A little progress

I've finished studying for the general class exam, but have missed the last two exam dates. One because I forgot to bring my license to prove I already had technician status. I'm about to miss the next exam date as well because of scheduling conflicts. Oh well. I'm sure they won't quit giving exams anytime soon.

I have little progress with the fm handheld. I need new crystals that match the frequencies used in this area, but no one seems to have any or know where I can find any. I think I can have some made, but I have a little more head scratching to do before I will know all the specifications that the manufacturer wants. Here is what the current crystals look like.

The frequency of the crystal is stamped into the top end (not in picture). I don't know yet what the numbers visible in the picture mean.

I also have another mystery. Obviously someone has been inside this radio before and has wired in a black box. I have no idea what it does. It is wired to the transmit key and the antenna so I wonder if it is some kind of update transmit courtesy tones, but that is just a wild guess. Here are the insides of this old sr-145b. My mystery component is the black box on the left side with red and grey wires coming out of it.



I imagine I'll figure it out eventually, as time allows. The antenna for the HF rig almost blew out of the tree a few weeks ago, but now that is back up where it is supposed to be. I need some more feed line to get it exactly where I want it, but at least it isn't hanging down in the yard.

Hopefully before the year's end I'll be able to get that general class license and actually get on the air. The HF rig is the only radio I have working and there's not a lot of space on those bands for me to use with just the tech license without learning Morse code. That will come eventually, though. Not only do I want to learn it, but I'm being encouraged to learn it by my family.

Seems like there is never an end to the things I need to learn "right now" for one venture or another.

First amateur radio project

I am still studying for the general class amateur radio license. For one reason or another I haven't focused a whole lot of time on it. My time with the ARRL license manual is usually limited to the bus ride to and from work. There is an exam in town in a couple of weeks so I may pick up the pace. If I don't the next exam isn't for another month.

Until I get the next class of license I can't really make the best use of my dad's radio. It is an HF tranceiver and so use with my technician license is a bit limited as I haven't learned morse code yet. The one and only rig in our little "shack" is a Kenwood TS-440S with a PS-50 power supply. I have spent quite a bit of time with it, listening to the different bands and learning to use the controls.


Regardless of license class, I live 3 hours away from that radio. Until I move to a place where I can put up the antenna, I can't use it on a regular basis. To keep myself busy and learn more about radios in the process, I have picked up my first amateur radio project.


Among Dad's radio equipment, I found an old handheld. It is a Standard Communications SR-C145B with its charging stand and leather case. This radio is a 2 meter FM tranceiver. The project is to make this radio work again so that I can hit the repeater on the hill behind my apartment. From what I can gather, the radio was made in the mid-70's. I have no manual and can't find one online. The closest manual I can find seems to be an SR-C146A, but similar model numbers do not necessarily mean similar radios. I don't even know how to tell what frequency this thing is on.

The first step will be to replace the battery. Luckily the power needs are spelled out on the backside of the radio. After that I have no idea. Like I said... its my first project. I'll figure something out.

WA5AMB de KJ4ECE

Amateur radio was one of my dad's favorite hobbies. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you ask), he didn't get a lot of opportunity to use his radio over the last few years. With a lot of help from the Smith Chart Amateur Radio Society (K4OO), a ham radio club near our home, we got his HF tranceiver setup and an antenna strung in the trees in the backyard several months before he passed away. He wasn't able to transmit, but he did like to sit in there and listen as we tuned through the bands listening for other hams talking. I have a great deal of appreciation for Dad's fellow hams, Frank (W4FAL) and Bob (K4HA), who helped set up the HF rig and antenna. Frank also came to my dad's memorial service and spoke with my family.

Last weekend I took the technician level exam to get my own amateur radio license. I had been interested in the hobby when I was much younger. Dad would take me to the SWBTS station to watch and listen as he contacted people and had conversations through so much static I wondered how he knew there was anyone there at all. Now that we have his radio set up I thought it would be a good time to get my own license and see what I can do. I know I can't use many of the HF frequencies yet, but I'm half-way through the general class exam book already (the next license level that opens up more of the HF bands). Dad had an Amateur Extra class license (third and highest class) and I hope to get there eventually, too.

I think it will be a fun hobby even if I don't spend an immense amount of time with it. Sunshine is a school teacher and it may be fun to get some of her students interested in contacting people overseas by radio. There are even opportunities to talk to the astronauts on the ISS (with equipment I don't have yet, but it is possible). That is sure to be of interest to her science classes. There are also opportunities to help out in emergency situations when relief agencies need help with communications. I think that would be a good thing for church groups to get involved with as a way to serve the community.

In any case, I have my ham radio license now. Mom says that Dad would be proud of me. I look forward to sharing in something that he enjoyed so much. There is the opportunity for me to change my call sign to match his, but I'm not sure if that's what I'm going to do. I go back and forth and can't decide what I want to do about that.

I don't have to decide today so I won't. For now...

KJ4ECE clear.