Dayton HamFest

daevans315 · Post by **daevans315** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:43 am

I know there are a handful of Ham's on the site.. Anybody taking their crew to Dayton this year? I think mine may be taking its first trek. I've been the last 4 years but always caught a ride with someone else.

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:25 pm

Little far for me. Have fun and report back!

YellowCrewCabber · Post by **YellowCrewCabber** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:45 pm

You might get that guy in KY that drives a short bus like I do to go.

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:03 pm

He needs a little nudge into the Ham world, and I don't mean breakfast meats.

Gary H · Post by **Gary H** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:11 pm

The interest is slowly creeping back up with me. I've turned on the handheld a few times (only radio I can find) and listened but I'm too far away from most repeaters to talk back to anyone. May is booked solid for me though so no chance of getting to Dayton.

Hey, HJ, did you ever go to Gen or higher or are you still a tech like me?

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:25 pm

Gary H wrote:...did you ever go to Gen or higher or are you still a tech like me?

Still a Tech. I really have no need to go higher right now as I don't need the frequencies. If the need arises, I'll study for a higher level. Right now I am happy with the abilities of the 2m and 440.

Gary H · Post by **Gary H** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:32 pm

I'm kind of thinkin' about it. Sort of that "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it" thing. Just need to find the study time. I also need to figure out what I did with the box I put all the radio gear into. I have this really bad feeling.....

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:20 pm

HenryJ wrote:He needs a little nudge into the Ham world, and I don't mean breakfast meats.

If, anyone around here had them in trail rigs, I could be nudged. I've got $1,800 worth of tax refund in heep mods sitting here in boxes with more enroute. I may have my license and a basic unit for Moab '10.

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:23 pm

Get your license and I will have a radio in the mail to you. Same favor done for me by another crew cabber.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:34 pm

HenryJ wrote:..........Same favor done for me by another crew cabber.

Thank you, Brule! Aren't some "cabbers" weird that way?

Gary H · Post by **Gary H** » Sat May 02, 2009 5:32 am

Hey Brule. Still got that Yaesu 8800? How do/did you like it? I'm looking at maybe getting the 8900. I had fun playing on 6 meters when it was running good. Kinda fun talking halfway across the country from a shopping center parking lot and now that techs can get on parts of 10 meters...

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat May 02, 2009 5:46 am

Gary H wrote:Still got that Yaesu 8800? How do/did you like it?

Love it. Really made a good choice there. Does everything and more than what I need it for.

I'm looking at maybe getting the 8900. I had fun playing on 6 meters when it was running good. Kinda fun talking halfway across the country from a shopping center parking lot and now that techs can get on parts of 10 meters...

I am not sure I would be as happy with the 8900. I considered it strongly, but now that I have some experience with the 8800, I am not sure adding complexity to the radio is needed for use as a mobile. In a shack as a base the situation might be different? I would probably look into a separate 6m/10m rig knowing what I do now.

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sat May 02, 2009 6:00 am

I love my ft8800 as well, having essentially 2 radios in one box is a great feature. I have mine set up so one side uses the internal speaker and the other side uses an external speaker so I can tell instantly which side is transmitting.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat May 02, 2009 6:22 am

What are you using for an antenna? That was another concern with the 8900.
I run a splitter and two antennas. Both quarter wave whips. I have one trimmed to 2m and one for 440. Seems to work pretty well. Offroad and in the trees I don't have to worry about antennas. Nobody is going to steal a $10 ,1/4 wave whip so no need to remove and hide them.

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sat May 02, 2009 6:50 am

Currently I am running an Anli Super Compact WH-717 VHF/UHF Mobile Ant DUALBAND VHF/UHF
* WIDE 143-166Mhz/425-475Mhz PreTuned Range!
* Only about 18 inches Tall! on a 5 inch magnetic mount both from Advanced Specialties Inc.
I plan on going NMO mount later this year with a bigger antenna but when conditions are good I can pick up my local repeater from close to 30 miles with this one.

The added benefit is it does extremely well with picking up the police/fire/rescue and DOT frequencies as well as MURS and Business bands without tuning.

Gary H · Post by **Gary H** » Sat May 02, 2009 7:45 am

I do have an FT857D floating around here in a box somewhere. The only problem I had with it was no cross band repeat capability which was part of what got me into ham in the first place. With the 8900, I figure I have the cross band plus the 6 and 10 meters for occasionally playing around but mostly I would use the 2m part. Also, it's smaller than the 857 and I don't have much room to mount anything in my Jeep ZJ. As for antennas, I think Diamond and Comet both make antennas specifically for the 8900. I may actually have one around here but I can't remember. I'm not worried about theft though. It's forgetting to take it down before I pull into the garage that's the problem. Not much clearance!

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sat May 02, 2009 7:48 am

Invest in a motorized antenna mount and you could just lower the antenna with the flick of a switch. I would get one but with winters around here it would be useless 6 months of the year.

Gary H · Post by **Gary H** » Sat May 02, 2009 10:38 am

04crewvt wrote:Invest in a motorized antenna mount and you could just lower the antenna with the flick of a switch. I would get one but with winters around here it would be useless 6 months of the year.

Yeah, that's what I'll probably have to do. I tore one antenna in half already with my Blazer. Forgot to take it off and it snapped in half right at the center loading coil. It was a fairly short 2m/440 antenna too (maybe 18") and on a much lower vehicle.