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Do any of you gentlemen know anything about the Sirio SY 27-3 3 element Beam antenna. any help would be appreciated. I have been studying for the general class licence and I think I'm ready...but I Cant find anyone in the Shreveport, la area that can test me. Any comments on the yagi and or the licence would be appreciated.
Tommy Dies

Hello Tommy,

First of all, a 3 element Yagi Antenna only produces + 6 dBd / 8.2 dBi Gain -- No More, No Less and it does not matter which Frequency Band the 3 element Yagi is being used on! The Sirio 27-3 3 element 11/10 Meter Yagi Beam Antenna is using Hyper-Inflated numbers for their Electrical Antenna Gain Measurements being mostly Sold to the CB market place! The Sirio Antennae Company is located in Italy and here's their web link:

http://www.sirioantenne.it/company_ant.php

And here's the web link for their specifications:

http://www.sirioantenne.it/download_ant.php

They're worth a Good Laugh!

If you are ready to take your Amateur Radio General Class License Test in Shreveport, LA, here's the Shreveport Amateur Radio Association web link:

http://www.k5sar.com/

The members of this club should be able to accommodate your needs for the Volunteer Exaiminer Coordinators to help provide the necessary testing documents and where it has to be done.

If you're really intending to get your General License do not limit yourself to 10 Meters Only because you'll have the privileges to operate all of the Amateur Radio Frequency Bands.

To do your own comparison, here’s Hy-Gains web link:

http://www.hy-gain.com/Catergories.php?sec=3

Check the Antenna Model numbers: TH-3JRS, TH-3MK4, TH-5MK2, TH-7DX & TH-11DX for all the specifications.

Here’s Mosley Multi-Band H.F. Antennas web link:

http://www.mosley-electronics.com/page% ... nd%20beams

Here’s M2 H.F. Multi-Band Antennas web link:

http://www.m2inc.com/index2.html

And the KT-34M2 web link:

http://www.m2inc.com/index2.html

Here’s Bencher’s H.F. Antenna web link:

http://www.bencher.com/ham/index.php?ma ... ucts_id=11

Here’s Cushcraft H.F. Multi-Band Antennas new web link:

http://www.cushcraftamateur.com/Catergories.php?sec=6

Check the following Model numbers: A3S, A4S, MA5B & X7 specifications.

73 & Good Luck,

Dan
WA9WVX

Thanks ever so much Dan. The info will be of great help. I have to watch my expenses because i am disabled and only get SSI. but yes I am definitely getting my ham licence, and am studying feverishly...including m/code. the code is comming back to me as i had a novice license in the seventies and was up to about 18 words a minute. thanks so much for the valuable info. I will put this to good use. I have gathered a small amount of equipement but need an antenna and coax. The radio had been converted to cb, but I converted it back when I recieved it. I',m sort of a legal beagle about that stuff. I'm lisening on a wire at the moment and 10m is dead quiet. Hope to qsl with you soon.

73's to you and Thanks
Tommy Dies

Hi Tom,

I'm not sure that you are aware but the F.C.C. Dropped the CW requirements for the present Technician, General & Extra Class Licenses. I will admit having a background knowing Morse Code / CW operation will help you, when you want to operate this mode.

The Sirio 27-3 3 El. Yagi is nothing more than a Mono-Band Beam Antenna. There's nothing wrong with a Mono-Band antenna system other than stacking other antennas in a Christmas Tree Array for all the other Bands that you will want to operate in the future.You better have one heck of an antenna supporting structure / tower, a heavy duty 2~3" vertical mast pipe and a heavy duty rotor system to handle a Christmas Tree Antenna Array! We have all started out with wire antennas in our Amateur Radio hobby and have moved up to better antenna systems.

Through hamfests, meeting local hams or on-line purchasing (like using QTH.Com as a resource) of used antennas and station equipment, practically the entire Ham Radio community has acquired what they need or want using this method. Some of us still "homebrew" our antennas, accessories and station equipment but this takes time, the proper test equipment, tools and the components to accomplish each individual task.

I have to watch my expenses because I am disabled and only get SSI.

I'm very sorry to hear that Tom but it doesn't sound like it's stopping you from persuiing your interest in Ham Radio.

There's been a saying for as long as I can remember about the Amateur Radio Operators being Cheap. Perhaps it's true to a certain extend. I choose to use the following phrase, Ham Operators are resourceful! If there's a will, then there's a way to accomplish what you want to do.

The conditions on most of the H.F. Bands are very poor at best because of the low sun spot activity so I'm not surprised to hear that 10 meters is dead.

