Ham Radio

1/08 I am finally getting more time to look at this thing. I quit the 2nd job!

8/07 - busy busy... I look at the Kenwood from time to time, just have not gotten into it yet.

1/14/07 - Software Defined Radio

01/07 - I got my first radio, it's a Kenwood TH-F6A. Initial comments: The wall wart power supply looks like something from 1970. It's bigger than the radio. The radio works, it took a few hours to get the hang of the controls.

I powered it up just in time to listen in on the local ARES net. NOther than that so far there don't seem to be any people talking around here. :-) I probably listen in the wrong places.

I can hear lots of AM, FM, and TV stations. No shortwave.

11/06 - I got my Technician license.

TH-F6A

I realized I want to program the scanner with repeater frequencies etc. and what a pain it is to do by hand. I am getting a programming cable.

Build your own programming cable: http://www.geocities.com/azkoza/projects/pg4p/g71cable.html

(I bought mine from Ebay for $14 including shipping.)

Wiring on the cable http://www.radioctl.com/pics/THF6F7Cable_1_en.gif

"Radio Control" software that goes with the cable diagram.

Kenwood's software

Review of Kenwood's software http://k0swi.microlnk.com/REVIEW/KW/KW_THF6A/KENWOOD%20MCP%20F6%20F7%20SOFTWARE.htm

This guy has an interesting page on the TH-F6A. http://www.brenemanlabs.com/Thf6a.htm

Documentation http://www.ham.dmz.ro/kenwood/th-f6a.php

Links

http://www.qsl.net/n9zia/ Lots of interesting stuff for beginners like me.