W7DTG That radio dude

Is DMR Radio REAL radio?

2024-07-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Is DMR radio REAL radio?

As Digital Mobile Radios (DMR) gain in popularity, there are some that question whether or not DMR radios are real. Most DMR radios offer Digital and Analog (FM) for accessing your favorite local repeaters. Radios like the Radioddity GD-77 offer VHF/UHF. So why does this question come up at all.

Ham radio operators.

Ham radio operators over the years have found a niche that they are comfortable in, and then stagnate in that mode. Whether it be Digital computer communications, or SSB HF. Their are always those that are going to balk at the new modes coming out. This happened throughout the history of Amateur radio. If it wasn't for the advancement we have made, we would still be using spark gap generators.

My QTH is DEAF!

I have always enjoyed CW operations, using ancient transmitters and receivers. These tube type radios are fun for me to operate. Would those be considered real radios. DMR radio DO operate on the Amateur Radio bands, transmitting a digital signal to a hotspot or repeater. The only difference is the distance the signal travels. A hotspot set up at your house may be a few feet away from you. A repeater may be up to 60 miles away. With my DMR radio I can enjoy local conversations on the Analog repeaters, and talk to friends worldwide on the DMR system.

In my current situation, I find that the HF bands are not usable at all. The noise levels are S9 plus most days from 80M all the way up 6M. This makes VHF/UHF my only option if I want to be active on the ham bands. DMR radio is a perfect solution for me. I can monitor on TAC 310 when I want to hear chatter from all over the US, and sometimes Worldwide. When I want to talk with someone locally, I can still go to a local repeater. I have access to Talk Groups from the PNW region, as well as anywhere else in the world.

So, is DMR radio REAL radio? Leave a comment and let me know what you think of DMR Radio.

If you are interested in getting into DMR radio, be sure to check out great deal on DMR radios HERE!!

The ARRL 10M contest

2015-12-11T18:24:00.001-08:00

The Amateur Radio Relay League 10M contest.

Been waiting several months for the ARRL 10 Contest to happen, and I can't be more excited to have it finally arrive.I have the Cushcraft R5 Vertical up at 30 ft and all tuned up ready to go. The Kenwood TS-850 is all warmed up and patiently waiting for my sloppy fist to start pounding out CW. Now if the conditions would just cooperate it could be a fun weekend.

Propagation conditions.

Checking conditions earlier in the week I found that after about 2PM (2200 UTC) 10M conditions dropped out completely after a great morning of working midwest stations and S America. Usually about mid-day the propagation from Northwest Washington state shifts to the S. Pacific and then swings over to Asia by late afternoon/ Mid Evening. The Sporadic E is a wild-card but that is half the fun.

Radio radio radio

SO, as I wait patiently for conditions to improve, it crosses my mind what sort of radio equipment other amateur radio operators will be using for the 10M contest, and what modes ? I know that most of the exotic import radios are mostly SSB, while a few offer CW capabilities.

The other thing that I wonder is what sort of antenna will be used during the contest. I do have a 3 element and a 5 element beam available, but did not get them up in the air in time for the contest. SO what will YOU be using on the air ?

Whats been happening at radio station W7DTG

2015-12-03T20:54:00.001-08:00

Not a lot has been happening here at radio station W7DTG the last few months. The biggest thing was the transformer out back is producing less noise than it was before. It went from ans S20+ Db to S7 Db on most bands. I can now hear some stations on 20M and was able to work a few Dxpeditions as well. On 10M my noise level is about an S5, so I can hear beacons on that band during the daytime also. I also recently put up the Cushcraft R5 vertical for 10/12/15/18/20M for daytime use. Since my noise levels have dropped some, I hope to start working more DX and SKCC members again. Just need to put up something for 40M and 80M now.

Got the opportunity to go up to Chuck Jones (N7BV) for the Cq-ww CW last weekend, and had a blast! After some time in the chair, I realize that I really need to work on my run skills. I did fine at S&P (search and Pounce) but when on a run I had difficulty when more that one station called me. During a JA run on 15M it was very overwhelming when 10 stations came back to me at once. I am going to be on the lookout for good training software so that I can improve.

All in all, Chuck and Karen were very gracious hosts, with lots of good food and hot coffee, as well as snacks during the entire weekend.

Other than radio, I have been working 40+ hours a week at my job. Not bad for a part time job. I show up early for work and stay til the work is done most days. After a while the manager usually has to chase me out to keep me from getting to many hours. I have also been promoted to full time, but it has yet to kick in to the system. I wont be working anymore than I do now, I will just be getting some benefits.

Other than that, just been active on 2 meters checking into the local nets during the week. I have yet to make it to a CCARC club meeting, since most nights I close the shop. Hope to make it someday.

Have a good Weekend, and 73 es gud DX tu de W7DTG

Finally a day off

2015-08-26T16:40:00.005-07:00

No radio for me today.

Here I sit in the home QTH, dying to get on the radio, with nothing to do. Despite my best efforts I have still accomplished a few things, but nothing that was worth mentioning.

Despite my BEST efforts, I still managed to accomplish something !

Noise problems.

Checked in with the City Utilities Dept today to find if they had made any progress on the noisy transformer out back. The call sounded promising. They mentioned that they have been extremely busy lately and had not had a chance to get out with test equipment though. The person I talked to had mentioned that they were in the area the other day and noticed the problem on their AM broadcast radio as they drove by. As they hit my street the noise wiped out the station they were tuned to. So I guess that is progress.

Really, TEST equipment ?

Just out of curiosity, what sort of test equipment would they need other than a portable AM radio and a chainsaw ?

Life in the big city

2015-06-17T19:41:00.000-07:00

Life in the big city

As many of you already know, I recently moved from the beautiful outskirts of town, into the big city of Port Angeles. Ok, it really isn't THAT big (pop. 19,000+) but after ten years of living in Joyce 20 miles West of town, that is humongous.

Well, after a month or so of getting everything in order after a big move across the county, I finally decided to put up an antenna and get on the HF bands. I was getting to the point that I was hearing Morse code in my sleep and dreaming of exotic DX contacts from all over the world, so I figured it was probably time to get back on the HF bands.

The noise is all in your head.

After putting the Cushcraft R5 vertical up on a short 10 ft pole off the balcony I was instantly awarded with a full S9 of signals on EVERY band from 10M to 20M. The bad part was most of it was coming from the power transformer out back in the alleyway. OK, no problem. At least the DVR flipped through channels as I transmitted CW. I can just imagine how happy the neighbors were that I was changing channels for them every second or so. SIGH.

Bigger isn't always better.

OK, time to whip out the 35ft telescoping mast of HF badness. Me and my son Anthony fought with that darn pole most of the afternoon, and was finally able to get most of it to pull apart (28ft) after covering the pole and ourselves with used motor oil. No worries, it is still higher than the power lines out back, and should eliminate a good portion of the RFI my receiver was picking up, right?

Oh heck no. Now when I transmit the house lights blink, and the TV's shut on and off in beautiful Morse code rhythm. I seem to have set up system for the hearing impaired.

When all else fails.

And before you mention all the troubleshooting techniques, rest assured that I have already killed the power to the house from the breaker box and ran the radio on a car battery, with no change in noise. I also went out back into the alley and beat on the power poles till the neighbors called the cops on me. Something about a middle aged man in black, aggressively beating on the poles with a hatchet. The police department has no sense of humor at all...

Time to take it to the wire.

At this point in the game, my options are looking like it is time to break out a multiband dipole of some sort. I had really good luck before with a 20M Extended Double Zepp on 40M to 10M. The biggest issue would be whether the lot my house is on would be big enough. The other issue would be getting both ends of the antenna up high enough for it to be effective. Another option would be to set up a separate receive antenna of some sort. The K9AY array is supposed to be an excellent choice, and I have all the switching equipment here already. Just a matter of getting that damn telescoping pole to pull apart the other 7 feet that I need to set it up.

Sure, I could call and whine to the power company, but not sure how far I would get with that.

Farewell Country life

2015-03-31T08:20:00.002-07:00

Well, after 9 years of living out here in the Western Washington Wild West, the time has come to move back into town. I have lived out here, 25 miles West of Port Angeles for a good period of my life. I have enjoyed having breathing room, and large trees to hang various wire antennas. I have enjoyed over 2 acres of wooded area, with wildlife roaming through on a regular basis.

As many of you know, I went back to work recently in Port Angeles, doing oil changes. Although it is very gratifying work, the cost of driving back and forth is absolutely breaking the bank. We barely break even every month. That, coupled up with the needs of my Developmentally Disabled children making it back and forth to appointments in town has made the burden even more unbearable. The only solution was to move back to town.

The lifestyle out here in Joyce has always been very laid back and friendly. People meet at the Joyce General Store and chat. Everyone always has a smile and a handshake when they see you. The people here are honest, hardworking and humorous. Lots of character.

At this point, I have disassembled Radio Station W7DTG, piling up numerous Tube Transmitters and receivers, as well as the Kenwoods and VHF equipment. The only radio still on is the little baofeng UV-5R handheld. All antenna systems are coming down today as well. These will include the 80M dipole, the Hygain TH3-jr Beam on 35ft mast, the ground mounted 6BTV and the R5.

The only thing holding us up now is picking up the keys to the new place on the first of April so we can start moving all this stuff in.

It has been a fun run the last 9 years, but I have to set my priorities to other things that have to come first. These include work, my children and Teri, the love of my life. I wont be able to put up much for antennas at the new place, other than an HF vertical and a VHF/UHF J-pole.

To all those I have worked over the years, thanks for a great time. Hope to be back on the HF bands in a few months, but with a compromised signal.

