Ham Radio / Off-grid communication

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The Real Slim Shady said:
I am considering getting an upconverter to listen to the HF band
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If it is an RTLSDR v3 or v4, all you need to do is enable direct sampling in your receiver software and you can receive HF. Refer to the direct sampling notes here for whatever software you're using:
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-blog-v-3-dongles-user-guide/ (archive.ph)

edit: You can verify its working by checking the local AM band or WWV.
The station radiates 10 000 W on 5 MHz, 10 MHz, and 15 MHz; and 2500 W on 2.5 MHz and 20 MHz.
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I'm a newbie, but I'd like to share my experience regardless.
I got a RTL-SDR V4, and I've downloaded SDR#, then SDR++.
I'm now trying both SDR Console and SDRAngel, and while both are very good, and I think SDR Angel is great, with all the demodulators it comes with. My biggest gripe with it isn't that it's a obtuse to a newbie, but it's that it's unstable as shit. Too bad, because it has most demodulators that you may use (Broadcast FM, N-FM, AM, SSB, DAB, DATV and so on). As well as letting you monitor more channels at the same time with just one SDR.
Also it doesn't support Band Plan for some reason. I wish SDR Console would have all those demodulators built-in, since sometimes I get some odd CW shit that I can't figure out how to decode, since CWGet doesn't seem to work properly, either it decodes the noise, or it doesn't get anything at all.

Anyone has a suggestion for SDR Softwares?

by the way, most of the time in my area, all I get are either radars, volmet, stanag or chinese propaganda radio.
 
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I have a fully featured Harris XG-100p with corresponding programming software. What all can I do with it other than eavesdrop into the fuzzes 800mhz p25II radio chatter?
 
Ghostface Killah said:
I have a fully featured Harris XG-100p with corresponding programming software. What all can I do with it other than eavesdrop into the fuzzes 800mhz p25II radio chatter?
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Apparently the XG-100p allows you to do 1-5 watts, I'm assuming you can specify that in the power settings.

Based on the VHF and UHF frequency ranges:
136-174 (VHF), 380-520 (UHF), 762-870 (700/800)

GMRS (requires a license from FCC where you pay a fee and they process it and give you a callsign, no test or anything)
- Channels 1-7 (max 5 watts), 15-22 (max 50 watts), Repeater channels 15-22 (max 50 watts) [channels 8-14 limited overlap FRS and are limited to .5 watts]

MURS
Max 2 watts

HAM Technician bands
VHF - 2 meter band
144-148 MHz

UHF - 70cm band
420-450 MHz

You can search for repeaters near you. They're more likely to have traffic than a random frequency in any given band.

There are a variety of non-amateur band allocations in the XP-100's analog range.

For the most part, all civilian aviation radio frequencies are AM below the frequency range of the XP-100.

Federal agencies use a mixture of P25/P25 II/P25e and FM frequencies.

Military is mostly FM with the exception of military aviation.

If you aren't close to a facility or a repeater you can stick to the lower frequencies as they tend to have better range.
 
Jump said:
When someone says HF rig the TS-430,440,850, etc vintage of Kenwoods is what pops in to my head. The vacuum fluorescent display, Real S-meters on the older ones, switches and knobs. They are what a proper radio should look like. Maybe I'm just turning in to a boomer.
View attachment 5533411
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Hell yeah. I've been impressed this transceiver designed when I was a toddler. I'm rather all-or-nothing on transceivers. Either give me the most boomerish thing with all knobs and whistles or the smolest thing (I've been eyeing BG2FX's transceivers for at least a year... maybe get myself a FX-4CR if the company bonus ever comes through)

While I've feared more than one time that I've bitten way more than what I could chew with the TS-850 repair, the service manual and the troubleshooting resources available online have been a lifesaver.

Resumed teaching my boomers about Kicad and just realized how easy they were going on me on the theoretical side of ham radio, most of them were really up to some truly impressive shit "back in the days". I really enjoy seeing how two different generations have to offer each other.

I've been asked if was willing to "step up" in the radio club but I'm not sure how I feel about that. Taking care of my family, work and other life happenings leave too little for ham radio.
 
There's a 73 magazine archive at archive.org that covers 1960-2003. For those that weren't around during it's time, 73 was run by Wayne Green (W2NSD SK) and was a better alternative to QST. There's plenty of knowledge to be gleamed from those and plenty of nostalgia to soak in from the ads.
 
clipartfan92 said:
There's a 73 magazine archive at archive.org that covers 1960-2003. For those that weren't around during it's time, 73 was run by Wayne Green (W2NSD SK) and was a better alternative to QST. There's plenty of knowledge to be gleamed from those and plenty of nostalgia to soak in from the ads.
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73 will always be worth reading just for the rambling whackjob editorials that stretched on for multiple pages in each issue.
 
