Radio Communication at Defcon

[urban]

Originally posted by skroo
Check http://www.hamradio.com - you may find one there. Also, I heartily recommend getting the SMA -> BNC adapter: it's $10 well-spent when you consider the options it opens up on available antennas.

That's actually where I picked up the 7...there's one about 10 minutes from me.

OK, before I answer this... Think back to when you had to learn about matching your antenna to the band you're working in. Now...

Yes I have, and no they're not :)

That's what I suspected, but you never know. I'm still waiting for one of those "miracle" antennas you stick inside the battery compartment. :)




Okay, I've been playing with it for a bit, and with Multimode OS X, looking for some quick CW decodes, or perhaps WEFAX or HFFAX. Either I'm doing something wrong, or there really is quite a bit of funkiness with the 7's Rx...e.g., hitting WEFAX on main, but showing the signal coming in on a different band on the sub; hitting some packet data on the main, and the sub briefly transmitting (if I'm interpreting the lights correctly), and a severe sensitivity to computer-generated RF (from an LCD, no less!) that wasn't present in the 5.

I'm not turned off on it, but it's going to take some playing with and getting used to. I'm not so thrilled with the two-button scan mode (plus having to hit the PTT to cancel it), vs. the one-button operation on the 5.

[KidE]

Is there a repeater near the AP that con attendees gravitate to? Or a simplex freq? Perhaps a simplex net one of the evenings?

[blackwave]

Originally posted by KidE
Is there a repeater near the AP that con attendees gravitate to? Or a simplex freq? Perhaps a simplex net one of the evenings?

you can find the freq's here and there sometimes taped somewhere or written on a board somewhere... but if you are lost, just scan.

[boogah]

There's always the SoCal Caravan Freq List:

http://deathrace2k.com/?p=comms.2k3#freqs

Once we reach the hotel it falls to an "every man for himself" situation and the list is probably a little more than handy to con attendees. So you're welcome to use DR2k's freq list until I'm told otherwise by our comms officer.

[tommEE]

Once you get to the hotel I don't think you will need radios, your hands should have booze in them. We should all be drinking at the bar to celebrate that we all made it in one piece. Or we might have to start making plans to bail out a Cannonballer or two.

[astcell]

I'm not interste3d in doing any radio meds, at least not until my warranty expires. Will hams have any normal channels to use?

[skroo]

Originally posted by astcell
I'm not interste3d in doing any radio meds, at least not until my warranty expires. Will hams have any normal channels to use?

Start out on 146.52 (no PL), which is national simplex. There's usually someone monitoring, but whether or not they're with the con is another matter.

[Cybo]

Hams At DEFCON 11

Hey,

Just Wanted To Compile A List Of Ham Operators Going To Defcon. Maybe We Could Get Together IRL There Or Run A Simplex Net. Ill Start The List Lol...

### REMOVED FOR YOUR PROTECTION ### - BW

[blackwave]

Re: Hams At DEFCON 11

Originally posted by Cybo
Just Wanted To Compile A List Of Ham Operators Going To Defcon. Maybe We Could Get Together IRL There Or Run A Simplex Net. Ill Start The List Lol...

Ummm... right. HAMS at DEFCON are one thing... HAMS at DEFCON giving their CALLSIGN is another. Good Luck, I'd like a copy of that list once you get it compiled... and surely a few other entities would be willing to pay you for it :)

[Cybo]

whoops, common sense just hit me. Sorry lol, *Cybo feeling like a n00b walks away* ;)

[pyrophite]

looks like sheep list will be alot bigger on the wall this year

[astcell]

So we should talk for less than three minutes to avoid continuously giving our callsign? How to stay legal? Of course I guess I can give it in morse code, make 'em work for it...

[skroo]

Nope...

...because you're still required to ID every ten minutes until you go clear. Nice try, though :)

[astcell]

Dang, I just checked the rules to get an Extra class license, and it says I have to already have a General class license. Seems they just want my money.

What is the big deal about using a radio at Defcon anyway? Yes you are giving out personal information with your callsign but it's not like your SS# or a credit card. And what value does MY callsign have, when one can easily search the FCC and get all the free callsigns you want?

[Cybo]

Yep, callsigns can be looked up free online or with a phone call. And if you wanna operate at DEFCON, ull have to identify within every 10 mins anyway :)