Author Topic: Getting started in Radio Communications.  (Read 2379 times)

Offline pkveazey

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Getting started in Radio Communications.
« on: October 27, 2016, 11:12:42 PM »
There are about a gazillion ways to approach radio communications. My recommendation is to keep things simple. You can buy a $500 dollar 100 Watt radio or a $5,000 dollar 100 watt radio. What's the difference? As far as transmit goes there is very little difference. A hundred watts is a hundred watts, no matter what radio it comes out of. There can be quite a bit of difference on the receive end. I personally have chosen an ICOM 718 as my radio of choice. If it quits, I haven't broken the bank when replacing it. If I can hear them I can work them. I've seen people try every kind of antenna you can imagine. After trying a bunch of home brew antennas, I have concluded that a 160 meter dipole and a good antenna tuner competes quite well with most other antennas. Now, for the controversial: An antenna tuner only makes the radio think the antenna is correct. WRONG. What you want is a resonant antenna system. If the antenna is resonant all by itself, that's great. If its not, then an antenna tuner will correct it and complete a resonant circuit. That's why the receive gets better when you use a tuner to resonate the antenna. Well, that doesn't do anything for the Transmit. WRONG. Tuning the antenna system creates a resonant circuit. Therefore, it does improve the transmit. I could go all technical on you and after about an hour you'd see why I'm right. However, a well resonated antenna system is a bit better than one using a tuner. Now we move on to BALUNS. Baluns have a place when used with any antenna that needs more than a 1 to 1 balun. Such as a 3 to 1, 4 to 1, or 6 to 1 balun. A 1 to 1 Balun is used when you want to match a 75 ohm antenna to a 52 ohm coax and radio. Don't waste your time or money with a 1 to 1 balun. The loses in the 1 to 1 balun are about equal to the loses due to a 25 ohm mismatch. If the antenna feed point is less than 1/4 wave above the ground, the impedence is less than 75 ohms anyway. If the antenna is not a flattop dipole, in other words if its an inverted V or an L shaped dipole, its impedence is lower than 75 ohms also. COAX LENGTHS: Coax lengths only matter as far as line loss and matching. Ground plane radials an baluns decouple the antenna from the coax and then the coax is no longer a part of the antenna. Therefore, any odd length can be used without concern about a mismatch. I'm amazed at some of the misinformation that I hear on the radio from Extra Class Hams. Am I an expert? Nope. But I have a Commercial Radiotelephone license and an Advance Class ham license. Get an ARRL Handbook and read it. Its a bit expensive but you can use it for many years. The physics of radio doesn't change.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2016, 11:23:26 PM by pkveazey »

Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Getting started in Radio Communications.
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2016, 09:10:35 AM »
Great write-up pkveazey, thanks for taking the time to do.

ALL of my antennas are home brew ones with the exception of my HF (High Frequency) one. It is a G5RV dipole antenna from RadioWorks.com. Total cost + S&H was $100-.



I have made many contacts using it from Florida to Germany and from Italy to Seattle.

The Icom 718 is a great transceiver. You can pick one up on EBay for between $300 to $400-.  Plan on buying a power supply as all transceivers are 12 volt, ~13.8 amps. Before you buy a transceiver is to google (In my case DuckDuckgo) and read the specs and reviews. Find out if it has a internal tuner. If it doesn't you will need to pick one up too.

Side note: I have been very happy with every piece of electronic goods I purchased from EBay. IMO, EBay has changed and for the better. ALL products are backed by EBay and many sellers now back their products too.

When it was time to buy a transceiver I figured out which one I was going to buy (Prior research) and then watched those units on EBay. Preset a purchase price...A price I would not exceed and started bidding. The two radio's I looked for was a Icom 746 and a Kenwood 590s. Ended up buying the Kenwood for $30- more then my $600- limit. OK,OK yes I did go a few dollars over my limit of $600- however that radio was mostly going for $800 to $1,000 on Craigs List and other classified sales locations so I went for it.

One last thing to add to what pkveazey wrote...You do not need a HF transceiver to communicate - A simple BaoFeng 2M/70cm (VHF/UHF) handheld will suffice. I own several of these little radio's and use them exclusively for my VHF/UHF communications via Simplex (Channel to channel) and repeater (Connect with others via a repeater). I did enhance my handhelds with a moxon directional and a 1/4 wave ground plane antenna(s).

I also purchased on EBay a 2meter 35 watt amplifier which boosts the normal 5 Watt output of the BaoFeng to 35 watts. I keep this radio and amp in my radio shack (Cabin's loft) to use to pick up repeaters as far south as Northern NJ, east to Albany NY and north to Ithaca, NY. I need to work on some repeaters to my west now.

I hear over and over again that repeaters will not work in a SHTF scenario. Well that is right & wrong. Many repeaters work off solar/battery power while some work off the grid. I have done my research to know which ones work off either power source.

Again thanks pkveazey for keeping this discussion alive. DON'T BE LEFT OUT IN THE COMMUNICATION COLD WHEN THE SHTF!
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Offline Jackalope

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Re: Getting started in Radio Communications.
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2016, 10:51:43 AM »
Yup, the Icom IC-718 is an okay HF radio.  I had one for a while, but sold it many years ago.  It's a no frills radio, that works okay, and it's been Icom's entry level HF radio for many years .  You get what you pay for, and there are better receivers on more modern radios, but you'll pay for the improved performance.  Radio choice is ultimately a personal decision.  I'd say look at the various models out there, and see which one meets your needs, much like pkveazey and Johny have done.

