Made the Plunge...Ouch!

Hey Chris, Jason, Eric, and all:
I appreciate all of the input I can get at this stage, as I am taking as many practice tests as I can do without losing my cool. But I am persistent and have the time to spend on learning and am willing to see it thru. Radio procedure and etiquette are important to me, as I intend to make use of my purchase by using it during the off-season to get well-acquainted/experienced. This is why I wanted to know about the switching-type power supply, as I have read revues that said that it can be a bit noisy. The Linear supplies seem to be without this functional defect, and I am considering returning the switching supply before I take it out of the box.
BTW-Does Yagi make a dual-band base omni-D antenna so I can use it at home w/the radio/pwr sup? One would think so; but I haven't looked into it yet. Who has the best gain; what brand/model recommended?

I bought the Yaesu after the salesman 'steered' me twards it, after I qualified the fact that I would like to have just one radio rather than using two - as some chasers do. Saving space and being ultimately useful were my reasons. I wanted the ICOM, but he felt that for the purposes that I need it for, the Yaesu would be best and most satisfying.

I have an 11-meter CPI base radio ("CB") that I was thinking of using as well, so as to make communications with locals in chase areas. Does this added strategy have any merit; or is it a waste of time and effort?

Please keep the thoughts and concepts coming.
 
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Rob Wadsworth said:
BTW-Does Yagi make a dual-band base omni-D antenna so I can use it at home w/the radio/pwr sup? One would think so; but I haven't looked into it yet. Who has the best gain; what brand/model recommended?
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Just for quick clarification, Yagi isn't a brand name. It's an antenna design type. If you or any of your neighbors have television antennas on your roof, those are likely of a Yagi design origin. Yagi's are highly directional. If you want something of an omni directional antenna for home, you *can* repurpose a mobile antenna for that if you have a sufficient ground plane. Otherwise, a decent base antenna can be had from Cushcraft, Diamond, Comet, or any number of other places for 70 to 100 bucks. For the longest time, I used a mag mount stuck on a pizza pan I tack welded 1/8" cold roll to for a ground plane.

Rob Wadsworth said:
I bought the Yaesu after the salesman 'steered' me twards it, after I qualified the fact that I would like to have just one radio rather than using two - as some chasers do. Saving space and being ultimately useful were my reasons. I wanted the ICOM, but he felt that for the purposes that I need it for, the Yaesu would be best and most satisfying.
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I would have to agree, it's a good radio, and a little cheaper than the competing ICOM rigs these days. Like I said, I bought mine based on some niche features I wanted.
 
Excellent answers above. Regarding the CB radio; are spotters / chasers using CB to make reports in your area? If so, then it is not a waste of time. However, if you want to have it ready just in case especially if you monitor channel 9. Good luck.

Greg Higgins
 
Eric Friedebach said:
Rob, you made an excellent choice with your equipment selection. I have an 8800 as well, although I spent a little extra for SG7900A for the extra gain. One thing I would highly recommend is this programming software. With a programming cable I bought on eBay, it was the best $30 I spent.
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This is exactly what I was going to point out. Being able to program a radio with a PC is, IMO, absolutely essential.
 
Chris Nuttall said:
This is exactly what I was going to point out. Being able to program a radio with a PC is, IMO, absolutely essential.
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I haven't gotten as far as programming this thing. I dont even know half of the functions of it yet. I know that I have to get that stuff next, but I have been concentrating on the HAM test since yesterday. Been taking the tests every few hour and I am definitely getting much better. Yesterday my average scores were 65-70%, today I have average 87%. So, I am going to continue until I can score 95% average, probably within this week at this rate.

Programming looks as daunting as the HAM test did last week...
 
Just an update for those who people who read STORMTRACK that are not members, but are interested in what it takes to get your HAM Technician (beginner) License.

In an earlier post, it was mentioned that the ARRL book "Now You're Talking" was an excellent source to learn from. I bought the book today and began reading it.

I also continue to take the practice tests, as Aaron Dooley had explicitly suggested.
http://www.qrz.com/p/testing.pl
That was very good means/advice to learn and memorize the test questions. I have taken the first six of the eleven tests continuously, and now a I score an average of 88-90% (even got a few 100%!), So if I continue to repeat the seventh thru eleventh tests this week and memorize the questions and get 90% on them, I am ready to take the test.

Some have said that it is a cakewalk to pass these tests. Well, it's quite a long walk for that piece of cake, and I have yet to eat it either. I haven't even fired up this brand-new radio (Yaesu FT-8800), so it is still in the box until I learn how to use its controls and understand the regulations.

Please keep in mind that I have NEVER used a HAM radio. But I am VERY familiar with CB radios; as I own two and know them well. Let it be known that HAM radios and CB radios only have one thing in common - the fact that they are radios. There is little monitoring of the CB band ('11 meter') as to regard of rules and regulations - some have called it the 'radio romper room'. That is a fair statement - IMHO - since there is no testing or license necessary. But HAM's are dedicated and highly organized so that they can pick up the ball in any national/local emergency and run with it. Additionally, HAM radios have a technical complexity/features that CB's don't even come close to.

So, if you want to be a storm chaser and want to use a HAM radio - as many chasers do - take the time, effort, and determination to see it thru. Chasers often can be the first people who roll into towns that have been devastated by tornadoes and use HAM radios to get the help ball rolling. I am not saying that it cannot be done with a cell phone; but since there are many HAM organizations that gear up for these kind of eventualities and diligently monitor, they are a quick means to see help arrive in a timely fashion.

