Home Page of NOFARS

W4IZ REPEATER SYSTEM: 146.700 / 444.4 MHZ BUYING HAM GEAR

FAQ: Another question I am asked is, How is the best way to buy Amateur Radio gear? What do I look for and how do I find it? The answer I have given: With all the equipment available, it can be mind boggling to a new Ham to make the right selections. My New Ham Advisor section at www.NOFARS.org on Buying Your First Radio is a good place to start. With that said, lets go a bit farther with the details. First, the purchase of equipment can be divided into three sections: 1. New Equipment bought from a Dealer 2. Used equipment bought from Dealers or other Hams 3. Building your own. BUYING NEW EQUIPMENT FROM A DEALER: Buying from a reputable Dealer is arguably the safest and most reliable way to get started. In addition to the Warranties, you can ask the salesperson for advice. That advice may be self serving, but remember, Dealers invest in stock that sell the best. Therefore, they tend to recommend good equipment they have on hand and build good will with their new customer. Some Dealer tips: Ask for used, but tested equipment, if you are interested. Don't be afraid to ask for free shipping. Confirm there is no sales tax if you are buying from an out of state company, and always ask for specials and rebates. Also, do your homework and ask if they will beat the known price from another competitor. When talking with the Dealer, have a list of questions ready. That list should include things like any other parts needed to complete the rig, recommended upgrades for your particular project, and any tips or free documentation for a good installation. BUYING FROM ANOTHER HAM OR FROM A HAMFEST TAILGATER(or is that TAILGATOR?): There is one sure fire way to learn about new equipment, what works and what doesnt, where to find the good deals, and network with other Hams. Join and become active in a local Amateur Radio Club, like the North Florida Amateur Radio Society (NOFARS). My New Ham Advisor colleague, Larry, NI4K, has lived in various areas of the United States and has been active in Ham Radio for many years. He has found that joining a radio group provides great contacts when looking to find a good deal on equipment or needing help with solving problems. There are several ways to buy Ham Radio equipment from another Ham: 1. Get on local, weekly Nets. that allow on-air swapping of gear. Make an announcement of what you are looking for. 2. Tell your group at a meeting what gear you need and someone may have just what you want, or they will know where. 3. Go to a Hamfest, which is an advertised meeting of Hams who Tailgateand sell out of the trunk of their car, or at a set up table. These items are usually sold as-is, but I have found most Hams to be honest. After all, you know their call sign and where they live in case you have a problem! There are also major HamFests, like the one in Orlando, FL or Dayton, OH, that have many large commercial vendors and others selling equipment. Those are major shows that are worth the trip when you want to see a lot of equipment at one time. 4. You can look on the Internet at places like eHam, QRZ, and eBay for equipment. With those kind of sources, it is buyer beware. BUILDING YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT: It is interesting how Ham Radio has evolved. In the old days, you had to build most of your own equipment. Today, however, most of the modern radios are either designed to be replaced and not repaired, or are so complex, with sandwiched circuit boards, etc, that it is difficult to work on them. This would be especially true with the new Ham starting out with a 2 meter radio. Still, there are many things a Ham can build on their own such as antennas. In reality, running feed line and soldering connectors is something common in todays Ham shack. Building antennas can be fun and creative. There are many good sources of information from your local clubs, to the ARRL Antenna Handbook, to general and specific information on the Internet. One last piece of advice& Don't spend a lot of money on your first round of equipment, unless you know specifically what you want. Buy a radio, work with it and determine what you like and dislike, what additional features you would like to have, and then look at upgrading the rig when the time is right. SETTING UP YOUR FIRST HAM SHACK Question: What all do I need to know, and what do I obtain to set up my Ham Shack for the first time? The answer I have given: First of all, get up and running, then complete your set-up by refining all the details to make your Ham Shack uniquely your own. Lets start with the home set-up. Here are some items you will need for your home Ham Shack: 2 meter or 2 meter/440 dual band radio. You could go big time and start with a multi-band rig, but for this discussion, we will stay with the basics as that is what most new Hams do. A