Four (4) Items for Sale by Paul “Scooter” Dyson, KK4YVE on Dec. 26, 2020

Listed by Carolyn & “Scooter” Dyson

6403 GA Hwy-23, Waynesboro, GA 30830 – (706) 554-2619

1. Gently Used ICOM IC-746PRO – The Icom IC-746 Pro covers 160-10 meters plus 6 and 2 meters all mode. 100 Watts of output is available on all bands – HF, 50 MHz and 144 MHz, making the IC-746 Pro a practical choice for all-around base station use. The die-cast aluminum chassis and a large cooling fan help to stabilize the PA circuit, providing 100% full duty cycle operation. The version features 32 bit floating point DSP and 24-bit AD/DA converter. This combination dramatically improves receiver performance providing ultra wide dynamic range and good third order intercept point. And there are NO more expensive optional filters to buy. The digital IF filter allows you to select 51 filter bandwidths. There are three user selectable filter memories per mode. Soft and sharp filter shapes can be selected in both SSB and CW modes independently. You can also change the settings on the fly and compare! For repeater operation, there’s is a built-in tone encoder and decoder with 50 CTCSS and 108 DTCS based tones. There is even a built-in Baudot RTTY demodulator. It has 100 alphanumeric memories, digital RF speech compression, spectrum display, Manual and Automatic Notch, digital Twin PBT, Noise Blanker, CTCSS encode/decode, APF, two stage preamp, automatic antenna tuner and electronic keyer. A built-in automatic antenna tuner operates on the HF bands plus 6 meters. The 746Pro requires 12 VDC at 23 Amps. 11.3×4.8x12.5 inches. 20 lbs.

Very good, very clean condition. One owner… From non-smoking house and works as it should. Includes Mic and power cord. $550 + shipping … All manuals: https://www.icomamerica.com/en/downloads/default.aspx?

2. Rarely Used ICOM IC-7300 – Practically brand new! Non-smoking house.

The Icom IC-7300 is Icom’s latest SDR HF/50 MHz Transceiver. It offers 100W of output power and receives from 0.030 to 74.800 MHZ. It operates on SSB, CW, RTTY, AM and FM modes. The Icom IC-7300 features a RF direct sampling system, 15 discrete band-pass filters, a real-time spectrum scope and a large 4.3″ color touch screen display. Additional features of the IC-7300 include a built-in automatic antenna tuner, 101 channels, SD memory card slot and 3 CW functions. In the original box you will find the IC-7300 transceiver, a HM-219 hand microphone, DC power cable

$800 includes IC-7300 transceiver, hand mic & power cable.

3. SPE Expert 1.3K-FA Linear Amplifier

$3800

Powerful: 1.3kW PEP typ. (+/- 0.5dB)

Used very little – smoke free environment
Very Light: Less than 22 lbs. (10 kg.)
Very Small: height 4.72″ x width 11.02″ depth 14.17″, connectors included.
Wide Frequency Coverage: 1.8Mhz to 54MHz, including WARC.
Internal Switching Power Supply with Power Factor Correction.
No jumper changes necessary to work from 100VAC to 255VAC.
Manages 4 antennas automatically.
Automatically switches between 2 transceivers.
S02R operation.
ATU Built-In: bypassable per antenna and band.
Up to 2 antennas can be selected for every band.
Additional receiving antenna can be selected.
Drives directly up to 4 dynamic antennas (StepplR, Ultrabeam) for an easiest layout.
No relay contacts are switched when current is flowing due to special software.
QSK.
Fully remotable.
Remote control and all software upgrades fully available on SPE website.
USB and RS 232 ports.
MAX (1500W), MID(1000W) & LOW(500W).
Very clean and low distortion signal.
Both inputs always perfectly matched.
Quiet Operation: 4 fans linearly controlled by power supply and power amplifier temperatures.
Fully protected.
Fully Solid State: uses only one new, very rugged device.
Over 30,000 lines of software for performances that cannot be found together in any other amplifier.
Two very fast CPUs.

