Davichko5650
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Posts posted by Davichko5650
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1 minute ago, SteveShannon said:
Doing a little ft8 I see! I enjoy it also.
Relaxing way to send some RF out. I use two-way radio all day at work so I tend to favor digital modes when at home during the week. FT8/4 for just seeing who is out there, rare DX or DXpeditons, and good propagation indicator, for rag chews I tend to run VarAC, PSK31 or JS8. RTTY has always been a favorite mode, but not much of it out there other than for contests...
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21 hours ago, Davichko5650 said:
So far, so good!
mouse and dvi monitor added, here's the current shack set up -
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28 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:
I know a ham who's dog is frequently a third party operator. I only wish I could get mine interested in radios.
Like our Sat Nite NCS, his French Bulldog's name is Toast, so he always calls him KT0AST, and adds a couple arf' arf's for him. Dunno what he'd do if somebody grabbed that as a vanity call...
- WRUU653, GrouserPad and SteveShannon
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57 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:
How do you like it so far?
Liking it very much! Took a bit of playing with the Mic settings to dial in the transmit audio on Phone, but getting good reports on that now. Very easy to configure for the digital modes I use (PSK, VarAC, JS8, etc. etc.). Like the waterfall, 3DSS display and the Oscilloscope display. Using the touch screen took a little learning curve for this knobs n dials kinda guy, but that was a fun one, and still working on that a bit. On the SW Bands, really has great RX audio, that also took some adjusting to dial in to my liking. AESS is a bit of a gimmick, but the SP40 speaker does sound better than the one on the rig, and really shines when listening to AM broadcast and SW bands.
Only dislike is trying to use 60m band on digital, as there's a bit of changing settings on the programs to get it to work. My FT-450D is MARS modded from the dealer, so 60m is wide open to use there.
So far, so good!
- WRUU653 and SteveShannon
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1 hour ago, Lscott said:
Other than a few friends I rarely talk to random people. Most of the time I just monitor. The exception is usually somebody calling for a radio check on one of the local repeaters. If nobody else responds I'll try to give them a radio check. At least they ID and don't kur-chuck dozens of times testing their radio programming or new mic.
I scan while mobile, but mostly hear the FRS users around me. I have never actually heard anyone on the local repeaters calling out a radio check, but I would respond were I to hear one. 4 locals I talk to a few times a week on CH 19, 2 of whom are also Amateurs, but I spend the bulk of my time on HF for that, and they being Tech's I can only get them on 10m as they don't do CW...
- SteveShannon and Lscott
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On 2/11/2025 at 5:51 PM, Socalgmrs said:
Great time to buy that special some one a radio for Valentine’s Day
Spouse opted for Lobster & King Crab instead - boooooo. Well, since I picked up the FT-710, I figured I'd get her what she wanted!
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17 hours ago, SteveShannon said:
I have the ftdx10 and really like it.
The complaints I’ve heard about it consist of three things:1. Buttons are too close together and too close to the tuning knob.
2. Buttons are not backlit.
3. Too many things require using the menu.
I acknowledge the veracity of all three of those, but none of them bother me anymore.
I have seen the number 1 issue vetched about, hey, get those fingers on a diet, LOL. I experience issue 2 on the 710 as well, but not a big problem. Once I have most things set up, number 3 also hasn't been much of an issue on the 710. Adding the mouse and the DVI monitor will help on those.
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19 hours ago, WSEZ864 said:
How do you like it? I'm shopping for a new HF and it's on my 'short list' (with the IC-7300 and Yaesu FTDX10D).
Very much liking it. Took a bit of tweaking to get the Mic audio sounding good, but was fun doing it. Easy set up for CAT control for digital modes with the built in soundcard. Have mouse and DVI monitor coming to hook up next. Not going to get rid of the FT-450 it replaces, that'll be a backup and one I can take out in the field for portable ops. But can't go wrong with any of the others there. Have used the 7300. "The People's Radio" and was very impressed with it. Haven't tried a Ftdx10, but it's Yaesu, so gots to be good!
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12 minutes ago, Socalgmrs said:
Great time to buy that special some one a radio for Valentine’s Day
Got the FT-710 a week ago Saturday...