 You should also consider the modes that you'll be using.  For example, the IC-718 requires an additional interface to go between the radio and a computer, if using digital modes.  It isn't complicated, but it is an additional item that will need to be purchased.  More modern radios just use a USB cable between the radio and the computer.

    I've found that no one radio meets my needs.  When mobile I use an Icom IC-706MKIIG, which covers HF, VHF, and UHF in one compact radio.  I carry the same model when I'm operating overseas.  If I'm operating backpack portable I use an Yaesu FT-817, or one of the MFJ single band low power SSB radios, which use internal or external batteries.  At home and in Go boxes, I have Icom IC-7200's, which cover HF and 50 MHz, and will do digital modes without additional equipment.  For loaner radios, which are to be used by people with limited radio knowledge, I use Atlas 180's or 210's, these can be found on eBay for around $200. Note, all of these radios are solid state, which means they don't use tubes.  They are more susceptible to EMP's and CME's, and they should be protected.  Older radios, which use tubes are generally more EMP resistant and relatively inexpensive, depending upon the vintage and collectability.  I'd say avoid used Heathkit radios because you don't know the skill level of the original builder of the radio, and due to the age the capacitors will begin to dry out, which can cause problems.

   Hamfests (electronic fleamarkets) and eBay along with www.QRZ.com and www.QTH.com are probably the best sources to find used equipment.  Do your due diligence and research the particular model of radio that you're considering.  A good site for equipment reviews is www.eham.com and they also have a classified ad section.

    As pkveazey mentioned, simple wire antennas are the easiest to construct and install.  However, like radios, no one antenna will meet your needs.  When traveling, I use either a homemade endfed zepp antenna, and or a Buddipole.  The Buddipole is a commercially made HF/VHF/UHF antenna that breaks down into a compact carry bag. It doesn't work as well as a long wire antenna, but it works on a balcony or even in a room, and it can be used discretely.  Wire antennae are easy to build, and there's lots of info available on the internet.

   Radios need power to operate, usually 12 volts DC, the same voltage that most U.S. vehicles use.  When operating as a base station, the radio will need a power supply, which converts your household 110 volts AC to 12 volts DC.  Typically, a basic power supply will run $150-100, so factor that into the total cost of your radio station. Alternately, the radio can be run off of a DC solar system, or off your vehicle, or off of batteries.  There are a number of companies that manufacture batteries specifically for portable radio operation, and it can be expensive.  Lower powered HF radios need less battery storage.

    So, there are many considerations when constructing an HF radio station.  I didn't get into VHF/UHF radios too much, but like their HF brethren they need antennas and power supplies.  VHF/UHF radios can be more portable due to antenna lengths and power considerations.  As mentioned in other threads, the Baofeng UV-5R and UV-82's are cheaply priced.  I consider the Baofengs to be disposable radios, and have a number of them to be used as loaner radios.  I've been using Icom ID-51A's for my personal portable radio because of its unique capabilities, such as the ability to transmit data, photos, etc.  It can also be used as an analog or digital radio, and for those without digital capability, it's impossible to intercept the conversation when in digital mode.  The Icom ID-51A's also have a built in GPS, so there's no need to carry an additional GPS.  The new Kenwood TH-D74A has potential, as it works much like the Icom, but it also has automatic position reporting capability, which could be useful in searches. or following a group. 

   All in all, folks getting into amateur radio at this time have a great selection of new and used gear available. I'd suggest that now is a good time to obtain the knowledge of how an amateur radio station operates.  Sure, you can go out and buy the station components, but you really need the background knowledge of how and why the various station components are installed.  The only way to truly understand how the station works is by practical experience.  Reading about it will not impart the knowledge necessary to operate a station under adverse conditions.

Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Getting started in Radio Communications.
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2016, 10:59:38 AM »
Well written with excellent points Jackalope. Thanks  :cheers:
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Offline pkveazey

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Re: Getting started in Radio Communications.
« Reply #4 on: November 12, 2016, 05:37:27 AM »
This is not much of a comment. Its more of a correction to a comment. The ICOM 718 has a data port and I have used a USB cable to operate the 718 from my computer, using Ham Radio Deluxe. To use the digital modes I connected the radio's audio (Tapped into the external speaker cable) out to the computer's audio in. In order to make it transmit the digital modes, I made a cable to take the computer's audio out to radio's 8 pin mike input and turned on the VOX. If you try to do what I did, just make sure you keep all of the audio levels real low. If you don't, the received signal will be distorted and if the mike gain isn't kept really low, you'll be transmitting multiple harmonics and you'll get a ton of complaints from other Hams about being a LID. You can do the digital thing using my method with any radio that has VOX. I use the Digital Master 780 program. You can eliminate the audio out cable to the Mike input if your computer has a loud enough speaker. Just put the mike close enough to the computer speaker to activate the VOX.

Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Getting started in Radio Communications.
« Reply #5 on: November 12, 2016, 05:48:21 PM »
Nice looking shack pkveazey :bravo:
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Offline pkveazey

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Re: Getting started in Radio Communications.
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2016, 07:12:45 PM »
Thanks JohnyMac. When we built the house, I told the contractor to not install a clothes rod in that closet. He put a rail along the wall and installed a desk top on the rail. He also installed two 120 volt wall outlets in the closet. I call it the radio room. Some coax goes out through the floor and some coax goes out through the ceiling. The ceiling is better because you have a shorter run and you don't have to crawl around on your belly with the spiders.