Amateur Radio Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
27
votes
5 answers

Is "just listening" on EchoLink considered bad etiquette?

I was reading about EchoLink and came across this rule under "Access Policies": 2. No "SWL" (listen-only) access is permitted. EchoLink is a two-way system by design, and there is no mechanism to validate listen-only stations. I'm pretty sure…
Seth
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7 answers

Encrypted traffic and amateur radio

Am I allowed to send encrypted traffic via any medium or any frequency, or is this completely barred (and thus everything has to be open with no exceptions?)
berry120
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26
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How do Handheld antennas work without ground?

Dipoles have the 2 wires going to each leg of the antenna completing the circuit. Big AM towers use the second wire as a ground plane But how do handheld rigs transmit and receive with just one wire sticking in the air?
Skyler 440
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25
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3 answers

Why are some 1:1 current baluns twice as complicated as others?

I would like to add a balun/choke to my dipole for the reasons outlined in Using a balun with a resonant dipole. In the spirit of continued kit and/or DIY building for my ham shack, I set out to investigate how I might best proceed "from…
natevw - AF7TB
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25
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6 answers

How can I protect equipment against a lightning strike?

A lot of aerials (almost by design) would be rather good attractors of lightning. What steps do I need to take in the field to keep my gear safe against a lightning strike? I'm presuming the obvious already here (such as not operating in a storm),…
berry120
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25
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1 answer

Is there a way to listen to live HF communications using the internet?

I'd like to be able to show people what a QSO sounds like without having my transceiver available. Is there a way I can listen to amateurs talking in real-time (or using Morse code) on the HF bands using my internet connection and the speakers on my…
dcaswell
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24
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3 answers

What is the body of knowledge the U.S. written exams test?

I'm considering getting a U.S. amateur radio operator license. If you want to study to pass a license test, there are many resources to learn the answers to the entirety of the question pool: online practice exams and study aids, “ham cram” courses,…
Kevin Reid AG6YO
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24
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4 answers

How does the signal know where the cable ends and the antenna starts?

I know very little about antennas. I know, that for a certain frequency the antenna needs a certain lengths for good sending/receiving conditions. Often the antenna is at the end of a cable. Why doesn't the length of the cable count in addition to…
flux
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23
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2 answers

If I hear a distress call, what is the correct procedure for helping the person?

If during normal operation, I receive a mayday or pan-pan call, how should I handle this? Am I required to provide help in this situation, and what can I do to make sure I give all the assistance needed, what information should I try and get? If…
David VK2VXK
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23
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3 answers

Can I build a radio telescope out of a parabolic TV satellite dish?

I have the possibility to buy a very inexpensive 2.4m parabolic satellite dish and I would like to build a radio telescope from it. Originally this dish was designed to be a satellite TV antenna. Can I replace the TV LNB with radio receiver tuned…
SP5RFD
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23
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2 answers

What makes a 5/8 wavelength vertical desirable?

An ordinary 1/4 wavelength vertical is smaller and resonant without any loading coil or matching network. What's the advantage to a 5/8 wavelength vertical? Why 5/8 in particular, and not something longer or shorter?
Phil Frost - W8II
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22
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3 answers

Why do I need to tune an antenna?

I've heard that when an antenna is set up, it needs to be tuned to reduce reflective power back into the radio. Is this always necessary, and if so how would I go about tuning it?
berry120
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22
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2 answers

Why do we use LSB below 10 MHz and USB above 10 MHz when operating SSB HF?

As a relatively new ham operator, I understand that it is customary to use lower-sideband below 10 MHz and upper-side band above 10Mhz when operating single-sideband HF. I'm curious how we got to such a standard instead of just picking one or the…
BenSwayne
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22
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4 answers

I hate contests. How can I avoid them?

There's nothing worse to getting home, turning on the radio, and being unable to find a clear frequency that isn't full of a bunch of meaningless QSOs where somehow everyone is 599 and no one has anything to say. Are there any designated…
Phil Frost - W8II
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What information should be on a QSL card?

Like it says in the title. When you design a QSL card (intended for use for both local VHF-and-up contacts as well as international HF contacts), what information needs to be present, and what information might be considered "nice to have" but not…
user
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