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**s/v Jedi** · 28-05-2009, 21:19

Cheechako: you have your HAM license but not the true soul of a HAM or you wouldn't call your radio "just another tool". Cruisers who are HAM's often only want the license to participate on some maritime HAM nets and do winlink, indeed making the radio just a tool (nothing wrong with that). True HAM's tinker their radio's and call CQ's on calculated times and frequencies, hoping to make DX contacts and log every one of them. They also talk to the radio, not just through it. That's the difference ;-)

My coolest contacts were all made from Curacao; with Moskow, Tokyo and New Zealand. I also liked the contact with Havanna, Porto, and Chile. And, being a Dutchman, I made winlink contacts with the Dutch station ;-)

ciao!
Nick.

**GordMay** · 29-05-2009, 01:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Only a bunch of HAMs could create this much diatribe around a simple question....

I trust you're intending the archaic definition of "diatribe", and not the more modern (suggesting bitterness and ill will).
BTW, I've never been a HAM, nor owned an SSB.

Cheechako · 29-05-2009, 08:54

Gee..... I figured I would get a lot more negative comments from mine! Yes I know what Hams do, tinker, have ham fests, send each other contact acknowledgments etc. All of which is really fun. Personally, I'm into Vacuum tube rigs and work on something with a vacuum tube at least 3 nights a week. I still maintain that in the context of this forum ....it is a tool. Peace...... and may the sunspots (not) be with you!

Hollen · 29-05-2009, 21:22

Unbusted67
I hope I won’t spoil everyone’s fun by answering the questions you have about your 706MKIIG radio, but; push the "TUNE" button near the lower left hand corner of the rig. If it stays red, your radio is not only getting out but you will know your AH-4 tuner is working and your whole rig is working fine. If it blinks or goes out you have other problems. If you want more information (about everything boating, cruising and your radio), go see Downwind Marine in SD. It is a Wonderland of information, especially about going south.
Also, (wanting to keep this diatribe going) you can tune your ICOM to 156.600 (I think that is the one) and listen in to Channel 16 (and the whole VHF Band). Your Icom works great as an alternative to your marine VHF (it puts out 50W). Wow, that should get them going again!

unbusted67 · 30-05-2009, 01:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollen

Unbusted67
If it stays red, your radio is not only getting out but you will know your AH-4 tuner is working and your whole rig is working fine. If it blinks or goes out you have other problems. If you want more information (about everything boating, cruising and your radio), go see Downwind Marine in SD. It is a Wonderland of information, especially about going south.
Also, (wanting to keep this diatribe going) you can tune your ICOM to 156.600 (I think that is the one) and listen in to Channel 16 (and the whole VHF Band). Your Icom works great as an alternative to your marine VHF (it puts out 50W). Wow, that should get them going again!

Thanks, I have tried pressing and holding the tune button and it does blink and not light up solidly, I'll save everyone the trouble of asking what's going on with that and try to trouble shoot it myself.

I actually tried to tune into 16 and monitored it on my VHF to see if both radios were getting the same thing. What I noticed was that my Icom was actually shifting from rx to tx and back and that I could here it broadcasting on the vhf (not good) (and illegal) I promptly turned it off and started this thread because I was afraid. I think I will head to downwind and see if I can tap that resource. I think part of the problem is that someone else installed this radio so I don't know what is what.

What exactly does the AH-4 do anyway?

**s/v Jedi** · 30-05-2009, 06:55

Unbusted: you have three antenna connectors on the back of the radio. You must connect a VHF antenna to use the marine VHF band. I think the radio is trying to sense an antenna (the reason you see it alternating between tx and rx).
The 3rd connector is for an UHF antenna (440 MHz) but you would use that only for HAM. You can buy combo VHF-UHF antenna's and an antenna multiplexer to connect that single antenna to both VHF & UHF connectors.

The AH-4 is connected to the HF antenna connector and it tunes your antenna to the selected frequency on your radio. (The HF bands are too far apart for the antenna to cover all that without the tuner).

cheers,
Nick.

btrayfors · 30-05-2009, 07:17

Nick,

As is becoming your style, you're only partly right.

The 706MKIIG has only TWO antenna connectors (SO-239); one is for HF, the second is for both VHF and UHF.

Bill

anjou · 30-05-2009, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Sorry if some of the above doesn't track well....just getting over a 2-week bout with the flu...and I'm not tracking too well myself :-)

Bill

Haha, did you catch swine flu from a ham radio?

I only popped into this thread because i know nothing about radio and im learning lots already.

Thanks guys for the patience and skill to explain, .........sadly, i still dont get it all and need to read more

**s/v Jedi** · 30-05-2009, 14:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Nick,

As is becoming your style, you're only partly right.

The 706MKIIG has only TWO antenna connectors (SO-239); one is for HF, the second is for both VHF and UHF.

Bill

Yep, you're right. The question is which other radio I was mixed up with...

But still I think I helped the OP as it is that 2nd connector that probably doesn't have an antenna connected and which is used for both VHF & UHF.

cheers,
Nick.

unbusted67 · 30-05-2009, 16:11

Should we have that other antenna if we want to get the most from our radio?

btrayfors · 30-05-2009, 17:38

All depends on what you want to do. If you want to work VHF and/or UHF stations, then you MUST have another suitable antenna connected to the second SO-239 (the lower one). But, if you don't care about VHF/UHF contacts, then you don't need the antenna.

BTW, while the 706 might be capable of transmitting on, e.g., the VHF marine band, it is illegal to use it this way. It's only for use on the ham bands. You can listen, though :-)

Bill

Beausoleil · 01-06-2009, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by btrayfors

BTW, while the 706 might be capable of transmitting on, e.g., the VHF marine band, it is illegal to use it this way. It's only for use on the ham bands. You can listen, though :-)

Bill

Which brings up a good point - is unbusted67's Icom 706 opened up for marine HF transmit capability?

And yes, I know - when you "open up" a 706, it's opened for any and all bands beyond the ham bands - not just the marine bands... How do I know this?

Because I opened up my 706 so I could access the 60m channelized band. That's legal. Using it in lieu of a marine SSB radio for normal traffic on the marine bands is not...