Ham Radio

This is (PART 2A & 2B) of the project “Arduino Frequency Display For a Kenwood TS-520S HF Ham Radio”. This part covers small signal amplification of  a 0.2 volt peak-to-peak 5.5 MHz signal into Schmitt triggered NAND gate for cleanup before being cleanly counted by the Arduino. Links to all parts: (PART 1), (PART 2), (PART 3), (PART 4), (PART 5)

(PART 2A)

(PART 2B)

Here are the datasheets for the two chips I used in (PART 2)

74HCT132 Quad 2-input NAND Schmitt trigger (PDF)
NE592 video Amplifier (PDF)

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Photo Gallery

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I attended the Arizona Repeater Association’s (ARA) February 2014 meeting. They had a guest speaker, Byon Garrabrant, presenting what could be called the definitive lecture on Transmitter Hunting. I have broken the lecture up into 4 parts based on content for easier viewing and reference. In general the 4 parts are:
1. What is Transmitter Hunting
2. Hiding
3. Hunting
4. Closing remarks and High Alt. Balloon Tracking.

There will be a large photo gallery after the videos below if you want to see some items in detail.

I want to thank Byon Garrabrant and the ARA for allowing this content to be distributed publicly for everyone to learn and enjoy.
You can find more about the ARA at their website: http://www.w7ara.org
You can contact Byon Garrabrant or purchase his APRS and Fox Hunting gear from his website: http://www.byonics.com

What is Transmitter Hunting or Fox Hunting All About

Transmitter Hiding and Transmitters

Transmitter Hunting and Receivers

Closing Remarks and High Altitude Balloon Tracking

CLICK TO READ ALL —>: (more…)

This video covers beginner’s tips and tricks on ham radio fox hunting and includes details to build a DIY yagi antenna.

In the last 3 minutes of the video 4 young kids go out to rescue the poor lost Easter Bunny and his basket of candy. The Easter bunny is wearing a radio transmitter so this fox hunt becomes an Easter Sunday bunny rescue. The boys did great and had no problem learning to use a ham radio and directional antenna to locate the lost bunny.

Our fox, aka bunny, was the Byonics micro-Fox 15 which is a 15mw transmitter in the 2 meter ham band. This fox is sold by a company local to my area on www.Byonics.com I will do a review and tutorial of the micro-Fox 15 in a follow up video.

Where to buy the fox:  Byonics http://www.byonics.com/mf

How to build this yagi antenna: Dupage Amateur Radio Club http://www.w9dup.org/club_projects_pdfs/fox_hunt_antenna_2010_apr.pdf

Link to tape measure yagi: http://theleggios.net/wb2hol/projects/rdf/tape_bm.htm

Material for yagi antenna that I build in the video:
6 feet schedule 40 PVC
1 schedule 40 PVC Tee
2 tie wires
6 feet RG58 coax cable
2 21 inch long brash rods 3/16 diameter rod
1 35 inch long aluminum 3/16 diameter rod
1 40 inch long aluminum 3/16 diameter rod

Photo Gallery

CLICK PHOTO for gallery view and click a SECOND time for hi-resolution image. Click thumbnails on lower right and lower left of gallery to navigate gallery photos.