# Multi-band transceivers?



## Jezcruzen

I've been a ham for quite a few years, just not an active one.

At one time I had my "shack" with HF, 6m, 2m, and 70cm capability. Not any longer. 

I became frustrated with HF for two reasons. 1. Working with only 100w, I would no sooner make a DX contact before being covered by legal limit stations seeking the same QSO. 2. The nasty behavior commonplace on the HF bands was simply astonishing! It often was reminiscent of CB radio. Profanity laced conversations sometimes seemed the norm. 

I sold all of my ham gear with one exception - a single Alinco 2m mobile. 

Now that other areas of prepping have been addressed, I am now paying some attention to communications. I have been encouraging those in my little group to consider amateur radio as a communication means, and to obtain their Tech. license. 

I retrieved my little Alinco out from beneath a pile yesterday, hooked it up and checked it out. Works great! Some of the repeaters I had programmed are no longer in operation. (My latest repeater book is dated 1997 if that tells you anything) I ordered another 2m mobile yesterday as well - a Yaesu FT2900 on-sale for $164.95 delivered. At 75 watts, it should perform well.

I would like to have an HF capability once again just for the ability to collect information world-wide, and have been looking at the many multi-band transceivers that contain 2m/6m, and even 70cm. Really nice packages! But, if there is a problem you loose comms on ALL of those bands!

I have decided that having separate transceivers for those bands outside of HF is probably the smart move. If you were to loose one, you still have the others.

Thoughts?


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## DKRinAK

Depends on a lot of factors.

Base comms only? Mobile? Portable only?

I have a hi power 2M rig to go with the home station.

For portable use,, it's an Ft817. All band and DC power. Even with minimal weight--
FT817/tuner/antenna/PSK NUE moden/keyboard and battery = 38 pounds. Ouch.

All in one does = lose everything, if weight isn't a factor.

BTW - HF isn't nearly as bad on the Extra bands, may be worth the effort to upgraded.


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## Jezcruzen

I've thought about upgrading. Tried it years ago. Passed the theory with flying colors. Crapped out on the 25 wpm. Got behind right away and never could catch up.

I was using an icom IC 745 at the time. Bought it used from another ham along with its matching power supply. Nice unit. Ran it on a G5RV strung between oaks out back and an Antron 99 vertical. I did well with it except when the big boys showed up. I just soured on HF, but think that now I would like to have that long-range capability.

The Yaesu FT2900 showed up yesterday. Nice 2m with plenty of power for the money. Checks out fine, but I may have to upgrade on the power supply for one having a constant 15 amps. 

My Alinco will go in the vehicle. I will probably pick up a duel-band HT as well.


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## k0xxx

During the years that Reilly Hollingsworth was Special Counsel for the Spectrum Enforcement Division, a lot of the [email protected] on the airwaves was cleaned up. There are still idiots out there, as there are in any large group of people, but there was a definite improvement. As for thoughts on covering the bands, my strategy has been mostly one of duplication. I have a newer HF/VHF/UHF/SHF multiband base, then I have my older HF/VHF base, and a still older VHF/UHF/SHF base. Then come the mobile HF/VHF/UHF's in the cars, and then some assorted VHF/UHF handheld radios. I also keep a pair of old TS-520s radios in a EMP shielded case as my radios of last resort. It's a lot of radios, but they have been collected over the last 12 years.

As for hanging with the big boys on HF, I have a 5 element 20m mono-bander laying on the ground, and a Henry 4K Ultra, that I'll make you a great deal on. ;?)


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## Jezcruzen

Thanks for the offer. I once looked longingly at the Astron amps. Currently I have no use for any HF gear. That might change.

I doubt I'll venture too deep into the ham culture. I'll leave all that to the white shirt guys.

I'm only interested in establishing a dependable communications capability among a small group here in the region for now. We are scattered within a 70 mi. radius of each other, which should be challenging, but doable, for radio comms on 2m considering the high population of repeaters, many of which have solar/battery backup.


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## k0xxx

For the area that you described, at least for point to point comms, 2m SSB covers that area nicely without having to rely on repeaters. You would need at minimum a halo type antenna to be reliable, but a small 5 element or larger yagi would make it a breeze. The only drawback is the lack of comms in a handheld, for SSB. Older, single band 2m SSB/FM rigs like the Icom IC-245, IC-251A, IC-711, Kenwood TR-751, TS-700, etc., can be had in the $150 - $250 range.

Also, it's just a thought, but the 1.25 meter band is a good choice. It's harder to find equipment, but it would cover the same area, have a lot less noise, and there are a lot less Hams with the equipment to monitor your comms.


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## Fn/Form

For worldwide listening only, I think it's hard to beat an SDR-14/laptop combo. You can see almost the entire 0-30MHz band activity in a graphical, waterfall display. You can record for later review or decode. 