good bet is a Mobile used as a Base. (Don't forget 4 rubber feet on the bottom of the rig) (You can look into earlier New Ham Advisor information at www.NOFARS.org to learn more about radio selection.) You will need an antenna. It can be an inside or outside antenna. It is also important to get the right feed line (Coax). This will be discussed later. You will also need a Power Supply. There are some variation and information needed to make the proper selection. Lets start with that first: THE POWER SUPPLY Most all radios, because of their ability to be used anywhere/anytime, use 12 volts for power. You must use a 12 volt power supply. As an alternative, you could use a large storage battery and then keep it charged, but that is usually only used as a backup. Please see my previous article on Emergency Backup Power. When the lights go out in the New Ham Advisor. What kind of Power Supply? Names like Alinco, Astron, Pyramid, Diamond, Kenwood, MFJ, and Icom are names to look for. There are many others, but when looking, make absolutely sure it is a filtered and regulated power supply, suitable for Amateur Radio use. Others could be noisy, and don't work as well. I have even heard of using a large Computer Power Supply, but those sorts of things can be iffy. How much Power Supply do you need? Think ahead and buy according to what you can afford and what all you will do with it in the future. For example, a 50 Watt Mobile needs a comfortable 12 Amp supply. (Power Supplies are rated as Peak and Continuous Amperage) Many prefer to move up to a 20 Amp unit in case they want to run 2 radios or a Scanner, etc. They can also run an HF rig, up to 100w, if needed. And yes, you can run more than one radio from a Power Supply. I personally use 35 Amp Power Supplies with meters to watch and make sure all is powered sufficiently. I have had many smaller units, but found that I want plenty of power that will last a long time without being pushed to the limit each time I transmit. I also power more than one radio at a time. Remember, I only transmit on one radio at a time, so all works well. In researching this article, I found there are many opposing opinions about which power supply is best, and why. Here is what I have learned and what experience I have: LINEAR POWER SUPPLIES These are the traditional units that use heavy transformers and can be determined as such merely by weight. The tend to be stable, lasting a long time by providing years of stable service. They do contain a Pass Transistor that can eventually fail, if used to 100% capacity all the time, hence the aforementioned suggestion of using a supply with power to spare. Linear Power supplies can hum, and to some quiet shacks, that is a disturbance, but most are pretty quiet. Some have fans for cooling. SWITCH MODE POWER SUPPLIES Many people don't know what these are, but in reality, almost all the new electronics that have a plug-in power supply use this type. So, one would assume this would be the obvious answer. Not so fast. The high amperage needed for Ham Radio, in contrast to your basic weather radio power supply, can make a difference. Early Switch Mode supplies were found to be noisy and caused some interference. What is Noise, anyway? Noise is radiated or conducted wideband emissions that are received by sensitive radios. There was also talk of models that went into failure mode and actually directed 120v AC right into your rig, which could be auto-disaster. I am told that things have improved and the new ones are safer and less noisy. School is not out on that one yet. It is easy to tell if you have a Switch Mode supply because of their light weight. If you want to take your radio out to the field for an event, the Switch Mode is a lot lighter to carry. How big to buy? With 2m or 2m/440 now reaching 75w, and the 100w mobile on the horizon, I do not suggest anything less than 20 Amps. If your budget does not allow, you can use a 50w mobile used as a base with a 12 Amp supply. The New Ham Advisor suggests a supply in the 20 -35 - 50 Amp range that is a name brand, regulated and filtered. If you choose a Switch Mode Supply, buy a new one, then you should be assured of better RFI filtering. PART II In Part I, we covered the Power Supply and now it is time to talk about the basics of Coax Feed Line. Which Coax is best to use for a particular radio set up has to be determined by the individual situation and requirements of the radio. The Owner's Manual sometimes gives good basic information. It sometimes is determined by the quality desired within the budget of the operator. In general terms, 50 Ohm Coax is used in Ham Radio. Using anything else may require some compensation to balance the Feed Line. The single most important concept to understand about Coax is the type to be used. The higher the Frequency, the more the Coax must be "Shielded". For frequencies in the HF Bands (below 30 Mhz), smaller, less Shielded Coax may be used with no significant problem. However, for VHF/UHF, and for longer runs, it is vitally important to use heavier, more shielded Coax. Because of loss factors, any Gain you could get with a great antenna may be partially or totally lost with poorly shielded Coax. The reality is the more shielded Coax costs more money. For 2m/440mhz, in a short run of 25' or under, smaller Coax, such as "Mini-8" or RG 8x should be sufficient. This smaller diameter Feed Line is common in short antenna runs for vehicular use, such as Magnetic Mounts. In HF, the Mini-8 can also be used, as, at lower frequencies, "line Loss" is a lot less per foot. But for runs over 25', for VHF/UHF, RG-8, which is a thicker Coax, should be used. Mini-8 is about the size of a little finger, while RG-8 is more the size of a thumb. Of course, the size of hands vary. Names such as Belden, Jetstream, and Wireman are all good brands to look for. What is the difference? If you cut into any piece of Coax, you will see a Center Conductor, then one or more layers of Shielding, such as wire mesh, aluminum foil, and foam to insulate the layers. These all shield the center conductor from interference. There are also different qualities for a given type of Coax. For example, Mini-8 can be bought with 95% or better shielding, which is good, but can also be found with much less quality shielding. That is why I will talk about concepts while letting you inspect and inquire about any selected Coax quality and construction. So, the question is asked, "How does someone make a long Coax Feed Line run, for example, up a 200' tower, and not have a lot of line loss?" It's called Heliax, a solid copper encased tube, also known as "Hard Line". Even the end connectors are expensive! Part III Connectors, Soldering, Testing, Sealing In Part 2, we talked about Coax. Getting all the connections installed, tested and finally sealed is the next important step to getting your first radio station setup properly. CONNECTORS: Some basics.. PL-259 is the “Male” connector, found on many antenna Feed Lines. SO-239 is the “Female” part of the connector. This one is found on many of the radios. The other connector used frequently is the double female, sometimes known at the SO-243. There are other connectors and adapters commonly used, such as the BNC, SMA and Reverse SMA connectors. Each one has its own importance. Below is an excerpt on how to Solder the PL-259: (From: Radio Electronics.com) Soldering PL259 connectors is not always easy. Start by stripping back about 1.5 inches (35mm) of the outer coating or sheath of the cable, taking care not to cut too deeply and score any of the fibers of the conductive braid. Leave around 0.5 inch (13mm) of the copper braid or shielding in place and then remove about 0.5 inch (13mm) of the plastic core. Tin the exposed central copper core. To do this, heat the core with the soldering iron and apply a thin even coating of solder to it. Take care not to keep the soldering iron on the conductor for too long otherwise the dielectric spacing between the outer and inner conductors of the coax will melt. Once the cable has cooled slide the inner part of the PL259 plug over the cable with a screwing action until the copper core appears at the end of the center pin. The trimmed shield will have become trapped between the core and the inside of the PL259. The outer sheath or covering or covering of the coax cable will ensure a snug fit and any protruding shielding should be removed with the sharp knife. It takes some practice, but is an important part of Ham Radio. I also would suggest that if you are new, buying a cable with the connectors already mounted might be a good bet. TESTING THE CONNECTIONS: It is also important to test all Feed Lines before use and at any time there is a hint of a problem, such as poor SWR readings or problems with receiving or transmitting. Use a simple Multi-meter and set it to OHMS or to the Continuity Buzzer setting. There should be no continuity between the outer shell and the center conductor. If there is, you have a short and it must be cleared. Another good suggestion is to purchase a good quality SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) Meter. This should be the “Cross-Needle” type that shows the outbound or “Forward” power vs. inbound or “Reflected” power. The crossing of the two needles is the SWR. The New Ham Advisor strongly recommends spending the money to buy the best you can afford. The cheap ones tend to be inaccurate and problematic. For those who want to plan ahead and have an excellent meter, look into the MFJ 259 Antenna Analyzer. This device costs considerably more, but in addition to SWR, there are many other measurements that can be made with this device. The Analyzer feeds a signal that does not require connecting and keying the radio transmitter to obtain