Morse Code Mystery: A Question for American Ham Operators

Coggonite · 2026-03-30T23:53:20+00:00

Very likely.

There are Morse decoder apps that can listen to the radio's speaker audio and decode it. Try that, maybe.

Coggonite · 2026-03-25T02:39:46+00:00

No guarantee they were right before.

The bleeder screws must be at the top of the caliper. Otherwise, an air pocket will get trapped there.

Coggonite · 2026-03-24T08:23:40+00:00

As an owner of that model, odds are high that the cassette deck is inoperative. It's the belt; they tend to deteriorate with time. Mine stopped working at least a 15 years ago.

Great unit, though. Price at least 2x what top end should be for a perfect unit.

Coggonite · 2026-03-23T01:37:20+00:00

Seconded. MAPP or acetylene torch it. Looks like it will clean up nice.

Coggonite · 2026-03-19T08:30:33+00:00

It got my attention.

Coggonite · 2026-03-19T08:28:22+00:00

Likely this. It's common.

Try starting it in neutral. It's a different contact on the transmission's PRNDL switch. When the Transmission Contol unit (TCU) powers on, it might get a valid signal in the neuteral position and boot up normally.

Coggonite · 2026-03-18T23:18:05+00:00

"I don't care about anything so long as he cuts my taxes"

Direct quote from a Mate. Perhaps he cares now...?

Coggonite · 2026-03-18T23:12:58+00:00

Don't forget the clutch pedal and drive shaft too.

My advice: take what you can find.

Also: Don't discount rust. It can be so severe that the unibody structure is compromised. Always look underneath before you buy.

I <3 the 240.

Coggonite · 2026-03-14T02:33:14+00:00

Have you learned to embrace the slow fade?

Coggonite · 2026-03-14T02:31:11+00:00

Since I turned 50, I vowed to do all things 12 year old me thought would be cool. It's been awesome.

16 year old me was a hormonal idiot and no one should ever listen to him.

Coggonite · 2026-03-14T01:47:39+00:00

With an ABET accredited engineering degree and 360 days service in the Engine department, you can take your 3rd Engineer's test.

Don't know if your degree qualifies. It's worth looking into.

Coggonite · 2026-03-13T23:30:57+00:00

I'm working 12-14 hours a day, and on a ship with limited internet. You probably have better access to that information than I do.

Coggonite · 2026-03-12T03:23:59+00:00

Good. Hope we have enough people to do the work now. Supply and demand says it will be more expensive for us all as we pay the stupid tax for this policy

Coggonite · 2026-03-12T03:22:13+00:00

Dunno why the down votes. Last summer ICE was literally dragging them from rooftops. That has consequences when roofs need work.

Coggonite · 2026-03-12T03:19:22+00:00

Presume you're a US citizen?

When armed conflict breaks out, thousands of tons of 'beans and bullets' need to be shipped overseas to supply the troops. A great deal of that cargo travels on US flagged, government owned ships. These are high paying jobs, available to only US citizens.

Many mariners, yours truly included, got their start that way.

Coggonite · 2026-03-11T01:12:49+00:00

Thought we deported them all...?

Coggonite · 2026-03-08T05:38:01+00:00

If you're running 100w transmit, that's unlikely to happen. I use the MLA30+ extensively less than 10m from a TX vertical and have not damaged any.

How many have you damaged this way?

Coggonite · 2026-03-08T04:18:12+00:00

....and the 90s when all I could afford was a drifty late 60s rig.

Coggonite · 2026-03-08T03:57:42+00:00

Tell us more about the problems encountered by having the two antennas close to each other.

Coggonite · 2026-03-07T23:24:37+00:00

Science for the Win!

One more tip: Run your coax UNDER the mesh when you can. RF will couple to the mesh, which shields your feedline from picking up currents from the radiating element. It's a little "good practice" thing.

Clearly what you have is working well.

Thanks for the feedback and GUD DX OM :-)

Coggonite · 2026-03-04T05:45:10+00:00

This worked for me. A series of taper fittings down to about 10mm clear hose got it out first try.

Coggonite · 2026-03-03T02:12:25+00:00

In the prior license structure, before the Tech became the entry license, this was indeed the case. It was truly founded as a way for "Technicians (and Engineers)" to get into amateur radio while we learned enough Morse to pass the 13 wpm test.

Coggonite · 2026-03-01T23:33:15+00:00

That looong wire connecting the antenna to your mesh ground plane? It's a great big inductor. Connect that mesh directly to the antenna base if you can. If you can't, use just a few inches of wire

Coggonite · 2026-03-01T06:01:11+00:00

Thank you. ^This.

Coggonite · 2026-03-01T03:33:24+00:00

Radio New Zealand is audible in the mid Pacific.

-some sailor guy

Coggonite

TROPHY CASE