23 March 2013

UV-3R and external power sources

When a charged battery is inserted into an UV-3R, the radio powers up automatically. This doesn't occur when the battery is inserted, radio is OFF and the charger is plugged: the radio begins charging the battery.

The good news (for me) is that the radio (UV-3R mkI) powers up automatically also when there is no battery inserted and an external power source is supplied.

I am planning to install an UV-3R in the car to access the local UHF repeater. I don't need to change frequencies or touch the radio controls: just wear the headphone/hands-free and talk. This way I will get the radio up and running together with the car.

In order to reduce 12V of the car battery to about 4V I will use a recently acquired DC-DC switching step-down module (variable voltage, 2 amps) and throw everything into a small box under driver's or passenger's seat.

And REMEMBER: on UV-3R tip is NEGATIVE!!!

21 March 2013

New Italian prefixes

Those of you that spend time on the air will, sooner or later, notice an increase in IUnxyz stations.
While it is not a brand new prefix, since it has been used in the past for special/contest stations, "IU" has been allocated for new callsigns once the "IZ" series runs out of letters.

Greet these HAMs with a warm welcome!