracked inside, thats why she put a pan.

>>1958319
>>1962244

I want to know what the fuck is in his pants? Is that his junk?

>>1966258
QRP has interested me, and the amateur radio community is a lot more accepting of newcomers being interested in it than they were 10 years ago. What do you like most about the Paraset?

>>1966656
>QRP has interested me, and the amateur radio community is a lot more accepting of newcomers being interested in it than they were 10 years ago.
QRP is great fun if you're into hiking or any kind of outdoorsing. It's twice the fun if you're into homebrew. Also a pretty good way to get folks into radio, if people come across you running portable, they usually get pretty interested in wtf you're doing.

>>1966661
>QRP is great fun if you're into hiking or any kind of outdoorsing. It's twice the fun if you're into homebrew.
Both reasons why I've thought it would be neat to get into. Add not having the money to drop on a full power radio when I was younger but having a ton of scrap electronics to salvage parts from. I just never did after having a bad experience with the community in the 00s.

Aside eggs. Just remembered one link: http://www.qrz.lt/ly2bok/Konstrukcijos/USB%20SDR%20imtuvas%2040m/USB%20%20SDR.htm
its simplest SDR for 40m it plugs directly to sound card line in, actually you can change to any ham band you want by changing TXCO. TXCO frequency = frequency of a band * 4

made couple myself

>>1966686
QSD's work well, if you get a Teensy 3.6 or 4 and the matching audio board, you can use the AudioSDR library to make a very easy standalone receiver.

>>1966689
WebM related. Still working on the waterfall.

>>1966691
impressive stuff, thought about that before posting and you just posted my thought, have more info ?. QSD is bad and i know it.

>>1966705
It's the QSD circuit minus noise filters from https://martein.home.xs4all.nl/pa3ake/hmode/IF_detector.html but with the op amps and bias section replaced with LM4562s ala the QRP Labs RX board. The 4*frequency comes from an Si5351A. I and Q go to the line-in of the SGTL5000 on the Teensy audio board which is hooked up to a Teensy 4.0. Demodulation is handled by https://github.com/DerekRowell/AudioSDR and there's a six band relay switched BPF board covering 20, 30, 40, 60, 80 and 160 meters with a generic 30MHz LPF as a passthrough. Screen is a 1.3 inch ST7789 and it all runs off two 18650s

>>1966717
Oh yeah, it's an FST3253 instead of an FSAV331.

Anyone have a ham-tastic car recommendation?
Wife and I both have 10+ year old cars and it's only a matter of time until they need replacing.

>>1966656
That Paraset just oozes nolstogia and Cold War era spy games.

>>1966953
>ham-tastic car recommendation?
Why, yes!
Dispose of traffic problems and antenna problems in one fell swoop. Pic. oh so related.

>>1966982
Believe it or not, but since February, I've been working from home and only drive about an hour a week (down from 10+hours).
But I'm thinking one day this cushy setup of playing FT8 all day will come to an end.
And then thoughts of a new car and new HF/VHF install and playing with a parasitic antenna for all frequencies popped in my head

>>1966986
With a repurposed fire engine you will reach heights that will let you dominate 2200 m by FT8 or CW while sitting comfortably inside. Or you can get pic related and bypass all traffic and scale mountains for the elusive SOTA positions.

>>1966953
Chevy suburban

>>1966717
Cant stop thinking about miniaturising this with SMT components

>>1961421
>Can you make a living doing ham stuff?
Sure. Just find a good niche and claim it. For instance the uSDX is a variation of an older design and relies on an overworked microcontroller doing DSP work. Make a simple 1 W transceiver with a DSP and a small FPGA and avoid the overworked and overly complex solutions such as Hermes. Those never really get off the ground.

Ham radio is too orthodox and has failed in borrowing 30 years of mobile phone technology. The first one to do that will have success.

Bump limit reached, new thread:
>>1967605
>>1967605
>>1967605