Subj : Re: Anybody here?
To   : All
From : dotslash
Date : Tue Mar 08 2022 09:22 pm

Hello Mewcenary,

On 06/03/2022 20:55, Mewcenary wrote:
>    Re: Re: Anybody here?
>    By: dotslash to All on Sun Mar 06 2022 05:37 pm
> 
>   do> hit my nearest DMR repeater, so I caved in and bought myself a
>   do> MMDVM-based hotspot. Basically a Raspberry Pi Zero W in a nice metal
>   do> case with a little OLED screen and a transceiver hat. That way I can 
now
>   do> get onto DMR, but using the Internet. The same hardware can also work
>   do> with Icom's D-Star, as well as Yaesu's YSF digital networks. At least
>   do> your HT is digital-ready for when you want to start messing about with 
that.
> 
> Ah, I've ordered myself a Zumspot USB stick for this purpose.  I can't 'hit' 
the digital repeaters from here.  I considered the Raspberry Pi route, but went 
with the USB stick for flexibility (I can use it with my PC, or also with the 
likes of Pistar on a Pi should I wish....)

Nice! Once you have it working properly I would like to hear your 
opinion on how it works for you.

> I'm thinking of getting a listening aerial for now, but struggling with 
exactly _what_ to get.  I get that you just need co-ax cable shoved into the 
device for this purpose, but at this stage would appreciate a ready-made kit 
which gets you started!  It feels too early to be having antenna anxiety ;)

Since you will most likely need to have a VHF/UHF antenna for your 
Zumspot, I suggest that you get a 2m/70cm mobile antenna on a mag-mount. 
Most of these have BNC connectors, but that is easy to adapt to SMA by a 
number of different options. This might not be the best "listening" 
antenna, but it will be able to do the job when you want to go mobile 
with your FT3D. Here is a link to a Sigma antenna that looks quite good:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320993210117?hash=item4abcafaf05:g:BE4AAMXQ9x5RIpEy


Alternatively you could have a look at getting a roll-up Slim-Jim 
antenna. I have a few, and they work extremely well. The first one I 
made was from a "kit" I bought which was basically just a length of 
450-ohm ladder line and a 10-foot piece of RG58 with a BNC connector on 
the one end. It wasn't pretty when I finished it, but it worked very 
well indeed. The Slim-Jim is an antenna variant based on the J-pole 
design, which is a really excellent all-round VHF/UHF antenna. I have a 
more portable one I bought from an outfit in Michigan USA called "Nelson 
Antennas", and if I combine it with my 6-meter Sotabeams telescopic pole 
I can get line-of-sight into repeaters all over London. This antenna is 
also on ebay:


> 
> Mewcenary.
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