/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>CQ CONTEST
>CQ CONTEST W1CUM
>NI6GER
>NI6GER 73 QRZ
>73 QRZ

>>2505595
Why would they both say qrz?

>>2505598
Because hams find it cool to use Q-signals in voice when there's zero benefits and it makes them look stupid too, since many can't into using them properly anyway.

>>2505595
Was that you?

>>2505595
This is B3NI5, looking for a radio check, *Baofeng roger beep*

>>2505613
That wouldn't be a valid callsign, you'd have to use b3nis.

>the Chad Repeater

>>2505645
>spending that much money to make a crappy repeater when you can spend $250 to get a radio that can do crossband repeating

>>2505651
>$250
Way to nice for my chinky radio tastes, two fengs will have to do.

>>2505654
How's $77 then?
https://www.amazon.com/TH-UV8000D-Walkie-Talkies-Cross-Band-Repeater/dp/B0B3QRX97V/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=19OIU96LULVAE&keywords=tyt+crossband&qid=1668837897&sprefix=tyt+crossband%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-2

>>2505645
>repeater warrior
Just use simplex.

>>2505655
Alright no we're talking, that's single BF-F8HP money just about and that can be placed real high for sicc range.

>>2505593
CQ, CQ, Calling CQ

is anybody out there?

I wanna talk about my prostate!

>>2505738
Damn how many TV remotes does he have? Does he even own the TVs that go with those remotes.

>>2505738
1 small spark would ignite his desk like a tesla.

>>2505593
sensible keks

>>2505593
>reddit
>>2505595
>trolling manchild
>>2505598
>idiot
>>2505600
>trolling 'tard
>>2505602
>too dumb to pass a multi-choice test
>>2505613
>child
>>2505624
>>2505645
>>2505654
>troll (again)
>>2505659
>14 year old
>>2505738
>gay retard obsessed with geriatric jewish men
>>2505776
>>2505796
>attention seeking bumps
Another stellar general

>>2505801
>/pol/tard
Boy, almost forgot about this "special" group

>>2505593
I have a no-code Tech (can get a General easily now, and do want to work HF), an FT-50, a VX-5, and an SDR rig, a house with a roof, a room next to a window on the second floor, and $1000.
Help me spend that $1000 on an antenna and rig.
Bonus round: I own a Subaru SUV and have another $500.

Seen one of you goofs the other day
Piece of shit car with 15 antennas all over it.
Started to take a picture of it and didn’t. The retard came out of the store, what a doofus

>>2505817
>translation: I haven't keyed up in 20 ys, bought my last HT from HRO's paper catalog, I want to get back into the hobby, but I need help recognizing the modern landscape.
Is all China shit? Is Yaesu still making useful things? Is there some magic antenna tuner that does multiband on clothesline that showed up five years ago, etc?

>>2505802
>unlicensed
Sad to see you couldn't get your tech. Maybe a gmrs license is more your speed.

>>2505817
>>2505821
You really can't go wrong with Japanese offerings for HF, such as the Yaesu FT-450, or FT-857 if you want VHF/UHF as well. For QRP just stay away from the chinese shit, which is difficult, because on paper (just going off from the specs) they seem awesome. But they are plagued with problems.

Lot of advice depends on what you want to do. Work from your home, backpack or car? What kind of antennas could you put up at home? (== how big is your yard)

Do you want to DX or work local NVIS? Just for fun or some EmComm goals as well? pure SSB or also digital?

For an HT, get a Yaesu VX-6.

For VHF/UHF mobiles I really like commercial equipment, which can be had for cheap. Can be a challenge to get programmed, and they usually don't have a VFO, but they are built like a tank once set-up with VHF/UHF simplex FM channels and your local repeaters. Well worth the hassle imho. Just get one for VHF and one for UHF, and combine them with a diplexer to a dualband antenna.

>>2505820
I bet it whistles at just the right speed

>>2505817
>No code tech
Most boomer thing I've heard today.
How much room do you have in the attic and yard?
I'd go with an ic7300 (used are $800-$900) and the rest on supplies to homebrew antennas.

>>2505837
>Yaesu FT-857
Now in the look book. Thanks!
>Work from your home
>EmComm
Mostly home. The notion of a mobile was thrown out there for when I'm way up in Maine or put West without cell coverage. Maybe a mobile base for SAR. Also this. I used to work HF nets for CAP back in the day.
I'm gonna guess that the docking station rigs (pull it off the desk and slot it into your car) are as bad as they ever were.
>What kind of antennas
Chimney whip, ground plane, or disc cone. Never worked a yagi with rotator -- everyone I knew was always complaining about their rotators after a year.
>Yaesu VX-6
That was my guess. But I keep hearing everyone talking avout Baofengs being fine and "just buy two with the same money if one breaks."
>>2505888
>How much room do you have in the attic and yard?
Attic is converted to living space, so I've got a whole literally empty "bed" room up there right next to the chimney to put a desk. Even decent power for an in window AC.
Yard is small. Am hoping I can fit a quarter wave dipole for 40m -- I've heard that band's fun for working day and night. At least it used to be. Won't be putting up a tower without getting the town involved.
>ic7300
Now in the look book. Thanks!
>homebrew antennas
The ARRL still best guide for basic designs?

>>2505936
For Emcom/(and assuming SAR/CAP) activities you'd need to look into NVIS antennas, which take up a lot of space. A vertical HF antenna cannot do NVIS. Maybe you could do an endfed antenna and run NVIS that way. But again that really is influenced by the area around your home and possibilities of stringing a wire antenna.

But for temporary set-ups NVIS is very doable with a collapsible mast or using a tree for temporary support.

For DX at home in a small yard a vertical HF antenna would do.

Make sure to get an 857D btw. The FT-450AT has an antenna tuner built right in.

check out thetechprepper on Youtube

The VX-6 rocks. Just also get a Baofeng as well for the price. One is none, two is one.

Can I into ham? I'm getting my L callsign Soon™

>>2506047
>Can I into ham?
You got the feng Anon, you're in.

>>2506050
QSL TU 73 QAP
>>2505802
Did I do it right anon?

>>2506047
>>2506050
>>2506056
As someone who owns a baofeng, you're missing 99% of what ham has to offer by just playing repeater warrior with a cheap walkie talkie. You could do that on GMRS. Even listening is gimped compared to a $30 sdr thumb drive and cheap dual band antenna outside. At least then you could track trunked conversations and decode dmr, sstv, fstv, etc.

HF is where all the magic happens. You could get your tech license now and be pretty much set until 2027-8 when the band starts to die down again (it peaks in 2025.)

Beyond that, I think general is where people should ideally aim if they want to get the most out of ham radio.
>sstv transmit
>going beyond the 10m band to 15, 20, 40, 80m, etc.
>day and night long distance dx

And then you can still play repeater warrior with 2m/70cm if you want. But you won't. I make dx into Japan from my car with a cb antenna I cut and a cheap anytone on 10m. The baofeng thing feels so disappointing, but I keep mine in the car with a Nagoya ng71 on the roof for doing simplex with friends on my way home from work, or hitting up the repeater to see who's doing what. I could put my anytone 778uv in the truck since it has a more sensitive receiver but I think I'm going to get a small cheap tablet I can plug an sdr into so I can scan and drive with that on trips.

>>2506124
Indeed, the UV5R is definitively not my endgame. I just wanted something to fuck around and listen to my classmates' practice messages. Later on, I'm maybe eyeing a Yedro base (a local brand) or praying for a good second-hand deal for Yaesu. I had loads of fun when operating my club's ICOM bases in 10m and 40m. Further on, I wanna fuck around with digital modes and satellites.

I know mine is an introductory rig but thanks for the insight, particularly on the SDR. I'm eyeing a KiwiSDR or something of the sort.

Regarding licensing, here in Argentina the lowest license would be similar to a general license over there in the states. Plenty of access on several modes in most bands and the CW section of the exam isn't terribly hard.

>>2506047
>L callsign
LA? Or LB?

>>2505802
>angry boomer at it again
Did you get told off on the 40m again talking about your latest prostate exam?

The contesters are lighting up the f layer. It's lighting up the night sky. lol

>>2506178
I fucking hate contesters so fucking much.

>>2506180
Like Black Friday. lol

>CQ CONTEST CQ CONTEST D1CK
>CQ CONTEST CQ CONTEST D1CK
>CQ CONTEST CQ CONTEST D1CK

>>2505936
>40m dipole
That was my first. The magic is 14 thhn awg wire is $20 per 500ft spool on ebay.
I prefer delta loops (not hard to diy) but would also look into a commercial vertical like a hustler 6btv. I nabbed one on craigslist for $150 and have made thousands of contacts from 10-80.
But don't discount homebrew. Almost as cheap as toilet paper
>ARRL
Ehh, I hate that org. They haven't done anything for 30 years for hams. I Google and pester people here. You can find plans for a diy DX Commander or a million other things.
If you have a tall tree, in essence you have a tower. Just get a rope in a tall limb.
>Ic7300
Check QRZ.com and QTH.??? It's today's Toyota Corolla. A bit old, I'm shocked MSRP has increased during the coof years.

>>2505936
>Attic
Forgot to cover that - I was thinking you could toss a dipole in the unfinished section. Guess we can rule that out.
My backyard is only 60ft x 30ft and I am narrowing in on my DXCC Challenge (1,000 band points)
The General is the same difficulty as the Tech test. You have it in the bag. Just take tests a while on hamstudy.

