Amateur Radio Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
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5 answers

Is Morse code a requirement for ham licensing?

As I recall, it used to be in the U.S. that the ability to read and send Morse code over CW was a requirement for an amateur license (and was tested, I believe). Is that still true in the U.S.? If not when was it dropped? Around the world, is…
mgkrebbs
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How do club codes stay secret?

To use auto patch, IRLP or other special repeaters, you need the club code from the local club I am part of, which is a DTMF code. But I was thinking, DTMF can't be very hard to decode, and if someone (like an unlicensed guy with a receiver) records…
Skyler 440
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Will anodizing or powder coating or wetcoating (painting) antenna elements affect performance?

I want to put up a small tower and beam on my roof, but I don’t want the aluminum to “stick out” and want it to be unnoticeable as possible. I would think black anodizing would be the best solution but it is very costly. I have access to powder…
NT1K
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How to improve VHF/UHF Baofeng UV-82 HT reception in vehicle

I have a Baofeng UV-82 dual-band (2m/70cm) HT with an SMA male connector for the stock "rubber-ducky" antenna. I would like to use it in my vehicle. I would like a high-quality magnetic mount dual-band antenna for the roof of my vehicle (so that I…
Dan
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What is the proper way to ground your station's antenna?

I don't understand how you would go about giving an RF ground to your antenna. Would it not become an additional radial and affect the signal? What is the proper way to ground your station's antenna?
David Anastasio
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What gain do I need to talk to SO-50 with my HT?

My HT has 5 W of power, a sensitivity of about 0.2 µV, and I would like to talk to the SO-50 with it. How much gain do I need in my antenna to make this work?
PearsonArtPhoto
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4 answers

Am I studying obsolete information?

I am using the ARRL General Class License Manual 7th Ed. which was published April 25, 2011. However, I know that the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) recently released the 2015 General Class question pool. Does this…
W8AWT
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How is the FM-signal demodulated in my receiver?

I've built a radio receiver and I'm wondering how the demodulation works here. I think it's done by T1 and T2 (I've used BC547 instead of BF494, they're quite similar), but I'd like to know more about it. Source:…
Superlimonade
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Is using an HT and walking considered mobile?

I've seen many contests define mobile as something like being able to legally move and broadcast. Well, using an HT while walking I can legally move. Does this count as mobile contacts for a contest?
PearsonArtPhoto
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Antenna tuning while receiving

I've built AA5TB's antenna coupler for a 5W 20m transceiver. Tuning was kind of difficult because my transceiver has buttons for sending a dot and a dash, but no tuning mode, so I couldn't have the transmitter on permanently to tune easily. I had to…
user885
8
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1 answer

Ground influence on 434 MHz radio signal

I have read in a paper that ground acts as reflector for radio signals in 434 MHz band. Why is that the case?
Nexy_sm
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What happens in a low loss feed-line with a high SWR

I was recently reading an interesting article from the ARRL to get a better understanding of the SWR. The following case is still unclear: A low loss feed-line with an impedance that doesn't match the antenna's impedance and the receiver's…
ITChap
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How are DTMF tones sent through a mic?

In the following diagrams, a microphone pinout is shown for several radios which have DTMF mics that work with them. How is DTMF sent to the radio without a pin designated "DTMF"? Is it through the microphone audio, or is it through the up/down…
Skyler 440
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What frequencies should I listen to for packet radio?

I just obtained a really old packet TNC and hooked it up to the computer, and it appears to work. Is there a standard packet calling frequency on 2 meters? I would like to see if there is packet activity in my area, and if I can start some…
Skyler 440
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Can larger antennas damage an HT radio?

Can adapting a larger antenna such as a Diamond X-50 or larger mag mount damage an HT radio? Would it overload the receiver?
Radio Rails
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