Cadence
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Posts
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Posts posted by Cadence
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In trying to make it more palatable, I told my lovely wife that I'd get rid of my cell phone if she got her license - it would save us a little over $30 per month.
I read that link on Contra Dancing, thanks! Very interesting. I already tried selling her on square dancing, maybe this will work?
Wadel,
Sorry you can't make it to the event, if you want to contact someone about it, there's a few Amateur Radio groups in the Pullman area that would be relatively easy to contact. I'm sure we will meet at one of the events soon.
If you want, you can order the book online from ARRL.org, and Amazon.com even has it.
Good luck, happy hunting.
Todd - K7PKT
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Wadel,
Greetings and howdy neighbor!
Dunno about your lovely wife, but mine has very little interest in learning about Amateur Radio - I have to learn to Swing Dance before she'll consider it...
Are you going to Moun10Goat's Event on Sunday? There will be at least 4 hams there, maybe 5. We can talk you into, err... I mean talk to you about Ham radio there. We'll have a few of our toys I'm sure.
Moun10Goat himself is currently studying the 'Now You're Talking' book like a fiend - He's racing my brother in law - I promised a 2m Mobile Ham radio with installation help and programming help to the first one with their license.
Citizens Band may be one way to go, but it's not as family friendly language-wise. There's no real restrictions on what can be spoken, and not everyone that transmits has a clean mouth.
I think you'd enjoy Amateur Radio.
(My Lovely XYL was looking over my shoulder, I may not have to learn to swing dance after all!)
Here's hoping!
OddTodd of Cadence - K7PKT
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BRM,
If you have the repeater directory, the listed numbers are for the output. When setting up the repeater as a memory station, put the output number in, tone/CTCSS/DCS if needed and then check to make sure it 'automagically' set the offset for you.
If the book says the repeater is 147.300, with a plus offset, when you key the mic the display should show 147.900 until you release the key.
If it was a minus offset, it would be 146.700 that showed when you keyed.
The offset shown in the Repeater Directory is which direction, +/- 0.600mhz your input will come from. .600mhz is the standard offset for repeaters in the 2m range. If the offset is different, it will be listed.
Usually you can tell if you hit the repeater by a 'roger-beep' or tone that is sent by the repeater after you let go of the PTT. If you 'wake up' the repeater, it will send it's callsign by morse or computer voice.
Remember, a regular rubber duck antenna may not reach as far as you want, it all depends on the area, location of repeater, output power...
Hope that helps!
Todd - K7PKT
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My first HT was the TH-F6A, and I found it not only easy to learn, but intuitive to use too. The learning curve seemed to be a bit easier for some people compared to the controls on the VX series - this was learned and taken at face value while reading the reviews on eHam.net. Your mileage may vary.
I think one of the most frustrating things is being at a ARES/RACES event and having one station unable to program their HT for Simplex operation, simply because they forgot the book.
Guess I'm saying that no matter what HT you get, VX or TH, please get one that you can actually use, and that is intuitive enough to be field programmable without the owners manual.
Todd - K7PKT
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Congrats BigRedMed!
Now the pain of waiting until your callsign is posted on FCC's site... I remember that well... let us know as soon as you get it!
The Repeater Directory is very useful and usually shows the offset and tones for each. I've found that the pages of the little book tear out easily, if you're inclined, I'd get the software version.
Don't get me wrong, the book is handy, cheaper and more portable, but just not as durable.
Todd - K7PKT
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Mike, that is really AWESOME! Congrats to both of them, please let us know when they get their calls - or are they going with vanity calls?
Heidi, Cherry, welcome to the club!
Mike, didn't you just sell some radios? Hehehe.
Todd - K7PKT
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I'm looking at the Foretrex 101 also, if only to have a lighter GPS to carry while hiking.
Very stealth too!
I'm only hoping that they come out with more product images, ones showing the walking compass and arrow...
