- 8
- 7 658
Ham Radio Today
Приєднався 8 сер 2023
Ham Radio Today brings information, education and a little brevity at times to the amateur radio community through many forms. We hope you enjoy the livestream banter, interviews, equipment reviews, on-air activities and much more while you are here.
POTA ACTIVATION and Walk Through using FT8 in the HF Signals sBitxV3 Ham Radio
Today i goto a POTA park and setup my HF Signals sBitx V3 ham radio to work FT8 and share that activation with you guys too. The sBitx V3 is a wonderful little ham radio that has several native modes built into it and will do FT8 internally without the need for a computer or any other external equipment. Using a Raspberry Pi 4 as the heart of the radio, it can do all sorts of things that a regular ham radio can not do. Follow along as I attempt to work some contacts while showing you the button layout of the HF Signals sBitx V3 ham radio and explaining what those buttons do.
Переглядів: 965
Відео
Field Day 2024 K4SOD site in Georgia Highlight Reel
Переглядів 5873 місяці тому
I didn't think to make some sort of narrative about Field Day 2024 when I started capturing footage and photos ,so it has become more a "highlight reel" of sorts instead. This is the north american ham radio event to be a part of if there was ever one. You take a bunch of ham radio gear out into the field, set it up with some sort of temporary antenna an make shift power system and make a bunch...
Roadside POTA Activation at US-0716 Chickamauga Military Park with the Ten Tec Scout 555 Ham Radio
Переглядів 1,7 тис.3 місяці тому
Today I take you to POTA park US-0716 and setup my system to use the Ten Tec Scout 555 HF amateur radio to work some CW and SSB contacts so I can activate the park. This is a nice little spot for this kind of POTA activation as it is easy to access. POTA is a fun variation of amateur radio that blends aspects of preparedness with radio communications. If you enjoy the video, do us a solid and s...
Small POTA CW Portable Penntek TR35 Amateur QRP Radio Field Kit Plus that I use for POTA Activations
Переглядів 1 тис.3 місяці тому
For our first video I am solo doing a POTA activation, so I figured I would share my Small POTA CW Portable Penntek TR35 Amateur QRP Radio Field Kit Plus that I use for POTA Activations. This kit is built specifically for POTA and travel radio. If I were to fly to another part of the country, this ham radio is small enough to fit in the carry on kit. This kit literally has everything I need to ...
POTA Activation with a Ten Tec Scout 555 Transceiver at park US-2169 on both CW and SSB!
Переглядів 4263 місяці тому
In this episode I take you on a trip to US-2169 to activate it with my "new-to-me" Ten Tec Scout 555 transceiver and see what I can do using single side band for a change. I have not used single side band in quite some time and this radio has enough RF power to make it viable as a SSB radio. The Ten Tec Scout is a unique little HF transceiver in that is is a mono band radio, but not just any mo...
FT8 and CW POTA Activation with the sBitx ham radio!
Переглядів 2,3 тис.4 місяці тому
Today I take you along to a local wildlife management area to activate it as a POTA entity. POTA is one of my favorite operating styles in my radio hobby. I love using the small portable radios like the sBitx V3 by HF Signals that I used today as well as my other two main rigs I use. The Ten Tec Argonaut V and the Penntek TR-35 both have a permanent place in my operating ecosystem. I use my ham...
Hello, what is all that beeping? Is that old school Morse code (they call it CW I think?) I was under the impression that the FCC took that requirement off the test, is this still really popular? Note: A lot of Ham channels I watch, to learn, their intro’s have all this beeping at the beginning and I never understood fully
Do you have links to the coax and the FT-240-43 that you used?
Impossible to follow. The test jig is impossible to understand and too dark and out of focus to even try to see what's going on. I gave up watching it after 8 mins. 8 mins of life wasted.
FT8 reminds me of the cartoon of a University lecture hall with a tape recorder sitting on the top of the podium up front, and tape recorders where the students would normally sit with NOBODY IN THE ROOM! HA HA.
