VK Logger Ham Radio Forum Archive

John - Listened and tuned 7 - 7:15am and again at 7:30am. The frequencies would have been fine at any other time but a huge RTTY contest filled the segment with s9+ signals. However conditions seemed OK and I'd have heard you had it not been for the QRM.

Thanks John. I'll wander down the beach on Sunday and call you pedestrian mobile in the bay. VK3 - VK4 is tough on 40m but we should be able to make it that early. The 5AH battery with the FT-817 should last about 2 - 3 hours of solid operating so you won't have a problem. Mike VK6MB. Don't get the ...

Here's the bag in question. http://stores.amp-3.net/tactical-transceiver-bag/ What would make this really neat is a way to control the radio whilst it's in the backpack - pedestrian mobile or sota. I know there are many projects on the Google machine about just such controllers. It looks excellent ...

Why not a T antenna?

Horizontal wire (or wires) between two towers and wire drooping down vertically.

Eg http://www.g7lrr.com/aerials/t-aerials- ... g-network/

A question on lightweight dipole for inverted V deployment Thinking of constructing an inverted V dipole using a spec'ed 10m CF squid pole that has just arrived in the mail. Whilst it's a decently stiff pole, it does exhibit some expected flex in the thinner members nearer to the tip. So thinking o...

Does anyone else think the coax bending radius in the picture at http://www.bushcomm.com.au/brochurelibrary/DB00460%20Product%20Brief%20-%20BBA100C.pdf is a little tight given the datasheet at http://www.rfsworld.com/dataxpress/DataSheets/pdf/?q=RG58-50JF specifies 25mm? While likely good for <2000k...

Iain it's nice to see that someone is actually taking the time to read the User/Operator Guides and the documentation that is on Chameleon Antenna website. Thank you for pointing that out. Ummm - you just wouldn't happen to be the owner/manufacturer of Chameleon antennas? http://www.qrz.com/db/KI6T...

Yes Roger, I was a bit suspicious. the base "blob" could well be an 1:9 unun, similar to some of the other homebrew vertical antenna designs. Or is it a loading coil? But the product does look pretty solid. I also note that they "borrowed" military antenna design. It made me won...

Thanks Barry. I remember Brian very well. Was a very active ham that helped many. I think from memory he also done a stint with DSE for a time. Cheers Yes, Brian was the resident Ham at the Buranda store. Many would also know Brian from the annual Wyong visits up to the early 2000s as part of the D...

Provided that they are appropriately licensed and identify in English (which they appear to have done) there are no restrictions on languages spoken. Many amateurs assume that regulations are a lot more restrictive than they actually are. They can embarrass themselves when they complain to the ACMA ...

Had a good look following Peter's suggestions of a squid pole supported vertical HF antenna. You were right, it does look to be very compatible with backpack operations. Whilst the twist wire squid pole looked simple but I got interested by a guy who dissected a commercial model, a vertical multi-b...

VK2FABS wrote: I did briefly search for trial exams on WIA's site but didn't find them and hence decided to just book myself in RES' Standard course.

Give these a shot:

Standard

https://www.amateurradio.com.au/licence/standard

Advanced

https://www.amateurradio.com.au/licence/advanced/

Also note that your ham conditions don't stop you from building or using something on other frequencies if permitted by another licence type. Eg an FM bug kit covered by the lipd class licence or low power 433 MHz modules etc.

Any criticisms on that? Yes! The transceiver is the most talked about but least important determinant of success. Antenna, location, frequency, time of day & time spent operating (incl tuning around and listening and calling those about to sign off) are all way way more important. HF is very fo...

Interesting prompting there. One potential option is as you suggested, 5m in the middle with drops on both sides. But those two dropped sections will be right by vertical brick walls. I wonder how it'll affect the radiation? Another experiment. I am getting a mental picture that I should buy a full...

Bummer about the 90 deg limit. Can't afford to go beyond 30 deg or I'll be onto strata space. I understand that folded dipoles are not really used for HF. Correct? I combination what's already suggested and my surveyed space, maybe I should aim to produce a 10M single band antenna and see how I go....

But still the question. What's the furthest contact people have achieved with 10W? How much further could 100W reach under the same condition? With 10w the limit is the size of the world, particularly on the higher HF bands. Higher power will allow you to do it on more days and outside the peak cou...

Thanks Igor! Measured out my balcony and structure, I think I can get a 4.7m straight wire in easily and may stretch to 5m if I run it obliquely. I further wondered how a horizontal V with an acute angle (30 deg) and 5m in each leg would work? More research... Someone once said that it is difficult...

So what do the heavy rigs have over these mobile units? Can these portable unit match those heavier desktop rigs when matched with a good antenna? What are the conveniences and functional differences? The only real difference between the radios is 100w vs 5w, ie 2 s-points difference in power. You ...

Thanks Barry! I think you are right, this is not an instant gratification activity. I can see how it'll take a good while to find a functional antenna setup for my situation. As for the links, unfortunately I don't think those loop dimensions are going to fit in my roof space. AlexLoop's design loo...