Tom,
Actually, that's a good solution if you only care about hitting that one
repeater. You'd have to leave the TM-V71A in Remote mode, and you could
store the DTMF sequences to turn crossband on and off in the DTMF memories
of your TH-F6A. I do that here, and it works quite well, so if you're
interested, I can walk you through the process of setting it up. The only
issue that doesn't address is how to turn the radio off and disconnect the
antenna during severe weather. I probably shouldn't say this, but I never
disconnect my dual-band antenna, and my radio is often on during all but the
most severe storms. Of course, now that I've said it, the lightning gods
will kill everything in my shack just to teach me a lesson.
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2013 13:05
Subject: Re: 2-meter Antenna Challenge
> Steve:
>
> See my recent post about the cross-banding option.
>
> Maybe this would be an easy way to go, if I could figure out how to
> remotely
> access the TMD700 at the University's EOC, which sits idle most of the
> time
> anyway.
>
> My home QTH is about a mile from the University, and I had thought of
> simply
> cross-banding from the office to my TMV71A in the shack, but that does
> give
> me a concern about turning things on and off, disconnecting antennas,
> etc.,
> should a storm or other adversity occur while I'm at work.
>
> Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Dresser" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2013 12:15 PM
> Subject: Re: 2-meter Antenna Challenge
>
>
>> Tom,
>>
>> I was half kidding about the microwave link, but if you could set that
>> radio
>> up for crossband repeat, you might actually be able to put it in a place
>> where it could still hit the repeater. I know that solution has its
>> drawbacks, but we're brainstorming here.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2013 10:23
>> Subject: Re: 2-meter Antenna Challenge
>>
>>
>>> Steve:
>>>
>>> When I was EC/RO for my county, and very active on the University's
>>> Emergency Response Team, I talked to the powers that be regarding an
>>> outdoor
>>> antenna connection for the office, but was never able to get any
>>> traction
>>> on
>>> that idea.
>>>
>>> I have now stepped down from the County EC/RO position, and even though
>>> I'll
>>> still be active on the University's Emergency Response Team and am still
>>> an
>>> Assistant EC for my county, I have a bit less pull than I once did.
>>>
>>> But, hey, you never know.
>>>
>>> As for your micro-wave transmitter idea, that is truly intriguing, and
>>> if
>>> I
>>> can't get something else to work out, and desperation takes over, you
>>> never
>>> know what might happen! (smile)
>>>
>>> I'll keep you posted, and appreciate everyone's help and creativity.
>>>
>>> Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Steve Dresser" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2013 12:14 AM
>>> Subject: Re: 2-meter Antenna Challenge
>>>
>>>
>>>> Well, Tom, obviously it's time to drill a hole in the ceiling above the
>>>> filing cabinet to give your antenna some breathing space. You should
>>>> also
>>>> think about adding an extension to make the antenna come out of the
>>>> roof
>>>> into the outdoors where it can do some good.
>>>>
>>>> For another possibility, consider running some coax back to your old
>>>> office
>>>> so you could keep the antenna where it was working well. Come to think
>>>> of
>>>> it, leave the radio and the antenna in the old office and set up a
>>>> microwave
>>>> link to your new office. This has the added advantage of making it
>>>> look
>>>> like the new occupant of your old office is the ham radio operator. Of
>>>> course, that house of cards falls apart pretty quickly if anyone
>>>> figures
>>>> out
>>>> who set up the microwave link.
>>>>
>>>> Steve
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 11:05
>>>> Subject: 2-meter Antenna Challenge
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi, all.
>>>>>
>>>>> I hope I am not wearing out my welcome back to the list, but I have a
>>>>> challenging antenna situation I'm currently facing in the new faculty
>>>>> office
>>>>> I will be occupying starting this Spring semester.
>>>>>
>>>>> I currently have an old Kenwood TMV7A in the office, with which I have
>>>>> always had at least some luck, in terms of getting into our local
>>>>> 2-meter
>>>>> repeater. The repeater is about 15 miles from the University.
>>>>>
>>>>> However, in my new office, I am finding that the small mag-mount
>>>>> antenna
>>>>> I
>>>>> have always used simply does not allow me to reach the repeater
>>>>> consistently. Currently, I have the magmount sitting on a small metal
>>>>> bracket on the window sill in the office. It is right next to the
>>>>> window,
>>>>> so I would think that should help. However, I do not have much of a
>>>>> ground
>>>>> plain for the magmount. I also think there is some de-sensing going
>>>>> on
>>>>> with
>>>>> the steel of the office building, and with other surrounding computer
>>>>> equipment in the office complex.
>>>>>
>>>>> I do have a filing cabinet on the other side of the office that I
>>>>> could
>>>>> use
>>>>> as a ground plane, but the top of the filing cabinet is too high, and
>>>>> there
>>>>> is not enough space between it and the office ceiling to accommodate
>>>>> the
>>>>> magmount antenna.
>>>>>
>>>>> This obviously is a very challenging situation, and I also have to be
>>>>> at
>>>>> least somewhat concerned with appearance, in terms of not having an
>>>>> ugly-looking antenna that might draw more attention to what I am
>>>>> trying
>>>>> to
>>>>> do than I might want.
>>>>>
>>>>> Do any of you have any suggestions as to how to help the mag-mount
>>>>> perform
>>>>> better in this situation?
>>>>>
>>>>> Or, might I be better off considering another type of antenna, such as
>>>>> a
>>>>> J-pole of some sort.
>>>>>
>>>>> I would appreciate any thoughts.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
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