Ham radio frequency advice please

[johnboy]

My step dad, G5IW/GW5IW now sadly silent key started off with crystal sets, moved on to valve (tubes for you Americans) and when passed away sending packet data and programming his BBC computer... thats some changes. I was 11 when I first moved in with him and naturally was facinated with his various rigs. He showed me how to use them but would not let me use them until I could recieive morse at @20 words a minute. He would record messages for me on a reel to reel tape and would use deliberate spelling mistakes to stop me guessing at words. I just could not do it but he said "keep at it and all of a sudden it will just click into place" and blow me down he was right and thats pretty much what happened one evening, morse just made sense. Same with copy typing, struggled like crazy and then one day I could just do it.

The man himself at a meeting of MARS the midland ham radio group. He owned Barlows of Birmingham and used the firms vans to transport this lot

Nice beam....

Thats some field days set up....

I like morse and am slowly getting to grips with the straight key...

 

[bikething]

I don't know about there but over here it's actual use is partially determined by your chosen frequency. The majority of frequencies are open use but some are reserved for CW (morsse) only while others are for data only and still others are for phone (voice) only. I suspect that much of that is international as well.

Yep.. same over here.. there are 'segments' of certain bands allocated to certain modes.

 

[Mikey P]

Morse is no longer compulsory for any of the licenses (Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced). You do not have to pass a test to use it but an examination is available if you want a certificate.

Morse is generally in the lower portion of the bands, with specific calling frequencies and often DX, novice or QRP allocations.

I am still practicing and hoping to become proficient this year. Yes, morse put a lot of people off but anyone who wants to learn it and use it can do.

 

[rik_uk3]

Nice beam....

Thats some field days set up....

I like morse and am slowly getting to grips with the straight key...

I've got some pictures I'll scan showing the setup at Penlan when they had the farmhouse, @50' tower and rotatable Yagi beam, ground plained verticle(s) and a couple of half wave dipoles and one off centre Windom; he took the hobby very seriously The Windom is a very good mobile antenna and was very common with the Army and RAF

http://www.3905ccn.com/newsite/tech_corner/ocf_vs_windom.gif

I put a bog standard loop up in the loft last year.

 

[johnboy]

I've got some pictures I'll scan showing the setup at Penlan when they had the farmhouse, @50' tower and rotatable Yagi beam, ground plained verticle(s) and a couple of half wave dipoles and one off centre Windom; he took the hobby very seriously The Windom is a very good mobile antenna and was very common with the Army and RAF

http://www.3905ccn.com/newsite/tech_corner/ocf_vs_windom.gif

I put a bog standard loop up in the loft last year.

Ive got various antennas strung up in the garden.. I made an OCFD and it works well...

 

[rik_uk3]

Another good home option is a basic loop up in the loft John.

 

[johnboy]

Another good home option is a basic loop up in the loft John.

Yep that's true...

Ive dug and placed the foundation for my wind up mast... I just need to respray it in a suitable colour and then it going up complete with 20m beam and rotator...

 

[Doc]

Re the original question, there's quite a few repeaters in central Scoyland. The Perth 2m repeater GB3PR covers north to Dundee, and I've worked well equipped Aberdeen stations on it. GB3PU is the Perth 70cm repeater.

Re morse: it's not dying. Interest in morse on the amateur bands is increasing, if anything. About 40% of all amateur traffic still goes on the key, and there are many, many morse clubs: FISTS, SKCC, CWOps, FOC, UFT, all the QRP clubs etc.

For backpacking, CW is the only way to go. 2 watts of CW to a dipole on HF lets you work Europe and America fairly easily.

 

[Sniper]

GB3AY and GB3CS in the west central area will get you a fair way down the west coast, GB3PU around Perth, GB3FF north of Edinburgh will see you up to GB3AG loads of them about Scoman Johnboy's link will give you all the relevant info you need.

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[rickyamos]

SCOMAN did you pass your foundation licence?

Hope to meet you on the bands

73 DE M0ZAV

Cheers

Rick

PS it would nice if some one could put up a poll to see how many hams are on this forum......only an ideas just curious

 

[bikething]

PS it would nice if some one could put up a poll to see how many hams are on this forum......only an ideas just curious

There are at least 3 more than there was this time last week