Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Rural radio fun ahead

 Sunday or Monday (11/3-4/24) we're heading 84 miles from Idaho Falls west out to Craters of the Moon National Monument to spend a few days camping in the old lava flows.

There's not too much to do at Craters and that's the way we like it.  Most folks think Craters is in the middle of nowhere and that's the way we like it.  The middle of nowhere can be especially fun if there are a couple of 2 meter repeaters somewhat close by.

And sure enuf, the Jump Off Peak repeater near Howe, Idaho, is a mere 30 miles northeast and the Mt. Harrison unit is only 80 miles to the south.

Both repeaters are kept in great shape by their respective custodians and both are part of the Intermountain Intertie.

That means I will get to fiddle with my Wouxun HT and try to see how far along I can get with the Intertie.  We're sure looking forward to it!

The line-of-sight graphs were produced with this online app:
https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

The Mt. Harrison repeater is at 9,300 feet so it's NO problem for line-of-sight.
Here's some more info on Mt. Harrison
http://minicassia.club/?harrison



We initially thought Jump Off would be blocked by ridges east of Arco, Idaho. 
Nope. No way.  It's a clear line of sight to Jump Off.
Scroll down on this page for more info on Jump Off:
https://utahvhfs.org/other_rpt.html



Tuesday, October 1, 2024

WSEW366

 YAY!  We received an early AM email October 1st, 2024, with your GMRS license & call sign.  We REALLY like the call sign!


Sunday, September 29, 2024

GMRS license

 I thought this would be totally EZPZ and straightforward.  HAHAHA!  WRONG!

It was Anything BUT!

Of course, I keep my FRN and account login data at my fingertips.  But that didn't do ANY good whatsoever.  My once reliable FC login data failed miserably and I had to create a new account from scratch.

By and by, I "got 'er dun" but it was a real chore.  Eventually, I was actually able to find the right portal to pay my $35 license fee.  Then I actually received a payment confirmation and transaction code.  I felt like I'd crossed the FCC Rubicon!

Seriously, if you already have an Amateur Radio License, it shouldn't be this hard.  But we're OK and "good to go".

So, why did I feel like I needed a GMRS license?  Well, it's because I am a "goodie two shoes" when it come to obeying laws.  I made up a little kit of two TidRadio TD-H3's and was going to have my wife contact me via SIMPLEX when she'd go on a hike in some campground.

Of course, that would be illegal since she doesn't have a HAM Tech License.  So? What to do?  Why STAY LEGAL and get a GMRS license and configure the TD-H3's properly for those frequencies,

I just didn't figure the FCC would be such an "issue" as it turned out to be today.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

The Next Experiment

 This sure sounds like a stretch to me but we're going to give it a try.  We're going to try to connect from a spot east of Idaho Falls to one or more members of the Eastern Arizona Amateur Radio Society in the Gila Valley area.

First, we will reach the Jump Off Peak repeater near Howe Idaho.  It will be 63 miles from our Idaho Falls location.  Supposedly, Jump Off will connect to the Intermountain Intertie and them to Rimlink in Arizona.  If all goes according to plan we will apparently connect to one or more EAARS members view the ARA repeater on Pinal Peak just south of Globe, Arizona.  That's The Plan, anyway.  The photos and graphics attempt to help understand The Plan.

It ain't much but I love my little outfit.  I have to drive a few miles east of town to gain elevation.
It's 63 miles from my spot to the Jumpoff Peak Repeater.  Scroll down for a nice writeup on Jumpoff:
https://utahvhfs.org/other_rpt.html

Here's a closer view of the "new & improved" dipoles on Jumpoff.
The Intertie access codes appear to be here: https://w7ara.org/pdf/ARA-Repeater-Info.pdf

It will be more than 1,000 miles---"if" The Plan works.  That's a dang Big IF!

I really don't know how the signal will thread the various Utah repeaters.
To read a little bit about them see: https://utahvhfs.org/snowlink.html
At some point, the signal will interface with the Arizona Repeater Association's network.
And that's when it will theoretically connect to members of my new club--EAARS!
Jumpoff is 63 miles away out in the haze.  It's an ambitious Plan for sure.
Equipment: Wouxun KG-UV8D Plus with an MFJ-1714 Long Ranger antenna.
We have reached the Jumpoff Peak repeater before so we know that part can be done.


