Air Band on UHF FM mode

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Werthers
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Werthers »

bigpimp347 wrote: 14 Jul 2021, 15:04
Merkin wrote: 13 Jun 2021, 20:49
What is your callsign then? Or is it a fantasy island job? Send me a PM with it in
reading a few of his post's i'd say he's a foundation licence holder or at least someone who should have his licence revoked.
You don't read posts properly and always make assumptions and no I'm an Intermediate license holder. I don't give out my call sign unless I'm operating amateur radio and I especially wont be giving it out on here.

Maybe you should have your license revoked posting about running 50 watts on PMR446. the way you insult people on here it doesn't sound like you are fit to hold an amateur license. That is if you have a license.
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Werthers »

Merkin wrote: 13 Jun 2021, 20:49
Werthers wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 13:28
Mikel wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 07:51

I find it fascinating how the propagation works at UHF and some would have you believe that it is strictly line of sight.

However I can reliably hear the Bristol Airport UHF relay service and I am 25 miles away, and even though the airport is in an elevated position, it has to get over some big hills to my position in the bottom of the Rhymney valley.

Take a look at the topographic profile below, I am at the zero point on the left and Bristol Airport is on the 25 mile mark on the right


profile.png
I got stuck on a QSO 6 miles away with a handheld indoors on 70cms simplex, not that I use a handheld indoors I was just testing it with another radio back to back when I heard a strong station and then we ended up in a QSO handheld to handheld indoors over a 6 mile distance with all sorts in the way of our signal paths.
What is your callsine then? Or is it a fantasy island job? Send me a PM with itin
A 6 mile contact on 70cms simplex from a handheld indoors isn't really that impressive and yes its based on many factors. I find it utterly ridiculous that I have to prove it.
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by paulears »

It's impressive living in my flat part of the world - My home and office are less than a mile apart and that's with my house on the high part of town - I can just bring up my business repeater on UHF from my office. 6 miles IS pretty good.
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

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Werthers wrote: 20 Jul 2021, 22:40 I'm an Intermediate license holder. I don't give out my call sign unless I'm operating amateur radio and I especially wont be giving it out on here.

Maybe you should have your license revoked posting about running 50 watts on PMR446. the way you insult people on here it doesn't sound like you are fit to hold an amateur license. That is if you have a license.
So you're only a Novice...... a twee one or twee zero ??

you know the saying 'do as i say not as i do' if i run 50w on 446 that's my choice, i don't suggest others break the rule of the wireless and telegraphy act.

i'm a full licence holder and not a B class got HF for free either,
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

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bigpimp347 wrote: 21 Jul 2021, 19:44
Werthers wrote: 20 Jul 2021, 22:40 I'm an Intermediate license holder. I don't give out my call sign unless I'm operating amateur radio and I especially wont be giving it out on here.

Maybe you should have your license revoked posting about running 50 watts on PMR446. the way you insult people on here it doesn't sound like you are fit to hold an amateur license. That is if you have a license.
So you're only a Novice...... a twee one or twee zero ??

you know the saying 'do as i say not as i do' if i run 50w on 446 that's my choice, i don't suggest others break the rule of the wireless and telegraphy act.

i'm a full licence holder and not a B class got HF for free either,
Yep your choice if you wanna break the law of the wireless and telegraphy act.

Whats is matter about what level of license people hold. It a hobby not a competition.
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by bigpimp347 »

Werthers wrote: 22 Jul 2021, 11:13 Whats is matter about what level of license people hold. It a hobby not a competition.
Hobby ??
if you want it to be a hobby, buy a CB.

try and tell a serious Fisherman it's 'only a hobby'

it became a worthless poor excuse of a 'hobby' when the foundation licence got introduced,
up till then it's was a bit more than 'a hobby'
I want to Die Asleep like my Grandad did,
Unlike his Passengers, Screaming and Shouting.!
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Werthers »

bigpimp347 wrote: 22 Jul 2021, 12:29
Werthers wrote: 22 Jul 2021, 11:13 Whats is matter about what level of license people hold. It a hobby not a competition.
Hobby ??
if you want it to be a hobby, buy a CB.

try and tell a serious Fisherman it's 'only a hobby'

it became a worthless poor excuse of a 'hobby' when the foundation licence got introduced,
up till then it's was a bit more than 'a hobby'
Its the foundation license holders that keep the hobby going. Its important to have more people coming into the hobby. There is nothing wrong with foundation license holders or intermediate license holders. The hobby would be dead on its butt otherwise. Times have changed. I don't let amateur radio rule my life.
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Mikel »

Werthers wrote: 20 Jul 2021, 22:40
I don't give out my call sign unless I'm operating amateur radio and I especially wont be giving it out on here.
I'm the same, I don't disclose my amateur call sign on here either, mainly because there's no requirement to.

