News & Blog

  • Moving the Red Cross Radio Room

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    During a recent emergency drill, Bill, NB1LL, realized the existing Red Cross Ham Operation Radio Room would not be functional during a crisis; it was too small to accommodate the personnel and equipment needed.  As Regional Lead of the American Red Cross New Jersey Region, Ham Operations, he set out to find a more suitable space in the Fairfield, NJ Red Cross Building.   Bill found a new office; then he just needed a few hands to help move furniture, radios and wire.  Ed K2BED, Henry KC2WRQ, Jerry…

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  • Repeater Operational Tips

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    The question of how a repeater controller works has come up several times in the past few months. Below are some relevant facts about the operation of a familiar repeater controller. The post that follows will focus on high impact items for repeater users, including specific PL and timing details about our local VHF FM repeater, NE2S, on 146.595 MHz. PL (Private Line) / CTCSSContinuous sub-audible tone signaling, required to access the repeater. Input PLs help keep unwanted noise…

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  • Meshtastic Waterproof Device – BEST DESIGN

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    Let’s build my version of the LoRa Meshtastic ESP32 device. What do we want to achieve:  1. As waterproof as it can be. 2. No 3D Printed needed. 3. Battery that can run for a couple days. 4. Easy USB waterproof connector that can be used for charging.   5. ON/OFF switch WITH LED ON/OFF indicator  6. High gain antenna. Tools needed below (just look at the picture below): Parts that you will need:  ALL AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!  915MHz ESP32 LoRa 0.96…

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  • If you like FT8, perhaps you will love JS8Call

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    I got into using FT8 this summer when camping. In 2023 now post COVID I had to adapt to having other campers close by which made it embarrassing to be talking to myself late at night and possibly annoying my fellow campers. I was lucky and able to download all the software and get it running on my laptop during a wet day and then spend the night exchanging contacts using a variant of WSJT-X, JTDX. I improved things…

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  • Blind Mic Test

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    I believe most hams have the same question as I did. Does it pay to spend a lot of money on a high quality microphone? This question bugged me for quite some time so I decided to do something about it. I came up with the idea of doing a blind mic test with several different mics on the air. I used the following mics in the test (with their approximate retail value):  1 – Electro Voice RE-320 Broadcast…

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  • The best commuter backup communications plan (Part 1 – The problem, the bad solution and a possible solution)

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    As many people that commute daily to work, I take all the complex systems that support me for granted. I start my day in the suburbs of New Jersey driving my car to the train station, get there 5 mins earlier and check my phone to see how the line is operating. The train is almost always on time, I get a seat and enjoy my 5G connection to read the news to know what is going on, I…

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  • J-Pole Antenna Tuning

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    We have a new project!!!! Tuning a J-pole antenna is a crucial step in optimizing its performance for a specific frequency or frequency range. The tuning process involves adjusting the lengths of the antenna elements to resonate at the desired frequency, which ensures maximum efficiency and a low standing wave ratio (SWR). Here’s a guide on how to tune a J-pole antenna: 1. Prepare Necessary Tools: SWR Meter or Antenna Analyzer: This tool is essential for measuring the standing…

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  • 2 Days with an X6100

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    This is that radio that people either love or hate. I’m in the middle. Right out of the box it feels solid but that was the last moment I felt only one way about this radio. The manual states that the initial few charges should take about 8 hours. I found that it took much less time to get the steady green light. And that unsettled me, because a factory reset will make the radio look like new, but…

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  • Simple Guide for a POTA activation

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    To conduct a POTA (Parks on the Air) activation, which involves operating amateur radio equipment from a designated park or natural area, follow these general steps: Research Parks: Identify parks or natural areas that are eligible for POTA activations. You can visit the POTA website (https://parksontheair.com/) or use the POTA mobile app to find eligible parks near your location. Make sure to check the rules and regulations specific to the park you plan to activate. Obtain Permits (if necessary):…

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  • WEARC Fox Hunt April 2023

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    The fox: Bionics MicroFox 15 (@146.565 MHz) https://www.byonics.com/mf The “hunting weapons”: MWRF Source SMA Male to SMA Female 6GHz Attenuator 2W (30 dB) The greatest transceiver of all times: Baofeng UV5R   SDR: Nooelec RTL-SDR v5 SDR – NESDR Smart HF/VHF/UHF (100kHz-1.75GHz) USB C Male to USB female adaptor Compass: BIJIA Orienteering Map Compass Yagi: Metal broom handle from the Dollar Tree Measure tape from the Dollar Tree RG8X Coax + BNC connector 3D printed support for the measuring tape  Loop…

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Tags

antenna ARRL controller CTCSS Education Equipment NE2S operating PL repeater Testing WEARC

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