EAARS - ERARC -ARA

EAARS & ERARC & ARA

We are dues paying members of three amateur radio clubs: The Eastern Arizona Amateur Radio Society, the Eagle Rock Amateur Radio Club and the Arizona Repeater Association.  All three clubs have been around a long time.  First, let's introduce EAARS with their 50-year history as published in the club's September 2024 newsletter.

Here are the two links you need to know for EAARS: Website: https://www.eaars.com/

and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/EAARS


We're a tad bit confused by the plaque shown below.  It was passed around at the September meeting of the Eagle Rock Amateur Radio Club as if it was just received.  Clearly, it marks 50 years affiliation  but it's dated 1967.  We presume ERARC started up in 1967 but will have to check.
Website: https://www.erarc.org/home  Club does not appear to have a Facebook account.

The Arizona Repeater Association dates back at least 50 years as well.  The club runs quite a network of Arizona repeaters.  Since their Mt. Org repeater will be our "goto" repeater during Snow Bird Season, it's a unwritten but MAJOR rule that we pay our dues!

ARA Website: https://www.w7ara.org/z/Welcome.aspx  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaRepeaterAssociation/


Note: The map below will be very hard to read in this blog format.  Here is the original page:
https://www.w7ara.org/mbk/ARA_Map_2023_11_29.pdf




Post settings Labels No matching suggestions Published on 9/18/24 2:05 PM Permalink Location Options Post: Edit

Pinal Peak & Mt. Ord

During the Snow Bird Season we trailer camp at Roosevelt Lake's Windy Hill Campground.  There are only two potential repeaters we could possible reach from that location: Pinal Peak near Globe and Mr. Ord east of Punkin Center in Tonto Basin.

It now looks 98% likely that we won't be able to reach Pinal Peak.  There is simply too much topography between Windy Hill and Pinal Peak.  However, Mt. Org is total line-of-sight with now obstructions and a mere 23 miles distant.  So, we will spend time between now and our Snow Bird Season studying up on what sort of events we can expect from the Mt. Ord repeater.


Many Thanks to Roger Rugg for the source used to create attached graphs: https://www.scadacore.com/

The above graph is Windy Hill to Pinal Peak.  You can easily see there is a LOT of topographical interference between the two locations. The graph below is our campsite to Mt. Ord. CLEAN!







Sunday, September 15, 2024

Amazing Simplex Record

 Dear Friend W7FSI notched a possible SIMPLEX record.  He was on 444.600 using a Wouxun KG-UV8D 5 watt HT and a Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch antenna to reach at LEAST 140 miles between Idaho's Pinyon Peak and War Eagle Mountain!  Bear in mind, this was NOT through a repeater.  This was SIMPLEX, mano-y-mano!

 Congratulations to W7FSI and AI7ID for pulling off this awesome achievement! 

Pinyon Peak is @ 10,000 feet.
War Eagle Mountain is 8,051 feet.

As nearly as we can figure, it's 140 miles between the two.



Tuesday, September 3, 2024

HAM in a High Place

Pinyon Peak Lookout is one of the highest elevation lookouts in America.
Pretty basic setup.  A Wouxun HT and the Long Ranger Antenna plus some sunflowers.

On Labor Day 2024 we opted to try to make contact with a HAM in a High Place--the nearly 10,000 foot elevation historic 1930 Pinyon Peak Fire Lookout between Challis and Stanley, Idaho.

A Dear Friend who has been a licensed HAM for 60 years works summers at the Pinyon Peak Lookout.  Naturally, he takes some of his extensive HAM gear with him to the truly remote site.  We made a plan via email.  He has STARLINK so emailing is no problem

He said he can reach the Schafer Butte repeater near Boise.  We "thought" we could reach the Jump Off Peak repeater near Howe, Idaho.  Both those repeaters are part of the sprawling Intermountain Intertie.

