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Posted: 10/19/2016 7:58:35 PM EDT
[#1]
Replaced the blown final transistors in one of my IC-706's.
Then removed the extra transformer out of my SB200 which allowed it to crank 900W, but also likely caused it to flash over and spike the IC706 
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Posted: 10/19/2016 8:12:02 PM EDT
[#2]
Discovered the puppies chewed through my antenna cable while I was gone for 10 days.
Again. 
Time to run some conduit. |
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Posted: 10/19/2016 8:25:29 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Discovered the puppies chewed through my antenna cable while I was gone for 10 days. Again.
Time to run some conduit. I'm about ready to spend $80 on some PVC fencing so I don't fry our dogs accidentally with my vertical that I posted above. All of my coax is already underground or in PVC conduit because of the squirrels except for the mess behind the tower that I need to clean up. The squirrels don't seem to mess with anything unless it's directly on grass and the dogs can't get to it though. |
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Posted: 10/19/2016 8:36:09 PM EDT
[#4]
Not a project done, but a project to be done, and it too relates to a pup.
My wife insisted that we needed another dog. As I am the master of my house, I replied, "NO...no...no...oh, okay." So, now she's gone for a week, and the little hellion chewed in two the motor control cable for the Little Tarheel in my Jeep. So I sent her a text explaining what he had done and that I was going to put him in the stewpot, attaching the following photo: 
Yeah, she's not talking to me now... Jim |
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Posted: 10/19/2016 8:48:25 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Not a project done, but a project to be done, and it too relates to a pup. My wife insisted that we needed another dog. As I am the master of my house, I replied, "NO...no...no...oh, okay." So, now she's gone for a week, and the little hellion chewed in two the motor control cable for the Little Tarheel in my Jeep. So I sent her a text explaining what he had done and that I was going to put him in the stewpot, attaching the following photo: <a href="http://s195.photobucket.com/user/JustJimPix/media/Cody_zpshviqlztk.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z238/JustJimPix/Cody_zpshviqlztk.jpg</a> Yeah, she's not talking to me now... Jim Aussies are awesome, smart dogs. My Maremma's.... not so much. |
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Posted: 10/19/2016 9:21:41 PM EDT
[#6]
I finally started studying to upgrade to extra.
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Posted: 10/20/2016 11:03:02 AM EDT
[#7]
Became frustrated with a new DMR project, called SharkRF, OpenSpot device.
It works, but with severe glitches. (Update 10/24/2016) Discovered that the internet was the issue. Now have it hardwired to the primary router, instead of wireless linksys extender. It appears to have settled down and is functioning as designed. I left the radio upstairs last night and on USA (Nationwide 3100), and sometime after going to bed, a guy in England starting chattering which caused my XYL to sit up in bed wondering why there was a Brit in the house. Foul language was used about radios in the bedroom. "I am in the dungeon again". |
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Posted: 10/20/2016 11:13:10 AM EDT
[#8]
Found out my son still had his old iPhone 4s which has become my next project to figure out how I can incorporate it into my EMCOMMs. Thinking it'll be used to record pertinent info (think dictation) or something similar.
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Posted: 10/20/2016 11:54:35 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Not a project done, but a project to be done, and it too relates to a pup. My wife insisted that we needed another dog. As I am the master of my house, I replied, "NO...no...no...oh, okay." So, now she's gone for a week, and the little hellion chewed in two the motor control cable for the Little Tarheel in my Jeep. So I sent her a text explaining what he had done and that I was going to put him in the stewpot, attaching the following photo: <a href="http://s195.photobucket.com/user/JustJimPix/media/Cody_zpshviqlztk.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z238/JustJimPix/Cody_zpshviqlztk.jpg</a> Yeah, she's not talking to me now... Jim 
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Posted: 10/20/2016 5:52:45 PM EDT
[#10]
Bought a Speed X straight key off E-bay.
My winter project is to learn code. I also picked up a Vibroplex Vibrokeyer at NEARfest last Friday. So, I have to learn code or I have 2 items I don't need!!! |
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Posted: 10/20/2016 5:58:55 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I finally started studying to upgrade to extra. |
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Posted: 10/20/2016 7:23:28 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I also picked up a Vibroplex Vibrokeyer at NEARfest last Friday. My dad used a Vibrokeyer in the late 1960's, so that's what I started learning code on. He wanted me to start with the straight key, but I was hard headed, and wanted to use the paddle instead of that "old fashioned" straight key. I probably should have listened to my father.
