Heard an interesting conversation on the HF band this morning

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

As I was scrolling through the freqs this morning I ran across a conversation that grabbed my attention. There were approx. 3 persons engaged in traffic using terminology that I was highly familiar with.......MILITARY. I will not give up what band or freq. for OPSEC sake but these gents were engaged in setting up their net. Apparently they had been at it for a bit, as in two of them had gear they had been working on for a while and were helping the other. All terms they were using were classified to their "business" at hand. All I can say is "BZ" brothers! Keep up the good work and God Speed in your mission. They had their shit wired tight as far as not letting the old Rat not getting too much intell but.........I will be listening. They might come in handy and helpful later. So I'm posting this as 1. A little incentive for us and. 2. To let everyone know that there is more of us out there. AND 3. WE ARE BEHIND THE POWER CURVE!

THAT IS ALL.............OUT!

[ElevenBravo]

I just set up my hamstick dipole, will be on the air tonight...

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

OUtstanding brother! Granted you'll be on CW, pm me and we'll coordinate a freq. you can dit dot dash me and I'll give you a voice check. We'll coordinate on the phone. At least we'll know we have the capability for slapping each other like little girls.

[ElevenBravo]

Checking ebay for a mic that will work with the Ten Tec 544, not having much luck... Am looking more for other compatible mics... Wish me luck! (What I have found so far, is $$$)

I have a few "CB" mics, if I can find one that is the right impedance and will work, that would be that much better... I think I still need a 1/4" stereo plug to wire it up...

Working on it BR, working on it...

EB

[bacpacker]

Good catch Rat.

[Stormfeather]

Good job Rat! Im looking thru that freq list you gave me working on what you told me to do, will report back results later!

Good to know theres others of the same mindset out there!

[ElevenBravo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxMBRtlaHBw

Bands were pretty dead, with the exception of some 40M CW...

EB

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Checking ebay for a mic that will work with the Ten Tec 544, not having much luck... Am looking more for other compatible mics... Wish me luck! (What I have found so far, is $$$)

I have a few "CB" mics, if I can find one that is the right impedance and will work, that would be that much better... I think I still need a 1/4" stereo plug to wire it up...

Working on it BR, working on it...

EB

I found that radio shack has the 1/4" plugs, both mono and stereo. Don't know what's required for yours. Had to go there for the female plugs to do some wiring for the coop. The solar kits from Harbor freight have 12v lights but they have 1/4' mono plugs. So I needed to create a recepticle so I can plug in four lights. Now that I see your radio I can understand the delema. No sweat EB I just hope nothing happens on the 11th and we don't lose our grids.............it would be a shitty day

[ElevenBravo]

My coleman gear and AK are certified EMP proof... Might be the best thing that ever happened to the family, you never know!! (No more Netflix, AC or cell phones... Might be like living on Walton's Mountain!) I *might* finally get some quite time!

I just got some of the PVC playing cards from Max, that one deck should last me the rest of my short life remaining here... :-)

EB

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

I needed that laugh, good night Jim Bob, good night Mary Ellen...............

Question?????What's your elevation and do you have any obstructions? I'm at 960ft and on an unobstructed ridge so I'm in real good shape.

[Sniper-T]

Hey BWRR... why didn't you say hi? seems to me making contact pre... would be easier than post... who knows, maybe they'd be good members here?

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Hey BWRR... why didn't you say hi? seems to me making contact pre... would be easier than post... who knows, maybe they'd be good members here?

Well I wrote down the freq. and time and what "intell" I needed and hope that I will catch them again. There is this thing called protocol in the ham world and they weren't exactly following that. So I was not going to interupt their business. They were Pretty involved in their work so I was not going to interfere. So I logged it and tucked it away. I look at it for future monitoring before I decide to take that step. It's a judgement call "asset or liability"?

[Sniper-T]

gothcha! makes sense... no disrespect intended.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

gothcha! makes sense... no disrespect intended.

Hey, we're good. I'm spinning the dial as we speak. Nothing but BS going right now, I'm hearing everybody talking about dogs, radios, compressors, antennas, just plain old BS. But if it skips a beat I'll hear it.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

The only thing Out of the ordinary I was hearing tonight was a guy in Israel. No actual traffic just Ham operators all wanting to make contact and piling up the freq. So it's not like I could try and contact him and ask him what the heck was going on over there.

