https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqmQ1CMrqkY
To raise a push poll you start by raising the collapsed poll with the antenna mounted. Secure the bottom and tie off the guys for that section. Push up the inter most section and tighten the locking screw, then the next section, and if there is 4 section the one closest to the outside pole goes up last.
They are push poles so push them up. These ham radio operators would have had a much better Field Day if they had known that little fact.
Oh well Amateur Radio Field Day is about learning what you can’t do as well as what you can do.
Many amateur radio operators are willing to assist when emergency ham radio communications are needed but few of these seem to realize that they can be a part of another group that assists the public by volunteering their time not only when there is a major disasters but also help during local distress and other mishaps that are not yet distress. The group I am speaking of is the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.
What Is The Coast Guard Auxiliary?
The CG Auxiliary is a uniformed volunteer arm of the US Coast Guard (“USCG”). It was established on June 23, 1939 and was called the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Because the Coast Guard had members in the Military Reserve program there was a need to change the name so February 19, 1941 CG Reserve became USCG Auxiliary (USCG
Aux). Members of the CG Aux are authorized to support the USCG in all missions other than those which involve direct engagement in law enforcement or military combat operations.
The Coast Guard is part of the U.S. Military Forces but it is not under the Department of Defense from 1967 to 2002 the Coast Guard was under The Department of Transportation then February 25, 2002 the Coast Guard was places under the Department of Homeland Security. The USCG reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. This places the USCG Aux also under the Department of Homeland Security and assisting to protect our boarders against terrorists.
What Does The Coast Guard Auxiliary Do Anyway?
To answer that question I am going to refer you to an excellent post by Rande Wilson on “COAST GUARD Auxiliary Live” the Official Blog of the U.S, Coast Guard Auxiliary found at http://live.cgaux.org/?p=707 . [Click Here To Read The Article].
What Can A Ham Radio Operator Do?
Communications is a key factor in any operation is communication and ham radio operators are communicators. A new protocol needs to be learned to use the radio when working with the Coast Guard but that is not difficult.
To learn more see the article by Wayne Spivak — KC2NJV posted on eHAM.net titled “The USCG Auxiliary is Looking for Amateur Radio Operators”. http://www.eham.net/articles/9598#comments [Click Here to Read The Article]
How to Join the Coast Guard Auxiliary
To join the USCG Aux you must be at least 17 years of age and a United States citizen.
If you can find where and when the closest Flotilla to you meets you can attend a meeting and they will help you.
If you have difficulties finding information on your local Flotilla contact the Coast Guard District Office. They will be able to assist you.
Astron 13.8 Volt Power Supply. Very stable and very reliable.
There are some Amateur radios today that are sold with the power supply built into them so all you have to do to obtain power is just plug the power cord into a wall socket. With the advent of solid state radios this has become less true then it was in the vacuum tube days. The reason this is true is because the modern radio can be built to run directly off the 12 volt power available in modern motor vehicles so to use them as a base station you can use a 120 VAC to 12 VDC power supply. One power supply can be used to run more then one radio.
Vacuum Tube Power Supply
In the days of vacuum tube radios we usually had to have a variety of voltages in a radio for it to operate. There was a 6 or 12 volt AC or DC supply to run the tube filaments. If it was a transceiver or transmitter there was a lower plus voltage needed to run the plate voltage in the receiver and lower amplifier states of the transmitter, this voltage would usually be around 250 volts to 300 volts DC. Transmitters and transceivers transmitter sections sometimes used a negative 100 to 200 volt bias supply and a 750 to 1,000 volt positive voltage for the final amplifier. These voltages varied from unit to unit so each piece of equipment had to have its own power supply to convert the 120 VAC home current to the necessary voltages. If they were used mobile then a power supply was necessary to convert the vehicle’s DC power to the voltages necessary to run the unit.
Now most modern ham transceivers are designed to run directly off the vehicle’s 12 volt system. Building an AC power supply inside the unit would not only increase its size but also its weight. All that is really needed is to add a 120 AC to 12 DC volts power supply to make a base radio out of it.
We call them 12 volt power supplies but they are really 13.8 volt power supplies. They will usually operate just fine with a voltage variation of 10 to 15 volts but I do not recommend pushing the limits.
We usually get real fussy about the voltage remaining the same and not changing at all between receive and transmit. But once you get use to how much a vehicle’s voltage can vary between when the engine is running and when it is off you will start loosing some of that paranoia. While I was working in commercial two way radio there were Motorola power supplies that would run at 15 volts when in receive and drop to 13.8 volts during transmit. The first few times I saw this I thought there was something wrong with the power supplies but finally I learned that it was just the characteristics of that power supply.