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Posted: 10/20/2016 8:25:12 PM EDT
[#13]
I have been powerpole'ing everything and got a power cable run through the firewall of my trailblazer. Gonna attempt to finish the mount and final install of my 857D tomorrow.
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Posted: 10/20/2016 11:23:17 PM EDT
[#14]
Decided to try the Dstar Commander image on my Raspberry Pi. Works as nice as the Maryland image. Both are very easy to setup.
Could not get the little 2.4in Pi display to work with the Maryland image. Simply locked the Pi. So, decided to try the Commander image. Also started planning some go-boxes for my radios. Planning a modular concept where I have the radio, or radios, in one box and the power in another. |
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Posted: 10/21/2016 7:39:51 PM EDT
[#15]
I ordered a baofeng uv-82 to play with on Tuesday, it showed up today so I downloaded chirp and tried that out. It is very impressive software.
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Posted: 10/21/2016 9:11:34 PM EDT
[#16]
I put up a new dipole this afternoon. Tested out all the cable, and the polyphaser.
Pretty much confirmed that the analyzer I borrowed is a POS. Was giving wonky readings on my OCF dipole. Still gives wonky readings on a straight up 40 Meter wire. Eh, what do you want for nuthin'?  |
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Posted: 10/21/2016 10:12:24 PM EDT
[#17]
Replaced about 10' of puppy chewed LMR400 that goes to my Hustler 6BTV. Antenna cable is now in conduit.
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Posted: 10/24/2016 11:55:52 AM EDT
[#18]
Noticed that puff-ball mushrooms were lifting some of my 6-BTV (+2)'s radials up off the ground & above the grass
....
Nick |
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Posted: 10/25/2016 3:21:41 AM EDT
[#19]
Yesterday I measured out an 85 foot wire for more end fed experimentation. I also unboxed my manual tuner (MFJ-941E) since the internal ATU in the radio can't handle the random wire mismatch on some bands. This also allowed me to remove my antenna switch since the tuner has one built in.
Today, I lowered my antenna to the ground due to lightning risk. It will go back up tomorrow, possibly with a shorter, relocated counterpoise tuned for 40m and perhaps a second for 20m. I might even try that 85 foot wire. |
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Posted: 10/29/2016 1:55:14 PM EDT
[#20]
a couple days ago actually, but I got my replacement Diamond F22A and put it above the roof making a mast with some old canvas tent aluminum poles I had laying around.
So now I have a 2 meter 7/8 wavelength ground radial antenna sitting well above the roof line, total of 24 feet above the ground at the ground radials. Used a wooden fence post and the side of the house with pipe brackets for support. It works great. Although I am using some cheap Radio Shack RG58 cable as a feed line, so my 50 watt signal is reduced to 30 watts. I need better feedline. 
eta antenna height. did the math wrong |
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Posted: 10/29/2016 2:14:03 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Although I am using some cheap Radio Shack RG58 cable as a feed line, so my 50 watt signal is reduced to 30 watts. I need better feedline. Where do you get your coax from? I just bought a 12' preassembled cable from HRO and it was listed at 32$. I cried a little and told the wife it was a buck a foot. Good antenna install, what was wrong with the first antenna that it needed to be replaced? As for myself, I applied for a 1x3 vanity call using my initials, I did it total through the ULS so I hope it works. |
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Posted: 10/29/2016 2:33:10 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Where do you get your coax from? I just bought a 12' preassembled cable from HRO and it was listed at 32$. I cried a little and told the wife it was a buck a foot. Good antenna install, what was wrong with the first antenna that it needed to be replaced? As for myself, I applied for a 1x3 vanity call using my initials, I did it total through the ULS so I hope it works. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Although I am using some cheap Radio Shack RG58 cable as a feed line, so my 50 watt signal is reduced to 30 watts. I need better feedline. Where do you get your coax from? I just bought a 12' preassembled cable from HRO and it was listed at 32$. I cried a little and told the wife it was a buck a foot. Good antenna install, what was wrong with the first antenna that it needed to be replaced? As for myself, I applied for a 1x3 vanity call using my initials, I did it total through the ULS so I hope it works. I get my coax from DX Engineering. |
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Posted: 10/29/2016 3:30:43 PM EDT
[#23]
Replaced both PTT switch assemblies on my two PRC-127's. Now to program them for MURS channels and a couple of 2m channels. Shortly going outside to finish wiring the S89 com box for power and antennas.
