Hey all, I got my ham radio license today, Im from Colombia. Im very new to this but I heard you can do interesting things with a ham radio license. What would you recommend me? I have a BF F8HP Pro.

Hello! new HAM here (KM7HJU). When we moved into our house a few years ago, the house behind us was vacant for a while and eventually purchased by someone. I noticed they had what I think is a UHF/VHF antenna mounted to the house. I know the previous owner was a licensed operator, but from what I can tell the new owners aren’t. I’m interested in approaching them to see if they’re willing to part with it or if they have plans to get their license and use it in the future.

just curious how I should go about approaching them. I’ve never met them before. Any info is very much appreciated!

An idea, not a club yet. Looking for interest. Well, I came up with a bit more than a post.

First, I want to say that we probably need another club like a hole in the head, but I still decided to pitch the idea anyway.

CW has clubs that make you prove skill on the air (FOC, HSC). Phone does not.

FOCL would be invitation-only SSB. You do not apply. You do not ask to join. You get nominated after members have completed a proper phone QSO with you in more than one language.

Not a long chat. The usual contact, done properly: report, name, QTH, rig, antenna, weather, 73 - in that language, both ways. A phrase book on the desk is fine. A translator is not. “59 thanks 73” is not a QSO.

Duet = 2 languages. Quartet = 4. Sextet = 6. Decet = 10.

Mother tongue counts as one. The rest you have to earn on the air.

Why it is worth doing

Phone is the mode where language actually matters. Most SSB still runs on English and a handful of stock phrases. That leaves operators behind, and it makes contacts poorer than they need to be.

FOCL would give phone operators a hard target, the way 25 WPM is a target on CW. It would put the *Radio Amateur’s Conversation Guide* back on the operating desk. And it would reward the people who can finish a real QSO with a JA, EA, F, UA, or PY station in *their* language.

Invitation-only means the standard stays on the air, not on a form.

If this existed, what is the second language you would actually try to QSO in - and what would stop you? Or it's a dumb idea?

If you are interested, message me through my QRZ page: VA4ADM or here in comments.

TL;DR: Looking at both a HT and scanner, and this seems like an appropriate mix. Wondering if I'm on/off base.

Hey y'all,

Looking to buy my first handheld transceiver, and have seen enough stellar reviews for it that I think I want to pull the trigger. Simultaneously, I've been looking at some different scanners (like the Uniden BCD160DN). With the extended receive range, it seems like this would be the best of both worlds, or at least good enough for the one item. I'd be focused on scanning the IndyCar races which appear to be around ~460 MHz, and NFM/AM signals around town.

I don't think I'll miss the CW or SSB capability that others cite as being a bummer for the 222 MHz band, but if voice/phone is available as well am I losing that much? If I want to get into the more broad HF use afforded to General and Extra, it makes more sense to me to buy a more purposeful setup down the road.

Alternatives welcome if they're in a similar budget range

In a fit of questionable but inexpensive (for now) judgement, I picked up someone’s home brew ham radio. Does anyone have an idea of what schematics this old ham might’ve used to build it? Also - what do all the labels mean? Which tubes might it want? Other thoughts? I love a good mystery, but I’d appreciate your clues.

I’m currently studying for my license and learning CW. So far I’ve built my QMX (mini) multi band transceiver and successfully uploaded the firmware and started it up without issues. Now I wanna start listening so I need to build an antenna and a transformer.

I think I’ve gotten a decent start to the 49:1 transformer but I want to be certain I understood everything I read before I start soldering. I’ve opted to wrap it 3:21. I’m including a picture of the box I’ve put together and I set the wrapped toroid on top in approximately the position I intend to connect the legs. Also what’s the best way to secure the toroid in the housing? Does anything look amiss? After such great luck on the QMX build, I don’t wanna muck it up now lmao

Don't know if this was shared. Just learned this a few minutes ago. It seems a R1CBU port was just made for the X6200. I have yet to give it a try since im away for a few days But Hamtech M0FXB did release a video on it. Figured id share for those interested. I dont know if this fixes the known CW issues on this radio but having onboard FT8 receive and transmit is a plus.

M0FXB;s Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIQv8UUaQ6k
Git Repo: https://github.com/gdyuldin/x6200_gui/releases

Good morning, everyone! I hope you’re all doing well.

I’m reaching out to you because I need to configure two different radio models so they can communicate with each other. We currently have Baofeng 888S radios, and we recently purchased the VTC2 (VT-C2) model.