We headed out east of Idaho Falls into the foothills beyond.  Back in 2011, we had successfully reached the Jump Off Peak repeater using our ancient ICOM IC V-8 and a MFJ-1714 Long Ranger antenna.  For this attempt we'd be using the same antenna with our WOUXUN KD-UV8D Plus.  It has a 10 watt output.  We didn't choose the TidRadio Td-H3 because its peak power is only 5 watts.

Sometime in the past 13 years, the landowner fenced off the portion of the foothill we liked to use.  That was OK. We just walked in off the road a little ways and set up shop next to some nice sunflowers.   The Intermountain Intertie was pretty busy with Gabby HAMS on Labor Day so we had to wait our turn.

At 11 AM, we were able to reach out to the Jump Off Peak repeater at 63.1 miles distance.  Meanwhile, our Dear Friend successfully reached the Shafer Butte repeater 80 miles from his high perch in Idaho's Central Mountains.

Unfortunately, we were able to hear him but our radio did not produce an audio signal that he could hear.  Even though we only made half a connection, it was still quite a fun exercise.  Out TX location was 165 miles from our Friend's Lookout.  However, the radio signals had to travel 290 miles back and forth.  NOTE: Minimal narrative accompanies each graphic and photo below.

Here is a map our communication attempt on Labor Day 2024. We were set up at the far right map in. The yellow line indicates the 63 miles between our location and the Jump Off Peak repeater near Howe.  The red line indicated the 147 mile signal distance between Howe and Shafer Butte NE of Boise.  The green line indicates the 80 signal distance between Shafer Butte and Pinyon Peak.

Above is a diagram of "most"of the Intermountain Intertie's extent.  It's quite a fascinating setup.
There are many online sources to learn more about the Intertie.  Here's one to get you started:

We're trying to make a habit of using an old GPS unit to measure the distance to any repeater we use.  This particular GPS might be going on 30 years old.  However, it's EZPZ to input a long-lat.  The newer GPS units we use are a real PITA for inputting a long-lat.
We're going to discuss our Radio Bag in a separate post.  The small aluminum folding table is a constant companion because we use it to set up an antique typewriter to type Letters to Friends.
This is the Shafer Butte repeater site.  Here are two sources of interest:


And here is the Jump Off Peak repeater site.

https://www.idahoaclimbingguide.com/bookupdates/jumpoff-peak/

The is quite a bit of material available online regarding the Pinyon Peak Lookout.  We found one particular article that we really liked and we suspect you will, too:

https://issuu.com/idahomagazine/docs/october_2021_full_online_pdf/s/14618881

Here is an information article about Pinyon Peak itself:

https://www.idahoaclimbingguide.com/bookupdates/pinyon-peak/





Monday, September 2, 2024

Adapters

These little SMA adapters are SMALL and lightweight!

All forms of radio technology use all sorts of various cables and antennas.  It's been that way since Guglielmo Marconi started the whole radio gig.  That's why radio at ALL levels (and especially amateur radio) is a mess of stuff that needs adapters to "talk" to each other.  The sheer number of different adapters is probably unknown at any human alive.

Anyway, one of the first things I do any new radio is to start buying adapters.  It's a lot like coin collecting, only different.  With the TD-H3, I quickly ordered six SMA adapters so all of my Wouxun KG-UV8D PLUS stuff will work with the TD-H3.  Luckily, both radios use SMA connectors so buy an assortment of SMA adapters only set me back $7.  That's just a whisker over a buck a pop so we're good with it.

The TD-H3 is a Female radio.  The radio body gender takes the lead, not the gender of the antennas or cables.
My brain is wired to think of the gender of the antenna--which for the TD-H3 would be male.  But that's WRONG!  I have to rewire my brain to think of the radio body itself
Well, whatever.  Anyway, one of the first things I wanted to do with my TD-H3 was to use an antenna I bought for my Wouxun.  No can do, katmandu!  You need a "gender changer".
This is a nice antenna.  Might as well be able to use it for the TD-H3, too.
So now that I used the tiny little adapter on the TD-H3 which converted it to a male radio body, I can screw on my TWAYRDIO RH660S.
The stock antenna that comes OEM with the TD-H3 is about 15 inches.  This RH660S is over 40 inches.
I used to keep a stubby on my Wouxun but I'm now just using an SMA adapter.  It makes it easier to pack in my radio bag.  I feel there's NO point in exposing ANY radio's antenna port to the elements of chance.  Who knows what could work it's way into the antenna port.  Why risk the unknown?
This little puppy won't even register on my digital scale. I figure it's probably 2 grams.
Barely six millimeters wide.

