Recent content by Hilltop

Excellent advice from @Dr. Frankenstein I noticed you said you owned a SDR. I would get the SDR set back and see just how wideband the RFI is. If it's wiping out 11m, I would want to know how far above and below 27MHz the problem is. If it's extending down into the AM BCB or up to FM BCB...

I've heard someone on the air using one of these and he was complaining about SWR issues. Hard pass for me as well, not only for the eye-watering price, but the construction, wire (steel) and Rube Goldberg contraption inside the feed point box. I can fabricate a nice fan or maypole-inverted...

When I first got into this hobby back in the late 70s, it was not uncommon for 10 & 11 meters to be open day and night for weeks on end. Solar Cycle 21 was a real barn burner at times.

At 2.4 GHz, yes. It's called a microwave oven. Not good for you. At 27 MHz, it's for "medicinal purposes". :LOL: Perhaps someone can use that excuse when the FCC comes knocking? Short wave diathermy operations use the ISM band frequencies of 13.56, 27.12, and 40.68 megahertz. Most commercial...

You shouldn't have to purchase anything to study for your Tech exam. My YL used hamexam.org and the KB6NU Study guides. (Tech guide is FREE). She passed her Tech thru Extra with only 1 or 2 missed on each exam. The General and Extra exam study guides are $10. Linkage...

How about free? https://www.rigpix.com/kenwood/tw4000a_manual.pdf

RSP2 owner here. I've used the high Z connector and the Ant A port, and frankly, I don't see a huge difference for HF listening. The issue with the RSP2 is overload. If you have it connected to a good external antenna, the unit will easily overload, especially at night. Easily fixed with the...

Can't speak to the Larsen 11m antennas, but the 2m Larsen NMO 2/70B I mounted on the roof of my truck is an excellent performer. In optimal locations, I've hit 2m repeaters at 60-80 miles out with 50 watts FM. VSWR 1.2:1 @ 146 MHz, 1.4:1 at band the edges. I hope the quality extends to their...

Looks DMR Talkgroup-ish-like, for CBers. The world has officially ended! ;)

According to the MFJ website..."This antenna is illegal for 11 Meters use." :ROFLMAO::D https://mfjenterprises.com/collections/hy-gain/products/spt-500 Waiting for the antenna police to arrive..

The MUF across the south-central US climbed up to around 30 MHz on Saturday 4-4-20. I was monitoring 28.074 MHz (10m FT-8 watering hole) and had everything from the Caribbean down to the tip of Argentina with good signals into my East Texas QTH. Handy site: http://spacew.com/www/realtime.php

The PL880 is a very nice portable general coverage receiver. Hook it up to a decent external antenna and it will really come alive on shortwave. I owned a PL660 prior to the PL880. The 880 blows the 660 out of the water on the AM broadcast band. The overall audio quality on the 880 is much...

I'd like to see J2B/J2D allowed. Imagine the fun 11m ops could have with PSK-31, any of the FT/JT modes, JS8Call, etc. It might spur a demand for low power, properly modulated CB transmitters. ;) The digital modes are very unforgiving on your gear when configured incorrectly.