information about Ham Radio equipment
Aug 05 2014
Take two pieces of the Hytera MD785 and build your own (crossband) repeater. No logic, just a simple cable with 4 resistors are needed. Works with FM and DMR of FM to DMR or the other way around. Keep in mind that when using a DMR-DMR repeater, audio will be converted to analog first causing …
Jun 28 2014
I’m changing the default 12VDC connector from banana jack to Anderson PowerPole. No more soldering or even worse: screwing high current power connectors. The new default is Anderson PowerPole crimp connectors. To support a transfer phase I’ve created a PowerPole to Banana jack cable this morning capable of running 30 Amps of power at 12 …
Apr 05 2014
I like my I3VHF loop, like Wimo sells it as Baby loop. It has full coverage between 6,5 and 30 MHz and provides me with the 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meter band. I can work around the world in digimode (JT65) with it and there aren’t many day’s I can’t work …
Mar 11 2014
Today, my new attenuator arrived. The old home-brew unit wasn’t really suitable to do measurements on 150 MHz and above. This Bird is suitable till 6 Ghz and has a -30 dB attenuator (the old one had a -40 dB att.). The type is 100-SA-NFM-30 and documents can be found on the Bird website. By …
Feb 11 2014
When you own a Hytera DMR transceiver you need an optional cable costing 35 euro to program your transceiver and/or to upgrade the firmware. Â In my opinion, programming cables should never be an option. You can spend the 35 euro to buy one, or spend about 5 euro to make one yourself. The self-build version …
Feb 07 2014
I’m currently testing the Hytera X1p portable DMR-transceiver. The first thing you’ll notice is the size. The transceiver is small, just like an iPhone 5. With the standard battery the portable is only 21mm thick. Still, the set has a full keypad and nicely coloured display to show the status, channel, battery level, etc. On …
Feb 01 2014
Today I’ve been working on the Cavity duplex filter for the new DMR-repeater. The exact frequency is yet unknown but I assume it will be 438.3125 MHz for the output and 430.7125 MHz for the input, which makes a -7.6 MHz shift. I’m the lucky owner of a Rigol DSA815 Spectrum Analyzer (9 kHz – …
Jan 02 2014
I’m busy preparing a new DMR-repeater. The exact location is unknown but having a look at white spots in the coverage maps from the current repeaters most-likely it will be somewhere in the Northern part of the Netherlands. The repeater is the Hytera RD985 so it will join the HYT-network. Currently there are 3 options …
Oct 18 2013
After D-star there is DMR. Not that I’ve used D-star much but just want to give new techniques a try. Yesterday I’ve ordered a Hytera MD785G. This is a mobile UHF-transceiver for both analogue FM and DMR. Ideal as a second set for the local repeaters since the 2nd VFO of my Icom IC-9100 is …
Sep 15 2013
After weeks (months) I finally found some time to test the Wimo / I3VHF /Â Ciro Mazzoni loop-antenna for the 40 till 10-meter bands. First QSO was with UA9MMC in JT65 on 20-meters, resulting in -13dB reports.
Sep 03 2013
Marcus, the owner of Hamshop.nl, offered a used Icom UX-9100 module for 23cm which I bought yesterday and arrived today. Now my Icom IC-9100 has all the (internal) options available. Let’s go SHF.
Jul 06 2013
Today I’ve mounted the new tripod and portable aluminium mast on the roof. The HF-antenne is about 6 meters higher now. Total height will be around 10 meters from streetlevel. The tripod is fixed on a planter with enough weight so it won’t tilt over. And it it becomes stormy here, 5 miles from the …
Jun 20 2013
Forget my post about the MFJ-1788 loop. One day after ordering Wimo mailed me that the unit was not in stock and the re-supply was on the 21st of June or later. They offered a full-refund. I mailed back, asking if they could do anything with the price of the Baby loop. The aswer was no …
May 22 2013
I should stop ordering stuff. Really. The antennes I’ve ordered a month ago aren’t in yet (shame on you vpa-systems.pl) but today I’ve ordered an MFJ-1788 loop-antenna for the 40-15 meters band. Let’s see how this works, in particular on 40-meter, where my day-to-day QRM is always S9 till S9+10, thus quite unworkable. Now wait a …