On some sites like HRD (Ham Radio Deals) I had to give to give my call sign to become a member, but I don't see the point on here because it's not a strictly ham site. :thumbup:
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by paulears »

If you work in industries that use radios as tools, they’re rarely interesting devices. They are boring. When I thought I wanted to learn to fly, the comms component was a breeze. So many students found it hugely stressful. I gave up because I have terrible special awareness, but comms was a breeze. Marine people are totally clueless in general on even how to use a mic. Antennas? Power? Total mysteries! The Police don’t understand how radios work. If they unexpectedly are in a black spot, they wont think to maybe stand on a wall and hold the radio up clear, they just report it faulty at the end of the shift.

Ham radio has ALWAYS been a technical hobby, like wood turning, or electronics or even music. Some people use it to help their job. There has always been a clear path for a few in technological progress. Marconi, BT and Defence Industries still see the benefit in ham radio, but for many, the desire is low level. Friends, well-being, inclusiveness, or just plain conversation. This was recognised and entry made easier. Of course this creates friction. The aim of a ham licence was always self-training in radio communications. This still applies I think.

I’ve noticed the hams well ahead of me in technical prowess are actually still around, but they’re in the higher bands squirting video across the channel, or experimenting with all sorts of clever kit. In my area, they might be in the wind farm industry or the gas/oil business. They use the ham bands to experiment. The pioneers and leaders have always done this and they still do it. They just keep themselves quiet on the bands where people are, er, less knowledgeable but happy.

It’s very clear to me that a ham call sign is like a degree is. Years back, a degree from a former poly was somehow a novice degree, but one from Cambridge or Oxford was a proper degree, like a G3 call sign. Now, a degree is so common, it doesn’t really matter who awarded one, and an MA or Doctorate is the quest for some.

Is a degree from 1976 better than 2016? They’re just different, and it’s context that matters. I don’t have a clue what the call signs mean anymore. I relicenced ignorant of the changes. Everyone on HF was a shock, but I don’t use HF or CW because I don’t want to. It’s not an issue. I used to have long beams and rotators. That’s of no interest now. I hear people on 2m and 70cm. I could talk to them, but I don’t. I have no idea what exam they too,, but it’s their conversations that stop me pressing the button. In person, face to face, we have no common ground. I choose who I want to talk to in real life, why is radio any different. If I found a really interesting conversation on 446 and somebody had a problem I could help with even though illegal, I’d probably join in. Because of how I see these people. I did a job for a fisherman on his charter boat. While doing it, I replaced the rusty connectors and he got about four miles extra range. I don’t do house calls. Now, his friends are calling me. I realised I did the job because I liked him, but I don’t like some of his friends. Hardly any marine working people seem to have taken their practical exam, but most have a licence and call sign! Weird!
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Otter »

Mikel wrote: 12 Jun 2021, 07:51
Werthers wrote: 11 Jun 2021, 18:42 I'm about 40 maybe 50 miles from Heathrow. It just goes to show how good UHF can be.
I find it fascinating how the propagation works at UHF and some would have you believe that it is strictly line of sight.

However I can reliably hear the Bristol Airport UHF relay service and I am 25 miles away, and even though the airport is in an elevated position, it has to get over some big hills to my position in the bottom of the Rhymney valley.

Take a look at the topographic profile below, I am at the zero point on the left and Bristol Airport is on the 25 mile mark on the right


profile.png
This must be what's going on: <link>
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Mikel »

Otter wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 08:30
This must be what's going on: <link>
Yes, I think your onto something there ie Diffraction off the ridge. I have often suspected this is how some signals arrive into the valley and in particular the 'basin' that Caerphilly sits in and your assumption that this is what is happening is most likely correct.

Another contributory factor I feel is that some UHF signals possibly reflect off the side of the local hills. For example I can see a hill called Mynydd Machen out of the shack window.

This 362-metre-high (1,188 ft) hill is easily recognized because of the TV mast and PMR masts on the top.

Mynydd Machen can also be seen from parts of Bristol. Maybe on some occasions there is diffraction off the top of the ridge and reflection off the side of the hills including Mynydd Machen.

This may explain why I sometimes get a 'fluttering' signal from the Bristol airport UHF base station because I am experiencing multipath reception, a propagation phenomenon that results in radio signals reaching the receiving antenna by two or more paths.

Propagation is a fascinating subject and one of the reasons I like radio as a hobby and this side of things appeals to me far more than actually talking to people.
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Broken_Antenna »

I haven't managed to pick up airband on any of those frequencies but i wish i could. Right now all i can seem to get constantly is my local approach on AM which is 20-25 miles away and on a full 5 bar signal but with the usual AM buzz behind it, unfortunately. I am in a upstairs room using a Telescopic Wideband BNC STA91 antenna extended halfway. Full length while extended is 1330mm. I am surprised that i can't pick up so much more if i can pick up my local approach from that distance.

But i do only scan marine band (no luck) then 160-180 mhz (found a few things) 440-480mhz (found a few here too) if i remember i never really picked anything up in the 200mhz, 300mhz and 500mhz bands, so i don't even scan them anymore.
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Re: Air Band on UHF FM mode

Post by Werthers »

Apparently its Hip, super cool to hold a handy talkie upside down or in some cases remove the antenna altogether to transmit :crazy: ahh the people I work with. To many smart phone idiots about. I'm now working for a security company and I tell people to hold there radios upwards if they want to get a better signal but do they listen... No.
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