How To Become a HAM Radio Operator

[Tophog]

Not 100% sure, but I think it was already on when he bought it, and he's just never turned it off!
Keeps it plugged in all the time so the battery never runs down............

:thumbsup:

 

[Harley]

Well that explains it. Smart thinkin, Bob!

 

[DonTom]

Don, tried to call your cell phone just now, went to voice mail.

On the screen of your FT60 if it is set up correctly, you should see the output frequency of the repeater (145.620 in this case) , and a minus sign (-) to indicate a down shift to the repeaters input frequency, and you should also see a capital "T", to indicated that the FT60 has been told to transmit the PL tone of 100 Hz that you set it to.

If it wasn't told to transmit it, you won't open up the repeater, that capital "T" has to be showing on the screen to indicate that the CTCSS tone is to be transmitted.

Any you are well within range of the Johnny repeater, it covers this entire valley, all the way up to the top of the pass between here and Vegas on the south end of the valley, and all the way to the southern edge of Beatty on the north end, and west to Amargosa Valley.

I talk on cell phones even less than I do on FM ham radio. My cell is always off until I want to make a call, which may be one time per year or so.

But I will turn it on tomorrow, to make sure we all find each other. Not that I expect any problems. My cell phone is in one of my motorcycle saddlebags right now

On my display, I have (top row):

" - T SQ"

The tone sq is set to "100.0HZ"

145.620 (RX)

when I hit the P-P-T, the 146.620 changes to 145.020 (Tx).

-Don-

 

[NYECOGunsmith]

OK, there's the rub.

You don't want the "TSQ" on there. You only want a
T on there next to the minus sign.
TSQ is tone squelch, and that means it is listening for a tone from the transmitting source and unless it hears that tone, it will not open the squelch to let you hear the audio. And our repeaters do not transmit a tone for tone squelch operation.

To get out of that TSQ mode.....
Press the F/W key,then the "1" key to get to Squelch Type, rotate the knob until the display says only TONE on it , not TSQL, then save the setting and it should work just fine.

You save the setting and exit by pressing the push to talk button.

If you are saving it into a memory channel, after pressing the push to talk button then you will have to go through the procedure to save it to a memory channel.

 

[DonTom]

OK, there's the rub.

You don't want the "TSQ" on there. You only want a
T on there next to the minus sign.
TSQ is tone squelch, and that means it is listening for a tone from the transmitting source and unless it hears that tone, it will not open the squelch to let you hear the audio. And our repeaters do not transmit a tone for tone squelch operation.

To get out of that TSQ mode.....
Press the F/W key,then the "1" key to get to Squelch Type, rotate the knob until the display says only TONE on it , not TSQL, then save the setting and it should work just fine.

You save the setting and exit by pressing the push to talk button.

If you are saving it into a memory channel, after pressing the push to talk button then you will have to go through the procedure to save it to a memory channel.

The repeater needs to receive PL, but does NOT transmit it?

Okay fine, but I find that a bit unusual.

Or did you mean I had it set for tone burst operation? IOW, requiring a short burst of single tone?


But now that I only have "- T", it still doesn't work. Or does this repeater also use no hang time?

-Don- AA6GA

 

[NYECOGunsmith]

Repeater does not transmit pl tone, and has a very short hang time because it is solar and batter powered.

 

[DonTom]

Repeater does not transmit pl tone, and has a very short hang time because it is solar and batter powered.

Can you get into the repeater today? I hear no trace of a repeater here.

Maybe the repeater batteries went dead. . .

But I also cannot get into the repeater at 145.130 mhz

-Don- AA6GA

 

[NYECOGunsmith]

I just spoke to a buddy on the repeater not 30 seconds ago, it is up.

Has a 1/2 second squelch tail when it drops out is all.

I am monitoring the input frequency to it (145.020) now, see if I can hear you on that, you are only 1 mile from my home and clear line of sight to me.

 

[DonTom]

I just spoke to a buddy on the repeater not 30 seconds ago, it is up.

Has a 1/2 second squelch tail when it drops out is all.

I am monitoring the input frequency to it (145.020) now, see if I can hear you on that, you are only 1 mile from my home and clear line of sight to me.

Well, I just heard the repeater ID on CW on 145.620 mhz, and it was NOT a strong signal. Perhaps the problem is that I cannot key up the repeater from here. I went outside and tried it, and still cannot key it up.

Perhaps it will work at the Nugget. We will find out in a few hours from now.

I wonder how many will show up.

73, -Don- AA6GA/7 Pahrump, NV

 

[ricklaut]

I'm heading over and bringing another Vegas ham along for the ride. I'll be there a bit before 1:00.

White Toyota Tacoma with a bunch of antennas...

 

[Harley]

Well, I just heard the repeater ID on CW on 145.620 mhz, and it was NOT a strong signal. Perhaps the problem is that I cannot key up the repeater from here. I went outside and tried it, and still cannot key it up.

Perhaps it will work at the Nugget. We will find out in a few hours from now.

I wonder how many will show up.

73, -Don- AA6GA/7 Pahrump, NV

Send Ol Tophog out there and have him hold it and then stick his other arm and a leg in the air at different angles. Just like in the rabbit ear antenna days. See if that helps the signal.

 

[DonTom]

I'm heading over and bringing another Vegas ham along for the ride. I'll be there a bit before 1:00.

White Toyota Tacoma with a bunch of antennas...

Great! I look forward to meeting you both.

-Don- AA6GA, Pahrump, NV

 

[iweb]

irishmike and I will be riding our bikes over.

 

[DonTom]

irishmike and I will be riding our bikes over.

Harelys? You will get to see the exact opposite of a Harley with my bike: No noise, no vibrations. More like flying than riding.

IMO, Motorcycles are to be seen, not heard!

And I get to kiss my gas away!

I look forward to meeting you both.

-Don- AA6GA/7 Pahrump!

 

[Dusty]

That was a good meet! Glad to meet all of You and Thank You for lunch Don, much obliged!

 

[irishmike]

Yup. What Dusty said...Good food and good to see old friends and make new ones.

Also, thanks for lunch Don

The Irish Guy

 

[iweb]

Yep thanks Don and great meet up, we need to do that more often.

 

[NYECOGunsmith]

Great to finally put a face to the name and the voice, thanks again for lunch Don, and have a safe trip back to Reno / Auburn.

Rick, Steve, nice to meet you both as well, thanks for coming over the hill.

Dusty, Top, Mike, Jerry, good to see all of you as well.

Everyone, have a safe and happy new years!

 

[ricklaut]

Ditto, ditto & ditto! It was great to put a couple of faces with (screen) names.

 

[DonTom]

That was a good meet! Glad to meet all of You and Thank You for lunch Don, much obliged!

It was my pleasure!

Yup. What Dusty said...Good food and good to see old friends and make new ones.

Also, thanks for lunch Don

The Irish Guy

Nice meeting all of you!

Yep thanks Don and great meet up, we need to do that more often.

I am surprised you don't have such meetings often.

Great to finally put a face to the name and the voice, thanks again for lunch Don, and have a safe trip back to Reno / Auburn.

Rick, Steve, nice to meet you both as well, thanks for coming over the hill.

Dusty, Top, Mike, Jerry, good to see all of you as well.

Everyone, have a safe and happy new years!

Thanks to all who showed up!

Ditto, ditto & ditto! It was great to put a couple of faces with (screen) names.

I was glad to see so many show up, eight of us.

But now that we know what each other looks like and is really like in person, can it ever be the same again?

73, -Don- AA6GA/7 Pahrump, NV