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Posted: 5/18/2020 7:42:40 PM EDT
[#1]
Need more sun spots, the sun is only good for tanning at the moment.
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Posted: 5/18/2020 7:49:27 PM EDT
[#2]
Nothing is keeping me off of HF, now. It just took me 45 years to get my license (I was busy.
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Posted: 5/18/2020 8:03:23 PM EDT
[#3]
Antenna. Living in apartments can make it extremely difficult to get a good antenna up.
Getting a good antenna launcher and using an endfed and a tuner helped get over that hump most of the time, but some places there's nothing you can do. |
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Posted: 5/18/2020 8:06:32 PM EDT
[#4]
All radios boxed.
15/40 dipole is boxed. A99 installed but no aftermarket tuner so the ft-450 wont use it anywhere but 10, and i have a htx-10 for that. Not been interested in putting it all together since my desk will be coming apart for a redesign. Gonna take some doing to get all 4 monitors set on it. Or im gonna end up with multiple desks. And i need to acquire a 30ft ladder, or climbing gear to get up my 1:1 roof. |
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Posted: 5/18/2020 8:33:05 PM EDT
[#5]
Getting the cable outside of the house
Doing it in a secure way that will have what I need What grounding to use on the antenna What kind of hf antenna and how to run it given my house, yard, trees etc. |
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Posted: 5/18/2020 9:08:07 PM EDT
[#6]
I started on HF Back then, you had to pass 5words per min CW to get the "tech plus" license I already had an A-99 CB antenna on the roof of the duplex we were renting. when my license arrived, I skipped 2meters, and went directly to 28mhz SSB  I heard a California ham calling CQ, and nervously answered him. He was so happy that I was his first QSO, that he said he'd mail me a QSL card that same day. this is it.  I started working DX on 10m, and was HOOKED  |
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Posted: 5/18/2020 9:17:33 PM EDT
[#7]
Nothing now. From 1994 (when I got my tech) to 2019 (when I finally upgraded to general) It was time and money. I wish I would have scrounged up some used equipment and upgraded years ago.
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Posted: 5/18/2020 9:53:40 PM EDT
[#8]
Money. I like shiny things plus I’m a buy once cry once kinda guy. I have my heart set on a couple HF rigs and that’s what I’m gonna get. But for now I’m having a lot of fun since there’s active repeaters in my AO plus simplex is even active.
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Posted: 5/18/2020 9:56:24 PM EDT
[#9]
I think it took me awhile to acclimate to how much things cost. It took me a year to go from Tech to General. My first radio was a FT-7900, and at the time I thought it was ridiculously expensive, and HF rigs costing $500-$600 were out of my reach. 12 years later and $1k for a radio doesn't phase me. Not that I'm really any richer than I was back then, but I've prioritized and have learned to allocate funds more wisely.
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Posted: 5/18/2020 9:58:21 PM EDT
[#10]
High noise floor. I don't like talking to strangers.
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Posted: 5/18/2020 10:25:42 PM EDT
[#11]
2m/70cm has a low barrier to entry price wise. Seems like for HF everything is expensive. Transceivers, tuners, antennas. It’s a big investment. Also trying to figure out what I can actually do antenna wise is intimidating.
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Posted: 5/19/2020 12:31:32 AM EDT
[#12]
Time is my biggest enemy right now. Family, and all the goings on kind of put a damper on things. Urban environment tends to cause a lot more noise. Sun spot activity doesn’t stop me. There’s plenty of dx without it. You won’t hear the openings if you’re not on the air looking for them.
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Posted: 5/19/2020 1:07:40 AM EDT
[#13]
I am going deaf, and have a hard enough time understanding call signs on 2m, hell the phone is a challenge for me at this point. I can't see spending the money and time to get HF only to have to get rid of it in a few years.
The repeaters around me are pretty active, and some simplex as well. My hearing has dropped off a lot in the last year, and tinnitus is taking over what is going away.  It really sucks, and some days it is tough to have a good attitude towards anything. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 1:37:41 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By battlemidget: Need more sun spots, the sun is only good for tanning at the moment. not really I talked to Slovenia and Ukraine on a 20 watt radio and a portable antenna on the beach the other day on 20m |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 1:54:07 AM EDT
[#15]
no desire to talk to 80 yr old men.
