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long distance hand held comunications

rdayc13

rdayc13

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Im in haverhill and i want to set up comunications with guys in weare NH. How can i accomplish this?
 
If you both can hit Echolink connected repeaters, and your handhelds have all that fancy digital stuff, you should be able to do it with HTs. I'm not into the fancy digital $hit, but I know Yaesu and Icom have fancy stuff where you transmit into the repeater and the repeater goes out on the internet and finds your friend automatically (assuming your friend's radio is turned on). You each don't have to plan ahead of time for which repeater you'll use. But, the repeaters have to support this stuff. I'm sure shortly someone will jump in and correct my mistakes and fill in the blanks [smile]



CTpatriot said:
Cell phone?
Click to expand...
Well, yeah, but what's the fun in that?
 
According to Google Maps, you are about 20 miles apart (as the crow files). That is pretty much not going to happen with an HT at 5 - 8 watts.

You both should be able to hit the Nashua repeater and chat that way.
 
I show it to be about 40 air miles between Haverhill and Weare, with Derry NH more or right in the middle. The 146.85 Derry repeater always used to have really good coverage and it seems it still does. I just hit it from Marblehead on 5 watts and it sounds great. I do have the advantage of a good roof antenna, but still, that's pretty good.

Not to sound like a dick, but for this you all would need a Technician or better amateur radio license.
 
Are there any GMRS repeaters up that way? Haven't looked, but you are right, he'd still need a license regardless.
 
blindfire said:
Are there any GMRS repeaters up that way? Haven't looked, but you are right, he'd still need a license regardless.
Click to expand...

Also most of those boxes are closed even if you have a license. The control ops frequently don't open them to the public.

-Mike
 
Would something in the 6m band work? There are some tri-band HTs out there that'll do 6m. I'm not sure if they're SSB or FM on 6m though.
 
CTpatriot said:
Cell phone?
Click to expand...

[laugh]

ToddDubya said:
Would something in the 6m band work? There are some tri-band HTs out there that'll do 6m. I'm not sure if they're SSB or FM on 6m though.
Click to expand...

Does anyone dig on 6m up here? I have a vx7r that does 6m, and as soon as I figure out how to use it, I'd like to. I know it is a weird band, and I will need a 6m antenna for it.
 
edmorseiii said:
Does anyone dig on 6m up here? I have a vx7r that does 6m, and as soon as I figure out how to use it, I'd like to. I know it is a weird band, and I will need a 6m antenna for it.
Click to expand...

I've been interested in it due to its "magic" qualities. The catch is some people run FM, others SSB and then you have the issue of antenna polarization between HTs and base rigs.

I looked at some antenna designs yesterday but I keep coming back to the magnetic loops. The Moxons (not mag loops) seem simple to build and fairly well liked, but they're directional; they seem kind of like a 2-element Yagi.

My 857 will do 6m but my only HF antenna right now doesn't get that high. I should just build a simple dipole and try the damn thing.
 
ToddDubya said:
I've been interested in it due to its "magic" qualities. The catch is some people run FM, others SSB and then you have the issue of antenna polarization between HTs and base rigs.

I looked at some antenna designs yesterday but I keep coming back to the magnetic loops. The Moxons (not mag loops) seem simple to build and fairly well liked, but they're directional; they seem kind of like a 2-element Yagi.

My 857 will do 6m but my only HF antenna right now doesn't get that high. I should just build a simple dipole and try the damn thing.
Click to expand...

Let me know how it goes. I am going to tinker with building an antenna over the next few weeks while on the ship.
 
Just get a longer string

tin_cans_networking.jpg
 
edmorseiii said:
No shit? That is awesome. Treat just like any other repeater?
Click to expand...
Sort of. But it's complicated and not practical for regular communications. BUT, if you are a space geek like me, it's the closest I'll get to being in space and actually bouncing a signal off something flying 15,000mph through the vacuum of space is wicked cool.

You program the HT to Tx on 2M and Rx on 70cm (I may have that backwards).
The satellite is on a 90minute low earth orbit, so it will only be above the horizon for about 10 minutes, and a "good pass" only happens about twice a day.

Because the satellite is whipping along at something like 15,000mph you have to deal with Doppler. As it comes at you, you need to Tx on a slightly lower frequency and Rx on a slightly higher frequency. Vise versa for after it passes overhead and is going away from you. You handle this by programming your HT with 5 different set-ups. I just call them SO-50-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. As it comes above the horizon I'm on 1 which has the biggest frequency shifts. 2 has less shift, 3 uses the published frequencies with no shift, then 4 and 5 have the shifts reversed as it goes away from me.

There's also polarization and fading. Some satellites rotate or tumble slowly as they fly. I rotate my hand held yagi back and forth 90 degrees to find the best signal which means I'm matching the satellites antenna angle (polarization), but sometimes the signal just fades and comes back due to rotation.

Lastly, it's one flying repeater with lots of people that want to use it. They get pretty busy and QSOs are usually fast and short info exchanges: call sign, signal report and your grid square location.

EDIT: oh yeah, you need a watch and compass. You need to know when it's scheduled to fly over and you get best results aiming your antenna so you need to know where it comes above and goes below the horizon.
 