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Posted: 10/29/2016 3:48:35 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Where do you get your coax from? I just bought a 12' preassembled cable from HRO and it was listed at 32$. I cried a little and told the wife it was a buck a foot. Good antenna install, what was wrong with the first antenna that it needed to be replaced? As for myself, I applied for a 1x3 vanity call using my initials, I did it total through the ULS so I hope it works. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Although I am using some cheap Radio Shack RG58 cable as a feed line, so my 50 watt signal is reduced to 30 watts. I need better feedline. Where do you get your coax from? I just bought a 12' preassembled cable from HRO and it was listed at 32$. I cried a little and told the wife it was a buck a foot. Good antenna install, what was wrong with the first antenna that it needed to be replaced? As for myself, I applied for a 1x3 vanity call using my initials, I did it total through the ULS so I hope it works. I just started this hobby. I bought some RG58x at a hamfest but it was not long enough. When you put the antenna on a 24 foot mast, 25 feet of cable is not enough the first antenna was temporary waiting on the damaged diamond to be exchanged |
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Posted: 11/2/2016 1:41:13 PM EDT
[#25]
Finally starting to cool off enough to go work in the attic antenna garden.
Took down the 17/20 dipole and the coax. Whacked off the wire from the center insulator. Measured and cut new wire for 13mhz to give me wiggle room for tuning. Ends up being about 18 inches of excess on each end. Installed the new antenna. Coax connectors were of some cheap import stuff. Although the antenna analyzer said it was good it was replaced with new crimp on Amphenol connectors. With a short piece of coax at the antenna did a quick scan and found it resonant at 13mhz with a swr of around 1.3. Resistance and reactance were both pretty good. Just need to get the resonant freq up to the 20m band and offset just a tad for the low mounting. Love it when it works out of the box. Next time I'm up there it will be tune the antenna and lay down the repaired coax. |
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Posted: 11/2/2016 4:11:35 PM EDT
[#26]
Spent some time screwing around with the rig interface settings on the K3.
Ever since I upgraded to a built-in sound card, and a single USB cable from the K3 to the computer, I've had some strange behavior. Every time I turned the radio on or off, I would get the "diddle diddle" sound, as if plugging (or unplugging) something into a USB port on the computer. I figured perhaps the computer was simply recognizing the the radio each time I turned it on or off. But, sometimes, I would have the same issue when transmitting. Of course, that made me suspect I might have an RF problem in the shack (even though I've never had one before). I put several ferrite beads on the USB cable (and a bunch of others....grasping at straws), but nothing seemed to help. So, as a last resort, I plugged the USB cable into a different port on the computer. That seemed to fix both issues. 
Only time will tell if the problem is truly gone. Computers.....go figure.
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Posted: 11/2/2016 5:40:46 PM EDT
[#27]
Pulled down my hexbeam at my house. I'll be taking it with me to set up permanently on Kaho`olawe next week.
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Posted: 11/2/2016 5:57:52 PM EDT
[#28]
Putting my rack (station) back together after many months of being off the air.
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Posted: 11/2/2016 6:14:18 PM EDT
[#29]
Fought with the power company (again)!
 This damn power line noise is getting worse by the day.  |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 2:16:06 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I finally started studying to upgrade to extra. 17 Days left! |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 8:17:44 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
17 Days left! Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I finally started studying to upgrade to extra. 17 Days left! ?? |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 9:25:16 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Fought with the power company (again)!
This damn power line noise is getting worse by the day. Worked for me when the power company dug a six foot hole in the front yard and left it for three months. |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 12:19:06 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
?? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
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I finally started studying to upgrade to extra. 17 Days left! ?? I second the ?? I am testing next Sat, the 12th. I don't know if I will pass, the technical information is harder than I thought and I swear I am getting dumber as I get older. |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 12:28:25 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I second the ?? I am testing next Sat, the 12th. I don't know if I will pass, the technical information is harder than I thought and I swear I am getting dumber as I get older. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I finally started studying to upgrade to extra. 17 Days left! ?? I second the ?? I am testing next Sat, the 12th. I don't know if I will pass, the technical information is harder than I thought and I swear I am getting dumber as I get older. Looks like it got pushed into the archives. Here is the reference. |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 2:46:52 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
File a complaint with your state public service commission. Or whomever oversees the utilities in your state. Be sure to mention that they are in violation of FCC rules for causing harmful interference. Worked for me when the power company dug a six foot hole in the front yard and left it for three months. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Fought with the power company (again)!
