An antenna out the window will do wonders. With a Radio Shack DX 398 and its
rollup antenna I am able to pick up many major SW stations.

The rollup extends to 23 feet to the nearest support -- in my case a palm
tree.

A wire would do just as well.

--
Lamont Cranston

The Shadow Knows
"Corwin, Prince of Amber" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 06:01:20 GMT, "Corwin, Prince of Amber"
wrote:

All right. I get the idea. Thanks. My radio is up at my house in
the Pocono Mountains, PA, not where I live here in NYC, so I suppose
I'll buy an antenna (good grief, not I've got to figure *that* out!)
and see if I can hear anyone talking. If I get reception I'll put in
the time and effort to understand what I'm doing. Thanks again. I'll
let you know if I succeed.

I never even considered leaving the radio here in my apartment. You
can't just stick the antenna out an open window and expect to get
results, right, or can you . . ?

Rick Bryan
New York, NY

"Corwin, Prince of Amber" wrote in message
...
New user. I know I may (hopefully not) get 9 angry replies and 1 who
understands my ignorance and will provide an articulate reponse, but
I'll take my chances.

So what if I invent my call sign, learn the lingo, and start using my
2M radio without jumping through all the hoops to get licensed. Does
anyone *really* care? Is 'big brother' really going to bust through
my front door with a SWAT team? Of the 1+ million HAM operators, how
many are actually fined each year for doing what I'm considering?

If I stick with it instead of packing the radio up and putting it next
to my photography equipment, I will get licensed, I promise.

Also, even if I *really do* need a license to transmit, I don't need a
license to turn the radio on and listen, do I?

Rick Bryan
New York, NY



You do not need a license to listen.
As far as transmitting, all I can say is that I have been running a
station for 25 years with no license and no one has figured it out yet.
I don't mean to sound rude here but the fact is that hams are a socially
challenged lot with no real social skills. Regardless of what
they tell you on this NG, they are so deprived of people to talk to that
they don't
care if you're licensed or not.
Just be sure to obay the rules and don't be an asshole on the airways.
If you can do those things, you will never be turned in.
As I said, I have been doing it for a very long time and have had no
problems.
Just enjoy yourself and learn.

"Corwin, Prince of Amber" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 06:01:20 GMT, "Corwin, Prince of Amber"
wrote:

All right. I get the idea. Thanks. My radio is up at my house in
the Pocono Mountains, PA, not where I live here in NYC, so I suppose
I'll buy an antenna (good grief, not I've got to figure *that* out!)
and see if I can hear anyone talking. If I get reception I'll put in
the time and effort to understand what I'm doing. Thanks again. I'll
let you know if I succeed.

I never even considered leaving the radio here in my apartment. You
can't just stick the antenna out an open window and expect to get
results, right, or can you . . ?

Absolutly you can.

"Corwin, Prince of Amber" wrote in message . ..
New user. I know I may (hopefully not) get 9 angry replies and 1 who
understands my ignorance and will provide an articulate reponse, but
I'll take my chances.

So what if I invent my call sign, learn the lingo, and start using my
2M radio without jumping through all the hoops to get licensed. Does
anyone *really* care? Is 'big brother' really going to bust through
my front door with a SWAT team? Of the 1+ million HAM operators, how
many are actually fined each year for doing what I'm considering?

If I stick with it instead of packing the radio up and putting it next
to my photography equipment, I will get licensed, I promise.

Also, even if I *really do* need a license to transmit, I don't need a
license to turn the radio on and listen, do I?

Rick Bryan
New York, NY



Please don't take offense, but you will almost certainly be found out
very soon. While the lingo is not all that hard, it is hard to sound
convincing.
At best you will be labeled a LID, at worst the local hams might
decide
to use you as the fox in a RDF hunt. Given that a normal fox hunt has
rather
low powered txs, in difficult locations and run very short bursts, to
RDF a
person engaged in normal conversation is, as the computer gurus say,
"a trivial
task". Even with no special equipment, meaning no fancy Yagis, I have
tracked down ham friends just for grins.
Given that it will cost you less then $10, and, at most a few days of
study,
why run the risk. I would worry a lot more about a local cop, who
might well be a ham, deciding to bust you for having a radio that will
receive "police comms".
While real hams are imune, you would be fair game. Big fine, plus the
chance of real jail time.
Terry

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 16:15:04 -0600, JJ
wrote:

Bill E wrote:

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:32:59 -0600, JJ
wrote:


Also, even if I *really do* need a license to transmit, I don't need a
license to turn the radio on and listen, do I?

You do not need a license to just listen.


This is not exactly true. The FCC is currently considering a
requirement for a "listener" license. The ruling is related to the
new Patriot Act and says:

Article 10:2:3a The requirement of said radio operator to be
licensed in hereto state of operation for receiving Ham bands.

See also this link: www.us.gov/radioreq/lic/listener

Regards

I doubt that will ever fly, but until if/when it ever does I stand by my
statement which is exactly true, you do not need a license to listen to
the ham bands or any sw bands. I could not get the link to work.

Here's your sign.

