Pete’s Guide to Technology and Everything Else Pete’s Guide to Technology and Everything Else

K6WEB’s Ham Radio Commentary

For a geek, I came to amateur radio late in life, only getting my ticket at the beginning of 2003. But I'm finding that this newfound hobby is not only a means of gaining a deeper understanding of many technical subjects, but is also the best means I have yet found of meeting interesting people who are involved in many aspects of leading-edge technology.

Coming soon to this page is a blog covering all of my ham experiences, and commenting on the technology the amateur radio community is using.



This page was last modified on Tuesday, 25-Aug-2009 16:25:09 PDT.

Unless otherwise noted, contents of this site © 2000–2009 by Peter K. Sheerin, All rights reserved.
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Pete’s Shack

Base
My base station currently consists of a Yaesu FT-817, stored in a bycicle handlebar bag, and connected to a DBJ-1 2m/70cm J-Pole antenna, removed from its PVC radome and slid inside a fiberglass flagpole to disguise it, and mounted at 45° outside. I have a RIGblaster Plus connected to it, which aside from giving me the ability to run digital modes via the computer, allowed me to easilly connect a foot-operated PTT switch. Waiting to be connected is an antenna tuner, and some sort of HF antenna.
Mobile
My 1980 T-Bird (Town Landau) has an Icom IC-208H dual-band radio (55W/35W) connected to a Radial‐Larson 2m/70cm NMO mount antenna near the center of the roof that I use for repeaters, a RadioShack HTX-252 2m (25W) radio used for simplex and monitoring, and a Radial‐Larson 2m/70cm glass‐mount antenna with the feedline brought up between the front seats, so that I can connect my TH-F6A or other radios to it for APRS and other packet transmissions. Also on board are an MFJ-1278 TNC, a Garmin Etrex GPS receiver, and occasionally my Thinkpad, for APRS and packet work. In the trunk is an Arrow antenna for satellite work, hooked up to my first HT, the RadioShack HTX-200, so that it is always ready for a foxhunt.
Bicycle
My bicycle mobile station is under reconstruction, but consists of a Yaesu FT-90R dual-band radio (50W), a 12AH 12V GelCell battery, and a Diamond radialless dual-band whip antenna mounted atop an extendible fiberglass pole borrowed from a tree-trimmer. The missing elements are a PTT switch already glued to the handlebar, left over from my initial bicycle portable setup using the TH-F6A, and a proper headset. (Evolution: Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3, Mark 4.)
Portable
My main HT is a Kenwood TH-F6A tribander (2m/1.25m/70cm) that usually has some sort of a counterpoise attached to the stock rubber duckie. This configuration lets me reach the N6NFI repeater from San Francisco—even using ExtraLow power if I find the right fireplug to stand on. My secondary HT is a Yaesu FT-5R.