New user

[davidjn]

Due to a change in home circumstances, I have just bought an almost-new YAESU FT-2800M 2m FM Mobile/Base Ham Radio that should arrive later this week. I know
nothing whatsoever(!) about radios or operating/using them, but I've always wanted to
try my hand at amateur radio and realized that if I didn't do it now, then I never would.
I am almost certainly going to have some *extremely* dumb questions to ask - is this forum the best place to do this, or is there a better forum for absolute and total newbies?
Thanks
David

[M6AEI]

If we can't help each other here then I don't know where we can.

So ask away all your dumb questions.

[m0bov]

Well, I think you've come to pretty much the right place, hopefully the regulars will be around soon so fire away. Firstly the usual route to take would be:
Join RSGB and purchase a few books for newbies
Find out where your local club is that runs a course and get yourself down there
Check out your local ham store and get a cheap mag mount and 2M whip and pop it onto a tin tray on a flat roof or loft and do some listening!
Find out when your next radio rally is for your area and visit it to get the feel of things

[davidjn]

Thanks for the helpful replies left to my previous message about being a total
newcomer to this subject.

Q1.
As I say, I have just bought an almost-new YAESU FT-2800M 2m FM Mobile/Base
Ham Radio, through Ebay (to use at home from domestic power supply) which
should arrive later this week.
The sale description says it comes with Yaesu backlit DTMF microphone, mounting
bracket and rig case screws, triple fused power lead, spare fuse, microphone clip
and base station feet.
I have been advised that I will need the following to actually use it:
(a)Mobile pre-tuned antenna
(b)Something to mount the antenna on and something by which to mount it.
(c)Power supply
(d)Coax cable
(e)Two PL259 connector/plugs
I would also say here that apart from (a) I have no idea what these things are for(!). I have
emailed two Ham Radio suppliers to ask if they sell these items (and their prices - as I
went way over budget buying the Yaesu) but I was concerned about whether I had asked
about the correct things and would appreciate any guidance or comments..

Q2.
Is there any website with a sort of 'Idiot's guide to UK ham radio' that I can visit?
(I have seen the book 'Ham Radio for Dummies' by H. Ward Silver, but comments
left about it say it is primarily for the US and I definitely don't want anything
that complicates matters!)

Q3
I read the info on http://www.rsgb.org/arls/foundation_licence.php
I live near Canterbury, Kent, and I wondered where my nearest centre was
(I also have the problem of now being.housebound (the reason why my
interest in ham radio was awakened) so I will have to sort this out with
whatever centre I have to contact).

Thanks

David

[m0bov]

I really would'nt bother too much with equipment at the moment, you'll learn that in the course. I would imagine your local club might be able to help and do your training at home. Any helpful store will sell you a cheap mobile whip, just mount it indoors but a scanner with shortwave would be a much better bet. I would normally advise against buying transceivers before your licensed, maybe a local amateur can demo it for you or something.

[M0TZO]

Go here (http://www.rsgbshop.org/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Operating___DX_13.html) and on that page is the "RSGB Radio Amateur Operating Manual - 6th Edition" By Don Field, G3XTT.

Also read below to save some money on said Book. (anyone can use this).


As a GB2RS subscriber the RSGB thought you might be interested in a small extra benefit for the month of June.

Below you will find a discount voucher that can be used in the RSGB online shop. This voucher is fully transferable so you may use it yourself or pass it onto others. So please feel free to email it to friends, place it on club websites, reflectors, bulletin boards, etc.

If you can't read the file for some reason this is a £2.50 discount on any order over £10.00 for any product other than membership. It is only available for use online at www.rsgbshop.org using the voucher code VM9538.

The offer is limited to one per order although there is no limit on the number of times it can be used. The offer expires on the 30th June 2010.

We hope that you find this useful.

