New Ham Rig on the way!

[DZRT]

Just ordered an Yaesu FT8800. I'm thinking ahead to the Fat Tire run and maybe I could help with comms (ok maybe that is an excuse to order it ) and even for someday when I pursue S&R. It's just time to get one. It's been years since I've played ham and I miss it. I was really active long, long ago. I could talk all day about my old ham stories.

After hours of research I'm burned out on looking at antennas and mounts. I was thinking about a Comet C767 just cause the Jeep guys like it. I'm not sure about the mount. Who knows... maybe I'll drill holes!
What are people using for mounts and antennas on the X's? (and no, I'm not getting a tire carrier just for an antenna  ). Any good websites for advice?

I need to get a CB too, only ‘cause that is what most people use out on the trails. (you must speak the language of the majority). Do people use SSB or would an SSB radio be a waste? What antennas and mounts are popular for CB?

BTW too, I often wondered if any of you in the club might like help with getting your ham ticket...

[defibvt]

Adam had a good set up on his Gen II that I copied.  Unfortunately both of those examples are gone.  Maybe Adam can chime in. 

As for my ham ticket I would love to get and get into that arena unfortunately time is extremely short for me at this time.  I will keep that offer in mind though.

[gumybob]

I was wanting to get a HAM Radio and saw a thread somewhere that said they were going to do a group buy, they would get the Freq's opened up more and power increased at the shop, also came with a antenna.  But for the life of me, I can't find the site with the Thread.  I thought it was Rowinwheelers.com but checked and couldn't find it.  I'm always on nissan4wheelers.com and I don't remember it there.  Anyone see the thread I am thinking of?

On the other questions, yes I would like to get a license, how hard is it.  Can you give us the answers?

[DZRT]

I do my own radio mods, so no prob on that.

My radio is already here! But I still haven’t picked out an antenna and mount yet. I haven’t had time to research what is going to work best on the X.

As for the test being hard... that depends on you and your background. I took the test over... err... over 10 years ago. There are small changes since and the requirements are less, but pretty much radio is radio and you still have to know stuff.

I went to an ARRL sponsored prep class once a week for 8 weeks. I think I spent about an hour a night for that 8 weeks studying. At the time didn’t I have a technical background at all and I had no one to help me. The hardest topics are ones you have to memorize. I remember the hardest was memorizing what bands were what freqs and what freqs were what modes and what license classes could transmit where. But you'll just have to accept that. Plus, this knowledge helps tremendously when you talking ham stuff with other hams. Propagation was fun to learn. Antennas were fascinating. Laws and protocol were common sense. I had to learn all the electronics at the time (no prior knowledge). But having that background helped me when I went to electronics school in the Navy 3 years later and then getting my degree in electronics after that. Ham Radio has been the most perfect foundation for what came later in my life.

I wasn’t a very good student back then but I passed the test the first time. I made lots of flash cards, read a few books and sat at the kitchen table memorizing a little bit here and there. You couldn’t ask Google for help back then, so books (and the class) were all I had. One of the books I got was Now Your Talking! Excellent book! I highly recommend.  I think it’s ok to get old books off Half.com for really cheap, ‘cause like I said, radio is radio and unless God has changed science. Just be sure to find at least one new source (maybe like an online question pool) for new laws and sort that has changed over the years. Also, what really got me excited was QST and CQ magazines. But now that we have Google, I bet there is so much out there to help with studying.

Well, I can talk all day about what happens next (hams can talk you know). After getting my license, I was scared and shy (I mean I was only 20 and had no ham influence). I didn’t say a word for 2 weeks. Finely got the nerve up to transmit. Then after that... all my friends were hams. Everything I did was ham. I joined this club and that club. I did DART (Disaster Armature Radio Team), I worked with the Red Cross, I did Field Day, I did T-hunting every week religiously, I worked the Rose Parade. I built antennas, I talked on the “red eye net” every night, I dreamt up different ways to mod my car with my crazy equipment, I talked “maritime mobile” and that I was bad shit for it. AND I got pulled over for my antennas. AND I lost antennas on the freeway. AND yes, I even worked for a ham radio distributor.