>>2505936
Sorry, also forgot how nice an automatic antenna tuner is.
It'll save you 5 minutes every time you want to switch bands.
They're cheap enough for 100 watts, please splurge.

>>2506237
Way too expensive. This does the job just fine https://www.ebay.com/itm/174622707329

>nooooo! You cannot DX with just a long wire and 100 watts with a tuner! You must make trim all wires to match the frequency you are trying to transmit on! A tuner is cheating!

>>2506161
Most probably LU or LW, from Argentina

>>2506302
I do portable DX with some telegraph wire and a tuner at 5W only.

>>2506302
>trolling zoomer fundamentally misunderstands purpose and pro/cons of tuners

>>2506649
t. seething boomer with no idea about the versatility of random wires

>>2506302
>You cannot DX with just a long wire and 100 watts with a tuner!
You can, but you'll be seething when you realize the tuner is just fooling the radio and you still have high impedence. You might limit rf return into the radio but you won't change the fundamentals of a radio wave. Your effective radiated power will be closer to 50w and while you might get lucky with an Asian dx and great propagation, 90% of the time you'll be stepped on by contesters and old farts trying to trample you for the contact by pointing their hex beams and yagis directly at whatever you're talking to.

I'm surprised some boomer from Alabama didn't blow out my radio all the way in Utah after he amped up the power for a little island off the coast of the Philippines. The madman must have been running 100k watts of erp or more. 60w with a dipole and I didn't have a chance in hell after hours of trying.

Just keep that in mind. You'll be limiting your radio and limiting yourself from making dx contacts with a poorly tuned antenna regardless.

>>2506653
>the no u argument
There's nothing wrong with random wires. Most people that use them are doing portable operations from a parking lot which means they aren't looking at efficiency and are fine with pumping 100w into a non-resonant antenna. OPs that want to move farther than a fucking picnic table, like SOTA, want low weight and maximum output. Which means small radio, small batteries, and resonant antennas. Using a tuner adds weight to your pack and lowers ERP output, which becomes a big deal with QRP operations. Is this too hard to understand? Sure plenty of people use tuners and make contacts with QRP levels, I'm not refuting that. Some people take the hobby more seriously than you.

>>2506649
The scariest part of aging is realizing real men won't be there to talk to and we will be replaced by onions boy retards.

>>2506739
Nowhere did I say you were wrong about the power output.
But I do 5W DX with that configuration and can easily change to any band/frequency to avoid QRM and exploit conditions. I'm more successful than my resonant wire fellows.
EIRP from a random with sensible manual matching isn't so bad compared to a resonant antenna that is used on the fringes of its bandwidth.

>>2505837 >>2505936 >>2505945
Should we add some recommendations for the very beginners to the FAQ? Some models look nice but have, for instance, a reputation for very sensitive PA stages. Others tend to develop faults in the display (Yaesu portables, I think).
The range from Yaesu and Icom is huge but sometimes it is hard to see how they differentiate from each other.

>angry boomer still seething over a single person making the same contacts over a random wire and 100watts
>all the while he spent thousands on a hex beam and an amplifier to transmit at 1.5kW

>>2506886
>Should we add some recommendations for the very beginners to the FAQ?
Yes please. While the question of "why" they are recommended would remain open, it's less frequently asked.

>>2506886
>>2507252
I respectfully disagree. You'll never be to make a definitive list which cover all issues different radios have. Not all issues are as bad as they sound, and people new to the hobby might read too much or too little into them.

If you were to hand new anons a list like that they'll only look at those options, we would be limiting their choices beforehand. People need to find out for themselves what they want, what they need and make a decision based on their budget.

A lot of it is also influenced too much on personal preference in the user interface, features a radio offers or their looks.

>>2507282
>Not all issues are as bad as they sound
That too is important. The target audience here is not the veteran who got his license in 1945 after demob from the military. Instead it is the average 4ch reader who is new to ham.

Some parameters for an infographics:
- chat vs. tech (chat is often better on VHF/UHF while HF is great for tinkering
- mobile vs. stationary (the latter is usually QRP)
- big vs. small budget (Elecraft is expensive both for mobile and stationary, truSDX is not)

>>2507292
exactly. Maybe a newfriend could pick up a marine SSB radio locally for super cheap and have all the fun they can have with it.

Unless you're gonna spend a lot of time and effort in curating a very complete list, it would be doing more harm than good.
It's better to focus on generic statements and topics that apply across the board, features and such that are desired or not at a certain budget level.

i made pic related from some rg58, however i dont understand what folding the braiding back over the outer insulation does (how is it any different from the shielding thats already present underneath the outer insulation), is there any benefit, could you simply remove the upper braiding and then add several ferrites 30cm underneath (its for 477mhz)

also can you go overboard with ferrites, if i just chuck 10 on underneath where the antenna begins can I make things worse?

>>2507306
The outer braiding acts as the counterpoise.

>>2507309
but im wondering how it makes any difference having the braiding on the outside of the coax or inside? you need a choke either way do you not?

>>2507311
It matters, otherwise it becomes a monopole.

>>2507306
Yes people do this with ferrites too. I imagine that the ferrite might absorb a tiny bit of your RF but I'm not sure how much that matters.

>>2507306
>>2507330
Self-reply. I am struggling to find an example of someone using a ferrite choke, but here is an example of someone doing this with a coil choke:
https://vk1nam.wordpress.com/2018/02/10/portable-2m-144-mhz-coaxial-dipole-antenna/

>>2507225
Are you retarded?

>>2507300
>Unless you're gonna spend a lot of time and effort in curating a very complete list, it would be doing more harm than good.
A list will never be complete. Yaesu launched two new models recently, and I guess Elecraft is overdue in launching KX4. Using the current models by Yaesu and Icom would be a start, then we can add Kenwood, Elecraft (a bit pricey), Tentec and kits later.

>>2507461
You do you homie, but you’ll probably end up doing newfriends a disservice with incomplete information.

>It's better to focus on a generic HF tranceiver buyer guide and discuss features that apply in general, that are desired or not at a certain budget level. $50-100-200-400-600 and so on.

I'm going to ask santa for something better than my uv-82 for christmas. I'm between the ft-65r and hd-1

I'm leaning towards the hd-1 because of its bigger battery and water resistant mic connector, but it's out of stock everywhere that has it on sale and I don't think it's worth the $200 msrp everywhere where it is in stock

what do

>inb4 baofeng in a sandwich baggie

>>2507340
thanks, i wonder what the equivalent of 9 turns on 27mm is in ferrite chokes

>>2507560
I don't know the answer to that question. I can say that you should plan on doing some tuning on the bench anyway because it is difficult to predict the right length of the counterpoise. The velocity factor will be different because it is inside the outer insulator of the coax. Not a big deal if you use a choke that is easily moved.

>>2507548
Those FT-65Rs are literally based on the same trash transceiver chip as the Baofeng. Just got a slightly improved frontend.

Get an Anytone 878 or VX6R

>>2507824
>Get an Anytone 878 or VX6R
do you own either?

>>2507292
>the latter is usually QRP
What? Why would I QRP at home unless I wanted to min-max for memes? My base station is where the 600w amp and cubical quad goes. Maximizing efficiency makes a ton of sense while mobile and limited to your vehicle's fuse rating or battery's lifespan.

If anything, a list should involve a starter's guide on different kinds of antennas, bands, modes, and basic info about power, impedence, building antennas, and online resources for getting your tech and starting off. Avoid specific radios or brands, a more generalized post about what different bands entail and the modes you'd use on them makes way more sense.

>>2507871
>What?
Mistake: the former (mobile) tend to be QRP.

Short of the 7300, has icom put out anything of value in the past 20 years?

>>2507984
705 is great if you want to go portable and QRP. Otherwise, no.

>>2508001
>705 is great if you want to go portable and QRP
The 705 is a failed attempt of a rebranded 706.
Only corporate boot licking morons pay 4 figures for qrp.

>>2507835
Yes, both. 878 is my go-to but my VX6 is my ‘whatever happens’ radio

>>2508005
This. The world needs a Yaesu 818 style superheterodyne transceiver but with 20 watts and a tuner built in.

>>2508016
>Yaesu 818
That's exactly the function of the ic-705, yet the 818 is a rehashed 817 that was released 20+ years ago.
Yea, it has been converted to SDR and you get a pretty waterfall, but the functionality remains the same.
How many 100 watt mobile HF/UHF can we name?
IC-706
IC-7000
IC-7100
FT-891
FT-857
The IC-705 and FT-818 serve no purpose. If you want to do QRP CW, get a HF rig. If you want to work repeaters, get a HT.
If you want a fully functioning radio, get one of the 5 above.
Anyone who bought an IC-705 is easily manipulated and are probably out getting another booster.

>>2508040
>0 reading comprehension
I don’t give a fuck about VHF/UHF on my 81x transceiver
>just get an 891
I don’t want a bulky 100W mobile rig

>>2505738
hes def. getting laid by different women on a nightly basis

>>2508042
I thin you're replying to the wrong dude. I'm >>2508005 trying to figure out why the ic-705 exists
If you want a separate VHF/UHF radio, where does the 817/818 shine? Get an 891

>>2508066
I don’t make contacts on VHF/UHF. I love my 817 for its size and built in battery for quick SWL and HF contacts. I have a Lithium battery so it offers full 5 watt. But Again, I want 20 watts and a tuner built in. Can be a bit bigger to accomodate it obviously but I don’t want a 100W mobile that needs external power and large tuner.

