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I am [https://wiki.koumbit.net/TheAnarcat anarcat] and i hope i'm not screwing things up here too much. :)
I am [https://wiki.koumbit.net/TheAnarcat anarcat]. I just passed my basic qualitification in Canada, with honors (so I can operate HF), yay! I am now AKA VA2ANK. -- [[User:TheAnarcat|TheAnarcat]] 21:50, 10 October 2010 (CDT)
 
= My rig =
 
* Transceiver:
** Yaesu FT-100D - [http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180565016542&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT 499$ on ebay] - actual price: ~570$ (to be verified)
* Antennas and gizmos at radioworld, first pass:
** MFJ-941E - antenna tuner and switch [http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?products_id=2885 155$ at radioworld]
** MAP-G5RV 1/2 - G5RV 50' dipole antenna (10-40m) [http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=121&products_id=7788 85$ at radioworld]
** <del>J146/440 - dual band VHF/UHF antenna (2m-70cm) [http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?cPath=73_191_193&products_id=886 40$ at radioworld]</del> /!\ backorder
** 100' of RG8 coax cabling [http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?cPath=73_394&products_id=6831 65$ at radioworld]
** <del>MFJ-260C - 300W dummy load  0-150Mhz dry [http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?products_id=8098 50$ at radiowrodl]</del> built into the tuner now
** 3 PL259 connectors [http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?cPath=73_394&products_id=3244 4$ at radioworld]
** Total, incl. shipping: 452.35$
* Ferrites: ~40$ + 24$ customs fees (PN: 2643167851 from [http://www.ibselectronics.com/search_r.asp?mfgpn=2643167851 IBS electronics])
* A shitload of PL259 connectors, usually around 2$ each
* Documentation:
** [http://www.coaxpublications.ca/  Canadian Amateur Radio Basic Qualification Study Guide]: 40$
** [https://www.rac.ca/store/operating-manual.htm The RAC Operating Manual]: 42$ (note: i didn't find this one really useful)
** ARRL Handbook 2011, Softcover: 49.95$USD
** ARRL Antenna Book: 44.95$USD
* Total rig cost so far: 1242.60$ (not counting the quad project below)
 
I uploaded a few photos [http://photos.anarcat.koumbit.org/main.php?g2_itemId=4619 in this album].
 
== New quad antenna project ==
 
I am working on building a new antenna. It is based on [http://www.hamuniverse.com/n1uue2el1011quad.html this design], which uses a mix of PVC pipes and fiberglass rods, except I adapt it to a 20m antenna and replace the PVC with aluminium for solidity. It should be possible to take the antenna apart and rebuild it if necessary.
 
