Thread: Amateur Radio Station

I'm not sure how many Hams there are on the forum, but, I thought I'd post a pic of my new ham station.
My station consists of a Kenwood TS-480SAT with Kenwood desk mic and external Kenwood speaker for HF.
For VHF/UHF I have a Kenwood TMV7A currently not on an antenna, but planning on using a copper j-pole once it's checked out.
HF antennas are a multi-band dipole for general coverage and an end fed for MARS use. Power supplies are a Samlex and a MFJ, at least until I can afford better.
The LED sign in the alcove is my MARS call sign, it was made by projectgm.com
My Amateur call sign is KD5AFE.

Okay, Hams, let's see your stations!

Originally Posted by freebird

I'm not sure how many Hams there are on the forum, but, I thought I'd post a pic of my new ham station.
My station consists of a Kenwood TS-480SAT with Kenwood desk mic and external Kenwood speaker for HF.
For VHF/UHF I have a Kenwood TMV7A currently not on an antenna, but planning on using a copper j-pole once it's checked out.
HF antennas are a multi-band dipole for general coverage and an end fed for MARS use. Power supplies are a Samlex and a MFJ, at least until I can afford better.
The LED sign in the alcove is my MARS call sign, it was made by projectgm.com
My Amateur call sign is KD5AFE.

Okay, Hams, let's see your stations!

I know we have a few hams on the site.

I'm afraid I just listen in on my Icom R71A.

You are a part of a real dying breed.

I'm not sure it's a dying hobby. I watched the series Nat Geo did on preppers, and several were getting into the hobby for a means of communicating if the grids go down. Some on YouTube talking it up as well, although I'm not sure about their being licensed.

The "breed" is far from dying. I run a Kenwood TS-590 SAT to a 180 foot dipole fed with ladder line. I've worked over 200 countries all using Morse Code, usually referred to as CW for "continuous wave". The bands are alive right now because we are at the top of the eleven year solar cycle. I'll often listen while honing.

I concur that "hams" are not extinct, althought the numbers are down b/c of cell phones and internet. However, CW code is still quite useful because it will get through when nothing else will. I consider a basic license and a 2 meter handheld radio a mandatory necessity in case of emergency.

Actually, the licensed-ham count is increasing:

2012 Continues to Show Growth in Amateur Radio Licensing

A lot of us are old men, but this hobby is _not_ dying out!

. . . . . Charles / VA7CPC
. . . .. Yaesu FT-450 / LDG Z-11 Pro tuner /
. . . . . Alpha-delta DX-CC loaded fan dipole in the attic

Har har, I knew I'd get your goat when I said dying breed.

Relative to years ago it's way down. Probably when they eliminated Morse Code from the requirements that did more to bring in new folks.

Originally Posted by freebird

I'm not sure it's a dying hobby. I watched the series Nat Geo did on preppers, and several were getting into the hobby for a means of communicating if the grids go down. Some on YouTube talking it up as well, although I'm not sure about their being licensed.

What he said................

I been involved with ham radio since the 60's. Licensed for 25 years most recently as NS5U. Like everything else there have been many changes but by and large Amateur Radio operators are a fine bunch of gentlemen both gregarious and generous. For those of you who might have an interest it isn't expensive as one can put up a station capable of worldwide communications for less than $100. Check out Hendricks QRP Kits - QRPKits just to start. Much of my early equipment was given to me as you will find payitforward has been a popular habit with hams long before the term was coined.

A great number of hams use their communication skill by volunteering in different public service organizations. One of which is Skywarn. Very few Weathermen recognize the role that Skywarn plays in making their jobs easier. They aren't just untrained yokels with radios,they attend yearly training sessions with NWS,risk their lives, personal vehicles and radio equipment in order to keep their community safe. They learn how to judge wind speed, how to spot tornados after dark, judge the size of hail, and safety measures in case they're trapped by a twister. ( get in the ditch between the twister and the vehicle, do not put the vehicle between you and the twister...the vehicle could roll over you)

Radar is only a part of the equation, it can show a "possible" tornado. The volunteers, that are in that area, verifies the fact that there is or isn't one, whether its just cloud rotation, a funnel (not touching the ground), or a tornado (on the ground). They radio that information to the net control, who then reports it to their director, who reports it to the NWS and also sounds the siren IF it is in or near a populated area..