HF radio for the gurus.

[outback]

With the HF radio units, e.g. Codan, is it possible say join VKS-737 and HF Radio club and have both frequency sets in the unit?

OK ignoring call sign issues here.


DX Grunt.. Not offering my 27 MHz Am/SSB nuts for sale either :D
(got 2 units, and SWR meter them old days)

[DX grunt]

With the HF radio units, e.g. Codan, is it possible say join VKS-737 and HF Radio club and have both frequency sets in the unit?

OK ignoring call sign issues here.


DX Grunt.. Not offering my 27 MHz Am/SSB nuts for sale either :D
(got 2 units, and SWR meter them old days)

Not sure. I'm 'assuming' that even if you are allowed HF radio club channels and VKS-737 channels in the one unit, that you will be required to pay 2 x licence fees to use both sets channels.

I'd suggest you see an approved, licensed radio techie and find out.

More investigation required.

Are you sure you don't want to offload only one ssb set? hahaha

[TPC]

With the HF radio units, e.g. Codan, is it possible say join VKS-737 and HF Radio club and have both frequency sets in the unit?

OK ignoring call sign issues here.


DX Grunt.. Not offering my 27 MHz Am/SSB nuts for sale either :D
(got 2 units, and SWR meter them old days)

You can have both frequency sets in the same radio, they are capable of multiple frequency plans as long as you have a auto tune antenna to go with it.
As bitumen bunny said, you will need to join up with any network whose frequencies you are using.

[outback]

Not sure. I'm 'assuming' that even if you are allowed HF radio club channels and VKS-737 channels in the one unit, that you will be required to pay 2 x licence fees to use both sets channels.

I'd suggest you see an approved, licensed radio techie and find out.

More investigation required.

I was suspecting as much.. You pay the licence fees vis the club joint and other fees anyway so not an issue. Looks like a further chase up.



Are you sure you don't want to offload only one ssb set? hahaha
I will keep you in mind if I think about that.. Possibly some old hand helds around the place as well...

[outback]

You can have both frequency sets in the same radio, they are capable of multiple frequency plans as long as you have a auto tune antenna to go with it.
As bitumen bunny said, you will need to join up with any network whose frequencies you are using.

Thanks. that was what I thought..

"bitumen bunny" lovey:D Does he know this???

[the evil twin]

You can have as many freqs as you want, HF Oz, VKS, Flying Doc, 27 MHZ CB, Commercial radio, ABC etc etc.

You need to tune the antenna even if you are only a member of one network.
Auto tune is those wacking great fat bases you see on antenna mounts
Manual tune looks just like a whip but you will see a cable and several sockets on the lower part of the whip and you stick the plug in the appropriate socket for each freq.

It is legal to listen but illegal to transmit on freq's that you are not licensed to use

Each organisation or network will have a set of freq's allocated for use by members.
The freq's are unique to each network and joining the network (fees vary but roughly 100 to 200 covers it or more if you want to use a lot of Radtel).

Once you subscribe to a Network they will issue a callsign to you and allow you to legally use those freq's
If you are in two or more networks you will have two or more network callsigns.

About the only thing that can becomes an issue is 'selcall' which is a code unique to your network and radio.
If you don't use selective calling then no probs at all.

I think I have about 90+ freq's on my Codan

If you have a Ham licence then you can have more frequencies again

[outback]

About the only thing that can becomes an issue is 'selcall' which is a code unique to your network and radio.
If you don't use selective calling then no probs at all.

Hmm.. something to consider possibly..



If you have a Ham licence then you can have more frequencies again

Not looking at hamming things up at the moment, but it has crossed my mind.

[the evil twin]

I haven't gotten involved with ham radio mainly 'cause I am so busy with other poo I don't have the time.

I found it difficult to make up my mind which network suited me but ended up with VKS737.
Good choice for me as I like the regular skeds and chatting to the operators etc and have never had any coverage issues so far.

I carry an Irridium Satphone for telephony purposes therefore I don't use Radtel to make phone calls.

[outback]

As it is I am running a satphone in the patrol, its just HF also provided that extra factor.
The ham thing always sound good but you need time to do the study etc and I don't have much of that.

VKS737 dose seem the most obvious. Also noticed on their site a bit about being with other clubs.

Still thinking on the matter. HF does not come cheap, nor does a satphone.

[the evil twin]

My used Codan NGT and Auto tune antenna set me back $2,000.
My used Irridium Phone cost me $200 and I pay $10 a month for a Sim but because of the cheap Sim the calls charges are expensive.

I found that both of them came in very handy when I had a breakdown near Docker river on my way to the Simmo Trip.

If I had to choose one or the other I would choose Satphone if I travelled often with others or HF if I usually travelled alone.
The reason being Satphone is point to point comms but HF is broadcast so another HF user might be quite close by.

