HF Radio Experts

This Thread is also well worth the read.

Hi Mike
I think the days of 'homebrew' equipment is just about over. All the hi-tech black box stuff has well and truly taken over.
I've still got some rigs I built including 70cm- HF linear- a really mean power supply etc.
Cheers & 73s

Yeah, that's what I was thinking as I wrote it - those days of someone building atransceiver are over.

Not at all!

I may not be able to knock up something like my Yaesu FT857D in my workshop but there is still _one hell_ of a lot of experimental work done by the Amateur community in many, many areas of radio.
Do a net search lads.

Mike Harding

Mike - what might it cost to set up with an amateur radio with an antenna suitable for vehicle use? I understand that officially it can't be used for VKS737 so I'm asking hypothetically. And I presume that amateur radios don't come with a remote head?
Lucas

"It may not be either – HF radios used in aircraft amongst many others do not fall into either category."

Just because aircraft radios are not tested with land mobile specifications does not mean they have to pass some other specification. The aviation people have their own specifications. So Mike your statement is a little lacking.

Land mobile radios operate on fixed channels so that anyone can operate them. Amateur radios may only be operated by people who have demonstrated a knowledge of radio theory, operating procedures and regulations.

Amateur equipment is not type approved but the operators have to cease operating if they cause interference.

LMRS transmitter specifications include rigid frequency stability specs and very tight specs to limit their spurious emissions.

LMRS receivers have to pass very rigid tests to prove their ability to suppress adjacent channel and other signals.

These type approval tests are conducted over a wide range ofl ambient temperatures.

PeterD

ps - if you have amateur radio equipment in your possession that is capable of being operated and you do not hold an operators certificate you are guilty of an offence - penalty - imprisonment not exceeding 2 years.

>LMRS transmitter specifications include rigid frequency stability
>specs and very tight specs to limit their spurious emissions.

>LMRS receivers have to pass very rigid tests to prove their ability to
>suppress adjacent channel and other signals.

>These type approval tests are conducted over a wide range ofl
>ambient temperatures.

Do they really?

So PeterD please tell me the specification a Land Mobile has to meet (hint. I've quoted the Oz Standard on here many times before) and detail how that differs from, say, a Yaesu FT857D?

Mike Harding

Hello Lucas

>Mike - what might it cost to set up with an amateur radio with an
>antenna suitable for vehicle use?

I have a Yaesu FT857D which is currently available for $1000, the Icom 706 is $1200, both are excellent radios.

Andrews Communications

As for antennas; anything from a piece of wire (cost = about $0) to a $2000 autotune. Famparc do an excellent series of whip antennas Famparc I think their VKS737 one is about $160? I also hear good things about Terlin antennas but I think they are more expensive.

The Yaesu 857D certainly has a remote head and I'm pretty sure the Icom 706 does too - you can buy a remote mounting kit or it's pretty easy to make your own.

Mike Harding

Errr... PeterD... any response?