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Getting on the Air: HF

Getting on the Air: HF. “The Magic of Radio” By The Salvation Army & MDARC. Presented by:. Jim Siemons. CCRA. VHF / UHF Radio. * Great for point to point, line of site communications. * Expand Range with Repeaters. * Great for local and regional communication. BUT, I WANT MORE!!!.

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Getting on the Air: HF

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  1. Getting on the Air: HF “The Magic of Radio” By The Salvation Army & MDARC

  2. Presented by: Jim Siemons CCRA

  3. VHF / UHF Radio * Great for point to point, line of site communications * Expand Range with Repeaters * Great for local and regional communication BUT, I WANT MORE!!!

  4. WHY High Frequency Radio?

  5. Welcome to High Frequency Radio • RF: an electromagnetic wave frequency between audio and infrared • extremely low frequency, ELF - below 3 kilohertz • very low frequency, VLF - 3 to 30 kilohertz • LF, low frequency - 30 to 300 kilohertz • medium frequency, MF - 300 to 3000 kilohertz • high frequency, HF - 3 to 30 megahertz

  6. very high frequency, VHF - 30 to 300 megahertz • UHF, ultrahigh frequency - 300 to 3000 megahertz • SHF, superhigh frequency - 3 to 30 gigahertz • EHF, extremely high frequency - 30 to 300 gigahertz • electromagnetic spectrum - the entire frequency range of electromagnetic waves

  7. 160 Meters (1.8-2.0 MHz): • 1.800 - 2.000 CW • 1.800 - 1.810 Digital Modes • 1.810 CW QRP • 1.843-2.000 SSB, SSTV and other wideband modes • 1.910 SSB QRP • 1.995 - 2.000 Experimental • 1.999 - 2.000 Beacons  

  8. 80 Meters (3.5-4.0 MHz): • 3.590 RTTY/Data DX • 3.570-3.600 RTTY/Data • 3.790-3.800 DX window • 3.845 SSTV • 3.885 AM calling frequency • 40 Meters (7.0-7.3 MHz):  • 7.040 RTTY/Data DX • 7.080-7.125 RTTY/Data • 7.171 SSTV • 7.290 AM calling frequency  

  9. 30 Meters (10.1-10.15 MHz):  • 10.130-10.140 RTTY • 10.140-10.150 Packet   • 20 Meters (14.0-14.35 MHz):  • 14.070-14.095 RTTY • 14.095-14.0995 Packet • 14.100 NCDXF Beacons • 14.1005-14.112 Packet • 14.230 SSTV 14.286 AM calling frequency  

  10. 17 Meters (18.068-18.168 MHz):  • 18.100-18.105 RTTY • 18.105-18.110 Packet   • 15 Meters (21.0-21.45 MHz):  • 21.070-21.110 RTTY/Data • 21.340 SSTV   • 12 Meters (24.89-24.99 MHz):  • 24.920-24.925 RTTY • 24.925-24.930 Packet

  11. 10 Meters (28-29.7 MHz):  • 28.000-28.070 CW • 28.070-28.150 RTTY • 28.150-28.190 CW • 28.200-28.300 Beacons • 28.300-29.300 Phone • 28.680 SSTV • 29.000-29.200 AM • 29.300-29.510 Satellite Downlinks • 29.520-29.590 Repeater Inputs • 29.600 FM Simplex • 29.610-29.700 Repeater Outputs

  12. How is it possible that I can talk around the world?

  13. How do hams do it?! Ionosphere Sky wave Direct wave Ground wave

  14. Solar-Terrestrial Data

  15. The MUF chart for a CW radio circuit between Western Washington and Chicago with a smoothed sunspot number of 12 The MUF curves give Maximum Usable Frequency predictions vs. time-of-day. The blue curve is the median of the daily MOFs (Maximum Observed Frequencies) over all days of the month at a given hour. The HPF (Highest Possible Frequency) red curve gives values expected only 10% of the time. The FOT (from the French: Frequence Optimum de Travail) green values are defined as the frequencies where the MOFs will be higher on at least 90% of the days of the month at that hour. FOT is sometimes called OWF (Optimum Working Frequency)

  16. MUF chart for CW with SSN of 130

  17. 160 Meters – 1.8-2.0 MHz(Top Band) • It is actually MF, not HF. • Not used in all countries. Sometimes only a portion is used. • Used for local contacts during the day. • Need good antennas for long contacts. • For the longest contacts – the entire path needs to be in total darkness. The longest “Dawn to Dusk” contacts only last 10-15 minutes! • Long distance peaks in winter because of lower noise levels.