SDR based transceiver is gay. Impossible to repair in 25 years.
Waterfall is gay in the field.

>>2508072
>I don’t make contacts on VHF/UHF.
So pairing the two is like an ungodly hermaphrodite surgery (they're doing those now, not just at Icom and Yaesu ...)
>I love my 817 for its size and built in battery
Isn't the 817 the same size as the 857? I'll concede the battery would be nice addition in a pinch, but handicaps tx power.
>I don’t want a 100W mobile that needs external power and large tuner
You already have a battery you're lugging and the 857 is the same size. You are starting to come off as a masochistic European who is coping with not having a better setup
>Waterfall is gay in the field.
The 706 had a functional waterfall that is sufficient. And that was released in 1995.
25 years of innovation and growth only led to a weaker and more limited version of the 706.

>>2508078
>Isn't the 817 the same size as the 857
kys faggot

No use in having a discussion with literal retards

>>2508087
stay salty. The size and weight are too negligible to justify cucking yourself with a few watts.

>>2508090
>literally twice the weight
>significantly larger
>no built in battery
>4x power consumption on RX
>2x power consumption on TX at 5 watt
>can only cope with 100w argument
NGMI

My HF set up fits in a large MOLLE admin pouch, and doesn’t need a entire fucking backpack altogether.

I heard a flamer the morning spell out his call as Ice Cold Tea.

>>2508100
>5.31 x 1.5 x 6.5 inches
>2.6 lbs. (with Alkalines and Antenna, w/o Mic.).
or
>6.1 x 2 x 8.6 inches
>Weight: 4.180 lbs
+1.58 lbs
+0.79" width
+0.5" height
+2.1" depth
+ 94 watts
What a martyr. Sacrifice 2"x0.5"x0.9" and a pound and a half for 93 watts.

>>2508040
They consume less power and weigh less, genius.
>>2508078
817 does this too
>>2508104
pic related

Wanting a better mobile rig to use innawoods/camping than my btech

I'd want:
>VHF/UHF, i dont care about HF
>50W minimum
>I dont give a shit about DMR right now but idk if I'd want to fuck with it later, so I guess I might as well get something with DMR even though i'm 99.9% sure im only ever going to use analog
>i'd strongly prefer a non detachable faceplate
>dual band
>good screen, idk what the name for it is but I hate screens that use the "calculator/oven" style text

so far the d578uviii looks like the ticket, any other suggestions?

>>2508153
>i dont care about HF
You don't want long range innawoods?

>>2508187
where i larp and go camping is around 2 hours away from a major city. I don't care about talking to boomers about the weather in other states, I just need a "base station" to talk to the ht's my camping friends bring (and more importantly, a radio that their baofengs can talk back to), or to contact the emergency network in my state whose closest tower is again only 2 hours or so away

Plus I don't want to set up giant antennas for hf, I like the simplicity of guying up my mast and hanging my roll up j pole on it

I can't stand hams so this isn't for rag chewing with them, this is purely for camping/innawoods where cell phones don't work

>>2508016 >>2508040 >>2508066
>878
Is the 818 better than 817? And aren't both QRP rigs?
Especially Yaesu has a bewildering array of HF transceivers where the differences are not clear.

>>2508194
>878
AnyTone 878 dualband analog/DMR handheld
>817 vs 818
818 is a very slightly updated 817nd with an updated PA stage mainly because of parts availability. Don’t get the 817 non-ND model.

>>2508153
The 578 is pretty cool. You can have a pretty tiny backpack DMR repeater if you’d look into Single Frequency Repeat mode, it doesn’t need a duplexer, just hook up a collapsible antenna like the N9TAX and suitable battery with or without solar. SFR works only on DMR though.

For just messing around with friends on GMRS, have your friends upgrade to 878s, they support encryption.

>>2508202
>Single Frequency Repeat
Wait, are you saying this capability is available and actually working on a production radio?

>>2508232
I dont have hands-on experience with SFR on Anytone but I do with Hytera and it is as awesome as you think it is

There are some different 578 flavors, always double check and verify. But SFR is real and awesome.

still waiting for the qrp labs QSX tranceiver.
I have the QDX and it is great. Very low RX current, easy setup, incredible value for a sub 100$ tranceiver.

QSX specs:
https://qrp-labs.com/qsx.html

really hope it will come out in the next few years.

>>2508249
Too bad the guy has/had health issues iirc

>>2508191
>I don't want to set up giant antennas for hf
I do dx worldwide with a poorly cut and off-tuned 36" cb antenna.

>>2508253
okay

Can anyone explain the 40, 80, 160m antenna in the Dec ARRL mag?
For 160M, are the 2 vertical sides an inverted dipole, then the horizontal is an extension of the ends of the dipole, finally with a switch and coil to accommodate 40 and 80?
If I was just wanting 160, am I just looking at a folded dipole? That's not right - the insulators shouldn't exist.

>>2508291
When switched to "40 meters" it becomes a folded inverted V dipole because of the coil acting as an inductance, but for 80 meters it becomes a loop antenna a bit like mag loops.
That's as far as I can read this.

>>2508291
70' + 60' would end up being an inverted v 160' dipole

>>2508296
I can see the 80m vertical loop by making the connection, but those parallel vertical wires break my mind

>>2508299
It's not an easy design for a beginner, let's hope someone else can explain this.
Does it have a name in the ARRL mag?

>>2508303
I can comprehend the folded 160
and I see the 80m delta loop
I can comprehend a coil for 40

>>2508310
but those added 70' legs came out of nowhere

>>2508311
I may be over thinking it as I only need a 160m solution and I can identify they're just using an inverted v dipole to accommodate that, then added features for 40 & 80 which I don't need

>>2508072
>I want 20 watts and a tuner built in
already exists and its good

>>2508191
You'll take the time to erect and guy a mast though, for camping.

>>2508360
>Xiegu G90
I’m not buying that chinese shit
>shit QC
>shit SDR based trx
>overheats, needs external fan
>No built-in battery
>firmware issues all around
Literally all reviews are
>I love mine!
>After receiving the third replacement under warranty

Why do you retards have such a difficult time reading?

>>2508504
never had any problems with mine. idk what you have to do to make it overheat, at least 10 hours of ft8 at full power isnt enough.

>>2508504
I never had any issues with mine.

I want to get into HAM, did some Baofagging on PMR but that's only vicinity
I want to get global, see if I can read anything at all in my house and then get a license.

What's a good entry level transciever, I assume HF is the way. And what are the requirements for antenna ? Is it even feasible to think about radio if I am not prepared to erect 50m pole in my yard ?

>>2508619
To work the world, a vertical antenna works great and doesn’t take up a lot of space.
Other great low profile options are an half wave end fed antenna strung out through your backyard. The bands of interest for DX’ing are 20 and 40m and antennas very feasible.
HF is the way. Whatever the best transceiver is, depends on your budget. I like Yaesu. For home operation, an FT891 or FT450AT (with built in tuner) are nice options. Cheap options could be whatever SSB-capable transceiver you could pick up locally, even marine transceivers. You could experience QRM(electronic noise) at home. For fieldwork, QRP(low power battery operated) radio’s are dime-a-dozen

>>2508625
both look neat, what would be potentially good antenna for those ?
I think I can install something on the roof if it doesn't weight 100kilos

>>2508627
It really depends on your situation at home, the size of your yard as I mentioned. The cheapest, easiest entry solution, if possible, is an half wave end fed wire antenna for 40-20-10meters. The wire part that you need to string out is about 10-15 meters long, hang it 3-5 meters above ground horizontally.

You need to factor in the purchase of a good 25amp power supply, and the 891 could benefit from an external antenna tuner. However a true EFHW *should* not need it if it is done right. You also need an SWR meter to check this and to protect your investment. Earthing/grounding is recommended with any ham radio station. The grounding on your wall socket does not suffice. Depending on where you live, you might want lightning arrestors

>>2508504
I have loved each 6 of my Xiegu G90.
The shipping cost for repairs is also low which is another awesome feature.

>>2508631
are you talking about manually made antenna ? I am kinda skeptic about that, since I learned how it can screw up my radio.
What are the implications if I use some smaller antennas ? Say 1/4th 1/8th ? Is it useable or nah.

>>2508658
You can buy a readymade EFHW complete with 1:49 transformer and antenna wire, or only buy the 1:49 transformer, or DIY completely.
Any kind of antenna, that is used, installed or tuned incorrectly, can ruin the power amplifier of your transceiver. Even factory antennas need slight physical tuning after installing. That is why you need an SWR meter.

Anything less than halfwave is a compromise antenna. But any antenna is better than no antenna. You will need a tuner though for sure.

Make sure to spend some time reading up on theory and practice. There is way too much to consider that can and will be covered a few posts on an imageboard or through a handful of YouTube videos. Going from VHF/UHF to HF is a big step and not like buying a few things and hooking them up together without knowing what you are doing, such as with Baofengs. If that is what you want, you might want to look at CB radio instead.

