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Call Sign : 26-CT-3842 Posts : 10 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2020-10-18 QTH or Location : Grasmere Equipment Used : CRT Mike Kenwood TS-480 Yaesu Diamond X-50N FTM-7250D Hustler 5-BTV, DX commander, Yaesu FT-891 Age : 47
Subject: Home setup Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:06 pm
Hi everyone I've got my mobile rigg in my pickup but I find myself thinking more and more about creating a Home base rigg, trouble is I live in Grasmere and obviously surrounded by fells etc, is it a pointless dream or do you think i'd be able to receive something if i go down that rabbit hole?? Cheers Fellas Stu
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Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 6292 Times Thanked : 389 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: Home setup Thu Oct 22, 2020 5:50 am
Hi Stu,
I know how you feel mate, a mobile setup is a lot of fun and carries advantages but there's just something about a homebase setup and having a 'shack'
It'll be more difficult to set up a homebase, longer coax to contend with and associated losses, plus getting a homebase antenna high enough. If you're in a valley a typical 5/8ths wave antenna could give you such a low angle of RF emission that your signals won't make it out of a valley in which case a 1/2 wave antenna would be better. The 1/2 wave also wouldn't have to be setup as high as a 5/8ths.
It also depends on what radio activity you are after. In my own location CB users are sparse and I can't make it out of the deep dark radio hole where I live so I setup a homemade inverted V dipole antenna. It cannot make local contacts, (which I don't have), but it sure did fire well into Europe on the summer skip! But, I sit patiently waiting for the mid-winter propogation to pick up and otherwise the excitement won't start again until next summer and the rising sunspot.
One way to decide is to see if you get radio activity already on your mobile setup. Are you able to make CB radio contact when you are near home? If not I doubt a homebase setup will give you much more improvement.
An advantage of a mobile setup, as many of the mad fools on here will testify to, is that you can go high up and even strap a typical homebase antenna to a pole or wheel stand, (or lashed to the back of the pickup! ), and get long range CB contact. You live only just North of a big population with some big radio users and might have more luck.
Let none of that dissuade you, it's entirely up to you how you progress. I just find it a shame when people lash out good money on a homebase setup only to be left disappointed because they didn't do some simple checks first. At least you're lucky in that you don't live in a big city with all the associated RF noise and interference!
If radio really is your thing and as exciting as CB use is, you could always get your 'Ham' ticket..... With my Foundation 10 watts and a wire antenna in the loft I can hit stations as far as you with considerable ease on 80m SSB.
Anyway, hope some of my mumblings help you in any way. My intention is to help where I can.
All the best, Victor
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Grasmerestu New Member
Call Sign : 26-CT-3842 Posts : 10 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2020-10-18 QTH or Location : Grasmere Equipment Used : CRT Mike Kenwood TS-480 Yaesu Diamond X-50N FTM-7250D Hustler 5-BTV, DX commander, Yaesu FT-891 Age : 47
Subject: Re: Home setup Thu Oct 22, 2020 11:41 am
Thanks for that Victor, I don't get anything from my truck at home so i'm thinking more power is going to be essential. Initially i'd be happy to just be able to listen in to be honest stu
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Bovril New Member
Call Sign : 26-CT-3694 Posts : 16 Times Thanked : 2 Join date : 2020-06-26 QTH or Location : Ruislip, London. Equipment Used : Yaesu FT2000D
Subject: Re: Home setup Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:25 pm
What a pickle to be in, the problem amplified due to the high frequency we operate on.
Grasmerestu New Member
Call Sign : 26-CT-3842 Posts : 10 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2020-10-18 QTH or Location : Grasmere Equipment Used : CRT Mike Kenwood TS-480 Yaesu Diamond X-50N FTM-7250D Hustler 5-BTV, DX commander, Yaesu FT-891 Age : 47
Subject: Re: Home setup Tue Nov 10, 2020 7:19 am
After talking to a few folks I decided the only way I was going to get out from here was to go down the Ham licence route, I booked myself in for the exam on the 2nd Dec In the mean time I bought a all band Transceiver and a vertical antenna I'm receiving good signals on it so hopefully when I get my ticket ill be able to get out on it
Victor and 43CT016 like this post
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 6292 Times Thanked : 389 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: Home setup Tue Nov 10, 2020 8:03 am
Hi Stu,
Nice to hear you taking your radio interests further and good to hear about your multi-band radio acquisition. Glad that you are receiving great signals with it!