Hope to see you on the air soon es 73 de W7DTG

The Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 Review

2014-11-06T05:55:00.002-08:00

The Kaito KA600 Voyager Pro review.

Ran across this review of the Kaito Voyager Pro and just HAD to share it. With the price dropping it is an excellent choice for an all purpose hand crank emergency radio that will provide local, regional and international information. The one that I have sits in the window silently charging the internal batteries until the winter power outages surprise us once again. I also use mine when out working in the yard or sitting under the tree relaxing.

Kaito KA600 Voyager Pro Review

(Short Version)
This radio earned a 5-stars rating for the reason that I have used and tested this radio for several months now and find the performance and features of this radio to meet and often exceed my expectations for an emergency / camping radio.

(Long Version)
For those who want a lot more information about this radio, below is a very long detailed review. If you are interested in this radio, this should be an informative review. Amazon displays only the first half of the review and to see it all you need to click on the blue "read more >" link at the bottom of the text. I tried to include information not previously mentioned in other reviews or available in the Amazon description. Included, is general information for improving the use of this or any radio's performance. This review is not too technical (this review is aimed mostly at the beginning user), but radios are technical instruments and will need a very slight technical understanding to achieve maximum performance.

Blue highlighted texts are links that you may click on to see the additional products on Amazon referred to in the review. None of these other Amazon accessory products are necessary to use the radio, but may be useful to get more performance from this radio or any radio for that matter and are included only as helpful guides.

Purpose:

This radio was purchased primarily to be an emergency grid-down (power failure) or off-grid (camping) radio. Some folks may not fully realize how important a source of reliable communications and lighting are in an emergency, until they do not have them. The radio is loaded with features that will be very useful when faced with a grid-down or off-grid situation. The radio is not the ultimate in shortwave portables on the market, but is does a great job pulling in the lots of shortwave broadcasts with a good antenna. It meets its intended purpose by giving the user plenty of emergency lighting and ability to hear important local, regional and international information when needed.

Emergencies have a nasty habit of not announcing their occurrence in advance. This radio fills the niche of a "go to radio/light" when the lights go out or really bad weather is on the way. If things are getting really primitive, whether grid-down or off-grid, then you will be grateful for the intelligently integrated features of this radio. This radio has become my first choice for a dependable portable emergency radio.

Construction:

The radio is well made, light and durable enough to take in a backpack. Loaded with 3 alkaline AA cells the radio weighs 23.4 oz. (600 grams), reasonable weight for all the features. The case of the radio is made of a good grade plastic that appears very durable. The radio has nice rounded corners and hinges, buttons and pieces fit very tight. The construction is first class, unlike a lot of other poor quality "emergency" radios also on the market.

Battery Power Sources:

The radio has two sources of power from batteries, a built-in NiMH battery (supplied) and provisions for AA alkaline batteries. The radio comes supplied with an internal 600 maH NiMH (nickel metal hydride) rechargeable battery. The battery compartment uses 3 replaceable AA alkaline batteries, available in just about any store (Duracell, Energizer, etc.). Batteries are one of the first things to disappear from a store in an emergency, it is wise to have plenty in the house now.

Internal NIMH Rechargeable Battery:

The radio never really shuts off, because it displays the date, time, temperature and humidity all the time, which is a nice feature. The power for these features comes from the internal rechargeable 600 milliamp-hour NiMH battery. The NiMH batteries can power all the features of the radio and lights. The NiMH rechargeable battery is a very common type used in cordless home telephone handsets (about $10 at big box stores), so when it wears out in 5-10 years, a low cost replacement is readily available and easy to access through the battery compartment.

eneloop AA 1800 cycle, Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries, 8 Pack (discontinued by manufacturer)

The radio has a nice display that shows when the NiMH battery is charging, it scrolls left to right during charging and when charged, all bars show and scrolling stops. The display also gives a rough indication of the charge remaining in the battery. If you deplete the NiMH charge, you still have a backup power source of the alkaline AA batteries (or rechargeable Eneloops Sanyo NEW 1500 eneloop 8 Pack AA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries) to power the radio. The radio protects the NiMH batteries by shutting down early and a Low Batt light blinks until the NiMH batteries are recharged. This saves the stored memory from being erased and prevents the NiMH from complete discharge, which may reduce the life of the batteries. When new in the box the radio has the NiMH batteries disconnected and you will need to plug them in prior to use.

Modern NiMH (Nickel-Metal-Hydride) batteries are great compared to the older Ni-Cad rechargeable batteries. They last much longer (Sanyo Eneloop rates their newest NiMH AA batteries at 1500 charge-discharge cycles). They can replace an alkaline battery in virtually every way, except initial cost, but over the long term are much cheaper than alkaline batteries. My personal experience with Eneloops is that they require between 90 - 100 maH of charge every month topping them off to 1.45 volts with a Powerex charger (Maha Powerex Wizard One MH-C9000 Advanced Battery Charger and Analyzer - Free Deluxe Accessory Storage Case Included). This is a first class charger that can also be powered directly from 12 volts in an emergency with a coaxial plug adapter. As a bonus the Powerex charger's padded case fits the KA-600 perfectly.

Power Consumption of Various Features:

The question is "How long will the NiMH internal batteries or the AA Alkaline batteries last?", since this radio is for emergency and off-grid use. The chart below assumes 600 maH (milliamp-hour) capacity for the NiMH batteries and 2000 maH capacity for the AA Alkaline or rechargeables (numbers in parenthesis are actual measurements made on my radio in milliamps (ma):

Estimated Life with 600 maH NiMH batteries:

Backlight Only---------(6 ma): 100 hours
Radio Low Volume----(28 ma): 21 hours
Radio High Volume---(35 ma): 17 hours
Weather Alert On-----(26 ma): 23 hours
Flashlight-------------(25 ma): 24 hours
Reading Light---------(28 ma): 21 hours

Estimated Life with 2000 maH Alkaline batteries:

Backlight Only---------(6 ma): 333 hours
Radio Low Volume----(28 ma): 71 hours
Radio High Volume---(35 ma): 57 hours
Weather Alert On-----(26 ma): 77 hours
Flashlight-------------(25 ma): 80 hours
Reading Light---------(28 ma): 71 hours

For these measurements on radio power consumption "Low Volume" was the minimum to hear the radio clearly when it is a few feet away. "High Volume" was the volume control turned about 50% of the way up, plenty of volume for a room or outdoors.

If you are using more than one feature at a time, such as the radio and the flashlight, then the times will be significantly shorter (about half, 11 hours using NiMH and 38 hours using Alkaline cells). An unusual item discovered during power consumption testing is the Weather Alert feature draws almost as much power as using the Radio Low Volume function. So be aware that the radio consumes the batteries (as if it were turned on, approximately 77 hours, a little over 3 days continuous time on the AA batteries) in the silent Weather Alert mode.

This will at least give us a close estimate of how long we can depend on the radio to function under various modes. Always having lots of extra AA batteries is a very good idea. It simplifies keeping the lights and radio playing, without the need to use solar or the crank. You can even use the reading light to light the battery compartment while changing the AA batteries.

When a power source is depleted or unavailable the radio will tell you to "Select Power", meaning the power source is not available when the source is selected with the 3 position power switch.

Multiple Charging Methods:

This is where this radio really shines, the ability to use multiple methods to keep the radio operating. The radio's recharging circuits are for the 600 ma NiMH battery only. A USB adapter cable like (Philips SWR1249/17 Retractable USB 2.0 Adapter Kit) or the 6V wall plug charger (not supplied, Kaito Electronics Inc. AD500 AC Adapter for Kaito Voyager KA500 series Radios) work quickly to charge the radio. There is a 12 volt cigarette lighter adapter (CLA) with 2 USB and 2 CLA ports available on Amazon made by Bestek, which will allow mobile charging from a 12 volt source via USB (BESTEK car cigarette lighter socket usb socket car charger Cigarette Lighter adapter dc to dc adapter for car charger adapter usb car charger socket car adapter socket car socket splitter car splitter adapter 3 way plug socket usb socket outlet three wa...).

Mobile Charging:

The above Bestek USB CLA (or similar) adapter gives the mobile user more options for power. It also allows a user to utilize the car's battery as another way to recharge the 600 maH NiMH battery. Since we would only draw a maximum of 600 maH from the car battery (less than 1% of the car battery's capacity), there is no need to start the car to top off the car battery. It should take around 1 hour to top off the NiMH batteries from a car battery. If you hook direct to the car battery (using alligator clip jumpers, etc.) on a CLA plug the tip is positive (+) and the side is negative (-) which is vehicle ground (chassis). There are low cost direct battery to CLA adapters available (such as, Roadpro 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter). In a pinch, you can tap a vehicle's 12 volt battery without having access to the vehicle keys or hood release. Simply locate the starter motor and find the very heavy cable connected (+) to the starter (solenoid) and clip to it and find a piece of clean metal on the chassis (-) for the other lead.

Hand Crank Charging:

The hand crank is effective for charging the NiMH or charging a USB powered device like a cell phone (not all cell phones will charge from the crank, such as the iPhone, according to other reviews). Charging is fairly fast with hand crank and the radio was topped off from the factory after about 2 minutes (I assume the battery was in a partially charged state from the factory). There is a small switch in the back of the radio for charging "In" or "Out", to charge your phone with the crank make sure the switch is in the "Out" position. The radio uses a single Mini-B USB connector for power in or out. The crank generator is the only method with sufficient power to charge external USB power devices like a phone, GPS, camera, etc.