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Posted: 5/19/2020 3:43:08 AM EDT
[#16]
Being unable to sell/trade enough of my surplus possessions to afford all the components of an HF station.
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Posted: 5/19/2020 7:35:02 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By lorazepam: I am going deaf, and have a hard enough time understanding call signs on 2m, hell the phone is a challenge for me at this point. I can't see spending the money and time to get HF only to have to get rid of it in a few years. The repeaters around me are pretty active, and some simplex as well. My hearing has dropped off a lot in the last year, and tinnitus is taking over what is going away. It really sucks, and some days it is tough to have a good attitude towards anything. you could use RTTY, PSK31, etc. ARFCOM has a digital net every wednesday, we use OLIVIA |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 8:16:14 AM EDT
[#18]
1. I spend most of my 'radio time' working on VHF projects for localized communications. APRS and Packet are 2 of my funsies and therefore get the most attn.
2. When I do fire up the HF rig it's usually FT8 or JS8. I don't get much more than a half an hour here or there, and my gear is 100 yards up the hill from the house. 3. I need to get my remote operations in place. 4. See #1 |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 8:22:16 AM EDT
[#19]
I've done it so much its kinda boring. I jump on every once in a while, but not as often as I used to.
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Posted: 5/19/2020 8:28:01 AM EDT
[#20]
I’m already General, but being in an HOA and having to heavily compromise with my antenna keeps me from operating as much as I would like. That’s why I installed HF mobile. It’s fun and I get surprisingly good signal reports!
I feel like eventually upgrading to Extra but I run a business, am back in school for another degree, have a 2 year old at home with a stay-at-home wife, and am learning CW, so Extra is going to have to wait haha. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 9:19:09 AM EDT
[#21]
Time, life, family.... you know, the usual.
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Posted: 5/19/2020 10:26:02 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By slappomatt: no desire to talk to 80 yr old men. I went straight to general, picked up a used Kenwood 850, put up a big piece of wire in the back yard and made a few contacts...then I realized the above was true. Matter of fact, I'm not real big on talking to strangers in general. Then I picked up an IC 7300 and discovered digital modes, I spend a lot more time playing on HF now. WSPR, JS8Call, FT8, Olivia...most of them are more about technical challenges than socializing, which suits me fine. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 10:33:07 AM EDT
[#23]
Time and money for me.
I finally got my portable shack setup at the house with antennas and such. Did make my furthest phone contact the other day. New Zealand from Georgia on 75 watts. Even got it on video which is posted on my QRZ Page along with cam cannon launching video. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 10:35:30 AM EDT
[#24]
VHF / UHF etc you buy a small black box with an antenna sticking out the top and you're on the air.
HF.... radio, power supply, and figuring out what the heck you're going to do for an antenna. And then you discover all sorts of complications and compromises and "ideally you'd do this". And then once you get it set up you discover it's not set up. Getting the 'right' antenna is really more of a direction than a destination. Don't forget proper grounding system which is an evolution in itself. In HF, the radio itself is the least part of the whole system - from a setup point of view. .... and you can't take it with you. HF is not convenient. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 1:56:21 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By TinLeg: HF.... radio, power supply, and figuring out what the heck you're going to do for an antenna. And then you discover all sorts of complications and compromises and "ideally you'd do this". And then once you get it set up you discover it's not set up. Getting the 'right' antenna is really more of a direction than a destination. Don't forget proper grounding system which is an evolution in itself. In HF, the radio itself is the least part of the whole system - from a setup point of view. .... and you can't take it with you. HF is not convenient. Not true, I can backpack in with a 100 watt radio, setup very easily pretty much anywhere, work the radio for 3-4 hours on battery power, tear down and come home. Not so complicated. (and BTW I do this often) |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 2:59:07 PM EDT
[#26]
Too many obligations and hobbies, and not enough free time.