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cockpitbob said:
Sort of. But it's complicated and not practical for regular communications. BUT, if you are a space geek like me, it's the closest I'll get to being in space and actually bouncing a signal off something flying 15,000mph through the vacuum of space is wicked cool.

You program the HT to Tx on 2M and Rx on 70cm (I may have that backwards).
The satellite is on a 90minute low earth orbit, so it will only be above the horizon for about 10 minutes, and a "good pass" only happens about twice a day.

Because the satellite is whipping along at something like 15,000mph you have to deal with Doppler. As it comes at you, you need to Tx on a slightly lower frequency and Rx on a slightly higher frequency. Vise versa for after it passes overhead and is going away from you. You handle this by programming your HT with 5 different set-ups. I just call them SO-50-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. As it comes above the horizon I'm on 1 which has the biggest frequency shifts. 2 has less shift, 3 uses the published frequencies with no shift, then 4 and 5 have the shifts reversed as it goes away from me.

There's also polarization and fading. Some satellites rotate or tumble slowly as they fly. I rotate my hand held yagi back and forth 90 degrees to find the best signal which means I'm matching the satellites antenna angle (polarization), but sometimes the signal just fades and comes back due to rotation.

Lastly, it's one flying repeater with lots of people that want to use it. They get pretty busy and QSOs are usually fast and short info exchanges: call sign, signal report and your grid square location.

EDIT: oh yeah, you need a watch and compass. You need to know when it's scheduled to fly over and you get best results aiming your antenna so you need to know where it comes above and goes below the horizon.
Click to expand...

This is cool stuff. Now that I can use the gear I have, I have been digging into what they are capable of by reading ehams and watching youtube videos. I will give this a shot when I am back at home. On a good clear night, can you see the sat you are working as it passes? That would add an other level cool if so.
 
edmorseiii said:
On a good clear night, can you see the sat you are working as it passes? That would add an other level cool if so.
Click to expand...
I wish. These little cube sats are somewhere between half and 2 feet across. It takes special conditions to see the International Space Station go by. Basically you want the sun just below the horizon so the craft is in the sun buy you're in the dark. Here's a site that tells you when the ISS will be visible.

About 5 years ago there was a really cool pass where the ISS and Space Shuttle were about a mile apart. It was like 2 bright stars flying in close formation. Hard to remember there were people in those bright dots.

The ISS used to have a "repeater" just like SO-50 but I think it's off line now. They do schedule QSOs with school kids periodically. The hoops you need to jump through to make a scheduled contact with and astronaut aboard the ISS are pretty ridiculous: Redundant 75W stations, including redundant antennas. Backup power. Auto-tracking antenna (no hand aiming). Audio recording. Professional quality photography of the event. etc etc.
 
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A buddy of mine is lending me a 6m loop antenna to try. I'm going to put together a dipole as well and he's lending me his tuner so I can dial that in. I'll probably tune in to some beacons to see what I can hear. If I can get good distance with it maybe some of us can set up a time to test out the band for intrastate use.
 
I am not sure if I am too far away to play, but I will devote the next few nights to figuring out how to use my VX7R and come up with an antenna. When are you thinking about tinkering?
 
It'll probably be a few days before I can get things built and set up. Maybe we can shoot for the weekend. This will be my first contact on HF (if you consider 6m to be HF)!
 
Sorry for this minor thread derailment.

Tomorrow morning the space station will have a visible pass. Visible from 6:06 - 6:09am starting North West, peaking NNE, and setting ENE. Go to the link and click on the pass starting at 6:06:31
 
ToddDubya said:
It'll probably be a few days before I can get things built and set up. Maybe we can shoot for the weekend. This will be my first contact on HF (if you consider 6m to be HF)!
Click to expand...

I'm new, but isn't 6m technically VHF?

cockpitbob said:
Sorry for this minor thread derailment.

Tomorrow morning the space station will have a visible pass. Visible from 6:06 - 6:09am starting North West, peaking NNE, and setting ENE. Go to the link and click on the pass starting at 6:06:31
Click to expand...

I will try to get out and see what's happening.
 
Whether you want to use repeaters or not depends on your intended use. If you're looking for something that will continue to work far after SHTF, idgo with an NVIS setup. Use an HF radio at 40 or 80m. Set up a simple dipole at any reasonable height in your backyard, and most of the signal will go nearly straight up and bounce off the ionosphere. 40m is best during the day and 80 at night as a rule.

Plenty of used Older HF radios for sale; probably set you back the price of one ruger sr9 or less.
 
edmorseiii said:
Does anyone dig on 6m up here? I have a vx7r that does 6m, and as soon as I figure out how to use it, I'd like to. I know it is a weird band, and I will need a 6m antenna for it.
Click to expand...

The rubber duck supplied with the VX-7 does 6m.

yha-60.jpg

ToddDubya said:
I've been interested in [6m] due to its "magic" qualities. The catch is some people run FM, others SSB and then you have the issue of antenna polarization between HTs and base rigs. ...
Click to expand...

Unless you find an H/T that does SSB (or you want to use AM), you don't have to worry about what polarization the other phone station is using: the other station will be using FM, and it will be vertical.

And while most serious 6m base stations will be multi-band/multi-mode, note that most 6m-only [mobile/]base rigs are FM-only.
 

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