>>2508619
You can listen to stations online
>http://www.websdr.org/
Or get a $30 SDR and make an antenna and listen yourself.
No need to drop all that cash initially.

>>2508311
>Fig. 2 - [...]
>[...] The switch is left in the open position for 160-meter operation.
Spare me the imperial units crap, but I think
>Switch to S1B = tuned 80m delta loop
>Switch to S1A = coil renders 70'+60' elements high impedance/unused and 62' elements are used
>Switch open = 70'+60' elements form folded dipole for 160m
>

>>2508796
I can comprehend that portion, but what is pic related?
He says he uses insulated wire, but having parallel wires? That comes out of nowhere.
and if each end is soldered, that really destroys the 160m inverted V.
And how can the inside length be longer than the outside?!

>>2508821
Outside length is going to the ballun or whatever that is, and this just looks like a double bazooka.

>>2508826
>Two additional wires were added at the feed point to form a half wave inverted V for 75 meters
I give up. That showed a backwards inverted v dipole; a fan dipole.
Maybe I'll pretend they're radiators and go build my 160m inverted V.

New radio, $400 and works flawlessly so far.

>>2508989
>$400 fdtx3000

>>2508619
You have rain gutters? They work good for just listening. If you get into transmitting on HF, it'll work okay, but it does require a tuner.

>>2508990
I only know about baofeng, is that a good deal for a chinesium yaesu or did he get major ripped?

>>2509063
When new, it went for about 3 grand. They came out like 10 years ago and still sell more than a 7300 new.

>>2508989
So, did you rip off a SK's widow?

>>2509083
No, the silent key's nephew was going to just donate all this stuff, and I offered to buy some of it. Just gave a price and he's been accepting.

>>2509084
Literally you could offer to pay shipping and probably get it free otherwise.

>>2508664
these premades looks neat
why do you mention 1:49 specifically, tho ?
I understand it's to provide impedance match to mitigate reflections, but why this value specifically ?
Is it because EFHW has typ impednace 3,000 – 5,000 Ohms so 1:49 is somewhere in the ballpark ?

>>2508785
I did some WebSDR, it's cool, having my own you be even cooler, do you have any specific USB dongles in mind ? ideally coming in a kit, with antenna

>>2508989
>Jelly, the post

>>2509125
Yes I mentioned that specifically indeed, an endfed wire has an impedance of 2500ohm which must be transformed to 50 ohm to connect to your radio without tuner. I suspect you have been reading some theory, which is very excellent.

There are also 1:64 endfed transformers but most are 1:49. I would suggesting buying a complete set with antenna wire. Just any old home-found copper wire stretches over time which messes with resonance, or even breaks altogether. Proper antenna wire is harddrawn copper or stainless interwoven. Again, an SWR meter is a must. Some sets have a meter built in but I usually don’t trust those.

Get an RTL-SDR for VHF/UHF and an RSP1 “MSI2500” clone from aliexpress for HF. The RTL-SDR is dogshit for HF.
Hook up your end fed to your RSP1 clone and off you go. I use a battery powered laptop as my DVI/HDMI cable or computer display nukes my spectrum. Haven’t found a way to mitigate that yet. Prolly needs some ferrite.

>>2509131
>computer display nukes my spectrum
Hah, these parasitic interferences are what scares me in this field. Ironically I got into radios when power cable was interfering with my audio wire and I was wondering why.

UHF/VHF is not that much interesting for me, since I am in a valley and can't catch anything in this bands so I wanna experiment with HF since there is also another HAMmer nearby with massive antennas also doing HF I presume.
The RSP1 is cheap af ima getting that for sure.

>>2509078
FTDX 9000 is probably older, is the size of an aircraft carrier and still sells for a bomb. It is surprising how little the prices decline over time.

>>2509084
Criminal.

>>2509125
I had a RTL-SDR that came with a really shitty antenna.
Good starter kit though, but your limitation will be the antenna. Learn to make your own from cheap wire and get it outside or at least in your attic. You can't hurt the radio.

>>2505593
amazing op webm, many keks were had
out of curiosity, can you post me the original?

>>2509239
kys

>>2509202
They aren't comparable, really. If the 3000 is an "everything radio" then the 9000 is an "everything in your radio shack and more" radio that sold for well over 12k at one point. He still got a smoking deal regardless, but if he got a 9000 for $400 I'd probably call the police.

Wonder how many fatty hams got in the way of the recent hurricanes like Hurricane Ian?

>>2509331
Get in the way how?

There are no good Black Friday deals.

>>2509795
Bought a FTM-6000R for my car, $200 plus some store credit seemed ok.

>>2509812
Tempting

>>2509839
>I don't need a portable hf radio
>I don't need a portable hf radio
>I don't need a portable hf radio

>>2509850
That's not a bad price, I run an anytone 6666 in my truck and love working mobile 10m. Just use a cut cb antenna. I wouldn't bother with anything like 20m though, antennas get too long to mount on the roof and drive normally.

>>2509329
>the 9000 is an "everything in your radio shack and more" radio that sold for well over 12k at one point
It has an interesting layout, and I like the idea of that right hand LCD panel. Might have used one on the left hand side too.
From what I can see, it is from before 2008, so why didn't they follow up this model with newer versions?

Are there any transceivers for 630m and 2200m?
I'd go mars mod my 7300, but the receive doesn't even cover that low.

>>2509923
Ehh, it's just $40 off, but my subliminal mind starts justifying a $500-something radio instead of a $650 radio

Should I get an RTL-SDR or a Baofeng? RTL-SDR seems more useful overall, especially that I'm into software development and electronics.
However I could probably mod the Baofeng and connect it to my laptop and maybe even control it over a usb driver, would be a cool project.

>>2509998
They're $30 each. get both or one and then the other.
What would you rather do?
You can listen to everything on an RTL that you could on a Baofeng plus far far more.
You get mobility with the Baofeng, and can legally transmit on FRS.
If you just want to transmit to transmit, arduino has an accessory to allow just that.

>>2509923
>>ham radio
>I run
I doubt you run

>>2509975
People weren't buying complex 12k radios. What does it do that an ic7300 with a linear amp doesn't? At some point you have to draw a line at what exceeds your needs.

>>2509975
The 101D is their current flagship radio and one of the highest performers on the market. There wasn't a need to go bigger.

>>2510001
>You can listen to everything on an RTL that you could on a Baofeng plus far far more.
Ah, I guess I'll go for the RTL first then and maybe get a Baofeng later. I don't plan on transmitting at all, at least for now, as I have no idea about local regulations in Germany and would need to spend some time on that so I don't fuck up.

>>2510015
>Germany
Some countries it's illegal to listen, you may want to check. I've seen some anons spazing out about us in the US listening. Thanks for saying 'Germany' and not 'my country'. Drives me up a wall.
You'll be limited to your antenna. Software is free. Get some 50ohm coax and misc connectors and adaptors and it'll be a blast.
You can make your own antennas based on where you want to listen.
https://www.hamuniverse.com/antennas.html#Antennaprojects

It seems like most operating VHF/UFH give zero attention to SWR or tuning.
What's up with that? As primarily a HF chad, I have an SWR meter on the radio when I TX plus a tuner plus a SWR meter that I'm always aware of.
VHF folks are just
>push button, talk
>nothing heard!
>oh. add antenna
The VHF radios don't even have a built in SWR meter. My autism is blowing a gasket.

>>2510078
I noticed this too. I tried looking for VHF/UHF specific accessories like watt meters and SWR meters etc, and found that there's not nearly as much compared to HF. Even the radios are usually FM only, low power, and lack a simple S meter. Is it so hard to ask for an all mode all band VHF/UHF/SHF rig?

>>2510154
I love my 857d.

>>2509998
Get both. Lots of fun in Germany listening in on DMR and TETRA networks, or reading along with (hospital) pager networks.
>However I could probably mod the Baofeng and connect it to my laptop and maybe even control it over a usb driver
Nah homie. It is not supported in any shape or form in the Baofeng firmware. Unless you want to rewrite the firmware, which is crazy hard from what I've heard.
Just do the basic stuff like running SSTV over baofeng or MFSK

>>2510015
Just use that shit on PMR446 and Freenet 149MHz, there are 8 new frequencies in the 446.1-446.2 space and a lot of the legal equipment doesn't support those so you and your buddies can have all the fun there.
I've also got marine bands in mine.

>>2510022
>Some countries it's illegal to listen
Just keep your mouth shut about what you listen to and what you hear
>Get some 50ohm coax and misc connectors and adaptors and it'll be a blast.
Don't forget an SWR meter

>>2510221
>Don't forget an SWR meter

>>2510154
>>2510078
Over here you'll have to go to your local VHF/UHF contester boomer, they have that sort of equipment as they care for more than just working local repeater nets and are eager to help.
Monthly contests on 2m to 23cm are a thing here.

>CQ CONTEST CQ CONTEST

>>2510273
>Over here
>are a thing here
say where, fag

>>2510284
Yuropooristan, faggot

Should I up my larp game?
Looks like it's dead shy of a few digital exercises and applications are being brushed to the side.

>>2510292
Sure, if you want to add something to your larp resume. Just be sure to get the proper noise canceling headphones and a boom mic.

>>2510291
>seething and hiding in the shadows
23cm contests look like great fun for your type.