I agree with other reviewer's assessments that the crank handle could be overstressed if really mishandled. The crank in operation should be carefully and smoothly used and no problems should result. The crank does not look poorly designed, but one user did have it break off. It is recommended the cranking speed be around 2 turns per second. The crank seems robust enough to handle normal use. I would try to keep the crank handle inside the crank slot while turning to avoid overstressing the hinge (gently pushing down while turning). This radio conveniently locates the handle on the side out of the way, tucked in almost flush to the case. I feel the hand crank is the last resort power supply if the NiMH and AA batteries are depleted and there is no sun available.

Solar Charging:

The solar cell charging works very well, although probably the slowest of charging methods (12 individual solar cells). There is some concern about leaving the radio in bright hot sun. On a similar radio (Kaito KA-500 Voyager, a much less capable predecessor to the KA-600). I would wrap the radio in a white plastic grocery bag for all except the solar panel. This shielded the remainder of the radio from the Arizona sun and heat effects on the black plastic. I have seen no degradation of the plastic or the solar panel over the last year (solar is my preferred method of maintaining NiMH charge). Even in light cloudy conditions (bright, but no shadows cast) the Charge light illuminated, and the radio display showed power going to the NiMH battery. I typically leave the similar KA-500 radio in a window (wrapped in plastic bag) which received early morning sun for a few hours a day and that keeps the NiMH fully charged and the radio ready to go. The charging circuits on the KA-600 are virtually identical to the older KA-500.

USB / AC Wall Plug Charging:

This the fastest way to recharge the internal NiMH batteries. An hour or so is all that is required, depending on the discharge level of the batteries. The radio can be operated normally during this time and will save the charge on the batteries for a later time.

A word of caution from the manufacturer about charging. Kaito recommends that you do not leave a USB (approx. 5 volts) or a DC wall charger (as much as 6.6 volts) plugged in more than 3 hours after full charge is reached unless the radio is in use. The charging circuit does not automatically cut off the charge current when the NiMH batteries reach full charge (I use 1.45 volts as max charge voltage per cell). It is therefore possible to overcharge (approx. 4.5 volts max.) the 3 NiMH batteries and cause the service life to be reduced. I would think the lower voltage USB at 5 volts would be less harmful than the wall adapter if accidently left plugged in. If you plan to leave the Weather Alert feature on all the time, I would suggest using a USB charging source.

Radio Performance Shortwave and Miscellaneous:

The shortwave bands are not what they use to be decades ago. I have been an avid shortwave listener since the 1960s. There are less shortwave stations available to listen to anymore, some moving to the Internet, shortening their broadcast times, etc. This radio receives AM shortwave in 5 KHz increments, which is perfectly fine for 99%+ of the international shortwave stations. It would be nice to have a 1 KHz or finer tuning, but 5 KHz works just fine. With 5 KHz tuning you do not spend a lot of time tuning between "channels" and go direct to the stations, much quicker. There are two methods available to change the frequency, the tuning dial on the side or direct frequency entry through the keypad. The radio has plenty of memories to store favorite radio frequencies on AM/FM and Shortwave. The numbers of stored frequency memories available are: LW (10), AM (25), SW (100) and FM (100).

Shortwave reception depends on the time of day, radio propagation and yes, even the sunspots. Just because a shortwave station is broadcasting at a given time, your ability to receive it will vary. Signal fading is common and a lot of the stations broadcast on multiple frequencies, so you can find the one that works best. Broadcasters will often "beam" a radio signal to a particular part of the globe rather than sending out an omnidirectional signal.

Shortwave Antennas:

The antenna is critical in shortwave listening and the collapsible antenna on the radio is nowhere near enough. Do not expect to hear anything on shortwave with the 14 inch collapsible antenna, except the most powerful stations. Without a decent antenna any radio is not going to perform very well and that applies to this radio as it would to a $2000 radio. A long wire antenna of 25 to 75 feet and as high as possible connected to the collapsible antenna makes all the difference. I have heard many shortwave broadcasts with an indoor long antenna on this radio. A retractable reel antenna (such as, Sangean ANT-60 Short Wave Antenna) would be great for indoor or portable use, clips right on the retracted collapsible antenna. The Sangean antenna is a small, lightweight and easily portable package that works very well (about the size of small shoe polish can).

A lot of other things can also serve as a temporary antenna with some success (make sure you have a clean metal connection), such as metal rain gutters, guard rails, barb wire fences, extension cords, metal air conditioning ducts, metal chimney pipes, metal clothes lines, etc. I would recommend the use of alligator clip jumpers wires to take quick temporary connections (SE Clip Test Lead Set (10 Piece) or even chain the jumpers together to make a quick antenna. You can hang an "invisible antenna" of 28 gauge magnet wire out a window or off a balcony with a fishing weight attached at the bottom. There is plenty of information available on the Internet for shortwave antennas.

Shortwave Broadcast Schedules:

Here is a great website (primetimeshortwave) for a list of shortwave broadcasts (like a TV Guide for shortwave broadcasts). I highly recommend the (primetimeshortwave) website to enhance your shortwave listening, it gives you the time and frequency and whether it is beamed to your location, as well as the language of the broadcast.

The times displayed on the website are UTC (Universal Time Coordinated, current time in London, England) and to convert Local Time to UTC: EST (add 5 hours), CST (add 6 hours), MST (add 7 hours) and PST (add 8 hours). Here is an example, 1400 MST (2 P.M.) is 2100 UTC (1400 + 7 hours = 2100 UTC). Daylight Savings time takes one hour away from the equation: EDT (add 4 hours), CDT (add 5 hours), MDT (add 6 hours) and PDT (add 7 hours). To go from UTC to Local Time just subtract instead of add, easy after you have done it a few times. There are also websites that will also give you the current UTC time.

Other Shortwave Comments:

The radio does not receive Single Side Band (SSB) type transmissions from ham radio operators, etc. This would be a nice addition, but at 5 KHz tuning steps and lack of a SSB detector makes it all but impossible. The ability to receive ham radio transmissions could be beneficial in an emergency. You will need a different, more expensive radio to listen to the ham operators (such as, ICF-SW7600GR Digital World Band Radio Tuner, but these radios lack the emergency features of the KA-600). During hurricanes TV stations would relay information gathered from monitoring emergency ham radio operators, rather than their sacrificial cub reporters sent out in 100 mph winds.

Radio Performance AM / FM:

The performance of the AM and FM features are typical of any radio of this size. With the built in internal AM loop and collapsible whip antennas the radio will work fine with local AM and FM stations.

By using enhanced antennas (AM tuned loop, like the less than 1 foot diameter Terk Advantage (Terk Advantage Indoor AM Radio Loop Antenna) this radio is capable of pulling in stations from a long way off on AM at night. The tuned loop will improve daytime signals significantly as well, but the range is reduced due to shorter daytime radio propagation (atmospheric conditions) compared to longer night time propagation. The ability to hear radio stations several hundred miles away (at night) is very beneficial. Local radio stations may be "off the air" due to a power failure or weather conditions. If you really want to maximize AM distance performance, look into a 4 foot box loop antenna (mine pulls in strong stations up to 1000 miles away at night, not too expensive to build out of PVC pipe and about 100 feet of wire). These antennas do not need a direct connection to the radio. Placing the radio very close to the loop is all that is needed (inductive coupling). The tuned loop antennas also have the ability to null out an undesired station on the same frequency by rotating the loop.

Resolving FM Reception Issues:

Some reviewers commented that they felt the radio on FM was weak. I have not observed any issue with the radio's sensitivity and would rate the radio's FM sensitivity as good. The 14 inch collapsible antenna is marginally suitable (not ideal, it is too short and wrong polarization) for weaker FM signals. Those of us who remember the use of "rabbit ears" for TV reception may understand how sensitive a FM receiver is to antenna location and rotation inside the house. Just like old TV signals, FM radio is horizontally polarized and the collapsible antenna on the KA-600 is fixed vertical when sitting on its base (an antenna that swivels horizontally would help).

Try these two tests to see if you can receive the FM station you want:

1) Take the radio outside and find a spot several feet away from any metal, car, overhead wires, rain gutters, metal fences, etc. If you now hear well the desired FM station, then something inside or the house itself is absorbing a lot of the FM signal.

2) Rotate the radio and antenna horizontal and turn around slowly and see if there is a direction the antenna is pointed that improves the signal. Signal should be strongest when the horizontal antenna is "broadside" to the station.

If you get a great signal under test 1) then try to walk around inside the house and see if there are hotspots (near a window in the direction of a station, etc.) where the radio receives a strong signal. This technique is not unlike trying to optimize a poor cell phone signal. There is no indication of signal strength on the radio, so you need to listen carefully for a quieting of the static background on the FM signal.

If you get a great signal under Test 2), but not Test 1) then the collapsible antenna being vertical or too short is likely the problem. Try going inside the house and attaching a 3 or 4 foot horizontal wire to the collapsed antenna. Orient the wire in the direction that worked best outside, this may improve the FM signal captured by the radio.

If you cannot hear the FM station under Tests 1) and 2) outside, then it is very unlikely you will be successful inside the house.

Things in the house that adversely affect the FM signal are: metal window screens, aluminum siding, metal roof, foil backed wall insulation, chicken wire stucco, steel frame construction, large metal objects inside in line with radio station (like a mirror, refrigerator), etc. Nearby computers, televisions, and fluorescent lights can also interfere with the radio's ability to hear a weak signal by generating radio noise. Hope this helps, trial and error seems to be the best method to resolve any FM reception issue. It typically is not the radio, but the location and orientation / length of the antenna that is the culprit.