BTW, when I came back to read your reply, I noticed that I couldn't open my web link information for the M Squared / M2 website so here's the correct link:

http://www.m2inc.com/

And then open the JPG for Amateur Radio.

73,

Dan
WA9WVX

I was under the understanding that passing the code test along with the tech lic. would allow for more phone frequencies. I think i can pass the tech exam and studying code for the so called tech plus. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm close to being ready for the General class...but one step at a time.
You guys are great.
Tommy Dies :)"

Hi Tom,

The F.C.C. Dropped the CW requirements for the present Technician, General & Extra Class Licenses.

The FCC Drops Morse Code Requirements web link:

http://www.arrl.org/fcc/morse/

And

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/contacts/headlin ... deElim.pdf

Here's the American Radio Relay League main web link:

http://www.arrl.org/fcc/morse/

Here's the ARRL / FCC Frequency & RF Power Output Allocations Per Amateur Radio Class of Licensee web link:

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regula ... ocate.html

Here's what I would recommend doing as far as taking the Amateur Radio Exams:

Go with the intent to Pass the General Class License. If things do not work in your favor, you will know that you've already Passed the Technician Exam requirements and you will have that portion of the testing completed. You've stated that you were a Novice back in the 1970s so with a little brushing up on the technical portion of the exams, you should Pass with ease. Today's Amateur Radio Exams are much easier than 30 years ago.

The ball is in your court, take it and run like nobody's business and Pass Your General License!

73,

Dan
WA9WVX

You might consider a Solarco Imax 2000 10-20 meters with a tuner, they go for about $100 or an A99 10-17meters with tuner,for about $75.I use a 102" S.S.Whip trimmed to 96" for 10 meters mtd 12" above a metal roofed mobile home with an attached 10X20 awning and have worked the Deep South @ 100 watts when the band is open.
As for general class exam get a Gordan West study book go through it then take the online exams till you feel comfortable.you should pass with out a doubt.I passed elements 2&3 Tech & General the first go around in 09/04 but blew element 1 CW ( No longer required) ,then consentrated on cw and passed it in 04/05,
73's & good luck
Paul

Thanks Guys for all the info.....I'm not shure my wife is because I have the bug even more now. Do any of you have any on hand knowledge of the Yaesu FTDX400 transceiver, theres one on ebay?

ratter wrote:Thanks Guys for all the info.....I'm not shure my wife is because I have the bug even more now. Do any of you have any on hand knowledge of the Yaesu FTDX400 transceiver, theres one on ebay?

It is old ... very old. They were 60's vintage as I recall. For the same money, you can get a much more modern radio. Radios such as Yaesu's 757 or Kenwood's 120 or 130 can be found for under $200 if you watch. The modern xcvrs have MUCH better receivers and that is what you want to have. If you can't hear 'em, you won't work 'em.

Hi Tommy
The HTDX 400 was an impressive radio IN ITS DAY.500 watts SSB & CW. Boat Anchors (Antque Radios) like humans DO NOT improve with age.Unless you plan a total restoration at considerable expense due to replacement parts scarcity, I'd opt for a Kenwood TS-440 or newer or a new Icom 718 (Phasing out at discount),They are Solid State rigs and in the $ 400-600 price range .
Do your research and you won't get burned. I've had good luck with qth.com ,QRZ.com & E-Ham .com classifides,but not so with E-Bay with its bidding frendzies.
Good Hunting & n73 4 now
Paul KB3LMV

I am looking at a keenwood 820s and a yaseu ft101 with a VFO FV101B and a Digital display YC-601B plus a landliner they all look matched. I'm not sure If i woul ever use a landliner. I'm kind of leaning towards the Kenwood.
I take my tech exam Dec 19 at the Minden ham fest and would like to bring my radio with me. I missed out on the Kenwood 530s ( darn ).
You knowledgeable experience will help. Which would you buy if you didn't have much money.

Tommy

Well I finanly talked the wife into breaking into our emergency stash and have purchased a Kenwoo ts830s. All I need is an antenna. the radio will be here next week. But at least I'll be able to listen a little with a longwire.
Would like to build a sloper or inverted v or dipole as such but i would need simple instruction. Help me if you can>

thanks for all the help Guys
Tommy

ratter wrote:...Would like to build a sloper or inverted v or dipole as such but i would need simple instruction. Help me if you can>...

Well, a nice choice on a radio. Building wire antennas is not difficult. You don't need fancy "pre-built" stuff. Here's a deal for you: Send me an email with your address (my callsign "at" springmail.com) and I will send you an antenna design guide for wire antennas like you need. Welcome to the hobby.

I have a large roll of 1/8th" vinyl cover galvanized wire. Will this work?