Newfag here. Last week I got a Baofeng and a Rugged Radios headset so I can listen to the FM broadcast at IMSA races. I got a splitter so I can plug in a second radio and scan the team communications. I learned how to use Chirp/Repeaterbook/Radioreference and I am good to go. Any recommendations on upgrading the antenna, especially for FM receiving?

That being said I think this whole amateur radio thing is pretty interesting but the trouble is that is extremely complicated and technical. This isn't a problem per se but it is just hard to know where to get started. I have started studying for the technicians license and that has helped a little but I am still lost.

>>2506886
>Should we add some recommendations for the very beginners to the FAQ?
Yes, this would be helpful. Something similar to the used car decision guid on /o/

>>2506124
>you're missing 99% of what ham has to offer
I am so totally overwhelmed by what CAN be done I don't know where to start! I am not trying to chase satellites or anything but I want to find some equipment that will allow me to figure out what kind of things I find most interesting.

I want to move on to something like the unit linked but maybe of not such questionable origin. I like the waterfall display and the full band RX.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPztHY0

>>2510355
should have gotten a sdr if u only finna receive

>>2510355
Nice going anon seems like you’re able to get the basics down yourself, congrats

>>2510406
>sdr
>requires at least an entire phone or laptop
>finnicky set-up
Here is your (you), mongoloid

>>2510355
>Something similar to the used car decision guide on /o/
Best idea I've heard here
I can design it - what categories should be included?

>>2510355
>so I can listen to the FM broadcast at IMSA races.
An actual scanner would be better in all respects. I don't understand why everyone here is so averse to actual purpose built scanners. No, setting up an SDR is not an equivalent, don't let someone gaslight you into thinking it is. In your case I'd find a used pro-106 or a similar gre/whistler unit. They already have dedicated search functions for CB, FRS/GMRS, Marine, Rail, Public Safety, Ham, Air (FM and AM), and MURS. This one decodes P25 as well.

>>2510465
Well, like I said I have only been at this for a week so I don't really understand much but maybe divide it into technician, general and advanced (maybe the frequencies or modulation methods if that makes more sense) along one axis and rig types (HT, mobile and base) along the other? Or maybe like activities simplex, repeater, atmospheric (whatever the name for that is) satellite chasing? Sprinkle in the pros and cons of each rig and guesstimate prices.

>>2505593
Hahahah great webm. Really well done

>>2510465
I need this but for work vans.
>truck
Go away Americans.

Are there any particular transceivers,known for their exceptional receiving abilities? I'm not much of a talker,but I do enjoy eavesdropping and finding cool digital stuff.

>>2510494
JRC, Watkins&Johnson, Rohde und Schwarz

>>2510475
>Well, like I said I have only been at this for a week
You sound like the perfect voice of authority then.

>>2510494
A good antenna system is more important. A great receiver with a shit antenna will be outperformed by a mediocre receiver with a good antenna system. No, a chink tape ruler antenna is not good.

>>2510494
Ftdx101 is probably the best on the market. Run an sdr through it for the filtering instead of straight through your antenna.
>>2510509
I moved from an anytone mobile radio to an ftdx10 for my tri-band yagi and the difference is beyond night and day. A good receiver is absolutely important, and I'm only pushing 100w and making much more dx contacts.

>>2509988
Just serch for
>transceivers for 630m
and you will find a few, but not from the main brands such as Yaesu or Icom.

>>2509988
You will find commercial and homebrew transverters, where you can use any ham transceiver and the signal is converted to a higher amateur band frequency both on receive and transmit.

>>2510472
>I don't understand why everyone here is so averse to actual purpose built scanners.

For me it's the cost and functionality (and limited knowledge as to what is available.) I KNEW a Gay-o-fag would let me listen to the FM IMSA broadcast and be less than $30. Bonus for maybe being able to scan the team radios. A top tier sports car race in person is a simply stunning spectical; I highly recommend it. It will blow you away but it is utterly impossible to keep track of without a massive television and radio network. The radio broadcast team are amazing at what they do and I just wanted to keep up with them.

After trying to use ear buds this year I knew I needed a better headset and I probably could have used Harbor Freight over-the-ear hearing protection with my current set up. (Race cars be loud n shit) but I thought I'd dip my toe into the the amateur radio scene and I'm glad I did, so far. I will probably get a scanner eventually but yeah, I didn't know WTF was going on so I cheaped out. Please recommend sweet ass scanners. Also looking for a "full spectrum" mobile with waterfall display.

-Unlicensed Newfag

Is there a smarter way to do this? I like the idea of not having to guy out the mast itself. I was gonna buy one of those drive-your-car-tire-over-it mast bases but this seems like a more flexible option

>>2510722
All that matters is that it's secure and resonating. How you go about it is your business.

>>2510475
I'm seeing a collection of graphics stemming from a flow chart.
It's a big topic, but here's where I'm at.

>>2510941
I know it comes off as schizo, but this is what came out in 15 minutes

>>2510962
TX

>>2510962
RX

>>2505645
yikes

Just upgrade to better transceivers. Jesus christ. Baoshits are notorious for going deaf in any RF intensive environment, like when you hook up an external antenna.

Does this include a subscription to the gloryhole at Dayton's hamfest?
I remember spending $900 for my 7300.

>>2510982
Yep, mine will stutter with a mag mount on my truck, my anytone mobile doesn't do this.

>>2510941
>stemming from a flow chart
I think Freeplane is a tool that is more convenient here.

>>2511015
I'd be honored to start down that road if you think it'd be beneficial and others will chime in with data to help

>>2511015
I was expecting shit posting, not to instantly obtain a valuable skillset that will help me at work.
Thank you.
I'm basically a programmer and the project manager and it's too much data to convey or so much as talk about to coworkers.
50% autism
50% because their casual question blasts 1,500 lines of code through my mind and red flags start popping up and any reply of mine will be at best vague, but usually dismissive as it'd take half an hour to answer the first question.

>>2511018
Yes, I am convinced it will be beneficial.
While ARRL et al. complain about recruitment, they still keep much behind paywalls. Same with local organisations and magazines. Computer magazines such as LWN has a paywall for fresh stuff but evey Thursday, the last week's stuff is made public. This model is yet to be discovered in the ham community.

Instead it has been this group that has gone a lot further, including compiling a fairly substantial library that is reasonably structured. And this general, for all the occational noise, remains a lot better than most other places I have seen.

And I hope the FAQ also helps.
t. FAQ editor (yes, I am still here)

I sent my first email!
That was interesting, but now what? I can see it being a godsend if you're in a super remote cabin or in a third world country, but has my adventure run its course or are there applications for the common suburban man?

>>2511063
Awesome, I should have a working version done this week.
The ARRL died when the internet began. Their antenna project in this month's QST was copied from 1973.
So many projects, so much opportunity, so little passion.
>t.digital FT-101 newb from a few years ago.
/ham/ made me the ham I am today.

>>2510078
>The VHF radios don't even have a built in SWR meter.
That also includs many military VHF radios. Instead you have to change the length of an antenna when you change frequency, a misfeature only sergeants enjoyed.

>>2510008 >>2510515
I had a look at the Sherwood table:
http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
Noise floor for the FTDX101D is down to -141dBm, which smokes the rather expensive K4 at -137 dBm. What happened at Elecraft!? This is a serious regression from other models.
What is more unexpected to me, is that the record is held by an old valve radio, Collins 75-S3B at -146 dBm. What magic is this?

>>2511077
More goes into a radio than noise floor, but that just proves my point. The days of needing a $12,000 radio to be a top performer are behind us. Now you just need a good antenna setup like this.

I may need to break this up into different images

>>2511138
hmmm

>>2511138
>>2511139
Was able to export it as a pdf.
It's a rough draft and I still need to add makes and models, complete ideas, and proofread, but it's a start.
https://docdro.id/DXk2tid

>>2511143
Good start, I'll review it closer.
You could organise it by frequency, see very rough structure. And then plot beginner's rigs inside the areas.

>>2511143
A few comments:
- listening (top right corner): WebSDR is good, but KiwiSDR is also excellent.
- middle right "CX has far more events": should that be "CW"?
- middle right "Boat anchors": those are monster huge moxes that use tubes, such as R-390A, not sure I'd classify a modern rig as a boat anchor (FTDX comes close but still...)
- boat anchors and "glow bugs" are definitely a class to keep in your diagram.
- kits would be a natural part of tech
- high speed Morse code is also a competition, YouTube show East European girls brutalise morse keys on ways I have never experienced.
- talking far: might add "moon bounce"
- I want to decode radio waves that are around me (top right): the FAQ has two links about SIGINT.

Good work, anon, looking forward to this.

For those with small kids, don't forget CQSanta

>>2511018
Speaking as a noon I think, for helping nooks the best thing would be a 3x3 with low, mid and high prices and HT, Mobile and Bast station with a little info on what the pros and cons are of each.

>>2511198
That's slightly where I'm at. A long way from done, but here's the start of a HF list broken down by base or mobile and if still in production + boat anchors and QRP
I'll try to add unique comments. There's a lot to research and write and many topics to cover.
But this could be a good way to get in the ballpark
>Ok, I have $500
>I'd prefer mobile
>I should hunt for A, B, or C.

