Hello from Medway

[BcobboldParticipant]

Good evening all,

New to Ham and from an old original british CB era Used to have a Maxcom 4E and a Harrier later on.
I am currently having a Sirio Gainmaster 5/8 installed on the back of the house to compliment an extended CRTSS 6900V unit I have just purchased. It covers the CB range as well as switchable from 25.6Mhz to 30.1MhZ, so ready for future licences.
One question, in the CB world there is the channel ’14’ for a general chat or to ask if you are transmitting ok?, but I am reading this isnt done in the Ham world and you cant just ask generally like this?

Regards
Brian

• This topic was modified 2 months ago by Bcobbold.

[M0PWXParticipant]

Hi Brian

there is a similar mechanism with Ham Radio, you call CQ with your callsign and that lets others know you are available for a QSO (conversation), on repeaters you announce your callsign and “listening through” repeater callsign (e.g. gb3da, the danbury repeater Essexham use)

most bands and modes have the concept of a calling channel or centre of activity, do a search for rsgb bandplan 2m etc

are you currently studying for your foundation license or passed ?

73
Peter
M0PWX (not Pete M0PSX who runs this site)

[BcobboldParticipant]

Hello Peter,

Ah thank you for that, I recall some users used a couple of Q codes in the CB world years ago.
I am currently studying my Foundation and enjoying it.

Well he Antenna is up on the rear wall of the house, I have SWR’d it in using the old three channel method. and getting a good 1.2 average – helpful being located in a higher area of Medway?
Loads of noise and not much in the way of decipherable converstion on the air at present. a few crackly bits on CB frequencies, but it must not be as popular as it once was?

Regards
Brian.

[M0PWXParticipant]

if you listen to 144.9125 FM (mb7iok) its an internet gateway, normally connected to hubnet, depending on the time of day you will hear other hubnet users in North East UK, US and even Australia

https://ukrepeater.net/gateway_list.html?filter7=south-east

hubnet is one of the newer digital systems where last mile or two is RF but the interconnects are over the internet

you also have the MARTS morning net weekdays 09:30 to 10:30ish on 144.650fm, and the essexham monday net on GB3DA on 145.725fm 20:00-21:00ish monday evenings

other nets depending on how good and height of your antenna https://www.essexham.co.uk/essex-amateur-radio-nets

73
Peter
M0PWX (not Pete M0PSX who runs this site and ExssexHam)

• This reply was modified 2 months ago by M0PWX.

[BcobboldParticipant]

Ah, I can’t receive 2m in this unit.
I only have a CRT SS 6900v at home, dealer extended for 11m AM,FM, CB,USB,LSB. 25.6Mhz to 30Mhz along with the Gainmaster 5/8.

Looks like I will have to get a cheap 2m/70m unit as well, as I don’t have the money for a big yaesu or shack in the box, to cover all the bands.

Looking at the spec for the gainmaster antenna, it is no good for 2m as well as 11m? Looks like I need another antenna?
Oh well that was a waste, all a learning curve

Regards
Brian

• This reply was modified 2 months ago by Bcobbold.
• This reply was modified 2 months ago by Bcobbold.

[BcobboldParticipant]

In this age of modern technology, are there not units and antenna that can tune into all the bands, rather than need different antenna?

[M0PWXParticipant]

there is quite a lot of good traffic on the 10m band (28.00mhz – 29.80mhz) mainly in the 28.0-28.5 region which you should be able to get, especially as we are at maximum in the solar cycle, propagation is really good on 10m at the moment

antennas for 2m are easy to make, lookup ladder line J pole, or ladder line slim jim £10 of 300 ohm ladder line a few mtr’s of coax and a plug you are off and running, £40 for a baofeng UV5r or quansheng UV5k / UV5R+ and you are on 2m / 70cm FM

or you could spend the £40 on a RTLSDR.com Software defined radio dongle, so long as you have a laptop / pc to plug it into and then install SDR# (which is free) and you have recieve access to all HF, VHF, UHF and 23cm bands in AM, FM, SSB etc to work out what you want to listen to

make sure you get a genuine RTL-SDR.Com dongle, technofix are a UK distributor https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BMKZCKTF/

depending on how you are with electronics / construction /soldering there are lots of kits like the QMX or QDX from https://qrp-labs.com/ and get on the air with digital modes for under £100 ish

there are always options depending on the budget and time you have to make things

73

Peter
M0PWX (not pete M0PSX who runs this site and essex ham)

• This reply was modified 2 months ago by M0PWX.
• This reply was modified 2 months ago by M0PWX.

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