I will update this thread as I move forward thru the HAM realm.
HAM's feel free to add whatever is helpful!
 
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Rob I have the FT 8800R as well and it is a GREAT radio! There is even a program that will program your rig for you. Just connect it to the puter and the program will do the rest.

You can get it here
http://www.rtsystemsinc.com/index.cfm?CFID=2351757&CFTOKEN=69614524

As for studing I second http://www.hamtestonline.com/ I used this to get my tech license and it was very easy. I also used the book to go along with it and together they helped me pass the test the first time with no issues. I even took the Gen test and missed it by one! hamtestonline is a great site and it will help you customize the tests to what you are going for. It also keeps track of your weak areas and quizes you until you get ahold of those areas.

Hope to QSO with you sometime!
 
Well, I got a wild hair in my lower region and decided to take the test the next day - on Saturday @ 10:30AM. Because I spent all Friday evening taking practice test after test for the Tech license, I thought I would give it a go. I took over 980 questions or more - I really can't remember exactly - but it had to be that many or probably many more. I never got below an 87% and I got quite a few 100% after being at it for several hours of cramming. The entire week before I had practiced every night by doing 175 to 350 questions, as I was determined to see it thru and get it right.

Some have said it is a cakewalk. Maybe if you have a General or Extra license, then I'm sure that it looks that way in retrospect. But I wanted to ace the test. Knowing that if I passed the test, I could be better prepared as a storm chaser that can also use my 2m/70cm radio to make calls to/fro with the NWS, any County Emergency Managers - be it Iowa or Kansas or wherever, and with SKYWARN HAM's who also know the ropes.

So when I got up this Saturday morning at about 9AM, I went ahead and took just three random practice tests from qrz.com. Just to be certain that my focus was good and my memory loaded. I got 100% on all of the practice tests - hmm. I got in my car and drove down to the testing place in Sunnyvale CA and plopped down my $10, sat down and took the test. I felt confident about all of the questions except three; one of which I hadn't even seen on any previous test before - I might add.

I rechecked all of my answers and corrected three of them, it is a good thing that I did. Mostly because after checking I saw that I answered two that I had marked incorrectly and changed them - questions that I was all too familiar with and knew the answers well. I agonized over the third, and followed my instinct for the answer that I had no previous aquaintance with. I struggled and made my decision, and gave my test to the examiners. It paid off to check them all, as I did ace the test and scored a 100%!

I was told that I can check Monday on the FCC site for the assignment of my call sign. While I was waiting to get get signed approval from the board (for the 'CSCE'; Certificate of Successful Completion of an Examination), they all egged me on to take the General exam - for which I had not even studied hardly at all. So I decided to use the waiting wisely and took it; but I only got a 57% - no surprise there. I had taken a couple of those practice tests for the General license online before and realized that it is another ladder to climb (I only got a 60% online), and I probably will go thru with it over the coming months . Now that I have the CSCE and passed the Tech test - I now have up to the next 365 days to prepare for the General exam and try again. I'll be using the same means and methods to pass that one - too...
 
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Newest update:

I recieved my call sign this noon.
I will be addending my personal info to include it.

My call sign is:
KI6USW

BTW - I srill haven't even fired up my new radio nor operated any HAM radio as yet.
Today is the day, though!
 
Congratulations Rob on passing the exam. It felt like a big accomplishment for me when I got my tech license back in 2005, and I'm still a tech, haven't even attempted the general. If you're looking for a good 2 meter radio, the Icom 2200H is an excellent choice. The radio will do everything under the sun, and my radio and antenna together was a little over $200, and that's with a small mag mount antenna. The furthest repeater I've reached on this setup was about 50-60 miles away while I was mobile.
 
Chris Lott said:
The radio will do everything under the sun, and my radio and antenna together was a little over $200, and that's with a small mag mount antenna. The furthest repeater I've reached on this setup was about 50-60 miles away while I was mobile.
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I believe the repeater you hit from 60 miles out was probably W5BEC in Eddy. The Eddy repeater is at 1600 feet AGL and has a very wide area coverage. A set-up such as yours should be able to hit that repeater from as far as 70 miles out reliably.

Just don't want people to expect too much out of a mag mount on a vehicle since most repeaters have a more limited range of about 30 miles. That being said, many of the SKYWARN repeaters are wide area capable.
 
Dug out all of my CB gear (a CPI/CP 2000, a Cobra 29 LTD, & meter bridges) and re-arranging my computer room to accommodate. It's turning into a 11 meter, 10 meter(SSB - haven't bought that yet), 2 meter, and 440 Mhz radio shack. With the 2m & 440 Mhz hookup to my computer thru software/cable coming up soon. I'm giving the CB 1/2 wave antenna 20 ft of mast above the roof; need to get a new piece of 50 ft RG8/U Foam coax @ $1/ft!

The 2m/440 will get a 5/8 wave with 10 ft of mast and 35 ft of Belden 9913 @ $1.20/ft with an 'N' connector. Haven't decided on the antenna brand; most likely a Diamond like the mobile antenna. Man, the price for all of this stuff isn't exactly cheap!

I've also sent an email to the Iowa SKYWARN, and applied for membership. Haven't heard back from them yet. Called up the Emergency Mgr in Buena Vista County/IA and let him know that I got my HAM ticket. He was pleased, as he was the one that told me that I must get the license to stay with the county program. The next most logical move that I must make, is to find a local HAM club.

Edit: Just recieved my HAM license in the mail from the FCC today.
 
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