While waiting for my call to show up in the FCC database....

[Thirsty]

I am also waiting for 2-75ft lengths of LMR 400, rotator,and a mast bearing support to show up at the door, hopefully be here Tuesday as the weather is supposed to still be unseasonably warm then.

So far I have a Kenwood tmv71a, Diamond X50 vertical, Arrow VHF yagi and a UHF yagi, 75 ft of new rg 213.

I guess I will need a quality antenna switch ,dont have that ordered yet and a SWR meter and that should about cover it for now.

Lots of work building a station, even a small one like mine....fun though.

 

[Thirsty]

I suppose I could read the manual several times for the Kenwood, that little radio is far more complicated than my FT 101, Uniden Washingtons and cobra 148's etc.

 

[KW9W]

Congrats, hopefully it will show up-today! The antennas that you're connecting to that rig will help many of us-hear you. Looking forward to making contact with you.

Are you interested both nets and contesting?

 

[Thirsty]

Thanks KW9W, I haven't given any thought to contesting yet I am afraid. I will be getting involved in some nets I am sure. I am totally unfamiliar with working VHF/UHF outside of many years of scanner listening. I am familiar with many of the repeaters in the area from listening to scanners but that is about it.

 

[KW9W]

The Century Club (3905CCN) conducts some of the more popular nets, and continues to attract many participants.

This may be due to the fact that the club conducts nets on SSB, CW and other modes, as well as multiple bands. However, there are a ton of other (net) choices where participants may share a common occupation, or background, etc.

 

[Thirsty]

Oh yea SSB would be alot of fun, my rig is FM only so I will be limited there, but it is a start.

I have the Diamond X50 temporarily on the patio clamped to a 7 ft pipe just to scan the band and I have been picking some simplex activity and a few repeaters I could never receive before. Been playing with some of the basic functions to get used to the radio a little. Pretty excited

 

[W5LZ]

Read that manual several times, at least! Most of those things are a set once and forget it, sort of, till you wanna change it. That typically means reading the @#$ thing again for me.
If you've listened to those repeaters operating you have at least an idea of what to do and not to do. Now it's just a matter of putting yourself in that mix and doing it. It usually doesn't take too long before people will know if you are 'new' or not so why not just say so at the start. Saves a lot of time and effort.
There's really no 'set' way of doing things, it's more a matter of attitude and what you enjoy, and what others are doing. One way of going about it is to select one repeater, get used to how things are done there so you'll be comfortable with it. Then listen to the others and see if you find any differences. Then it's a matter of "going with the flow", sort of. If that 'flow' is against your 'grain', who says you have to stay?
And then read that @#$ manual some more!
- 'Doc

 

[Thirsty]

Read that manual several times, at least! Most of those things are a set once and forget it, sort of, till you wanna change it. That typically means reading the @#$ thing again for me.
If you've listened to those repeaters operating you have at least an idea of what to do and not to do. Now it's just a matter of putting yourself in that mix and doing it. It usually doesn't take too long before people will know if you are 'new' or not so why not just say so at the start. Saves a lot of time and effort.
There's really no 'set' way of doing things, it's more a matter of attitude and what you enjoy, and what others are doing. One way of going about it is to select one repeater, get used to how things are done there so you'll be comfortable with it. Then listen to the others and see if you find any differences. Then it's a matter of "going with the flow", sort of. If that 'flow' is against your 'grain', who says you have to stay?
And then read that @#$ manual some more!
- 'Doc

Oh yea, this isnt the first complicated piece of equipment I have ever owned but it is far more so than cb radios. I enjoy figuring out how to use electronics etc.
Yea. You re right scanner listening has given me the feel for the repeaters around here which will help, many of the operators actually know me from various jobs etc. So that should be interesting.
I am actually pretty excited about using the yagis, I have never owned one before so should be fun messing around with them.

 

[Needle Bender]

oh i remember my tmv7a. biggest pos i ever owned and the display died like most of them and kenwood wiggled out of fixing it. no more kwd vhf or uhf gear for me:angry: i hope the 71 is alot better
learn about your 'new radio hobby' and build your own 10m quad. youll never regret it

 

[Thirsty]

oh i remember my tmv7a. biggest pos i ever owned and the display died like most of them and kenwood wiggled out of fixing it. no more kwd vhf or uhf gear for me:angry: i hope the 71 is alot better
learn about your 'new radio hobby' and build your own 10m quad. youll never regret it

god you are a buzz kill, I sold 4 nice cb radios to buy this radio. I am sure it will be fine,and if not I have a warranty . Anyway all will will be good no matter what.......i hope.