- Jaay and SteveShannon
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14 hours ago, Jaay said:
Amatuer Radio Newsline wants to remind Everyone that 2/13/2025 is Love your Radio Day !!
More geared towards Broadcast Radio, but we'll take what we can get and be on the air when we can!
13 February is a date proclaimed by UNESCO to celebrate radio broadcast, improve international cooperation among radio broadcasters and encourage decision-makers to create and provide access to information through radio, including community radios.
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On 2/9/2025 at 7:41 PM, SvenMarbles said:
. Not for yelling "WHISKEY SIERRA ALFA TANGO 423 Monitoring!". For people with some other stated goal and using radio as an aid, and not just "being on the radio".
Functional use..
Agree! I can count on half of one hand the number of times I've used the repeaters in my area. I got into GMRS in 2017 (cue the "I've been a H.A.M. for (years") and at the time was not active as an Amateur Operator, although licensed. I got it for using in Northern MN where, at the time, there was zero cell phone coverage. Used to talk from Cabin to boat and back, to talk mobile to cabin and around the resort area. Current usage is that, as well as on off road trips, solo or group, around the house (beats yelling) and with a small group of friends in the neighborhood to chat on occasion on simplex. On the amateur side of radio, got back into that in 2020 and about 99% of activity there is on HF, and most of that on digital modes. Talk all day at work on two-ways, so like to chat via keyboards to those random strangers Randy warned us all about!
If you're getting into GMRS as a "gateway" or "Ham Lite", it's not really where it's at. OTOH, not my place to tell people what to do, so those that do, it's their choice.
- SteveShannon and WSGC763
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12 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:
It's very easy - you just state your intended "business use" on the form. It seems they are more interested in taking your money than confirming what you will be doing.
I can see Randy writing in "Nunya" on the form!
- SteveShannon and Lscott
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10 minutes ago, WRPL700 said:
.. 40 years ago I was an Army radio operator (18E) so I was pretty good with Morse code back then. fun.
I seem to find a lot of veterans with radio backgrounds, like myself, on the ham bands! I was a Voice Intercept Operator (98G) Arabic with Secondary MOS's as 05H and 05C for Morse and RTTY, as well as having the K3 designator indicating I was an ECM operator as well in the ASA/INSCOM back in the mid-late 70's. I was already a radio hobbyist in the AM broadcast DX and SWL world. Most my instructors for the radio stuff in the Army were Hams, and bugged all of us to get our tickets. Didn't get mine until 1992 as a No-Code Tech. Upgraded to Tech+ with the 5 wpm CW test in 1996. Was off the air for about 15 years what with Life intervening, but got back into it in October 2020 getting my General and then my Extra in Jan. of 2022. Got into GMRS in 2017 for comms up north where there is no or spotty Cell or internet service. Was WQUR589, but forgot to renew, so now I'm WRJG283 in that service.
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5 hours ago, WRPL700 said:
Yes, I finally did it. I got my Tech (KD3AKT). Had a lot of fun on 10M on Sunday. Got 2 contacts from TX, one from OK, one from ND, one from OR and one from CA. All on 20 watts. What a fun hobby.
Congrats and welcome to the Rabbit Hole that is Amateur Radio! Enjoy 10 meters while it's hot! Good luck on the General, opens up the world of HF to you!
73 de N0TXW
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1 minute ago, SteveShannon said:
And that makes sense. It’s mentioned on my license also, iirc.
Pretty sure most modern Transceivers have it, both my FT-450D and the new FT-710 have a setting for it in the menus. Can monitor it any time, but not much I could really do for any callers...
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46 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:
Alaska is much larger but according to RepeaterBook has 6 GMRS repeaters and 114 amateur repeaters. I don’t know how accurate that is but obviously neither state has sufficient coverage for emergency purposes.
Alaska also has the dedicated Emergency Frequency of 5167 kHz on HF. Have seen that being used here and there on TV shows, but never looked to see if any YooToob videos exist about it.
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17 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:
This really makes me want to try it... I can just hear the police dispatcher, "Your what is being interfered with?"
Sir, if you have a problem with Germs, I will connect you to EMS....
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Just now, WSGL775 said:
This is way over my paygrade! Right now I'm just learning about radio waves, antennas, and how things work. That being said, I'm not adverse to getting a tech license in the ham radio world. However, I have so much more to learn before I open that can of worms!
