Get your HAM License!!

[1911]

rotorhed1 previously said:

Took my exam this morning. Did great on it! Now to wait for my name and number to appear on the database.

Congratulations! It took a couple of weeks at least for mine to show up on the online database.

[spincycle]

About the 857: yeah, you probably wouldn't use HF on the trail much, although plenty of people use HF while "mobile" - just not offroad. A nice solution is a very good VHF/UHF antenna for 2m/70cm permanently mounted, and then when you get into HF, you can get something like a Buddipole for HF work while camped at night.

[MountainMan]

studyin' for my General also, plan to get into HF (not for wheeling, just at home mostly)

[Corey]

spincycle previously said:

About the 857: yeah, you probably wouldn't use HF on the trail much, although plenty of people use HF while "mobile" - just not offroad. A nice solution is a very good VHF/UHF antenna for 2m/70cm permanently mounted, and then when you get into HF, you can get something like a Buddipole for HF work while camped at night.

I am leaning towards the 857 now after talking with Wayne.
I need to find a 2 m antenna for the ARB bumper, then if I could do like you said with the Buddy one if I wanted to talk on the HF bands with it.

PS, this is cool if you have Flash.
Grab the page and flip it to page two.
Flash Catalog FT-857 Ultra Compact HF/VHF/UHF 100 W All Mode Transceiver by YAESU Electronic Corp.
HTML version too, and PDF.
FT-857 Ultra Compact HF/VHF/UHF 100 W All Mode Transceiver by YAESU Electronic Corp.

[rotorhed1]

KE5WRH checking in.

I tested on Saturday, and got posted today, that is great service!

While I was thinking about getting my ham license for a while, it was posts here that really got me going forward. So thanks to all for your support and prompting.

[spincycle]

Corey previously said:

I am leaning towards the 857 now after talking with Wayne.

I think that you'll like the 857 once you get the hang of the menus and options, etc.

My only complaints aren't about the radio, but the antenas - on the truck, I'm using a Yaesu ATAS-120 for HF and a cheapo magmount for VHF/UHF, and neither performs worth a s**t.

Now that I have my BajaRack installed and will shortly do a test install of the Camping Lab rooftop tent while also installing the Lucrum LLS, I'll have a better idea of where appropriate locations for real antenna mounts. I'm leaning towards 'foldover' mounts, so that while moving through foliage or narrow trails I can stop worrying about my antennas.

Also, since I have to run power to the LLS lighting system on the roof, I'm going to take the opportunity to run a dedicated, serious ground cable to the roof, which should help the antenna performande as well.

But the radio is quite nice for its size and price. When I use it at home, I get good performance with a cheap discone antenna for <50MHz and a G5RV 'Jr.' for HF. Of course, a good ground is a lot easier to get at home.

I am planning on moving the truck's 857 from under the passenger seat to inside the driver-side storage area of the Tuffy drawer, which will allow me to install PL239/259 style connectors on the outside of the Tuffy drawer panel, facing backwards. That way, when I'm camped, I can set up the Buddipole and tuner on a small foldaway table and have access to the 40m and other bands, especially as the solar cycle progresses.

Anyway - cheers on the 857! A great deal of capability in a tiny little package.

[spincycle]

rotorhed1 previously said:

KE5WRH checking in.

I tested on Saturday, and got posted today, that is great service!

While I was thinking about getting my ham license for a while, it was posts here that really got me going forward. So thanks to all for your support and prompting.

Congrats, KE5WRH!

It was posts here that got me into it as well. Now get started on that general class license! (I'm spending an hour an evening reading questions and listening to Gordo's CDs on the general class tests, making good progress).

[rotorhed1]

spincycle previously said:

Congrats, KE5WRH!

It was posts here that got me into it as well. Now get started on that general class license! (I'm spending an hour an evening reading questions and listening to Gordo's CDs on the general class tests, making good progress).

Thanks spincycle! Ya I'm stoked. In less than an hour the local net w/ Totah ARC comes on. That will be my first call, wow.
Ya I will start working towards my General Class soon. Plan to install the antenna on the FJ maybe tomorrow.

[Corey]

spincycle previously said:

I think that you'll like the 857 once you get the hang of the menus and options, etc.

I bought the antenna, coax, and mount today.
Diamond NR770HA and NR770HNMO
Diamond GLP58 SO239 Mounting Group

I will get the radio when I get back to work.



On day 45 of the strike
Hell of a vacation though, it has gone by fast.

The antenna is going up front on the ARB bumper.
The hole will have to be enlarged, Wayne clued me in on that.
Will have to drill it out to 1/2".
Not sure which side I will mount it, but perhaps the passenger side.
Not worried about an HF antenna yet since I will be starting out on 2 m and 70 cm.

[shane4x4]

rotorhed1 previously said:

KE5WRH checking in.

I tested on Saturday, and got posted today, that is great service!

While I was thinking about getting my ham license for a while, it was posts here that really got me going forward. So thanks to all for your support and prompting.

Congrats! Welcome to the ham world