Radio Performance Weather Band:

The Weather band is a real plus for this radio, you can receive 24 hour a day regional weather forecasts. Most Weather radio stations also have emergency power available to keep them on the air in a power outage, so you can count on them in a dangerous weather situation. The radio has an Alert feature that silences the radio unless severe weather is forecast, like a tornado, flood, hurricane, etc. The radio will turn the speakers on and relay the severe weather message through the speaker (it still is drawing power from the batteries in the Alert mode). The radio speaker will remain on if a Weather Alert was issued (must be manually shut off). The Weather Alert tone is transmitted once a week as a test and will trip the Alert feature and leave the radio broadcasting weather information with no severe weather in the forecast. The Weather Alert signal is not tested if there is severe weather in the forecast. The Weather Alert feature alone is well worth having in an emergency radio.

During a recent test of the nationwide emergency broadcast, I discovered the Weather Alert feature is also activated. So if there is something serious going on that the President or DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security) feels a national alert needs to be issued, you are ensured of hearing it through this radio's Alert feature. The weather radio alert system also works with other Federal, State, Local Emergency Managers and other public officials to broadcast information on non-weather related emergencies and warnings (such as, chemical spills, earthquake, flood, tsunami, evacuation, etc.). It is basically a one-stop emergency or warning alert system when needed, but is primarily used to issue routine weather reports and forecasts 24 hours a day.

Emergency Lighting:

The reading light is 5 LEDs located under the solar panel and pivots 180 degrees to direct light to where it is needed. The reading light relies on friction to maintain the angle of the light (or solar panel). The reading light is limited in range, but does offer an area type light for a room. An issue pointed out by another reviewer stated that the reading light was easy to turn on and not notice. This is absolutely true; the slide switch is under the handle and needs just a slight bump to turn it on. It is impossible to see the retracted reading light (flush with the back case) in any room light and even in the dark you need to get the angle just right to notice the faint glow from the very bottom. This is another way to accidently drain the batteries.

The flashlight located on the side is quite good. I went for a walk with this radio on a moonless night and the flashlight worked well, more than adequate for emergency lighting, camping, etc. It is not going to replace a dedicated flashlight, but in a pinch will work great. Power consumption on these light sources is relatively low and could be utilized instead of a dedicated flashlight to conserve the flashlight's batteries for more demanding uses. A piece of red cellophane or similar could be placed over the flashlight or reading light lens to protect night vision, if needed. Yellow cellophane might also work to stop bugs from being attracted to the light if you are outdoors.

A feature that is greatly appreciated is the built in dial light. The dial light is activated any time a button is pushed on the radio. The light automatically turns off after about 15 seconds (there is no other way to turn it on other than hitting a button). The backlight draws so little power (6 ma.) for a short period of time that it is not a significant battery power consumer. Without the automatic dial light there is no way to read the LCD dial in the dark with the built in flashlight or reading light. The numerical keypad for frequency entry does not light up and can be a challenge in darkness if their location has not been memorized. The dial light feature is disabled when using the Key Lock feature (see below).

Speaker:

The built-in speaker (around 2.6 inches, 66 mm) is more than adequate and better suited for voice than music, it tends to drop the lower bass frequencies. The speaker provides very clear audio when listening to people speaking. Using a good set of headphones the audio is great, full fidelity. The radio also has great audio when played through a nice set of external computer speakers, just plug them into the earphone jack. I was surprised how great the radio sounded through a pair of amplified computer speakers.

Weatherproofing:

The radio is definitely not waterproof and may not even be weather resistant. However, the radio looks like it may have limited resistance to vertical rain for a short period of time if it is accidentally caught in a rain storm. There are major openings for the speaker starting about one half inch from the bottom of the radio. There is a very fine mesh screen on openings which look like it could repel rain water splashes (or at least bugs) from getting into the radio. The buttons on the top of the radio fit very tightly and look like they will resist the seepage of water to the inside of the radio from a rain storm. I would suggest the radio be put into a clear freezer bag, grocery store produce bag or similar if there is a chance of the radio being out in the rain. The controls should be able to be manipulated through the plastic bag. The sealed plastic bag will also help in areas prone to salty air; switches and electronics do not perform well in salty environments over time.

Key Lock Feature:

The outside of the front and top of the radio are covered with buttons. It is very easy to turn on Weather Alert or the Alarm features and not realize you accidentally hit the button. The radio has a Key Lock feature which disables all the radio keys and displays a key symbol on the top of the LCD screen (operated through the Snooze button). The only keys that work are the flashlight and reading light. It is easy to accidentally turn something on or off just by just picking the radio up or placing or handling it in a snug padded case. I completely drained a set of alkaline batteries by accidentally activating the Weather Alert feature while putting it in a case. The Key Lock is a nicely engineered feature; you will appreciate the Key Lock after you have had the radio for a while.

The Key Lock feature may also be accidentally activated by hitting the Snooze button for a few seconds. Once you have done this the radio will not operate and nothing you do will turn the radio on, until you hit the Snooze button again to turn the Key Lock off. The word "Lock" is written above the Snooze button, but it may not be obvious to a new user what this feature does. This may unnecessarily frustrate a few new users, but it is a great feature once you are familiar with it.

Thermometer:

The built in thermometer is accurate, but has one small drawback. It is very slow to report the correct temperature. Apparently, it measures the temperature inside the radio case and can take up to 1 hour to read the real ambient temperature accurately when the radio is taken from a warm area to a cold area or the other way around. An example, if you leave the radio to solar charge in a window it will show 10 - 15 degrees higher than the room temperature and when removed it takes close to an hour to show the actual room temperature. The thermometer can be changed between Fahrenheit and Celsius scales (the switch is located in the battery compartment next to the NiMH battery pack and is changed with a small pointed object).

User Manual:

It is important to read the entire user manual, the radio is loaded with features that need a little explanation to properly understand and use. The operator controls are rather simple to use and you will not need to keep referring to the manual to figure out how to do something once you become familiar with all the features. The user manual is well done and is useful to explain all the features of the radio. There are lots of pictures and good explanations to go with the pictures. It is best to sit down with the manual and the radio and become familiar with all the features.

The user's manual is available free on the Internet (reading it will help in understanding all the radio's features before you purchase). There are a few websites that offer a .pdf user manual version online (using internet search engine terms like: "kaito 600 user manual" will get you right to one at kaitousa, it is large, 31 MB).

Alarm Clocks, Snooze and Sleep Timer:

Other features that are very useful are 2 alarm clocks with a snooze feature. In addition, there is a sleep timer (up to 90 minutes) so you can listen to the radio at night and then it will automatically shut off after an adjustable period of minutes.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, I am quite impressed with the quality and performance of this radio for the price. There is a whole lot of radio here for the money. Many other radios in this price class are much less suitable. I researched this radio and similar radios very carefully before purchasing and I am delighted with the features, construction and performance of this radio having been able to use it for many months. Should something catastrophic happen to the radio (lost, damaged, etc.), I would replace it immediately. The engineering Kaito used to design this radio is first class; this radio meets all my expectations for an emergency and off-grid radio. I rate this radio an easy 5 stars for the purpose intended, there are way too many great things about this radio to give it anything less.

Busy busy week here at W7DTG

2014-09-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

Where in the heck have you been ?

Wow what a busy week it has been here at radio station W7DTG. So what have I been up to exactly ?

Rejoining the workforce, one day at a time.

Well, for starters I have rejoined the workforce. I am currently doing oil changes part time and installing wireless/Broadband in rural areas for a local wireless provider. I find it fun and challenging to learn about networking and the different devices used to provide internet in remote rural areas using 900 MHZ equipment with PPPoE connections. I am also enjoying servicing vehicles and providing oil change services to customers. I enjoy interacting with people to find the best solution for their vehicle based on manufacturers recommendations.

Gained reliable transportation for the wife.

Also was able to trade my BIG GMC Suburban K2500 truck for a reliable car for the wife so that she could safely get back and forth to work. Picked up a 2000 Ford Taurus in really nice condition. We put it in the ditch to avoid a deer on the way home with minimal damage to the vehicle. Now I can rest easy knowing that she will safe on the long drive back and forth to work each day.

The Noon Time Net.

haven't been able to check into the Noon Time net on 7268.5 each morning this week since I have been working, so it was a rare treat to check in today before I stumbled off to work again for a few hours. I always enjoy checking in and listening to the net each day. It is background noise while I work here in the shack on various radio equipment or on a web site.

Wrap it up.

So that is about it. I have had some priorities here the last few weeks. Between our bouncing schedules and transporting the kids to various meetings to get them started on their own lives, I have not had much time to update the blog here. I hope to remedy this soon, as I review different radio related equipment and move content around on different web sites that I own.

Have a good weekend, and see you on the airwaves.

My adventures on the Citizens Band

2014-09-12T16:08:00.001-07:00

W7DTG's citizen band adventure's

Being an avid radio operator and a licensed ham has it's disadvantages at times. Take for instance my Uniden Pro505XL that I have been harping about for so long.

Being the only licensed ham radio operator in the house, I was looking for a way to communicate with my family while on the road to and from work. Citizens Band to the rescue! I hooked up my Trusty little Pro505XL and Wilson 1000 mag-mount into the Toyota Blender (1989 Toyota Tercel EZ) and a Uniden President Washington base to my 3 element hygain TH3jr beam antenna, and was expecting at least a 5 to 10 mile range. Needles to say I was very disappointed in this setup.

As a side note, why the Toyota Blender ? The Toyota Tercel was an excellent example of economic vehicles produced by Toyota during the 1980's. it is hard to believe that after 300,000 miles the darn thing still runs. So why a Blender. That is the noise it makes when you are going down the highway at 55 MPH. it really DOES sound like a blender crushing ice cubes.

