2018 Unchainedpreppers Winter Radio Net

[JohnyMac]

I am posting this here rather than in the Radio Board because I know most will open it and respond.

Last year Unchainedpreppers started a bi-weekly radio net. It was every other Friday night and unfortunately was only attended by Jackalope, pkveazey, and me. As a matter of fact, often we had more none UP members show up to the net. LOL.

Anyhow, I am proposing we give it a try again.

The benefits is that we can test our ham skills, reach out to none UP hams, test our equipment, and for non-hams who have a SW (Short Wave) receiver, like a Grundig radio, to test their equipment.

To the folks who only have a SW receiver, wouldn't you like to see if it works in real time. How's your antenna? Do you know hoe to use all of the bells & whistles on your radio. You could even take part by using your computer. A email address would be given to send in your comments and questions which we would discuss during the net.

If there is an interest other than Jackalope, pkveazey, and I, we should give it a try again.

We would most likely use 75/80 or 160-meters. The frequency & an alternate along with date/time would be posted a week or so in advance.

So if you want to play write back as to what day/time would be best for you. I am good about every day of the week. Saturday would have to be after 2000 hrs eastern though. 

Any interest?

[pkveazey]

Sokay with me. I favor 80 meters but I can do 160 also. My dipole antenna is cut for 160 meters but I have trouble tuning to it. It seems to tune better at the upper end of 160. It tunes every band perfectly except the one its cut for. Hmmmmmm.... Maybe it has something to do with it drooping down about 10 feet from the ground. I would like to do it prior to Ruth's net on Sunday but a weekday is better than the weekend when all the "CORN TASTERS" are clogging up the airways. I participate in a 2 meter ARES net at 8PM on Wednesdays, so that would not be a good time for me.

[JohnyMac]

Cooool. What is a "corn taster" pkveazey?

[JoJo]

Cooool. What is a "corn taster" pkveazey?

I wood guess it is corn liqueur.

[pkveazey]

Its Ham Radio Slang for CONTESTOR. Those Nimrods will probably tie up the airways even during a disaster.

[CJS06]

I really need to read up and get or give myself a crash course in Radio......done in a language for radio morons (this guy right here).

I have some Boafengs that are set up so that we (family and a small group) can communicate on a couple of preset frequencies. That is the limit of my capabilities. They might as well be little Motorolas from the toy stor set on channel 1,2 or 3.   

I dont think I could speak intelligently about how we came up with the frequencies we set.

[Jackalope]

CJS, there is an Amateur Radio for Dummies book which outlines the essentials for obtaining your license: https://www.amazon.com/Ham-Radio-Dummies-Ward-Silver/dp/1118592115/ref=sr_1_1  I'm going to get a copy for my wife.

[JohnyMac]

CJS,
what Jackalope suggested is good. I and my 12-year-old (At the time) neighbor to get our Technical was the ARRL Technical License Manual.

The manual has all of the questions in the back. I would read a chapter and quiz myself until I was hitting 90% and then move on to the next chapter. A friend would read a chapter and then take the quize over and over again using a AP she downloaded.

While at a light, doctors office, conference call, etc. she would whip out her smart phone and take a quiz. The night she got her Technical License she got 35 correct out of 35 questions.

Remember you do not code anymore to get your license. 

[CJS06]

Jackalope and Johny thank you very much. This morning I was out getting some errands done and saw a Barnes and Noble.  They had a copy of the Dummies book so I picked it up.  I appreciate you guys.

As a non sequiter- it is scary how few bookstores there are any more. And on that not the damn Starbucks is bigger than any one section other than Teen or the classic Vinyl records. Hell keep the teens reading, at least they will be away from their phones for a little while.  Semi rant over.

Chris

[Kbop]

a few years (decades) ago, i had good luck with the ARRL books.
when i took over a support contract for my company, i added getting a ham license to our requirements for the job (working with radios).  The ARRL books and the Dummies books were the most commonly used by the techs (based on the expense reports i signed).  out of 20 odd people all had their licenses within a few months - I'll give em my thumbs up.

[JohnyMac]

Just think CJS... That long flight to STL and then home to Green