Best Regards

Mark Allgar, M1MPA
Commercial Manager
Radio Society of Great Britain

[davidjn]

Many thanks and for the very thoughtful voucher. The book looks exactly what I need, but
the description says ' Sorry now out of print - New edition due in October'. I had a look
on Amazon.co.uk, and it wasn't listed there but I found one on
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/hamtestcouk-21/detail/1905086008
but this was £67.95! Is this the usual price?
I also spotted 'Foundation Licence Now - Alan Betts' on amazon and I have ordered this.

David

[John_D]

(a)Mobile pre-tuned antenna

If you want to erect the antenna on a car, then you can easily buy a 2 metre (that's 144Mhz) mobile whip; Make certain that it has a SO239 socket so you can screw your PL259 plug which will be on the end of your coax. Generally you can find these whips with the coax and plug already soldered on anyway.

(b)Something to mount the antenna on and something by which to mount it.
A vertical antenna will need a ground base so it will perform. Generally the car roof will do. If you are going to transmit from home then you will need a metal base for the whip. I would then suggest, forget about the whip which will be difficult to load in a room, and get a collinear vertical for 2 metres (I assume you will want to work repeaters as well)

(c)Power supply
The car battery will do. However if you are going to us the rig in the house then you will need a 12volt PSU ( Power Supply Unit). To confuse you more these are generally 13.5 volts. If possible get a variable one such as Watson; I have one and it also has a 12v extra supply.
(d)Coax cable
You will need 50 Ohm coax cable (NOT THE TV STUFF !!!!!!) to connect your rig to the antenna. There are various low-loss varieties about,
(e)Two PL259 connector/plugs
You will need to solder a PL259 to each end of the coax. Once you've done one, it will become a doddle.

I would also suggest you get a VSWR bridge (known as a SWR meter). These can be cheap e.g. radio shack one cost less than £20. This goes between your rig and the antenna and shows how effective the antenna is at radiating the signal. It shows the "VARIABLE STANDINg WAVE RATIO" known as SWR. The lower this ratio the better.

[M6PAP]

David,
Club wise have a look here http://www.rsgb.org/local/clubinfo/clubs.php?id=12&end=13 tell them your situation and someone I'm sure will offer help with kit, set up & training from home.
I have had so much help from people I had never met before, and of course from here!!

[ei7gnb]

...but this was £67.95! Is this the usual price?
I also spotted 'Foundation Licence Now - Alan Betts' on amazon and I have ordered this.

David

Nah, it's in Florida, and especially on Amazon in such circumstances they like to charge extortionate prices for books. I think the one I have was definitely less than £20 new, so wait before you buy it! :-)

[2E0JTP]

Hi David,

Regarding your questions.

Q1.

If you are buying a mag mount, it usually comes with the coax and PL259 plug already attached. You just screw in the 2m antenna of your choice and plonk it on the roof of your car. Using them indoors can be a little problematic. It's not impossible, I have one stuck on my office radiator and it works just fine at low power! :cool:

If you are buying a colinear (one of the 'white stick' style homebased antennas), then you will need 50 ohm coax, 2x PL259 plugs, and a soldering iron. You will also need a method of mounting it outside and up high. VHF needs height to be effective. There is no getting around it.

You will also need a pretty beefy 13.8V (12V) power supply. It plugs into the wall and turns 240V AC into the required 13.8V (12V) DC your radio needs. You will need a pretty beefy power supply because once you advance up the licence classes (Foundation - Intermediate - Full) your radio can be used at higher and higher power settings, and each increase in power setting requires more amps from your power supply. So don't buy the cheapest power supply you can find, it will be a false economy in the long run.

Q2/Q3.

Have a look here: http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/ and specifically, here: http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/foundation/html/f0-1-0.htm

The site seems to have a lot of the info you will need, but it doesn't really substitute for a good club based learning environment. Join a club and get on a course, I'm sure a local club to you can sort out something if you are home bound.

Best of luck.

[5B4AJB]

Try and find a used RSGB or ARRL book, the information inside never goes out of date, only the callsigns.

The best source of knowledge for a new user is local clubs and their members, they might not be in the next street, but well worth travelling for...

As far as online sources go QRZ (http://www.qrz.com/) isn't a bad place to start.