>>2511151
All good catches
>- WebSDR is good, but KiwiSDR is also excellent.
added
> - middle right "CX has far more events": should that be "CW"?
CW World Wide. Good catch
> "Boat anchors" ..... FT-100
I had FT-101 in my mind. FT-100 looked wrong but it didn't click. Fixed
> - boat anchors and "glow bugs" are definitely a class to keep in your diagram.
added
> - kits would be a natural part of tech
moved
> - high speed Morse code is also a competition, YouTube show East European girls brutalise morse keys on ways I have never experienced.
agreed, savage and added
> - talking far: might add "moon bounce"
> - I want to decode radio waves that are around me (top right): the FAQ has two links about SIGINT.
nice. I'll incorporate some of those links

>>2510506
Wow, what a shitty and unless comment, thanks for taking the time out of your busy tranny gif browsing to reminding me I'm on 4chan.

>>2511204
That is looking very good! Don't forget HT, it is the cheapest and easiest way to get into the hoby.hobby. I think adding what you can do with each is important so new people can see what can be done. E.g. repeater chasing, satellite coms DMR, APRS etc.

>>2511136
Is that FOUR cubical quads?

>>2511353
the hexbeams?

>>2511291
>unless comment
Is this the newest zoom zoom talk?

>>2511204
add the ft-857 and ft-897D as well
you can can usally get them for about 500$ if you are patient

>>2511297
Good points - there aren't many hf ht anymore on my radar. That little screenshot is just the HF section.
An annoyance with the hobby is it's a collection of hobbies and each person searches for different details.
An example could be HF/VHF/UFH radios. Does that deserve its own section? How about another for just QRP HF/VHF/UFH? That's where the genius of this king of venn diagrams comes into play >>2511148, but that may need to be another image
I'm hoping this isn't a definitive guide for the expert ham, but a catch all to inspire newbs and block stupid questions.
>>2511504
I added the 857 last night but I'm not sure I want to get into variants

>>2511138
>>2511508
>>2510962
>>2510475
What are you even doing? Maybe you should learn the basics instead of publishing a book outline about a subject you picked up a week ago during a manic episode.

>>2511569
>slowest thread on /diy/
>finally gets some life
>NOOO YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING IN HERE
>>2511508
He's not wrong though, calm down and get your hands dirty and work on your map as you find new things.

>>2511569
>>2511578
https://docdro.id/Xo9a1gM
Look at it in its entirety.

>>2511569
>>2511578
>>2511586
How many newbs come here asking
>how do I ham?
>what radio do I need?
And everyone jumps in and recommends radios with zero context.
I'm trying to provide a simple flow chart
>I want to get into ham
>I want to talk to locals
>oh look, there's CB, FRS, and ham.
>ok, different types of radios
>here's an example of the radio I can look at based on my budget and wants

>Ham dead
>radio stupid
>this general gay
Well, here are some applicable uses that show that ham radio is important and a literal life saver.

>You bastards tricked me
>You robbed me of $15 for a stupid test and all I got was an email from the FCC
>All the repeaters here are dead
>I don't want to talk to omelet bro. I hope he chokes
>There's nothing else to do.
>I wish diabetes on all of you
Well there are other areas of ham radio to explore ...

>>2511590
*pic related
>You bastards tricked me
>You robbed me of $15 for a stupid test and all I got was an email from the FCC
>All the repeaters here are dead
>I don't want to talk to omelet bro. I hope he chokes
>There's nothing else to do.
>I wish diabetes on all of you
Well there are other areas of ham radio to explore ...

>some of you guys are ok
>but I'm not giving the govt my social security number
You can still embrace related areas of ham radio without a license

>>2511588
You said yourself, you've became interested in ham a week ago. Now you're doling out radio advice with your own flow charts? Stick to your day job or go edit some wiki if you need that validation.
>>2511589
>>2511591
>>2511594
>already spamming this shit with greentext
Is this a bot or some autist?

>>2511595
I'm not >>2510475, I'm trying to help him out.
I have about 5 years under my belt and am an Extra.
Nobody could draw all of these conclusions in their first week.

>>2511588
>How many newbs come here asking
I haven't counted but quite a few ask in /g/ and I usually suggest they check out the FAQ, the library and this general. So far they seem to have been satisfied with the responses. This new mindmap will make it even better.

>angry boomer at it again

>>2505593
Hey old men. I just pulled the trigger on a big boy radio thanks to your advice. Well second HF rig, but this one wasn't top of the line 40 years ago. Cheers

>'tard at it again

Does anyone have a POTA&SOTA bag / gear hauling suggestion? I'm comfortable with a base station but have never gone portable.

>>2512039
Depends on exactly what gear you're hauling. However, usually an actual backpack designed for hiking is best since they are designed for carrying weight comfortably long distances. I wouldn't get hung up with all-in-one suitcase/ammo shack-in a-box examples people love to post for upvotes. They end up being heavy and excessively bulky. Just make sure your radio has some bump/shock/wet protection while it's in your pack.

>>2512039
>pic related
bugs are the distinguished gentleman's keys

anyone tried charging the battery like this ?

>>2512045
>all-in-one suitcase/ammo shack-in a-box examples people love to post for upvotes
I went deep down that rabbit hole but pulled myself out. It's a pointless onions boy game.
I'm not planning anything too strenuous, but there's a SOTA less than an hour away that hasn't been activated. Thought about pulling together a dedicated backpack with gear, hitting a local POTA to get comfortable with the layout, gear, and working a pileup, then hit the SOTA.

>>2512054
I'm sure some masochist has.
>>2512056
Well, I don't do it too often but I have a Marmot daypack (about 40L) with a hip belt, which I use for other things too so not radio exclusive. Anyway, the equipment I bring consists of:

-Radio (817nd + mic + battery)
-Tuner (LDG)
-Coax 15'-20', plus a couple of jumpers for tuner (one is a backup)
-Antenna (unun, antenna wire, counterpoise wire)
-Small sack of rope (paracord type)
-Pen and paper

- - Optional - -
-Digital interface (RIGblaster plug & play + cables)
-Laptop
-VHF/UHF whip
-MFJ 1899T Multi-band HF whip
-Roll of electrical tape, small wire stripper
-Spare fuses (if your equipment uses them)
-Lightweight nylon tarp (to sit on or cover your shit quickly)
-Connector adapters
-Antenna analyzer (pointless weight if using an auto tuner though)

I also have an antenna setup that uses a camera tripod with Hustler Resonators, which works surprisingly well, but it's bulky and heavy so I won't bring/use that if I'm hiking more than a 1/2 mile. I don't usually bring an SWR meter, since the radio has a basic one built-in and I'm using an auto tuner.

>>2512066
Thanks, solid list. I should include a clipboard or something along those lines

>>2512081
I should add:
-Morse key (if CW op)

>>2512066
>I'm sure some masochist has.
how do u charge it then with just an usb cable

>>2512119
With the proper charger and in the dock or radio. What even is this for?

>>2512121
I want to charge it with solar power, from a powerbank

>>2512066
Why do I only hear ft8 and never rtty/psk31 anymore?

>>2512160
Because it's pretty retard proof, and you don't need to pay attention. You'll still hear the odd digital mode here and there. People hated the macros with psk, however it was similar to working phone because it was real-time and band conditions affected it. Rag chewing is better with something like Olivia or Contestia. The ft8 variant sucks.

>>2512166
That's a shame, yeah everything is ft8 on every band now. Seems pointless to me, I just read that 40% of new contacts are now ft8.

>>2512130
Just keep in mind that solar power inverters often emit enormous amounts of radio noise.

>>2512160
FT8 has a lot of built in redundancies and noise protection. Older standards are not so well thought out.

>>2512171
You charge the powerbank then you charge the handheld battery, no radio noise involved

>>2512066
I was able to repurpose an old medical bag. Still need the radio, but have
30ah batter
17m antenna
Pad of paper
100ft string
Paracord
Throw bag
50ft coax
2 jumpers
Electrical cords
Zip ties
Multi tool
Headphones
Pens

>>2512563
Looks pretty good. Take a walk around the block with it loaded to make sure it rides nicely. I'd just stick something with a similar weight to the radio as a place holder.

>>2512633
Thanks, it seems well balanced.
I'm struggling with the idea of getting something bigger to accommodate some creature comforts like clothes, food, water, etc.
The SOTA in question appears to only be a 20 minute hike with an elevation of 300-400 feet.
The POTA parks around me are all concrete jungles. I jokingly thought of putting an amp in the car and blasting 500 watts while chilling with the heater on.

Archer phonetic alphabet:
A-Aesop
B-Bee's
C-Cate
D-Day
E-Eight
F-Fee
G-Gif
H-He
I-Is
J-Jif
K-Karl
L-Lee
M-Mancy
N-Nancy
O-Ocelot
P-Pee
Q-Quack
R-Rum
S-See
T-Tee
U-ute
V-voila
W-wack
X-Xenias
Z-Zinnias

>>2512966
reddit is where you want to be, so go there

>>2512966
NATO phonetic alphabet is a better standard and is international.

>>2513105
A very sharp observation.

>>2513105
No shit.
Clearly, this thread is only enlightened by your brilliant observation.

>>2513018
I know not of this "reddit" you speak.

>>2513105
look over your head! it's a joke!

>>2512966

What happened to VHF/UHF SWR meters?
I'm having a Berenstain Bears moment here.
SWR seems to not be a topic for any tech or anyone operating those freqs.
No SWR meter. No meter on the radio. No warning for high SWR. No tuner.
Are those radios disposable? Can the radios withstand the lower wattage?!

