A place to find all kinds of links and assists

tower

Working 30M high on top of the Club transmission tower

 

The more I learn the more I want to share the knowledge so this page will attempt to bring together links and information

How to Navigate this page

The links above are to my own projects and hobbies. Yes, I like to make beer and ride motorcycles and my other hobby is Amateur Radio of course.
I'm active in my local Club and the Emergency Communications group called W.I.C.E.N.

I will continue to add items of interest to this page so if you're looking for some antennas or a fix for your Yaesu Handheld this could be the place for you.

Enjoy

Need an Emergency Dipole that's easy to build, carry & erect?

Let's start this conversation again.... are you looking for close-in HF communications.... like contacting nearby towns which are separated by substantial terrain and are usually in the dead 'skip zone' for radio comms?

Well this project may interest you.

It's ALL THANKS TO " A Lone Star Yank" Bob Hejl W2IK who shared his robust designs and encouragement

This is the link to VK4ION ENVIS Dipole Project - it was updated mid 2012 after a very successful exercise "Contact2012" which tested the antennas and equipment between isolated Queensland communities.



Having trouble with your YAESU VX-7R Handheld?

Are you having problems with your Yaesu Handheld? Here are a couple of .PDF files that may assist.

Many thanks to Mike Froehlich KB9JXZ for supplying the Service Manual so it would be uploaded for all to share

Here is a link to the Yaesu VX-7R Operations Manual this file is 4mb in size stored in a 'docs' area

and here is a link to the Yaesu VX-7R Service Manual be aware that this is an 8mb file stored in a 'docs' area

Even using WinZip this file would barely compress due to the intricate circuit diagrams I guess

My sad tale is...
I was fiddling about and got an EE (double E) message on the display.
Removed the battery to restart it but then found that the unit was deaf to Receiving NFM i.e. 2M & 70cm.
The unit would transmit OK and could even receive other frequencies like (WFM) FM broadcast stations.
Tried the factory reset and microprocessor reset but couldn't fix it so I sent it to Yaesu Australia (Vertex Standard) for repair.

There was a Service Work Order attached to the invoice with the following info:

Problem/Solution: Low sensitivity on Main band
Replaced CF2002 on the AF Unit

Parts Used: Stock Number: H3900531 **Part Number has changed see info below**
Item description: Ceramic Filter ALFYM450F

A double check from the manual reveals...

This second IF is filtered by ceramic filter CF2002 (ALFYM450F=k) and amplified by
the limiting amplifier within the Narrow IF IC before quadrate detection by ceramic
discriminator CD2001 (CDBM450C7).

**Last Updated April 2013**

Bill AC0LV sent the following; [2012 - Part Number changes at Yaesu]

I have a Yaesu VX-7R that had become deaf and based on what you wrote I ordered a ceramic filter (H3900531) from Yaesu USA.
The parts customer service guy said it has been replaced with H3900572A (LTM450FW-A) so hoping for the best I ordered 3 ($0.61 ea) +$1.95 shipping and 2 days later they showed up.
I just finished doing the replacement and the VX-7R can hear again!

Darren M0JUG also had this problem and emailed...

I decided to fire up my VX7r after about a year of it sitting on a shelf. I found it had gone deaf on the main VFO only. It had hardly been used and never abused.
A quick search on the internet and I found your page. I ordered the part (H3900572A, LTM455FW @ £0.69). Yaesu UK parts department are great.
I have just fitted the part, it wasn't too difficult to do, and my radio is now as good as new

 

Thanks for allowing me to share these emails guys... it will give confidence to people who might not otherwise try this at home.

Hoping this tech info will allow others to pinpoint and fix the problem quicker than I could.



Wireless Internet - need a Yagi to boost your BIGPOND NextG Internet?

Living in rural Queensland in Australia means that I'm quite a way from the nearest Wireless Internet tower.

There are many commercial antennas available but they can cost $200 to $500 and were very broad band to be "everything to everyone". What we needed was a Yagi just to intercept the frequency of our ISP.

This is a link to a homebrew Yagi project for the Bigpond Wireless Internet

It cost around $10 and was made from bits and pieces from the local hardware store.



Trying to be part of the solution - not part of the problem? Take your own SNACKS!

First responders know that it's important to be part of the solution and not part of the problem - and although we serve in radio comms behind the front lines it's important that we also observe that rule.

We do try and train our members to think Self-sufficiency when on duty - well for the first 24 hours anyway. Let's give the other services time to rock up and set up the mobile kitchens before we're demanding a meal. Let's not be the unit whose members turn up and immediately seek out the lunch truck or water bottle?

Below is a link to a recipe for healthy but more importantly energy giving snack bar which will replace a meal and give you the zip you need to keep trucking until meals can be provided.

fruitnut

I make no "health claims" about these bars and the final fat and calorie count WILL DEPEND on what YOU put in them....

 

But for what it's worth they're yummy and easy to make and keep for ages wrapped individually in the bottom of the fridge.

Just grab a handful when heading off to duty....

VK4ION Fruit & Nut Bar


WIA EMCOMM Training

The Wireless Institute of Australia has introduced a "Certificate II in Public Safety" training course for Amateur Radio Operators called EMCOMM.
The aim is to prepare volunteers with the minimum requirements to enter and serve within other Emergency and Welfare organisations.
The recent Queensland floods highlighted worry of having willing helpers without the experience and accredited training and courses such as this will fill a need when other agencies require additional hands.
I am an accredited trainer for this course on behalf of the WIA and their RTO and really enjoy delivering the four days of training sessions and workshops.