[ElevenBravo]

RATboy, obstructions are mostly a consideration for VHF and UHF (800, etc..)

With HF, your RF is mostly going up at say, a 45 deg angle off your dipole, hitting the ionsphere and then bouncing back down... You could be in a gully and not get out with VHF but make FB contacts on HF no problems..

Your elevation and such "do" play a part, but its not significant as you may think.. I build my own antennas and have had better luck with DIY than with "store bought" antennas.

Remember, the angle of RF is greater with dipoles than with verticals. I had my BEST luck with a HB vertical (video to come soon I hope). Nothing fancy, just wire in the air and GROUNDED OFF A CHAIN LINK FENCE FOR COUNTERPOISE! Ive QSOed California and several islands with it and only 100W.

Anywho... Gotta go, Ill keep in touch, well do a QSO via phone and go from there.. Maybe setup a semi weelky SKed for the colony....

Keep the faith, ever forward! HORAH
EB

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Gotcha, I've built antennas for the handhelds but I bought the others for my other one so I could get my ass on the air asap. I was in a hurry. Mine is a 100watt rig as well. Now as for the colony all I hear is CRICKETS..................I'll be standing by and spinning the dial again tonight.

[bacpacker]

Chirp chirp!

I took a good look at my grapes over the weekend. I think I can tear out one pole on the arbor and replace it with my new one soon. Once i do that and cut a big limb out of a tree for my other end mount, the would allow me to start putting my antenna up. Maybe not a lot longer.

[Sniper-T]

If I had... would you actually hear me?

I remember as a kid pulling the BBC in on my Ghetto blaster on shortwave on a crisp night.

[bacpacker]

Sniper, on the right band/time of day/band conditions, we would have no problems working you on hf.

[Sniper-T]

Now that! makes me reconsider this whole thing...

[ElevenBravo]

Me and RATboy tried QSO, kinda.. I was sending CW but he couldnt respond, then he sent phone, but I couldnt respond! It was like the two stooges! Anywho... I could hear over the phone, his G5RV was surely picking up a lot more than my hamstick dipole, which is at best... a shit antenna.

I hope to rebuild a new vertical and get it operational this month, Im pretty sure I still have some wire left. Roll a new BALUN and be up and running easy peasy (yeah, right..) Were going to try again when I get my GOOD antenna up, and Im trolling QRLid forums to find out what mic will be a good suit for my TenTec.

Cheers..
EB

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

If I had... would you actually hear me?

I remember as a kid pulling the BBC in on my Ghetto blaster on shortwave on a crisp night.
WHAT!!!!!! YOU GOT GEAR AND YOU AIN'T SAID SHIT? Please tell me I misread the post.........

- - - Updated - - -


Chirp chirp!

I took a good look at my grapes over the weekend. I think I can tear out one pole on the arbor and replace it with my new one soon. Once i do that and cut a big limb out of a tree for my other end mount, the would allow me to start putting my antenna up. Maybe not a lot longer.

I didn't know Crickets could feel guilt..............ribbit, ribbit.......squeek. :rolleyes:

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Me and RATboy tried QSO, kinda.. I was sending CW but he couldnt respond, then he sent phone, but I couldnt respond! It was like the two stooges! Anywho... I could hear over the phone, his G5RV was surely picking up a lot more than my hamstick dipole, which is at best... a shit antenna.

I hope to rebuild a new vertical and get it operational this month, Im pretty sure I still have some wire left. Roll a new BALUN and be up and running easy peasy (yeah, right..) Were going to try again when I get my GOOD antenna up, and Im trolling QRLid forums to find out what mic will be a good suit for my TenTec.

Cheers..
EB

Yeah it was just like old times' "Where's my extraction? We're at the LZ damn it! Where's my fuckin extraction!" .........."Nothing heard....out......" Well hey we're trying and making noise, last night might have been better things were real clear. But the atmosphere has control over that. Good antennas make a difference too. I call an "A" for effort and a "C" for contact.......we made noise.

[Sniper-T]

Yeah, you misread the post.

If I had... --> If I had gear (which I dont)

and I don't have that ghetto blaster anymore, nor anything else with the shortwave bands.

