Topic: Would like a HAM Radio crash course...

[onewaysoldier]

Hello again,

        So, my family has been asking me what I'd like for Christmas and it just dawned on me that a HAM radio for the X might be a good idea.  My questions for you guys are...  What the best lower budget radio? What antenna should I get with that radio?   Any of you interested in selling a complete setup for about $175 or so?

         I've been using the family band radios for years and will continue to as they're cheap, easy to use, and get workable range.  A year ago got a cheap CB for the X but haven't been impressed with the "line of sight" range.  I don't have a license yet, but I'll be studying up and will test for one fairly soon.

         Paul, I know you've recommended the Yaesu FT-2800M in previous threads.  From what I've seen on Gigaparts.com, Universal-Radio.com, and http://www.hamradio.com/ it looks like that's pretty much the best 2M buy out there.  What are your thoughts on the FT-2900M?  What antenna would you use with that radio?

        How helpful is the programming software for the Radio?

        Bobby, are per you recommendation, I'll make sure to pick up the "Arrl" repeater book too.  Sound like that could really come in handy.

Thanks for your help guys.  Sorry I haven't been around for the last 8 months or so.  Career hunting again hasn't been fun & funds have been tight.  I had to stay away from the board so that I wouldn't spend any money mod'n out on the trail.  Got out for the fist time 9 months a few weeks ago and I felt human again.

Matt

[Bobby B.]

Hey Matt,

For a straight 2M antenna, I'm a big fan of the Larsen whip.  For wheeling, it's way flexy and can damn near fold in half.  Durable and cheap; plus you can replace the parts if it gets bashed.  You can get it just as the whip/coil or as a kit with the cable that you have to solder the end.  If you go dual band, then the Diamond is a good one.  I've bent that one pretty good and it's snapped right back to shape no issues. 

I like my 2800.  More power than a multi band radio, plus it's cheap and tough.  Takes a while to program by hand and it organize things in groupings (meaning, all Big Bear freqs together, all San Diego freqs together, etc.).  You just have to plan things out before sitting down at the radio.

For software, I've heard the best reviews about is at this place -- http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/ftb2800.htm

You'll have to get the right USB laptop adapter from a place like Ham Radio Outlet.

[Paul]

You know that you need a license right or do you have one already?

You can find cheap used/in good condition 2M radios on E-bay or Eham for cheap. I like a dual band radio in my truck as my club operates on both 440 MHz and 2M. There's a new radio made by Yaseu that's coming out that when it's available I'm going to swap it into my X, take the radio from the X into the base station and have a spare FT-2800. Yaseu has been advertising the radio for a few months now and I thought it would be due out by Christmas ... but no go. The new radio is going to be mega-bucks with 2M and 440 MHz at 50 watts and 220 MHz at 1 watt (my club has a 220 MHz repeater as luck would have it). It also has packet radio, bluetooth and a bunch of other features meaning it's going to be $500-$600 in my WAG.

I don't own a radio without the programming software. Life is too short to spend it cursing at the crazy stupid menu system these things have. I program the radios with my laptop and forget about it.

Check out www.universal-radio.com too.

[Bobby B.]

220 at one watt?  Is that a typo?

[Ghost65]

Matt,

Another good resource for radios/antenna/etc. is www.aesham.com

I have ordered parts and radios from their Las Vegas location and experienced excellent service.

I own a Yaesu FT-1500 2m unit, which is very small and powerful.  Going to try to install in the center console of my X when I get some time.  Next step is to figure out which mount is best for the antenna. 

Off the roof rack?  A lip mount off the rear hatch?

Any suggestions?

John

[Paul]

Rim of the rear hatch!!

I tried, oh I tried, to get the thing to work on the roof. Ideally for RF the antenna ought to be in the center of the roof to act as the best ground plane possible. I mounted an aluminum bar between the pipes, grounded the thing with multiple braided lines - nope. Poor SWR. The four or five inches that the antenna sits above the roof is enough to require a ground planeless antenna. Didn't want that.

I ended up with a very heavy duty Diamond trunk mount that's taken some really hard hits (like driving into the garage with the antenna on). Most people put them on the driver's side to avoid low branches on the streets - don't have that problem here and I'll cheat to the driver's side rather than the passenger's side on the trails. I have two antenna - a big SSB-7 (55") and a little one for around town.

Your biggest decision is going to be is which of three standard antenna mount types to go with - 3/8" stud, UHF (PO), or NMO mount. I went with NMO as that's pretty much what the cops and fire department uses. The 3/8" stud is used for whips. The UHF (PO) mount is the most common.