May I just wish you good luck with your studies and the best of luck with your forthcoming exam.
Here's hoping I catch you on the bands one day enjoying your radio hobby.
All the very best, Victor
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glenn dog Major contributor
Call Sign : 56-CT-004 Posts : 586 Times Thanked : 13 Join date : 2019-08-23 QTH or Location : Oulu -Finland Equipment Used : ft-450d-mc kinley - cobra 19dxeu- lincoln+2 - superstar lord - grant 2 - tti hand held- alan42- crt mike cb - zodiac 68 hunting radio hand held- and few PMR 2
Subject: Re: Home setup Tue Nov 10, 2020 8:23 am
Today is a radio room cleaning day, local radio is ok, truckers are active, playing songs from 80/81 back in the day when i was 1st in to radio, trip down memory lane, hunting out photos from the 8os, sure i took some of the set up all those years ago,
Grasmerestu likes this post
43CT016 Major contributor
Call Sign : 43-CT-016 Posts : 369 Times Thanked : 22 Join date : 2019-11-17 QTH or Location : Perth Equipment Used : iCom IC-7610/IC-9700/IC-705 Age : 55
Subject: Re: Home setup Tue Nov 10, 2020 9:05 am
Grasmerestu wrote:
After talking to a few folks I decided the only way I was going to get out from here was to go down the Ham licence route, I booked myself in for the exam on the 2nd Dec In the mean time I bought a all band Transceiver and a vertical antenna I'm receiving good signals on it so hopefully when I get my ticket ill be able to get out on it
Great news, well done.
When (Notice I said when!!) you pass, come back and we'll have a discussion on both NVIS to get you short hops (Up to 300-400 miles or so) out of the valley on the low bands, and it sounds like you're sorted for potential DX with the vertical too.
What kit did yo buy?
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Grasmerestu New Member
Call Sign : 26-CT-3842 Posts : 10 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2020-10-18 QTH or Location : Grasmere Equipment Used : CRT Mike Kenwood TS-480 Yaesu Diamond X-50N FTM-7250D Hustler 5-BTV, DX commander, Yaesu FT-891 Age : 47
Subject: Re: Home setup Tue Nov 10, 2020 11:55 am
43CT016 wrote:
Grasmerestu wrote:
After talking to a few folks I decided the only way I was going to get out from here was to go down the Ham licence route, I booked myself in for the exam on the 2nd Dec In the mean time I bought a all band Transceiver and a vertical antenna I'm receiving good signals on it so hopefully when I get my ticket ill be able to get out on it
Great news, well done.
When (Notice I said when!!) you pass, come back and we'll have a discussion on both NVIS to get you short hops (Up to 300-400 miles or so) out of the valley on the low bands, and it sounds like you're sorted for potential DX with the vertical too.
What kit did yo buy?
Thanks for that looking forward to getting on the air! Total kit up to now is
Yaesu FTM-7250 with a Diamond x-50n Antenna on gable end (I can hear a repeater in Kendal with this)
Then I found a good deal on a Kenwood TS-480 DSP which is adjustable from 5-100 watt so ideal, its connected to a Hustler 5-BTV multi band vertical in the garden with 20 or so radials as long as I could get them. Stu
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Grasmerestu New Member
Call Sign : 26-CT-3842 Posts : 10 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2020-10-18 QTH or Location : Grasmere Equipment Used : CRT Mike Kenwood TS-480 Yaesu Diamond X-50N FTM-7250D Hustler 5-BTV, DX commander, Yaesu FT-891 Age : 47
Subject: Re: Home setup Fri Dec 04, 2020 4:34 pm
Hi just an update, I took and passed the foundation on wednesday
John123, Northern Crusader and 43CT016 like this post
Alan Pilot Major contributor
Call Sign : 163-CT-220... Posts : 2656 Times Thanked : 70 Join date : 2019-11-19 QTH or Location : Anglesey North Wales Equipment Used : Yaesu FT-991A,,Yaesu FTDX-10,,Icom ic-7610,,Anytone AT-D878UV PLUS",,LINCOLN II+. Age : 16
Subject: Re: Home setup Fri Dec 04, 2020 6:36 pm
Congratulations on your pass.
