Amateur Radio FAQ

bikerbankr · Aug 26, 2019

ToolAA said:
Question for you more experienced guys.

I got my homemade J-Pole antenna mounted up in my attic today at the peak of the roof. I got a really good shielded cable too.

So I’m picking up a lot of digital signals that were not evident with the little antennas that came with the RTL-SDR. So out of curiosity I started to try and find out what these signals are. Using the FCC database and Radio reference.com most of them are public and private trunk networks.

However I am getting a fairly strong periodic signal in Ellicott City on 152.1800 Mhz. I cannot find any registered license or transmitter info.

Shouldn’t all digital transmitters be FCC registered and easily found in the database?

Any other ideas on how to ID this transmitter?

State = Maryland
Status = Active
Frequency Assigned = 152.1800
Matches 1- 1 (of 1 )

Call Sign/Lease ID
KGA589

Name
SCHUYLKILL MOBILE FONE, INC.

FRN
0003256666

Radio Service
CD (Paging & Radiotelephone)

Status
Active

Expiration Date
04/01/2029

Not sure if this will work but: https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=500

Boxcab · Aug 26, 2019

Finally mounted my dual band 144/440 Mhz J-Pole on the roof. I made two ("Why make one when you can make two at twice the cost?"), one for my brother and one for myself. He still has his mounted to a fence post and likes the way it performs. Very little time on mine, but it works!

.

mac1_131 · Aug 27, 2019

That looks real nice and ought to work quite well up there

ToolAA · Aug 29, 2019

Got my mobile unit today. This thing looks like it’s going to take forever to program. I just got the CARA Digital Repeater programed and I’m monitoring conversations from all over the country and even talkers from the UK.

Lots to learn especially setting up APRS.

K31 · Aug 30, 2019

Technician class at Anne Arundel Radio Club Starting October 5, 2019:

https://www.w3vpr.org/sites/default/files/ClassFlyers/2019/Fall2019techclass.pdf

Note: the flyer states you must "own the Kindle equipment" to read Kindle files in reference to buying a Kindle version of the ARRL manual vs. a paper copy (either is fine). This is not true. If you have an Amazon account (which you are going to need to buy Kindle books in the first place) you can read them in several browsers without downloading anything. You can also download a Kindle app to your Android device.

Traveler · Aug 30, 2019

Do yourself a favor and program it with a PC and the repeaterbook feed. If you need a cable, let us know.

ToolAA · Aug 30, 2019

Traveler said:
Do yourself a favor and program it with a PC and the repeaterbook feed. If you need a cable, let us know.

I just purchased RT Systems software after some research and a lot of recommendations. It really is worth the $25. I downloaded all if the repeaters in my usual driving areas and uploaded them to the radio in 1min.

I just figured out how to send myself a txt message from the radio to my cell phone and reply. The technology is amazing.

Engine4 · Sep 1, 2019

The hurricane net is active & it's interesting to listen to. The website is https://hwn.org/ . It lists the freqs to tune to.

E.Shell · Sep 1, 2019

K31 said:
Technician class at Anne Arundel Radio Club Starting October 5, 2019:

https://www.w3vpr.org/sites/default...ectronics Museum. [url]http://www.k3nem.org/
You'll need the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual:
http://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual-4th-Edition-Softcover/
https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Radio-L...icense+manual&qid=1567354599&s=gateway&sr=8-1

ToolAA said:

I just purchased RT Systems software after some research and a lot of recommendations. It really is worth the $25. I downloaded all if the repeaters in my usual driving areas and uploaded them to the radio in 1min....

Click to expand...

I also use RT Systems software and the added bonus is that I can copy over files from one model radio to another *almost* seamlessly.

Engine4 said:

The hurricane net is active & it's interesting to listen to. The website is https://hwn.org/ . It lists the freqs to tune to.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

ToolAA · Sep 1, 2019

E.Shell said:
I also use RT Systems software and the added bonus is that I can copy over files from one model radio to another *almost* seamlessly.

Thanks!

Good to hear from you Ed. I’ve been bouncing all over the place as I dabble into the amateur radio world and it’s hard to get focused. I’ve been having fun finding and trying to decode all of the digital traffic out there with SDR as well as listening in to the local repeaters.

For the RT Software it appears that you have to purchase a distinct version for each radio type/mfgr. I’ve got several Beofang HT’s that I would like to program too. I’ve got CHIRP so I was wondering if I can use the RT Software to create my desired programming configuration then quickly export to a txt/csv file and import to the Beofang units.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

K31 · Sep 1, 2019

You can create a .csv file from, or import one into, Chirp or RT Systems software but if the columns don't line up then you may have to do some editing unless you are willing to do some programming. Or, if you can find an editor that remembers keystrokes for later replay, you could fix one line and then do a replay on the rest of the file.

Also, I found this out the hard way, sometimes importing data into one of these programs results in a little bit of a round off error and even though everything looks ok, unless you check each entry closely a frequency or more may be off on the last digit.

