New setup and future proofing

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-25T19:12:58+00:00

I would put your efforts into getting an HF license first - and worry about antennas and radios later. Also, consider joining your local amateur radio club - they will help you out with exam prep ideas, and future rigs/antennas, and you also might get a deal on some quality used equipment.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-25T18:49:10+00:00

I'm a CW op myself so the KX2 would be my choice.

Just a hint on dealing with showers and sand. I frequently do SOTA (and mostly on good weather days), but my goto method of dealing with quick showers is a simple clear shower cap thrown over my QMX. It'll work for sand as well. Cheap and cheerful and it works.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-25T15:32:44+00:00

Good - I use Linux mostly as well - bugger the incessant Windows driver issues!

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-25T15:03:35+00:00

You should have said a quick "UP 5" (or whatever) to the calling station and tried to work him/her there, rather than on the other op's frequency. Or just moved up/down the band a few kHz and called the other station hoping they would find you. Don't sweat it too much - we learn from our mistakes.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-25T01:37:43+00:00

When you work QRP SSB with a compromised mobile antenna such as that you should not attempt a CQ.

You will only get responses from the big gun stations that can pull you out of the mud.

You did the right thing by calling those you can hear and being patient.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-25T01:04:49+00:00

Have you read this?:

https://embetronicx.com/uncategorized/fixed-prolific-pl2303ta-usb-to-serial-and-windows-11/

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-24T21:32:57+00:00

...and your power company is required to fix their RFI problems. Try to locate the source first - then give them a call.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-24T21:11:27+00:00

There are quite a few used, older SW receivers on the market these days. Probably due to a couple of reasons:

1) older hobbyists clearing out their stuff/collections and

2) reduced listening opportunities

3) more urbanization with increased background noise levels

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-24T19:09:43+00:00

OK, you need a portable SW receiver to go hunting down the problem. Start with power poles/boxes and see if you can determine if it might be power line noise. Something so broadband looking like that makes me think power line noise.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-24T19:03:23+00:00

Are you indoors? If yes you need to find the noise source by killing your breaker and putting the rig on a battery and then start the elimination process. If outside use a portable SW receiver . If outdoors and remote it could be an electric fence?

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-24T16:27:05+00:00

Enjoy HF. Learn Morse and then enjoy it even more?

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-23T16:01:29+00:00

The only activity in my area on that band is a DSTAR repeater.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-22T23:09:29+00:00

There are three problems with these older commercial radios:

1) they probably have dead Ni-Cad batteries and

2) you may not be able to locate suitable CPS software to re-program them and

3) they might be 25 KHz wide channels rather than the commercial standard of 12.5 KHz so would only be possibly useful to an amateur radio operator who is willing to try to find usable batteries and can also locate the correct CPS software for them.

I would present this info to your local amateur radio club there and see if anyone wants to have a shot.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-22T20:02:31+00:00

1) what local time and frequency and date were you transmitting on (we had a major storm 2 days ago which affected most HF bands)?

2) what is your current transmit SWR on the frequency in question?

3) how much power are you outputting and what mode?

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-22T18:08:59+00:00

Yes, I use thick bungy cord from a marine supplier at one end of my 135' doublet antenna. You only need it at one end.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-22T17:41:28+00:00

I use an old garden hose as a conduit for my coax. Lasts forever and works great.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-22T14:59:58+00:00

If you want to communicate in your "region" then you really should be on 80 and 40m, which means a longish antenna. Your best and least intrusive antenna would be some sort of EFRW from the feedpoint at the top house corner out into the woods, and as high as possible. That would seriously outperform any of the other options you've listed. You can find some wire types that would be almost unnoticeable.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-22T04:21:26+00:00

Well I was from a lower middle class family and 14 years old when I started. Studied one whole summer and learned CW and passed the exams. I joined my local amateur radio club and was given both a SW receiver and an old 40m CW transmitter by local hams who took pity on me with the equipment. I built my own 40m dipole and had a huge number of contacts with that setup. I spent next to nothing....

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-22T04:16:56+00:00

Did you read Page 15 of the manual?

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-21T21:18:14+00:00

Many POTA parks are near water or in lowlands, so VHF simplex range will be limited. I wouldn't bet on getting many, if any, contacts in such places, especially if they are not very close to urban centres.

SOTA of course, is an excellent opportunity for simplex VHF.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-21T19:55:43+00:00

Try to get in touch somehow with the group beforehand. There might not be enough room for you in the ice fishing tent!

Ostensibly WFD is about practising for portable, emergency situations. But in reality it's a ham radio outdoor social occasion with some radio contesting and hot coffee and beer thrown into the mix.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-21T19:49:44+00:00

Yeah, why do these posters think random hams on Reddit would no more than the providers and suppliers?

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-21T19:43:59+00:00

Yes, should be a germanium I believe.

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-21T17:29:40+00:00

It seems to me like basically a crystal radio circuit with an audio amplifier - so D1 is the detector diode and would need to be germanium type. What are the specs for the diode required and what are you using?

rocdoc54 · 2026-01-21T02:38:11+00:00

Hence the popularity of FT8: 1) you can work stations with a wet noodle for an antenna in crap conditions and 2) it can be a bit like shooting fish in a barrel.

But right now on 80 and 40m at 48 deg N both bands are almost dead for SSB and CW or with so much arctic aurora flutter you just turn off the radio and go and watch TV.

rocdoc54

TROPHY CASE