Anyone want to start a HAM radio group in the Flower Mound, TX area? - Page 2

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone want to start a HAM radio group in the Flower Mound, TX area? (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: 2/19/2021 7:34:51 AM EDT

[#1]

Very interested. Obtained my Tech and General a few weeks ago. Steep learning curve, but I’m committed.

I also have some land for camping. A couple of guys in this thread have been there for some NV shoots. Actually own 2 pieces of “camping type” property that are 11 miles apart if that helps with any type of experimentation exercise. Located 1 hr. south of DFW.

Posted: 2/19/2021 9:40:37 AM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
Base station is a 7300 and a home built EFHW. 133' or so of 14g insulated strand and a 49:1 unun. It's a 10-80 but my LDG can tune in 160. I have it in an inverter V using a Jackite fiberglass mast. Peak was at 28', soon to be 31'. I've talked to deep Eastern Europe, South America and have heard Australia/Asia just couldn't get them.

Portable is a Yaesu 891 and I have a 30' Honolulu EARC EFHW with a 9:1. I need to make a smidge longer to work on 40. But it works like a champ on 20 and up. Also use a WRC. I haven't tried it locally yet. Need to do so though.

The first one is supposedly tunerless. But I still use one. The plans are available on the web. I use a tuner with the others as well. It isn't that big of deal to hook up my LDG and I have an FC50 permanently mated to my 891.

View Quote

Honestly hadn't thought about an end fed antenna. Didn't realize any of them were "tunerless" but now you have me investigating. Thanks for the heads up.

Posted: 2/27/2021 6:16:54 PM EDT

[#3]

@ManiacRat461

Built my antenna. Right now it is a field expedient affair and when I'm not using it I take it down. Inverted V tuned to 7237.5 KHz. Peak at 25'. I listened to some of the nets today. My reception was not good. Sometimes folks were coming in very clear but would then fade out. I got on the VHF handheld and called the local HAM guys to meet me on 40 meter and give me a signal report. These would be guys close to the little town I live in. They reported a clear intelligible signal from me (S9 and above), but again, my reception of their signals was garbage. My hypothesis is that I am in their skip zone because I presume they have verticals while they received clear from me because my antenna is NVIS. I'd like to try to hear someone else local using an NVIS on 40 meters to test this hypothesis. Let me know if you want to try to make a contact one of these days. Feel free to PM me.

Posted: 2/28/2021 8:54:21 PM EDT

[#4]

Is there a forum for the Ham Radio?
What is a good radio to start with? I was looking at the Baofeng FH-F8Vp. I was looking at this particular model.
Is the another one you would recommend? Trying to keep it to $100 for now.

$80.00 - BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF & 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery (This is not a link)

Posted: 2/28/2021 9:42:25 PM EDT

[#5]

Quote History

Quoted:
Is there a forum for the Ham Radio?
What is a good radio to start with? I was looking at the Baofeng FH-F8Vp. I was looking at this particular model.
Is the another one you would recommend? Trying to keep it to $100 for now.

$80.00 - BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF & 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery (This is not a link)

View Quote

There is. It's under the Outdoors section. Very active too.
Ham Forum

Baofengs work. They really do. They aren't the best and some have their issues. The higher end ones are better, like what you are looking at.

Bear in mind that a tech license, the first one, will get you on very limited HF(world wide/nationwide analog) and on 2m/440 (140mhz and 440mhz). 2m/440 simplex(no repeater) is mostly line of sight, barring some higher end stuff and going to ssb or something. Repeaters will get you further but for an HT they are limited on power and thus how well they can get into repeaters. Tech license with analog is really a close regional area, county sized type area usually.

Now there are other options that will get you out further worldwide even, but it's internet based. It isn't at all any good for emergency communication. It's just voip essentially. It's fun for making contacts and such but you can't rely on it for any serious use. Cause chances are if it's so bad that you need hams for communication, it's because the internet isn't working.

Posted: 2/28/2021 9:53:04 PM EDT

[#6]

Thanks. I finally did find the HAM FORUM.
Basically just looking at getting a radio for SHTF emergency type communications. I already am looking at doing the licensing.

Posted: 2/28/2021 10:13:09 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thanks. I finally did find the HAM FORUM.
Basically just looking at getting a radio for SHTF emergency type communications. I already am looking at doing the licensing.

View Quote

Well don't hesitate to become more involved than just that. Setting up, what works and what doesn't, how to use the equipment so on does require some experience. Not tons mind you, but some.

There are some fun outdoors oriented radio activities that came up after folks decided that sitting around on HF and bitching about the weather and hemorrhoids didn't appeal to them. Usually younger folks too. There's RACES and ARES. Which are emergency communication groups. It isn't really my thing. But if you're into it, you're into it. It's a good thing, and I'd absolutely step up if needed. But some folks kinda take it too far and imagine these riding into battle scenarios.

I'm near the La border, so if you are close and want to see what some of it's about. Let me know. One of my favorite of those activities is centered around portable HF that's running on battery. It's fun but it's also great practice for emergency use. I've talked all over in the middle of the woods with a wire and a battery.

Also don't overlook GMRS and even CB. No license and it has its place for a lot of people. Ham radio is fun to me and I like it, but it isn't the only game in town.

Posted: 2/28/2021 11:06:53 PM EDT

[#8]

Anyone in this thread have any ideas for a meeting location in the Flower Mound area? It appears all of the community meeting rooms are closed due to Rice Rabies.

