Maori Kiwifruit Growers
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2022
I use it to try to talk to random people in far flung parts of the world, oh and collect QSL cards from those places.
This hobby has a lot of programers in it.
Ham Radio / Off-grid communication
- Thread starter 888Flux
- Start date
This hobby has a lot of programers in it.
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2022
My local meshtastic mesh covers a massive area, reliably getting messages to three states.
Where there's a will and a lot of preppers with gadget addiction, there's a way to push tech to limits it was never intended for.
Where there's a will and a lot of preppers with gadget addiction, there's a way to push tech to limits it was never intended for.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2019
A really powerful feature of APRS that isn't used much is the messaging. I don't think it ever really took off because people seem to think APRS is just for location tracking.
My state has state wide coverage of APRS so if you send a message to someone chances are it will get there. And I have sent text messages multiple states away. There are also APRS-> SMS gateways and other bots you can message like an IRC bot. Some modern clients also send ACK's so you know for sure if your message got received.
There is also the APRS digipeter on the International Space Station so even if your in the middle of nowhere you have a few chances during the day to get your message out.
If anyone is wondering what APRS stuff is around them check out the map at https://aprs.fi/
Man if Null ever gets his ticket and gets on HF his SpongeBob stamped QSL cards would become more sought after then Antarctica or Réunion Island.
>This card is verification that "I called you a fucking faggot lamo" on 2/24/26 at 2100 UTC on 7.222Khz/ 73 and SNEED
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- Joined
- Apr 22, 2022
Truth. Rarer to get still!
I knew about the messaging feature but I did not know about those services or the ISS having a digipeter! I'll have to try and hit them. VGC just updated the app and radio firmware for satellite ops, so now you can track and aim for the satellites in their app. (If you have N-76, N-7500, or N-7600 at least)
I have something to do tomorrow afternoon now.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2019
Don't forget for the ISS you have to change your path from the WIDE* stuff to just ARISS. And its on 145.825 instead of the normal 144.39
Watch http://ariss.net/ to see if you get pulled in by a satgate.
For others just getting started, you don't need a fancy HT with built in an APRS modem. You can use a raspberry pi wired to any old radio's MIC/Speaker jacks.
KM6LYW's digipi image does aprs if you dont want to roll your own.
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- Joined
- Apr 22, 2022
Or if you have the good ol Baofeng UV-5R and an Android smartphone you can get a cable to connect with your phone and the APRSdroid app on android and be able to use that combo for all APRS functionality. That's how I got started with APRS!
@Jump , since we're more or less doing an intro to APRS ITT, do you have an antenna recommendation for satellite APRS ops? It home made yagi or the eggbeater?
Polock
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2022
I will have to check this out. I have an extra android phone collecting dust, this sounds like a really good use for it.
Can you use the USB-A data cable that comes with the UV-5R and get a USB-C adapter to connect it to the phone?
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2022
That I do not know, I bought a $10 cable off Amazon that plugs into your phone's 3.5mm aux port and the headphones port on the baofeng. Something like this but pretty sure you can find it cheaper. Maybe someone else here might know for sure though.
NortelNutworks
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2024
Jokes aside, I did fry the mic-in on my last phone by doing exactly that kind of experimentation with a 'feng. Make sure you've got a transformer or something to keep the RF off the audio wires.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2019
1/4 wave ground plane. Made as nice or as shitty as you like.
Higher gain antennas will have a lower takeoff angle and be nulled overhead.
Yagi you would have to point and get the the polarization right. Kinda hard since the ISS is moving fast across the sky. Eggbeaters would work but overkill since the ISS isn't tumbling. Its a stable polarization. Ive worked the ISS APRS digipeter with my ft5d and SignalStick antenna multiple times just walking around.
The voice repeater (yes ISS also has a FM voice repeater) I have worked just driving down the road with my standerd 2m/440 mobile radio. I have it in my scan list and when I hear it come up I give it a shot.
The ISS really is a nice asset for hams and an easy way to get your feet wet before trying to get the other amsat birds. Hopefully more people take advantage of it before its retired. I don't know if we will ever get such an easy to use and long lasting satellite like that ever again.
The VOX cables do work but you have to remember to put in tons of TX delay to give the radio time to notice it needs to key up.
