BridgeCom Official Blog

September 9, 2016 Tim King

Receiver Desense Testing by Karl Shoemaker, AK2O From Repeater-Builder.com

Receiver desense testing by Karl Shoemaker, AK2O

Introduction

Due to the inability of certain people to communicate properly and understand all the aspects of site testing this page was created to read, compare notes and build on for the benefit of all. Human communication, comprehension and understanding problems is beyond the scope of this document, however the reader should keep these problems in mind when dealing with site issues and interfacing with other companies and government Agencies. Misunderstandings, bogus readings, log entries, technician and management diagnostics and plan of actions for problem solving are commonly mis-directed with considerable time and expense wasted in the wrong direction of efforts. This can lead to the general desensitation (pun intended) and poor attitude of the workforce in most any private company or government in the technical (repair) field around this country. Fortunately, there still is a handful of technicians that care to understand what the problem is and the proper way to solve, or at least, reduce the symptoms to an acceptable figure. If you are reading this it's most like you are in one of the latter. This is a good thing.

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August 3, 2016 Tim King

Analog and DMR Talk Together
Newsflash: The world is going digital! I know, I know, this is not really a revelation. We all carry around a smartphone, tablet or PC that communicates over digital LTE or Wifi. The two way radio is not much different...
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March 16, 2016 Tim King

MARCH 2016 MISSOURI SECTION ARRL NEWS

MARCH 2016 
MISSOURI SECTION NEWS
Cecil Higgins MO SM

           I want to thank all the volunteers that are continuing to
serve the ARRL Missouri Section in their appointed positions for the
Section. You are a great group and I really appreciate you all. 
         Don’t forget that the Missouri QSO Party, sponsored by the
Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society, will be April 2nd and 3rd. You
can check out all the information about the MOQP at the BEARS website
by using the link http://w0ma.org/index.php/missouri-qso-party.  Look
over the whole site and use the links about the rules and other
information that will prove quite valuable.

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January 7, 2016 Tim King

65 Great Things about Ham Radio by CQ Magazine
Clearly written by hams for hams. 65 great things about ham radio from CQ Magazine

1. It works when nothing else does
2. It makes you part of a worldwide community
3. The opportunity to help neighbors by providing public service and emergency communications
4. Some of the nicest people you'll ever meet
5. Some of the smartest people you'll ever meet
6. Some of the most interesting people you'll ever meet
7. Some of the most generous people you'll ever meet (along with some of the cheapest!)
8. Lifelong friendships
9. Friends around the world (including those you haven't met yet)
10. The opportunity to go interesting places you might not otherwise go to
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October 23, 2015 Tim King

New Ham: First Steps by KC HamLink
There are some important first steps that newly licensed operators in the KC Metro area can do to help them get off to the right start. These first steps are designed to get you on the air and help you get connected to other experienced hams in the area.

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September 14, 2015 Tim King

A Few New Ham Radio Podcasts By K0NR
I'm always looking for new information and resources. Today I came across K0NR's blog with links to audio podcasts that I really enjoyed. Please have a read and enjoy like I did! - Tim Listening to podcasts has been part of...
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July 28, 2015 Tim King

HAM-RADIO "TALKING POINTS" by Myron A. Calhoun, W0PBV
HAM-RADIO "TALKING POINTS":

1) Because it's shorter, we usually say "HAM" instead of "amateur radio". No one actually knows where the word "HAM" came from, but some of us think it might stand for "Hardly Any Money"!-)

2) Speaking of MONEY, it costs CONSIDERABLY LESS to be a HAM than it does to have a cellphone:

* HAM-license study materials are available on the Internet

* It costs about $15 to take the test

* It costs less than $30 for a dual-band VHF/UHF "handi-talkie" radio from Amazon.com or eBay.com

* On the other hand, if you have gobs of money, you can spend it in HAM radio ... just as you can spend gobs of money on other hobbies (fancy cars/boats/airplanes, golf clubs, horses, home-entertainment systems, giant-screen TV's, ....) [FWIW, while I have owned and still own more-expensive radios, I paid $200 in 1975 (about $800 in today's inflated greenies) for my favorite HAM rig, a Ten-Tec Triton IV (aka Model 540) which is still going strong!]

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July 21, 2015 Tim King

The Rain Report: Hap Holly Interviews BridgeCom Founder Ron Kochanowicz
BridgeCom Systems founder and chief engineer, Ron Kochanowicz, was asked questions for the Rain Report at 2015 Dayton Hamvention. Here is the audio from the Rain Report interview, inside the Rain Booth with Hap Holly, KC9RP. You can also visit, www.therainreport.com, for...
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June 19, 2015 Tim King

FM Repeaters – An Introduction

Article by Stu Turner, WØSTU

Operating on VHF/UHF FM repeaters is one of the most popular activities in amateur radio. For the new ham, FM repeater ops are often the first and most common on-air experiences, but accessing repeaters also represents a significant initial vexation for the new ham to overcome. Mastering the integrated concepts of frequency pairs, tones or other squelch methods, transceiver channel programming, and repeater on-air protocols is the first significant operational challenge that many hams will encounter in their new hobby.

This article introduces fundamental concepts of FM repeater operations for the new ham and depicts a high level view of typical FM phone repeater anatomy and functioning. The goal is to demystify repeaters and help the newly licensed Technician overcome any initial bewilderment about repeaters. Let’s get off to a great start in ham radio with solid footing in repeaters!

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