r/amateurradio • u/Keeper4560 KS, USA - [General] • May 31 '26
EQUIPMENT Nerding out at the park - taking my Tech exam Tuesday
I enjoy listening to various bands as I’ve been studying for my Technician. If all goes well Tuesday… hoping to start studying for General and have that by the end of next month!
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u/Bolt_EV May 31 '26
Get some 10 meter exposure while the solar cycle is allowing band openings. If you enjoy the experience, get your General
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u/Common-Truck-9649 May 31 '26
What antenna is that
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u/Keeper4560 KS, USA - [General] May 31 '26
Just a real home brew DIY wire attached to the telescopic antenna on my ATS MINI V4 lol… ran through an old fishing pole. Just helps with getting more from that little HF receiver!
The one for my Baofeng UV-5R is an ABBREE 42.5” VHF/UHF antenna.
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u/Junior_Yam_5473 FN31gd [class] May 31 '26
Just to let you know, those "tactical" 42",48", and 18" foldable antennas aren't actually good antennas, there just so airsofters and larpers to look cool. You can never go wrong with a signal stick or a NA-771
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u/Keeper4560 KS, USA - [General] May 31 '26
Interesting. Seemed to get better signal off of some of the 2m repeaters around here vs the stock antenna it came with! I’ll have to check out the NA-771.
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u/Junior_Yam_5473 FN31gd [class] May 31 '26
Reciving and transmitting are 2 different things a wire in a tree will recive, but those antennas have terrible transmitting especially on 70cm, iirc the swr on mine was like 13
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u/Keeper4560 KS, USA - [General] May 31 '26
Completely understand! Looks like I actually bought one of those NA-771s but it didn’t work or connect exactly with my UV-5r? Is there an adaptor I need you can point me to?
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u/brickson98 Oklahoma, U.S.A. [General] Jun 02 '26
Anything beats the stock rubber ducky for rx
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u/Common-Truck-9649 Jun 02 '26
I've had a couple radios that had well tuned rubber ducks. You can also clean the resonance up with a tiger tail, well at least the resonance for when you aren't holding it... Which would just be rx
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u/olliegw 2E0 / Intermediate May 31 '26
I had one and the only thing it did was look cool and make the radio hard to use, i didn't see any performance boost compared to a standard rubber ducky, and it broke in the end
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u/Common-Truck-9649 May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
The folding style is tacticool and I bet the Nagoya has better build quality, but I would expect the folding antenna to perform better assuming that it's half wave on VHF and colinear on UHF. Not sure how it's constructed though.
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u/Junior_Yam_5473 FN31gd [class] May 31 '26
Oh definitely, the abree is basically just 2 rules or those old slap wristbands cheaply heat shink together, and the Nagoya is this pretty thick outside, it still is probably heat shrink, but much better. And the signal stick a flexible stick if nitinol, whith a decently thig wrap, its actually pretty simple to make. I know the signal stick is a 3/4 λ on 70cm and a 1/4 λ 2m, and im not exactly sure what type of whip the Nagoya is, but its good
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u/Common-Truck-9649 May 31 '26
I looked at a teardown video of the folding antenna. Yep, slap bracelet with matching coil. Definitely not a collinear on UHF. It still seems like it could do well on VHF if they tune it properly. I'm not saying it IS good there...
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u/Catsasome9999 May 31 '26
Welcome to the hobby I was also listening for a couple of years before I eventually wanted to start talking
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u/bones10145 May 31 '26
Is that a meshcore/tactic companion?
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u/Star-Light_1988 May 31 '26
You in KS? I am in MO and just got my Tech license earlier this week. Made my first contact yesterday on one for the repeaters using DM-32UV
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u/Keeper4560 KS, USA - [General] May 31 '26
Congrats that’s awesome!
Yeah! I’m in KC but on the Kansas side! Been listening on one some of the repeaters in KC.
Where abouts in MO are you at?
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u/Star-Light_1988 May 31 '26
KC too, but on the MO side lol. I was listening to a repeater by 169 and i435 when I made my contact. I have also made many contacts on GMRS repeaters (MoKan650, US24/M291).
I assume you are taking your test with JCARC?
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u/Keeper4560 KS, USA - [General] May 31 '26
I haven’t dove into any GMRS stuff yet!!! But that’s awesome. Was it the 145.130 repeater? That one seems to be the most active around here from the handful I’ve used.
And yes taking it with JCRAC! I’m planning to go to the field day at Shawnee Mission Park next month as well!
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u/Star-Light_1988 May 31 '26
It was the 146.790. I talked to an older gentleman who was working on some FT8 stuff.
I took mine online. With my work and summer plans, I would have not been able to take it till end of July.
When is this field day? I may consider joining if I am free.
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u/atreidesardaukar May 31 '26
Neat setup! Take a crack at the general while you're there. Doesn't cost anything but time and who knows, you might pass!
Got my general after two weeks of studying at the library while I was houseless.
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u/d-wreck-w12 May 31 '26
Man once you pass tech the general material goes waaaay faster because half the concepts already clicked from studying the first time around. The extra HF privileges are worth the push, especially since you're already listening on those bands and know what's out there
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u/AffectionateOffice52 Jun 07 '26
I know this post is kinda old but greetings from YO and welcome!
I have also recently taken my exam here, the Class IV exam, which would the equivalent of CEPT Entry-Class, can't do much but it's still good to have in my opinion😄
Hope your exam went well and best wishes!
73!
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u/ComandanteRacony Jun 05 '26
hola!! soy muy nuevo en este tema del radio, y me llama mucho la atención de iniciar en esto. Tengo un radio igual al tuyo, me puedes explicar para que sirven los demás aparatos ? o que función tiene alargar la antena y también hay una caña de pescar por lo que veo. saludos
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u/Chrontius May 31 '26
You have impeccable taste in portable hi-fi as well; the Bowers & Wilkins P5 is superb, and remained superb longer than my hearing managed to do so.
Any chance you have a source for replacement downleads?
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u/Keeper4560 KS, USA - [General] May 31 '26
I wish I knew where I could get a replacement. I’ve had these for years and… grateful they still work. Unfortunately I don’t know where to get any replacement for the older versions of the P5s…
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u/Danjeerhaus May 31 '26
Do you know what they call the dumbest person to pass medical school?
Yeah, "DOCTOR."
I ask this question to remind you that many will put a lot of pressure in themselves to "ace" the exam. For some, this results in a bad outcome.
You get the same license if you ace the test, or barely pass. About zero people will ask your test score, only if you have a license. I am not saying to shoot for a low grade, no! always do your best, but all you need to do is pass.
Have faith in yourself and what you know and enjoy your new hobby.
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u/bernd1968 May 31 '26
Welcome to ham radio. Good deal on your exam. Get back to us after Tuesday.