>>2513187
Nigger stop asking the same question over and over because you didn’t get a (You).

You are talking out of your fucking ass. I really don’t know where you get that retarded impression

>>2513201
Nobody has one in a car.
Nobody has one working satellites.
Nobody has one using a yagi out in the field trying to hit repeaters
They certainly don't test their rubber duckies.
I see very few base stations with a VHF/UHF tuner or SWR meter.
SWR is a myth above 100Mhz
I don't see a tuner. I don't see a meter.

Nobody knows my SWR ...

>3 radios
>1 tuner
VHF SWR is a myth

>2 radios
>no meters
>no tuners

>no tuner
>no meter

>>2513246
>Nobody has one in a car.
You set the length when you install it.
>Nobody has one working satellites.
>Nobody has one using a yagi
The antenna feed point is adjusted when built, it's not made to be adjustable.
>They certainly don't test their rubber duckies.
Really? People don't cut them open and manually adjust them?
>I see very few base stations with a VHF/UHF tuner
They're resonant antennas. If you use a tuner on an antenna above VHF, you are a moron. Adjust it at installation and leave it alone afterwards. In addition, just leaving a tuner inline adds to insertion loss, which gets increasingly worse when the frequency increases.
>>2513249
>>2513251
>>2513254
Meters are delicate. Subjecting them to shock regularly will kill them, so mounting them in these dumb ass go boxes will kill them pretty quickly. Also, most modern radios have built-in swr meters.
>>2513255
All these boxes are retarded whacker larping props.

>>2513257
>The antenna feed point is adjusted when built, it's not made to be adjustable.
Disassembling, tossing it around in a car and the field, then reassembling it doesn't anything?
>Meters are delicate
So are radios
>most modern radios have built-in swr meters
I don't have a single VHF radio that has a meter.
>All these boxes are retarded whacker larping props.
True, but in the case of mobile or portable operations, the length of the coax may change, the antenna may be altered in transport, and the environment could be remarkably different.
Who knows how nasty of a SWR they could be having? Who knows if their mobile setup is no longer a good match?
Nobody pays attention to SWR on VHF or above. It's a myth.

>>2513260
>I don't understand basic radio concepts, such as feed lines, resonant antennas, or setting up baby's first 2m radio.
You're helpless or trolling. I don't know which it is at this point, but I'd lean toward the one that gets you the most attention.

>>2508104
The size of battery pack (+solar) my FT-857D requires to do POTA at 100W far outweighs the transceiver.

There's a reason they're still selling the FT-817/818 after all these years.

>>2513269
>build flimsy antenna
>put it outside
>out of sight
>out of mind
>it'll totally be fine and perfect forever
I'm not a VHF guy, but all of my HF antennas have become out of tune over time. Whether wires stretch or fray or fall, it's inevitable.
It only seems logical to hold VHF antennas to the same standard.
How many mobile setups or CB radios have gone from a 2:1 SWR to 4:1 over the course of 5 years bumping down the road?

>>2513289
Let's be reasonable. You check it when something isn't right or maybe every couple of months. We're not taking about a commercial 500 ft tower or sitting in your nuke bunker too afraid to come out.
>over the course of 5 years
pic related

>>2513289
Many VHF antennas are pretty stable. A 1/4 wave whip isn't going significantly out of tune unless someone physically cuts it shorter or somehow lengthens it. Although you do want to periodically check on the condition of your coax as it is a wear item.

>>2513356
>>2513377
I guess my cage is rattled.
I made a vertical wire for my HT and plugged it into the NanoVNA and the harmonics were all over the place depending on if it moved an inch or two. Completely unstable.
That should be expected - an inverted V dipole is different than a horizontal or sloper or L.
As such, pic related and those foldable ht antennas must be absolutely hell on a radio.

>>2513384
Your body is part of the antenna when using a HT.

>>2513392
AHHHHH!!!!!!!!
As is your backpack or your environment.
Yet VHF don't even program a SWR meter?!!!

I'm working on a high-power (1000-watt) 13.56 MHz RF antenna+amplifier. I've got most everything figured out, but the impedance matching. I know how to impedance match on paper, but when I have a real-world antenna, with a real-world PCB and amplifier with real world parasitics and tolerances, there no way the impedance matching I do on paper can work.

How do the pros do it? Do they just, leave blank spaces on the PCB for inductors and capacitors so that they can experimentally measure the impedance and then impedance match at the very end?

>>2513187
SX 400 or SX 600 from memory, also AVAIR something do VHF and or UHF

>>2513415
I have a Diawa CN-501H that's a SWR meter that goes to 150Mhz.
To be more clear, the lack of attention to SWR or tuning, accepting 2m is as resonate everywhere on the band and equally harmonic on 70cm.
I don't see a single VHF/UHF tuner in the most recent DXEngineering catalogue.
>oh you troll!! They have DX in their name!!!
They have 16 VHF/UHF radios for sale.

>>2513149
you need to be 18 or older to post here, faggot

>>2513439
you need to get a sense of humor.

>>2505738
I like to talk about prostates.

>>2513187
>>2513201
>>2513246
Handhelds don't need them, and at 5w it's pointless anyway. Many radios also have them built in.

>>2513384
>I made a vertical wire for my HT and plugged it into the NanoVNA and the harmonics were all over the place depending on if it moved an inch or two. Completely unstable.
I think your expectations might be off. You are talking about a HT antenna, not a MW broadcast station. Does the SWR stay more or less under 5? Stable.

Earlier you were talking about mobile antennas. I suggest running the same test again in that environment. You will see that a simple 1/4 wave whip does pretty well as long as it has some kind of ground plane.

>>2513427
You don't use tuners on anything vhf or above, queerlord. How many times does it need to be said?

>>2513448
I'd rather talk about my latest colonoscopy.

>>2513187
>What happened to VHF/UHF SWR meters?
If you are really that worried about SWR on VHF and UHF: https://www.amazon.com/Mcbazel-Surecom-Digital-125-525Mhz-Antenna/dp/B01D86IKIQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=3TIZM1HY0XVOB

Unless you are transmitting at 50w or more, and you are transmitting often, you don't really need to worry much about SWR since if your antenna is picking up and people are hearing you fine, your SWR is very likely low.

if I'm understanding impedance matching correctly, it doesn't even really matter what my antenna dimensions are because I can always shift the resonant frequency to whatever frequency I want by impedance matching
but that doesn't sound right
how exactly am I retarded here

>>2513818
by going with that theory, using a tuner and shortened (compromise) antenna would transform it it in a full size antenna with regard to efficiency.

you're just giving the radio the impedance it expects (50ohm), efficiency will be pretty bad still. or in some case its is not an compromise antenna but it adds nodes and nulls, affecting radiation patterns, such as transmitting on 10m on a 40m dipole with a tuner

>>2513818
Your ERP will be less. The baseline for antenna ERP is a standard resonant dipole.

Well?

So I've finally gotten around to switching the FT-767GX on and listening to some shortwave stations -- I borrowed an MLA-M antenna indefinitely.
Now to wade through a ton of bureaucratic bullshit and documentation before I can reply. It's all so tiresome.
>can only feed 10W into antenna if I don't want it to blow up
>TX is capable of 100ish W
>forced to calculate safety distances using the latter even though I can't ever use it
REEE

About how much power would I lose from an ht if I used an sma to bnc adapter with a bnc antenna, rather than just using an sma antenna?

>>2514290
negligible amounts, your current level of hydration would likely have a larger effect.

tell KE6CGR that hes a speed freak and his wife does heroin
also
that evan is a fat faggot

>>2514119
Bong?
At least you are allowed on 80m with a basic license, super fucking jelly about that

>>2512563
>>2512633
I found an old camping bag. It's starting to get heavy, still waiting for the FT-891.
>30ah battery
>Tuner
>Common core choke
>Misc pens and coax attachments
>Wire vertical antenna
>2 MREs
>50' coax plus jumpers
>Misc hand tools
>Power pole jumpers
>Paracords, throw bags, and stakes
>Toilet paper
>Socks and hat
>Misc medical
>Extra 2 shirts
I guess the rest of my effort will be to refine and reduce weight.
Maybe I'll reduce the battery. I'd like to put the FT891 in a harbor freight case for protection.

noob question
ima getting SDRplay radio to start listening on HF
I am primarily interested on 40m, maybe 80m.
What would be good antenna capable of covering 40m or both 40m/80m bands ?
I don't want to erect any big antenna poles or drag 20m wire across garden. Is reception on this band possible with some small, perhaps mobile type antennas ?

>>2514511
Of course, people operate from their car on 40m.
How big of an investment (time and space) are you willing to make?
You could take leftover electrical wire and make an antenna and hang it in the attic or tape it to the ceiling.
https://www.hamradioqrp.com/2015/08/the-attic-antenna-revisited.html?m=1

>>2514523
I particularly love the idea of attic, there should be no electric interference and I have ~14meters of clear space
say I drag a 14m wire across attic and another to the ground (real earthing in garden), will the SDR be able to pick 40m, even tho the antenna is not wavelength match ?
I am bit skeptical about going into sophisticated shapes of antenna since I have no instrumentation to measure and match it properly, so it's as good as random. Is it worth to invest into something like SARK100 antenna meter ? Looks like cheap chink shit.