OddTodd
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Joebikebum,
I live in Spokane, WA. I've been helping about 4 people in the area study to get their license. I'm more than happy to help with whatever I can as far as the basics are concerned, and I'm sure I can put you in contact with a ham club in the area. There are hundreds of hams in the area, many more qualified as elmers than I. I'll just help to get you in contact with a few people who can really help.
Email me, we can chat about it. k7pkt@arrl.net
Todd Cady - K7PKT
Edit:
BTW, in the above link the link for the Lilac City Amateur Radio Club is broken.Try this one. The links may still not work, but you have email and contact info for each club.
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Greetings Shane! Glad to have you!
Todd - K7PKT
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The Rino on the right looks more like the Rino 130 screen, less green than the 120.
Different manufacturing locations? Change of lots between?
It isn't unreadable is it? Personally I preferred the greener color. It was easier on the eyes at night.
OddTodd
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Hmmm, for that price, why not make it Bluetooth?
Wireless. Makes it easier to conceal the wires if there aren't any!
Groan.
Todd - K7PKT
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Hey BlueBird5,
You can transmit at the LOW power setting on any FRS frequency free of charge. In order to transmit High power on those (GMRS is the higher wattage transmit) frequencies, most would recommend that you get the GMRS license.
$75 for 5 years, usable for the whole family, no test.
PLEEEEZE read the previous GMRS messages in this forum. They will help you with most of your questions. Find the search button on the upper portion of the GPS and Ham Radio forum topic list and type in GMRS in the search field.
Happy hunting, pleasant reading.
73,
Todd - K7PKT
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The 130's are great. I have one and find that the additional memory makes it that much more usable to me. I can keep all of Washington and some Idaho Metroguide in memory. Previously with my 120, I was only able to keep half - the eastern half in memory.
I really like the electronic compass. I guess I got tired of pacing back and forth just to get the 'walking compass' to register my movement. Keeping it level so the compass is correct can at times be a challenge, simply recalibrating it usually fixes that.
Found an altitude benchmark to confirm that the altimeter is within +/-5 feet of where expected - right out of the box.
The best part is that all of my 120 accessories work with the 130.
I'm a weather nut, so the weather alert and NOAA weather radio is a big plus. Sheer geek factor there...
Todd - K7PKT
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Here in Spokane, WA/Coeur d'Alene, ID area it was $12.
BRM - Good man! Study hard.
Kind note: careful, you can't 'broadcast' with amateur radio, you can transmit tho.
Todd - K7PKT
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Thanks CP!
Caught that about a minute before your clarification post. Thanks for posting.
T.
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Edit - snipped lack of research. Found link.
Wolf452, say that it wasn't found recently, how much work would you do to recover and actually see and image the rod?
Thanks again,
T.
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This is my third benchmark I've looked for, thanks for any help you can give.
My wife and I spent an hour or so locating this one, and have not yet found the actual rod. We found a witness post without sign on it, bent over near where it should be.
There was new construction, at least newer than 1981. In order to have a driveway the land owner had to bring in dirt. I may need to look under the fill a bit, but no more than a foot or two.
The coordinates given were off by more than a tenth of a mile, that made it really interesting. More accurate coords were N 47 37.717 W 117 26.457
Some questions...
1. I know coords are not exact, and should be used more for a good parking space than the actual location, but how often do you find they're REALLY off?
2. Anyone in Spokane, WA with a metal detector? I'm thinking that it would be the fastest way to find and point-dig for this one.
3. How much effort would YOU go through to recover this mark.
I'm estimating that the rod is within 3 feet of the post, which wouldn't put the mark too far into the driveway. Probably no heavy machinery required, at most maybe a posthole digger.
thanks!
T.
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With my wife's Vista, every 3 or four trips it needs to be calibrated.
It's less work and body flexing than the Magellan Hula, but it's better 'cause it makes you walk dizzy once done!
OddTodd of Cadence
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I was told by a salesperson at Office Depot - I know some may not think that's a very strong reference, but she explained the following to me.
