Hills + radio = fun!

[Robson Valley]

Sara, keep at it. Might as well use a global license.
CW is just a great deal of practice in my case.

Then there is the most venerable of QSO, the SKN = Straight Key Night.
Slow, straight key CW on most bands. No paddles, no computer tricks.
New Year's Eve if you have a mind to. I was on it a few times.

The ARRL still runs CW schools on 40m, I can't recall the frequency.

 

[SaraR]

Sara, keep at it. Might as well use a global license.
CW is just a great deal of practice in my case.

Then there is the most venerable of QSO, the SKN = Straight Key Night.
Slow, straight key CW on most bands. No paddles, no computer tricks.
New Year's Eve if you have a mind to. I was on it a few times.

The ARRL still runs CW schools on 40m, I can't recall the frequency.

It's not a requirement but seems very useful, plus I really struggle to hear voice over radios (always have) so CW would hopefully be clearer.

 

[santaman2000]

........The ARRL still runs CW schools on 40m, I can't recall the frequency.

I imagine the RSGB also does some training programs. And the RAC.

 

[Robson Valley]

Neat thing about CW is that you can tune the audio pitch to suit yourself.
Really chops HARD through the static, like night and day clarity.
When the skip was good, my old Yaesu FT901DM could talk to the world with 100W.

Things are really bad. I'll bet the caps in the final are dry and will short if I light it up.
I have no idea what I did with my 2M rig, it's in the house, somewhere.
Downstairs is an ICOM 80-6 HF rig in a box, somewhere.

 

[TeeDee]

I realise I also have a Baofeng UV-5R, and would like to upgrade the antenna.

@SaraR Is this the model you have Sara?

Bingfu Dual Band VHF UHF 136-520MHz Foldable CS: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Bingfu Dual Band VHF UHF 136-520MHz Foldable CS Tactical SMA Female Ham Radio Aerial Antenna Compatible with Kenwood Baofeng BF-F8HP UV-5R UV-82 Handheld CB Ham Radio Two Way Radio Walkie Talkie at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[SaraR]

I realise I also have a Baofeng UV-5R, and would like to upgrade the antenna.

@SaraR Is this the model you have Sara?

Bingfu Dual Band VHF UHF 136-520MHz Foldable CS: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Bingfu Dual Band VHF UHF 136-520MHz Foldable CS Tactical SMA Female Ham Radio Aerial Antenna Compatible with Kenwood Baofeng BF-F8HP UV-5R UV-82 Handheld CB Ham Radio Two Way Radio Walkie Talkie at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

I've got this one: Retevis RHD771 Walkie Talkie Antenna SMA-F Dual Band VHF UHF 144/430
and also the shorter RHD701
both these work fine but I've used the longer one most.
I've also got a 300ohm ladder-line slim jim antenna with 5 m RG58 coax made for use on 2m.

 

[MrEd]

Currently working towards my foundation licence

 

[santaman2000]

The potential for being able to send from some of the polar places I go for work is a strong motivator for me to contemplate progressing to Full. Don't really care about the Watts, but between SOTA and polar stations, being allowed to transmit abroad seems much more interesting.

How much farther abroad do you want to reach than Antarctica?

 

[Robson Valley]

10 Watts from some polar outpost? "Portable location" QTH in Ham-speak.
Any idea how valuable your QSO cards on CW will be? PURE bragging rights.
You gotta go. You gotta do this. Opportunity of a lifetime.

My Dad bought a National NC-57B 540kHz - 30MHz rcvr back in the early 1950's.
He was a bit of a long skip listener and SWL. I have that radio.
In the winter of 84/85, I used it to learn CW for my ham ticket.
Local club guys had nightly lessons, text from the local newspaper so you could check your copy.
I still have that radio.

Let's face it. Hams have been visiting across the globe for many decades.
The lock downs and current travel restrictions mean nothing at all.
It's radio! Political borders mean nothing at all. Satellites mean nothing at all. Never did.

One night, me and another city ham did a freak QSO.
I can't remember what the "transmission mode" was called.
We each had a laser pointer. We each had a telescopic rifle sight.
We did CW off low cloud that we both could see with the 'scopes.

 

[SaraR]

10 Watts from some polar outpost? "Portable location" QTH in Ham-speak.
Any idea how valuable your QSO cards on CW will be? PURE bragging rights.
You gotta go. You gotta do this. Opportunity of a lifetime.

My Dad bought a National NC-57B 540kHz - 30MHz rcvr back in the early 1950's.
He was a bit of a long skip listener and SWL. I have that radio.
In the winter of 84/85, I used it to learn CW for my ham ticket.
Local club guys had nightly lessons, text from the local newspaper so you could check your copy.
I still have that radio.

Let's face it. Hams have been visiting across the globe for many decades.
The lock downs and current travel restrictions mean nothing at all.
It's radio! Political borders mean nothing at all. Satellites mean nothing at all. Never did.

One night, me and another city ham did a freak QSO.
I can't remember what the "transmission mode" was called.
We each had a laser pointer. We each had a telescopic rifle sight.
We did CW off low cloud that we both could see with the 'scopes.

In one of the places, no transmitters (incl mobile phone and wifi!) are allowed, apart from a set or marine VHF radios. But in Longyearbyen (Svalbard) you can pay to use the local radio club's house and antennas, as long as you bring your own rig.

