Author Topic: FNG From the PNW  (Read 7577 times)

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3M-TA3

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FNG From the PNW
« on: September 06, 2017, 03:22:39 PM »
Howdy all! I just got my license and still waiting on my call sign, so I'm the dumb as a box of rocks FNG. My interests are preparedness and emergency communications, so this looks like the right place to learn a thing or two.

You can expect me to ask plenty of stupid questions, so if you run out of face palm images to reply to my posts I have several I can share to keep you stocked up. I've been lurking a bit and recognize a few of you from SM - they can clue you in to my impressive amount of densitude.

ghrit

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2017, 03:33:39 PM »
Howdy all! I just got my license and still waiting on my call sign, so I'm the dumb as a box of rocks FNG. My interests are preparedness and emergency communications, so this looks like the right place to learn a thing or two.

You can expect me to ask plenty of stupid questions, so if you run out of face palm images to reply to my posts I have several I can share to keep you stocked up. I've been lurking a bit and recognize a few of you from SM - they can clue you in to my impressive amount of densitude.
I'll vouch for that -----
He ain't dumb, he's me brudder (so to speak ---)
There are two kinds of ships.  Submarines and targets.
KB3ZMF        FN21dy
Amateur Extra Class,  VE
www.survivalmonkey.com

BTPost

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2017, 11:44:10 AM »
Good to see you here.... Ask away...
Bruce in alaska AL7AQ

olfart

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2017, 12:07:19 PM »
Welcome from Northeast Texas!  The only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask.
"The cure of crime is not in the electric chair, but in the high chair"...  However, the electric chair works wonders on recidivism.

AD

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2017, 12:07:30 PM »
Welcome sir. 
The only dumb question is the one that did not get asked!!

Tevin

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2017, 07:30:17 PM »
g'day and welcome

DragoSapien

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2017, 08:58:16 PM »
Welcome from West Texas

3M-TA3

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2017, 09:24:21 PM »
Thanks all for the welcomes! Still checking the FCC database (several times a day...) even though I know it will be at least a week before I get my call sign. I'll be getting some good experience near the end of the month by helping out with the comms at the Mountain Lake 100, where a bunch of people that just don't get recliners run from Olallie lake to Timothy Lake in Oregon and back totaling a hundred miles hence the 100 in the event name. The VEC's who ran my testing session invited me since I was whining about getting experience.

AD

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2017, 10:49:40 PM »
Take all,the experience you can.

Do you have a radio yet?
The only dumb question is the one that did not get asked!!

3M-TA3

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2017, 12:39:30 PM »
I have a Yaesu VX-6R and a pair of old Kenwood UHF/VHF handhelds a friend gave me when he was cleaning out some old things. I bought the Yaesu a few years ago and wanted something small, rugged, and waterproofish for SHTF as at the time my daily commute involved the Willamette and Columbia rivers among others. I figured there would be a way to ferry across the two big rivers but might have to cross some of the smaller ones on foot. There are a few places I could float/swim across the Willamette if needed. I also figured there would be repeaters that hadn't run out of power I could use for the 2-3 days it would take to get home.

I am looking for solutions to 3 SHTF case scenarios:

1) What to have at my house and how to keep effective antennas hidden as I don't want to advertise the presence

2) What to have in my vehicles. See below for info on my current thoughts.

3) What to take if I am on foot or have to exit a vehicle. During normal times this can be my Yaesu handheld. During some SHTF scenarios the repeaters would be down so HF would have more utility, so may take the mobile from the vehicle along with a lightweight battery, solar charger, and lightweight antenna. While much heavier and cumbersome than a handheld it might be what is needed to contact home or otherwise get assistance.

I'm thinking along the lines of a Yaesu 857D (I think we have discussed a bit via PM on SM) for vehicles and some get home scenarios. Because we are moving to snow country I'd like my wife to have the ability to do an APRS location in the event she gets stuck during a storm or otherwise needs me to know where to come and get her. The 857D doesn't have APRS, but it shines everywhere else. I've been doing some research to see if an external APRS locator can be added. There are plenty of mobile radios with APRS, but so far have seen none that allow for HF, since I also see utility with a portable HF antenna system when traveling and also as a backup for the home solution.

AD

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2017, 10:40:05 PM »
The 857 and end fedz wire antennas or long random wire loops can be hidden and very low viz that someone would need to be on top of,it to see it. I run Par end fedz mono band wires in my pine tree in my HOA and no one has said anything.

I am also running a portable hamstick dipole on a painter pole and AV stand that I can run up at night or even during the day hidden by trees.
The only dumb question is the one that did not get asked!!

3M-TA3

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2017, 10:24:56 PM »
Guess who finally figured out where the "Like" button is located? At least a karma storm is better than a sharknado...

AD

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Re: FNG From the PNW
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2017, 09:15:04 PM »
Your old and we know it takes time.
The only dumb question is the one that did not get asked!!