[P4trol]

If you do go for one of those fancy codan autotune antenna tuners, consider this: they don't work upside down or after being beaten up in a roll-over.

A simple thing to do would be to also carry a long wire antenna (basically a length of wire, with the correct plug/ attachment for the radio) in this case, the long wire would need to be a tuned length for the frequency you intend on using in said emergency.

[the evil twin]

Good points you have raised there.

I would never mount an auto tuner on the Bull Bar for that reason.
Mine is as protected as I can possibly get it, so much so that the vehicle would be totalled

Long wire antennae are decievingly complex to get right so are often not a very viable option unless the type of long wire and its propogation pattern is understood.
IMHO in a dire emergency it is probably better carrying a spare multitap whip than a long wire.

[outback]

Good points you have raised there.

I would never mount an auto tuner on the Bull Bar for that reason.
Mine is as protected as I can possibly get it, so much so that the vehicle would be totalled

Long wire antennae are decievingly complex to get right so are often not a very viable option unless the type of long wire and its propogation pattern is understood.
IMHO in a dire emergency it is probably better carrying a spare multitap whip than a long wire.

Yes some good points raised as you say.
Long wire is something I use to do back in the days of 27 Mhz, but it is not simple.

As it is I will be approaching this slowly. I am still deciding on what I really need via HF considering I run a sat phone.

[the evil twin]

If you have a Sat Phone then I would suggest you won't ever use Radtel so the HF set would be more a social and information source.
Mine has a stack of ABC, Aussie Commercial AM, VOA and BBC freqs and 27 meg CB as well as the VKS, HFoz and RFDS comms freq's.
So cheapest network with a lot of members "outback" was what I looked for.

[GQ TANK]

The other issue with running the codan auto tune mounted on the bull bar - is they give the boys in blue another reason to write a ticket.

Evil twin - good price for the NGT - I have been paying round 4.5k for new units.

[Nightjar]

Member with VKS-737 and bought a new Barrett 550 more years ago than I can remember, still going strong.
The auto tune is mounted in a relatively protected position.
Snowy (RIP) was a welcome voice on skeds out of Sandstone.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s122/nightjar3/Autotune001.jpg (http://s151.photobucket.com/user/nightjar3/media/Autotune001.jpg.html)

[the evil twin]

The other issue with running the codan auto tune mounted on the bull bar - is they give the boys in blue another reason to write a ticket.

Evil twin - good price for the NGT - I have been paying round 4.5k for new units.

The newer Auto tunes are legal (less than 75mm width) but some models aren't.
Doesn't stop some police and Mermaids giving you a hard time tho.
Personally I hate anything in my line of sight so I don't even have whips on my Bar work

Swooped on my NGT like a Seagull on a Chip as soon as I spotted it in Gumtree.
As you say, $2000 is a darn good price for one with an Auto tuner and spare whips

I have the Tuner on my Ute in a similar position to Nightjar.
The best spot on Wagons is off the spare tyre mount or wheel carrier depending

[Ronin]

Any one you running APRS on HF ?

[the evil twin]

Any one you running APRS on HF ?

No, cobber, I'm not.

[TimE]

This is the bracket I made up to fit my 9350 Auto Tune antennae on the rear wheel swing away Kaymar carrier, large bit of angle shaped to bolt to the carrier and a "post" welded on to give support, works a treat.

...... and yes it is possible to have multiple Club frequencies installed, but you must be a member of the appropriate Club to use their licence for those frequencies. Receive only frequencies can be "self" programed (i.e. ABC Radio) on a 9323.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/timber93au/Image018.jpg (http://s8.photobucket.com/user/timber93au/media/Image018.jpg.html)

Another angle taken before painting.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/timber93au/Image013.jpg (http://s8.photobucket.com/user/timber93au/media/Image013.jpg.html)

[Agronaught]

Another option is to install a generic antenna tuner inside the rear door and use an appropriate length whip. I know one person who has fit a similar module inside the door on their prado.

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-927

[GQ TANK]

We mount the auto tune antennas on the back of the patrol - the brackets com out to the side of the spare tyre. The whip sets just above the roof line.

Codan do have a smaller auto tune antenna - but we have not been able to get one to test.

Make sure no one is within a meter of the antenna when you are transmitting, as the NGTS are rated at 100watts

[DLKE]

With the HF radio units, e.g. Codan, is it possible say join VKS-737 and HF Radio club and have both frequency sets in the unit?

)

Hello,
if u've the right hf radio u can type in every frequency you want. Or set many registers also with ur needed channels. hundreds and more...
But i think in the meantime u've choosen one.

73
Joe

[Ronin]

i similar mobile setup is on sale. Icom 7000 with a codan antenna.

http://www.vkclassifieds.net.au/category/408/Mobile/listings/2360/IC-7000-with-Codan-9350-and-antenna-interface.html