At one point in the 80s, I remember being subscribed to 73, CQ, and PopComm. I didn't find any scans of CQ after a quick search, but I did find ones for Popular Communications which covered SWL, utility monitoring, pirate, broadcast band, scanning, CB, and some ham radio topics. There's an index xls (a) located at this page (a) and the PDF scans are on this site (a). There's a plethora of other scans that are radio related there also.
 
If you're looking for old ham rags to read while on the shitter DLARC has you covered. IIRC they have three or four more palettes of magazines, newsletters, etc. yet to scan.
 
My fellow HAMsters, the White Savior has come:


The TLDR of this is that this dude is speaking for ALL minority groups that should be hecken put on a pedestal as to what HAM radio is really about.

The reddit post was kinda entertaining before it got locked, a mix of him being accused of playing white Savior and others saying lol I don't wanna talk about gender and sex on the air.

I honestly wonder why people feel the need to bitch and moan about inclusivity, like if you didn't want Gatekeeping go to GMRS. I'll be six feel under before my ARES (I know, I know, but it it's fun) net allows LGBTQF+ HAMs to check in first.
 
Roxanne Wolf said:
My fellow HAMsters, the White Savior has come:


The TLDR of this is that this dude is speaking for ALL minority groups that should be hecken put on a pedestal as to what HAM radio is really about.

The reddit post was kinda entertaining before it got locked, a mix of him being accused of playing white Savior and others saying lol I don't wanna talk about gender and sex on the air.

I honestly wonder why people feel the need to bitch and moan about inclusivity, like if you didn't want Gatekeeping go to GMRS. I'll be six feel under before my ARES (I know, I know, but it it's fun) net allows LGBTQF+ HAMs to check in first.
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It's already a pretty tall ask to get nogs to run channelized CB radio. Expecting any more is a big yikes, bro.

The trannies will always be around, it's a nerd hobby, on the other hand. It's unclear what this guy even wants other than biased hiring practices.
 
I have not met any troon HAMs IRL, I've only seen them on the internet and they seem to keep the troontalk off air. I guess it's down to the fact that even if you are a creep, fuck up with everyone in the area, changing the callsign won't helo because the people will know you. It's not anonymous like the internet, it forms small local communities and your voice makes you recognizable like in IRL*. One ham radio/tech troon that comes to my mind is themaritimegirl (a.k.a themaritimeman - very creative), I stopped watching after I found out he trooned out, maybe some of you find it worth to look at.

* yes I know about TTY modes and DX contact, so yes, if you get exiled by your local ham community for being a creep, you still can get a new identity and participate in the activity, but that takes most of the fun from it
 
DSDPlus, one of the nicer digital decoder programs for the RLT radios, will upgrade to latest now even on old passwords they sent out. I still don't know if the drivers for Gen 3's are Win 11 native, and not going to check soon. The RTL-SDR drivers will NOT work with core isolation setup in 10/11 Windows, so far.
 
I picked up a yagi for 1 dollar. I set it up on the roof for fun and have it funneled down a chimney to my pc. What hilarity am I in for?
 
If its the most common Yagi type its likely a TV yagi for 400-800MHz or thereabout, then you might hear some PMR radios or fire/police in the UHF band if they are not using digital yet where you are. But Yagis are directional so you have to point it towards a large town/city if you are on the outskirts.
 
I'm piggy backing off of an anntenna accross the the street. Should be able to get a signal through that or the apartment buildings a block away. I used a laser pointer to line it all up properly. Should be fun once it's up and running
 
Roxanne Wolf said:
I honestly wonder why people feel the need to bitch and moan about inclusivity, like if you didn't want Gatekeeping go to GMRS. I'll be six feel under before my ARES (I know, I know, but it it's fun) net allows LGBTQF+ HAMs to check in first.
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lmao
The hobby is declining due to a lack of interest and participation from young people. Let's somehow make this an issue about race and identity politics. Surely, this will work.
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Like wtf do they think the solution would even be? Affirmative action for checking into nets and contacts? Should callsigns now incude your race and gender? "Sorry you've QSO'd too many white people today, you need to QSO atleast 5 black people and 10 transgenders" These people are nuts.
 
The yagi works flawlessly. I'm listening in on the ham frequency and was able to get good reception. They were literally larping as wizards talking about muggles.

I can't wait to try it when I get the USB one as well.
 
Mikoyan said:
It's already a pretty tall ask to get nogs to run channelized CB radio. Expecting any more is a big yikes, bro.

The trannies will always be around, it's a nerd hobby, on the other hand. It's unclear what this guy even wants other than biased hiring practices.
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He lives in CO, in a area where basic houses go for $1 million. He has no fucking clue what living in diversity is like.

These lib boomers can't just be happy. Ya ham radio is popular with nerdy white guys so what. Basketball is popular with blacks, are they pushing for more diversity there?

I go to a lot of hamfests. In the big city ones there has always random cross dressers, gays, and trans people around. There are plenty of autistic niches of the hobby for them to enjoy and there is nothing gate keeping them. If you act like a creepy goon on the air your going to get called on it. Just act like a normal radio dork and you will fit right in.
 
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