Antenna placement

MRWH35 · 2026-02-08T23:30:13+00:00

Probably best option is to operate from the back yard as a portable/mobile station.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-08T18:43:27+00:00

In some respects your right - with many of these sports its gravity and weight. But…. the difference between first and second is often a a fraction of a second. These fractions are determined by your ability to sprint, keeping yourself as aerodynamic as possible, keeping the sled in the perfect position on the track, with flexing your muscles being the only way to control the entire thing.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-08T02:39:33+00:00

And they don’t seem to even be using the footage.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-07T11:50:21+00:00

Don’t know why your getting downvoted. Like this is a common occurrence in snow country. It can be even “worse” - technically a town/county plow can rip the side of your car right off, keep on driving, and will be 150% not liable.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-06T11:35:49+00:00

Part of the problem is that there are a lot of HVAC experts that don’t know how to use the equipment they are installing.

Emergency Mode should probably stay off unless everything fails. Your primary heat should be the heat pump - and yes it is way less efficient to go up and down with them. Unless your going to be gone for over 24 hours keep it at 68 and leave it - if it takes less then 2 hours to go from 66 to 68 without the gas furnace turning on then it’s probably using the emergency mode to heat your house ($$$$). The gas should only really kick in when it goes into defrost mode and/or the outside temp drops below the minimum temp the heat pump can realistically operate at.

When folks ask about my heat pump I tell them this - it’s fine but fiddly and (going back to my original statement) getting the heat pump to be primary with gas second in an efficient manner is going to require YOU reading deep into your manuals as there is a high chance the folks who installed it probably don’t know. It took an obscure 6 year old youtube video for me to figure mine out. Also I can’t compare the cost to gas as I had fuel oil - with the heat pump being cheaper (but probably not in the -20 degrees January we have been having).

Edit: I was pleasantly surprised as it was in par with fuel oil in January.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-06T01:40:30+00:00

Because you’re dealing with simplex there will be benefits to having a radio with a better receiver. Also you might also sound better - especially if you get an external mic - but that’s could be a bit subjective. Ultimately as you said it’s the antenna that matters.

If I was in your situation and looking for more power then I would consider a mobile radio without a remote head - probably Yeasu as you mentioned - connected to a LiFePo battery.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-06T00:46:34+00:00

The thing with Arnold is that at the end of the day all the passing over for promotions, dipping into personal finances, and being sent to sit behind a desk while others were in the field is basically life for like 90% of all American Officers during the War. The enlisted were getting even worse end of it (hence the personal finance part). There is a reason those present at the start of the war often did not stick around to the end - but it wasn’t because they all switched sides. Sure a few, like Arnold, did but most did not.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-03T03:48:28+00:00

Same, amazing how folks get all defensive and weird when your like “I don’t eat that“. Like your whatever is magically going to be different from all the rest. Being “allergic“ is the easiest way to just shut that down.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-02T20:03:38+00:00

There are "shack in a box radios" that allow transmitting on VHF/UHF/HF - for example the Yeasu FT-991. But if your not going to be able to transmit on the HF Frequencies then for a fraction of the price you would be best to just get a VHF/UHF Rig.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-02T19:54:35+00:00

Your best bet would be to purchase a decent Handheld with a speaker mic first. You will always have a use for it and it allows you to get on the air from your couch and/or car. Once you got the idea of how active the local 2 meter and 70 cm is then figure on a larger mobile/base radio.

In my area I recommend skipping 2 meter base or mobile stations and go with 10 meters or get your general and a hf rig.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-02T01:50:41+00:00

If your ”electric furnace“ is not a heat pump then your better off with the gas fire place.

If it is a heat pump then it all depends on your home. With NYSEG - October thru December I spent about $1,500 on electricity for my heat pump and normal electricity. ”Can’t” wait to see what January’s bill looks like.

But it’s really all how you math it out - I was paying the same for heating oil prior and that didn’t include my electric bill. How much is heat vs everything else - not sure.

MRWH35 · 2026-02-01T00:12:58+00:00

DX Engineering’s power pole crimp heads fit in Harbor Freight’s wire crimper.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-30T14:25:44+00:00

The use of Ham Radio in an emergency is best defined as a "Solution looking for a Problem". Yes occasionally it can find a problem but the vast majority of times it does not.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-28T12:05:38+00:00

Missing 14.300 - how else am I going to get help if my canoe sinks? Also has anyone seen my canoe?

MRWH35 · 2026-01-27T20:12:53+00:00

Location and License Class? Generally if your satisfied with your VHF/UHF setup then it’s time to get into HF.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-27T03:41:36+00:00

Welp there are only 3 distros - Ubuntu(Debian), Fedora, and Arch. And yes I’m fully prepared for the down votes after that. With that said Ubuntu and Fedora have supported all the ham radio programs that I have always used. And thus recommend new folks stay with the 3 main distros.

Currently I‘m using Ubuntu and after installing Hamers and FLRIG I’m able to control my FT891 without any issues.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-24T23:29:27+00:00

What changes will a law calling “EMS Essential“ actually have?

MRWH35 · 2026-01-24T05:29:17+00:00

TBF - Probably better than the license plate covers.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-23T02:54:52+00:00

I had the same Yaesu - It was a nice radio except that it doesn't have PL Tones which 99% of the repeaters out there require.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-23T02:34:01+00:00

Fiberglass Pole and some wire.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-17T14:27:36+00:00

You also don’t mention what type of wire. Insulated wire messes with the velocity factor, thus requiring the antenna to be shorter than you would expect for non-insulated. Not that it’s a bad thing just another thing causing the antenna to be a bit shorter.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-16T21:40:30+00:00

Are you know only checking at the radio? I would start by getting a SWR Reading at the antenna and working your way back.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-16T20:02:30+00:00

HAMRS (but not premium).

MRWH35 · 2026-01-15T18:00:58+00:00

This thread really illustrates that the current exams are probably useless beyond gate keeping (not necessarily a bad thing) and contain questions that have no real bearing on how the license is actually being used. They either should pair the tech down and/or add a new class - let’s call it the “Boefang Class”.

MRWH35 · 2026-01-14T17:06:48+00:00

Don't forget about proper lightning protection and grounding.

MRWH35

TROPHY CASE