The Ham Radio Thread

[mbryson]

radio and antenna showed up. Hopefully, I can get them installed tonight. Nothing says "Be my valentine" like staying outside in the garage while installing HAM stuff.

Your wife is a trooper

 

[mesha]

Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Mobile HAM radios can cover more distance then hand helds


I need to figure out where to mount it now.

 

[mesha]

Got the Yaesu installed and used it this weekend. It is WAY better than the HT I was using before. Every person in the group of 8 or so had a HAM radio and it was so much better than CB. I am sure there are good CB set ups, but mine was not that great

HAM for the win.

 

[DAA]

Trying to work a mobile into the budget sometime in the next few weeks. Have had it penciled into the budget for quite awhile, but not sure I won't have to wait awhile longer to free up the discretionary cash. Kinda sorta spent my radio money on a new AR. Was just gonna look, next thing I know, I'm not in the gun store anymore but I'm fondling a brand new Rock River. It happens...

- DAA

 

[mbryson]

Trying to work a mobile into the budget sometime in the next few weeks. Have had it penciled into the budget for quite awhile, but not sure I won't have to wait awhile longer to free up the discretionary cash. Kinda sorta spent my radio money on a new AR. Was just gonna look, next thing I know, I'm not in the gun store anymore but I'm fondling a brand new Rock River. It happens...

- DAA

Happens... 5.56/Wylde.... details .

I should snag a new radio sometime but not sure where I’m at. I’ll probably just make my radio modular and move it from “Jeep” to tow rig?

 

[DAA]

Happens... 5.56/Wylde.... details .

Not to sidetrack the Ham thread too bad. But, briefly - RRA ATH, 18" 1/8, stainless match barrel, Wylde chamber. Mounted VX5 2-10 on it wth Bobro QD (so I can swap day scope for thermal). Running it suppressed so put an adjustable gas block on it. Five shot groups with best loads so far are better than 3/4 MOA. Not a fan of the trigger. Buddy dropped off one of his lowers to me this morning so I can try one of his Giessele HSNM triggers. If I don't love that, probably going to try a TriggerTech adaptable in it. But that creepy mushy 4.5 lb of hell RRA calls a National Match trigger and me just ain't going to get along, it's got to go.

- DAA

 

[I Lean]

Meh...decent radio will probably only cost 1/10 what your rifle did.

 

[mesha]

Meh...decent radio will probably only cost 1/10 what your rifle did.

Exactly. Well honey, I have money in the budget for a radio. I think I will buy a rifle instead, you know, since it is in the budget.

 

[DAA]

Exactly. Well honey, I have money in the budget for a radio. I think I will buy a rifle instead, you know, since it is in the budget.

It wasn't like that. It was more like... Well, it was more like, I'm just here to look around, how did this rifle end up coming home with me? No premeditation. It "just happened". So no chance for discussion .

Price was only about a hundred bucks different between the radio and the rifle. AR prices are at an all time low, the one I got was going for twice as much right before the election and guys waiting in line to get butt raped at that price. Dealers are lined up to get butt raped on their huge inventories, now. I'll definitely use the rifle at least ten times as often as the radio though .

- DAA

 

[I Lean]

Wait...you got an AR for $250ish? Where was that? (not that I need to buy one, but...)

 

[mesha]

Wait...you got an AR for $250ish? Where was that? (not that I need to buy one, but...)

Maybe he wants a more expensive radio than the ones we bought.

 

[DAA]

^^^^ Yup.

- DAA

 

[frieed]

It wasn't like that. It was more like... Well, it was more like, I'm just here to look around, how did this rifle end up coming home with me? No premeditation. It "just happened". So no chance for discussion . ...

that's why I need to stay away from welding supply stores

 

[mbryson]

Not to sidetrack the Ham thread too bad. But, briefly - RRA ATH, 18" 1/8, stainless match barrel, Wylde chamber. Mounted VX5 2-10 on it wth Bobro QD (so I can swap day scope for thermal). Running it suppressed so put an adjustable gas block on it. Five shot groups with best loads so far are better than 3/4 MOA. Not a fan of the trigger. Buddy dropped off one of his lowers to me this morning so I can try one of his Giessele HSNM triggers. If I don't love that, probably going to try a TriggerTech adaptable in it.....

You'll have to post about the mike and if you decide to go to an adjustable

 

[TurboMinivan]

Yaesu 7900 something or other.

and whatever antenna Dempsey recommended

I'm guessing that means the Larsen NMO2/70B.

Now I just need to have someone show me how to use it lol.

Reporting for duty! I will happily meet you at your house one evening so we can go over... well, whatever you wish to discuss. I can bring my programming cable for that radio, also.

Every person in the group of 8 or so had a HAM radio and it was so much better than CB.

Awesome. I love seeing people catch the ham radio fever. Hearing others blab on and on is one thing, but doing it yourself makes such a greater impact.

I should snag a new radio sometime but not sure where I’m at. I’ll probably just make my radio modular and move it from “Jeep” to tow rig?

My first mobile radio was a Yaesu FT-2900R, and I mounted it in my (then) Mazda Protege. I soon sold that radio and replaced it with a Yaesu FT-7900R dual band. I liked having it in the Protege since that was my primary driver, but when I would go on long-distance Jeep trips I'd want it in the Suburban... so I bought another mounting bracket, wiring kit and antenna for the Suburban. Moving the radio from one vehicle to the other only involved removing four screws, unplugging a few wires, and attaching/removing the faceplate from the radio (since I needed to remote mount it in the Suburban). It got to where I could make the move in only a couple minutes. So that is a viable option, so long as you don't mind the hassle.

 

[mesha]

I'm guessing that means the Larsen NMO2/70B.
Reporting for duty! I will happily meet you at your house one evening so we can go over... well, whatever you wish to discuss. I can bring my programming cable for that radio, also.

I was hoping you would chime in and offer some help.

Yes, that is the antenna I went with. Everyone I talked with said the antenna was super important, so I figured I would go with a nicer one.

I would love some help figuring out what this radio can do and how to do it.

 

[TurboMinivan]

Everyone I talked with said the antenna was super important

And in this case, everyone was right. It's been said before, but I will repeat it here: a mediocre radio with an excellent antenna will outperform an excellent radio with a mediocre antenna.

I would love some help figuring out what this radio can do and how to do it.

Well, I should have some free time this evening... and if anyone else here wants to get involved, I am fine with that.

 

[mesha]

That would be awesome. I would love to get some help.

When and where?
As far as the programming cable is concerned I don't have a PC computer. I don't think it will work with a MAC.

 

[TurboMinivan]

If it's just you, I am fine coming to your place. If there are others, I guess we'll need to ask what the group wants to do.

As for CHIRP, they do have a version that works with Mac. Check out this page and let me know what you think:

https://chirp.danplanet.com/projects/chirp/wiki/Download

 

[mesha]

It will let me download it, but I can't access it from my computer because it is a work computer and the file is not on the list of approved whatever. I will talk to the tech and see what I can work out.