An excellent review of the Uniden Pro505XL

On our first attempt at communication, I found that I had a horrific noise when the motor was running. PFFFT! Flipping on the ANL (Automatic Noise Limiter) and NB (Noise Blanker) Got rid of the engine noise just dandy, but also attenuated the incoming signals so badly that I still couldn't hear anything. What the heck is up with that ?

On further inspection, it also turned out the the CB base station had also been modified at some point an now had an open clarifier. UH-OH! That is actually illegal to be used on the CB bands. To make matters worse, the job had been done very poorly and the radio jumped around. With no way to know what frequency I was on, and whether or not I was even close to the right frequency (27.405MHZ CH#40) I pulled the plug on the Washington and put the thing back in the closet. That would also explain why the base station couldn't hear me for more than a mile.

I was finally able to hook up a Cobra 29LTD mobile that worked properly without any modifications and had the base unit back in working order.

Back to the mobile unit, I found that the engine noise was so horrific that I finally had to pull the Uniden Pro505XL out and swap in a Uniden PC78 40 Channel radio. GREAT! The ANL and NB worked like they should, and everything was fine again. I had about a 5 mile radius with the little five watt radio. In this country with lots of hills and trees that I about to be expected. I could at least now warn the family that I was almost home. That is, I COULD until I discovered that the Uniden PC78 had some modifications done to give it talk-back features and a horrific echo that made me sound like I was in a tin can. Back to square one.

SO, I am now looking at the Uniden pro505XL again, which I know is a stock radio fully compliant with the F.C.C regulations for use here in the United States.

I like the small package of the Uniden Pro505XL and it's clean sounding audio. No distortion. No illegal modifications to jeopardize my Amateur Radio License. Just good clean communications for me and the family.

I have run the positive and negative wires directly to the battery hoping to get rid of the enine noise coming from the Toyo-Blender. I am currently looking at different methods to get rid of this interference so that I can hear the base unit.

One method to check where the noise is coming from is to disconnect the antenna to see whether the noise is coming from the antenna system or through the power lines going to the radio. I also have the options of using several filters on the power cables going directly to the battery. One other train of thought is replacing the old spark plug wires to reduce some of the interference. I am open to suggestions at this point.

So what am I missing here ?

Why Do I Need an FRS base station or Hand Crank Emergency Radio

2014-08-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Why should I get a hand crank crank emergency radio.

As we enter another winter season here it is important that we are aware of any severe weather that may be coming our way. Not only can we be prepared and ready for it, but it also helps to keep all of us a bit safer and relieves the strain on the emergency services in our area. When the winter season drops on us like a brick the emergency services are feeling the strain, risking their lives in the process. With every drop of rain the need for emergency communications becomes more urgent. Don't wait until the last minute to be prepared.

This Midland FRS base station will increase the rage of your radios.

The Midland FRS base station

In this day and age people seem to be surprised when the winter season approaches us, and are caught off guard by the big storm. It never ceases to amaze me just how many people rely on emergency services to save them, when a little planning beforehand would almost guarantee survival. The age of entitlements is upon us as more and more people seem to rely on our Government to save them during a crisis.

Being prepared is the responsibility of the individual.

To be prepared is the responsibility of each citizen. Not only for our own safety but that of our family and loved ones. Most people walk around in a daze, running through each day in a haze as life goes on around them. They worry about bills and work, never thinking about what may happen during the storm season. Hurricane Sandy was a perfect example of this, and the amount of people that were caught off guard. With just a little thought most people would have been fine. Keeping a few candles around and an emergency source of power would have relieved the strain on emergency services. Unfortunately most people were unprepared, not even considering that storm season was approaching.

What can I do.

Being prepared is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. No, you do not have to go overboard and start preparing for the end of the world. The survivalist groups do tend to go a bit overboard and let the end of the world preparations consume them, until they come across as a bit on the crazy side. But in that same vein, being prepared is always a good thing. Something as simple as an hand crank emergency radio would be all that was needed to be warned of incoming weather.

OK, you've sold me, where do i get one.

Before buying your first hand crank emergency radio, some thought needs to go into what your particular needs may be. Sure, you could just go to Amazon and purchase the most popular and inexpensive ones that are available, but if it doesn't fit your needs it might as well be a rock. Some of the things that you may want to consider are

What bands does it receive.

There are many choices that are available for hand crank emergency radios. Do you need AM/FM or just the Weather bands. Do you want to be able to listen to shortwave radio as well. I personally like to hear news and events from around the world as they happen.

Sources of power.

Will just a hand crank do, or would other options be better, such as rechargeable batteries and solar power. Some radios offer all of these options. Do you want to have the radio plugged in and charging until you need it.

Charging other devices.

Some of the hand crank emergency radios that are on the market now offer ways to charge other small electrical devices such as cell phones and accessories. You can either charge them with the hand crank, the built in battery or solar power, depending on your needs. Just be sure to have the right adapters on hand and you are good.

Build and construction

When looking at hand crank emergency radios one issue that comes to mind is the construction of the device. It will not be any use to you if it breaks the first day the power goes out. I always check the reviews on Amazon for the product I am looking at before I buy a hand crank emergency radio. If it has 100 reviews I look for at least 50% of them to be five stars.

ease of use

How easy is the radio to use and tune when you are looking for emergency information. Does it tune fairly easy or is it hard to find the station you want. How is the sensitivity for receiving. How hard is it to switch from charge IN to charge OUT when wanting to charge small electrical devices.

The final decision is yours.

With all the information that is out their about hand crank emergency radios, the final choice should be made with some thought and consideration to what your particular needs may be. Remember that if the emergency hand crank radio doesn't fit your needs then you might as well have a rock to listen to.

Hand Crank Emergency Radios at Amazon

Disaster Preparation and FEMA

2014-08-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Disaster Preparation.

When it comes to being prepared it is important that you have a ready to go kit handy. A ready to go kit contains all the supplies that you may need if disaster strikes and you are forced to leave the comfort of your home. According to the FEMA website http://www.ready.gov/kit, one of the items is a multipurpose Hand Crank Emergency Radio. This can include a radio that receives the weather Broadcast channels and an FRS bast station to communicate with others.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

Recommended Supplies List (PDF)

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Manual can opener for food
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

The biggest issue you will have is finding room for all this equipment and supplies. That is where a multipurpose radio comes in handy. Many of the Hand Crank emergency radios that are available now include flashlights and solar panels. You can also use them to keep batteries charged up in cell phones and FRS radio equipment. One of the nest sellers is the Ambient Weather line of hand crank emergency radios. Some of the features include:

Digital AM/FM NOAA Weather Alert Radio
A powerful 3 LED flashlight
cell phone, MP3, MP4, Amazon Kindle, Apple Ipod, Ipad, IPhone and USB charger

The Ambient Weather are a Best Seller for a reason.

This eliminates the need to carry multiple devices and makes your Ready2Go bag that much lighter, allowing you more room for supplies. For a family of 4, the recommended water supply is 1 gallon EACH. That is 4 gallons just for one day. If you prepare for 3 days you are looking at 12 gallons of water for you and your family.

Of course, being prepared is the responsibility of each individual, and your needs may vary depending on your escape plan when the SHTF. Communication is near the top of the list so that we can stay informed and have a way to talk with other groups and family members. An FRS Base station and a set of small handheld FRS radios for each family member provide enough range (up to 2 Miles) to suit our needs.

How the heck did you measure your coax loss

2014-07-28T17:37:00.001-07:00

Measuring Ham Radio Coax loss.

Perfect Tool for measuring Ham Radio Coax and Loss

I had a few requests asking how I measured the Coax loss on my antenna systems here at Radio Station W7DTG, so I thought I would put in a quick blurb about my super duper awesomely fantastic little old Mighty Fine Junk MFJ259B Antenna Analyzer.

According to the manual:

COAX LOSS

The second main (or opening) mode is “Coax Loss”. Access this mode by turning the MFJ-259B on and stepping to the Coax Loss display. In this mode, the MFJ-259B LCD indicates frequency and coax loss in dB. The impedance meter is disabled in this mode. This mode was designed to measure 50 ohm cables, but measures differential mode loss in many types of 50 ohm transmission line transformers and choke baluns, as well as loss in 50 ohm attenuator pads.

CAUTION: Do not measure conventional transformers, or attenuators and coaxial cables, with impedances other that 50 ohms. When making measurements, the opposite end of the device under test must have an open circuit, a short circuit, or a pure reactance for termination. Any loss resistance will make attenuation appear worse than it actually is.

To measure loss:

Connect the MFJ-259B to the 50 ohm cable, attenuator or transmission line type balun or transformer you wish to measure. Be sure the distant end of the component you are testing is not terminated in any resistance.
Turn the MFJ-259B on. After the display reaches the opening measurement function, press the mode switch once.
The display should momentarily flash “Coax Loss”
Read the loss in dB at any frequency this unit covers.

As you can see, the MFJ-259B is an important tool to have in any shack or work bench. It can also be used to tell where a fault line is in a run of 50 Ohm Coax AND be used to measure antennas. It can also be used to tell you how much you should add or subtract from the wire antenna. Using a simple formula you can determine how many feet should be trimmed or added to a chunk of wire to make it resonant.

How cool is that?

73, and see you on the air.

Check Latest Prices on the MFJ-259B at Amazon.

Choosing the right Ham Radio Coax

2014-07-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

The times, they are a changin..

Been thinking about reconfiguring my Ham radio station here, and deciding on whether or not it is time to start replacing some of the old RG8 coax I have been using. Giving it a visual inspection I can see that the outer shield looks to be in good shape with no breaks or cuts. Testing it on the MFJ Analyzer also show that my Ham Radio Coax seems to be fine. That doesn't mean that it will be fine a year from now

Which type is right for me.