=== Parts list ===
 
[[File:Quad-sketch0001.jpg|400px|thumb|right|A sketch of my antenna]]
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!colspan="6"|Mast
|+
! Part              || Amount || Where || Weight || Price || Notes
|-
| tripod            || 1    || addison    || ? || 45.56$ || ~2' x 2'
|-
| 3m steel pole      || 1    || downstairs || ? || 0$ || to connect the boom and tripod, 1-1¼"
|-
| sandbags          || 3    || home depot || 30kg ea. || 10.76$ || one per leg
|-
| plywood            || 3'x4' || attic || ? || 0$ || <s>1' x 2' used for the beam/pole fitting</s> - found some
|-
| Mast clamps (1"3/4)|| 4 || hardware store || ? || 4.92$ || to connect the boom with the mast, bigger mast, 1.23¢ ea
|-
| Mast clamps (1"3/8)|| 2 || hardware store || ? || 1.60$ || to connect the boom with the mast, 80¢ ea
|-
| guy rope          || 2x100' || hardware store || ? || 63.98$ || to secure the mast, using poplypropylene/nylon rope, each line should support around 300lbs of pressure, enough for the 500lbs of pressure with a 90mph wind
|+
!colspan="6"|Antenna and accessories
|+
! Part              || Amount || Where || Weight || Price || Notes
|-
| 1" hose clamps        || 8    || home depot || ? || ? || to tie the antenna line to the spreaders
|-
| tie wraps, small  || 100 || hardware store || ? || 3.09$ || to tie the antenna line to the spreaders
|-
| 2"½ hose clamps    || 19 || hardware store || ? || 26.41$ || to tie-up the boom together (2), the spreaders to the spider (8) and the spreaders themselves (8), +spare (1)
|-
| 8"x½" plastic tube || 1    || home depot || ~0 ||  0$|| for spreader/wire attachment - found some
|-
| 15' 1¼" fiberglass || 8    || [http://www.mgs4u.com/fiberglass-cubical-quad-spreaders.htm mgs4u.com] (type 1) || 17.6lbs || ~160$ - actual: 255$CAD (!!)  || 4.4lbs ea, unit price 19.80$
|-
| Clamps    || 10-pack || [http://www.dxengineering.com/Parts.asp?ID=1868&PLID=161&SecID=129&DeptID=36&PartNo=DXE-CPC-375 dxengineering] || ~0 || 14.95$ || to secure the feedline
|-
| 4m aluminium boom  || 2    ||  [http://www.dxengineering.com/Parts.asp?ID=5107&PLID=364&SecID=136&DeptID=43&PartNo=DXE-AT1492 DX engineering] || 2.5lbs || 24.90$ ||
|-
| 500' of wiring    || 1    || [http://www.dxengineering.com/Parts.asp?ID=2012&PLID=159&SecID=77&DeptID=40&PartNo=DXE-ANTW-500 DX engineering] || N/A    || 74.95$ || only parts of this will be used (120' to be more precise)
|-
| U clamps and bolts || 4    || <s>home depot</s> [http://www.rickadams.net/ Rick Adams] || ~0 || 0$ || included in the beam/pole fitting
|-
| boom/pole plate    || 1    || [http://www.rickadams.net/ Rick Adams]  || ? || 45$ + 30$ shipping || need to drill holes, includes reinforcement pole
|-
| spider            || 2    || [http://www.rickadams.net/ Rick Adams] || 2.3lbs || 70$USD || 14oz ea. 40$/ea, seems strong and sturdy, and Rick helped me through email, let's try!
|+
!colspan="6"|Antenna (parts in shipping)
|-
|colspan="6"|Nothing!
|+
!colspan="6"|Antenna (parts to order)
|+
! Part              || Amount || Where || Weight || Price || Notes
|-
| more sandbags?    || 3  || hardware store || ? || ? || to attach the tower?
|}
 
Total planned price: ~373.77$
 
Total planned weight: ~25lbs++ - not including 180lbs of sandbags, the pole and tripod.
 
=== Notes ===
 
* Gauge: 10-16 AWG is okay (see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge AWG], that is 1.2-2.5mm or 1/10" - 1/20"), and can be insulated, according to [http://n6ach.com/calc/quad.html this page]
* Using welding wire is a good idea, as the [http://www.qsl.net/w3df/quad2/quad.html lightning bolt quad] uses
* I was suggested [http://www.dubo.qc.ca/ Dubo] for electric supplies
 
=== Current blocker(s) ===
 
Waiting for parts to be shipped and for the rain to stop.
 
=== Discarded approaches ===
 
Those parts were considered during the design phase but were discarded for various reasons.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Part              || Amount || Where || Price || Notes
|-
| welding wire aluminium || 270' spool || [http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/WeldingSoldering/AccessoriesRodsWire.jsp canadian tire]? || ? || example: [http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Welding/Aluminum-Alloy/Alloy-5356-MIG.aspx Aluminium 5356 MIG alloy] - too hard to find
|-
| <s>4m 1"PVC</s>          || 1    || home depot || ? || according to Rick, this could create interference
|-
| <s>5-way 1"PVC conn.</s>  || 2    || [http://www.creativeshelters.com/Fittings/PVC-Structure-Fitting.aspx creativeshelters.com] || 3.08$ || couldn't order, they don't accept canadian zip codes, and shipping is 30$ anyways, and I don't trust PVC
|-
| <s>1"x½" copper pipe</s>  || 8    || home depot || ~5$ || we'll use tie-wraps instead for spreader/wire attachment
|-
| <s>8m ½"PVC</s>          || 4    || home depot || ? || PVC pipes are too flexible to hold properly, we need fiberglass
|-
| <s>AUG 12 copper wire</s> || 44.4m  || ???  || 29.32$ (addison?) 48.64$ pour 2x12 22m (dubo) || <s>addison doesn't have bare wire, and [http://www.dubo.qc.ca/ dubo] only has bare up to 8 gage, too big (it's mainly for grounds)</s> copper wire never comes bare, and i may have better luck finding mig soldering wire like [http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Welding/Aluminum-Alloy/Alloy-5356-MIG.aspx Aluminium-5356]
|}
 
