Lon, thank you so much for continuing to make amateur radio videos, I'm sure they are not your most watched however because you're passionate about it they are among your best videos in my opinion. I've regularly watched videos from hams that have been making videos for five, ten, fifteen years and they do not have the enthusiasm and skill of presentation that you have. To get where you have gotten in just a year shows what a bright and resourceful guy you are. Thanks again, Rob, N9TCP.
I noticed your Main Shack Ground Wire is a solid copper wire. May I suggest replacing that wire with a Multistrand Copper Wire or Tape. I use Both. Reason: The Electrons moving down a wire run along the outside of the wire. By using a Multistrand Wire your making a greater number of Electron Paths resulting in a greater grounding condition for the shack. Also, you'll be able to ground more gear at the same time. Great video! I have Three 991A's. One set up on the "Shack Bench". One is in my 1999 Ford Conversion N8XLQ Command Van for mobile "HF/VHF/UHF", and one is a "Bounce Radio" for doing anything on the go or to loan out, and I'm buying more. I love'um. Remember: Grounding is Extremely Important for the rigs to operate within factory specs. Goal for 1 Mega Ohm of Ground. Use a Grounding wire that is the same gauge as your radios power wire or larger. I like 4 gauge from the shack out to the Ground Rod. Works great! Welcome to the Hobby! N8XLQ 😃
I’ve been watching your channel for years. You have always helped me to know what tech is good and bad. I too have recently got I to ham and took the tests for technician and general. Currently planning my first station setup while also moving into a new house. Keep making ham videos…I need your help!
I have been following your channel for a long time and always enjoy the content. I used to I live in Middlefield and East Hampton CT, and have held the same Ham Call of K4PHA for 66 years. 10 meters is a very exciting band when conditions are right, I was licensed in the mid 50’s when you could work the world on one watt. I keyed a Meisner Signal Shifter VFO connected directly to a Gotham vertical antenna and it was a lot of fun.
Congrats on the license, and delving into not just VHF+ but HF. I've been a ham for 32 years, and I learn new things all the time. I think there will always be more to learn. I've been primarily on HF (except for VHF FM / packet in the 90s). I'd really like to be, someday, in a location where I can do all sorts of weak signal stuff on VHF+
Welcome to Ham Radio! I am a recent General licensed operator. With your background the General test should be fairly easy. I tested for both in one sitting in 2020. I have enjoyed the hobby so far. All the best. 73 de KI5HXM
Congratulations on achieving your Technician and welcome to ham radio! I did this about 7 years ago and then the examiners said "hey, do you want to try the General Exam?" So I did, and passed it, and even tried the Extra, which I found too intimidating. So the next month, after intense study, I went for Extra and passed it. After that, I said hey what is there to do next and heard about the FCC Commerical (Pro level that never expire) licenses and 6 months later I had them all (GROL, Telegraph, both GMDSS and Radar Endorsement). The FCC rep who signed them off said I had a record in passing them. 73 de KI1Y, Viera FL
Awesome to see that you got an HF antenna on the air. 10m has been on fire lately and glad to see you've reaped the benefits. Looking forward to more ham radio videos in the future. Once you pass your general and gain access to the remaining HF bands, that will be a fun video to watch on what you're doing in the hobby. 73. Kyle AA0Z
I always though about getting a HAM radio license, but the closest I have come is the RTL-SDR dongle that is still in the plastic wrapper. So I just pulled it out of my electronics project box and is now on my Things-To-Do list. I will see if I can monitor you one day. Great video! Almost forgot to mention that back in the early 60's I had a small AM transistor radio that I modified the antenna and had a 10' 1/2" Electrical conduit for an antenna mounted on the roof of our 2 flat in Chicago. Late at night I could sometimes pick of stations from NY City, Los Angles CA, Texas. A lot of skip going on back then.