  18. 80 Meters – 3.5-4.0 MHz • Many other countries stop at 3.8 MHz. Above 3.8 MHz is found a broadcast band. • This band can be busy at night – both with static and traffic. • Can reach several hundred miles by day, and thousands at night. Great band during solar minimums – but works all the time. • Great band for Grayline propagation (dusk & dawn). Best during Spring and Fall. Stations sound like they are “next door”. • SSB DX occurs in the top of this band. Try to stay clear of the “top”, unless DXing. • Observe your privileges! Some countries DX below above 3.8 MHz – others below 3.8 MHz.

  19. 60 Meters – various channels(USB Only 5.250-5.450 MHz) • The 60 meter (5 MHz)band is a relatively new (2002) Amateur Radio allocation and originally only available in a few countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Ireland and Iceland. • You will find a variety of beacon stations on 60 Meters from around the world. Fun to listen.

  20. 40 Meters – 7.0-7.3 MHz • 40 Meters is a great band. Short haul by day, long haul by night. Beware of broadcast stations! With US privileges, we run into broadcast stations a lot! • Grayline propagation is great! Short haul by day, and long haul by night – but short haul goes down! • If you have a small transmitter and a fair antenna (trapped verticals, etc.), you can get good results with this band.

  21. 30 Meters – 10.1-10.15 MHz(200 Watts PEP) • World Administrative Radio Conference held in 1979 (WARC 79). Although it has been available for many years now, it is still not very widely used although it but is capable of giving good results. • This ham radio band is very similar to 40 Meters. Good Grayline activity and DX opportunities – even in solar minimums. • Good for the small station. Less “big gun” competition. • Due to the small size of the band and the high level of commercial activity (because it is shared with other services), most of the operation is in Morse. Most (all?) contests are excluded from this band.

  22. 20 Meters – 14.0-14.350 MHz • This is the main long haul band of the world! The allocation is pretty much the same everywhere – so folks play on this band pretty well. Great year round, 24/7. Although, sometimes – you just hear nothing…when conditions are poor. • During the day – you often can hear stations 2000-3000 miles away (500-1500 miles almost always). Can close at night – especially during winter. Good in Spring and Fall. • Early morning – signals from the east. Then fade to local signals, then fade to signals from the west towards evening. • Crowded band, big DX stations. Big antennas, big amplifiers… Jump in and make a friend!

  23. 17 Meters – 18.068-18.168 MHz • Like the 30m band, this one was released for amateur radio use after the WARC 79 conference. Old rigs generally don’t cover this band. • Sometimes acts like 20 Meters, and sometimes like 15 meters. Worth taking a look at… • This is a fun band to play with and try to collect some rare DX. Folks with dipoles often use this band. Most “beam” antenna people don’t mess with 17 Meters.

  24. 15 Meters – 21.0-21.450 MHz • When conditions are good – this band is GREAT! Sometimes, in the middle of the day, it is the hottest band going. Lots of fun. • At the top of 15 Meters, is the 13 Meter broadcast band – use this to see if band is “open”.

  25. 12 Meters – 24.890-24.990 MHz • This amateur radio band is the highest of the bands released for ham radio operation at WARC 79. • This band is really narrow – but can be a lot of fun. I have made some terrific contacts on 12 Meters. • It is super influenced by sunspot activity. It can be really open – or really closed!

  26. 10 Meters – 28.0-29.7 MHz • 10 Meters is the highest HF band. Everything goes on in 10 Meters, SSB, FM, CW, digital modes, even repeaters in some countries. In the US – there is a place for Techs to Extras. Often you can get long distance propagation, or use it for short distance work. • During solar minimums, it may only work for distance during the summer months using Sporadic-E. You can get about 1000 miles or more. • When sunspot activity is high, you can get great propagation – but really only during the day! Then the spigot gets turned off. • I find that during solar minimums, it works great for local work, but not great locally during solar maximums (noisy) • Stations using low-power FM may be heard towards the top of the band. The recommendation is that FM activity should take place between 29.60 and 29.69MHz, with 29.60MHz as the calling frequency. There are some repeaters in the USA with outputs at 29.62, 29.64, 29.66 and 29.68MHz with inputs 100kHz lower.

  27. Equipment

  28. How much should I spend on a Transceiver? • This is a hobby! This is for fun! The point is not to spend every dollar you have to play radio. • Your shack can – and should be built up over time. • I believe you should purchase and ENJOY each piece of equipment before you move on to the next purchase. • You acquire equipment as you acquire skill – don’t rush purchasing equipment.

  29. Transceiver purchasing logic • How do you want to operate? Phone? CW? • Do you want to operate QRP? QRO? Portable? Mobile? Base Station? • What kind of room do you have for antennas? • Do you want a complicated rig: menus, lotso’ knobs, software controlled? • What bands do you wish to operate on? What modes? • How much space do you have in your shack?