I had a lot of problems finding proper parts (pipes, raw materials like wiring and so on) in Montreal, which made building the antenna quite tricky, as a lot of things needed to be ordered online, which raised the overall costs because of shipping.
 
= Références =
 
Je collecte ici des bons sites au sujet du ham radio.
 
* Manuals, courses
** [http://www.visi.com/~tneu/whatsham.html Good overview]
** [http://www.emergencyradio.ca/course/ Emergencyradio.ca online course]
** [http://kb6nu.com/tech-manual/ tech manual]
** [http://www.baproducts.com/ham.htm HAM Radio primer] - un peu vieux (14 ans!) dit que son kit a coûté 1000$
* Hardware
** [http://batlabs.com/ hardware guide] - motorola
* Exams
** [http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/fra/h_sf01709.html certification pour licence canadienne]
** [http://wiki.hope.net/index.php/TLH_Amateur_Radio_License_Exams Exams at the Last HOPE]
* Clubs
** [http://www.marc.qc.ca/ Montreal Amateur Radio Club] - Dorval est. 1932, mostly english and west-island-ish
** [http://www.ve2clm.ca/ Rive sud]
** [http://www.rac.ca/ Radio Amateur Canada]
* Other documentation
** [http://www.irlp.net/ IRLP] -  Internet Radio Linking Project - using the internet to link stations
** [http://hamcall.net/call Call sign lookup]
** [http://www.rac.ca/acl/ Available call signs in Canada]
** [http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/bands.html US Ham bands]
** [[Wikipedia:Family_Radio_Service]] - intéressant pour commencer, comme le CB mais plus puissant et sans interférence, pas cher, j'ai acheté un [http://radioworld.ca/product_info.php?cPath=161_381&products_id=5790 cobra FRS]
 
== Software ==
 
This needs to be merged into [[Software]]
 
* 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:
  xplanet -latitude 45.5 -longitude -73.66 -wait 60 -label -projection azimuthal -fork -radius 90
* 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
  ibp FN35EM
* 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 [http://packages.debian.org/sid/hamradio/ hamradio section] in debian.
 
= Stuff to buy next =
 
* VHF/UHF SWR meter
** [http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/meters/2140.html Daiwa CN-801V] 150$ 140-525 MHz. 20/200 Watts ([http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/7378 5 reviews: 4.2/5])
** [http://www.ebay.com/itm/SWR-Power-500-Watt-METER-120-500-MHz-UHF-VHF-Ham-Radio-w-RG8X-Jumper-/380424888249 workman 50$]  ([http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/3905 17 reviews: 3.5/5])
** [http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/meters/1739.html the bird 43] 85$ (but only one way at a time) 200-500 MHz.     50 Watts ([http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/7378 39 reviews: 4.5/5])
* Handhelds:
** Baofeng UV-3R MKII radio (<50$) avec cable de prog ou UV-5R
* Cabling:
** 100' of RG8 cabling
* Another HF radio?
** [http://shop.ebay.com/Fixed-/163857/i.html ebay]
** [http://radioworld.ca/index.php?cPath=184_72 radioworld]
** [http://www.raqi.ca/~ve2bzl/hf.htm local]
* [http://www.paratonnerres.qc.ca/produits.html Call those guys?]

Latest revision as of 13:59, 11 April 2012

I am anarcat. 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

I uploaded a few photos in this album.

