Intro to Radio Communications

[alienb1212]

Been doing a little bit of research, seems there are some quite matured Android PSK31 apps that might fit my needs. Unfortunately most Android phones/PDAs dont come with an audio input, but I think I can rig something up with a bluetooth headset/external bluetooth soundcard.

My goal is a man-portable PSK31/similar rig, with something battery powered and ideally the size of the 817, with a small control/decode head such as a PDA with a keyboard built in. Alternatively, the radio could be an 897D but I'd much prefer the smaller unit over the much, much heavier 897.

Obviously if vehicles are available a laptop, and external power sources and larger, pre-built antennas would allow much quicker/higher power NVIS setups, but I'm shooting for manpack dimensions right now.

[QuietShootr]

Been doing a little bit of research, seems there are some quite matured Android PSK31 apps that might fit my needs. Unfortunately most Android phones/PDAs dont come with an audio input, but I think I can rig something up with a bluetooth headset/external bluetooth soundcard.

My goal is a man-portable PSK31/similar rig, with something battery powered and ideally the size of the 817, with a small control/decode head such as a PDA with a keyboard built in. Alternatively, the radio could be an 897D but I'd much prefer the smaller unit over the much, much heavier 897.

Obviously if vehicles are available a laptop, and external power sources and larger, pre-built antennas would allow much quicker/higher power NVIS setups, but I'm shooting for manpack dimensions right now.

Keep us up to date. That would be the balls.

[Teufelshund]

Comms figure big in my wife & I's preps.

With communication capabilities you are able to monitor what is going on in everything from your local environment to the world.

When severe weather comes into our area, we fire up the 2 meter amateur radios and monitor Skywarn. This allows us to real time where the severe weather is. This has proven more than useful a time or two.

Amateur radio has also given me the ability to help with post disaster recovery. May of 2003 a large F3 flattened the town where my parents lived. As we could not reach them by phone, (land line or cell) I loaded up the truck and drove the 2 1/2 hours down. The area had been hit hard, cell towers were down, the downtown area leveled. The local phone exchange building had been scrubbed down to the foundation.

The only means of communication in our out of there for the first couple of days was by radio. The day after the tornado I spent driving around with my parents checking on the elderly population. I was able to relay message traffic to another amateur radio operator in a different town, she in turn was able to call families and let them know the status of their loved ones.

A General amateur radio license and an HF radio give us world wide communications capabilities. Even during poor radio conditions we've talked to stations from New Zealand to Russia.

Comms also give you a huge tactical advantage. They allow you to know what is happening somewhere else and by knowing that information, allow you to plan for those situations. You can be PROACTIVE, rather than REACTIVE.

An amateur radio technician license is relatively easy to get. A little time studying the material, $14, and find a local test location and you will be good to go. The test is easy to pass with a little reading and studying before hand. If all goes as planned my 8 year old daughter is going to test the first of next year.

Semper Fi

Dave, GREAT POST!!! Particularly this part: "Comms also give you a huge tactical advantage. They allow you to know what is happening somewhere else and by knowing that information, allow you to plan for those situations. You can be PROACTIVE, rather than REACTIVE."

Thanks!

Semper Fi back. Clearly you are the real deal.

[Teufelshund]

The Yaesu FT-897D is (imo) the best reasonably priced radio available for what we're talking about. After a simple modification, it is capable of transmitting 1.8-56mHz with no gaps, 136-173mHz no gaps, and 410-470mHz no gaps. Also, it is capable of USB/LSB, AM, FM, CW, and digital modes right out of the box. It puts out 100w of power on external 12V/23A power, and is capable of 20 watts on optional INTERNAL rechargeable LiPo battery packs. It has two very capable auto-tuners available for it, and they can be bolted right to the side of the rig..........

.

Another great post. Thanks Quiet Shooter. Been looking at that Yaesu myself for some time! I think your post pushed me over the edge for buying it. And yes, please keep the info coming. Cutting and pasting your post to save on Word if you don't mind.

BTW, your avatar looks like a USP...I applaud your choice there too. I have the same weapon, also threaded with suppressor (AAC), UTL, jet funnel, and 30 round mag. Built it because I've decided that I don't want to destroy my hearing if I have to quickly grab a weapon and discharge it in the house in the middle of the night. LOL. Obviously, too big and bulky for other uses, so it stays in the bed stand. Have an identical weapon which stays in the truck. Carry and duty weapons are are couple of USPC's (one mine, the other Uncle Sam's). My full size USP had Variant 1 triggers...sent them to HK to convert from Variant 1 to LEM, so now all four have LEM triggers, which I really love. Anyhow, thanks again for the great post!

[Nathan_Bell]

Have been digging around and pondering on this subject for the past couple months and think I have a setup chosen, but looking for some feedback before I drop the $$.

Radio.
Yaesu FT-857D.
1. Same guts as the 897D.
2. Smaller chassis than the 897D and a remote mountable face.

Tuner.
YT-100.
1. Same functionality as the unit QS s running, but is the 'universal' Yaesu application, not specific to the 897D.

Batteries.
Buddipole (yeah, gay a$$ed name) 4S3P A123 battery pack
1. It feeds the radio 13.2 v and so you do not drop into the 20 W transmit power range that the 897D does when on its internal power.

Antenna.
Still up in the air for mobile operations.
For at home usage looking at going the NVIS clothesline approach.

My thinking here is. I can get the YT-857D, fab a chassis to hold the radio and two sets of batteries and still have it small enough to go into/onto a ruck for mobile usage, as well as pumping full power off of batteries, and then just plug the radio into a powersupply at home for it to act as a base station as well.
If this works, and I like the radio. Look at getting the same setup, minus the batteries, and mounting it in my truck. That way I only have to learn how to use one radio and learn how to fix one radio.

[QuietShootr]

Have been digging around and pondering on this subject for the past couple months and think I have a setup chosen, but looking for some feedback before I drop the $$.

Radio.
Yaesu FT-857D.
1. Same guts as the 897D.
2. Smaller chassis than the 897D and a remote mountable face.

Tuner.
YT-100.
1. Same functionality as the unit QS s running, but is the 'universal' Yaesu application, not specific to the 897D.

Batteries.
Buddipole (yeah, gay a$$ed name) 4S3P A123 battery pack
1. It feeds the radio 13.2 v and so you do not drop into the 20 W transmit power range that the 897D does when on its internal power.

Antenna.
Still up in the air for mobile operations.
For at home usage looking at going the NVIS clothesline approach.

My thinking here is. I can get the YT-857D, fab a chassis to hold the radio and two sets of batteries and still have it small enough to go into/onto a ruck for mobile usage, as well as pumping full power off of batteries, and then just plug the radio into a powersupply at home for it to act as a base station as well.
If this works, and I like the radio. Look at getting the same setup, minus the batteries, and mounting it in my truck. That way I only have to learn how to use one radio and learn how to fix one radio.

I think that's a great, well thought out plan.

For mobile, I use an AS/2259 whip with a PRC-119 adapter(I think that's what it is) mounted at a 45 degree angle on a mount I welded to a hitch ball. I use existing nets for testing purposes most of the time (since I'm not a chatter, I really only want to talk to who I want to talk to) and was able to check into a net control station in Texas and another in the Catskills with no problem, and that's just running 100w. An amp would be great for mobile use - run that ****er up to 200, 300, or 500w and see what happens.

Anyway, good plan. I'm going to add an 857 to my vehicle permanently at some point, since the mount I fabbed for the 897 and tuner makes for a large package in the truck. It would be a lot cleaner to put the control head on the dash and stow the actual unit somewhere else, maybe behind the back seat.

[Nathan_Bell]

I was kicking around going with a long low antenna on the truck, will have to tinker and see what works the best.

of course I need to get to the point that I am crushing the practice tech and general tests.

I think that's a great, well thought out plan.

For mobile, I use an AS/2259 whip with a PRC-119 adapter(I think that's what it is) mounted at a 45 degree angle on a mount I welded to a hitch ball. I use existing nets for testing purposes most of the time (since I'm not a chatter, I really only want to talk to who I want to talk to) and was able to check into a net control station in Texas and another in the Catskills with no problem, and that's just running 100w. An amp would be great for mobile use - run that ****er up to 200, 300, or 500w and see what happens.

