Ham radio

[Carcano 14]

Thanks. So I can listen to them but obviously not talk to them unless I get into 10m. Correct?

 

No, the VHF and UHF frequencies below are linked to the 10m repeater so if you can access one of these VHF/UHF "links" you will come over the 10m repeater. So far people are accessing the 10m repeater using these VHF and UHF frequencies:

 

Frequency:       Offset:        City:                  Callsign (of the repeater):       Tones:        County:                         Notes:

 

146.460                *              NY       Pomona        N2ACF                          114.8 77.0   Rockland     *Input: 147.460 (+1 MHz)  

146.625                -              NY       Woodbourne W2FLA                          94.8 94.8   Sullivan        

445.900                -              NY       Washingtonville KQ2H                        82.5 67.0   Orange        

447.525                -              NY       Wurtsboro KQ2H                                82.5 82.5   Sullivan        

449.175                -              NY       Woodstock KQ2H                                    82.5     Ulster        

449.225                -             NY        Stamford KQ2H                                  82.5 67.0   Delaware     Part time  

449.225                -             NY        Manhattan KQ2H                                 82.5 67.0   New York     Part time  

 

 

EDIT: Hard to read so here is a link to the site (scroll down halfway to KQ2H Net): http://www.nyrepeaters.com/enynets.htm

[Newtonian 453]

No, the VHF and UHF frequencies below are linked to the 10m repeater so if you can access one of these VHF/UHF "links" you will come over the 10m repeater. So far people are accessing the 10m repeater using these VHF and UHF frequencies:

 

Frequency:       Offset:        City:                  Callsign (of the repeater):       Tones:        County:                         Notes:

 

146.460                *              NY       Pomona        N2ACF                          114.8 77.0   Rockland     *Input: 147.460 (+1 MHz)  

146.625                -              NY       Woodbourne W2FLA                          94.8 94.8   Sullivan        

445.900                -              NY       Washingtonville KQ2H                        82.5 67.0   Orange        

447.525                -              NY       Wurtsboro KQ2H                                82.5 82.5   Sullivan        

449.175                -              NY       Woodstock KQ2H                                    82.5     Ulster        

449.225                -             NY        Stamford KQ2H                                  82.5 67.0   Delaware     Part time  

449.225                -             NY        Manhattan KQ2H                                 82.5 67.0   New York     Part time  

 

 

EDIT: Hard to read so here is a link to the site (scroll down halfway to KQ2H Net): http://www.nyrepeaters.com/enynets.htm

Wowowow. I had been listening to (I presume) the Woodbourne repeater on 146.625, but on 146.620

 

Can I really be hooking up with a repeater that's about 65 miles away?? As I may have mentioned I'm at around 750' elevation, and being in the Catskills the repeater might be at 2-3-4,000 feet for all I know. I have a clear view to the north. 

 

Thanks!

[Carcano 14]

Wowowow. I had been listening to (I presume) the Woodbourne repeater on 146.625, but on 146.620

 

Can I really be hooking up with a repeater that's about 65 miles away?? As I may have mentioned I'm at around 750' elevation, and being in the Catskills the repeater might be at 2-3-4,000 feet for all I know. I have a clear view to the north. 

 

Thanks!

 

Yes you can, I worked a repeater that was 90-95 miles away and I was at sea level while the repeater was up around 2,000 feet (mountain range).

 

I forget but how many watts and what antenna are you using?

[Newtonian 453]

I'm using a Nagoya, looks like a 1/4 wave antenna but I just measured it and it's only like 14". Quarter wave should be about 20 inches no?

 

Bought a half-wave 2m antenna but am waiting and waiting and waiting for the connector. 

 

Watts? What's a Watt? Only kidding. I got my license a month ago and have still not made a contact. When I get up the nerve nobody's out there. It's lonely up here in Sussex Cty.

[Silence Dogood 468]

Taking the Technician test 1/19.

[djg0770 481]

Wowowow. I had been listening to (I presume) the Woodbourne repeater on 146.625, but on 146.620

 

Can I really be hooking up with a repeater that's about 65 miles away?? As I may have mentioned I'm at around 750' elevation, and being in the Catskills the repeater might be at 2-3-4,000 feet for all I know. I have a clear view to the north. 

