Ham Radio Programming

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Trying to get to know my Ham radio better.

Just got the software (RT Systems Inc as it was made for my unit) to program my Yaesu FT-7800R rather than doing it manually and thought I would check with other radio owners (same unit or others):

• how you make use of the various memories this unit has (Hyper Memory (5), Bank Memory (20), etc.) supposed be a 1000?
• what things you store where and why?
• what features are most popular and why?
• any other kool things about the unit you can share?
• does anyone keep repeaters in a spreadsheet that you wouldn't mind sharing? (MT, ID, UT, AZ, NV, CA, CO, WY, OR, WA, MX) PM me.

 

[mr r2fj]

Well I honestly haven't used anything in my 8800 but the "standard" memories. So I'd love to hear people's thoughts as well.

About the only thing I've done on mine is program in all the FRS/GRMS frequencies and the input freqs of all the repeaters I use. I like to have quick access to the inputs in case something goes wrong and I'm trying to communicate with someone. More useful on a dual receive radio, but still has some uses with yours.

The only other comment I have is make sure you know how to program the unit manually as well. I often get too spoiled with the software programming and forget how to do some of the programming functions while "in the field".

 

[HenryJ]

Lots of questions. Probably not many can be answered by me , as I don't use half the features that are possible.

What software are you using? I have a FT8800R and use
G4HFQ software.

I store frequencies in a bank for area grouping, or task oriented.

I like to scan. That is my favorite feature.

I can't think of any cool features to pass along. It is all cool

I have a few files, but you need to decide what you want. I keep lots of emergency services frequencies on mine. Gathering all the RX/TX/ Tones and typing them all in is a daunting task. Once complete it is very simple to make changes or add a few frequencies.
Locals are a good source for what repeaters are most active and work the best. I have a few for Oregon/Idaho and some for the Moab area of Utah. I will not know if the ones I programmed for Utah are the right ones until after my October trip.
I listen and watch forums for what works. There was a good thread on Moab and Canyonlands recently. It linked some active repeaters with good coverage through linking. I added them to mine.
Much of the UHP crosses over to OSP frequencies here, so listening in on law enforcement is easy.

I do keep the default offroad frequencies programmed:
4WD 1 146.430
4WD 2 146.460
4WD 3 146.490
4WD 4 146.580
4WD 5 147.420
4WD 6147.450
4WD 7 147.480
4WD 8 147.540
4WD 9 147.570

Not all work everywhere. Follow your local band plan.

Here is a resource for repeaters: http://www.usrepeaters.com/

Frequency database: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/

 

[Cabrito]

I like to use the memory banks - I have a group for just repeaters in my hometown area - then I have another group for repeaters in Lake County because we are up there every other weekend. It's nice to have the weaker signals that you won't be using blocked out plus it scans trough the ones you want much faster than scanning all 200 of them you might have programmed.

I use the Hyper memories for freq's that I need instant access to and don't want to dial through them all to find the one I need. I think when I go to a Hyper memory that it clears all the skipped memories. I have it set to skip some of the memories that start to annoy me or that I don't use.

Best to learn how to program it manually - I started off first with using the programmer on my VX-7B and now when I need to add something when I am out I have a hard time remembering how. The VX-7 is sort of difficult to program until you are used to it. The FT-8800 I have is real simple to program manually.

 

[gary in ohio]

Trying to get to know my Ham radio better.

Just got the software to program my Yaesu FT-7800R rather than doing it manually and thought I would check with other radio owners (same unit or others):

• how you make use of the various memories this unit has (Hyper Memory (5), Bank Memory (20), etc.) supposed be a 1000?
• what things you store where and why?
• what features are most popular and why?
• any other kool things about the unit you can share?
• does anyone keep repeaters in a spreadsheet that you wouldn't mind sharing? (MT, ID, UT, AZ, NV, CA, CO, WY, OR, WA, MX) PM me.