When choosing a power supply determine how much current the radio uses during transmit and be sure the power supply can deliver that current for an extended amount of time. If your power drain on an FM transmitter is 3 amperes (that is about a 30 watt transmitter [13.8 X 3 = 41.4 X .7 = 28.9 watts]) then a 5 ampere or higher power supply should be used. The power supply for a CW 30 watt output transmitter would be about the same as that of an FM transmitter.
AM and SSB transmitters with 30 watt output power need to be higher. An AM transmitter running 30 watts with no modulation can run as high as 45 watts on peak modulation. Power is needed not only for the lower RF stages but also for the audio portion which is far less efficient so peak current would be about 8 amperes so a 10 ampere power supply would be the minimum necessary for a 30 watt AM transmitter.
A 30 watt PEP SSB transmitter will run about 15 watts average power so it would draw about 3 amperes while transmitting with a peak of about 6 amperes. The power supply to run that transmitter would need to be about 8 amperes peak and 5 amperes continues duty.
These figures are based on a class C amplifier running at about 70 to 80 percent efficiency, class B amplifier running at about 50 percent efficiency and a class A amplifier running at about 25 percent efficiency then increasing the current by about 20 percent so the power supply is not running on the ragged edge. Just remember you can always use a power supply with a higher current ratting then necessary. These are minimum standards.
I have been asked several times what Web Hosting Company Ham’s Life uses.
The hosting company for Ham’s Life and all other sites used by Duncan’s Opportunities is Blue Host. I have tried other hosting companies but Blue Host is the best I have found yet.
When you call Blue Host Customer Service with a question they will stay with you and walk you through the problem or if it is an error that they need to clear they know what they are doing. They will explain things to you and not make you feel like a dummy.
The site platform used by hamslife.com is Word Press. It is an easy platform to work with and is extremely easy to put on a Blue Host account.
When I discontinued using another hosting company and moved the domain name over to Blue Host they added it to the hamslife.com account for free and no extra yearly or monthly charges. I can add as many sites as I want with no increase in my billing. Depending on the circumstances there may be a small one time fee.
So if you are looking for a web hosting company to host your ham radio blog, amateur radio store, or any other web site I can highly recommend Blue Host.
(Learn more Click on the banner below.)
When I write this blog it is not about me it is about you. Ham radio has such a wide facet of topics and I try to touch on as many as I can so as to hopefully give something of interest to everybody.
The problem is, as it goes now, I am looking at a one way mirror you can see me and I can see my reflection but I can’t see you. The only way I can see you is for you to leave comments so I can know something about you.
So I am going to offer a challenge. I challenge you, not the others that are reading this, I am challenging you to write a comment and tell me how long you have been a ham and if you are not a ham how long have you been interested in ham radio. Tell me your favorite mode of operation and your favorite band. Finally tell me something you would like to see on this blog.
Now consider yourself challenged. Wait no consider yourself dared. I dare you to write that comment in fact I double dog dare you. There if that doesn’t get you to writing I don’t know what will.
73
Ham Sphere has a way you can add a virtual amateur radio transceiver to your computer. After installing you can communicate with thousands of ham radio operators and radio enthusiasts around the world. The cost is 30 Euros a year (about $41.32 USD).
There is a free test period so I tried it out. It is very realistic and would be great for some hams that have a limited space to put up an antenna farm but it is a virtual ham radio transceiver and not real. I couldn’t seem to get over that virtual radio concept. I have no complaint with the product it works very well. If you think you might enjoy DXing with your computer then give it a free trial and see.
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page they have ham radio blogs and if you wish you can start your own blog.
You can find Ham Sphere at: http://www.hamsphere.com/
I am a rag chewer. I will talk to someone across the street, the other side of town, the next town over, or where ever. I will work DX if I happen to stumble across a DX station but it is very rare for me to look for DX. One of the great thing about ham radio is we can find our own little niche.
Some hams are big time into working DX and as I was doing a little research I found a site I think many of you DX fans will enjoy. It is http://www.hamradionews.net/ . Go ahead and check it out it has some interesting information even if you are a non DX chaser like me. I enjoyed it.
73
Paul, N6XVL with white cane organizes the ham participation in the Veteran’s Day parade each year the girl on his left is Ellie KJ6KZP she is also helping with the parade communication.
Ham radio is not an inalienable right! The privileges of ham radio have been suspended in United States of America during war and they can be permanently taken away in the future if we do not continue to prove our value. Part 97.1 of the Federal Communications Commission describes the basis and purpose of Amateur Radio within its jurisdiction (USA). Other countries would most likely have a similar statement in their Amateur Radio service rules and regulations.