  30. QRP Rigs $50 - $700 New!

  31. QRO Rigs (> 5 Watts) New Rigs: $800 - $10,000+

  32. Boat Anchors vs. New?! • New Radios are “plug and play” not necessarily “plug and pray”. • Many modern radios have sophisticated filters and features that make operation easier and more enjoyable. • Modern rigs often can be connected to computers for control or remote operation, logging and band scope • Older rigs may have more “user serviceable parts”, and are great for learning about electronics.

  33. Antenna Systems(smart hams put their money here!!!) • Long Wires – cut to length of band, cheap • Dipoles – standard, OCF, G5RV • Verticals – fits in small space – needs radials • Yagi – excellent, gen. need tower, rotator • Loops – either large, or compromised small • Log Periodic – great antenna, $$ • NVIS – TW2010, great for EmComm • Others – fences, rain gutters, etc.

  34. Antenna Systems

  35. Extra Stuff

  36. Extra Stuff • Power Supply - ~25-30 amps for QRO (9v for QRP?), regulated, switching (some folks don’t like!) Alinco & Astron are two big names. • Coaxial Cable – best that you can afford! RG-8 (LMR-400, 9913) various kinds depending on placement and duty (in some instances – RG-8X) • Cans – a good set of ear/headphones makes operating a lot be better. And, your family/friends will appreciate it! • Microphones – comfortable mic that allows for handsfree operation is ideal. Foot switch is a great way to go. • Ground System – is a must for safety and ensuring the best noise free signal possible.

  37. Everything you need, you might already have?!

  38. Operating on HF • First Rule of Radio Operation: LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN & LISTEN SOME MORE!!! • You will learn more by listening to the experienced “Elmers” on the airwaves than anything else. • There are nets on 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 Meters that meet daily/weekly/monthly – often they welcome guests – join in! • Make sure you are in-band! Protect your license.

  39. Phonetic Alphabet It is a fine business to use the international phonetic alphabet! Don’t let other operators think of you as a lid!

  40. Ham Radio QSO Format • A contact (QSO) is a series of “overs”. • Make sure frequency is clear – you often only hear HALF of what’s going on. • QSO Format: 3x3 – “CQ, CQ, CQ, ALPHA FOXTROT SIX PAPA UNIFORM, ALPHA FOXTROT PAPA UNIFORM, ALPHA FOXTROT PAPA UNIFORM” (REPEAT 2X) • Pause and listen – repeat as necessary • A responding station will give your call sign, followed by their’s and a signal report and QTH – you do the same. • Talk about – shack equip. & ants., weather, “what do you see out the window?”

  41. Ham Radio QSO Format (cont.) • You might discuss QSL cards – or discuss a “Bureau” to confirm contact. • If you called CQ, then the frequency is generally yours to continue calling. • Good operating practice to give callsigns at the beginning and end of EACH transmission – especially on short QSOs. • In the United States, you must identify every 10 minutes and at the end of your QSO.

  42. RST Signal Report R = READABILITY1 -- Unreadable2 -- Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable3 -- Readable with considerable difficulty4 -- Readable with practically no difficulty5 -- Perfectly readable T = TONE1 -- Sixty cycle a.c. or less, very rough and broad2 -- Very rough a.c. , very harsh and broad3 -- Rough a.c. tone, rectified but not filtered4 -- Rough note, some trace of filtering5 -- Filtered rectified a.c. but strongly ripple-modulated6 -- Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation7 -- Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation8 -- Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation9 -- Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation of any kind S = SIGNAL STRENGTH1 -- Faint signals, barely perceptible2 -- Very weak signals3 -- Weak signals4 -- Fair signals5 -- Fairly good signals6 -- Good signals7 -- Moderately strong signals8 -- Strong signals9 -- Extremely strong signals

  43. SSB Operating Tips • Read your Rigs manual – (in spite of what you’ve been told – real hams read manuals) • Learn to use your microphone – stay about 1” away from mic – try speaking across mic • Use the ALC (Automatic Limiting Control) meter. Adjust mic gain or speak softer.  • Use a comfortable switch – and don’t “stab” it. It will last longer and better on your rig. • Microphone Gain and Equalization.

  44. SSB Operating Tips (cont.) • Most modern radios contain VOX • IF you use it – learn how to use it well! • Can lead to a lot of on air problems • Many radios have speech compression • More bang for bandwidth – Great for Contests • Can distort your voice too much, turn it down if at all possible.

  45. Keeping a Log • Hams are no longer required to keep a log book – but it is a really good idea to do so! • Three main ways to keep a station log: paper, using computer software or keep it in the “cloud” such as LoTW or QRZ.com

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