Chapter 17
Putting together your first station can be exciting, confusing, and challenging all at the same time! This chapter includes some tips and tricks to help you build and use a station that grows with your needs and helps you operate effectively and confidently. The tips might save you some expense, too!
Don’t assume that you’ll be doing the same activities on the air forever. Here are a few tips on flexibility:
Browse the web for articles and videos that show how other stations are put together and operated. Make note of any particularly good ideas. Don’t be intimidated by big stations, because they started out as small stations!
You paid for all those nifty features and controls — learn how they work and put them to work for you. Here are some common examples:
If you have a knowledgeable friend who can help you avoid worn-out and inadequate gear, buying used equipment is a great way to get started. Purchasing used gear from a dealer who offers a warranty is also a good option. Saving money now leaves you more cash for exploring new modes and bands later.
Using equipment that you build yourself is a thrill. Start small by building accessory projects such as audio switches, filters, and keyers. Building things yourself can save you some money, too. Don’t be afraid to get out the drill and soldering iron. You can find lots of kits, web articles, magazines, and books of projects to get you started.
Make sure you are using your microphone, keyer, and sound card properly. Get together with a friend and configure your audio so that it’s clear, clean, and “sounds like you.” Note how the ALC and power output meters act when you have things set properly. For FM voice, find out what microphone orientation and voice level sound best. Have your friend listen to adjacent channels and frequencies — splattering or over-deviation waste power and aggravate others.
On the digital modes, check your audio settings, both receive and transmit. On receive, your audio level should be well above the minimum noise level but not so high that a strong signal exceeds the maximum input range of decoder. On transmit, have that helpful friend be sure you don’t overdrive the audio circuits and create spurious signals.
You need lots of cables and connectors in your station. At a cost of roughly $5 or more for each premade cable, you can quickly spend as much on connecting your equipment as you can on purchasing a major accessory. Learn how to install your own connectors on cables, and you’ll save many, many dollars over the course of your ham career. Plus, you’ll be better able to troubleshoot and make repairs.
After you have the basics of your station in place, upgrade your equipment in steps so that you can always hear a little farther than you can transmit. Don’t be an alligator (all mouth, no ears). Plan with a goal in mind so that your ham radio dollars and hours all work to further that goal. Remember that the biggest bang for your ham radio buck is often improving the antenna!
Every station has a weak link. Always be on the lookout for a probable point of failure or of loss of quality. On the airwaves, you’ll encounter stations with a multibucks radio but a cheap, garage-sale microphone that results in muffled or distorted audio. Use quality gear, and keep heavily used equipment well maintained.
You’re going to spend a lot of hours in front of your radio, so take care of yourself, too. Start with a comfortable chair. Excellent chairs are often available in used-office-furniture stores at substantial discounts. Also make sure that you have adequate lighting and that the operating desk is at a comfortable height. The dollars you spend will pay dividends every time you go on the air.