Amateur Radio Stack Exchange
Amateur Radio Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [equipment-operation]

49 questions
14
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1 answer

Why does the audio on my FM transceiver cut out every 5.5 seconds?

Specifically, my Icom ID-4100a. What's interesting, is that this happens in MR and VFO modes... but NOT when using the built-in WX stations. For example listening to WX-01 (162.550 MHz), no problem. Listening to 162.550 via VFO and I get the…
webmarc
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12
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3 answers

How is "clarifier" control helpful?

My radio-club recently got a Yaesu FT-225RD transceiver and I'm trying to digest its manual (available for download here). This is the first ham radio that I'm learning how to use, so I could be missing something obvious. On the front panel there's…
AndrejaKo
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9
votes
3 answers

Why does "Ethics and Operating Procedures" suggest tuning on a dummy load?

The seminal work "Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur" suggests in subsection II.8.1 to perform tuning only on a dummy load. Sometimes before transmitting it is necessary to tune (adjust) the transmitter (or antenna tuner).…
xmjx
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8
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1 answer

Antenna tuning while receiving

I've built AA5TB's antenna coupler for a 5W 20m transceiver. Tuning was kind of difficult because my transceiver has buttons for sending a dot and a dash, but no tuning mode, so I couldn't have the transmitter on permanently to tune easily. I had to…
user885
8
votes
2 answers

How were 1920s hams able to measure megahertz frequency?

I was reading 200 Meters and Down but one thing that was unclear to me was that hams in the 1920s were operating on the 200 meter frequency, which is around 1.5 Mhz .... or 1500 kilocycles to use the old phrasing. What's unclear to me is how they…
RoboKaren
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6
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2 answers

Does amateur radio induce a health risk?

Electromagnetic Exposure wise, does Amateur radio (Particularly 1.8 to 440 megahertz) induce a health risk due to RF radiation? Other than the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) limits, which will cause RF burns etc., are there any studies that…
Skyler 440
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6
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1 answer

Is it safe to run two barefoot rigs on one antenna with an AB switch?

I have a Daiwa CS-201A two position switch. The single side is connected to by quarter wave vertical (40m). The A and B sides are connected to an IC-7300 and TS-830S. The switch is claimed to have 60dB of isolation. It also shorts the unused port to…
user3191449
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6
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3 answers

Alinco DJ-500T handheld radio will not transmit, why?

Shows the word OFF on screen when PTT is pressed. In settings "TX" is set to on, what am I missing? The manual is no use due to poor translation and general incompleteness.
Kevin
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5
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1 answer

Receiving commercial / public-safety on a general-coverage HAM transceiver

I have an ICOM-7100 that I've installed in my mobile as my primary (nay, only) HAM transceiver; and I'm trying to avoid wasting a ton of space in my vehicle (not to mention money) for a proper scanner, or for a CB¹, to achieve fuller coverage of the…
ELLIOTTCABLE
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5
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1 answer

What is band stacking?

What is a band stacking register and/or band stacking buttons on a transceiver? And why would this be useful to an amateur radio operator? Is using "band stacking" a current operating technique, or are there more modern operating methods? (such as…
hotpaw2
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5
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What does a receiver's noise reduction function do?

Some receivers contain a noise reduction button or function. What does this noise reduction do? Is there more than one type of noise reduction? How does the circuit or software know what part of the signal to reduce as noise and what part to not…
hotpaw2
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How long can a transceiver be unused before I have to use a variac?

I have an old TenTec Argosy II that hasn’t been powered up for 20 years. How long can electronics go unpowered before I have to worry about the electrolytic needed a slow power up with a Variac?
kd4ttc
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How can I be sure I'm actually hitting the repeater?

I'm just starting to use 2m and 70cm bands, which normally use repeaters to extend range beyond a mile or two (limited mostly by line of sight, as I understand it). When I'm at home, however, I'm not at all sure I have line of sight to any of the…
Zeiss Ikon
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4
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2 answers

Yaesu FT-991A: FM and C4FM modes don't work on HF bands

I bought a second-hand Yaesu FT-991A. It works pretty well and by the look of it's internals I don't believe it was ever repaired. However I noticed one weird thing. When I try to use FM or C4FM on HF bands (including 28 MHz and 50 Mhz), FT-991A…
Aleksander Alekseev - R2AUK
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4
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How do blind hams operate?

In an earlier question, there seemed to be some surprise when I (indirectly) asked about radio modes accessible to a blind operator. First question: So how do blind hams operate? If I were to be blind-folded, I could not operate any of my radios,…
hotpaw2
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