When deciding on which type of coax you should use, it always helps to do a little research before spending your hard earned money. Coax types like LMR 400 or RG213 are great choices for longer runs of Ham radio coax over 100 feet, or when you want to or plan to run higher power with an amp. These types of Ham Radio Coax have the lowest loss. They are also the most common in Commercial radio stations up to 300 MHZ.

For most Ham radio stations that run 100 watts or less, RG8 works perfectly well for ham radio Coax in runs of 100 feet or less. Whatever you decide make sure that the coax has a 50 Ohm impedance to match your transceiver. If you plan on using an high power amp then go with RG213 or LMR 400. If not use RG8.

Pro's and Cons.

Ok, so you made a list of the equipment you want to use in your station, distances between the radio and antenna, and the power levels you want to use either now, or in the future. So which one should you choose.

RG213

When used for ham radio coax RG213 is an excellent choice for the HF Bands. It will handle higher power levels with little loss. It is also less expensive than LMR400.

Higher Power (More than 100W)
Great for longer runs between Radio And Antenna
Inexpensive

LMR400

This is THE choice for serious DX stations as well as Commercial radio stations under 300 MHZ. LMR 400 is used by the Military and other government agencies. It has the Lowest loss of any Ham radio Coax. It is also one of the most expensive. It will handle power levels up to 5 KiloWatts (WOW!) and has minimal loss on longer runs between the Radio and Antenna.

Handles High Power
Best choice for longer runs of Coax
Very Expensive

RG-8

RG-8 is the best choice for Ham Radio Coax on the market. It is the least expensive of the group and is adequate at 100 watts or less for Ham Radio And CB coax. It will have a little more loss than the other but still minimal. The 50 Ohm impedance matches most modern transceivers and CB radios.

Least expensive COAX available for Ham and CB
Good for short runs between Radio and Antenna
Has most loss out of ALL coax available

So their you have it. Out of all the coax types that are available for Ham Radio Coax, the top choices are LMR 400 and RG213 for high power use and longer runs, and RG-8 for basic ham Radio Coax.

Thanks for reading, and see you on the air.

What is happening at Radio Station W7DTG

2014-07-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

What The heck has been going on over at Radio Station W7DTG?

Been a while since I posted anything, but honestly I haven't had a lot to say. Been working on a few other websites that I own and also started working part time unloading freight trucks in the morning time. It is a great workout but the hours are horrible. At most I get 2 hours a day, which barely pays for my gas. It is like an early morning workout first thing in the morning, and makes for a great day. I am motivated to be more productive as well.

Been doing a lot of Shortwave listening with the Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 out in the RV that I am rebuilding. it is nice to hang the Kaito in the window and let the solar panel on the back recharge the radio while listening to a local station. Do not get real good reception inside the RV, even with the kaito in the window.

Still is nice to be able to play the radio without worrying about batteries, and the Shortwave bands are great to listen to in the daytime.

Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 Digital Solar/Dynamo AM/FM/LW/SW & NOAA Weather Emergency Radio with Alert & RDS, Silver

Speaking of the RV. I recently found that the top outside frame has a few rotten spots. After taking the headliner off the ceiling I discover that a few of the cross beams were rotten. I also discover that the entire inside wall is going to have to be inspected. This means removing the wood paneling and insulation. Since I have gone that far I might as well replace it while i have it down. I also discovered that some of the top frame is rotten. Been a fun project so far. I hope to eventually make it usable, and even put some 1970's retro radio equipment in it.

Speaking of retro radio equipment, I have been listening to 40 Meters in the evening and working stations with the Johnson Ranger II and Hammarlund HQ-150 more. Love working CW with these old tube type radios while I learn how to work on them and use them. Trying to get away from Plug N Play type radio gear as much as possible.

Also been checking into the Noon Time Net the last few days. This net can be found on 7268.5 from 10AM to 2PM. Just a great group of guys, and fun to listen to while I am working away. If you hear me on the net, be sure to say hello.

So, that's about it really. Been working away at CB Radio and finally starting to see some results from all my effort. I hope to bridge the gap between ham radio and CB with this website, while promoting proper radio use. Maybe it can help to end the trend of illegal 10M export radios that unsuspecting consumers are buying and stop some of the interference. A guy can wish.....

Amateur Radio: What good is it ?

2014-06-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

As I am sure that most of you know by now, I am an avid amateur radio operator. I constantly think about radio almost every waking hour. I work stations from all over the world using mostly CW (Morse Code) although I occasionally dig out the microphone and do some voice, or connect the radio equipment to my computer for the digital modes like PSK31 or RTTY. But what good is Ham radio and why do I drone on so much about it.

Amateur Radio, or Ham radio as it is sometimes referred as, has been a favorite past time of mine over the years, and many times I get asked why bother, when I can do the same thing with a cell phone and a cell tower. The interesting part of that question is that without the developments made by Amateur Radio operators over the last 100 years or so, that fancy cell phone would not be possible. After all, it is basically a transmitter and receiver, or transceiver as it is often called.

And what about that fast WiFi connection you have that feeds the internet to all the different computers in your house. Yep! Once again that is basically a development that you can thank Ham Radio for.

That remote that you are using while sitting on the couch stuffing your face with chips and beer. Another low power transmitter.

Like to fly model airplanes or other Radio Control equipment as a hobby. Amateur Radio is a perfect place to have no interference with your remote control device.

Have a Garage door opener? What about the Remote door locks for your vehicle. All radio transmitters. SO what good is Amateur Radio ?

Amateur Radio operators provide emergency communications during natural and man made disasters as well as sporting events, like the Boston marathon. They can setup a radio station on backup emergency power on a moments notice to help when disaster strikes.

Ham radio operators also are allowed to experiment with different modes as well. They are also allowed to modify existing radio equipment for other services and make it work on the designated ham bands. They can try out new antenna systems to talk locally or worldwide.

If you are interested in learning about electronics Ham radio is the perfect place to design and try out new radio gear. You can tinker with the older tube equipment or get in on the cutting edge Raspberry Pi or Arduino boards. With those boards you can also try your hand at programming. How cool is that.

As you can see, the point of ham radio depends on what you give to it as well as what you take from it. Whatever interests you may have, Amateur radio is the perfect place to jump in and have some fun.

Whats changing at the VA

2014-06-13T13:19:00.002-07:00

Just received this from my VetRep at the Employment Security Department here in WA state.

CARING FOR AMERICA’S VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES

ENSURING VETERANS ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2014

The Inspector General’s interim report on Patient Wait Times, Scheduling Practices, and Alleged Patient

Deaths at the Phoenix Health Care System and the results of VA’s face-to-face audit raise a number of issues

that must be addressed without delay. Senator Sanders’ legislation would increase Department accountability

and immediately improve access to health care. Below is a summary of some of the major initiatives of this

legislation.

• Authority for Immediate Removal: This legislation would provide the VA Secretary authority to

immediately remove incompetent senior executives based on poor job performance while maintaining

due process for those employees. At most, the process should take no more than 30 days from firing to

conclusion of the appeal period.

• Authority for the Acting Secretary to Remove Incompetent Employees: This bill would also provide

authority for VA’s Acting Secretary to remove senior executives notwithstanding the 120-day moratorium

in current law. If the Miller or Rubio bills pass “as is” the Acting Secretary would have no ability to fire

people immediately – rendering the provision useless for four months.

Removal of Incompetent Senior Officials

Shortening Wait Times for Veterans

• Immediate Action to Reduce Wait Times: This legislation would standardize VA’s process for sending

care into the community by requiring VA to take into account wait times for care at VA, the health of the

veteran, and the distance the veteran would be required to travel, as well as the veterans preference, when

authorizing care for the veteran when VA is unable to provide such care within its stated goal (currently 14

days).

• Bolstering VA’s Ability to Bring in Doctors: This bill would give VA the ability to rapidly hire new

doctors, nurses and other health care providers in areas where there are identified shortages. It would allow

National Health Service Corps participants to receive scholarships and loan repayment for employment

at VA facilities, making it easier for VA to attract needed personnel. Finally, it would extend access to

VA’s health care scholarship program for those individuals pursuing a medical degree with the intent of

specializing in primary care.

Addressing VA’s Long-Term Needs

• Authorization of Major Medical Facility Leases: This legislation would authorize VA to enter into

27 major medical facility leases in 18 states and Puerto Rico. In many instances, these leases would

improve access to care closer to home, and would increase the availability of specialty care services in

these locations. In addition, these would allow VA to decompress over-utilized VA facilities. Due to

unprecedented scoring issues that arose during fiscal year 2013, Congress has not yet authorized the leases

VA requested during the fiscal year 2013 and 2014 budget cycles.

• Access to VA Health Care: This bill would require the President to create a Commission to look at VA

health care access issues and recommend actions to bolster capacity. A report to the President would be

required within 90 days of the Commission’s first meeting.

• Capital Planning for VA Medical Facilities: This bill would require the establishment of a Commission on

Capital Planning for VA medical facilities to improve VA’s capital asset processes, from facility planning

and individual project management to managing the multi-billion dollar backlog of facility construction and

maintenance projects in order to ensure veterans can receive treatment in safe facilities.

The ARRL annual Field day.

2014-06-09T17:31:00.001-07:00

ARRL Annual field day is coming up fast.

Well Folks, it's time once again for the annual Amateur Radio field day, and contrary to what it may seem, it is NOT just a bunch of old fat people with brain damage from stray RF and burned fingers sitting around all day barbecuing and swapping stories about their latest gall bladder operations.

The official ARRL BBQ.