4. Diamond SG-7500 Vertical 2M/70cm MHz Antenna

40.6 Inches tall – NMO Connector – Antenna only – No mount

New: $72 Asking: $30 in very good condition

Review: https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=3764

Mobile Antenna Band	Frequency Coverage Range	Vertical Antenna Gain	Element Phasing (wavelength)
2 meters	144-148 MHz	3.5 dBi	1/2
70 centimeters	440-450 MHz	6.0 dBi	2 x 5/8

Diamond Antenna Dual-Band Mobile Antennas are a great combination of price, quality, and versatility! You can find the exact combination of features you want to suit any dual-band mobile antenna need. Generally speaking, the higher you want the gain to be, the taller the antenna will be. Taller antennas may not be suitable for magnetic mount, so other mounting options are available. Shorter antennas are more convenient but will generally have lower gain. Antennas with the ‘fold-over’ feature offer yet another solution!

Network for Lightning and Thunderstorms in Real Time – Live Lightning Map

http://en.blitzortung.org/live_lightning_maps.php?map=32

About ARRL Radiograms

Using a Radiogram to Receive NTS Traffic + printable radiogram forms

Messages relayed by radio operators are often in the form of a radiogram. In this video, KD8TTE receives a piece of traffic and writes the traffic to a radiogram form using standard, amateur radio handwriting legibility

Recommended minimum, watch this video from 1:43 to the end.

Here is a “double” ARRL radiogram ready to print to an 8.5×11″ sheet of paper.

Directions to print: Click or double-click the radiogram image below – a new tab will open.
Go to the top of the new tab and click on “File,” then “Print…” and then “Print” again.

How to register your D-STAR radios & devices

These directions are intended only for Technician Class amateur radio operators living anywhere in South Carolina or Georgia, particularly in the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia and South Carolina.

NOTE: You do not have to be registered to use D-STAR, but, if you want to be able to use D-STAR commands such as, among others, linking to and unlinking from reflectors, you must register with a D-STAR gateway registrar. This page will help you complete that registration.

Gateway registration for D-STAR is a 3 step process. Basically, this is how it works, but detailed directions w/pictures are farther below.

Step #1
Make sure you register on Kent Hufford’s D-STAR Gateway Registration Page (instructions start below).
REMEMBER YOUR PASSWORD: You will need it for step #3 and to be able to log in in the future and make changes to your registration.
.
Step #2
Kent Hufford, KQ4KK, MUST APPROVE YOU. Email him at to let him know that you registered on his D-STAR Gateway Registration page. He will approve your registration as soon as possible so that you may complete step 3.
.
Step #3
You are now ready to go back and fill out the actual gateway registration form.

After you finish step #3, your registration info will need at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours to propagate throughout the entire network.

Call Kent Hufford, KQ4KK, if you have questions — 803-392-7339 — but definitely before you make any mistakes!
IMPORTANT: If for any reason you are not 100% sure of what you’re doing, call Kent before you bung up your registration! 803-392-7339

Instructions to register with the KR4AIK
D-STAR Gateway Registration System

https://kr4aik.dstargateway.org/Dstar.do

Remember your password – you gave it, so make
sure that you
rememeber it!!

At this point, you are now at a temporary hold.
Email the Repeater Admin at to let him know that you just registered on the DSTAR system and are awaiting his approval. The repeater admin will approve you and then let you know by email that you are approved. You may then proceed to the
“D-Star Equipment Registration Instructions” below.

Registration is a multi-step process.

1. You register on the gateway web site above with your call sign and a password that you need to remember.

2. When you find out that you are approved, read on below . . .

When the Repeater Administrator emails you to let you know that your registration is approved to continue, log back in at https://kr4aik.dstargateway.org/Dstar.do using your callsign in caps and your password. Follow the “D-Star Equipment Registration Instructions” below.”

D-Star Equipment Registration Instructions
Please follow the directions below the
“D-STAR Gateway System” image.