E.Shell · Sep 2, 2019

RTSystems software saves the radio frequency data to a spreadsheet format. The format is more or less common to all models I have worked with, but with certain variations based on the radio's capability. I have the RTS software for a Yeasu VX-7r, Yeasu FT-8900 and Yeasu FT-857D and have copied/pasted data from one to the other several times. Some corrections need to be made if attempting to copy the entire spreadsheet, because one radio will put the TX freq in the first data column, others put the RX freq first, etc..

Where the software really shines is when setting up multiple radios, such as a set of HTs, although it is also very good for regional changes. I have a file saved with often used frequencies (local repeaters) for my old residence in VA, another for the lower eastern shore and another for central MD. It was nice to be able to take 10 minutes and ditch banks of frequencies, and especially tones, used in one area to eliminate scanning past dead areas and to keep received signals limited to those I can respond to.

I also use CHIRP and VX7 Commander for the HTs because not all radio functions are available with each software package, oddly enough.

ToolAA · Sep 2, 2019

K31 & Ed, Thanks for the info.

Now that I have a few hours of experience with the RT Software, I realize I didn’t frame my question correctly. I really liked the feature of the RT Systems software to directly download from radioreferene.com and RepeaterBook.con. I was trying to simply take that downloaded table and just copy and paste it or export it to chirp or excel. I think the software specifically blocks that function. So the workaround was to create a radio configuration file and export to csv then like you suggested, then reorder the columns and change the cell formats where needed then import into chirp and create the cfg files for my various Beofang units. I did a simple test file and after a few attempts got the format transfer figured out. I’ll probably create an excel sheet to do the conversion work automatically in the future.

Ed, I too am trying to create some simple cfg files for my commonly traveled areas. That seems more useful for the HT’s since their memory capacity is limited. However I’m finding that my mobile unit holds 1000 memory channels but the scanning function seems to scan all memory channels. Without the ability to group them in some way that seems like inefficient scanning. My raido can import configuration files from sd cards. Those sd cards are so cheap now, I may just make several cfg files by region and keep them in the car and swap them in and out as needed.

K31 · Sep 4, 2019

K31 said:
Technician class at Anne Arundel Radio Club Starting October 5, 2019:

https://www.w3vpr.org/sites/default/files/ClassFlyers/2019/Fall2019techclass.pdf

Note: the flyer states you must "own the Kindle equipment" to read Kindle files in reference to buying a Kindle version of the ARRL manual vs. a paper copy (either is fine). This is not true. If you have an Amazon account (which you are going to need to buy Kindle books in the first place) you can read them in several browsers without downloading anything. You can also download a Kindle app to your Android device.

If you have any interest in this class, please sign up ASAP.

Mark75H · Sep 4, 2019

Sent the email

ToolAA · Sep 5, 2019

Just picked up a few of these little guys. BF-T1 $16ea on ebay.

1W UHF 2M bands only. 20 channel memory storage. I’m going to program them as GMRS/FRS.

ToolAA · Sep 7, 2019

I made my first overseas contact last night. Guy in Belgium. He looked up my call sign and came answered back with my first name which I thought was unusual, but this is still new to me.

When I asked him does he always look up a contacts call sign he replied yes and he logs every contact. I guess that didn’t seem that unusual after all.

The unusual part is that he said that he is required by law to log ALL contacts. Is that just a typical burdensome EU requirement or is it common in other parts of the world? Also what purpose does it serve?

gamer_jim · Sep 7, 2019

ToolAA said:
The unusual part is that he said that he is required by law to log ALL contacts. Is that just a typical burdensome EU requirement or is it common in other parts of the world? Also what purpose does it serve?

I don't know if it is required in Belgium.

However, it is still a good idea to log your contacts. You get to keep track of who you contacted, when and under what conditions (power, antenna alignment, etc.).

On top of that: you also have a record of when you operate. Should there ever be a complaint with the FCC about possible RF interference then you at least have a record for your side of the story.

Some folks like to do the Log Book Of The World, or some other online tracking of contacts. Doing so also helps with certificates and the "all worked..." goals.

ToolAA · Sep 8, 2019

Now that I got the radio operation figured out I planning on installing it in the car soon. Today I was planning out where to put the head unit and base. My plan was to just place the head in the center console in front of the shifter but it occurred to me that it just might fit into the little drop down compartment for sunglasses in the ceiling console.

Well it fit in there pretty good.

After some simple modifications

And 3D printing a custom mounting plate

It’s going to work out way better than I thought by placing it in the lower console. I’ll be able to quickly make adjustments without taking my eyes from the road.

Keystone70 · Sep 8, 2019

Very nice. I have my FTM100 mounted the same way although I just used Velcro to hold the head in. The radio is mounted under passenger seat. There was a bracket there for a sub woofer, so I mounted to that.

Enjoy

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

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