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Posted: 5/19/2020 3:13:37 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Jester_MP: Not true, I can backpack in with a 100 watt radio, setup very easily pretty much anywhere, work the radio for 3-4 hours on battery power, tear down and come home. Not so complicated. (and BTW I do this often) That’s doesn’t sound convenient to me. Lol It does sound fun. What’s your setup? I’m assuming it’s for POTA. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 3:30:19 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Jester_MP: Not true, I can backpack in with a 100 watt radio, setup very easily pretty much anywhere, work the radio for 3-4 hours on battery power, tear down and come home. Not so complicated. (and BTW I do this often) +1. Enjoy portable more than sitting inside my shack. And if you get down to 5w around radios, it gets even simpler. I have plenty of vhf/uhf equipment, but to me HF is where the fun is. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 5:12:01 PM EDT
[#29]
1. Money
2. No permanent shack in the house (yet) 3. Real estate needed for an antenna 4. Free time |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 5:58:43 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Jester_MP: Not true, I can backpack in with a 100 watt radio, setup very easily pretty much anywhere, work the radio for 3-4 hours on battery power, tear down and come home. Not so complicated. (and BTW I do this often) “Tear down” |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 8:53:28 PM EDT
[#31]
Mainly, my retarded local club of Karens refusing to test at all in any way for months. Luckily I found a club father away thinking outside the box and bending over backwards to get guys their ticket. They just had guys VE test for one guy in a makeshift location who could not attend this coming saturdays test and who works weird hours at work. Its amazing the difference in clubs.
Hopefully Saturday I can start my journey. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 9:50:07 PM EDT
[#32]
For me it was trying to really “get” what the study manual was teaching. Maybe I have reading comprehension problems IDK? I finally hit hamstudy.org for a few weeks and tested. I’m AG till I get my email from the fcc!
Edit:spelling |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 11:06:37 PM EDT
[#33]
I think I would have been more interested if I had got into a young guy or teen. Before internet and cell phones.
Stuff is expensive. I like shiny bells and whistles. So it would be the 7300 at minimum so that's $800-1200 depending on timing. Then putting an antenna up. I've watched a few YouTube videos of guys on HF and listen to some rag chews on DMR and it mostly goes: I'm from X and have this here radio. uh huh huh huh (seems like everyone laffs like that).uuuh what radio are you using..., the weather here is X, well 73 I mean I can look up weather in less than 5 seconds all over the world. I see the accomplishment part of making a contact with just your radio and a wire but I'm just not sure I want to spend the money just to hear what I posted above. Get the itch every so often and start booking marking things or put something in a cart to buy and then say man you'd be better off using that $$ on something that you'll actually use ETA: I do have my General |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 11:13:42 PM EDT
[#34]
Right now, the thing stopping me is an effective ladder. I need to get up higher to mount some brackets to the wall and I can't reach them.
When I'm on the air, I'm mostly active on HF. I just can't get to where I need to mount the north end of my antenna right yet. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 11:17:17 PM EDT
[#35]
money to buy a quality radio.
the daunting time suck it’s going to take to learn to use it properly. free time to dick around with yet another hobby. |
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Posted: 5/20/2020 8:04:52 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By swampfoxoutdoors: That’s doesn’t sound convenient to me. Lol It does sound fun. What’s your setup? I’m assuming it’s for POTA. Its for scouting, pota or just plain say I can. sotabeams tac mast sotabeams linked dipole FT891 Bioenno 20ah battery. -this is all I need when backpacking POTA I add in a 100w solar panel and charge controller with 50ft of coax (and a chair and table to be comfortable) The backpack takes me 10 min tops by myself to setup. I find it convenient. |
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Posted: 5/20/2020 5:47:16 PM EDT
[#37]
I started on HF and had been licensed and very active for about 6 years before I even touched an HT or any VHF/UHF radio.
Prior to that I've made thousands of contacts on HF with my dad's callsign, even when he wasn't home  . HF is where the real fun is. I only use VHF/UHF to BS with my local buddies on a simplex frequency. Other than that VHF and UHF are very boring. I've been working lots of DX on 40 and 20 meters. Don't let anyone tell you that propagation is dead right now. |
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Posted: 5/20/2020 6:50:33 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Gyprat: I started on HF and had been licensed and very active for about 6 years before I even touched an HT or any VHF/UHF radio. Prior to that I've made thousands of contacts on HF with my dad's callsign, even when he wasn't home . HF is where the real fun is. I only use VHF/UHF to BS with my local buddies on a simplex frequency. Other than that VHF and UHF are very boring. I've been working lots of DX on 40 and 20 meters. Don't let anyone tell you that propagation is dead right now. Yep made my first phone DX contact the other day. 75watts from Ga to New Zealand |
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Posted: 5/20/2020 6:52:49 PM EDT
[#39]
No HF radio (fixable with $)
No antenna and antenna challenges... Townhouse. Tiny lot. HOA. Already have a General ticket, and was ready to take Extra just because when the Kung Flu shutdown nixed that. |
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Posted: 5/20/2020 8:25:50 PM EDT
[#40]
Been inactive for several years, but I’m purchasing a tower this weekend. I’ll wait to see what’s available when I get the tower up, and antennas on it before choosing a rig.
