First Contact On Ham

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RoarinRow

Rank V
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Member III

2,771
Elk Grove, CA, USA
First Name
Rolando
Last Name
Nispiros
Member #

17011

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6JJS
Just happy to report that I made my first contact today. While I was making changes to my crossband settings I caught the tail end of two guys talking on the Nevada repeater. I asked for a radio check and they both responded.

Since I am Elk Grove I was pleasantly surprised to hear them so clearly. They said the same for my transmission quality. I should have asked where they where. But the closest repeater in Nevada is at least 150 miles away from me.

I’ve been monitoring on and off since June or so last year. Anyway just wanted to share my excitement.
 

M Rose

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Mod Team
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Advocate III

5,584
Northeast Oregon, United States
First Name
Michael
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Rose
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20990

Ham/GMRS Callsign
W7FSB
Service Branch
US ARMY Retired
Just happy to report that I made my first contact today. While I was making changes to my crossband settings I caught the tail end of two guys talking on the Nevada repeater. I asked for a radio check and they both responded.

Since I am Elk Grove I was pleasantly surprised to hear them so clearly. They said the same for my transmission quality. I should have asked where they where. But the closest repeater in Nevada is at least 150 miles away from me.

I’ve been monitoring on and off since June or so last year. Anyway just wanted to share my excitement.
Congratulations o. Your first contact...I remember my first DX contact very clearly... it’s addicting. Mine was 110 miles on 10w on 146.52 MHz.

The HF bands are opening up, I’m talking to Pueblo Colorado every night the past week on 80m. Propagation on 60m is very good into Antarctica right now... trying to get a station down there to respond to my calls.
 

RoarinRow

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,771
Elk Grove, CA, USA
First Name
Rolando
Last Name
Nispiros
Member #

17011

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6JJS
Congrats! Always fun to hear about someone getting their first QSO.
Thank you, yes it was exciting (in a manly way).

Congratulations o. Your first contact...I remember my first DX contact very clearly... it’s addicting. Mine was 110 miles on 10w on 146.52 MHz.

The HF bands are opening up, I’m talking to Pueblo Colorado every night the past week on 80m. Propagation on 60m is very good into Antarctica right now... trying to get a station down there to respond to my calls.
For sure addicting. More reason to setup a home base now lol.
 

M Rose

Local Expert
Mod Team
Member

Advocate III

5,584
Northeast Oregon, United States
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Rose
Member #

20990

Ham/GMRS Callsign
W7FSB
Service Branch
US ARMY Retired
Thank you, yes it was exciting (in a manly way).



For sure addicting. More reason to setup a home base now lol.
A home base will be a lot more efficient for trying to connect with other hams more local to you, as well as operating some long range DX as well. Currently I’m building a 2m Quad antenna to sit on my 28’ mast with the hopes of bouncing my signal off of the mountain to the east of me to get over the mountain to the west of me.
 
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RoarinRow

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,771
Elk Grove, CA, USA
First Name
Rolando
Last Name
Nispiros
Member #

17011

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6JJS
A home base will be a lot more efficient for trying to connect with other hams more local to you, as well as operating some long range DX as well. Currently I’m building a 2m Quad antenna to sit on my 28’ mast with the hopes of bouncing my signal off of the mountain to the east of me to get over the mountain to the west of me.
My hesitation thus far is setting up an antenna and cabling it in the house. Last thing I need is a hole in the wall that I don't know how to make safely. In my home office I sit next to a sliding door and no window. My outside walls are stucco. So another side topic for the future or more YouTube videos.

congrats on your contact! 73's
Thank you!
 
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J.W.

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Cincinnati
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J
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W
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My hesitation thus far is setting up an antenna and cabling it in the house. Last thing I need is a hole in the wall that I don't know how to make safely. In my home office I sit next to a sliding door and no window. My outside walls are stucco. So another side topic for the future or more YouTube videos.
Stick a 1/2 wave mag mount antenna on a large cookie sheet in the corner of the room. Boom, no holes in the wall. No, it's not going to be as good as an outside antenna but it will get you on the air and should hit any repeaters in your area.
 

RoarinRow

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,771
Elk Grove, CA, USA
First Name
Rolando
Last Name
Nispiros
Member #

17011

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6JJS
Stick a 1/2 wave mag mount antenna on a large cookie sheet in the corner of the room. Boom, no holes in the wall. No, it's not going to be as good as an outside antenna but it will get you on the air and should hit any repeaters in your area.
Ohhh thank you, I will look that up!
 

M Rose

Local Expert
Mod Team
Member

Advocate III

5,584
Northeast Oregon, United States
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Rose
Member #

20990

Ham/GMRS Callsign
W7FSB
Service Branch
US ARMY Retired
My hesitation thus far is setting up an antenna and cabling it in the house. Last thing I need is a hole in the wall that I don't know how to make safely. In my home office I sit next to a sliding door and no window. My outside walls are stucco. So another side topic for the future or more YouTube videos.



Thank you!
MFJ makes a window pass through bulkhead for coax... they aren’t cheap... and then the home brew method would be to take a bulk head so-239 connector and pass through a painted piece of plywood to go through the sliding window.
Then the way I did mine was used an 8” SO-239 bulkhead fitting and drilled a hole through the wall and filled the hole with calling before putting the fitting through the wall...
 

RoarinRow

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,771
Elk Grove, CA, USA
First Name
Rolando
Last Name
Nispiros
Member #

17011

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6JJS
MFJ makes a window pass through bulkhead for coax... they aren’t cheap... and then the home brew method would be to take a bulk head so-239 connector and pass through a painted piece of plywood to go through the sliding window.
Then the way I did mine was used an 8” SO-239 bulkhead fitting and drilled a hole through the wall and filled the hole with calling before putting the fitting through the wall...
Will this work as another option?

Amazon.com: Tram Amateur Dual Band Hi-Gain Hi-Power Magnet Antenna (11861): Sports & Outdoors
 
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M Rose

Local Expert
Mod Team
Member

Advocate III

5,584
Northeast Oregon, United States
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Rose
Member #

20990

Ham/GMRS Callsign
W7FSB
Service Branch
US ARMY Retired
Thank you I may give this a try…appreciate it.
Experiment with the placement of the antenna on the cookie sheet... I’m not sure if a cookie sheet would be big enough to make a difference or not... but to make a vertical antenna semi directional you put more radials on one side than the other... so moving the antenna around on the cookie sheet might have the same effect.
 
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RoarinRow

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,771
Elk Grove, CA, USA
First Name
Rolando
Last Name
Nispiros
Member #

17011

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6JJS
Experiment with the placement of the antenna on the cookie sheet... I’m not sure if a cookie sheet would be big enough to make a difference or not... but to make a vertical antenna semi directional you put more radials on one side than the other... so moving the antenna around on the cookie sheet might have the same effect.
Thank you. I will just need to install some kind of shelving where my desk is at and just make sure its wide enough to make adjustments on placements, etc.
 
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Sparksalot

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Bastrop County, TX, USA
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Drake
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Air Force
I have a 2meter J-pole made from TV twinlead hanging in the outermost corner of my office downstairs. It radiates well.

My roof has radiant barrier decking, so makes a great shield.
 
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RoarinRow

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,771
Elk Grove, CA, USA
First Name
Rolando
Last Name
Nispiros
Member #

17011

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6JJS
I have a 2meter J-pole made from TV twinlead hanging in the outermost corner of my office downstairs. It radiates well.

my roof have radiant barrier decking, so makes a great shield.
I'm guessing I'll need something like that... still keeping my eyes open..
 
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