Just a quick clarification - at the beginning of the video I referred to being largely limited to the 10 meter band - this is true of the High Frequency (HF) bands - but Technicians also have full privileges on some of the higher bands like the 2 meter & 70cm bands that I was using on my handheld radio in the prior videos. See the full chart here of what each license allows: www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Band%20Chart/Band%20Chart%208_5%20X%2011%20Color.pdf
welcome to the world of ham radio.. for better protection make sure the grounding bar for your radio gear is bonded to your electrical system ground as well, if it isn't already... 😎
Brings me back to the 90s when I modded my Cobra 148 for extra channels. Then got a Ranger 2950. It’s been a while since Ive used radios. One time I was able to skybounce and chat with someone in Belgium for a minute. Didn’t get a post calling card thing but was cool. Had a huge Antron 99 antennas on my roof. Lol. Cool fun stuff. Ha
I’ve always wanted to get into ham radio since I started listening to Art Bell back in ‘93. But this is way over my head. Just don’t think I have the know how and cash flow for such a very interesting hobby. Maybe when I retire here in a few years. Thanks for the info 😊
This time 2 years ago I knew nothing. Now I have a general license and run digital modes all day. Do not be intimidated by it, you are going to learn everything as you go along.
I gotta get on 10m to get my callsign in your logs!!! Good luck on you general test! We just passed two Generals and a new Tech this pass Saturday(April 6th, 2023) here in Mississippi. OORAH De WV1Q Semper Fi and Can Do
Nice video Lon. I'd recommend that you go with a flat braided ground wire for your gear to ground terminals. You'll get better RF grounding with a flat braided grounding wire. Round grounding wire has less surface area, making it unsuitable for low impedance RF ground connections. All that being said, vry nice station you have there. You'll get a kick out of General class. Gud luck es 73, Tim AC1KD
I have a suggestion or 2 for you 1: on the pole that that your dual band is mounted to put a small pulley with paracord or similar and you can use said pulley to hang a diploe wire antenna 2: on the wire dipole you can get/make a variant called a fan dipole that will be good on multiple bands without the antenna tuner.
Do something to restrict the kids from reaching the antenna wire when you're transmitting. Possibility of RF burns exists. Otherwise, well done and congrats.
Great intro information for your audience. The EMCOMM antennas are great. IMHO, there is no bad position for the antenna, but keeping the antenna at "antler height" will give you NVIS, which could be ideal. General License is worth it. Extra is for bragging rights. Keep up the good work. 73's de W1EPL
It was quite popular in the 80's - I used to hear about it all the time on the telephone-based BBS's I logged into. It was quite expensive to get all of the gear needed at the time, now most of it runs in software!
Consider doing a review of the HackRF One. The FT-991A looks ideal, but it is on the high end of the price range. The HackRF One is more affordable for SDR Transceiver.
Hey, nice radio! I have a 991A too. Also an 818 for portable fun and an FT-60 handheld. Now I just have to get a ham license... 😅 I'm getting close to getting 100% all the time on the full question pool, but the next Technician test in my area isn't for a couple of months at a ham fest.
Awesome, I recently got my tech license and was wondering about ft8 for 10m since dont have a radio that will do ssb yet. Having fun on 6m 2m and 70cm. KQ4HDX JOSH 73s
In high school (early 90s) a buddy of mine had some illegal over powered CB radio. It would get super hot. I remember he claimed he could reach the Virgin Islands.
@@LesFishingMoreCatching I remember his conversations with people were brief and he was a little paranoid about using it for extended periods not because of the operating temp but because of the disturbance he would cause. He didn’t want to get fined.
I've had a General class license since 2009, know the code (since 1972) but have yet to do voice or code. Wife won't let me put up an antenna :( Says they look ugly.
I had a similar discussion with my wife in regards to the TV antenna I put up recently. So far she hasn't complained about the wire antenna but that of course is only the beginning :)
@@LonSeidman lol it's a slow process getting them to see the light :) I remember when all the houses had analog TV antennas? It was a beautiful thing. Even had rotors on the nice ones to point that sucker.
i have ben into radios for 35+ years and if you are a lisensed tech you also get the full/ALL 6m ,2m 70cm,1.25m and some HF bands ..2m Has a Ton of repeaters on it as does 70cm & 6 Meter & They are Voice ..you are selling tour self WAYYYY Sort just on 10m 10m SUXXX 98% of the Time any way brother Good Luck & Congrats to haha maybe i will hear ya on the air ways im on 2m 70cm or 6m...73s
Shame, because ham radio clubs include the most resourceful die-hard preppers in the world. Most of us know, through actual disaster situations how to communicate with other preppers in the most dire situations.
@@ChatGPT1111 smart preppers would not transmit and give away their location.... just use it to gather intel..... u dont need a ham license to get disaster training
