Posted: 7/14/2013 4:38:03 PM EDT
| I'm probably going to feel stupid when I hear the answer, but how can someone locate you when you key up a HAM mic? |
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VHF UHF or HF Ground wave is pretty simple. You can see it yourself by placing your body in between your HT and the station you are trying to talk to a weaker station works better for the effect.'
Now a simple for is to use an antenna such as a yagi that is directional and sweep it till you get the strongest signal. This is the base of a "Fox hunt" and can be down with a $50 HT a 1" wide tape measure and a stick of PVC In the big boy league (above my skillz) they use systems that measure the time it takes to get to each antenna in a multiple antenna system. If the north antenna gets the signal before the southern then the station is to the north. |
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For comms that are known to be close you can use foxhunting. In foxhunting you use an HT and directional antenna to find the direction with the strongest signal. You then walk in that direction for a while, then check the signal again. Check signal, walk, check signal, walk, etc. There's also triangulation, which uses fixed stations with rotatable directional antennas. Three or more stations will point their antennas to the point with the strongest signal. Each of them will give a heading to the others, then they'll figure out where the paths cross.
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Depends on how long you key up.
If you are being an active nuisance, like really really REALLY REALLY active... the FCC can (and more than you'd believe, WILL) find you. They really like it if local hams can build a case against the perp first, then file a complaint; most actions against hams start out this way. This means that the local hams have DF (direction find) you to literally in front of your house. With cooperation, this is entirely doable... it just depends on how much time the locals wish to put into the chase. But if you mean "just transmit for a second then release the PTT button...." in a hi-tech military situation I have no doubt they could do it but it's beyond the means of any but the most wealthy of hams. ETA Look at THIS BOOK. Published in 1987, it's pretty dated in terms of the latest technology, but it explains the basics very well. It also gives the reader some fine pointers about how to build the most basic equipment: directional antennas, mostly. It has some very funny anecdotes, too, like the ham who "lit up" the Crystal Cathedral with a beam antenna. 
Made of glass and steel, the building absorbed and reflected all the RF he could send to it, and radiated it in all directions! |
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Quoted:
But if you mean "just transmit for a second then release the PTT button...." in a hi-tech military situation I have no doubt they could do it but it's beyond the means of any but the most wealthy of hams. http://www.army.mil/article/98025/ 
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Another good part of the question to consider is while you can be DF'd, WILL you be DF'd? Unless you have seriously pissed somebody off, the answer is almost certainly "no". There are not armies of people out there who do nothing but DF folks. Very, very rarely does the FCC take this step. The only time I've seen hams do it is for when somebody is messing with a repeater.
There was a case not too long ago where a town's police repeater was being interfered with. They still haven't caught the guy because the FCC didn't care enough and the local hams, who no doubt could have helped, apparently either didn't care enough or were not consulted. |