Would like a HAM Radio crash course...

[Paul]

BTW - the new radio has a price tag ... $600! 

They're mighty proud of that radio ... don't know yet.

[Ghost65]

Rim of the rear hatch!!

I tried, oh I tried, to get the thing to work on the roof. Ideally for RF the antenna ought to be in the center of the roof to act as the best ground plane possible. I mounted an aluminum bar between the pipes, grounded the thing with multiple braided lines - nope. Poor SWR. The four or five inches that the antenna sits above the roof is enough to require a ground planeless antenna. Didn't want that.

I ended up with a very heavy duty Diamond trunk mount that's taken some really hard hits (like driving into the garage with the antenna on). Most people put them on the driver's side to avoid low branches on the streets - don't have that problem here and I'll cheat to the driver's side rather than the passenger's side on the trails. I have two antenna - a big SSB-7 (55") and a little one for around town.

Your biggest decision is going to be is which of three standard antenna mount types to go with - 3/8" stud, UHF (PO), or NMO mount. I went with NMO as that's pretty much what the cops and fire department uses. The 3/8" stud is used for whips. The UHF (PO) mount is the most common.

Would like a HAM Radio crash course...

Thanks Paul...looks like a good location.  How did you fish the coax up to the radio from there?  Under the headliner, or under floor mats?  BTW, where do you mount your radio?  I was thinking about putting it inside the center console on the standard bracket, and then mounting double sided hook and loop (aka Velcro) on the rear portion of the center console inside area.  Thoughts?  I don't want to have it on floor boards, and until I get a unit with a detached control head, seems like a pretty good solution.

JT

[Paul]

I went down that pillar and then along side the well under the plastic and along side the passenger's side simply pulling the plastic trip pieces straight up from their clips. The cable ends under the passenger seat. My radio has a "brain" and a detachable faceplate. The brain gets buried under the passenger's seat next to the Rockford-Fosgate amplifier making it nearly impossible to steal. I pulled the chair out and bolted it in place. The faceplate sits on the front of the center console on a matching Yaesu mount.

Would like a HAM Radio crash course...

Would like a HAM Radio crash course...

[xtatik]

You know that you need a license right or do you have one already?

Hmmm, no answer. I think the OP was either enlightened by, spooked away by, or both by this comment. Not your fault Paul....needs to be asked in posts like this.
 
OWS, if your still unlicensed, but interested.......there are plenty O' folks here that can suggest some ways and means to make the process easier. It's not at all difficult to pass the test for the Technician Class license.
If not interested, I'd suggest a SPOT or maybe a SatPhone for longer distance communications in/from the boonies. Neither requires a license.

[Paul]

If Matt or anyone is interested in a really friendly test location and they can make it out to Riverside I can sit their test at the AFN Broadcast Center. We charge $15 and pass or don't pay. We offer the technician class exams both on computer or on paper, your choice. Most use the computer as it grades instantly. If you fail and want to take a second shot we're open to that too. What we can do we do to make it as non-stressful as possible. The Moreno Valley Amateur Radio Association offers weekend classes where in normally takes about 8 hours of class and test to earn the license. Normally it's groups from the Mormon Church taught at their place but I think all are welcome. There would be classes locally around the area, the ARRL web site would be a good place to start searching. 

There's at least five of us with licenses now if I recall correctly: Bobby, Randy, Don, Rachel, and me. The more the merrier.

KG6OAZ (E) and (VE)

Wonder if Santa has an extra $600 he can spare me .... 

[Bobby B.]

We had a few more hams in the old days, but haven't seen or heard from them in a while.

Matt, if you're ever up in Long Beach, they do tests over at CSULB for only $4.

Found some double top-secret spy pics of Paul's daily driver...(I keed, I keed)

Would like a HAM Radio crash course...

Would like a HAM Radio crash course...

[Ghost65]

Bobby B....that is an AWESOME post.  A man after my own cut and paste heart.

Paul, thx for the info on the install.  I will be shopping up a new Comet or Diamond antenna and mount before the new year.  Don't have a detachable face plate (much less a brain  ), so that will have to wait a bit.  Thanks so much for the great photos and helpful posts.  This looks like a great club, can't wait to make it out for a trip and meet all of you in person.

JT

KD6DCI  (direct current inductance, always just a little short!) 

[Paul]

Bobby that's too funny.

You don't know how funny - the first car my wife and I bought when we got married was a red Dodge Colt!

[xtatik]

Damn, that's hot. I was always wondering how to mount a "ringo ranger" antenna to my truck......pfff, there it is big as life.....a hatch mount....yessss!! What time does HRO open in the morning?