 

Thanks!

 

I have hit this repeater from the Jersey Shore, just outside Asbury Park, with a 4 watt Baofeng successfully.  It's a very small area where I can actually hit that repeater down there but I can hit it...

[Newtonian 453]

I have hit this repeater from the Jersey Shore, just outside Asbury Park, with a 4 watt Baofeng successfully.  It's a very small area where I can actually hit that repeater down there but I can hit it...

I was listening today and one of the guys commented that "we are being heard all around the world." Pretty amazing.

 

One month in and I'm still looking for my first QSO.

[Carcano 14]

I was listening today and one of the guys commented that "we are being heard all around the world." Pretty amazing.

 

One month in and I'm still looking for my first QSO.

 

Give it a go! You should be able to hit the repeater from your location.

 

Also I looked in my old logs and actually heard that repeater on 10m in Jamaica (2010) never tried to work repeaters on 10m at the time but darn I wish I did.

[djg0770 481]

sorry - when I meant "this repeater" I failed to include the link for the repeater I was talking about. 

[Carcano 14]

sorry - when I meant "this repeater" I failed to include the link for the repeater I was talking about. 

 

The 146.625 machine, right?

[djg0770 481]

The 146.625 machine, right?

 

http://www.qsl.net/mcarv/RACES/ws2q.htm

146.895

[W2MC 1,699]

I can be found drive times on the 145.29 machine in South Jersey (-, PL 91.5)

 

W2MC

[Silence Dogood 468]

Passed Technician Exam last night.  Missed one I think.

[jtd771 18]

Passed Technician Exam last night.  Missed one I think.

Congrats!!!  While it's fresh in your memory start trying the practice exams for General.  I don't think the general exam was much tougher and found some of the material from Technician carried over or assisted in understanding the General.

[Carcano 14]

Passed Technician Exam last night.  Missed one I think.

 

Congrats! soon you will have a call sign and be ready to go.

 

Study for the General since it will give you a good amount of HF to work.

 

Again, congrats

[Newtonian 453]

I got my license more than a month ago. Bought a Bofeng handheld. I was not expecting miracles but I have not yet had a QSO and I go on every day. Was listening in on the SCARC net tonight and the whole time I was on nobody asked if anyone would like to break in and say hi. The moderator kept going around the circle. Is that normal? Being ignorant of etiquette I didn't feel like just jumping in.

 

But it doesn't matter. I have no idea how to use this radio. I'm not an idiot but I just can't figure it out. I read the manual 4-5 times a week but can't figure out how to program everything I need in there. There's no "This Is What You Do When You Find A Repeater You Want To Reach" page. Plenty of definitions in the manual, but no instructions.

 

If anyone has a link to a decent primer on this thing, the BF-F8HP, I'd much appreciate if you could provide it.

[Carcano 14]

I got my license more than a month ago. Bought a Bofeng handheld. I was not expecting miracles but I have not yet had a QSO and I go on every day. Was listening in on the SCARC net tonight and the whole time I was on nobody asked if anyone would like to break in and say hi. The moderator kept going around the circle. Is that normal? Being ignorant of etiquette I didn't feel like just jumping in.

 

But it doesn't matter. I have no idea how to use this radio. I'm not an idiot but I just can't figure it out. I read the manual 4-5 times a week but can't figure out how to program everything I need in there. There's no "This Is What You Do When You Find A Repeater You Want To Reach" page. Plenty of definitions in the manual, but no instructions.

 

If anyone has a link to a decent primer on this thing, the BF-F8HP, I'd much appreciate if you could provide it.

 

After the moderator (actually referred to as "net control") stops transmitting say your call sign, they will likely acknowledge it

 

I will look over the manual in the afternoon and see if I can write you a crude primer.

[Newtonian 453]

After the moderator (actually referred to as "net control") stops transmitting say your call sign, they will likely acknowledge it

 

I will look over the manual in the afternoon and see if I can write you a crude primer.

Thanks, but you don't have to do that! I know all the menu operations believe it or not. I just set up a new entry for 147.300 on Ch 13. I put in the frequency, +600 kHz offset, and the tone. When I press the button and say "KD2HPQ listening" nothing happens, ever. I actually did try to break in at one point last night but nobody heard me. 