Other than that I would prefer a rig that is ruggedized and/or weatherized. Commercial mobiles at the lower end, military pack radios (Q-MAC HF-90) at the higher end. The Icom 7200 is nice, but it's not really a knockaround piece.


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## Jezcruzen

Knoxx, that advice is very much appreciated. I never have thought about SSB on 2m.

I am not familiar with 1.25m. I'll have to do some research on that band.

Frankly, getting folks moving towards 2m with a Tech. ticket has been more difficult than I first thought. To date, three are making the effort, have been successful, and/or have purchased equipment.


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## k0xxx

Jezcruzen said:


> Knoxx, that advice is very much appreciated. I never have thought about SSB on 2m.
> 
> I am not familiar with 1.25m. I'll have to do some research on that band.
> 
> Frankly, getting folks moving towards 2m with a Tech. ticket has been more difficult than I first thought. To date, three are making the effort, have been successful, and/or have purchased equipment.


Wow, if you are getting them licensed and set up on 2m, even if progress is slow, you are doing great. Just that alone is a big step. Congrats!

The 1.25m band covers 219 - 225MHz. There are some restrictions as to power and such, depending on where you live, since Amateur Radio is a secondary user. It is a great band, however.

Anyway, great job on your progress of getting your comms together. My family is all up to speed, but other members in the "group" have been slow to realize the importance.

73


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## Freyadog

Please bare with me. Please...

I am a no idea person as far as ham radios/ transceivers etc go. complete dolt.......

What I am looking to understand and buy I think is a transceiver. Talk and listen?????

There is a lot of talk about them but I honestly do not understand just where to start. It does not have to be expensive to begin with.

I would like to know what is going on further than were I live. Maybe worldwide or at least further than the state of Virginia.

We are very hilly and mountainous here. Our house sits down in a hole. Ummm, take a side off of a box and sit our house down in it. Is the terrain here.

Any help would be appreciated. Yet it has to be simple enough for me to understand or a really good web site(s) that would explain simply.


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## Fn/Form

Freyadog said:


> Please bare with me. Please...
> 
> I am a no idea person as far as ham radios/ transceivers etc go. complete dolt.......
> 
> What I am looking to understand and buy I think is a transceiver. Talk and listen?????...


Yes, a transceiver is what you need to talk to others. You will also need an antenna, feedline and likely a power supply. Grounding is an important concept. Tuning the antenna to your radio setup is essential; it greatly affects your system's efficiency and even helps prevent damage. So you will at least need an SWR meter as well.

A technique called NVIS might be of use to you for local communication. It is in wide use by military, individuals and large corporations that have big field operations. It requires some knowledge and experience, tho.

I know the above sounds like jargon, and it's very tedious to explain in typing. My advice is for you to find a way to learn that's best for you. If you can learn from books, find a few beginner books on radio communications. I think there's a "Ham Radio for Dummies" book out there, too. Then seek out help from a local "Elmer"; an Elmer is a ham radio operator that takes a new person under their wing.

If you learn best by seeing and doing, try to participate in your most local radio club. There are many nice amateur radio operators out there that have the patience to help you understand the basics. Introduce yourself and your desire to understand how it works.


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## DKRinAK

Freyadog said:


> Please bare with me. Please...
> 
> I am a no idea person as far as ham radios/ transceivers etc go. complete dolt.......
> 
> What I am looking to understand and buy I think is a transceiver. Talk and listen?????
> 
> *A transceiver will transmit and receive on the same - or in more complex units, on different frequencies or even bands. Most of these will require a license from the FCC/DOC/whatever the local authority is.*
> 
> There is a lot of talk about them but I honestly do not understand just where to start. It does not have to be expensive to begin with.
> 
> *A used transceiver is a good place to start - I assume you are looking for an HF rig, as you asked about "worldwide' comms. Used hams radio start at about 300 dollars for a decent, but older unit*.
> 
> I would like to know what is going on further than were I live. Maybe worldwide or at least further than the state of Virginia.'
> 
> *Going world wide will require an HF radio or an expensive satcom setup. See above answer.*
> 
> We are very hilly and mountainous here. Our house sits down in a hole. Ummm, take a side off of a box and sit our house down in it. Is the terrain here.
> 
> *There is an antenna system, called Near Vertical Incidental sky-wave (NVIS) antenna. I've used this to good effect in mountainous terrain in Alaska, and the Western US. For more, see
> http://www.eham.net/articles/4141
> http://www.eham.net/articles/4141
> http://asaha.com/ebook/zMTU3OTU3/Theory-of-operation-of-Mobile-HF-NVIS-Magnetic-Loop-Antenna.pdf (Book on the subject)*
> 
> Any help would be appreciated. Yet it has to be simple enough for me to understand or a really good web site(s) that would explain simply.


License information can be can be found at the ARRL site
www.arrl.org/

HF theory (how does it work?)
http://www.radtelnetwork.com.au/about_hf_radio.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_frequency

Good luck!

Hope this helps you get started.


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