New quad antenna project

I am working on building a new antenna. It is based on this design, which uses a mix of PVC pipes and fiberglass rods, except I adapt it to a 20m antenna and replace the PVC with aluminium for solidity. It should be possible to take the antenna apart and rebuild it if necessary.

Parts list

A sketch of my antenna
Mast
Part Amount Where Weight Price Notes
tripod 1 addison ? 45.56$ ~2' x 2'
3m steel pole 1 downstairs ? 0$ to connect the boom and tripod, 1-1¼"
sandbags 3 home depot 30kg ea. 10.76$ one per leg
plywood 3'x4' attic ? 0$ 1' x 2' used for the beam/pole fitting - found some
Mast clamps (1"3/4) 4 hardware store ? 4.92$ to connect the boom with the mast, bigger mast, 1.23¢ ea
Mast clamps (1"3/8) 2 hardware store ? 1.60$ to connect the boom with the mast, 80¢ ea
guy rope 2x100' hardware store ? 63.98$ to secure the mast, using poplypropylene/nylon rope, each line should support around 300lbs of pressure, enough for the 500lbs of pressure with a 90mph wind
Antenna and accessories
Part Amount Where Weight Price Notes
1" hose clamps 8 home depot ? ? to tie the antenna line to the spreaders
tie wraps, small 100 hardware store ? 3.09$ to tie the antenna line to the spreaders
2"½ hose clamps 19 hardware store ? 26.41$ to tie-up the boom together (2), the spreaders to the spider (8) and the spreaders themselves (8), +spare (1)
8"x½" plastic tube 1 home depot ~0 0$ for spreader/wire attachment - found some
15' 1¼" fiberglass 8 mgs4u.com (type 1) 17.6lbs ~160$ - actual: 255$CAD (!!) 4.4lbs ea, unit price 19.80$
Clamps 10-pack dxengineering ~0 14.95$ to secure the feedline
4m aluminium boom 2 DX engineering 2.5lbs 24.90$
500' of wiring 1 DX engineering N/A 74.95$ only parts of this will be used (120' to be more precise)
U clamps and bolts 4 home depot Rick Adams ~0 0$ included in the beam/pole fitting
boom/pole plate 1 Rick Adams ? 45$ + 30$ shipping need to drill holes, includes reinforcement pole
spider 2 Rick Adams 2.3lbs 70$USD 14oz ea. 40$/ea, seems strong and sturdy, and Rick helped me through email, let's try!
Antenna (parts in shipping)
Nothing!
Antenna (parts to order)
Part Amount Where Weight Price Notes
more sandbags? 3 hardware store ? ? to attach the tower?

Total planned price: ~373.77$

Total planned weight: ~25lbs++ - not including 180lbs of sandbags, the pole and tripod.

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

Current blocker(s)

Waiting for parts to be shipped and for the rain to stop.

Discarded approaches

Those parts were considered during the design phase but were discarded for various reasons.

Part Amount Where Price Notes
welding wire aluminium 270' spool canadian tire? ? example: Aluminium 5356 MIG alloy - too hard to find
4m 1"PVC 1 home depot ? according to Rick, this could create interference
5-way 1"PVC conn. 2 creativeshelters.com 3.08$ couldn't order, they don't accept canadian zip codes, and shipping is 30$ anyways, and I don't trust PVC
1"x½" copper pipe 8 home depot ~5$ we'll use tie-wraps instead for spreader/wire attachment
8m ½"PVC 4 home depot ? PVC pipes are too flexible to hold properly, we need fiberglass
AUG 12 copper wire 44.4m ??? 29.32$ (addison?) 48.64$ pour 2x12 22m (dubo) addison doesn't have bare wire, and dubo only has bare up to 8 gage, too big (it's mainly for grounds) copper wire never comes bare, and i may have better luck finding mig soldering wire like Aluminium-5356

I had a lot of problems finding proper parts (pipes, raw materials like wiring and so on) in Montreal, which made building the antenna quite tricky, as a lot of things needed to be ordered online, which raised the overall costs because of shipping.

Références

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

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

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

Stuff to buy next

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