Local area and use will drive much of how you use your memories. Not many ham radio's have banks. I like that. What I do is program my daily driver channels first, Frequencies I use on a regular basis, Local repeaters, simplex channel that I might use. The next group is local Amateur RADIO emergecny services (ARES) and skywarn frequencies, along with local NOAA. That way I can switch up to that range when I am in skywarn mode and flip between all the skywarn channels without need to go from channel 800 to 20. I often end up with some frequencies in more than one location. Now I put in the local public safety, Most are non-trunked on VHF so its easy for me to have the police,fire and EMS for our county. If I hear or see something I can switch up and listen into public safety. After those freq, I move out futher, Freqncies I mind find in the northern part of the state, southern,etc. After that maybe set of freq near the inlaws house.

keep in mind MOST radio programming systems have and import export feature, usually CVS format so you can creat a spreadsheet with freq and use them on multi programs

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Well I honestly haven't used anything in my 8800 but the "standard" memories. So I'd love to hear people's thoughts as well.

About the only thing I've done on mine is program in all the FRS/GRMS frequencies and the input freqs of all the repeaters I use. I like to have quick access to the inputs in case something goes wrong and I'm trying to communicate with someone. More useful on a dual receive radio, but still has some uses with yours.

The only other comment I have is make sure you know how to program the unit manually as well. I often get too spoiled with the software programming and forget how to do some of the programming functions while "in the field".

Great comments! I keep the operators manual in the glove box just in case.

 

[ntsqd]

In the Suburban I keep a 3 ring binder with full size printed pdf's of the manuals for the GPS and the 2M radio (including a complete freqs listing for the programming program). It fits nicely between the center console and the co-pilot's seat. Not quite sure where it will go in the FJ60. And I do need to build a similar binder for Patch now that it's operational again.

I stumbled onto this idea while chasing the Vegas to Reno race a couple years ago. We just barely had the mechanicals of the Sub ready in time, so I knew that I'd be manually programming both the GPS with the course & pit locations as well as adding that team's radio freq's. The large format makes figuring something out while underway a whole lot easier for the co-pilot.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

In the Suburban I keep a 3 ring binder with full size printed pdf's of the manuals for the GPS and the 2M radio (including a complete freqs listing for the programming program). It fits nicely between the center console and the co-pilot's seat. Not quite sure where it will go in the FJ60. And I do need to build a similar binder for Patch now that it's operational again.

I stumbled onto this idea while chasing the Vegas to Reno race a couple years ago. We just barely had the mechanicals of the Sub ready in time, so I knew that I'd be manually programming both the GPS with the course & pit locations as well as adding that team's radio freq's. The large format makes figuring something out while underway a whole lot easier for the co-pilot.

I have just started the same thing, 3-ring binder with all the kool stuff I need, thanks!

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Spent some time reading my manual and looking things up on the web with regards to the memory thing and my FT7800R. Glad I bought it as my research has found that not all radios have as much memory nor such flexibility in programming. Also made me confident I bought the right software for programming it as well since the RT Systems pack was made for my unit and not a third party fix.

Here is what I found:

Regular Memory (1000 channels): Keep your popular frequencies and repeaters in here. Can even organize this more by allocating channels (100-200 is 2M, 201-300 is 70 cm, etc.) to certain bands or areas or whatever.
Bank Memory (20 Banks); Here is where you can mix and match your 1000 memories/channels to suit personal needs
Hyper Memory (5): this is where you get some creativity and can mix banks and regular memory for special situations.

Makes for a huge combination of memories (100,000+), only limit is your creativity!

I am thinking of using the each bank (20) for each province (western ones [3])/state (again western 8 -10 states) repeaters, one for Mexico repeaters (by states I visit) since I go there a lot, another bank for popular 4WD CH frequencies (about a dozen or so) which seem to be the same from the ExPo posts I have read. Another Bank for GMRS/FRS for our local usage (22 channels). Another bank for emergency frequencies (all places). That's 17 banks with 3 left for whatever. All of this would take considerable time to program manually.

Then the 5 Hyper Memory slots (these are the five buttons on the front of the head, so one can easily press one while driving and change the configuration of the radio, kool, eh? [that's Canuck for yes/no?]) can be used/changed on the fly (minimal programming) to make any combination of these 1000 memories and 20 banks, scan/not scan, active/not active, etc. Lets you customize the radio for 5 different usages on the fly and you can change these relatively easily with manual programming on the fly. Not many radios can do this other than the top end Yaesu ones.

Hence my reason for requesting members in various states/provinces/areas to put their info in a spreadsheet and I will collate and make available to all for cut/paste into their software to program their units or just use as a reference database.