Field day is an annual event sponsored by the Amateur Radio Relay league for the practice of setting up radio equipment for emergency response. It can be held by a club or individuals licensed in the US by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in IARU region 2. It is traditionally held in the last week of June each year.

Test test test...can you hear me NOW?

One of the key things that field day does is give clubs a chance to setup and test Amateur Radio Equipment. It is not a contest, but a test to see how well the radio equipment can be set up and how many contacts can be made using as many modes as possible. Not only do most field day operations receive points for the “Get On The Air” (GOTA) station but also for any Satellite communications can be made as well as Digital, phone and Morse Code (CW).

The GOTA station allows anyone interested in learning more about radio a chance to actually make a contact with another ham radio station or field day operation It also gives Ham radio operators a chance to show all the benefits that Amateur radio offers the community, whether it be emergency operations during natural disasters or volunteering to provide communications for local events like parades and runs.

So what is their to do?

PSK31 and Digital modes
Satellite communications
SSB
CW
GOTA station
A club shop N swap
Catch up with other Amateur radio operators
EAT!!! Well, ok their IS food there, but that's not the point

Catch up with OLD friends

Field day also gives everyone a chance to have eyeball qso's (face to face chats) and catch up on the latest technologies that are available and show off any equipment or skill that they may have acquired over the past year.

Whats the point?

So why bother with ham radio, after all you can do the same thing with a cell phone and long distance. But nothing compares to actually putting a station together in a remote spot, off the grid using alternate energy and talking with fellow hams from all over the country in a set amount of time.Plus the price of Ham radio equipment is dropping every day. With items like the Baofeng UV-5R that's available under $30 bucks, Amateur Radio is now cheaper than a cell phone.

Can your cell phone do that ?

Want to learn more.

If you are interested in learning more about Amateur Radio and the ARRL Field day event be sure to check out the ARRL Website HERE.

If you live in the Port Angeles or Sequim area and are interested in seeing the Clallam County Amateur Radio Clubs (CCARC) be sure to check out the local radio clubs website HERE and pop in to see what it is all about. Whether you are interested in learning more about how radios work and electronics, computers and the digital modes that are available, satellite communications or volunteering in your community during times of crisis, ham radio has something for everyone.

Contest weekend and the Hustler 6BTV vertical

2014-03-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Just a rainy spring day.

Well, here it is a rainy spring day up here in the pacific Northwest portion of WA state and I will not be turning the radio on this weekend due to contest activity. The CQWPX SSB will be tying up the bands with lots of noise and QRM as all the big gin stations try to out do each other in contacts and points. Don't get me wrong, i have nothing against contests at all, and participate in them myself at times, but mostly Morse Code (CW).

I just can't understand SSB.

The biggest problem with SSB contests is that I just can't copy voice on the HF bands. it has something to do with my hearing im surte, but unless a station is strong i jsut can't understand what is being said. When you get thousands of stations all calling at once it makes it even worse for me. That is why I decided it would be a good weekend to work on the Hustler 6BTV.

The hustler 6BTV.

The Hustler 6BTV is a 75/40/30/20/15/10M trap vertical (6 Band Trap Vertical) antenna made to give a low takeoff angle for HF frequencies. By adding traps the antenna is only a 1/4 size of what a full size antenna woul be while still giving great performance. it is small at 24ft, which is small compared to the Diamond CP6AR Vertical.

Murphy stops by for a visit.

The main problem I am having right now is that 15M and 30M do not want to tune up anywhere near a decent SWR (Standing Wave Ratio). I was given the antenna so i can't complain too much. it also included the Ground plate for the radials and the tilt over base which makes it SOOO much easier when tuning or doing maintenance on the antenna. The rain storms don't help much either. I may end up having to take the 15M and 30M traps apart and double check that i didnt mix them up somehow. Since the antenna is used, the labels for each trap are well worn and unreadable.

If anyone knows an easier way to test the traps other than taking them apart and counting the rings of witre be sure to let me know.

How to program Baofeng UV5R without usb cable

2014-03-26T10:25:00.001-07:00

Lots of rain and the Hygain beam saga

2014-03-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Finally some sunshine out here.

No sightings of Noah's ark yet.

Been looking at once again working on the Hygain TH3jr beam that I put up last year. Everytime I have made plans to work on the antenna it has rained like they days of Noah. Rain coming down so hard that the sound of it pounding on the roof would drown out the sound on my TV set. Rain so hard that it would bounce several times before settling into a puddle. Think instant standing water on the roadways.

I can almost hear Gene Kelly on the roof.

)

The Hygain TH3jr is still a decent performer.

Even with the Beam not performing as good as it should it has been a good performer for me with all the 10M openings lately into Europe from the Northwest portion of Washington state. Usually if I can hear them I can work them with 100 watts.

The TH3jr beam has been an excelent performer for me the last year or so. Even with the SWR's slightly off. Switching between the Hygain beam and the Cushcraft R5, I can hear the difference in signal strength, even with the R5 at the same 35ft height as the beam.

Yet another beam saga.

I did receive a TH7DXX something or other last winter from a ham that was getting rid of antennas that I still need to get up in the air. In order to put the bigger beam up I will have to stiffen up the mast that I am using, and also install a rotor to turn the antenna around. Right now I use an Armstrong rotor to turn the beam around to different headings. The TH7DXX is MUCH bigger and would require a larger mast as well. Right now I am using a 35ft telescoping pole with the TH3JR beam and spin it by hand.

$60 bucks for little plastic caps.

The TH3jr beam needs to be rebuilt as well. Need to eventually spend the $60 bucks for the little plastic covers that go over each end of the traps on each arm. They are severely dried out and cracked.
Really, $60 bucks for little pieces of plastic Hygain?

HF ham radio antennas

2014-01-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

Why is a good antenna important for communications.

Putting together a ham radio station is a fun and very rewarding first step for proper communications. So why do so many people spend massive time putting the shack together only to neglect the antenna system and put up some sort of compromise antenna expecting good results.

The importance of the antenna.

The antenna that is used by an amateur radio operator will either make or break your system. If you spend all your time putting together a ham shack and neglect the antenna then you will be highly disappointed. It is better to spend most of the time putting together a good working antenna and use 2nd hand gear. It doesn’t matter if you have a 10K dollar radio and a crummy antenna: No one is going to hear you.

When it comes to the antenna system that you use, no two stations are alike. You have to experiment around with a design that works well for you. Some stations are constantly trying new designs to get the best possible signal to the desired location. The point is you have to find what works for YOU and YOUR station.

If you live on a small lot or are limited to one antenna then sometimes you have to use a compromise antenna like the G5RV multi-band design. The G5RV is a decent compromise ham radio antenna and is very popular in the amateur radio circles, but most operators that are new to the HF bands put this sort of antenna up expecting exotic DX when there are so many other designs that can be used. The G5RV is not an all purpose, all out DX antenna. It is a compromise between usability and antenna limitations. It works poorly on ALL bands with an antenna tuner, but it is still better than NO antenna.

The G5RV antenna was originally created by Louis Varney as an all purpose HF wire antenna. It is 102ft in length with a tuned vertical section made of ladder-line. When used with an antenna tuner it is an acceptable HF antenna.

What is the best antenna for HF.

HF: High Frequency. 3MHZ to 30MHZ.

In every antenna article that you find on HF antennas, they always have the same glowing results after they are done describing the design they used. The last paragraph will go into how comparing different designs they find the new one is always louder and stronger, or that they were able to break through some DX (Distant station) pileup on the first try after putting up the new antenna.

Plug and Play electronics.

With the plug and play attitude and replaceable consumer electronics that are on the store shelves available, amateur radio has followed suit with radio equipment that is for the most part non fixable by the average user. You simply buy a radio, hook it up to an antenna and get on the air. When it stops working you simply replace it with a new one. This idea can be found with the popularity of the Baofeng UV-5R series of radios that currently sell for under $30. They are a commercial dual band handheld radio that are usable on the VHF/UHF amateur bands. If they break it is no big loss to the consumer. Although these radios are perfectly acceptable they are very inexpensive and not fixable by the average consumer.
Another clue is the availability of pre-made wire antennas on the market. Most of these can be made very simply with parts purchased online or your local hardware store. In some circumstances it is perfectly acceptable to buy a ready made antenna if it is an exotic design or requires pieces that can not be readily made, or if a person is unable to make a wire antenna for other reasons.
Get on the air.

Whatever method you choose to get an antenna up and get on the air, nothing compares with the satisfaction of building your own antenna and making it work. Whether you decide to build one of the exotic designs or a simple Dipole or G5RV, building an HF antenna is the first step in gaining the confidence you need to move further with Amateur Radio and start experimenting.

See you on the bands, and 73

Building a simple Ham radio antenna

2014-01-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

Building a simple ham radio antenna....

Or, Someone got an antenna book for Christmas...Can you guess who?¹

So, you want to try your hand at building your first antenna for ham radio use, but are unsure just where to start. All the tutorials you find online and all the math involved can be confusing and often frustrating, causing you to lose interest and move on to something else. It doesn’t have to be this way of course, but in this plug and play society that we live in it is sometimes easier just to spend a few bucks and purchase a pre-built antenna. The trade-off is that you gain a sense of accomplishment after you build your first antenna and find out just how easy it can be.

HF, or High Frequency is from 3 Megahertz to 30 Megahertz. Ham radio operators have privileges to transmit on designated frequencies from 3 to 29.7 MHZ in the HF spectrum.²

A dipole is the simplest ham radio antenna you can build and get's you on the air fast!

When looking at all the different designs that are available it is best to start off with the simple designs and move onto some of the more exotic antenna's later. A good starter wire antenna is a simple dipole³ that can give you the confidence you need to try other antenna's. A simple dipole antenna is just a ½ wavelength piece of wire, cut in half and fed with either coax or ladderline. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that really. Their are a LOT of other factors to building an efficient antenna system but a good start is with a simple ½ w dipole made of wire. By using the formula:

468/Freq=Length (It really is THAT simple)

You can come up with the basic length to get you in the ballpark of a working antenna system. Building an antenna for 80M in the CW portion of the band you would just divide 468 by 3.55 to get roughly 131.8ft (Total length). I personally add at least 1ft on each end for tie offs to the insulator also. From this point depending on ground conditions and configuration of the antenna, and type of feed-line that you use (Coax or Ladder-line) you should be very close to a working antenna.

Getting fancy.

If you want to get more advanced and have a more efficient antenna then you should try using Ladderline to feed the antenna. Not only does ladder-line have less loss equaling more power to the antenna, but it's characteristic impedance more closely matches a wire antenna, coming in at 400 to 600 Ohm. Ladderline is a bit harder to work with and depending on how close you have it to other objects will affect it.

If you want to improve on the dipole design even more you can add a 4:1 balun at the feed-point of the antenna. This will stop the vertical section (The part hanging down from the wire) from radiating any energy, making more of your signal come out the antenna.

And that is one of the simplest antennas that will get you on the HF bands and making contacts. It works best if at least 1/4w above ground, but will work fine if you can't achieve this.(For 80M this is about 66ft off the ground) Just be sure to set it up at least high enough to keep it out of reach so no one grabs a hold of it. (While your transmitting).

1 Reference for most of this material comes from “Practical antenna handbook 2^nd Edition” by Joseph J. Carr.

2 HF band privileges range from LF (Low frequency) up into the Microwave frequencies.

3 A Dipole antenna has a omni-directional pattern, radiating equally in all directions.

Diamond V2000a antenna

2014-01-21T21:47:00.002-08:00

The Diamond tri band V2000 6M 2M 440 base antenna

Looking at improving communications here at radio station W7DTG, and one option that I have is picking up a Diamond V2000A tri-band vertical antenna. I had one of these before and it was a great antenna for working local 2M/440 communications. Even with a low power radio like a Baofeng UV-5R and the proper connectors the Diamond V2000A has a great signal for FM work on the VHF/UHF bands.

According to the Diamond page, it is a ½ w lopsided dipole on 6m, a 2X5/8 wave on 2M and a 4X5/8 wave on 440 MHZ. With 6.2 Dbi on 2M and 8.4 dBi on 440 it has potent signal for punching through anything in it's way.

The Diamond antenna that I owned before was mounted on a 6ft pole in front of the house, and I was able to easily work repeaters and simplex stations 20 miles away with good signal quality. Now that I live even farther away from town I need a way to get back into 2M activity. I am currently using a dual band j-pole on a 20ft pole that works ok with marginal signals into the repeater.

From the diamond page over at TheronAtPlay.

The Diamond V2000A: a no-compromise compromise antenna

Although it is a compromise antenna the Diamond V2000A will still deliver a potent signal on 6M in the 52MHZ to 54MHZ range and also covers the 2M and 70cm amateur radio bands. the threads for the radials are 10/32 inch, making it easy to replace or modify using standard threading. Some have experimented with changing stock radials for radials made for 6M with very little change on the 2M and 70cm bands.

From my own personal experience with this antenna I know that it performs well and has a tri band capabilities on 6M/2?70cm. Even mounted on a low pole it worked well for me.

One other option is to experiment with wire designs that are similar to the Diamond V2000a. Although it wouldn't be as pretty it should work OK.

Now where did I leave that antenna book.....

Now at Amazon !

Cutting your first dipole

2014-01-21T16:55:00.003-08:00

Your first wire antenna.

SO, you finally broke down and built your first ½ wave dipole antenna, but the darn thing isn't working where you need it to. How do you know where to add or subtract to the length of the wire without trial and error?

Enter the math!

Just like everything else that has to do with ham radio, eventually you are going to have to break out the calculator and do some equations. Just like you did to find the initial length of the antenna for the band you wanted to work on. But don't worry because this math only causes a few gray hairs. Get the aspirin ready and dig out that old calculator, because here we go!

In an earlier article we discussed how to measure the approximate length of a dipole antenna using the formula:

468/Freq = Total length of antenna /2 (for each half)

468 / 7.050 = 66.4ft (Total length) /2 = 33.2ft

(Don't forget to add at least an extra foot for tie-offs)

Remember to measure twice and cut once, so you don't make any mistakes.

As stated earlier, this equation WILL get you in the ball park, but it is by no means a simple solution for every ham. Factors such as ground, antenna height and configuration also factor in. You can have the antenna strung up flat between two trees, an inverted V that has a single apex in the center with both legs drooping down at 45' angles, or even as a sloper that angles down with one end up high and the other 10 to 15ft off the ground. Each configuration will change the characteristics of the dipole antenna.

OK, so how do we know how much to cut off from the antenna to give us a low SWR and make it work properly.

According to the “Practical antenna design” handbook 2^nd edition. by Joseph J Carr.

1. Calculate the length required for the upper end of the band.

2. Calculate the length required for the bottom end of the band.

3. Calculate the difference in lengths for the upper and lower ends of the band.

4. Calculate the width of the band in Kilohertz by taking the difference between the upper frequency and the lower frequency.

5. Divide the length difference by the frequency difference; The result is is in Kilohertz per unit length.

HUH?

But wait, don't run off screaming trying to wrap your head around that concept just yet. It is really a lot easier than it sounds, and just requires a little bit of math. Basically you are just measuring the difference between the top end of the band and bottom end of the band. In this case we could use 80M as the example. Since the top end is 4.0MHZ and the bottom is 3.5MHZ that gives us 500khz to work with. And if you do the equation 468/Freq:

468/4 = 117ft

468/3.5 = 133.7

You have 16.7ft to use. SO far so good right?

This is the really really really hard part, so time to put those thinking caps on. Just take the 500Khz and divide it by the feet, in this case 16.7 which equals 30khz per foot.

500/16.7 = 30

Wasn't that difficult. And their you have it, a quick down and dirty way to figure out how to quickly cut your antenna to resonance using simple math. But how could you use this to make the antenna work at your location ?

This is really fun so far isn't it? If you cut your dipole and find that it's working great in the center of the 80M band but you need it for the lower CW portion and need to lengthen it, this formula will tell you how much to add to the antenna to make it work properly.

Building your own antenna will give you a tremendous sense of accomplishment and get you on the airwaves making new friends from all over the world.

Building your first wire antenna

2014-01-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

So you want to get on the air.

When first setting up your ham radio station, most people wait until they can save up enough money to buy the best that they can afford. But in reality you don't have to wait to get on the air with a simple HF dipole desig.

Stringing up that wire antenna.

As you string up that fancy new dipole that you just read about in the latest ham radio magazine, wrapped in wire from head to toe in a tangled mess, you have to wonder if it is all worth it. with a tape measure in one hand and wire cutters in the other, you count out the required dimensions of that new design, in the hopes that once it is put up in the air, it will bring in all that exotic DX that you have struggled for over the last few years. So what happened ?

Wire antenna's are a great way to get on the air.

Wire antenna's are one of the best sources for radiating a signal out from your station on the lower HF bands, but they require a bit of work, height and real estate. You can go with a compromise antenna like a G5RV that will work reasonably well if you are strapped for grass and space, or build one of the other exotic designs that are spread out across the internet, like the Extended Double Zepp (EDZ) antenna that is two 5/8 wave antennas in phase with a vertical section made with ladder-line.
Not only do wire antennas perform well, but you get a sense of accomplishment after you have built the antenna and put it up in the air. It is even more of a thrill when in your first QSO and you get to brag about building the antenna yourself. You can of course, go online and purchase a wire antenna that will perform just as well as a home-brew antenna, but for the frugal ham radio operator this is not always an option

OK, lets get started.

Building a simple dipole for 40M

The easiest wire antenna to build for a beginner is a simple mono band dipole, made out of just two pieces of wire. As you gain more confidence you can go for some of the more exotic designs that are out their, but for now let's concentrate on the dipole.
A dipole is just a ½ wave piece of wire connected to your coax. You run one piece to the center conductor and the other side to the braid of your coax and you have a dipole. To figure out what band you want to make it for you use the equation:

468 / freq= Total length .

SO, if you wanted to make a dipole for 40 meters in the CW portion of the band, you would just use 468 divided by 7.05 (Center of 40M band CW portion) which gives you a length of 68 feet. To get the size of each half just divide that by 2, giving you 34ft. How simple is that ?

One of the nice features of this simple dipole is that it can be hung from a single mast or tree branch in an inverted-V configuration and still perform well. Just remember that if you put it in this configuration that you may have to do a little fine tuning since the proximity to the ground will affect the resonance.
One improvement that can be made is a simple RF balun made out of 8 turns of your coax right before it connects to the antenna. This keeps the coaxial from radiating and will reduce interference.

If you have a friend with an antenna analyzer then you can fine tune the wire antenna for your yard. Other factors include the ground soil for your QTH and the diameter of the wire that you use, but overall this equation should get you in the ball park and on your way to making contacts over the airwaves.

Get on the air and start making contacts.

Of course, since every setup is a bit different YMMV, but this is a good start. As you get more involved with Amateur radio you can make a lot of improvements to your station, but this simple dipole antenna will get you on the air and started making Domestic and international contacts with Ham radio operators.
See you on the air

P.S. If you really do not want to bother making your own dipole then purchase a wire antenna at Amateur Radio Supplies.
*HINT* Use CouponCode 73 for an additional 10% savings.