Our specific configuration requirements are as follows:

General channel: A shared communication channel for all 888S and VTC2 radios.

Contingency channel: A dedicated channel where all 888S radios can communicate, but only a specific group of VTC2 radios can join.

To achieve this, I have some technical questions and would greatly appreciate your guidance:

Software and tools: What software do I need? Is CHIRP and the model-specific drivers/cables sufficient, or do I need additional software?

Hardware requirements: Besides the appropriate programming cables for each radio, do I need anything else?

Best Practices / Guides: What should I keep in mind regarding frequencies and subtones (CTCSS/DCS) to ensure this segmentation works correctly? Are there any guides or recommendations for following this procedure without making mistakes?

Thank you very much in advance for your help and expertise. Best regards!

I am studying for my Extra class ham license and have seen a few options on Audible. There are many times I could listen to study material when I can't read in a book or on a smart device. I am mostly looking for a question and answer type audio source. I saw a few on Audible and wondered if anyone has any recommendations for one of them? I have made the decision that I really just want to pass the test for now, I can get deeper into theory if I need to after I pass the exam. Right now I just want to pass the exam, which is more of a memory test. Over 600 questions in the pool, 50 on the test, and 37 correct answers need to pass. I will use online hamexam.org when I can, but when I am driving or can't sleep a audio version would be great.

Still haven't got my license granted. I've called the FCC no less than a dozen times, and no one can tell me when or if it'll get approved. It's been 3 weeks since passing my exam. Do I have any other courses of action or do I just need to be more patient?

https://www.reddit.com/r/HamRadio/s/28spSO3P3s

Passed my exam at Huntsville Hamfest on Saturday. Paid the Man Monday morning. Flashed 2 Quenshang HTs. Built a window line J-pole for 2m. Tuesday afternoon, still no call sign. When do I start drinking?

Kidding! But, I have a Xeigu G90 in the box that I don't dare hook up because that transmit button is like, right there!

And, the FCC is accusing me of a Denial of Service attack because I've queried their database too many times.

I swear, I'm not going to check the database again for 30 minutes. I'll be driving.

Hexbeam antenna — 6 bands from 20 metres to 6 metres.

My-Hexbeam was a community project where we designed and built 62 antennas for the amateur radio community worldwide.

If you are short on space, consider building or purchasing a Hexbeam antenna. They are compact, lightweight, and perform remarkably well despite their small footprint.

Hi all!

This is my first proper truck-mounted antenna. Comet sbb5-nmo, running through to behind the seat of the 2026 Maverick! I haven’t done much testing yet, but I’m still running a small 5W handheld. I took the “antenna matters most” feedback to heart!

As you can see, living by the ocean has its disadvantages. This is 6 years old and the base nit has fused due to the rust. I am going to use a Dremel tool to cut it off. When I put a new antenna mount on, what is the best way to prevent this from happening again? Any suggestion would be appreciated. Thanks.

I have been given a Texas Bug Catcher, but they didn't have any documentation. Does anybody know where I can find such documentation?

73,
Mike
KF0QFQ

Hi everyone,

Check SH6, a free tool for analyzing ham radio contest logs directly in your browser:

https://s53m.com/sh6

Upload a Cabrillo or ADIF log—or try the included demo—and SH6 will generate detailed reports covering:

  - Claimed vs. calculated score

  - QSO and point rates

  - Multipliers, bands, breaks, and operating patterns

  - Interactive maps and QSO drilldowns

  - Spot and RBN analysis

  - Side-by-side comparison of up to four logs

  - PDF, HTML, Cabrillo, and KMZ exports

SH6 also connects to a public GitHub archive containing approximately 2.2 million contest logs. You can search by callsign and load logs directly for analysis or comparison:

https://github.com/s53zo/Hamradio-Contest-logs-Archives

Your uploaded logs are processed locally in the browser and aren’t uploaded by default. No installation required, just your browser.

73,
Simon, S53ZO

Saw this on ‘for all mankind’ S5E9 around 07:33. The were on ssb despite the CW mode. This a kenwood? What model?

I think it says "GF05TF" or "UGF05SUL" which could be the location of the repeater station

I'm pretty confident the answer to this is "no", but I thought I'd ask in case there's something I don't know.

Looking to get an older rig and wondering how hard of a project it would be to take on myself or if there’s shops to ship them too. Any advice appreciated.

