On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 15:07:49 -0700, Tim Wescott
wrote:

Did you ever get an adequate answer to your original question, before we
got distracted by world politics? My newest radio is nearly 20 years
old, or I'd have helped you out myself.

The problem is that what he had asked for, continuous tx coverage for
"approximately 60 MHZ thru 500 MHZ", would be technically difficult,
and thoroughly illegal for amateurs.

That would cover from (almost) the 6 meter band, through all of VHF
and all of UHF, including a variety of licensed services, public
service, business bands, marine bands, , aircraft bands, amateur
bands, restricted military bands, etc.

Not sure whether FM is sufficient for what he wants either, or if he
needs multiple modes, making for more complexity and $$.

No company is going to make a radio which is illegal to own or use for
most of the country.

There are a few handheld models, such as the Yaesu VX-7, which are
capable of RX on most of the bands and modes he wants, and TX on 3 or
4 amateur bands (plus the MARS/CAP frequencies next to them).

Looking at getting his people licensed as amateur operators, then
MARS/CAP certified to mod their radios, might meet most of his
requirements.

He would still need to check legalities with the FCC on using amateur
bands for this purpose. Not clear to me either way.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 22:25:31 GMT, Gary S. Idontwantspam@net wrote:

The problem is that what he had asked for, continuous tx coverage for
"approximately 60 MHZ thru 500 MHZ", would be technically difficult,
and thoroughly illegal for amateurs.

One reason that we have broad band power amplifiers for the 1-30 MHz
range is that we have transistors with sufficient ( 10) _current_
gains at the highest operating frequency (i.e. the transistor fT is at
least 300 MHz).

To reach 500 MHz operating frequency, the fT would have to be
somewhere close to 5 GHz, which is available at low power levels ( 1
W), but not with significant power levels.

It should be noted that even if there is no _current_ gain above the
fT frequency, there might still be some _voltage_ gain (and hence
_power_ gain) above transistor fT, especially when tuned loads are
used. This is why you can build VHF/UHF amplifiers for a limited
frequency range with considerable power output.

Paul OH3LWR

Gary S. wrote:

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 15:07:49 -0700, Tim Wescott
wrote:


Did you ever get an adequate answer to your original question, before we
got distracted by world politics? My newest radio is nearly 20 years
old, or I'd have helped you out myself.


The problem is that what he had asked for, continuous tx coverage for
"approximately 60 MHZ thru 500 MHZ", would be technically difficult,
and thoroughly illegal for amateurs.

That would cover from (almost) the 6 meter band, through all of VHF
and all of UHF, including a variety of licensed services, public
service, business bands, marine bands, , aircraft bands, amateur
bands, restricted military bands, etc.

Not sure whether FM is sufficient for what he wants either, or if he
needs multiple modes, making for more complexity and $$.

No company is going to make a radio which is illegal to own or use for
most of the country.

There are a few handheld models, such as the Yaesu VX-7, which are
capable of RX on most of the bands and modes he wants, and TX on 3 or
4 amateur bands (plus the MARS/CAP frequencies next to them).

Looking at getting his people licensed as amateur operators, then
MARS/CAP certified to mod their radios, might meet most of his
requirements.

He would still need to check legalities with the FCC on using amateur
bands for this purpose. Not clear to me either way.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

Please check your rule book.

There's nothing wrong with an amateur _owning_ a piece of equipment
capable of transmitting on all those frequencies, it's just not OK for
us to actually do it.

I read a QST article recently (I think in the July issue). Civilians
must be amateur radio operators to use the MARS frequencies, but
military operators need only the approval of their CO.

But you're right in that there isn't a continuous coverage transceiver.
There are both base and handheld units that will cover the various
bands (probably with separate final amps in the transmitters).

--

Tim Wescott, KG7LI

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 16:38:32 -0700, Tim Wescott
wrote:

Gary S. wrote:

The problem is that what he had asked for, continuous tx coverage for
"approximately 60 MHZ thru 500 MHZ", would be technically difficult,
and thoroughly illegal for amateurs.

That would cover from (almost) the 6 meter band, through all of VHF
and all of UHF, including a variety of licensed services, public
service, business bands, marine bands, , aircraft bands, amateur
bands, restricted military bands, etc.

Not sure whether FM is sufficient for what he wants either, or if he
needs multiple modes, making for more complexity and $$.

No company is going to make a radio which is illegal to own or use for
most of the country.

There are a few handheld models, such as the Yaesu VX-7, which are
capable of RX on most of the bands and modes he wants, and TX on 3 or
4 amateur bands (plus the MARS/CAP frequencies next to them).