Grasmerestu likes this post
Sydthecat CT Directors
Call Sign : 2E0VRX Posts : 776 Times Thanked : 47 Join date : 2019-06-26 QTH or Location : Yorkshire dales Equipment Used : Yaesu FTdx 101d, MD200 mic ,Mosley 3ele Yagi Age : 59
Subject: Re: Home setup Fri Dec 04, 2020 6:50 pm
Hi Stu and many congrats on passing your foundation , well done!
I know Grasmere very well and yes it’s not a great location for radio due to the very steep hills which surround it to the north, east and west, luckily you do have a bit of a opening to the south , while activity may be very low on CB you will may find a bit more activity on 2m , lots of SOTA and WOTA activations on the surrounding mountains
Craig
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Grasmerestu New Member
Call Sign : 26-CT-3842 Posts : 10 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2020-10-18 QTH or Location : Grasmere Equipment Used : CRT Mike Kenwood TS-480 Yaesu Diamond X-50N FTM-7250D Hustler 5-BTV, DX commander, Yaesu FT-891 Age : 47
Subject: Re: Home setup Fri Dec 04, 2020 7:03 pm
Sydthecat wrote:
Hi Stu and many congrats on passing your foundation , well done!
I know Grasmere very well and yes it’s not a great location for radio due to the very steep hills which surround it to the north, east and west, luckily you do have a bit of a opening to the south , while activity may be very low on CB you will may find a bit more activity on 2m , lots of SOTA and WOTA activations on the surrounding mountains
Craig
Thanks and yes there's nothing in the way of CB really, I've heard the Kendal and Blackpool repeater's with my 7250D so hopefully I can do something with them, I've also heard a bit on 160,80,40,20, and recently 17 and 15 too with the HF Kenwood set and a dx commander vertical. I like the idea of SOTA as a fell runner so will definitely be trying that, I suppose it depends if anyone can hear me with my 10w
Sydthecat CT Directors
Call Sign : 2E0VRX Posts : 776 Times Thanked : 47 Join date : 2019-06-26 QTH or Location : Yorkshire dales Equipment Used : Yaesu FTdx 101d, MD200 mic ,Mosley 3ele Yagi Age : 59
Subject: Re: Home setup Fri Dec 04, 2020 7:31 pm
Oh yes you will definitely be heard from any of your local SOTA , I often work them from my home QTH even Skidaw can be heard from down here
5w goes a very long way when your 3k feet up lol
Craig
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John123 CT Directors
Call Sign : 26CT763 Posts : 4632 Times Thanked : 166 Join date : 2019-06-27 QTH or Location : Manchester Equipment Used : Optima, Superstar 360fm, Stalker 9fdx, President Jack Age : 51
Subject: Re: Home setup Sat Dec 05, 2020 12:10 pm
Congrats on passing your foundation, Stu.
Grasmerestu likes this post
43CT016 Major contributor
Call Sign : 43-CT-016 Posts : 369 Times Thanked : 22 Join date : 2019-11-17 QTH or Location : Perth Equipment Used : iCom IC-7610/IC-9700/IC-705 Age : 55
Subject: Re: Home setup Sun Dec 06, 2020 12:35 am
Congrats!
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Gmonkey New Member
Call Sign : 26-CT-3890 Posts : 20 Times Thanked : 0 Join date : 2020-11-28 QTH or Location : Luton, Bedfordshire Equipment Used : CB - Twig: Sirio 2016 5/8. Rigs: ICOM 7300, Grant II Premium, Amstrad 901, CRT2000H, Murphy CH1500, Moonraker II, Harrier CBX, Harvard 420, Binatone Breaker Phone, Fidelity 3000. Scanners : Twig Wideband Generic. Rigs: AOR 8600 MK2, Realistic Pro 2005, Various scanning Dongles