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VK2TV > PACKET 10.05.08 07:41l 53 Lines 2434 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 41050_VK2TV
Read: GUEST
Subj: What I Am Doing.
Path: IZ3LSV<IQ0LT<IK2XDE<DB0RES<DK0WUE<7M3TJZ<F6CDD<F6BVP<VK2TV
Sent: 080510/0540Z @:VK2TV.#MNC.NSW.AUS.OC #:37472 [Kempsey, QF68JX] $:41050_VK
From: VK2TV@VK2TV.#MNC.NSW.AUS.OC
To : PACKET@WW
# Generated by: TstHWin v2.21b - Registered to VK2TV
# On : 5/10/2008 15:40:23
# UTC: 5/10/2008 5:40:23 A
Hi All,
Scott,vk7hse, recently suggested posting our individual activities to
packet, so here goes.
I had 2m and 6m mobile for at least 25 years (2m for 35 years), and 70cm
for about 10 years. Very occasionally I also had HF. During that time my
vehicles travelled about 700,000km. I also had 2m in a succession of works
vehicles that saw another 200,000km. Going somewhere without amateur radio
in the car was akin to not having an engine.
Around 5 years ago I sold my Toyota Landcruiser of 11 years and bought a
sedan car. I did install UHF CB but there was no AR equipment.
I recently installed a local digi for aprs and decided I needed to assess
coverage. After finally convincing an MFJ1270B to work with a Tiny2 EPROM
for GPS input, I roughly married the radio to the TNC and went driving. The
bug bit me and I ordered a TT3+ Tiny Tracker kit from the USA. That will be
married up to the old Philips FM91 that has been gathering dust for 5 years
and it will be permanently installed in the car, complete with a permanent
antenna installation. I will make provision to also be able to use the
radio for voice contacts. The latter is significant because I haven't had a
voice contact on amateur radio in at least 5 years. None of the radios in
the shack have microphones - they're all on packet 24/7.
But my renewed interest doesn't stop there. I'm currently using a Multi 750
as the link radio to the aprs digi. That will be replaced with my second
FM91 so I'll have occasional voice capability on 2m from home as well. But
it doesn't stop there. I've dug out my old 6m mobile - a Midland 70-050 -
and will be setting that up in the shack as well.
My large tower is 120 feet from the shack in the house and I have buried
ducts into the shack for coaxial cables. Both 90mm pipes are quite full so
rather than try to force another FHJ4-50 cable down a pipe I'm going to
have a 2m/6m diplexer at each end of an existing cable run so that two
radios will share one coax. I ran 2m and 6m diplexed to a common (5/8)
antenna on the car for over 20 years and am happy with the concept of
diplexing. Both diplexers are homebrew. Insertion loss is well under 1dB
and isolation is around 70dB.
That's an example of where packet/aprs can lead you.
Cheers ... Ray vk2tv
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