Looking at getting his people licensed as amateur operators, then
MARS/CAP certified to mod their radios, might meet most of his
requirements.

He would still need to check legalities with the FCC on using amateur
bands for this purpose. Not clear to me either way.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)

Please check your rule book.

There's nothing wrong with an amateur _owning_ a piece of equipment
capable of transmitting on all those frequencies, it's just not OK for
us to actually do it.

Subtle. Could be interpreted as the intent to do so, without a
legitimate reason to have it.

Try to buy some lockpicks.

I read a QST article recently (I think in the July issue). Civilians
must be amateur radio operators to use the MARS frequencies, but
military operators need only the approval of their CO.

I hadn't known about the military side of that. He had mentioned these
were for civilians working with them, so I don't think the military
permission would cover them.

But you're right in that there isn't a continuous coverage transceiver.
There are both base and handheld units that will cover the various
bands (probably with separate final amps in the transmitters).

DC to daylight, all modes. And under $100.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

Gary S. Idontwantspam@net wrote:
On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 16:38:32 -0700, Tim Wescott
wrote:

There's nothing wrong with an amateur _owning_ a piece of equipment
capable of transmitting on all those frequencies, it's just not OK for
us to actually do it.

Subtle. Could be interpreted as the intent to do so, without a
legitimate reason to have it.

Try again?

The "justice system" will make whatever interpretations it finds
convenient; ditto for the FCC. But then they've got to justify those
interpretations and the conclusions they draw from them.

I'm not a ham at the moment: my Novice ticket expired in 1964. I own
an Icom 751 transceiver, and intend to use it. That is, I intend to
use it _legally_, after I get a General ticket. But I'm not a ham now,
and I do intend to use the transceiver to transmit. Care to turn _me_
in? On what grounds?

Try to buy some lockpicks.

Lockpicks?

Easy, here in central Oklahoma: I walked into the locksmith's shop
nearby, and ordered two sets: one for work and one for home. I'm
the Officially-Designated Lock-Picker at work: open desks, doors,
file cabinets, and cars on legitimate request. Most recently I got
into a car that some idjit had left running and locked with the keys
inside, in the middle of one of our parking lots, blocking the only
entrance/exit.

I don't travel with my own set, lest some overzealous police type
decide that I'm equipped with the picks to use as burglar tools, but
I do open houses, desks, file cabinets, and cars for friends in the
area -- again, after being _sure_ that it's a legitimate request.

--
Mike Andrews

Tired old sysadmin

Mike Andrews wrote:

Gary S. Idontwantspam@net wrote:

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 16:38:32 -0700, Tim Wescott
wrote:


There's nothing wrong with an amateur _owning_ a piece of equipment
capable of transmitting on all those frequencies, it's just not OK for
us to actually do it.


Subtle. Could be interpreted as the intent to do so, without a
legitimate reason to have it.


Try again?

The "justice system" will make whatever interpretations it finds
convenient; ditto for the FCC. But then they've got to justify those
interpretations and the conclusions they draw from them.

I'm not a ham at the moment: my Novice ticket expired in 1964. I own
an Icom 751 transceiver, and intend to use it. That is, I intend to
use it _legally_, after I get a General ticket. But I'm not a ham now,
and I do intend to use the transceiver to transmit. Care to turn _me_
in? On what grounds?


Try to buy some lockpicks.


Lockpicks?

Easy, here in central Oklahoma: I walked into the locksmith's shop
nearby, and ordered two sets: one for work and one for home. I'm
the Officially-Designated Lock-Picker at work: open desks, doors,
file cabinets, and cars on legitimate request. Most recently I got
into a car that some idjit had left running and locked with the keys
inside, in the middle of one of our parking lots, blocking the only
entrance/exit.

I don't travel with my own set, lest some overzealous police type
decide that I'm equipped with the picks to use as burglar tools, but
I do open houses, desks, file cabinets, and cars for friends in the
area -- again, after being _sure_ that it's a legitimate request.

Good luck on your ticket -- you do know that if you pass the
technician's and the code test you can do code, and a bit of SSB on 10
meters?

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Good luck on your ticket -- you do know that if you pass the
technician's and the code test you can do code, and a bit of SSB on 10
meters?


Actually, if he passes the Tech, all he has to do is prove he held a Novice
ticket in 1964 and he can be issued credit for the code. Then all he needs to
pass is the written exam to upgrade to General.

Mike Andrews wrote:

I'm the Officially-Designated Lock-Picker at work

[...]

Mike Andrews

Tired old sysadmin

Somehow, those two jobs do seem to go together...


--
73 from Ian G3SEK