 

[Carlyle]

If you go to the Yaesu website you can download the manual in pdf form that you can print for a 3 ring binder. I'm going to do the same so I can read it a little easier and have it protected as well.

 

[mr r2fj]

If you go to the Yaesu website you can download the manual in pdf form that you can print for a 3 ring binder. I'm going to do the same so I can read it a little easier and have it protected as well.

good suggestion! They should distribute them like that.

 

[taugust]

Another way to have ALL your manuals with you, is to download the PDF's and load them on a laptop. I have manuals for all my ham radios, GPS, Factory Service Manual for my Tacoma, Hi-Lift Jack, scanner, and camera. I even have the install manual for my suspension lift kit. Don't forget manuals for radio accessories. I just realized the CB radio isn't in there yet...

On extended trips, the laptop goes along and the manuals are there for easy reference. Sure, the laptop can fail, but not too likely, and it's going along anyway.

 

[Seldom Seen]

I set my radio up in 4 banks representing each quadrant of the state, North East, South East, NW, SW. There is some overlap along the I70 corridor. In each bank I also included several commonly used simplex freqs.

It took some time and patience, but I was able to locate all of the popular repeaters in the state by Lat/Long. I then used Easy GPS to create a .gpx file that I imported to my POI loader for my GPS and created a custom POI file for repeaters.

Now when I'm in the bush I have 2 options. I can setup a proximity alert for when I within, say 50 miles of a repeater. The GPS will inform me when I'm in the 50 mile circle. This can get annoying at times so what I usually do is, when I start to loose a machine I hit Find POI-> Repeater-> Nearest. I get a range in miles and a direction to the closest machine***. Having the direction is a useful tool 'cuz the closest is not always the best, you may be in the RF shadow of a mountain.

I set up the POI file so when I get to that screen the location/call sign, input, offset and tone are displayed much in the same way you would see the name, address and phone # of a business in a POI file.

I set up my radio so the alphanumeric tags for the repeaters are similar to the name/location in the POI file, that makes tuning on the fly easy.

***edit, I get a list of repeater sorted from nearest to furthest.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Another way to have ALL your manuals with you, is to download the PDF's and load them on a laptop. I have manuals for all my ham radios, GPS, Factory Service Manual for my Tacoma, Hi-Lift Jack, scanner, and camera. I even have the install manual for my suspension lift kit. Don't forget manuals for radio accessories. I just realized the CB radio isn't in there yet...

On extended trips, the laptop goes along and the manuals are there for easy reference. Sure, the laptop can fail, but not too likely, and it's going along anyway.

Great idea with the laptop, but for me and the extend trips south from Calgary to as far as MX, a laptop is just one more thing to make my truck stand out and for me to leave it somewhere, it breaks, or some one wants to steel it.I try to travelling light so if I find some neat things to bring home (potter,art, etc.) I have some room.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

I set my radio up in 4 banks representing each quadrant of the state, North East, South East, NW, SW. There is some overlap along the I70 corridor. In each bank I also included several commonly used simplex freqs.

It took some time and patience, but I was able to locate all of the popular repeaters in the state by Lat/Long. I then used Easy GPS to create a .gpx file that I imported to my POI loader for my GPS and created a custom POI file for repeaters.

Now when I'm in the bush I have 2 options. I can setup a proximity alert for when I within, say 50 miles of a repeater. The GPS will inform me when I'm in the 50 mile circle. This can get annoying at times so what I usually do is, when I start to loose a machine I hit Find POI-> Repeater-> Nearest. I get a range in miles and a direction to the closest machine. Having the direction is a useful tool 'cuz the closest is not always the best, you may be in the RF shadow of a mountain.

I set up the POI file so when I get to that screen the location/call sign, input offset and tone are displayed much in the same way you would see the name address and phone # of a business in the POI file.

I set up my radio so the alphanumeric tags for the repeaters are similar to the name/location in the POI file, the make tuning on the fly easy.

That's a very cleaver usage of some technology you have on board anyway, I really Like that idea! Thanks!

BTW a neat website for repeaters in CO is http://www.nwham.com/repeaters/quick.php?state_id=08 and you can search by route scroll down the page a bit and you'll see this.
Search by route: