Ham Radio

[GeoffH]

I still have no definite answer about ‘long term reciprocal licensing but my guess is once you have the license no one would enforce ‘how long’, they don’t chase pirates are they going to chase a reciprocal license holder?  My only concern would be renewal, I’m not sure how that would work.

And yes 3 extras to do an extra or general class license exam is my understanding also.  Generals can do Technician exams I think?

It would be great to catch up in Davao some time, hopefully when I back home from Aussie.

Edited February 1, 2020 by GeoffH

[Tommy T.]

11 hours ago, GeoffH said:

 Generals can do Technician exams I think?

I cannot say for sure today, but it was that way for a long time that I was aware, up until about 5 years ago when I sort of dropped out of the amateur radio scene. Personally, I would have to check in with the two main credential issuing stations - W5YI,  and W1AW, I think? 

Now I am really interested to get into it again. I will have a room in the new home that will be mostly my domain (man cave?) and the location should be good for HF... Then to rescue those rigs from the storage unit... Plus I will need to get antenna tuners since I don't want to fuss with measuring and calibrating long wires or whatever, without good tuners. I am also interested to train L in this so that we can have direct communication in case of emergencies. The house is at 1 km with line-of-sight to the central city. So that should work. I would prefer to set us up on frequencies not used by pirates - so HF... maybe 30 meters? I will have to think about this...

I am still interested to hear what you discover regarding reciprocal licensing. My guess is that they have little to no officialdom here to deal with that - it is such a tiny part of the bureaucracy. But I also see the relevance of it considering the volcanoes and now the virus and the logistics of travel between islands. Internet can be (usually is here) super slow and phone service is commonly less than stellar. I think there is still a place for us with our 20th century technology!

[GeoffH]

The picture I posted in the other thread of my friend's restored BC-348 seemed to be of interest to some of the members so I thought I would post this radio also.

This is an ART-13 radio transmitter that saw use in larger USA planes during WW2 and for a couple of decades after then, it was generally used in combination with the BC-348 receiver from the other post.

There was no power supply with the radio so Neil built one from scratch (it doesn't quite match but it's in the general style of the period) and then proceeded to get the radio into working order (I did say his skills put mine to shame right LOL).

Wikipedia article about the radio

 

[Tommy T.]

50 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

There was no power supply with the radio so Neil built one from scratch (it doesn't quite match but it's in the general style of the period) and then proceeded to get the radio into working order (I did say his skills put mine to shame right LOL).

 

So it runs on 12 volts or 24? I have no idea about voltages used in aircraft - only yachts, and some use either...

[GeoffH]

28 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

So it runs on 12 volts or 24? I have no idea about voltages used in aircraft - only yachts, and some use either...

I don't actually know, that wasn't one of the things I asked. 

I will ask when I'm talking to on the radio next time (we're locked down so the radio club rooms are closed).

[Joey G]

Beautiful radio   If it was hooked to aircraft power... 24 volts.  

Just curious... Anyone ever use Echolink?  Runs over the internet... I've used it in Samar to call in to our repeater back to the US... worked well... you do need a Ham license to download and operate on it.... you can use a computer, but I have the iPhone version as well.

[GeoffH]

10 hours ago, Joey G said:

Beautiful radio   If it was hooked to aircraft power... 24 volts.  

Just curious... Anyone ever use Echolink?  Runs over the internet... I've used it in Samar to call in to our repeater back to the US... worked well... you do need a Ham license to download and operate on it.... you can use a computer, but I have the iPhone version as well.

It would have been hooked to aircraft power yes and 24 volts would explain why Neil couldn't power it from his shack supply which is a nominal 12 volts.

I have used Echolink in the past but not much these day because for VHF long distance I have a hotspot and a digital radio now.

It is on the list of things I was considering for use in the Philippines after selling the investment house here (but with the borders shut here and there that's on hold now).

Edited April 1, 2020 by GeoffH

[GeoffH]

Small update -:  Today I am doing the remote webinar from the Philippine Amateur Radio Association.  
 

This is the required ‘seminar’ which must be done before a Philippines Amateur Radio examination can be taken.  Normally these are held in major cities one time a year (more often in Manila).

 

But due to Covid-19 they are holding this in Zoom meeting software which means I can do it while I am still in Australia and it will save me a trip to Manila :)

 

I did hear from PARÁ recently and I am waiting upon information to pay my membership.

Edited May 2, 2020 by GeoffH

[GeoffH]

A couple of small Ham Radio updates -:

I did the first Webinar for the Philippines Class D and C license examination and the second Webinar for the Class B examination and I've registered for the webinar for the Class A examination.  Normally an examination candidate has to have attended a pre-examination topic review session for the exam elements they are sitting for before sitting the examination but they're counting this webinar and issuing the receipts - still waiting for my receipt for those).  I can't sit the examination until I'm back in the Philippines but it's a step along the way.  I did hear back from the PARA (the Philippine Amateur Radio Association) and they're not processing memberships right now because of lockdown so that part is on hold.

But as part of my "something to do during lockdown radio project" I built an accessory for the uBix V6 multi-band transmitter that I showed in the other thread, it is a 3D printed dual paddle morse key.

Most paddles use springs but this design uses pairs of small but very strong Neodymium magnets on each paddle to get the 'spring' effect.  The paddle spacing is adjustable by letting off the set nut and screwing the side bolts in or out.  

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by GeoffH

[Tommy T.]

Looks good, Geoff!

All I can remember from Morse Code is SOS!!!

1 hour ago, GeoffH said:

Neodymium

Are these powered by dilithium crystals, Kiptin?