readings. This device becomes a very handy tool for diagnostics and antenna building in HF/VHF applications. At an additional expense is the MFJ 269, which adds UHF to the mix. COAX SEAL: Coax Seal is a roll type tar sealant that helps keep out moisture from your outdoor connections. It can be obtained from many sources from electronic stores to hardware stores. A good tip is to wrap your connection in a layer of plastic electrical tape first, then apply the Coax Seal. If you have to remove the connection at a future date, the tape keeps the connection much cleaner. PART IV PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER In this final installment, putting all the finishing touches on the final Ham Shack setup will be the focus. Selecting a place for the Ham Shack is probably something already planned, but operating in a comfortable position, away from distraction, is certainly a key to the enjoyment of Ham Radio. I personally think the best chair in the house belongs in the Ham Shack. If you have young children, or visiting grandchildren, disconnecting the microphone when the equipment is not in use is a good idea. The same applies in your car with a Mobile rig, and also extends to leaving the car in a repair facility. If you have older children, and they become curious as to what you are doing on the radio, get them involved! Most people agree that Ham Radio is a family affair that can be a great learning experience. We all know that a significant percentage of new Hams are the kids of Ham Radio operators. Locate the Power Supply in a place where you can watch the meters, if so equipped, or at least have the AC plug in a place that can be reached in case of a storm. Speaking of storms, please read previous articles on NOFARS.org such as, ‘What to do when the lights go out’. Having the ability to disconnect power and the outdoor antenna from the radio is always a good thing. A word about grounding: There are as many opinions on grounding as there are experienced Hams, therefore, I will not try to compete with the professionals on this subject. I will say that common point grounding of all equipment is important in addition to having an outdoor ground rod that is close to the Shack. Please refer to information on the Internet and publications about grounding for details. Mounting your antenna: Again, there are many resources for selecting the best method for choosing an antenna for your particular needs. When mounting an outdoor antenna, there are several choices from erecting a tower, using a vertical pole, attaching an antenna to the Fascia board of a roof line, to hanging an antenna from a tree limb. The best advice would be to try for 20’ elevation or more. The higher the unobstructed antenna, the better it usually performs. If you are not sure about exactly how much antenna gain you need, or which one works best for your area to make good simplex contacts, and work all the area repeaters, consult local Hams and compile a list of what works for them. Correlate their relative position to your Ham Shack to come up with the best solution. Emergency Backup: In addition to the ideal goal of having the ability to provide communications in any situation, maintaining power to your operating position is also important. Having a battery powered light in your Ham Shack is a great idea. The stick-up type fluorescent lights work well and are inexpensive. Using a back-up battery is also a good idea, and, when you add an Inverter to it, you can have the necessary power for such things as a small fan, which can make your operation more comfortable in emergencies. You can also listen to a monitoring radio, such as a scanner. Think of what creature comforts you want during a power failure and add them along the way. If you want to use an outside antenna, remember that an inside antenna, with a 2 way antenna switch, is a good idea and covers you in the event of a storm that makes the outside antenna unsafe to use. A two way switch is relatively inexpensive. Some of the switches, such as the Daiwa type A/B switch, come with a ground lug that, when attached to your Common Grounding Point, grounds the unused side of the switch. To simplify, it is an A/B Coax Switch that grounds side A when side B is in use. And finally, one of the most important items often overlooked is a pad of paper and pens. Writing down calls, local information, etc. greatly helps in the relay of accurate information. The practice of writing information gives the operator firm ground if an emergency arises. If you are using a Mobile as a Base Station, be sure to put 4 good sized sticky rubber feet under the Mobile to keep air circulating and allow for bottom loaded speakers to work well. Setting up your first Ham Shack is a lot of work, but rewarding for years to come. Make it your own and show it off to everyone! BUYING HAM GEAR SETTING UP YOUR FIRST HAM SHACK