[ak474u]

Y'all need to start transmitting on AM so I can listen. Lol. Y'all get right on that you can call it KSHTF AM

[ElevenBravo]

Hell, at least I could hear ya rat, you were deep in the mud but I heard ya!

Just ordered a Cobra CB mic, Mac off QRLid says the impd. will match up FB on the TenTec!! Just gotta wire it is all.. Hope to put the new 'tenna up Sun if Im not too busy cutting wood for at the range (looking forward to shooing 100y on a private range!!)

EB

[Sniper-T]

I know there is another thread with them, but can someone show a pic of their tower/antenae? I'm wondering if my internet tower could be used...

[ElevenBravo]

Show me a pic of your internet tower (whatever the hell that is...) and Ill give you my opinion.

EB

[Sniper-T]

stand by...

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Hell, at least I could hear ya rat, you were deep in the mud but I heard ya!

Just ordered a Cobra CB mic, Mac off QRLid says the impd. will match up FB on the TenTec!! Just gotta wire it is all.. Hope to put the new 'tenna up Sun if Im not too busy cutting wood for at the range (looking forward to shooing 100y on a private range!!)

EB

If you weren't over on the other side of the ridge you could shoot on my 200yd range. Good to hear you got a mike on the way. I need to read my manual about CW with this rig I'm sure I can transmit without having to buy extra goods.

[bacpacker]

There are as mant different ways to mount an antenna as you have fingers and toes. Mine will mount on an arm mounted to a mast with a pulley to raise and lower the actual antenna with. My antenna is basically a long wire, called a Carolina Windom. Its something around 130ft long, mounts at the 2/3=1/3 length point. Ends will be mounted between a tree and a post on the grape arbor.
A vertical will mount radically different.

[ak474u]

Show me a pic of your internet tower (whatever the hell that is...) and Ill give you my opinion.

EB

They have to climb up a pole to do the interwebs in Canada like the phone on green acres. Lol

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

There are as mant different ways to mount an antenna as you have fingers and toes. Mine will mount on an arm mounted to a mast with a pulley to raise and lower the actual antenna with. My antenna is basically a long wire, called a Carolina Windom. Its something around 130ft long, mounts at the 2/3=1/3 length point. Ends will be mounted between a tree and a post on the grape arbor.
A vertical will mount radically different.


Crickets?..........do I hear Crickets?:rolleyes:

It's OK bro I just hope we don't lose our grid tomorrow and we never speak again, It will be all your fault and I hope you feel guilty because we never set up a comm plan and a set of emergency freqs. Or am I the one that has to do this?

[Sniper-T]

Being Waaaaaay rural, I have an open air internet set up... my tower has to hit the server tower 11-ish miles away...

this is it:

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/0910141842a_zps2c14e018.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/0910141842a_zps2c14e018.jpg.html)

that is about 21 feet over my peak, or 45 feet over ground.

[bacpacker]

You could cetianly put up a wire antenna on the mast. Drop it maybe 2 or 3ft below the interweb dish.

Rat, I cant blamme you for me being slow, or for having too much to do. Its all on me. I do hope shit dont go down tomorrow.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

You could cetianly put up a wire antenna on the mast. Drop it maybe 2 or 3ft below the interweb dish.

Rat, I cant blamme you for me being slow, or for having too much to do. Its all on me. I do hope shit dont go down tomorrow.

You're not the slow one. I have you beat on numerous counts. But I'm going to have to post a new thread concerning our little threat. To be continued .....I hope.

[Kesephist]

Pardon, a 17 month necro... It happens

BWR13, i've never been that quality of an operator as the ones you may have heard in the OP of this thread. They are likely several orders of magnitude higher than I on several charts.

Better for them to be using chatter just a little off kilter. If they started babbling as though stoned, EVERYONE including the Nephew Norberts would know they were in code.

-.-./.-./--/-.-./-.-/./-/...//-.//-.-/./..././.--./..../--/.../-///.

Kesephist

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

SO where do we stand people? EB are you up and running?

[ElevenBravo]

My coax is rolled up right now... Need to work on the antenna, but the TenTec is still ready to fire up.

EB

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

My coax is rolled up right now... Need to work on the antenna, but the TenTec is still ready to fire up.

EB

Did you ever get that Mike?