This damn power line noise is getting worse by the day. Worked for me when the power company dug a six foot hole in the front yard and left it for three months. Power company is crazy for not fixing a big noise problem. Generally, a big noise generator is the result of power leakage, so it's literally power going off into the ground that is lost from their system. My local power line guys are more than happy for me to find problems for them to fix, generally they lack the technical knowledge or equipment to find problems. |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 9:01:56 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
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I finally started studying to upgrade to extra. 17 Days left! ?? I second the ?? I am testing next Sat, the 12th. I don't know if I will pass, the technical information is harder than I thought and I swear I am getting dumber as I get older. Looks like it got pushed into the archives. Here is the reference. Got it now, I better get moving! |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 9:17:33 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
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I finally started studying to upgrade to extra. 17 Days left! ?? I second the ?? I am testing next Sat, the 12th. I don't know if I will pass, the technical information is harder than I thought and I swear I am getting dumber as I get older. Looks like it got pushed into the archives. Here is the reference. Looks like I missed that thread, and the deadline for the test switch. 
Anyway... been thinking about upgrading to Extra so this would be a good excuse. 73! |
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Posted: 11/3/2016 10:37:05 PM EDT
[#38]
Renewed my license. Once I finally got access to the system, the renewal was easy.
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Posted: 11/4/2016 4:20:01 AM EDT
[#39]
Finally pulled the mag mount antenna off the truck. It has been sitting in the bed of the truck unused for weeks. Every time I went under trees it would get ripped off.
I replaced it with a STI Co Flexi Whip NMO mounted. http://sti-co.com/public-safety/flexi-whip/ 
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Posted: 11/4/2016 4:51:53 AM EDT
[#40]
Realized today that I have the money for the fusion repeater I have been looking to get. Do not really plan on getting a fusion radio but using the UDRC and having a multi mode repeater for FM and Dstar. I am still a little torn on just replacing the controller and creating a high power hotspot or the new repeater.
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Posted: 11/4/2016 8:54:09 AM EDT
[#41]
Spoke to someone around 260 miles away through linked repeaters on 2m!
That is the coolest thing I've done in my short time. http://stats.allstarlink.org/getstatus.cgi?2135 |
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Posted: 11/5/2016 9:17:28 AM EDT
[#42]
Checked into my ARES section emergency net for the first time.
On a related note, found out that my basement lights create a horrible drifting 60hz buzzsaw effect on 80m. Even with them off, my noise floor on 80 is around S7-S8. |
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Posted: 11/6/2016 5:30:46 PM EDT
[#43]
Braved the 20 degree weather trying to get BigDaddy off my back
It's not done, but here's a sneak peak: 
Thinking about leaving the conduit like that until my wife gets home just to see the steam come out of her ears
Gonna tie it into the utility ground for now, dedicated ground system is going to have to wait until the ground thaws next year. Once this is done, next up will be building the 80m FWL and a 2m antenna and getting them in the air. |
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Posted: 11/7/2016 3:12:05 AM EDT
[#44]
What's that white stuff on the ground?
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Posted: 11/7/2016 12:25:06 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What's that white stuff on the ground? Beach sand
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Posted: 11/7/2016 4:01:01 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What's that white stuff on the ground? |
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Posted: 11/7/2016 4:08:18 PM EDT
[#47]
That's what you get when you have to make the dryer vent do double duty for a cable feed?
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Dryer lint. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
What's that white stuff on the ground? |
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Posted: 11/7/2016 4:30:57 PM EDT
[#48]
On Sunday I, and 6 other people used our HTs to monitor our small town Veteran's Day Parade.
I was at the assembly point, others along the route, and our net control in a small room adjacent to the E911 center. Generally there is no problem. We do this for each town parade. One 4th of July parade someone fell and we let 911 know so that they could route an EMT around the parade to assist. One year a float broke down for about 5 minutes (which seems like forever during a parade) and since we reported it the sheriff knew what the hold up was and that it wasn't an injury issue. When I say small, I mean the parade is about as long as the route, yet there are only 800 people that live in the town. The route is ~1.0 mile long and it forms up on a 0.5 mile long street with the Legion, Daughters of the Confederacy, Patriot Riders, and Fire & Ambulance staging in parking lots off of that street. It's a good small town parade and the weather was beautiful. Our net protocol was directed but not overly formal. Our coverage organizer was riding shotgun in a WWII jeep and one of our members was chaperoning the Miss County Fair pageant winners. We had a good time. |
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Posted: 11/7/2016 7:30:47 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Braved the 20 degree weather trying to get BigDaddy off my back That looks GREAT, Beefington!  
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Posted: 11/7/2016 7:42:06 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That looks GREAT, Beefington! Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Braved the 20 degree weather trying to get BigDaddy off my back That looks GREAT, Beefington! Yes it does, perfect location to bond all grounds together, just like mine!
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