Log in and you’ll see what we’ll call “the grid area.” (See above)
Click inside the checkbox next to the number “1”.
Then click inside the “Initial” box to the right of your callsign on the same line as the number “1”. Type just a single “space bar” character. This will not show up but is very important.
Do not click in the “RPT” check box (or any other RPT checkbox).
In the “pcname” box (gray background), enter just your callsign in lower case letters – nothing else including a space(s). That completes the first line of the “the grid area.”
For the second line in the grid area, which will be used to register your first piece of DSTAR equipment, click on the checkbox to the left of the #2.
Click the box immediately to the right of the #2 and type just a D in that box – no space or anything else before or after the D.
In the box under “pcname” on that second line, enter your callsign in lower case letters (plus a number of course) followed by a dash “-” (no space) followed by your type of radio in lower case letters and/or numbers with no spaces e.g. 2820, dvdongle, id-5100a, OpenSpot, etc. A dash or underline is also acceptable. Again, all characters in the “pcname” box should be lower case, a number(s), a dash or an underline. Don’t forget – no spaces. Your web page should look similar to the page pictured above except with your personal information show of course).
For your second piece of DSTAR equipment, repeat lines 5-7 above except put just a C in the “initial” column.
For your third piece of DSTAR equipment, repeat lines 5-7 above except put just a P in the “initial” column.
For a fourth piece of DSTAR equipment, repeat lines 5-7 again, but put a different letter in the “initial” column.
When complete, click on “Update”.
Log out, then wait about 24 hours and your DSTAR registration should propagate the world and you will be allowed to use reflectors with the equipment that you just registered!Problems? Email the Repeater Admin at

KENT HUFFORD, KQ4KK and John MacDonald, K4BR

Should you consider a digital radio?

From the mid-1930’s until World War II, amateur radio’s #1 mode of voice operation was AM.

After the war, single-side band voice mode became popular for a number of reasons including 3 kc of bandwidth versus 6 kc of bandwidth in an AM signal and, because of the narrower bandwidth, more power could be “concentrated” on the narrower SSB conversation meaning a longer range to the signal.

It’s apparent that the same thing that happened to AM radios is happening now to not only SSB, but also VHF & UHF analog FM radios. Digital modes are quickly taking over from the analog SSB & FM modes.

SSB is in competition with numerous digital modes on the 160M to 10M HF + VHF, UHF and more bands. Fortunately, we have devices like the Tigertronics SignaLink™ USB Digital Communications Interface that will help us use digital modes on HF and, to a certain extent, VHF & UHF. The SignaLink™ will give your radios these modes:

RTTY
SSTV
CW
PSK31
WSPR
WINMOR
Winlink
FLDIGI
MT-63
AMTOR
and more.

The SignaLink™ as yet will not give your fairly-soon-to-be-antique analog FM radio access to proprietary digital modes such as C4FM (Yaesu only), D-Star (Icom, Kenwood and FlexRadio Systems only), DMR (available from several vendors), etc.

Digital modes are coming on quickly so don’t forget about a digitally enabled radio when you make your next radio purchase.

When choosing a new radio, please remember that DSTAR is mode of choice in Burke County and all of the rest of Georgia.

Your analog radios will continue to work as we move into 2020, but analog radios are not able to communicate with digital radios. BARC plans to move more and more toward digital modes.

BARC has four (4) Yaesu C4FM/analog repeaters, but when our 444.1 and our 145.23 receive a D-STAR signal, they automatically switch to D-STAR. D-STAR is the king of digital modes in Georgia, especially Georgia ARES®, which is why two of our four repeaters are D-STAR capable.

from John MacDonald, K4BR

Amateur Radio Is More Relevant Today

International Amateur Radio Union President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, says Amateur Radio is “probably more relevant today than it was 25 years ago.”

“We’re so dependent now on all kinds of systems of communications — everyone has a cell phone, everyone is used to using the Internet — but they’re not used to what happens when those systems go down,” Ellam said. “Amateur Radio is there” and “there are also advancements in technology that we rely on.”

