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Getting started

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  • 23-10-2012 3:46pm
    #1
    deuces wild
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭


    Looking to get started in the hobby,looking to get a scanner to get started.Anyone got any recommendations?Nothing too expensive as funds are tight.Also any club in the Kerry area where I can find someone to point me in the right direction.


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    #2
    martinedwards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭martinedwards


    dunno about clubs, but I'd advise getting a tranceiver rather than a reciever.

    you are intending to get a licence and get onto the air, right?

    2m sets WITHOUT repeater tones are virtually free.

    I got a Piezo PCS 2000 for £15 last week.

    old HF sets are just as cheap.

    today in the post I recieved a 1974 Yaesu FT-101B

    160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 11 (!), 10, AM/CW/SSB, with up to 260W output PEP on SSB.

    for a paltry £100.

    as a reciever it's got all the bells and whistled a listener would need at a fraction of the cost of a new scanner.

    Oh yeah, for VHF, you'd do a lot worse that the Baofeng hand helds you'll see on ebay. you won't be allowed to transmit (of course) but they cover 2m, 70cm as well as marine and PMR bands.

    EVERYTHING in the pic below for under £160......

    Ham006.jpg


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    #3
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    It's really about 80W SSB. 260W output PEP is like HiFi Amps that quote PMPO!

    Do tune up with external SWR meter "CAL" sensitivity set to max and adjust the carrier tune level for 100% on FWD so that you are tuning at minimum power. A Dual FW & Rev meter is best as forward power varies dramatically as you tune "Plate", "Loading" and external ATU (it DOES need an ATU/Match unit!)

    The 101s all perform better than early fully transistor synthesised sets in 1980s and early 1990s on receive.


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    #4
    brownmini
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭brownmini


    watty wrote: »

    Do tune up with external SWR meter "CAL" sensitivity set to max and adjust the carrier tune level for 100% on FWD so that you are tuning at minimum power. A Dual FW & Rev meter is best as forward power varies dramatically as you tune "Plate", "Loading" and external ATU (it DOES need an ATU/Match unit!)

    Also, with valve based output transmitter, user really needs a 50(75) ohm dummy-load to tune TX into then to switch over to aerial.
    Then if required, and LEAVING the PLATE and LOADING alone, use external ATU controls to tune aerial.


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