dcbevins 340 Posted October 22, 2015 It is weird that I was just looking at buying one of these right before I checked the forums. http://www.nooelec.com/store/sdr/nesdr-hf-mini-2-bundle.html I am not licensed, I just thought having a software radio would be a cool toy. The rig lets you have a HF SDR receiver with a wide spectrum display covering around 2MHz through your computer. Of course I could only ease drop, but for under $130 it seems like an awesome thing to play around with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted October 22, 2015 I'm kind of a prepper so a lot of this was legitimizing my hand held unit (although I may occasionally drift off on a FRS band...did I say that out loud?). I really like the technical aspects of the whole thing and would love to delve into home made antenna's and stuff but there is only so much time in the day and it's probably not going to happen much at this point. I plan to do some scanning and talking to a few of the locals to get acquainted though. I have a jeeping buddy who has some radical stuff and he probably drew me into it more than anyone. I'm just happy to be through the gate and able to relax and enjoy the knowledge without worrying about having to know every little detail. If I move on to higher level licenses I will definitely do it the way I did this one even though it was painful. It actually thought me more than I thought it would. Weird way to learn something and relying on short term memory but the little minor stuff that you have to be able to pass isn't what I wanted to understand anyway. Learning the math and the tuning process for SWR etc is the stuff that turns my crank. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BearlyRich 167 Posted October 23, 2015 Prepping = good FRS has it's place but around here it's mostly city hunters where they shouldn't be or kids... Making antennas is fun and cheap. I do buy my baluns though. Makes it a whole lot easier. My 2 meter antenna was made from a piece of fence wire and an old CB magnet mount. Works great. The local 2 meter repeaters can be a whole lot of fun and a great place to get information. It can be difficult with personality conflicts but most keep it cool. It is a shame that we have to learn all those rules to get licensed We also have official watchers around here so getting caught for doing something wrong is highly probable. Always good to know what you can and shouldn't do. Admittedly all the stuff we're supposed to know doesn't thrill everyone but most of it does come in handy if you get more serious in the hobby. Personally, I think it's extremely unfortunate how things have gone. Back in the old days, hams would make their own radios or at least service & tune the ones they bought. Nowadays there's nothing in the radios that can be serviced and hardly anyone "home brews" any more. I admit and am proud of being old fasioned and fully believe that true ham radios should glow in the dark! And that SDR radio... I know quite a few people who have them. Theire nice toys and far from a real radio bt can serve useful purposes. For me, just too much money for what it offers. If I had the extra cash, yes I would probably own one... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted October 23, 2015 I have several co workers that have become preppers - the only issue I have is one of my formerly close friends has gone so far down that rabbit hole and the walls have caved in behind him - his high school age kid is convinced the world is collapsing and there is no good left in the world - unfortunate outlook for a young man at that stage in life. as long as you remember to keep living and not hide in a whole prepping is fine. but like anything sometimes it gets taken to the extreme at the cost to innocent bystanders. personally I am as prepared for anything as my ancestors were and continue to enjoy life and search out new adventures and friends - I am no where near thinking it is all ending tomorrow 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted October 23, 2015 oh and started my interest in ham back in radio and tv repair class that I took for 2 years in the late 70's - so think a lot of the great past of ham is being lost as the old timers fade away - too bad in my eyes 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted October 23, 2015 I totally hear you on the rabbit hole! I believe in moderation in all things! We have a local group in my church that runs a monthly disaster radio check on FRS radios in my immediate area in case of some sort of natural or man made disaster. I just have a little Beofeng handheld unit so it's nothing special but I have a little better reception than the rest of the guys. He he he! The Chinese are pretty awesome in some things. I just figured if I had a 2 meter capable of getting on the repeater I better get my license and get to know a few of those guys. If I had the time I would be looking into building a radio from scratch with solder and resistors and the whole she-bang. That would be a kick. Prepping for amounts to basic stuff. I built a hand pump of pvc to get water out of my well and a rocket stove that cooks at about 425deg on twigs from my yard, food storage, etc.... Guns and ammo for protection and bartering if the crap really does hit the fan. Hope it never comes to that though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted October 23, 2015 I have a Beofeng also and works great for the local repeater - 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted October 23, 2015 Speaking of building things. When I was in Jr High I took a quarter in an electronics class where we built a solid state night light that I still have around the house somewhere and I also built a tv jammer that I used to mess with my brother who lived next door. This was in the rabbit ears days of tv and I sat outside his house one night and tuned into his channel and scrambled the tv and every time he would go adjust his rabbit ears I would turn it off until he sat back down. Ha ha! I still remember it like it was yesterday, he was so pissed. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted October 23, 2015 back in the days before it would get you fired I had a simple led flasher i built from the early days of leds - in the control center of the prison we had a roof top air conditioner that you could look up thru the gates - co worker went to lunch and i placed that way up in as far as I could reach in the air conditioner and had him convinced the place was bugged by the administration for about 3 hrs and had to take it back out - those were the good ole days. now they would fire you for bringing something harmless in without authorization 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BearlyRich 167 Posted October 24, 2015 Funny stuff. Seems there are a lot more good old days than good new days... TV's and HAM radio were always connected in some way or another. It's amazing how many radios and amplifiers were made out of old TV's. Everything you needed was in those sets. Not any more. I do miss tubes... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
