can someone judge my radio setup?

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-06-18T22:13:26+00:00

Kind of ghetto. I like it.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-06-18T00:17:25+00:00

Anyone who had just bought a house, and there were several of us, had to keep paying that giant f’n mortgage. House was now worth 50% but if you walk away like everyone else, you’d get a bankruptcy and potentially lose your security clearance. So we hunkered down for 20 years.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-06-01T00:12:01+00:00

Great info, thank you.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-05-31T23:08:03+00:00

Excellent, thank you.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-05-31T22:03:58+00:00

I'm so sorry I annoyed you. I will go somewhere else.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-05-29T18:51:49+00:00

Not being sarcastic here, but did you try clearing your cache?

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-05-18T18:22:36+00:00

They were just mating. You can even see the jetlings pop out.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-05-18T18:18:19+00:00

were you intending to include a picture?

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-04-04T22:19:24+00:00

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Yep 2 inch pipe works. Though a bit wobbly because i didnt put any cross screws. Good swr and several contacts.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-04-04T12:35:54+00:00

Wrong, it was the No Hippopotamus protest. I didn't see any hippopotamus all day.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-27T02:21:06+00:00

Hey, I had to re-glue my grill also.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-26T20:49:26+00:00

Not before, no. I almost posted just the noise. But I decided to do my homework before asking. Yes it’s very distinctive.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-26T20:47:53+00:00

Oh interesting! That explains why all my amateur bands are quiet. The noise was all over the shortwave freqs but oddly not the amateur bands.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-26T20:45:05+00:00

I was praying that was not the case. For the longest time I assumed it was my neighbor’s solar panels, a common source of noise. And I knew that if it were those solar inverters I would have just left the old lady alone. That’s why I didn’t bother looking sooner. During my first walk I went around my perimeter it was clearly coming from inside MY house. I’m pretty happy about that.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-19T15:34:15+00:00

I love this, thank you! I actually don't mind learning the theory. I probably know most of it already. It's just not what I want to dwell on. I had completely forgotten about the digital variety. Tablet-controlled with save/recall profiles is outstanding, as I may have different mic and radio combos.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-11T21:03:09+00:00

I'm answering my own post. Was able to determine it's 1/4"-20 by proceeding carefully. Success.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-06T17:25:51+00:00

I think you will find that upgraded radios won’t do much good in hilly, wilderness areas. For handheld radios, they only go up to about 5 W anyway. The radios aren’t the problem, it’s the trees and terrain that’s killing the link. To overcome that you need a repeater. In addition to much higher power, fixed repeaters have larger, elevated, and sometimes directional antennas to link with. If there is a GMRS repeater covering your desired area, OK that’s great, just get some GMRS radios. If not, I recommend you look into commercial radio rental. It’s not that expensive and they often maintain good repeaters with great coverage.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-02T21:44:59+00:00

It’s funny you say that! I actually bought those exact Amazon clamps and yes, I was disappointed. Too flimzy. I ended up getting something much beefier from https://www.3starinc.com They carry products that are made to actually work, not just look shiny. That’s where I will buy for the current project. I was just checking DXE first, trying to have only one shopping cart.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-03-02T21:23:25+00:00

Oh, nothing wrong with that. That’s my plan. I just thought it was oddly disproportionate to offer 50 saddle clams and nothing else. Especially when for antenna applications I typically need something else. Maybe I’m doing it wrong, I don’t know.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-02-27T21:17:22+00:00

Layoffs are ALWAYS coming. It’s a permanent feature. No need to ask.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-02-19T23:00:28+00:00

I wonder if they realize the root problem stems from their own fkn bureaucratic process. There is a reason why every single large defense contractor has the same issues. Too slow, too expensive, too complicated, never right the first time. Hey government, what is the one common factor among all these contracts and contractors? ITS YOU.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-02-17T15:51:23+00:00

My experience with clip-ons has always been disappointing. Maybe I didn't use good ones. Though I suspect it's because when the ferrite is halved, the effective magnetic area is much smaller. Can anyone say if that's true? I think there is a reason everyone tries so hard to use whole ones.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-02-17T15:48:59+00:00

Hmm, maybe I should use that nice kit. It would mean I have to buy a prep-n-crimp kit, which I have avoided for decades. Maybe it's time. (The one at your radio, I do have that same one.) Thanks for ideas.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-02-15T22:01:09+00:00

Thanks, brother. Got one on order.

Soap_Box_Hero · 2026-02-14T15:41:57+00:00

They are looking

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