 

[binrat]

For the antenna switch, try the Ameritron remote 4 antennas switch. RCS4 I think its called, excellent switch that can pay for itself by less coax running to the tower.

 

[KC9SQR]

I am also waiting for 2-75ft lengths of LMR 400, rotator,and a mast bearing support to show up at the door, hopefully be here Tuesday as the weather is supposed to still be unseasonably warm then.

So far I have a Kenwood tmv71a, Diamond X50 vertical, Arrow VHF yagi and a UHF yagi, 75 ft of new rg 213.

I guess I will need a quality antenna switch ,dont have that ordered yet and a SWR meter and that should about cover it for now.

Lots of work building a station, even a small one like mine....fun though.

Depending on just how far north you are in "western" Wisconsin, you can probably get into the WX9MCS repeater system(s). Located in Rockford, Il... our 2 meter system is a VERY WIDE coverage repeater.. One of our members lives in Monroe, Wi. And has gotten into the repeater nearly full quieting with an HT from his home...

When you do get your callsign assigned to you. Feel free to give 147.255 with a positive offset and a PL of 114.8 a shot... Depending on where you live and of course many other things, you might just make the trip pretty well... You're more than welcome to hang out and ragchew or partake in some or all of the nets we run as well..

Btw, I am a control operator for these repeaters so chances are, if you make the trip (can get into the repeater from where you are) I'll hear you...
Welcome to the hobby, and do your best to not be so anti-cb now that your a licensed operator... That generally rubs people the wrong way.. And keep at least one cb around... You may find that you might want to fire it up and give a listen, or talk to some old friends on there in the future... While I really almost never get on 11 meters anymore, I still keep my 148gtl, and a-99 around... Just because, Not all my friends are licensed hams


I hope you have fun and enjoy exploring your new hobby

73 DE KC9SQR

 

[Thirsty]

For the antenna switch, try the Ameritron remote 4 antennas switch. RCS4 I think its called, excellent switch that can pay for itself by less coax running to the tower.

Thats a good idea, thanks ,I like that switch

 

[Thirsty]

Depending on just how far north you are in "western" Wisconsin, you can probably get into the WX9MCS repeater system(s). Located in Rockford, Il... our 2 meter system is a VERY WIDE coverage repeater.. One of our members lives in Monroe, Wi. And has gotten into the repeater nearly full quieting with an HT from his home...

When you do get your callsign assigned to you. Feel free to give 147.255 with a positive offset and a PL of 114.8 a shot... Depending on where you live and of course many other things, you might just make the trip pretty well... You're more than welcome to hang out and ragchew or partake in some or all of the nets we run as well..

Btw, I am a control operator for these repeaters so chances are, if you make the trip (can get into the repeater from where you are) I'll hear you...
Welcome to the hobby, and do your best to not be so anti-cb now that your a licensed operator... That generally rubs people the wrong way.. And keep at least one cb around... You may find that you might want to fire it up and give a listen, or talk to some old friends on there in the future... While I really almost never get on 11 meters anymore, I still keep my 148gtl, and a-99 around... Just because, Not all my friends are licensed hams


I hope you have fun and enjoy exploring your new hobby

73 DE KC9SQR

Thanks KC9SQR, I appreciate the info. I will point the yagi towards Rockford and see what I can hear. I am a pretty good distance from Rockford but will try none the less. For starters I will only be 30ft in the air. We have some repeaters here with little activity, one of the reasons I am going to fly a yagi to see if I can get into some active ones on occasion. Thanks again.

 

[KC9SQR]

Thanks KC9SQR, I appreciate the info. I will point the yagi towards Rockford and see what I can hear. I am a pretty good distance from Rockford but will try none the less. For starters I will only be 30ft in the air. We have some repeaters here with little activity, one of the reasons I am going to fly a yagi to see if I can get into some active ones on occasion. Thanks again.

You're welcome anytime... You might be surprised what you hear with that yagi, you've got yourself a really decent start there.. You should be able to do pretty decent with that depending on terrain of course.. We get some out of state check ins from Clinton, IA, a few from Indiana, various areas of Wisconsin.. I don't know what city you're in, so it's kind of hard to tell lol... But you might be surprised, this repeater I mentioned before has really good "ears" lol

Hope to hear ya on here, and again welcome to the hobby, there's plenty to do that's for sure...

73 KC9SQR