[GrumpyOldRetiree 38]

Thanks, but you don't have to do that! I know all the menu operations believe it or not. I just set up a new entry for 147.300 on Ch 13. I put in the frequency, +600 kHz offset, and the tone. When I press the button and say "KD2HPQ listening" nothing happens, ever. I actually did try to break in at one point last night but nobody heard me. 

After you shout out your call sign, does the repeater "light up"? If you are within range of the repeater and it doesn't turn on (your radio's receiver should turn on) after you release the PTT key, then there is likely something wrong in your settings. I have several Baofeng  BF-F8HPs. Great HT for the $$$ but easy to make a mistake when manually programming it. It was alot easier, quicker and error free after I bought the programming cable. (avoid the $6-$10 Polific cable, get the $15-$20 FTTI cable)

 

At the risk of stating the obvious, some vhf/uhf radio resources:

 

repeaterbook.com

miklor.com (great Baofeng resource page)

There is an "Unofficial Baofeng Programming page" that is much better then Baofeng's documentation, but I can't locate it at the moment.

Chirp software (use with programming cable)

[Newtonian 453]

After you shout out your call sign, does the repeater "light up"? If you are within range of the repeater and it doesn't turn on (your radio's receiver should turn on) after you release the PTT key, then there is likely something wrong in your settings. I have several Baofeng  BF-F8HPs. Great HT for the $$$ but easy to make a mistake when manually programming it. It was alot easier, quicker and error free after I bought the programming cable. (avoid the $6-$10 Polific cable, get the $15-$20 FTTI cable)

 

At the risk of stating the obvious, some vhf/uhf radio resources:

 

repeaterbook.com

miklor.com (great Baofeng resource page)

There is an "Unofficial Baofeng Programming page" that is much better then Baofeng's documentation, but I can't locate it at the moment.

Chirp software (use with programming cable)

Thanks, I'll check those out.

 

Does CHIRP allow over-writing various values directly? I know that's much harder to do on the keypad.

[djg0770 481]

Yes chirp allows that.

 

My noob guess is that you failed to program the PL for the repeater.  It's like a key for the door lock on the repeater.

 

I have a UV-5RE, and the programming cable.  If you want to borrow the cable, I believe it will work with your device, let me know.

[jtd771 18]

I got my license more than a month ago. Bought a Bofeng handheld. I was not expecting miracles but I have not yet had a QSO and I go on every day. Was listening in on the SCARC net tonight and the whole time I was on nobody asked if anyone would like to break in and say hi. The moderator kept going around the circle. Is that normal? Being ignorant of etiquette I didn't feel like just jumping in.

 

But it doesn't matter. I have no idea how to use this radio. I'm not an idiot but I just can't figure it out. I read the manual 4-5 times a week but can't figure out how to program everything I need in there. There's no "This Is What You Do When You Find A Repeater You Want To Reach" page. Plenty of definitions in the manual, but no instructions.

 

If anyone has a link to a decent primer on this thing, the BF-F8HP, I'd much appreciate if you could provide it.

Are you using the built in mic or the hand held mic plugged into the radio?  I found on my Baofeng UV-5R that sometimes the connection between the plug in mic and radio isn't perfect and thus no one can hear me talk.  

[Newtonian 453]

Are you using the built in mic or the hand held mic plugged into the radio?  I found on my Baofeng UV-5R that sometimes the connection between the plug in mic and radio isn't perfect and thus no one can hear me talk.  

I'm using the built-in mic. You're correct the connection with the plug-in is tenuous unless you drive it in with a mallet.

 

I've decided to start with a blank slate. Deleted all my channels, installed CHIRP. I'll have some time later to plug it in and set up a bunch of repeaters.

 

Would anyone here be interested in trying simplex with me at some point, just so I can see if the danged thing is working? I'm sure it is and that the problem is with me.

[Newtonian 453]

Yes chirp allows that.

 

My noob guess is that you failed to program the PL for the repeater.  It's like a key for the door lock on the repeater.

 

I have a UV-5RE, and the programming cable.  If you want to borrow the cable, I believe it will work with your device, let me know.

Thanks. The cable was included with my device.

 

I just found a really good resource on this subject. Can't wait to check it out later.

[W2MC 1,699]

I also suspect the PL was not set.