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Posted: 5/21/2020 8:51:57 AM EDT
[#41]
I'm rebuilding my HF antenna, it's gonna be higher but closer to the house. (Fingers crossed.) The mast is up, I'm gonna try 160M with a bent dipole.
73, Rob |
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Posted: 5/21/2020 10:45:07 AM EDT
[#42]
I need better antennas. I guess the wire antenna I have and the ground vertical I have are not good enough to get out where I live. Saving for a beam antenna.
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Posted: 5/21/2020 11:31:56 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By billth777: money to buy a quality radio. the daunting time suck it’s going to take to learn to use it properly. free time to dick around with yet another hobby. ^^^^ this, add on figuring out the antenna thing. Had my ticket (general) for almost 2 years and just finally got the 2m figured out enough to hit the local repeater and join a net. Basically just time and money holding me back. |
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Posted: 5/21/2020 5:37:45 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not true, I can backpack in with a 100 watt radio, setup very easily pretty much anywhere, work the radio for 3-4 hours on battery power, tear down and come home. Not so complicated. (and BTW I do this often) Quote HistoryQuoted: Originally Posted By TinLeg: HF.... radio, power supply, and figuring out what the heck you're going to do for an antenna. And then you discover all sorts of complications and compromises and "ideally you'd do this". And then once you get it set up you discover it's not set up. Getting the 'right' antenna is really more of a direction than a destination. Don't forget proper grounding system which is an evolution in itself. In HF, the radio itself is the least part of the whole system - from a setup point of view. .... and you can't take it with you. HF is not convenient. Not true, I can backpack in with a 100 watt radio, setup very easily pretty much anywhere, work the radio for 3-4 hours on battery power, tear down and come home. Not so complicated. (and BTW I do this often) This. Most of my 7300 ops from the shack are receive only. I have the most fun talking from the backpack rig outside using just the whip antenna. It makes it more challenging, plus it's nice to sit outside and drink beer while doing it. |
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Posted: 5/21/2020 6:01:42 PM EDT
[#45]
They need to get the online testing straightened out. Online Testing for upgrades already!
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Posted: 5/21/2020 8:39:22 PM EDT
[#46]
I only have access to a QRP rig with 5 watts out.
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Posted: 5/22/2020 1:50:14 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I need better antennas. I guess the wire antenna I have and the ground vertical I have are not good enough to get out where I live. Saving for a beam antenna. Antenna height and ground conductivity are huge factors in antenna efficiency. I know a guy who lives in Ecuador. He only uses an "inverted L" antenna with a tuner but the antenna is 15 feet from the ocean. He routinely works all kinds of DX stations with just 100 watts. You'd think he is running a beam. Also, There is a guy in Florida who uses a nice Yagi and a kilowatt. I've grouped up with him to work DX on 40 meters. He receives stations at S9+40 while I only hear them at S8-S9. He also gets much better signal reports. Ground is very conductive in many parts of Florida and he is relatively close to the ocean. We have a lot of clay here in the upstate South Carolina. |
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Posted: 5/22/2020 1:59:34 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I only have access to a QRP rig with 5 watts out. |
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Posted: 5/22/2020 2:18:27 PM EDT
[#49]
At QRP levels it's Antenna, Antenna, Antenna! With a short feed line and an end fed antenna it can be very efficient with the right matching network and radials if needed.
73, Rob |
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Posted: 5/22/2020 2:25:17 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted: At QRP levels it's Antenna, Antenna, Antenna! With a short feed line and an end fed antenna it can be very efficient with the right matching network and radials if needed. 73, Rob |
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