Of course, you can find radio-related adapters at any number of physical and online vendors.  Here in Idaho Falls we actually have a Radio Shack.  I feel like I'm walking into some sort of time travel machine whenever I go to that store.  But their prices are astronomical.  ONE of these adapted cost as much as I paid for six of them!

Amazon has numerous iterations of SMA adapters in all possible permutations and combinations.  You can do your own due diligence and find whichever flavor(s) you prefer.  Happy shopping!




Sunday, September 1, 2024

Headset


I am 76 years old and wear hearing aids.  Without the hearing aids I am truly 100% deaf.  Can't hear a thing.  Well, I decided I wanted a headset I could wear over my hearing aids to help me hear my Tidradio H3 better.

Trouble was I didn't know what to search for.  The TD-H3 and also my Wouxun KG-8D plus have a weird two prong plug.  I didn't know the name of it.  So, I posed a question on one of the TD-H3 Facebook groups and several people came to my aid.  Turns out the plug is known as a Kenwood.  One helpful respondent even provided me with a link to the Retevis Overhead Noise Reduction Walkie Talkie Headset 2 Pin with Boom Mic.  I immediately ordered it for a mere $20 from Amazon.  I really, REALLY like being able to use the headset.  It directs the audio straight to the hearing aids.  It's marvelous and a real game changer.

The headset comes with an inline PPT button and microphone. Photo shows the Kenwood two prong plug.

Very ample-sized ear muffs!
Of course, I had to find a special carrying bag for the headset.  Luckily, all my other HT stuff fits, too.


Saturday, August 31, 2024

The TD H3

This is the cover photo of a great Facebook support group.
It's here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/920726792539595

A couple of weeks ago I bought a TidRadio TD-H3 radio.  So far I like the little thing.  It has a lot of fancy features.  Here are my favorite such features:

USB C Charging!  YAY!  For the life of me I can't understand why other radio makers don't enable USB C charging.  It's SO convenient.  No need to find a cradle and connect to grid power with a wall wort.  I can charge from a power brick or my computer or a wall charger port, too.  I LOVE IT!

Four ways to program the radio!  Yep, FOUR.  And then you can use CHIRP via either the Old School two prong cable or a normal USB C cable.  Finally, there's a Bluetooth app called Odmeter that lets you program right from your phone.  I prefer CHIRP but the other methods have their madness, too. Of course, if you're REALLY Old School, you can program right off the HT keyboard, too.

Air Band!  Yeppers--the full air band frequency range can be programmed into the radio for receive purposes only.  The radio even comes with a dedicated Air Band antenna.  How good is that?  Very good!

Form Factor:  I like the radio's Form Factor in my hand.  It's not too big or too small.  It's just right.

User Support:  Pretty much every amateur radio has a dedicated user group or two or three or more.  The TD-H3 users have already created a robust tribe with all the obligatory self-help videos, Facebook groups and so forth.  They are VERY Friendly and not yet too jaded  by the repetitive newbie questions that plague all such tribes.

Customer Service:  Before I bought the radio I actually emailed TidRadio Support to see if they would reply and they DID!  They seems to be very dedicated to listening to user input and righting the various wrong any new radio iteration is bound to have.  So far I am duly impressed with the company's customer service.

NOTE:  We are NOT one of those blogs that wants you to click on a "BUY" link.  We do not get a kickback from ANYBODY and our blog/website will always be free of such annoyances.  So, we are not going to include any links to any TidRadio websites or vendors.  You're old enough to know how to find them if you want them and we'll leave it at that.