And then… I went in the Nav. I've been kinda quiet even since. 

As for the answers, Gumybob... yes, I believe you can get the answers off the Internet. What do you think this is 1995?

[gumybob]

I would expect you to give us all the answers.  I was a Fire Control 2nd Class in the Navy, so I do have a electronics backgroud.  I have been in Cable TV and I am currently a Lead Technicial Support Engineer for Qwest... but I hate studying so I prefer to get the answers and memorize them.   

Will search for that thread that was going to do a group purchase and see if they already did it.  If they haven't I will let everyone here know.

Thanks...

[DZRT]

Well FC2, just refresh yourself on your "Bad Boys "Ravage" Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly" and "The Eagle flies over the Indian and the River" and you'll do find in the electronics part. LOL!

[Onix]

Gumybob this is a good start for what you are looking for.

http://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0


I think this is where i saw the group buy.

[Onix]

http://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/forum/index.php?topic=594.0

Try the test.

[gumybob]

Well FC2, just refresh yourself on your "Bad Boys "Ravage" Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly" and "The Eagle flies over the Indian and the River" and you'll do find in the electronics part. LOL!

WOW.... blast from the past...   

Thanks guys, I will look over the other links...

[defibvt]

Anyone know Greek. Because I just got lost.  Must be the heat.

[Onix]

Anyone know Greek. Because I just got lost.  Must be the heat.

http://www.ringsworld.com/greekinfosite/

[Onix]

Just trying to help Scott!

[defibvt]

It is all good.  My head cold isn't helping much. LOL 

[AZ-Ted]

Brenda, as for antennas, radios, and such, you might want to check out Apollo Communications at 43rd Ave and Northern.  The owner is super knowledgable, and he has all kinds of HAM, CB, and Marine radios and antennas.  I bought my CB and Antenna there, and they did the install, as well.

[DZRT]

Wow, Apollo Communications is at 43rd and Northern??? I just went to Ham Radio Outlet yesterday at their new location at 43rd and Peoria. They could loan sugar to each other. Maybe if HRO had to move, they should have moved out to 83rd Ave instead. 

Thanks for the recommendation, Ted.

Anyway, John at HRO was great. I took up about an hour of his time asking questions. We shot the chit about the truck and what would work well for it. Ended up getting a Diamond trunk lip mount for 79 bucks. I told him that I needed an antenna that was going to take abuse and that I was reading that guys on the forums seem to carry two antennas, one low pro and one tall. He suggested a 10 dollar 1/4 wave Larson, which I think is 19 inches. This way, I won’t cry to much if bust it. So I got that. This will work prefect for wheeling under trees, talking truck to truck and talking around town. I was also getting ready to walk out with a Diamond  SG 7900with 5dB/7.6dB at 62 inches which was like 110 bucks (I think). John kept looking at me and shaking his head... You’re going to bust it... He's right, I would. But boy was it pretty. I really need to see if I can something with a spring.

(Did I just call an antenna pretty)

Wally installed the radio and antenna yesterday. Nice, clean install. But I can't get out yet (can't transmit). I startled myself awake in the middle of the night last night... "I forgot to cut the antenna! duh." So I hope that's all it is.

I'll post up install pics soon.

And I picked up a noob licensing book for anyone of you who are serious. I figured that someone would want it. I also picked up CQ and QST magazines if anyone wants to borrow them too. Let me know and I'll let you borrow them... you must be serious though.

And about licensing... like I don't have enough on my plate with Dog school and my school... I see that the Thunderbird Radio Club is having General License classes starting at the end of the month... I just might look in to that for myself. If they have general classes, I'm sure that someone 'round here would have noob (Technician License) classes too. I'll keep my ears open for that.