Net Control Station for MS walk at Sam Brannon Park, Yuba City
FCC 97.1 tells us that (I summaries) the purposes amateur radio is to provide noncommercial communications, particularly emergency communications. To advance radio art, advance skills in communications and technical phases of radio, provide an existing reservoir of trained radio operators, technicians, and electronics experts, and to enhance international goodwill. Though personal enjoyment is not prohibited it is not included in the purpose.
In times past it was fairly easy to prove the importance of ham radio to society but today with cell phones, advanced electronics, and internet service it is harder for non-hams to see the importance. Politicians are fed by the public so it is the public that must be convinced that we provide an important service to society. We know the value of our service but how can we show the public our importance?
To prove our importance to the public we must be in front of the public doing what we do best, communicating. One of the best ways of doing this is by finding local activities that can be enhanced by our presence. Parades provide an excellent chance to do this by helping keep all the groups coordinated
Ron, W6KJ West Coast Representative for the ARRL helps with the Veterans Day parade.
through ham radio. Many other communities can also provide opportunity such as bike rides, trail hikes, street fairs, and any other activity where there may be the need of medical help, break down assistance, or coordination between people located in different areas of the activity.
Such activities not only helps us to be in the public eye but it also enhances our abilities and hone our skills so when the real emergency comes we will be ready.
The answer to the question in the title might depend on how you are going to be using the batteries when deciding which is the best battery for your application. Maybe I should be clear that I am not speaking about rechargeable batteries which we use the most in our amateur radio equipment. But sometimes we need to use a dry cell battery pack because it will be difficult to recharge batteries where we need to use our handheld radios. Also most of us do not use rechargeable batteries in our flashlights and a flashlight should be a definite part of your emergency operations go kit.
Now back to the question. If it will be convenient to carry lots of batteries to use then the batteries that cost less might be best but in order for them to be considered to cost less you need to determine the cost per milliwatt hour (milliwatt hours divided by the cost).
Another consideration is the shelf life of a battery. It is very probable that the batteries will sit for a few years with either little or no use. You want to be sure they are working ad in good condition before they are needed.
An article on resent research gives some interesting insight into the problem. The information is limited and it is just about AA batteries the article does have some value in selecting batteries.
To read the article [CLICK HERE]
Coast Guard Radio Operations
The net was finished and the net control concluded the session by giving his call sign and saying, “over and out.” Now maybe it is no big deal but to me it is worse then the sound of fingernails on a blackboard. (I am sorry but maybe some of you younger hams don’t know what that sounds like. The only way I can explain it is to say that most people find it very unpleasant and that is a gross understatement.)
Pro-words are those common expressions we use to express an aspect of communications. These words include over, wait, wait out, this is, out, I say again, and many more. We are fairly relaxed about the use of these words on the ham bands but having been trained, as I was, in military communications where the protocol is very ridged some miss uses can really grind against the grain.
Coast Guard Radio Operators from 1950′s
Over means I have finished with what I am going to say this transmission and I am listening for what you have to say. The communications are not finished with the word over.
Out means communications are finished and I do not expect any response to this transmission.
When the two are said together at the end of a transmission the expression would mean,”I have completed this transmission and waiting for your reply and the communications are completed and no answer is expected.)
Roger means I have received and accept responsibility for the message or information you sent. So saying roger out is an acceptable use of these pro-words.
Another legitimate pro-word that I can’t remember ever hearing on the ham bands and as a Radioman in the Coast Guard I never heard or used is the pro-word wilco. Wilco is a contraction that means will comply.The reason I never used wilco as a radioman in the CG is because I was not in a position to comply but roger I had received the message and will take responsibility to pass it on to another who is able to comply. Wilco out is a proper expression but roger and wilco are never used together.
In the movies and on TV you may hear “roger wilco over and out” which is a
Ham Radio Operator
really foolish erroneous combination of words. It would mean, “I have received the message and will accept responsibility to pass it to proper authority to comply, I will comply, I have concluded my transmission and will stand by for your reply,and this communications is concluded thus I expect no reply.”
Oh well that is just one of my little pet peeves that I had to get off my chest. Now it is off and I feel better.
What is a special interest of yours in ham radio that you might like to see posted here? Maybe there is something you would like to get off your chest that is in the area of ham radio. Use the comment section and let me know. If there is something you would like to post and you don’t have your own blog then you can either put it in the comment section or you can email it to me at wa6ohp@yahoo.com and if it is about ham radio and I like it I will post it and give you credit.
