Antenna to listen

[harlan_pepper]

I have been in to scanning and Citizens' Band since I was a kid back in the 80's. Now I would really like to go to the next step and learn about amateur radio. There are few clubs in my area that I am looking into. I live in central Massachusetts.

Anyway I ran into a guy at my transfer station that is into electronics. He's not a Ham but he said he had a rig for me. I went over his house got this beauty! Yaesu FT-101EE. I powered it up and it seems to be working.

I would like to be able to receive something. I am not even gonna power up the Tx side. I don't know much right now. I would just like some help getting it up and running and start learning about the hobby.

 

[Rt169Radio]

I don't know anything about that kind of radio, but I have to say what a radio!

 

[ab3a]

This is a 1970s era radio. There will be knob twiddling.

First, turn the heater switch off, rotate the carrier knob fully counter clockwise and set the mode knob to either USB or LSB. This will keep the radio from transmitting.

Next, the band switch lists the ham radio bands in meters. It predates the infamous WARC79 band additions, so there are no 30 or 17 meter bands on this radio. See the ARRL band plan http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Hambands_color.pdf for details on where to listen.

Bands 40 meters and longer use Lower SideBand (LSB) 20 and up use USB.

Put an antenna (50 feet of wire to a nearby tree is good) in the center pin of the antenna jack.

You'll need a speaker or headphones for this radio.

Next turn the RF gain all the way up (fully clockwise) and the AF gain down (CCW). Turn off the NB (noise blanker --used for blanking out short pulse ignition noise), and the RF ATT (attenuator) switches and then turn the radio power switch on. Set the band to whatever you're interested in, and then turn the preselector to the approximate position where the band is. Adjust the preselector for maximum noise.

Now Tune around. If you don't hear much, check the antenna.

Note the the dial is friction set. It is intended to be adjusted to a calibrator switch on the right side of the switches. You can turn on the calibrator signals and hear a tone every 100 kHz or 25 kHz so that you can adjust your dial accordingly.

As for transmitting, this radio used old TV sweep tubes because they were cheap at the time. However, they're quite rare these days. There are modifications that will enable you to use the more common 6146B transmitting tubes. See Hints and Kinks in May 1999 QST magazine.

Good Luck!

 

[W2PMX]

40 and 80 meters will be more active after the sun goes down (the distance radio waves travel is influenced partially by time of day) and 20 meters and above will be more active during the day. It's not a hard and fast rule - I made a nice contact on 20 the other night at a few minutes after midnight, but it's a general rule of thumb.

Above all else, have fun. And welcome to the hobby.

 

[harlan_pepper]

Wow thanks!

What about a "gutter antenna"? Think I would have any luck with one until I get something else rigged up?

 

[W2PMX]

Meaning connecting to a rain gutter?

Back in the early days of radio, before theories about antennas got in the way, the rule of thumb was that the more metal you put into the sky, the better the reception. And it usually worked. Just hang a lot of metal (or other conductor) on the receiver and you should receive stuff.

 

[k3cfc]

Wow thanks!

What about a "gutter antenna"? Think I would have any luck with one until I get something else rigged up?

Look at this.

Dave Tadlock - YouTube

 

[Rt169Radio]

Does it have a antenna connection for a long wire antenna? If so you could make your own long wire.