"JJ" wrote:

(snip) No one is going to bust through your
front door, but the hams, who will uncover
you sharade rather quickly, will file a report
with the FCC and you will get one of those
letters wanting to know why you are
transmitting on the ham bands without a license
and to continue doing so can result in a hefty
fine. (snip)


Most non-hams would probably be amazed at how much effort the FCC has put
towards making the Amateur radio service effective at self-policing,
including guidelines on locating & identifying the offending party
(rdf/foxhunting), evidence gathering (times, frequencies, tape recordings,
and so on), reporting procedures, attending ham activities to encourage
cooperation, and more. Ham operators have access to a massive amount of
frequecies, spread across the entire radio spectrum. They also have great
liberty in the technology that can be used. As such, the FCC takes this
radio service seriously and expects the operators to do the same.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/

In article , "coustanis"
writes:

Subject: Excuse me. Do you *really* need a license?
From: "coustanis"
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 21:15:08 -0400


"Corwin, Prince of Amber" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 06:01:20 GMT, "Corwin, Prince of Amber"
wrote:

All right. I get the idea. Thanks. My radio is up at my house in
the Pocono Mountains, PA, not where I live here in NYC, so I suppose
I'll buy an antenna (good grief, not I've got to figure *that* out!)
and see if I can hear anyone talking. If I get reception I'll put in
the time and effort to understand what I'm doing. Thanks again. I'll
let you know if I succeed.

I never even considered leaving the radio here in my apartment. You
can't just stick the antenna out an open window and expect to get
results, right, or can you . . ?

Absolutly you can.


Stealth Apartment Antenna design & construction procedures..
__________________________________________________ ______

MATERIALS

Some Stranded, Insulated copper wire from Radio shack
Colors so it matches the bricks / outside of your building

Some stick-on Cord holders
One tube clear Silicone sealer glue
One black magic marker

A roll of Duct tape color of outside of apt.

One Mop
One piece of twine or string.
One Small soft edged weight.

PROCEDU

See how far it is in between two windows of your Apt..

Measure out a piece of string this distance + ~ 6 - 8 feet.
Attach a small soft edged weight to it.

( Look Outside to see no one is looking !! )

Secure curious household pets

Open Both Windows.
Insert mop part way out one]
Close that window to secure mop handle

Run over to the other window QUICK!
Take the twine with the weight on it & (without risking life & limb)
Toss the string over the mop sticking out the other window.
Secure the end of that end of the string with a bit of slack
Close that window
Run over to the other window with the mop that has the twine handing down off
it

Pull the mop in
Close the window.

( Breath deeply )

NOW....

Attach the stranded wire to the end of the string.
Slightly open window
Run over to the oher window.
Open it & pull in string until wire / string connection is through..

Pull in enough so that wire will reach SWR
Attach wire to SWR.
Close window.

- That's basically it. Modify as needed.

You can take Square stick -on cord holders
Camouflage them with magic Marker color , &
Silicone glue them to the outside corners of the window,
Then loop more wire

( DONT FALL OUT WHEN DOING THIS !!)

around the cord holders. This makes the antenna longer.
repeat for other windows..This should help lots..

( Works for me !!)

= = = "Dwight Stewart" wrote in message
= = = ink.net...
"JJ" wrote:

(snip) No one is going to bust through your
front door, but the hams, who will uncover
you sharade rather quickly, will file a report
with the FCC and you will get one of those
letters wanting to know why you are
transmitting on the ham bands without a license
and to continue doing so can result in a hefty
fine. (snip)


Most non-hams would probably be amazed at how much effort the FCC has put
towards making the Amateur radio service effective at self-policing,
including guidelines on locating & identifying the offending party
(rdf/foxhunting), evidence gathering (times, frequencies, tape recordings,
and so on), reporting procedures, attending ham activities to encourage
cooperation, and more. Ham operators have access to a massive amount of
frequecies, spread across the entire radio spectrum. They also have great
liberty in the technology that can be used. As such, the FCC takes this
radio service seriously and expects the operators to do the same.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/

DS et al,

I sorry, I have to Laugh.

But this last couple of posts reads like the FCC (Gestapo)
and the Amateurs (the Hitler Youth) during the NAZI Era.

Something to Think About ~ RHF

..

Bill E wrote:
On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 16:15:04 -0600, JJ
wrote:


Bill E wrote:


On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:32:59 -0600, JJ
wrote:



Also, even if I *really do* need a license to transmit, I don't need a
license to turn the radio on and listen, do I?

You do not need a license to just listen.


This is not exactly true. The FCC is currently considering a
requirement for a "listener" license. The ruling is related to the
new Patriot Act and says:

Article 10:2:3a The requirement of said radio operator to be
licensed in hereto state of operation for receiving Ham bands.

See also this link: www.us.gov/radioreq/lic/listener

Regards

I doubt that will ever fly, but until if/when it ever does I stand by my
statement which is exactly true, you do not need a license to listen to
the ham bands or any sw bands. I could not get the link to work.


Here's your sign.

???????

"JJ" wrote in message
...
Bill E wrote:
On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 16:15:04 -0600, JJ
wrote:


Bill E wrote:


On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:32:59 -0600, JJ
wrote:



Also, even if I *really do* need a license to transmit, I don't need
a
license to turn the radio on and listen, do I?

You do not need a license to just listen.


This is not exactly true. The FCC is currently considering a
requirement for a "listener" license. The ruling is related to the
new Patriot Act and says:

Article 10:2:3a The requirement of said radio operator to be
licensed in hereto state of operation for receiving Ham bands.

See also this link: www.us.gov/radioreq/lic/listener

Regards

I doubt that will ever fly, but until if/when it ever does I stand by my
statement which is exactly true, you do not need a license to listen to
the ham bands or any sw bands. I could not get the link to work.


Here's your sign.

???????


The post was a joke.. the "here's your sign" is from a comedy routine by
Bill Engvall.. you should pick up one of his CD's.. he's hilarious.