 

[SCOMAN]

10 Watts from some polar outpost? "Portable location" QTH in Ham-speak.
Any idea how valuable your QSO cards on CW will be? PURE bragging rights.
You gotta go. You gotta do this. Opportunity of a lifetime.

My Dad bought a National NC-57B 540kHz - 30MHz rcvr back in the early 1950's.
He was a bit of a long skip listener and SWL. I have that radio.
In the winter of 84/85, I used it to learn CW for my ham ticket.
Local club guys had nightly lessons, text from the local newspaper so you could check your copy.
I still have that radio.

Let's face it. Hams have been visiting across the globe for many decades.
The lock downs and current travel restrictions mean nothing at all.
It's radio! Political borders mean nothing at all. Satellites mean nothing at all. Never did.

One night, me and another city ham did a freak QSO.
I can't remember what the "transmission mode" was called.
We each had a laser pointer. We each had a telescopic rifle sight.
We did CW off low cloud that we both could see with the 'scopes.

That’s just ‘flashing light’ mate.

 

[Robson Valley]

Listed as an F6? F7? transmission mode (or something like that). Absolutely secure line of sight
in the military. Autotranscription and keep changing targets for burst transmissions.
Sorry. Too lazy to go down to my library, find the ARRL Handbook and look it up.

 

[stevec]

Hi Sara, are you on the sota reflector? Lots of good info on there. If you think your uv5r is suffering with front end overload on the summit take a look at sotabeams 2m helical filter.
I built a pfr3b as an m6 but couldn't use it of course. If you want to learn more code there are apps for your phone and there is a YouTube channel called lockdown Morse.
Have fun,
73 de Steve M0USX

 

[SaraR]

Hi Sara, are you on the sota reflector? Lots of good info on there. If you think your uv5r is suffering with front end overload on the summit take a look at sotabeams 2m helical filter.
I built a pfr3b as an m6 but couldn't use it of course. If you want to learn more code there are apps for your phone and there is a YouTube channel called lockdown Morse.
Have fun,
73 de Steve M0USX

Hi Steve, Yes, I am on the reflector (MW7SRA) already and I've got a sotabeam 2m BPF in the post .

I still wanted to get a better handheld, but thought the filter might come in useful anyway. I'm currently considering the Yaesu FT-70DE (overall great, but battery poor and a bit more than I'd like to spend and I don't necessarily need/want digital) and the Kenwood TH-K20E (2m monobander with very little online presence but what's there is good).

 

[stevec]

Nice callsign! One of the women in the club I belong to on gaining her full managed to get a reissue callsign of G5YL.
With regards to radios, you may want to consider saving up for a second hand FT817nd, with the 818 being released you may well find them for the 300-400 quid range, hopefully the lower end. It's what some term a shack in a box. Top band to 70cm am/FM/ssb/CW/data. Worth thinking about.

 

[SaraR]

Nice callsign! One of the women in the club I belong to on gaining her full managed to get a reissue callsign of G5YL.
With regards to radios, you may want to consider saving up for a second hand FT817nd, with the 818 being released you may well find them for the 300-400 quid range, hopefully the lower end. It's what some term a shack in a box. Top band to 70cm am/FM/ssb/CW/data. Worth thinking about.

A shack in the box radio was my original plan, but now with sota I'm thinking a handheld for now/backup and a lightweight HF rig, might be the way to go. I'll probably only work portable or from the garden, so might work better.

 

[Radioops]

Amateur radio
Out on the hills & moors with radio is part n parcel of being outdoors not only a great pass time and learning tool but could become a lifesaver.

 

[Damascus]

Sara, I’ve had my baofeng handie now for ten years, still not let me down only replaced the battery, the working parts are a copy of a kenwood handie, 4 times the price!
SOTA is good fun and keeps you fit, I use a yaesu ft817 for some time now and it’s a brilliant Radio for QRP (low power operating) self contained battery I seldom use, a small fire alarm battery 3ah which weighs very little and will last all day.
HF wise, 817, sloping wire on CW (morse) and good working signal to the Falkland Islands in a field in Norfolk!

keep at it and go for your intermediate licence, learn some more practical skills, build and use the kits, bought two from China for the grand some of £2.46 each including postage a couple of years ago and both work!

73
D

 

[SaraR]

Sara, I’ve had my baofeng handie now for ten years, still not let me down only replaced the battery, the working parts are a copy of a kenwood handie, 4 times the price!
SOTA is good fun and keeps you fit, I use a yaesu ft817 for some time now and it’s a brilliant Radio for QRP (low power operating) self contained battery I seldom use, a small fire alarm battery 3ah which weighs very little and will last all day.
HF wise, 817, sloping wire on CW (morse) and good working signal to the Falkland Islands in a field in Norfolk!

keep at it and go for your intermediate licence, learn some more practical skills, build and use the kits, bought two from China for the grand some of £2.46 each including postage a couple of years ago and both work!

73
D

Between the driving rain, lockdowns and family commitments, I haven’t had a chance to use my radios much, but I’m still trying to keep reading about it, to keep it fresh in my mind.

 

[mikehill]

I gave up all ham a couple of years ago due to all vhf and a lot of hf being full of idiots swearing all the time. Sounded just like cb. Has it improved recently ? I used to love doing sota.