A digirig lite is only a few bux more and will give you hard wired PTT. Its sold on Amazon was well as the other ham radio vendors. IMO its worth spending the extra 20 or 30 bux for less agrivation, and the digirig can be used on other radios for all other ham modes like FT8 and SSTV as well with the correct adaptor cable. Its just a really nice USB sound card and USB rs232 chip so it works fine on mac/linux/windows and I am sure android,
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2024
I'd genuinely frame that shit. Been building up physical QSL cards lately, it's a fun part of the hobby.
For those interested in being shouted down in pileups, a super-rare DXpedition to Bouvet Island, 3Y0K, is starting on the first of February. I don't think I have the equipment to hit it myself, but some of you might be able to. Make sure you're working split if you do SSB/CW and have fun with it for me.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2021
I would recommend the AIOC (All In One Cable) https://github.com/skuep/AIOC over the Digirig lite if you intend to use it with either a UV-5R or UV-K6
It acts as both a soundcard and way to key the radio with either serial or CM108 PTT and all you need is a single USB-C cable to plug into it which makes it much more convienient.
All of the hardware is open source, and there are various vendors online. And you can even send the gerber file off to some PCB manufacturer and get one made for like $3 each, which might be really convenient for radio clubs and groups looking to get people into packet stuff.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2019
- If you can do FT8, even if it's at QRP levels, you have a chance, especially if you're paying attention to propagation.
- Their boat broke, so they're two weeks behind. LOL; LMAO, even.
- I had been thinking about borrowing a friend's cabin during the 3Y0K expedition to set up a temporary station (I don't have a permanent set up at home and they have a couple of acres basically sitting empty), but health issues made me forget about that. Now I don't feel quite so bad about it.
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2021
Has anyone built one of the QMX+ kits from QRP-labs? This is probably the cheapest full HF rig with a built in soundcard and TXCO ref
Their pre-assembled options are backed up to December but since the board is pre-populated with all of the surface mount components it doesn't look like that is too tricky to put together, though the hardest part is probably winding those toroids
Their pre-assembled options are backed up to December but since the board is pre-populated with all of the surface mount components it doesn't look like that is too tricky to put together, though the hardest part is probably winding those toroids
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2019
I've built a QDX (works) and a QCX (doesn't work for some reason). I don't really know why everyone complains about winding the toroids, it's fine if you take your time. My problem has been that some of the soldering is really tricky because the pads are so close together.
I recommend printing the instructions out so that you can mark things off as you complete each step.
HairyBadger
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2024
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2022
Yeah I built a QMX mini and my friend built a QMX+ the "shack" version. Its very nice, would recommend as a first project radio.
If you want to practice winding a toroid on something larger than your pinkie nail, build you an end fed half wave antenna. You'll have to have an antenna like that tuned for the QMX anyways, since there's no on board tuner.
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2022
Had some talks with others hams over the last 2 weeks and we pretty much came to the conclusion that the next 10 years will be make or break for ham radio in my country. A very large majority of hams are 65-80 and we may see a kind of die-off in this time frame.
The good news is that younger ham numbers are starting to pick up in some states (including the one in which I currently live). We'll need the new blood.
On the topic of my own ham activity, aside from dicking around in JS8Call (which I enjoy), not much. LoRa experiments have restarted in my state. After testing both Meshcore and Meshtastic, the latter was chosen. I'm not able to use my module much but I'm really impressed by the improvement of Meshtastic firmware.
The good news is that younger ham numbers are starting to pick up in some states (including the one in which I currently live). We'll need the new blood.
On the topic of my own ham activity, aside from dicking around in JS8Call (which I enjoy), not much. LoRa experiments have restarted in my state. After testing both Meshcore and Meshtastic, the latter was chosen. I'm not able to use my module much but I'm really impressed by the improvement of Meshtastic firmware.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2021
Annual petition for @Null to become fully unhinged and broadcast a show about the internet on shortwave.
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2023
I haven't, but it looks like a fun project. Aside from saving time and money by assembling it yourself, you get the satisfaction of having done it yourself—the right way. Winding coils isn't bad once you get in the flow of it.
Electronics repair relaxes me. Maybe it's the solder fumes lol