Picked this up at a garage sale a few weeks ago , started messing with it and found it was pre programmed by the previous owner to hit most of the local repeaters. It does have the TU-7 tone chip installed and obviously the pre programmed channels have tones on them as well as the proper offsets. The problem is I cannot seem to program offset or tones into a new channel , following along the manual step by step and watching a few videos indicates an issue with the offset function and tone button where I can’t seem to set an offset on some channels (some will allow the offset to toggle between negative simplex and positive) however when I hit the tone button to set one it just keys up ? Watching a video showed the radio going into a mode where the tone frequency could be selected when hitting the “tone” button. I’ve checked the lithium backup battery and it reads 2.4v which is obviously too low right however memory is retained somehow ? Could that battery be sort of low enough to cause funky operation but not low enough to cause the channels to reset ? It seems to Tx and RX fine on the channels it’s been set to as it picks up the repeaters fine and I’ve checked simplex on a channel which I was able to set base freq on . Any help would be appreciated im planning on ordering a backup battery as a first step but wanted to get some thoughts from people who are more versed ? Thanks

I have a couple radios to fix and needed more than my cheap 2 channel scope. Picked up this artifact for a song.

It’s heavy, it takes five minutes to boot, and it’s almost as big as my microwave, but I finally have a real scope in the shack.

Hey all! I'm about halfway through studying the ham radio technician guide and I have a couple cheap crappy handhelds. I was hoping someone with more experience could point me in the right direction for after I'm licensed and ready to upgrade. I know the basics of transcievers but I'm not familiar with any brands or outlets that can hook me up. I'd appreciate any info this sub has.

I just picked up this 735 yesterday as partially an inspiration for licensing and also to use as a general coverage reciever. The only real problem is there's no RX on the AM broadcast band, there is static in the background but no carriers where any of my local stations would be. Do I just have it set wrong? It's hooked up to an antron 99 at the moment (eyeroll I know)

I have a GT-5R and one of the first things I did was "jailbreak" it to allow transmission on GMRS frequencies. This worked fine until I used chirp and programmed channels in. Now it won't allow transmission on those frequencies. I went through the process of jailbreaking again, and got the same "factory" message but still no luck. I factory reset the radio to remove the channels and it worked fine like before. Is there a way to program channels without undoing the jailbreak?

So for this repeater it should be set to 146.88 with -000.600 offset, and T-CTCSS set at 146.2?

New tech: https://spectrum.ieee.org/amp/wi-fi-lora-hybrid-2669283347

EDIT: The radio just has a flawed STE implementation if you use CTCSS. Most you can do is eliminate STE on RX, other side is broken. Confirmed by support loosely.

Which values do I set these to in order to eliminate squelch tails on transmission to things like a uv-5r? On that type of radio you simply turn on or off the tail elimination, you aren't choosing a frequency or weird things like 120 degrees vs silent.

This is for a retevis rt98v, reddit keeps glitching when I try and type more in the title

I've had my tech license 5 months and received my general maybe a month ago. After lots of research I'll be buying the IC-7300. What other accessories do I need with the 7300? Battery, wires, cords, headset? Obviously an antenna.

What are some basic things I'll need to get up and running on day one?

Also, are there specific ham friendly online businesses I should order from?

Sorry if this has been asked before and I appreciate any advice.

Thanks.

If someone is starting from scratch, what do you suggest them buying, or doing, to get started on the best footing to enjoy the hobby?

And about how much is an initial investment to get completely set up for the first time?

Thank you!!

hey all got my hands on this receiver recently and some of the lamps are out. Im not sure what kind it is or what to replace it with, any help or info is appreciated

https://preview.redd.it/rt3git7rbuod1.jpg?width=2294&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9a1e8b62734debbabdade9454d2f7c0c4e9e875

https://preview.redd.it/xnlnj4rrbuod1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e8a178bdb6a43c1051d81ac3192a21ade806a72f

Since theres no zello channel guides, putting this out there for hams and gmrs folks looking for a zello channel to hang on that isnt full of "radio police" types.

Everglades 550

Bunch of gmrs and ham folks on there. Some politics but not all the time. Some prepper and gun talk. Knowledge base varies from entry level gmrs to an RF engineer thats on their regularly.

To be clear, I’m aiming to progress into the HAM radio world, and can already pass the practice tests for the initial “ technician” tier license. 🪪

I’m wanting to begin with AM radio however, building a receiver first, a transmitter second, a transceiver third, then finally each a ADC and DAC respectively within this Amplitude Modulation context.

Then, do essentially the same thing with FM, before finally taking the exam/s I feel prepared for at that time, and beginning into HAM radio operation, circuit design, etc.

(To one day hold an Amateur Extra! 🪪✨)

Alas…

I cannot for the life of me figure out an accessible way to discern the real world values of caps anticipated to have values within the pF range (as low as 0.88pF), or inductors anticipated to have values in the uH range (as low as 0.88uH), as it seems I need to be able to do in order to predict the actual resonant frequency of resultant LC circuits with sufficient precision/accuracy to receive broadcasts broadcast upon the AM frequency I was shooting for…

Well, I can’t figure out a way that doesn’t involve my spending money I don’t have that is… and the tools/theory that I have access to already should be well beyond what I’d need!

At least it really seems that way to me.

Here are just a few of the tools I have:

• RIGOL DS1054Z • UNI-T UT61E+ • YIHUA 862BD+ • KORAD KA3005P • KeeYees Logic Analyzer • TL866II +

and a fair bit more…

I’d really rather not explain, as it’s fairly private, but for reasons - it is exceptionally difficult for me to come up with any funding to “just buy more stuff” right now in my life.

