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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment.

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Old 19th Aug 2018, 5:32 pm   #21
M0AFJ, Tim
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

There really is a lot more to VHF activity than repeaters. Lots of folks active on SSB/CW/Digital.
Only 2 weeks ago I worked 14 stations in EA8 at around 2600kms on SSB/CW, not digital, even on 70 MHz again down to EA8.
Re HF, there are a lot of rigs around on the second hand sites that can be opened up for the ‘new’ bands, 5 MHz is great for inter G and Europe, occasionally DX as well, I’ve had a couple of cross band QSO’s with ZL...
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 8:03 pm   #22
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

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Originally Posted by GSBX1220 View Post
I would like to work HF. I'm not interested in DX chasing or contest as I always sort of seen that a bit like stamp collecting. Not sure what to do here. Modern HF sets are a bit black boxy to me. so what do I do here are FT101's still a viable proposition? Is converting a Pye SSB 200 madness even if I can Find one.
Hello GSBX1220

my vote would be the Trio/Kenwood TS520 in its various guises.
They seem to crop up regularly. I've had one for some years.
You don't get the WARC bands, but the receiver section performs very well.
Also, no surface mount devices to wrestle with.

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Old 19th Aug 2018, 8:51 pm   #23
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

A company called CS-Tech do CTCSS boards along with other coding/decoding units. I have used their boards before and found them to be of high quality and easy to use. (No connection with the company other than as a satisfied customer). They advertise in PW magazine. I use an ex PMR Key/Kyodo KM150H on 2 Metres which luckily had a CTCSS board already fitted. I happened to have a full service manual and an Eprom programmer too as we used them at work a few years ago. Nice robust rig and doesn't attract too much attention when installed in the works vehicle as it looks pretty low tech. No fancy menus and keypads either. Volume, squelch, and channel selector. The tone frequency is selectable too. What more do you need?
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 8:57 pm   #24
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

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What more do you need?
Alan.
Someone to respond to my calls!!

I now recollect that I do have an Alinco rig with CTCSS, so I'll dig it out and have a go.
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 9:02 pm   #25
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

Good point Graham. I am beginning to wonder whether all this interest in digital communication on the bands is drawing people away from "real" radio conversation too.
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 9:39 pm   #26
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

Hi guys.

Thanks for all your suggestions of radios etc. All worth considering.

The one so far that stands out to me is the Clansman. Done a wee bit of googling on it and seen a really good vid on YouTube on one working. Only downside to it that I can see so far is that it may be a bit clunky going through the bands. I'm not sure if I will find that a bit wearing.

As for antennas, I'm still not sure. I thought about mag loop. Not too intrusive, but fiddly to tune or set up.

My loft is not very tall. Only around 1m from floor to apex. Length is avarage. Any suggestions what I could put in there?

With regards to VHF, I don't think I will bother spending too much effort here. Seemed very very quiet over the weekend.

David, you can still access CSFM repeaters using 1750 tone. GB3CS is now not that strong with me. It was off the scale when it was in Kilsyth as that's only a couple of miles from me & fairly strong when at Blackhill many moons ago. what happened to FF? That was always quite strong with me but it's now silence.

As pointed out above, 10m activity is low. I made up a quick dipole today which is in the loft and guess what? Silence. S3 if noise though. Looks like 10FM could be lonely.

Listening on 40 & 20, there seemed to be some activity, but not as much as I was used to back in the day. Some comps and a couple if guys arguing over some LOTW thing and another guy all worried about eQSL as the guy he was working still done old style QSL and he needed that eQSL if his life depended on it!

73's Richard ( I'm getting in the spirit )
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 9:59 pm   #27
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

On the other hand, a UV-5R can be had for under £20, why doesn't the sheer affordability of entry level equipment ensure 2m and 70cm are full of activity?

Good grief, according to the inflation calculator I am looking at, £20 is equivalent to about £1.46 when I got my ticket.
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 11:57 pm   #28
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

Unfortunately, the internet and mobile phones happened.

Now, people can have conversations with anyone they like, with video as well as sound, almost without limitation in terms of distance or regulations. The price of amateur radio simply doesn't matter if no-one actually wants to participate because they can do most of the same things using more mainstream methods which anyone can use.