Quality Control on a production line will take a sample of the units that go by them on the conveyor belt. They may take one of every 10 and plug it in to a test cradle and run a quick diagnostic. If it passes, they wait till the next tenth comes around. If it doesn't pass the diagnostic, Places I have worked have a procedure to stop the production line and send things back, or maybe just check every one for the next 30, then every fifth one, then back to every 10 once they all have worked.
A refurbished item has been sent out as NEW to a retailer. Consumer purchased it as new and took it home only to find that it doesn't work. They return the item to the retailer, the retailer refunds or exchanges the item, then the retailer ships it back to the manufacturer.
The manufacturer receives a certain amount of failed product, and has a REWORK line where the device is taken backwards through the production line. It's disassembled, then tested as it's reassembled, broken parts fixed, innards changed out, until it tests WORKING at the end of the line. This gets sent back out as REFURBISHED with warranty.
Nothing new to many of you I'm sure, but wouldn't you rather purchase a cheaper piece of hardware or electronics toy that had a step by step guarantee that it's working? Would you rather buy new and hope that it's the one Quality Control tested?
Personally I've worked in Keytronics, assembling keyboards on a production line. What the salesperson said was absolutely true about rework, quality control, etc. If there's a failure, all product on the line is 'frozen' and tests are done to make sure that it's an anomaly, then regular production continues.
Go ahead, buy refurbished, it's been individually tested and it's cheaper.
YMMV, JMHO, etc.
OddTodd - K7PKT
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Welcome to you too, Lord1234!
Stop on by Any Ham Radio Operators Here? and add your name to the ever increasing list.
Glad to have you!
73,
Todd - K7PKT
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Wow, nice. That doesn't come without a lot of practice and patience. You have a steadier hand than I.
Congrats! And hope to hear of you hitting master here soon!
73,
Todd - K7PKT
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_mo_ - thanks, found the link and it looks to be a cheaper price. I'll check back when they're in stock.
73
Todd-K7PKT
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_mo_/KC8WAB , you absolutely have to be crazy asking a question like that.
No offense meant, but read the FCC manual.
73
Todd - K7PKT
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Just got my Kenwood th-d7a back, had the G upgrade done.
NOW I get to buy the SMA24 for it...
I still wanna know that long story about Kenwood, DW! Private mail is okay with me, but others may be interested too.
Maybe a new topic about Service Centers and Ham's experiences with them?
Todd-K7PKT
The Human Multi
in Northwest
Posted
First, check out Moun10goat's 45th Birthday Potluck
I know there's a lot of logs to read over, but the general idea (for those that didn't want to click the above link) is that you make a temporary multiple cache for the guest of honor...
Here's how it works.
1. Go to the site of the party, then wander around getting waypoints. Get enough waypoints that you can have multiple participants. Ours was held at a day use area in Plummer, ID, and the total walk was a little over a third of a mile.
2. Organize the waypoints on pieces of paper, or give the waypoints to the Multi participants. I put two lines of coords on each person's piece of paper - the first one I labeled "You Are Here", the second set I labeled, "Make him earn these coords from you!".
3. Each participant was told to encrypt their 2nd set of coords in some way - a puzzle, bunches of questions, different coordinate set (change it to UTM), a riddle with the answer being the way to decode it, you get the idea. The important thing is not to make each puzzle a show-stopper. Granted, the person creating the puzzle can help since they are there.
4. Give the coordinates to the Starter - in this case it was Moun10Goats wife LadyStevenson. Once he got those coords from her and a good satellite lock, he had to run from person to person, decoding/decrypting/begging for the answer to get the next set of coords.
We had a lot of fun with this as you can tell by some of the reports after the event, I just wanted to share this idea with you. I really don't know if it's original, but it was enough fun that I had to post it.
Thanks for reading!
OddTodd-K7PKT
Cadence (OddTodd-K7PKT and CheleBell)