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Electric Utilities is one that you’ll want after a big storm and lots of power outages.
http://forums.radioreference.com/new-hampshire-radio-discussion-forum/110044-psnh-frequencies.html
Also during an emergency you might want to be able to monitor FRS/GMRS frequencies – These are the low cost HTs you see on many building supply and in many stores for public consumption.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS/GMRS_combined_channel_chart
Hi Tony,
Where was this question last month, when I was doing mine.
I put put my ground rod about 3-4 feet away from my house. To sink the ground rod I used a water drill which worked really well and is very easily constructed for less tha $20. Here is essentially the model I used.
Attached to the ground rod I have a Z bracket (the thing you got at HRO) with two lightening arrestors, one for my vhf, and one for my hf antennas, I also have my #6 solid copper wire which I have run to the ground bar of the AC panel inside the house. Like you my AC main ground is a long way from the shack entrance. It is important to ground your lightening protection to your AC main ground otherwise one day you touch something and you become the element that completes the circuit- not a good outcome.
For RF grounding, I use separate 1/2 inch braided copper to a 4′ length of 3/4″ copper pipe from each of my components attached with hose clamps. Then 3/4 inch copper braid also attached with hose clamp to just before the exit of my house where I have joined it to #2 heavy gauge stranded copper out through the wall and to the ground rod.
I will upload pictures when I get home this weekend.
Like you at the Tech Night, I struggle with disconnecting the feed lines outside of the house, how do I keep my coax from getting wet? I waterproofed the connections the best I could at install with the rubberized coax tape and electrical tape, which completely covers the attachments on both sides of my lightening arrestors, hoping this would be a somewhat permanent connection. I don’t relish the idea of doing this everyday. I do however unplug the feed lines from my gear inside the shack.
The correct answer, of course, is to unplug outside, but I wonder how many folks really do that? I would welcome comments on that point with the full understanding and acknowledgement that this is merely an expression of what others do, and in no way advice on how I should proceed!
I mostly followed Fred’s (AB1OC) article when planning, any errors in implementation were mine…
73
Greg
Fred I think having the 4 x 4 concreted in the ground provide to me a couple of options that I might not otherwise have it allows me to elevate the rotor should I go with the bottom mounted rotor as opposed to a mast mounted rotor that really enables me to keep the rotor out of the snow in the winter time. The additional rigidity that the 4 x 4 provides would allow me to actually put a ladder on the 4 x 4 not in the mast itself which should help when extending the mast. Also I am hoping it will provide horizontal support additional to the guys.
Sounds great! Thanks, Fred. I’ll definitely try to make it out to the next few. Will put it in my calendar sooner vs later.
I emailed a docx file on a newsletter submission about the SSC process to KC1ECE but haven’t heard anything from him
Hi Fred and everyone,
Very interested in participating and helping out during Field Day in whatever capacity needed. Couldn’t make it to the meeting tonight; just got in from being out of town, but happy to lend a hand where I can. I’ll wait for minutes or notes to be posted I suppose.
–Brian
Thought you might enjoy a link on Straight Key Night (SKN) operations. The videos demonstrate a variety of vintage radios and keys. Note the general speed of the contacts… The operator must form each dit and dah by closing a manual key contact. This requires better dexterity and control than that needed for an electronic keyer.
CAUTION: those early key contacts had over 300 VDC on them (keyed cathode operation). And the real early vintage equipment was often built on a wooden frame (and quite exposed).
Some of the setups also show “rock bound” (crystal controlled) setups using FT243 crystals. These could often be obtained as Military Surplus ( slightly below the bands) and then the crystal could be ground with an abrasive to move the frequency higher and into the CW band. The quartz crystal required care during the grinding process as they can be rather fragile. I saw a video on youtube for those interested in the crystals history.
ARRL Straight Key Night – another side of CW operations
Straight Key Night 2013 Fun with Simple Gear – WU2D
– Mike gave the club an excellent presentation at the April 2015 club meeting.
Quartz Crystal Documentary – Crystals go to war
FT243 – crystal grinding video
Fabrication d’un tube Triode – Bonus video
– (hint: it’s a hollow state transistor with a filament) 😉
Enjoy
I thought I would share some Morse Code links with some others exploring the CW -questions forum who want to explore the process further. I have added a couple of “fun” links as well.1) “ how it works: Morse Code (720p) ” – early ARMY training tape– some good details2) “ technique of hand sending “ – 1944 NAVY training film– using a straight key, explanation of timing for good sending.– good background information4) “ abbreviations used in cw communications “ – by Ray Anderson– discussion of the many abbreviations that are often used for CW mode5) “ five tips for learning morse code “– thoughts on good and bad learning techniques.6) “ DA operating W6CF ” – enjoy7) “ the rythem of the code ” – morse code set to music– fun introduction for the younger crowdNOTE: There are lots of other CW training sites out there – but this should help wet the appetite of those interested in exploring this medium. Members that discover other helpful sites are encouraged to share there links with the forum.