It is kinda like that to be honest but it works really well when signals are really weak so I like it.
Never knew anyone ever activated there. I come to Chickamauga quite a few times a year. I have family there.
Yeah, it sees a good bit of activity from what I have seen. There are a lot of places that are good to setup too so it is used more than a lot of others in the area.
Appreciate the content. Not many folks are using this thing in the youtube space. Without videos like this, we would have a harder time figuring this out.
Thank you for your time and letting me know things like this. It helps us to decide where to place our focus.
Mine is being delivered today. What's in the shrink wrap on the power cord ...fuse? Want size? It will be my RV rig CW .nice and thanks
It has a little bit of a learning curve. Like, give it time to fully boot up before launching the sBitx app. The radio wont work right if you launch it too quick. The OS has to finish loading all the drivers and such first. The heat shrink on my power cord it just protecting the solder connections where I built my cord from. You only get a pigtail with the radio so built a cable with powerpoles and a fuse. I run a 10 amp fuse as I will run my at 100 drive at times. Some guys that only run QRP power will run 3 or 4 amp fuses. Another thing, the CW had this odd delay in it and is almost impossible to use past about 22WPM for me. It works fine with some practice at 18 to 20 WPM though. The keyboard CW works fine too if you like sending via a keyboard. I have used it and it works well. They are rewriting the CW part of the software to address the odd sending habit it has but it is not out yet. Be sure to keep an eye on your SWR too as I found it will kill the finals on FT8 if left unchecked. I do enjoy the radio now that I have worked through some of the kinks it has had over the last year.
Wow, CW capability seems to have come a long way since V1 of this rig.
It still isnt perfect but it is usable. They are working on recoding the CW portion to work better. I used the keyboard yesterday to work cw and was surprised by how good that worked for me. It is one of my favorite POTA machines now.
I like the fan that you added. Does it run all the time? great video!
The fan on the heatsink is temperature controlled but the fan on the Pi 4 inside the radio is on all the time. The heat sink fan will cycle during long FT8 sessions and usually only on the lower bands where the transmit power is higher. The radio will get crazy hot if there is zero active cooling. Thank you!!!
Thanks for the nice walk throughs of the SBITX on your videos. I've been considering one for a secondary rig and also for remote ops.
It is a fun little radio. It is far from perfect but that is part of the fun to me. Learning and modding the radio has become as much fun as using it.
👍
Thank you Bassangler!!!👍
David, what mic are you using? I've had my sbitx for a couple of weeks. Made a few ft8 contacts from home. I'm looking forward to going out in the field with it. de N9BAV
Nice setup my friend.NB3W
Thanks 👍 I am still dialing in the system a little at a time.
Ha Ha...anything that burns puts off carcinogens...80m will give you a PhD 😂😂😂
Nice setup!
Thanks!
nice to see an American radio at a POTA!
I do love Ten Tec radios… I also enjoy a few other radios but my Ten Tec machines are by far my favorite. 👍
What key are you using in video? Do you have any recommendations for inexpensive, portable keys for CW work in field? Thanks!
N6ARA Tiny Key, he 3D prints them himself from what I understand. He runs ads on QRZ and has a website that you can order them from. They are economical too.
Hey, David...Love the setup. I also do QRP CW portable and I am always looking for good ideas! You have some great ones here! Nice op. Maybe here you on the air. 73 from Nova Scotia! VE1JAX
Thanks, you too! I hope to work you as well!!!
You had a great activation. Love that radio. All the best. 73s
Many thanks! I really appreciate it!
What's the box you're using as a carry case for it? I'm realizing I have NOTHING that's really good for carrying something of this shape right now!
These are the Apache cases from Harbor Freight and the model for this radio is the 3800. They have a couple of other sizes available as well and several colors other than orange too if you prefer.
@@HamRadioToday I actually really like the Apache cases, it just wasn't clear which size yours was. I currently have the 5800 for the FT-710, which turns out to be overkill and I'm probably downsizing, because while I like the wheels on it, it's HEAVY and it's LARGE and I don't have a truck, I have a Kia Niro 😀
Great activation. I really like the radio. All the best. 73s
Thank you! I love the Scout, I wished I had picked one up years ago now...
I've been interested in the sBitX for a while, but only just yesterday finally pulled the trigger on one, which should get here tomorrow. This is one of the few videos I've found of someone OPERATING one just like any other radio on an activation! Thank you!
thanks for video. What key do you use for CW?
The one in this video is a Gemini travel key by CQ Ham Radio. i found it on eBay.
amazing sir
Thank you! Morse code is fun, but I also like a lot of other radio modes like single side band (where you talk to the microphone like I do at the end) and digital modes as well. IT is all fun.
This might be a stupid question, but what's the point of all of the beeps and how did you know what state they're coming from?
No problem at all, that is morse code and I know it. They were sending information in a simple coded way.
Great video and activation from the truck. You have a good choice of gear. I have been doing only portable ops from here in Florida and around the Caribbean for twenty years. Keep up the good work. Danny WZ1P.
Thank you! I am obsessed with Ten Tec gear! HaHa. I just love how the CW sounds coming out of one. Hope to work you soon, I also get to activate in Florida a good bit a couple times a year.
I second your advice at the end!! Keep the air radiated and throw your call sign out on your local repeater a couple of times a week..Handy to know people in your area in case of anything going really wrong! Cool video Dave, I got to learn CW good enough not to embarrass myself on the air over the winter...I have seen those radios a very few times at Hamfest but never used one..It sounds good! Yes, you should film yourself tearing your rig down so we can see you getting tangled up in your wire 😂😂😂
Thanks! Most people want way too much for them, but they are cool none the less. I like the modular design, it is just cool.
@@HamRadioTodaykind of like a retro camera, simply cool!
Aloha, where's the link?
www.hfsignals.com/index.php/sbitx-v3/
Sorry, I failed to add it earlier, here it is and I am pasting it in the description now as well, thank you for reminding me.
Mahalo and Aloha
Interesting Rig.....Thank You
Glad you like it! I love the Ten Tec machines. Thank you!
Ccol! Videos like this may spark an interest in radio! You're pretty handy on the paddle!
Thank you. I make a lot of mistakes in sending if I get the keyer running too fast. Lol. I am good to maybe 25 words per minute like I am but I can barely copy at that speed to so it is fine for me. 🤣
Nice setup
Thank you Bassangler. I like it.
Well, learning has occurred upon rewatching the stream... I need to pay better attention to the display and change it when it is not being used for table top or what ever,,, sorry about that. The next one will be better. Thanks for watching and I hope this helps someone.
I wish you had some SSB as well
Good to know. I will add that in on the next one then. Thank you for the feedback
@@HamRadioToday Excellent video. I was curious as to where you purchased your sBitx V3. Also, I concur with the previous comment. Please to a SSB demo with your sBitx V3. 73 de WA3RSL.
@@frankENZC I bought it directly from the HF Signals website. They are a little outfit in India and ship worldwide. The radio comes DHL which is kinda terrifying, but mine arrived in one piece so I am happy. SSB is in the que to be done now... Thank you for the feedback.
@@HamRadioToday Thanks. I think Gigaparts sells them, if I'm not mistaken.
@@frankENZC www.hfsignals.com/index.php/sbitx-v3/
Thanks for the interesting video. Question, why the image on the transceiver screen does not take up the whole screen ?
Because I had a GoPro style camera setup to watch the radio and I am not very good at camera angles and such🤷🏻♂️😬
After rewatching the video I see that I made some simple transcription mistakes with the CW, I have 559 in one place and the report was actually 55N which means the same thing, but for people trying to practice copying code, this could lead to mistakes. I seem to have done this a couple of times so I am sorry about that, if I get the chance, I will edit the raw file and re-upload the video with the correct text.