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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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  • FM Repeaters – An Introduction
    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.

    BCR Repeater Installs

    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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  • Why 220 MHz for Amateur Ham Radio, V2.0?
    June 19, 2015 Ron Kochanowicz

    Why 220 MHz for Amateur Ham Radio, V2.0?

    220 MHz amateur radio boasts of a long and colorful history, affording it a special place in the hearts of amateur radio enthusiasts. 

    Conceptually, amateur radio repeaters are not too different from public safety devices (fire, first response, police) or those in use at federal, business or military services. However, they are often assembled (power supplies, transmitter, receivers, antenna etc.) or commercially packaged to operate only within amateur RF (radio frequency) bands, like 222-224.995 220 MHz band.

    History

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved VHF bands as early as 1938, one of them being 1.25 meters (224 MHz) band. Amateur radio activity spiked rapidly in 1960s and 1970s, as 2m and 70cm bands swiftly rose to prominence in the hobby. The commercial spectrum of the VHF and UHF bands became the backbone of emergency service communications like police, fire and ems. The 1.25m band however, escaped the commercial popularity - partly due to lack of enough commercial frequency allocations. Add to it, commercial radio equipment for the band has been scarce. Amateurs willing to go live on this band have had to build their own equipment or buy specialized amateur radio equipment from designated manufacturers.

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  • June 13, 2015 Tim King

    Make a BridgeCom Repeater a D-Star Repeater

    BridgeCom BCR Repeater with D-Star modemYes... We've successfully interfaced our BCR repeater with a GMSK modem (D-Star)... the DV RPTR V1 and it works great!
    Here's a quick road to victory for getting a BCR Repeater going with DSTAR.  Yes... the BCR Repeater works fabulous with DSTAR!

    Purchase one of these for each repeater: DVRPTR V1
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  • Duplexer and Repeaters: Basic Information
    May 21, 2015 Tim King

    Duplexer and Repeaters: Basic Information

    Duplexers and Repeaters Some Basic Information BY ROBERT A. LEHNING*, WA2YSJ All across the country there are many amateur repeate  stations operating on 2 meters, 220  and 440 MHz, and to some extent on 1.2 GHz.  Several  modes of operating such as FM, ATV, and packet (digital) have also become...

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  • May 1, 2015 Tim King

    BridgeCom Systems New Site adds a Shop!

    Smithville, MO – BridgeCom Systems, Inc is proud to announce the launch of their new website, www.BridgeComSystems.com. The new website will have very functional design and layout with easy access to all of the content. It will feature a BridgeCom...

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  • April 16, 2015 Ron Kochanowicz

    Radio over IP - What is it?

    ROIP Radio over Internet Protocol (RoIP) is a two-way communication method which involves trans-reception of radio communication signals over internet protocol (IP). Cost effective and power efficient, RoIP essentially leverages the same communication principles as that of VoIP but requires...

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