Posted: 3/1/2021 9:30:23 AM EDT

[#9]

@ManiacRat461
Thanks for the info. I will be looking into all of that. Just going to do it little by little. Probably pick up the Baofeng I mentioned earlier just to listen to and learn while I get the licenses.

Posted: 3/1/2021 10:19:04 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
@ManiacRat461
Thanks for the info. I will be looking into all of that. Just going to do it little by little. Probably pick up the Baofeng I mentioned earlier just to listen to and learn while I get the licenses.

View Quote

Smart way to do it. You may find it isn't for you and being out $100 is better than thousands.

Posted: 3/1/2021 11:35:49 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
@ManiacRat461
Thanks for the info. I will be looking into all of that. Just going to do it little by little. Probably pick up the Baofeng I mentioned earlier just to listen to and learn while I get the licenses.

View Quote

If you want to start with something cheap you may want to look at a TYT UV88. Almost the same price as a Baofeng but overall seems to be a nicer radio

Posted: 3/2/2021 10:38:19 PM EDT

[#12]

.....sooooooo, let's get this back on track;

If you are in Flower Mound or Grapevine, shoot me an IM. I have an idea for an initial meet-up on 3/13. We can plan how/if to move forward.

@mah827
@mPisi
@AT7WE2
@Bigjeep
@NoMoreGreen
@rv10flyer
@StealthCRF
@joemama74
@DaTrueDave
@Bigtwinlvr
@Sethelarian
@0100010
@ManiacRat461
@USMC0352
@DerFALMaus
@tboesche
@Bastogne101
@DallasLooterShooter
@bollox
@TinLeg

Posted: 3/3/2021 1:09:25 AM EDT

[#13]

I just happened to come across this.

FYI - you can only tag something like 5 usernames in a single post. So.... you'll have to make several posts to tag everyone.

Thanks for the update though. I'm game depending when.

Posted: 3/3/2021 1:09:58 AM EDT

[#14]

Denton, but Flower Mound / Grapevine not far.

Posted: 3/3/2021 12:24:55 PM EDT

[#15]

@mah827
@mPisi
@AT7WE2
@Bigjeep
@NoMoreGreen

Posted: 3/3/2021 12:25:55 PM EDT

[#16]

sooooooo, let's get this back on track;

If you are in Flower Mound or Grapevine, shoot me an IM. I have an idea for an initial meet-up on 3/13. We can plan how/if to move forward.

@rv10flyer
@StealthCRF
@joemama74
@DaTrueDave
@Bigtwinlvr

Posted: 3/3/2021 12:27:09 PM EDT

[#17]

sooooooo, let's get this back on track;

If you are in Flower Mound or Grapevine, shoot me an IM. I have an idea for an initial meet-up on 3/13. We can plan how/if to move forward.

@Sethelarian
@0100010
@ManiacRat461
@USMC0352
@DerFALMaus

Posted: 3/3/2021 12:27:49 PM EDT

[#18]

sooooooo, let's get this back on track;

If you are in Flower Mound or Grapevine, shoot me an IM. I have an idea for an initial meet-up on 3/13. We can plan how/if to move forward.

@tboesche@Bastogne101
@DallasLooterShooter
@bollox
@TinLeg

Posted: 3/3/2021 2:40:13 PM EDT

[#19]

No offense, most of you guys live on the other side of town and I'm still on a 7 day work week. I'm not gonna make it, but have fun, let me know if you guys decide to hop on vhf somewhere.

My long wire HF antenna fell down in the snow a couple of weeks ago. I half ass tacked it back up so my kids wouldn't run the lawnmower over it. I may go ahead an move it to one of my business offices, I've got some taller trees I can hang it in over there.

Posted: 3/3/2021 5:43:34 PM EDT

[#20]

I am out of town that day, I will catch the next one though!

Posted: 3/3/2021 7:14:11 PM EDT

[#21]

@ didn't work fwiw

Been busy at work so I don't have any input, but I will try to attend if y'all come up with anything.

Posted: 3/3/2021 7:17:28 PM EDT

[#22]

Looks like I will likely be out of town then. I hope I can make the next one.

Posted: 3/4/2021 11:29:15 PM EDT

[#23]

If you guys decide to try a ham meetup, let me know and I'll get on the air down here in Corpus Christi. We can see how well HF can go between here and there.

I have a brother that lives in the DFW area but he doesn't seem to think he needs to get a ham license. My other brother that lives down near Cleburne turns on the Baofeng I gave him every time the weather turns potentially bad. He learned he could get a 10 minute jump on getting into his tornado shelter by listening to Skywarn vs listening to the local news. (He learned this when I was up visiting and we ended up not driving into the path of the tornado because I had my radio tuned to the Johnson County Skywarn repeater.)

Posted: 3/6/2021 9:42:54 PM EDT

[#24]

I am the only one who has responded who is in Flower Mound. I don't want to start a group based in FM when all interest is from OUT of the area.

Perhaps we can do an on-the-air get together using NVIS later in the summer?

Posted: 3/6/2021 9:47:38 PM EDT

[#25]

I don't mind traveling. But I'm down on the coast outside of Beaumont. My involvement would be limited.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Anyone want to start a HAM radio group in the Flower Mound, TX area? (Page 2 of 2)

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