Ham radios

[woodchip]

Might be a little too much to ask but I'd like to buy the Kenwood TS-890s from the Japan Ebay market. Only thing is the ts890s are made a little different there. The 80 meter band is chopped up and missing some band width. Anyone know how to correct this?

[Isaac]

Sorry, I did my best to look up this info myself and it so outside my lane I don't know where to begin. I went to chatgpt, but it was giving me instructions for modes the Kenwood TS-890s didn't actually have; I tried to verify what it was telling me.

edit:

Interesting tech, tho. Not a bad thing to have if all of our infrastructure was attacked and all cellphone and gps was taken out. This kind of thing would still work.

edit edit:

Just in case you were curious what Chatgpt said:

Sure, let's dive into it. Before we start, please note that modifying a transceiver like the Kenwood TS-890S may void the warranty and could potentially cause the radio to become non-compliant with local regulations for amateur radio operations. In some countries, this could potentially be against the law. Please consider these points before proceeding.

With that in mind, here is a general process on how one might expand the transmit capabilities of a Kenwood TS-890S, although the specific steps might vary depending on the precise version of the radio.

Access the Service Mode:

This is usually done by holding down a specific button (or combination of buttons) when turning on the radio. The precise button to hold down varies from model to model. In some radios, you might need to disconnect the power, hold down the button, and then reconnect the power while still holding down the button.

Adjust the Band Edges:

Once in the service mode, you should see a menu of various settings. You are looking for settings related to the transmit band edges. These are typically labeled something like "TX EDGE". There might be separate settings for each band and mode (e.g., SSB, CW, FM).

Exit the Service Mode:

After adjusting the band edge settings, you will need to exit the service mode. This is typically done by simply turning off the radio.

Again, these are very general instructions and might not apply exactly to your specific model of radio. It's strongly recommended to consult with a professional or at least a seasoned HAM radio operator if you're unsure about this process.

Please consider these potential issues:

You could permanently damage your radio if you make a mistake.
Transmitting outside of the amateur radio bands is illegal in many countries, and could result in severe penalties, including fines and loss of your amateur radio license.
If your modified radio causes interference with other devices or services, you could be held liable for that interference.
Therefore, you should only proceed if you're sure you know what you're doing, and you're aware of the potential consequences.

[woodchip]

Thanks Isaac, I decided to purchase here in states and get it so it's under warranty here and comes with the full band widths allowed here in states. Take the test in about 8 days to become licensed so hope I pass it. And you are right about a attack. There is a segment that have portable radios and antenna with solar chargeable batteries (look up ham radios and preppers. Thanks again.

[Isaac]

And you are right about a attack. There is a segment that have portable radios and antenna with solar chargeable batteries (look up ham radios and preppers.

Right now now I think we're closer to getting nuked than in any other point in our history. That's just my opinion, but I'd rather be a little prepared than not.

I think a solar cell with batteries is something good to get, even if it's a Harbor Freight kit.

I've been wanting to get something for the house, but those are NOT off-grid setups. The solar cell only works when your grid is on... which just makes solar cells useless when the grid is down. I understand the safety side of it. But I was thinking of buying used solar cells that go into a battery array that goes into an inverter that goes into a generator outlet, with a switch that's [Grid,Off,Generator]. That would be the ideal setup for me, but none of these solar companies sell it that way. I'd have to build my "Homer Simpson" version of what I want. But that's a different topic than ham radios.

Now if I could ditch batteries, which only have like a 5 year life-span, and go capacitor array...

[woodchip]

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?thread ... id.872493/
Might want to look at this to get a better idea.

[Isaac]

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?thread ... id.872493/
Might want to look at this to get a better idea.

What cross-section of fields: GIS, RF, Electrical engineering, and hiking. Looks like fun.

[woodchip]

Got my radio yesterday, fired it up and no signals. Turns out we are in a period of sunspots:

[Isaac]

Your radio can't also do CB and VHF frequencies, right?

[woodchip]

Your radio can't also do CB and VHF frequencies, right?

cb yes, vhf only 50-54 mMHz

[Isaac]

I'm reading those should still work in a sun storm. You should hear truckers communicating. VHF might be the most clear to hear during a sun storm.

[woodchip]

I'm reading those should still work in a sun storm. You should hear truckers communicating. VHF might be the most clear to hear during a sun storm.

might but hams communicate in 20 meter mostly or higher.