User:TheAnarcat

I am anarcat and i hope i'm not screwing things up here too much. :)

I just passed my basic qualitification in Canada, with honors (so I can operate HF), yay! I am now AKA VA2ANK. -- TheAnarcat 21:50, 10 October 2010 (CDT)

= My rig =


 * Transceiver:
 * Yaesu FT-100D - 499$ on ebay - actual price: ~570$ (to be verified)
 * Antennas and gizmos:
 * MFJ-941E - antenna tuner and switch 155$ at radioworld
 * MAP-G5RV 1/2 - G5RV 50' dipole antenna (10-40m) 85$ at radioworld
 * J146/440 - dual band VHF/UHF antenna (2m-70cm) 40$ at radioworld /!\ backorder
 * 100' of RG8 coax cabling 65$ at radioworld
 * MFJ-260C - 300W dummy load 0-150Mhz dry 50$ at radiowrodl built into the tuner now
 * 3 PL259 connectors 4$ at radioworld
 * Total, incl. shipping: 452.35$
 * Ferrites: ~40$ + 24$ customs fees
 * Total rig cost so far: 1046.70$

I uploaded a few photos in this album.

New quad antenna project


I am working on building a new antenna, pictured right. It is based on this design, which uses a mix of PVC pipes and fiberglass rods, except I adapt it to a 20m antenna.

Here's my parts list.

Total price: ~280$

Notes:


 * Gauge: 10-16 AWG is okay (see AWG, that is 1.2-2.5mm or 1/10" - 1/20"), and can be insulated, according to this page
 * Using welding wire is a good idea, as the lightning bolt quad uses
 * I was suggested Dubo for electric supplies
 * Concerned about the hub kit, that the PVC will either not fit or break, would rather have aluminium like this or this

= Références =

Je collecte ici des bons sites au sujet du ham radio.


 * Manuals, courses
 * Good overview
 * Emergencyradio.ca online course
 * tech manual
 * HAM Radio primer - un peu vieux (14 ans!) dit que son kit a coûté 1000$
 * Hardware
 * hardware guide - motorola
 * Exams
 * certification pour licence canadienne
 * Exams at the Last HOPE
 * Clubs
 * Montreal Amateur Radio Club - Dorval est. 1932, mostly english and west-island-ish
 * Rive sud
 * Radio Amateur Canada
 * Other documentation
 * IRLP - Internet Radio Linking Project - using the internet to link stations
 * Call sign lookup
 * Available call signs in Canada
 * US Ham bands
 * Family_Radio_Service - intéressant pour commencer, comme le CB mais plus puissant et sans interférence, pas cher, j'ai acheté un cobra FRS

Software
This needs to be merged into Software

xplanet -latitude 45.5 -longitude -73.66 -wait 60 -label -projection azimuthal -fork -radius 90 ibp FN35EM
 * the oracles
 * http://packages.debian.org/gpredict
 * http://packages.debian.org/minimuf - allows you to compute the WikiPedia:MUF depending on salar activity and so on, but has an unusuable interface (you need to enter a series of digits... how about a GUI?!)
 * http://packages.debian.org/gcb - calculates the right angle for your antenna
 * http://packages.debian.org/xplanet - can show azimuthal projections of the earth on your background, screensaver or window - I use this in myxsession:
 * testing tools
 * http://packages.debian.org/ibp - very useful for training to receive distant comms: show you which beacon is active when, with a map
 * packet:
 * http://packages.debian.org/gmfsk - for packet radio
 * http://packages.debian.org/fldigi - also looks interesting and fairly complete, not tested
 * http://packages.debian.org/gpsk31, DebianPackage:linpsk, DebianPackage:phaseshift - same?
 * http://packages.debian.org/fbb - mailboxes?
 * to be tested:
 * http://packages.debian.org/grig - can control your radio from your computer
 * http://packages.debian.org/splat
 * http://packages.debian.org/wwl
 * http://packages.debian.org/wsjt
 * http://packages.debian.org/xastir
 * http://packages.debian.org/xwota
 * http://packages.debian.org/xdemorse
 * dismissed:
 * http://packages.debian.org/predict and http://packages.debian.org/predict-gsat - console only, doesn't bring much the gorgeous visuals of DebianPackage:gpredict

... others to follow, there's a whole hamradio section in debian.

= Stuff to buy next =


 * Another HF radio?
 * ebay
 * radioworld
 * local
 * Call those guys?