I believe I paid in excess of £500 for my first commercially made 2m/70cms handheld.
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 9:05 am   #29
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

VHF/UHF activity is low in my part of the world too, south Norfolk. Some activity this past weekend on simplex FM from lighthouse activations but the most use the local 2m box gets is for slow-morse transmissions.

I think that the best way to check on activity with zero outlay is to use the SDR network, the receiver sites are world-wide and all you need is an internet feed and a tablet or PC.

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/


73

Roger
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 2:19 pm   #30
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

What are the dimensions of your loft? Can you fit a half-wave dipole for 20m, maybe on the diagonal?

I put a fan dipole set for 20 / 15 / 10 in my loft and after careful pruning, to my amazement, it works quite well. Fed with 75 ohm flat twin feeder, no tuner required.

The noise level is really too high to use it on lower bands. But having said that, I can work a local club CW net on 160m, where my effective range is about fifteen miles with 50 watts. This via a lashed up ATU. Feeder strapped and effectively a 10 foot vertical with capacity hat, tuned against the house mains wiring. Probably equivalent to the mobile whips people used on 160m when I were a lad...
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 2:51 pm   #31
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

One thing to be aware of if considering a home based installation is the huge increase in digital hash across the short wave bands. I've all but given up on a serious home antenna installation, someone with a solar installation is feeding S7+ of noise into the area.

I've installed an ICOM 706 MKIIG in the pick up, and I've antennas for 70cm/2m/6m/10m/11m ( SSB is now legal on CB and this has lead to an increase in activity ) and 20m. I can get out into the countryside on the hilltops away from the electrical noise, and have a listen at lunchtimes to relieve the monotony of work.

I've recently set up a mounting plate so I can use my Sirio 2016 static mobile, doesnt take long to set up and take down .

I wonder whether it's worth you picking up a comms receiver and having a listen/noise survey before committing to a full transceiver set up.
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 6:35 pm   #32
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

I will have to prepare for battening down hatches.
I am really sorry to have to air this opinion, for years I thought it might go away, but it hasn't.

If I listen to 2m or 70cm today QSOs in progress sound like 11m (27MHz) of the 1980's.

If I put out a call - no reply. Am I doing it wrong?

I think that times have changed very much. They don't like the sound of me.
It's a silly thing which CW operation, so long as you send well, avoids completely.

I am not your mate - mate

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Old 20th Aug 2018, 6:58 pm   #33
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

When I get it fired up and put up the aerial, I have a TS700G and a Nagi Linear sat here and I intend to do my best to re activate 2M that I used to love so much.
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 10:30 pm   #34
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

In the Cheltenham area there has been a fairly consistent level of activity on 2m over the last few years at least. I don't listen very often but there are a few old regulars here, mostly with G3, G4, G0 callsigns. I just switched on one of my old 2m radios and had a listen and a few minutes ago G0BIN was calling on S20. He didn't get a reply but I expect he will succeed within maybe 20 minutes or so.

The repeaters seem to be totally dead and not worth monitoring here.

In the last 10 years or so there has been a huge change in the availability of decent (but cheap!) RF test equipment and there are some nice modern chipsets available for building stuff up into the UHF region. But on the other hand, a lot of classic transistors, diodes and ICs are rapidly becoming obsolete and cloned as chinese fakes.

So if you want to experiment with homebrew I'd advise you start scouting around for reliable sources of a few classic RF parts. I hope it's OK to mention Farnell on here because they have been selling off a lot of RF transistors cheaply, especially if you buy 100. I think I bought 100 plastic SMD versions of the classic 2N5179 for something like 7p each. 2N3904 and 2N3906 devices were just 3p each if you buy 100.

A lot of classic Broadcom (ex HP/Avago) diodes and transistors have recently gone obsolete so I'd advise buying a few of the classic HSMS series diodes if you find them. I've been doing this via Farnell and I'd be wary of buying stuff like this via ebay because of the risk of fakes.
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 10:39 pm   #35
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

GSBX1220, you could maybe try a few visits to your local Amateur radio club, as almost all active amateurs have a small fleet of radios, their current one, the one they had before, probably the first one they ever bought, etcetera.

