Ham radio frequency advice please

[SCOMAN]

I'm intending going for a ham radio licence and a friend has offered a Yaesu VX10 handheld transceiver. He needs to get them reprogrammed from their current state and have been asked the following question.

"What 2m repeaters do you want to use up there? Let me know the frequencies and CTCSS access tones?"

I'm up in Perthshire and will be travelling in Scotland where I plan to play about. Any advice please

[johnboy]

http://www.ukrepeater.net/2m.htm

Have a look on here....

[ged]

Repeaters? Nah, go QRP DX on 160m.

[SCOMAN]

Cheers chum

[Mikey P]

UKrepeaters.com is the best resource. I have a few repeaters programmed but only tend to use GB3CS at Kilsyth as it's closest. If you just tell your friend which repeaters you want to use, he can use the UKrepeaters website to get the tx/rx frees and the CTCSS tones. Hope this helps.

Also - try contacting 'Doc' as he's pretty active in Perthshire on amateur radio and is much more experienced than I am.

[SCOMAN]

Cheers Mike

[ged]

If it isn't going too far off the thread topic, are there repeaters for CB, and if so what sort of coverage and range etc. do they offer?

[johnboy]

If it isn't going too far off the thread topic, are there repeaters for CB, and if so what sort of coverage and range etc. do they offer?

I have no idea I'm too busy listening to QRM on top band....

[ScoobySnacks]

As far as I know there are no CB repeaters in the UK. Most CB rigs aren't equipped with duplex, or CTCSS, to allow access to a repeater even if it were available.

The 70 cm's repeaters are good, if not a little limited. Can you get your hands on a 2m rig, or even a combined 2m/70cm's?

What license are you going for? It's so long since I did any hamming that I'm completely out of touch with what licences are issued, what the criteria are and what the band limitation is. I hold a novice A, which required morse and a training course. I'm not sure that type of licence exists any more, keep meaning to get hold of RSGB and find out but never seem to get round to it.

[Globetrotter.uk]

As far as I know there are no CB repeaters in the UK. Most CB rigs aren't equipped with duplex, or CTCSS, to allow access to a repeater even if it were available.

The 70 cm's repeaters are good, if not a little limited. Can you get your hands on a 2m rig, or even a combined 2m/70cm's?

What license are you going for? It's so long since I did any hamming that I'm completely out of touch with what licences are issued, what the criteria are and what the band limitation is. I hold a novice A, which required morse and a training course. I'm not sure that type of licence exists any more, keep meaning to get hold of RSGB and find out but never seem to get round to it.

Novice license is now the foundation license, I'm doing mine next month.

[santaman2000]

Novice license is now the foundation license, I'm doing mine next month.

Do any of the licenses over there still require morse?

[rik_uk3]

Sadly, no. Its a great shame as you can do more with less using morse.

[spandit]

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[johnboy]

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[Globetrotter.uk]

According to the info I was given morse is covered in the foundation license.

[ged]

According to the info I was given morse is covered in the foundation license.

Its use is optional, it hasn't been required by the UK for any amateur radio since 2003.

Before then I think it was only necessary for a short wave licence, at least that's how it was when I passed the Radio Amateurs' Exam in 1969.

As Rik says, it's a shame hat it seems to be a dying art but it's hardly surprising as technology has moved on.

Still useful to know a few phrases though, like SOS and XYL.

[rik_uk3]

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

[Big Stu 12]

According to the info I was given morse is covered in the foundation license.

It is but its only a quick understanding/aprecation of morse... not realy a test, you have to recive a message and send a message at you own pace with the morse chart in front of you on the foundation.

[bikething]

Sadly, no. Its a great shame as you can do more with less using morse.

I'm sure a lot of people were put off getting involved with amateur radio because of the morse test.
However, even if it's not compulsory now, those who have an interest in it aren't barred from using it if they wish, no?

[santaman2000]

I'm sure a lot of people were put off getting involved with amateur radio because of the morse test.
However, even if it's not compulsory now, those who have an interest in it aren't barred from using it if they wish, no?

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.

[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_..._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_..._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