Hey, once you start down the rabbit hole that is RF, you never know where it'll lead ya!
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17 hours ago, WSGL775 said:
Has anyone had any exposure to this product? I think you can use it to send data through your radio but I'm unsure. Don't want to waste time if it's something that has no value!
I use Fldigi quite often, but only on HF and 6 meters. I use it for RTTY, PSK31 and a slug of the other digital modes, as well as copying Naxtex and SITOR transmissions around the HF dial. I do not use CAT control on the FT-450D, I've never gotten it to work correctly. Not an issue as I'm more of a hands on manual guy anyway. When operating from the truck (not while mobile) on my FT-891 it works very well, both the program for TX/RX as well as the CAT control working.
I don't see it really having a GMRS application, per se, but I guess it could be configured for short digital messaging with an HT?
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On 1/26/2025 at 10:42 AM, SteveShannon said:
I take no measures to prevent this and honestly I haven’t seen it occur
I have not seen this here in Minnesota as far as dimming with age or freezing. When it's well below zero they tend to take additional time to fully display, but they come on fully after at most 20-30 seconds at -20. This on Kenwood, Yaesu and Retivis rigs in the truck.
- SteveShannon and GrouserPad
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7 hours ago, WSGV572 said:
Good evening to all. I want to take this opportunity to offer you a salute (of respect) from this retired Master Sergeant (U.S.Army). I retired in 1991, after serving 20 years right out of high school, and returned to my roots here in Northern Minnesota. Never really dabbled in radio communications (other than squwakin’ on a CB once in a while). The Mrs. & I kinda “hybernate” in the winter months and I thought getting into some GMRS activity may help pass the time until the snow & cold are replaced by the warmth of summer. Then I can uncover the Harley (trike) and get back on the road! Plus, one never knows what other GMRS adventures could develop. In any event, I look forward to learning much more about the airwaves while gleaning whatever I can from the wealth of wisdom I suspect lie within this forum. Thanks for the invite and I appreciate the opportunity to join.
Welcome from this Army Security Agency/INSCOM Vet here in the Twin Cities! Depending where you are up there in the North, some decent coverage repeaters. I use a few of them that are strategically located near a couple of the OHV Parks I like to off road the Truck in. If you get down to the Cities, there's a decent group of us on Ch. 19 Simplex, as well as some good repeaters that sometimes have traffic on them. Otherwise, you will find that GMRS can be a bit of a "bring your own" radio service. My wife and I use it up north where cell phones are spotty, as well as around the spread at home so as to keep in touch without having to yell!.
Enjoy going down the rabbit hole!
73 de WRJG283
- SteveShannon and WRUU653
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On 1/23/2025 at 9:52 AM, SteveShannon said:
“This is grandpa. There’s a huge grizzly in the area. I want you to come back to the cabin. I’m sorry I let you play with the salmon guts before going into the wood. Make a lot of noise while you’re walking. Scream if you need me. WROM258.”
Bear encounters:
Black, Attack!
Brown, Lie Down!
Polar, you're lunch!
- WRUU653, SteveShannon and WRTC928
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2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:
I have never heard someone use a handle on GMRS.
About as close as we get on the group of us that hang out on Ch 19 hereabouts is using our Firstname and then the numbers on our call signs, as in, "hey Joe 690 are you out there?" "Yo Dave 283, yeah, what's up?" After that we converse and then ID at the 15 and EOT as required by the regs. That way if there's more than one Joe or Dave out there (and there usually is) we can differentiate who we're looking for.
- WRYZ926, WRUU653, TrikeRadio and 1 other
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1 hour ago, TrikeRadio said:
I have never tried a Baofeng, So not sure how easy or difficult that is to program.
as far as powering it on... if you charged it, that little button on the side (small and kinda hard to see) should just turn the blue light on it and it should be on.I have one and have used it on Baofengs at home and in the field and have had no issues with it. Odmaster is a bit stodgy compared to Chirp visually, but works fine when out in the wilds.
National Radio Appreciation Day ! Febuary 13th. 2025
in Amateur Radio (Ham)
Posted
DXE has it $300 off right now, only $5,999.95!!!