Either way it's highly likely that you will find someone willing to sell or loan you a reasonable oldish HF radio as long as it seems like it's going to a good home, and they'd probably be quite happy to show you it working if the club has aerials, as they often do.
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Old 21st Aug 2018, 12:54 am   #36
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

Many radio clubs have inherited radios from members whose keys have gone silent, and rather than having them sit unused, they could become loaners to help people entering/re-entering the hobby.

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Old 21st Aug 2018, 10:40 pm   #37
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

Hi folks

Good suggestions on getting a loan if something & joining a club. That may be worth while in the long run.

Still looking at clansman. Prices on these seem to vary quite a bit. One place n eBay sells them stated as working fr around £170, another place that seems nay to do Clansman sells fr £250 and another place is over £400.

To me they look sets I could have fun with.

Had a wee listen round on 10FM earlier and heard a German station, so now I know the dipole I put in the loft works, so one step closer!


Quote:
Originally Posted by m0cemdave View Post
What are the dimensions of your loft? Can you fit a half-wave dipole for 20m, maybe on the diagonal?

I put a fan dipole set for 20 / 15 / 10 in my loft and after careful pruning, to my amazement, it works quite well. Fed with 75 ohm flat twin feeder, no tuner required.

The noise level is really too high to use it on lower bands. But having said that, I can work a local club CW net on 160m, where my effective range is about fifteen miles with 50 watts. This via a lashed up ATU. Feeder strapped and effectively a 10 foot vertical with capacity hat, tuned against the house mains wiring. Probably equivalent to the mobile whips people used on 160m when I were a lad...

If my loft is long enough for a 20 M dipole it will be only just. I'll have a go at the weekend. If not, my plan is to fold the elements back in on themselves at the half way point if that makes sense. Effectively halving the size, but the overall length is the same.

Getting there, just need my licence back now!
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Old 21st Aug 2018, 11:56 pm   #38
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Default Re: Getting back in to Amateur Radio

From one who used to be professionally involved with Clansman support

AVOID IT. repeat AVOID.

Specialised parts largely unobtainable, elderly [40 years], by now, knackered. Special and mouth-wateringly expensive connectors.

RT321, the HF set, was appalling even when new, very complex, electromechanical tuned valve pa - valves unobtanium. You need the factory test rig to service it.

RT320 20W hf set. beloved of SAS and no one else. obsolete when put into service, like most of the rest of the sets. Tuning Inflexible for amateur use.

And ask "how did it get from UK MoD to ebay"

You can do a lot better with Icom/Kenwood

Good luck

John G8JMB
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Old 22nd Aug 2018, 12:31 am   #39
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My plan is to fold the elements back in on themselves at the half way point if that makes sense. Effectively halving the size, but the overall length is the same.
A 'straight' half wave dipole of the correct resonant length has a nominal impedance of 72-75 ohms, which itself is not a very good match for a typical 50 ohm transceiver output. Bending a classic dipole into almost any other shape will usually alter the impedance even further from the ideal. However, there is an exception to that rule.

The easiest way to make a dipole both resonant -and- have an impedance nearer 50 ohms is to lower the outer ends until there is an inner angle of roughly 120 degrees between the dipole 'arms', in other words, an 'Inverted V' dipole. As it happens, this is also a good shape to fit inside a loft, with the dipole centre fixed at the apex of the loft, the 'arms' following the roof slope away down to eaves level and the coax falling straight down to the loft floor from the dipole centre.

If you can, try to make any single band antenna you put up exhibit the correct 50 ohm impedance in the first place, then there is no need for an ATU. If you have room - 50ft! - you might even be able to scale up a j-pole for 20m, and lie it horizontally in your loft.

https://www.eham.net/articles/39180
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Old 22nd Aug 2018, 9:21 am   #40
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Originally Posted by M0AFJ, Tim View Post
There really is a lot more to VHF activity than repeaters. Lots of folks active on SSB/CW/Digital.
I'm still learning morse but would love to do CW on 2m. I thought CW on VHF was dead. Where do the CW folks gather? Are there mailing lists or forums specifically for 2m CW operation? I've been monitoring the UK based Websdr sites but I never copied anything CW on 2m, let alone 70cm.
 
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