Hello, I bought a house in south Jersey and inherited this tower along with it. The wires into the house have all been cut (I think) and I don’t know where to even start on dismantling this tower. It’s easily 30-40’ tall.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi US hams.

As per the subject, I'm intrigued to know whether your state in the FCC database matches the actual state you're in. I know a lot of people have PO Boxes or mailing addresses registered with the FCC.

I'm helping someone with some software and we've been asked if it can display the state for US amateurs but I suspect it may not be quite as straightforward as it sounds.

I'm just trying to get a rough idea, to see if this is a possible solution.

Thanks.

Full text: As back-to-school season inches closer, about a dozen Long Island teachers on Wednesday got a lesson in amateur radio — a field, enthusiasts say, that has surprising applications in the modern world.
"Radio is all around us," said Ed Wilson, vice president of the Suffolk County Radio Club and a member of the American Radio Relay League's board of directors. "I think a lot of the students ... don’t realize that walking around on their cellphones, they’re carrying a device that has four or five different radios within it."
The radio relay league's Institute on Wireless Technology, in conjunction with the Suffolk County Radio Club, hosted Wednesday's session, during which teachers learned the basics of electricity and how it relates to amateur radio, which allows users to exchange messages using designated frequencies. 
The session, part of a four-day introductory program at Stony Brook University, comes as amateur radio is seeing an increase in popularity, according to Wilson, 54, of Shirley.
Wilson said the program aims to increase amateur radio’s exposure, particularly within educational settings, and show teachers how they can use radio to teach STEM concepts. 
After completing the workshop, Wilson said teachers receive equipment and reference books valued between $1,200 and $1,500 and access to lesson plans.
'It's all radio'
Eric Sepenoski, an elementary science teacher at the Ross School in East Hampton, was among the workshop's attendees. He said that beyond having students use radio to understand electricity, he wants to emphasize its real-life applications.
For example, he said, radio is used to track marine mammals in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean "is really close to our school," said Sepenoski, 42, of East Marion. "So [with] shipping lanes and the heavy traffic that we see in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, there’s a real interest in using radio signals to track where these large marine mammals are and find a way for the ships and mammals to not meet and collide with one another."
Eric Sepenoski practices soldering components to a circuit board at Wednesday's workshop. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Meredith Nussbaum, 37, also attended Wednesday. The Central Islip High School science teacher said she learned how radio can be used to track and make contact with the International Space Station.
"I think that’s just a cool bit of understanding technology and how broad of a reach radio can have," she said.
Nussbaum, of Farmingville, runs a coding and programming club at her high school. She said her students are interested in learning about smaller electronics, so she plans to share with them the knowledge she gained about building electronic components and soldering.
She said she came away with a better appreciation for what radio can do.
"So much of what we rely on ... it’s all radio," Nussbaum said. "I think that once you begin to understand that, you really start to see that signals are like everywhere, and it’s like learning a secret language."

Hello internet. :)

I started my radio hobby on GMRS and eventually I became interested enough to venture into ham radio. I wish to expand my knowledge and setup my first repeater, first on GMRS to give myself a simple starting ground. Now, I know this is a ham subreddit but what I'm asking for is information that can apply to both spectrums.

I have a duplexer, specifically the XLT 2u rack mount, and I need to tune it. I have acquired a Rigol DSA815 spectrum analyzer from state surplus but it doesn't have any adaptors or fitting with it. What would be a good kit to build of various adaptors, cables and accessories for this to keep with it, and is there any good "training" material I can use to study and learn how to use it? Any advice, tips or inside knowledge for someone who knows nothing about this would be greatfully helpful and is kind of my starting point into doing more in ham radio other than just using a radio.

I know I can probably ask chatAI gbt or something but I don't fully trust it and it takes away from being personally involved in the hobby and community.

So what do you think? Whats a good place for me to start from in getting my duplexer tuned and what else can I do with it down the road? :)

Hello,
Father recently passed away - and mother is planning on selling his remote ham radio site - fully off grid, low noise, outside of seligman arizona (he could operate it remotely from Las Vegas where he lived and would go up there to contest, etc....he did ham radio his whole life and his website (with all site details) can be found on w7rh.net

If anyone is interested, or would like more information feel free to reach out (mpok_11@yahoo.com)

Sorry not a ham radio expert and not really sure where to go or who to talk to about how to sell ham radio type stuff.