Anyway, good plan. I'm going to add an 857 to my vehicle permanently at some point, since the mount I fabbed for the 897 and tuner makes for a large package in the truck. It would be a lot cleaner to put the control head on the dash and stow the actual unit somewhere else, maybe behind the back seat.

[pmarc]

Nathan and QS,

everytime I hear (read) mobile, I think foot mobile.

I have come to think that the best way to do foot mobile is with a dedicated manpack. Having no knowledge of such things., I will defer to QS and other more knowledgeable.

As for vehicle mounting, I think the Icom 7000 offers a superior approach - only one cable to run from the remote head to the body, versus 2 (mic and head) for the FT-857.

But, my main point in writing this was to point out some interesting hardware:

A 45W solid state amp, designed for the FT-817. Manufacturer has other solid state amps, and AFAIK, is well regarded in mobile circles.
I can't understand why some people would trade an 857 with full 100W for almost the same weight and 50W less power. More boxes, more wires, more complexity...

I have one LDG Z-100Ultra that works automagically with the 817 and 857. I got one that has internal batteries (AAs) from W4RT. Unfortunately that has been discontinued.

And for man portable operation (as in set camp, raise antennae) I am leaning towards a magloop. Alex sells them. I know the guy, he is passionate about his antennae and really strives for the best.
His set up is so, so simple as to (seemingly) almost defeat a manpack. One can carry the disassembled loop in a pocket and one minute later be on the air.
Given the small size of the loop, it makes for a good stealth option. Also, works better than small sized dipoles mounted at comparable heights.

[QuietShootr]

Nathan and QS,

everytime I hear (read) mobile, I think foot mobile.

I have come to think that the best way to do foot mobile is with a dedicated manpack. Having no knowledge of such things., I will defer to QS and other more knowledgeable.

As for vehicle mounting, I think the Icom 7000 offers a superior approach - only one cable to run from the remote head to the body, versus 2 (mic and head) for the FT-857.

But, my main point in writing this was to point out some interesting hardware|:

A 45W solid state amp, designed for the FT-817. Manufacturer has other solid state amps, and AFAIK, is well regarded in mobile circles.

LDG has smart auto-tuners. I have one that works automagically with the 817 and 857. I got one that has internal batteries (AAs) from another vendor (W4RT)

And for man portable operation (as in set camp, raise antennae) I am leaning towards a magloop. Alex sells them. I know the guy, he is passionate about his antennae and really strives for the best.
His set up is so, so simple aas to almost defeat a manpack. One can carry the disassembled loop in a pocket and one minute later be on the air.
Given the small size of the loop, it makes for a good stealth option. Also, works better than small sized dipoles mounted at comparable heights.

http://www.rfwiz.com/VertexStandard/...10_InfoDat.htm

And the Alexloops are indeed interesting, but they're outrageously expensive, and I don't think he makes one for 80 meters that will handle 50-100 watts.

[pmarc]

http://www.rfwiz.com/VertexStandard/...10_InfoDat.htm

Yeah, I guess it could not possibly get simpler than that.
I would say heavy, but maybe not by much, maybe even lighter that most setups.

So, would you reccomend one? Also, what else would be needed for me to be self-sufficient with it?

And the Alexloops are indeed interesting, but they're outrageously expensive, and I don't think he makes one for 80 meters that will handle 50-100 watts.

No, I've already talked to him about that. Due to my current license restrictions, I can only operate voice (I know...) on 80. Since I am living in an apartment bldg, I have no real estate to put up antennae...

A loop for that band/power needs a large, heavy capacitor that, in the end, is no more portable that a roll of thin gauge wire for a low dipole.

See here http://www.n6na.org/magloop (bottom of page)

Here in Brazil, locating good variable capacitors, that can whitstand transmitting is quite hard. When Alex started, he built his variables from virgin circuit plates... There, in the US, it might be easier.

I've tried to build myself an magloop, with magnificenf failure... YMMV, though.