 

Essentially, "PL" was originally a Motorola patent method to simulate a "Private Line" (hence PL) on an open channel/frequency.  Its a collection of relatively precise undertone frequencies....that's why you will hear "PL 91.5, or 127.3", etc.

 

The idea behind it is that the receiver / transmitter is set so that it listens for a tone at these precise frequencies and only turns "on" when it hears that precise tone frequency. 

 

Yeah, its a scam - its not really a "Private Line", but it worked for Motorola for about two decades.  Its still working for a lot of FM communication to reduce interference between different radios, repeaters, and networks.

[Silence Dogood 468]

Congrats! soon you will have a call sign and be ready to go.

 

Study for the General since it will give you a good amount of HF to work.

 

Again, congrats

 

Thanks all, I plan to roll right into General.  Got 60% on a General practice exam before even studying.  I have both 2M and HF rigs.

[Newtonian 453]

Baofeng: Unmystified!

 

 

Glitch in the user manual. Now when I listen on 147.300 and press transmit the display reads 147.900 as it should.

 

But I still don't get anybody

 

You have to save both Rx and Tx in the same channel.

[djg0770 481]

Yes you do. You also have to set the PL. I have to look at the "manual" cause they call it something else.

 

http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/pdf/uv-5r_v1.0-annotated_by_KC9HI.pdf

 

go to pdf page 59, white page 51 entitled "11 R-CTCS - Receiver CTCSS"  You need to turn the CTCSS "ON" AND you need to select the code corresponding to 151.4 which should be #25

 

By the way - this is MUCH easier with Chirp...  Once you get chirp and a cable, go to the top menu entitled "Radio" and select "Query Data Source" and select "Repeater book".  A window will pop up, select 2 meter and Sussex county and it will show you nine repeaters in Sussex, several of which are W2LV.  You can then import that data directly into your radio.

[Newtonian 453]

Yes you do. You also have to set the PL. I have to look at the "manual" cause they call it something else.

 

http://www.miklor.com/uv5r/pdf/uv-5r_v1.0-annotated_by_KC9HI.pdf

 

go to pdf page 59, white page 51 entitled "11 R-CTCS - Receiver CTCSS"  You need to turn the CTCSS "ON" AND you need to select the code corresponding to 151.4 which should be #25

 

By the way - this is MUCH easier with Chirp...  Once you get chirp and a cable, go to the top menu entitled "Radio" and select "Query Data Source" and select "Repeater book".  A window will pop up, select 2 meter and Sussex county and it will show you nine repeaters in Sussex, several of which are W2LV.  You can then import that data directly into your radio.

I was originally going to post about today's lost afternoon with CHIRP. But my experience was so negative I decided not to. As you all know I'm a 100% positive sort of guy

 

Bottom line is I went through the drill but got an error screen at the end. Re-did everything, even reset my radio, but still got the error message. Another weird thing happened. Programmed in 147.300 but when all was said and done 147.250 comes up. I must have pressed the frequency direction key at some point. 

[GrumpyOldRetiree 38]

Newtonian:

 

I also had many wasted hours trying to get this all to work, but once everything worked, CHIRP was definitely worth the trouble.

Everything I write below is based on my experiences using Windows 7. With other OS's ...YMMV.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the programming cable with the Prolific chipset is problematic (but still useable). It requires a very specific, older version (Vista) driver to work and

Windows keeps fighting you because it wants to update the driver to the latest registered Prolific driver. You can use this cable, but every time you plug the cable in you have to go into Device Manager

and switch the driver to the older Vista driver. Additionally, you have to verify that the comport setting in Chirp matches the comport that Windows assigns when you inserted the USB end of the cable.

The FTDI cable "just works" (although you still have to verify comport assignment if you plug cable into different USB port on computer).

 

Secondly, when I started using CHIRP, the stable version DID NOT support the BF-F8HP. I had to download the newest Development build of CHIRP for it to recognize the radio. This might have changed since then.

 

Finally, the first time you use CHIRP with a specific radio model, you should "Read from Radio" to get the exact field and settings list that that radio supports. This gives you a perfect template for writing back to the radio.

The generic, blank table that CHIRP offers doesn't work too well.

 

Keep plugging away...it will be worth the effort.