Plus, shouldn’t there be some way to easily hurdle this incessant obstacle of tiny L/C measurements anyway?! 😫

I’ve gone down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, attempting to build RC circuits with known resistors to then plot the discharge curve of a small (1pF) capacitor on my oscilloscope, to then mathematically determine its capacitance formulaically - ultimately to no avail.

I’ve attempted to use larger capacitors that my multimeter can actually measure accurately, to form LC circuits to which I apply a step voltage in attempts to witness the resonant frequency of via my scope, allowing for the inductor value to be formulaically derived - ultimately to no avail.

I’ve tried finding online calculators and Python libraries for calculating every single variable that holds any immediate relevance to inductors, attempting to count turns and use calipers for accurate measurements of various dimensions of the wire used and the forms used, etc… - NADA….

I’ve tried making my own inductors, variable inductors and variable capacitors so that there’s room to be off and then correct for that by adjusting them accordingly! - NOTHING… 😢

I know amplification circuits I have built to amplify small signals and drive speakers I have attached work just fine, as I have inserted low level pre-amplification stage control signals into them to great success! But… suddenly, when I feed any AM radio reception circuity I have built into the rest of the amp and speaker circuit instead of the control signals - it’s just RADIO SILENCE 😭

I’ve looked up the AM broadcasts in my area. I’ve used a working (store bought) radio receiver to tune into various AM stations and CHECK for myself which frequencies are coming in loud and clear, and AIMED my LC circuits for reception at those frequencies…

Nothing is working…

It seems to all be boiling down to two things:

1. I can’t measure inductance at all (basically)

2. I’m limited in my measurement abilities to the insufficient bottom end of capacitance measurements that my multimeter is capable of….

So, I’m just fumbling around with LC combinations BLIND…. and no matter how much I “wipe”, I just can’t see 💩…

I’m beginning to feel like performing an experiment to test my body’s maximum current dissipation before total thermal breakdown is more appealing… 🪦🥀

#S.O.S.

Is there a way? Some Amazon reviews claim one thing and some claim another. E.g. uv-17pro GPS some people talk about not having any TX lock and then some people claim the plain 17r is just unlocked.

I see this... https://www.reddit.com/r/lowsodiumhamradio/s/t5choH073b

My questions

1. Which model number can/is unlock(ed)? Just pro?
2. Does custom firmware allow this such as the revised firmware available?

I think this is a valuable question to have documentated for emergency scenarios. I of course encourage legal operation of radios, let's follow the law! MURS radios are my personal favorite for licensed by rule radios, and I find the radioddity MU-5 an excellent option for my needs of short range simplex.

DIY Moxon/Yagi Antenna for Ham Radio Satellite QSOs: Build One for Under $100! [Includes the radio] https://youtu.be/gJ2kgCTHqCo

Hi LowSodium Hams,

I have my technician's license, but I obtained it a long time ago and haven't paid much attention to radios since high school. Several of my buddies and I are into dirt biking, and where we live (western Montana), it's very easy to get separated and lost on trails where there is no cell service. We had a close call last weekend when one of our friends had to signal us because we couldn't find him after about three hours of searching. My buddies do not have technician licenses and do not want to get them, but they are okay with buying a GMRS license if it means we can communicate better.

This leads to my question: I'm looking for a GMRS-capable handset that could also serve as a capable radio if they choose to get their technician licenses later on (some have expressed interest). Additionally, I'm interested in an earpiece that can be worn under a helmet and possibly a better antenna than the rubber duck that comes stock. Ideally, these should be relatively inexpensive because while I might be fine with spending a couple of hundred dollars on a radio, many of these guys are primarily interested in them for safety. I'm going to handle all the programming and distribution of the radios before we ride. Do y'all have any suggestions?

73,

cm

What is the most private way to obtain a HAM or GMRS license? I understand they need some info, but is there a way to minimize what is public and accurate?

Since the Huntsville Hamfest is such a big event attended by people all around the world, I figured I would put out a word here.

The freedom network system is online and ready for Hamfest! It is a free speech network of repeaters with both a uhf and vhf side.

The pertinant info for the hamfest are below!

VHF 147.425, -1.0MHz offset, CTCSS 156.7hz UHF 444.325, ,+5MHz offset, CTCSS 156.hz

But no sad hams allowed! Any attempt to repremand the users of the network for language used or behavior will only result in ridicule!

I have been collecting information on how to unlock various HTs to open up their frequencies (MARS/CAPS mod) but my list is not complete. What are other HTs that I am missing?

Requisite disclaimer: transmitting on any transceiver using a frequency outside of that transceiver's normal frequency range is a violation of FCC regulations. This may only be performed in emergency situations.

Here is my list:

Baofeng UV-5R
With the radio off, press and hold PTT, Moni, VFO/MR and power on. "Factory" will appear on the screen

Baofeng UV-82
With the radio off, press and hold PTT-A, Moni, # and power on. "Factory" will appear on the screen

TIDRadio TD-H3
Hold down the PTT and the * key when off then power it on. You will be able to select one of three options:

HAM
GMRS
Normal - Unlocked

TIDRadio TD-H8
HAM mode: Hold down the PTT and the * key when off then power it on.
GMRS mode: Hold down the PTT and the 0 key when off then power it on.
Unlocked mode: Hold down the PTT and the # key when off then power it on.

Yaesu FT-4XR
Hold down PTT and the Moni button while turning it on. Enter 32406665 on the keypad and it will reboot with expanded TX frequencies.

Yaesu FT-65R
Hold down PTT and the Moni button while turning it on. Enter 62406665 on the keypad and it will reboot with expanded TX frequencies.