Indy Hamfest July 7th and 8th Marion county fairgrounds

[woody131]

Indianapolis Communications & Technology Expo (formerly "The Indianapolis Hamfest")
Marion county fairgrounds 7300 E Troy ave Indianapolis
Friday 2 to 7 and Saturday 7 to 2
$8 admission good for both days w/free parking.
96 indoor vendor tables and outdoor fleamarket

Before anyone asks I have no idea if they will have any Bacon.

 

[snapping turtle]

Emmmmm ham fest.

 

[Haven]

If I wasn't so busy this weekend I would go out there. I haven't been to Hamfest in years. Last time I was there I was working for an ISP selling Internet access.

 

[other dave]

Quick question. Why is this in the "General Firearms Discussion" thread?

 

[Joniki]

Quick question. Why is this in the "General Firearms Discussion" thread?

Where else would it go?

73's

 

[woody131]

Where else would it go?

73's

I'm with this guy. It's not a INGO event so I didn't post in that. I really couldn't find any place that fit the description. I figured if it was way off the mark a mod would move it.

 

[Expat]

I would go if it was closer. I still keep thinking I would like the hobby.

 

[Joniki]

I would go if it was closer. I still keep thinking I would like the hobby.

It is easier to get into the hobby than it ever has been. I tested under the old system with a white shirt FCC examiner.

 

[Notalentbum]

I got a few Baofeng handhelds and my license last year. Still have yet to push the talk button! I mostly got them for shtf situations but I'd like to use them more, just don't know where to start.

Matt

 

[phatgemi]

Indy hamfest not a very 2nd amendment friendly event. Posted NO firearms. Boo. Also not very military friendly either. Oh, they make a point of offering free admission for active in uniform because that's the PC thing to do but if they really appreciated the military, they would include retirees. I'm not just talking about vets but people who did the 20 or more and actually carry a military ID card. Lets face it, surely an old time who did 20 years active deserves the same respect as a young kid who just graduated boot camp and home on leave. No disrespect to the young kid, just pointing out that old timer deserves it too.
Just my $.02.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Where else would it go?

73's

Uhhhhhhh. The Break Room maybe? Thats the catch all for anything that doesnt fit the other categories. (per the description: "General off-topic NON-FIREARMS related discussion goes here! PS: No Politics!")

I got a few Baofeng handhelds and my license last year. Still have yet to push the talk button! I mostly got them for shtf situations but I'd like to use them more, just don't know where to start.

Matt

Start with the repeaters. Lots of guys that hang out there and chat during the drive times. And it seems there is always somebody monitoring that would love to chat. I especially love monitoring the weather nets. Nothing like getting the spotter reports in real time and hearing what is coming before it goes out over the public air.

I have the same setup as you. For a short term cheap base station, I bought a $20 magnet mount mobile antenna and stuck it up in the attic. Gives me the push I needed to reach out and get a clear signal without having to stand by a window. Its not ideal, but also wasnt a $200 investment. It allows me to reach the repeaters which is what really matters. And dont forget these antennas run on a different type of cable with a different resistance. Its not the same cable you use for CATV. I wasnt thinking and started with that since I already had a spare line headed into the attic. Reception got MUCH better when I realized what I did and re-ran it with RG-58. (Not the RG6/RG59 75 Ohm stuff)

And hopefully you have CHIRP and a programming cable. You'll go nuts trying to program by hand.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HUB0ONK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Download - CHIRP

And I found these work better than the crappy factory antennas. Not a fan of how flimsy the radiator is, as I keep snagging it and bending it at the base. (and have to straighten it back out) Still trying to find a better antenna that is more sturdy.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XQAY7WI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm no expert but will do my best to help with what I have learned so far.

Indy hamfest not a very 2nd amendment friendly event. Posted NO firearms. Boo. Also not very military friendly either. Oh, they make a point of offering free admission for active in uniform because that's the PC thing to do but if they really appreciated the military, they would include retirees. I'm not just talking about vets but people who did the 20 or more and actually carry a military ID card. Lets face it, surely an old time who did 20 years active deserves the same respect as a young kid who just graduated boot camp and home on leave. No disrespect to the young kid, just pointing out that old timer deserves it too.
Just my $.02.

Because they would likely go broke. Most the old guys that are active HAMs are likely vets.


I wanted to go, but alas I had daddy duty while Mrs. Monkey spent the day getting well deserved some "me" time, and my young kids had less than zero interest in wandering around outside on a hot day following dad as he looked at boring stuff, chatting with old guys.

-KD9URI

 

[Notalentbum]

Thanks for the assistance Cameramonkey. I have a couple of those Nagoya antennas, may not be exactly the same model as I think the whip is about 15" on mine. I also bought a mobile mag base antenna with cable at the last Brownsburg hamfest. Still never used it. I need to run some cable from my basement shop up to the attic area. My house sits down in a valley and surrounded by heavy woods and interstate berm walls. I've never gotten any kind of signal in my basement.
I have always meant to do the chirp thing, just never took the time.
Did you ever find another suitable set of walkie-talkies?

KD9FLZ

 

[Cameramonkey]

Thanks for the assistance Cameramonkey. I have a couple of those Nagoya antennas, may not be exactly the same model as I think the whip is about 15" on mine. I also bought a mobile mag base antenna with cable at the last Brownsburg hamfest. Still never used it. I need to run some cable from my basement shop up to the attic area. My house sits down in a valley and surrounded by heavy woods and interstate berm walls. I've never gotten any kind of signal in my basement.
I have always meant to do the chirp thing, just never took the time.
Did you ever find another suitable set of walkie-talkies?

KD9FLZ

I cant get any in my downstairs either without mine. You should hear repeater traffic once you get that up there.

Ive got that 15" whip on the one on my desk at work. It is unweildy (I didnt notice how long it was when I ordered) but pulls in FM awesome deep inside my building. No other FM radio I tried lets me do that. But I wouldnt want to carry that whip around. The one I linked is half the length and very thin. It doesnt get in the way when you put it on your belt/bag/etc. (you want the 717, not the 771)

I have several walkie talkies on my short list. As soon as the kids miss theirs, I'll reorder for them. (or if I anticipate them needing to carry if we go hiking)

One other thing I found; the squelch sucks on these. I had weird behavior until I switched it from the stock 3 to 7. It would do this weird waffling where the signal light would light, it would make noise then cut out. It would do this for 30 seconds at a time. It reminded me of a device that would pull too much current, shut down, then restart, pull too much current, restart, etc. Once I did that tweak it quit and I would hear dirty TXs, but I would hear them. Before I did that I only heard the crystal clear signals.

 

[ibbob]

The stock squelch settings don't do much. Have you adjusted the Service Settings in Chirp? Miklor.com has the info. +1 for the 15" whip, works well. I've got a Slim Jim coming from N9TAX. Hope to find out what it can do this weekend

 

[Joniki]

The stock squelch settings don't do much. Have you adjusted the Service Settings in Chirp? Miklor.com has the info. +1 for the 15" whip, works well. I've got a Slim Jim coming from N9TAX. Hope to find out what it can do this weekend

Google J-pole and build your own.