985 Workbench: 2026-03-02

My Week in Radio

  • wire down when i got home from vacation, so I got to throw it again
    • threw it again with pulley and halyard: 42 ft
  • built a T2LT flowerpot antenna on PVC pipe and pulled into a tree
    • replaced a slim jim built from ladder line

Others

  • KN3I, John:
    • crowbar circuits to add to old power supplies to recover them
  • W3MFB, Mike:
    • testing some 10M radios to get them back in service
  • W3KZG, Scott:
    • working on some radios for 985-ers
  • KC3RFG, Jim:
    • repairing his fan dipole in good weather
      • replaced balun
      • trouble tuning it after reinstall
      • check the coax and MFJ lightning surge protector: water infiltrated
      • back in operation
      • tested with rooster net on 75M
  • NA3CW, Chuck:
    • AWA PMAM net, hosted pre-net and regular net, 13 check-ins.
  • KD3EMS, Chris:
    • providence, ri over the weekend with family stuff
      • participated in 2 local nets
  • KA3GLI, Dave:
    • starting echolink for upcoming travel
  • WA3KFT, John:
    • helped a friend take down a broken titan antenna
  • KC3OOK, Bill:
    • simplex net, and welfare net
    • pulled power into the shack sub panel
  • KB3ZIM, Bob:
    • a little HF, chasing POTA activators
    • got a QSL card in the mail from a POTA activator
  • KD3AEL, Joey:
    • new tech operator in Gap
    • participating with W3RRR welfare net

Questions

  • KD3AEL, Joey:
    • When the repeater is quiet, how do you announce your presence on a repeater?
    • KB3ZIM, Bob:
      • listening”
      • maybe a couple times
      • operate, operate, operate
    • KC3OOK, Bill:
      • when you do call, wait a minute or 2 for people to get to the radio
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • don’t just hit and run, wait a few minutes
    • NA3CW, Chuck:
      • don’t hit and run, patience
    • W3MFB, Mike:
      • say your call nice and slow
    • W3GMS, Joe:
      • Welcome Joey
      • check out the website
      • find the round table as well
      • get the audio gain up: swallow the mic
    • WA3VEE, Ron:
      • on qrz.com, add your email, so we can email you
    • WA3KFT, John:
      • get on the air and practice
    • KD3AEL, Joey:
      • Thank you for the warm welcome
      • looking forward to getting outside with the radio
  • WA3VEE, Ron:
    • Preparing a talk for Pottstown: “Ham Radio Tall Tails, Old Wives Tails, Folklore, Myths, and Debunking Them” Share
    • W8CRW, CR: “Ham radio, do people still do that?”
    • W3KZG, Scott: “What’s the big antenna for? do you talk to aliens?”
    • KB3ZIM, Bob: “All you need is a low SWR.”
    • KD3AEL, Joey: “Ham radio, that’s just like CB?”
    • KC3RFG, Jim: “A perfect 1:1 SWR means your antenna is resonant”
    • W3MFB, Mike: Pottstown has lots of CB-ers switched to ham.
      • “Are you a federal agent?”
    • NA3CW, Chuck: “Ham radio is too expensive”
    • WA3KFT, John: “What do you mean ‘dip the plate’?”
    • NA3CW, Chuck: “this tiny HF antenna is just as good as a halfwave dipole”
    • KD3EE, John: “This is the last HT I’m going to buy”
    • KD3AEL, Joey: “Now that we have cell phones, there’s no need for radio”
    • AF3Z, Jim: “They still use Morse Code?”
    • W3KZG, Scott: “Ham radio people are preppers”

See also