Saturday 29 March 2014

Sirio CX 4-68 down for repairs.

I came home from work the other day and while having a coffee looked out the kitchen window and seen a length of aluminium tubing leaning against the wall, I thought to myself that my neighbour had come across the aluminium and dropped it in for me to use as an antenna, not the first time he has done this!!
When I went out to have a look at it I realised that it was from my 4m Sirio CX 4-68 antenna and that aluminium was from the vertical radiating section.
The antenna broke where the vertical section screws on to the top of the loading coil, the “sleeve” which holds the vertical rod in place has shattered and split.

I took the antenna down today and replaced it with a 4m dipole for the time being, I will ask one of my friends to weld a tube of brass or something on to the threaded piece and slot it so that I can put the radiating section back on, then I will be back using a decent antenna again!!!
Antenna showing location of damage.

Damage to where the radiating element joins to loading coil.


The damaged section will need to be removed and a new "sleeve" added so that vertical piece can be joined back on.



Sunday 9 March 2014

Handheld radios, do I need more????

As promised a photo of all my Handheld Radios, I think this is all of them!!! Well it is all I could find in my shack…… A man can never have too many handheld radios, in my opinion!!!!!
To be honest, I only use one of them regularly and that is the Kenwood TH-F7 as this has a 4 amp battery on it!! The small Shouao was bought from eBay for very little money, the Wouxun KG-UVD1P is 4m and 2m so I only use that when I need to go /P on those bands, the TYT TH-UVF8D (Yellow Radio) is in a grab case with spare battery, battery case etc for emergency in the boot of my car. and the rest are kept in storage in case they are needed for AREN. 

Top Row, left to right: Shouao 2m, Kenwood TH-F7 2m & 70cms (HF & 6m RX), TYT TH-UVF8D 2m & 70cms, Wouxun KG-UVD1P 4m & 2m, Icom IC-2AT 2m, 2 x Radioshack 70cms.
Midle Row: 7 x Motorola GP-360’s for 2m (AREN Use).
Bottom Row: Selection of 446 Mhz radios, handy for handing out to “Non Hams”.

Sunday 2 March 2014

New shack layout.

I recently updated some of my equipment in my shack, I am now back on HF, but do not get excited, I am not a DX'er or Contester. I do like listening and doing a bit of rag-chewing on the lower bands, and of course on the 4m band as well....



Top Row, Left to Right: Yaesu FT-857D (HF,6m,2m,70cms) with LDG FTL-Meter on it's left, Yaesu 2900R 2m FM (75w), Simoco PRM-8020 on 4m FM,Anytone AT-5189 4m FM, Kenwood TK-7180 2m FM, CRT 2M-1 2m FM.

Bottom Row, Left to Right: Wouxun KG-UV920R 2m & 70cm FM,Cleartone CM-7200 4m AM & FM, Simoco SRM-9020 70cm FM.

In the background on the shelf (again left to right) Motorola GP-360 on 2m FM, a very old Icom IC-2AT 2m FM and a TYT TH-UVF8D on 2m and 70cms.

I will post a photo of all my handheld radios later... and I mean "ALL".......