Ellam pointed out that hams can use computer-based digital techniques to pass message traffic at very low power levels and under poor propagation conditions. “Amateur Radio has kept pace by developing new ways to communicate,” he said.

“Amateur operators are on the ground. If they’re not close to the site of a disaster, they might even be in it. They’re there. They’re ready to go. For the first 24 to 48 hours you have people on the ground, ready to assist. They own their own equipment. They don’t rely on commercial networks. If cellular service goes down, we can assist by using HF, VHF or UHF communications on a peer-to-peer basis.”

“Don’t forget the Amateur Radio services. They’re a great asset to [a community, state or nation] in times of crisis.”

ARRL’s Headline News

You may see “ARRL’s Headlines” below . . .

Always use Anderson Powerpoles

Connecting your radio, etc. to 13.8V DC

The standardized power connector for all ARES® is the Anderson Powerpole. Most importantly, if we all use Powerpole connectors, we’ll be able to share equipment and batteries at home and in the field.

The Powerpole connector is the standard DC power connector for amateur radio for all types of radios and peripheral equipment. Because it’s more reliable mechanically and electrically than other power connectors, Anderson Powerpoles are the official connector of the ARRL, ARES® and BARC.

The usual Powerpole connectors for amateur radio are 15A, 30A and 45A with 30A being the most popular size.

Amateur radio has adopted this style for putting Powerpole connectors together:

Red positive and black negative
When you look at them from the contact side as shown below, black is left, red is on the right and the metal tongues are on top.

Our DSTAR repeater

We have had a “non-Icom” D-STAR repeater on 444.1 MHz in Waynesboro since 2018… D-STAR repeaters do not use sub-audible access tones so, once you register your callsign with https://kr4aik.dstargateway.org/Dstar.do, you’ll be ready to use our D-STAR repeater + others!

Waynesboro’s UHF DSTAR repeater: 444.100 MHz (+5.000 MHz transmit offset)

Coverage: approximately 80% of the CSRA

Tx/Rx modes: DSTAR

Antennas: 4-bay folded dipole approximately 470 ft.(above sea level)

Heliax/hardline: Commscope 7/8″ Heliax

Please feel free to change the repeater to whatever reflector you like, but, when you’re “finished,” please change the reflector back to REF 030B.

Quorum changed from 33-1/3% to 15%

Motion to change by-laws made/seconded/approved at the November 1 Club Meeting for a final vote at the December, 2018 Christmas Dinner/meeting.

History: It has always been a problem voting on club business due to the “33-1/2% quorum by-law” in our By-laws. For example, we could not elect officers for the 2018-19 fiscal year at the October meeting due to not having a 33-1/3% quorum of the membership total. Other amateur radio clubs in the area have a 15% “qourum rule.”

At the November 1 club meeting, a motion was made by John MacDonald-K4BR that the BARC “33-1/3% quorum rule” be changed to a “15% quorum rule.” The motion was seconded by full club member Diane Magin,KN4ADD, and passed unanimously by all club members of record for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

The proposed amendment to the By-laws was announced on the front page of the club’s website at https://burkearc.com from November 2, 2018 to December 14, 2018…

December 13 meeting – With more than a 33-1/3% quorum present at the December 13, 2018 club meeting, a final vote on the motion to change the quorum at general meetings from 33-1/3% to 15% of the total membership was given final approval at the December 13 club meeting by unanimous vote of all voting-eligible members present. The second sentence of Article V. of the by-laws is therefore changed from “At meetings, a minimum of at least one-third (33-1/3%) of all members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business” to “At meetings, a minimum of at least 15% of all members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.“

3. SPE Expert 1.3K-FA Linear Amplifier

4. Diamond SG-7500 Vertical 2M/70cm MHz Antenna

40.6 Inches tall – NMO Connector – Antenna only – No mount

Using a Radiogram to Receive NTS Traffic + printable radiogram forms

Connecting your radio, etc. to 13.8V DC

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