>>2514530
>, will the SDR be able to pick 40m, even tho the antenna is not wavelength match ?
Yes. Maybe better than a resonant antenna
https://www.hamradioqrp.com/2017/03/non-resonant-versus-resonant-antenna.html?m=1
Don't bother with the earthing for receiving only, this is how you introduce noise in the system

>>2514530
>there should be no electric interference
kek, I remember such optimism. I had a tool charger 20 meters away that caused serious interference.
Anyway, run some coax up to the attic and start playing with a wire. Add,, subtract, bend it all around.
https://www.hamuniverse.com/shortwaveantenna.html
Play with a slinky
http://qrznow.com/sdr-receiver-with-a-slinky-antenna/
build a loop
https://www.qsl.net/kc2tx/loopschematic.htm

>>2514496
After an outing, go through your stuff and ask yourself if you really need an item and is it worth hauling around the extra weight vs making something work. The only hand tools I bring is a basic wire stripper and a swiss army knife, which is already in my pocket. Using a large bag like that makes you look for stuff to put into it rather than having a smaller bag and trying to make everything you need fit. However, take it out and see what works, just don't fall into the trap of adding too much stuff you might need.

>>2514548
I hear what you're saying.
With a hunting and prepper background, it's second instinct to think
>Going in the woods?
>Bring food, water, toilet paper, a lighter, a little medical, and extra clothes if it's cold.
I can reduce the supplies, but I can't eliminate that idea from my head especially if I'm half an hour from the car in the middle of nowhere. (SOTA).
I swapped out the 30Ah battery for 20Ah and did away with some rope and tools. Things pack far nicer now.
Short of getting advice here, I suppose from here it's trial and error learning the hard way what I need and don't need as you recommend.
The tuner is a LDG AT-200. I'd like to have a smaller 100 model, but I also like the $200 in my pocket.
The black box is a choke I use in the shack. By some miracle it makes my vertical at home that's resonate on 80/40/20/10 much more compatible with the WARC bands. I'd like to keep that to keep my options open for working where the propagation is.

>>2514532
earthing is really optional ? I thought it's always either earthing or making a counterpoise
this dude does earthing and gets pretty nice result
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHajOvAk64c

>>2514537
slinkypilled antenna looks rad, I saw some madmen doing antennas with rain gutters
loops are also considerable, especially in size, maybe I will get into one for 160m

>>2514564
>it's always either earthing or making a counterpoise
for emitting, maybe to yes, for a dipole you don't need shit for example.
For receiving you don't want ground or anything related to that, it WILL inject noise in your receiving setup

>>2514559
Keep what you need, obviously. The only things I always bring, when I go into the woods, is a folding knife, a lighter or some matches in a ziplock bag, and some kleenex or the last 1/4 of a roll of TP (which would be with the matches to keep it dry). The primary purpose of the TP is ass wiping, but can be used as tinder if needed.

>>2514568
The dichotomy of life - as you age you want more creature comforts and assurances, but physically we can carry less and less.
I'd say the pack is about 30lbs and well balanced. Easily manageable but it'd be nice to go a bit smaller though I'm not sure where I could sacrifice.
I'm too dumb to do QRP or CW which could provide a substantial reduction in size and weight.
I don't need a mast or laptop so that's a plus.

I notice my shitty chink mobile radio on my desk picks up static whenever I scroll the scroll wheel on my wired mouse

anybody else ever experience this before? It doesn't matter I just thought it was interesting

>>2514650
that's the keylogging tracker the CIA put to monitor your activity transmitting your movements. Should happen when you type too.

>>2514650
Yes. It's common on a lot of chink made items. At work, there's a motion alarm that gets triggered every time I key up my HT. Same happens to chink radios with other devices around.

I could use a reality check.
If I wanted rails like pic related to create a VHF chest mounted unit by mounting the antenna flush with the radio face, enabling me to increase the tx wattage substantially in rural settings, would it be genius or am I a larping faggot?

>>2514810
Pic more related. Instead of a 5 watt radio strapped to your shirt with an antenna picking your nose you can have 50 watts with a little more planning and it also stacks nicely if you're on the move from car to portable to ____.
At first I thought it was the ultimate larp. Now I'm kind of respecting the adaptation and complete, resourceful package.

>>2514818
K

>>2514818
I always like watching Gaston.

>>2515112
First I thought it looked tacti-cool
Then he came off as a smooth brained Tech license California manlet larping aimlessly
I came around to see there was merit in his ideas, but he's still fixated on just using ham radio to check email.

Pretty chill ham intro for normies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gc3mewa9gE

>>2514818
My man purse only needs 2 90 degree angles

>>2515406

>>2515383
>my comment isn't showing up
Guess the OMs got their feefees hurt.

>>2514818
If that's a Yaesu Female to Male 6000, I got one of those on the last sale. Nice.

Is there a standard for the minimum height guy lines need to be up on a mast?

My brain wants to guess that guy lines should be no lower than 1/3rd the total length of the mast, but I've been seeing a lot of pics lately with guy lines pretty low on the mast and it somehow being stable

>>2515617
I just got mine mounted in my car, it's working great. How do you like it?

>>2515636
https://www.hamuniverse.com/antennamastguying.html
I've seen this guide thrown around as the go to way. Every ten feet seems excessive to me though and for a 187' tower that's 18 sets of guys. Just imagine the weight.

>get over broadcasting anxiety
>try 40m SSB
>antenna can only take 10W
>manual says it has 10 dB loss
>SWR above 1.5 even with tuning
>don't get heard
>no way to use anything other than MLA in rented apartment
You just can't win
High time I moved back to the countryside and put up some pillars in the backyard

>>2515638
it's nice, you are lucky to have some place to put it in your car, in modern euro cars there it's like a "glass cockpit" and there's the big screen that does all but you can't put a good old radio or CB or whatever

>>2515638
how do you like it? I almost bought one last week but the reviews are very polarizing

>>2515754
>antenna can only take 10W
How is this possible??

>>2515840
not him, the insulation of the variable cap does determines the max voltage so the max power you can send in a mag loop antenna
it goes very very fast in the hundreds of volts and a couple thousands isn't abnormal, so the plates need to be spaced by 3-4mm at least and it makes these variable cap huge and expensive

>>2515754
>Get a ham stick
>walk along the railroad and grab a discarded rail base
>use that as a paperweight and counterpoise
>You just can't win
YOU just can't win because you want to fail.

>>2515854
I rent an apartment. The only way I can see to use any kind of dipole for 40 m is to dangle a 10m wire from my balcony. Now tell me how to use that when it's -15° outside without freezing to death, when drilling holes for cables & installing thermal insulation is not an option. And good luck not getting a visit from the authorities when the downstairs neighbor complains about the wire in front of his window.

>>2515870
>I say ham stick
>You cry about dipoles
You want to lose.

>>2515874
I stand corrected
Sorry, I'm a complete beginner
How do those work?

>>2515875
Just research mobile antennas and setups.
Small profile, not permeant, and when you leave you can repurpose it for a car, shack, or camping.
If people can run 500watts in their truck, you can run 100 watts in your cuck shed

>>2515878
Will do, thanks. I was just wondering how they're managing to make such a short antenna work for such long wavelengths. I don't see a massive inductor attached to it, is the whole thing just 10 meters of wire coiled up?

>>2515881
Shorter due to inductance, but pretty much.
Just a coiled wire on a fiberglass pole wrapped in plastic. You could make one.
They're 1.3 meters. You can use two and now you have a 2.6 meter long dipole.
Or one stick with a large metal mass as a counterpoise.

>>2515874
>>2515878
>>2515884
ham sticks are garbage, get a center load antenna

>>2515884
Interesting. Probably lossy and narrow as shit but hey, it's better than nothing.

>>2515888
Looks to be bit too big for my current use case 2bh

>>2515818
It's perfect for my use case(in the car scanning). I have a 2730a for a base setup, which is nice to have dual receive, but I don't miss it with this. I haven't messed around with the digital modes on this, because I have a ft5dr. But its a well built, small radio with great rx/tx, couldn't really ask for more(from a name brand) in that $200 price range.

>>2515936
>digital modes
I thought the reason this was being dunked on was because it didn't have APRS/GPS/Fusion while the MSRP was in the price point of those radios.
It seems like it'd fit the bill at $200, which was the sale last week, because I don't need all the digital upgrades and Yaesu's scan is so fast a dual monitor isn't a deal breaker

Are there any p25 portables that are decently modern and don't cost a literal arms and leg. My friend runs the radio services for my whole county and he keeps nutting all over himself about p25. I want to be able to talk with him but not for a $3000 Motorola buttfucking.

QSY >>2516053
switch channels >>2516053
change frequency >>2516053

>>2514548
>The only hand tools I bring is a basic wire stripper and a swiss army knife
Could you elaborate on the wire strippers?
I can see them for tuning an antenna, but for loose electrical or coax wires require something else (crimper, screw cap, tape) to fix

>>2515941
You'd need a digi-rig or something to interface it with a computer, so it's something I could get into down the line. But yeah, out of the box, it doesn't have all that stuff built-in.

>>2516180
Thank you.
Just listening to omelet bro and calling for help if need be are what I'm looking for, so this is a perfect budget option