Ham Radio 2.0

This is my thanks to the sponsors for 2016 and my outlook for where I am taking this show in 2017.

Program your DMR codeplug for use for a DMR Hotspot. This question gets asked many times in the various Facebook groups for DMR, so I wanted to make a video that shows how to do this.

In this episode, I connect my HRI200 WIRESx interface box to my FTM-100DR Fusion radio and do some QSOs. There is a new room for North Texas repeaters that is being used for linking, so I display the connection to this room also.

If you are a DMR user, then you likely have a Connect Systems Radio as one of your radios. Most people do. They have some great, low-priced options, including their popular CS800 mobile radio. This new model is another HT, but it offers some cool features that you won't find in any other DMR radio at this time.

Road trip to the Belton HamExpo in Texas, for their October 2016 show. Belton is the only show in Texas that happens twice a year, and it is always a good show. In this episode I talk about the Hamfest, and do some DMR QSOs on the Brandmeister network

Let's take a look at the H1B Android DMR Radio from RFinder, and do some on-air testing

We return to Guayabo, Costa Rica for the 2016 DXpedition by the Northeast Tarrant Amateur Radio Club

One of TYT's latest DMR Handheld devices advertises 10-watts. I'll test this claim on the video and provide more details about this HT that you'll want to know before purchasing

Yaesu's newest HF mobile radio has some cool new features, but leaves out other options of its predecessors. Let's take a look at the radio unboxing, menus, and see it used on the air.

Final installment of the FCC Element 3 General License Training Class, question pool 2015-2019, presented by the Hurst Amateur Radio Club, W5HRC

Session 2 of the General License Training Class for the 2015-2019 Element 3 question pool

At long last - the General Class videos are finally here. This is a 3-part session that took some time to edit. I wasn't happy with the session I recorded in Spring of 2016, so I had to wait until September for the W5HRC club's next class. Then editing, traveling and all of the other videos pushed it back some - but it is finally here and good until 2019. So you have about 2.5 years to go get your upgrade. Let me know in the comments below once you pass your exam!

The SharkRF Openspot is currently the newest and hottest DV hotspot in the Amateur Radio world. It performs cross-talk between DMR and Yaesu System Fusion, allowing users with DMR radios to talk on a YSF network, and vice-versa. Watch this video for setup and demonstration.

I first got to see this new Kenwood TH-D74A Triband DSTAR HT at Dayton in 2016. In my Dayton video, I recorded the display of this radio, which was inside of a clear case that we could see through, but couldn't actually handle the radio. I was disappointed with being unable to handle the radio, but I was more disappointed that this radio incorporated DSTAR instead of DMR

For the past several years, Main Trading Company in Paris, TX has thrown an event called, “Ham Radio Days” that draws people from all over Texas, and from neighboring States. This was my first year to attend, and it was a fantastic experience. Hams attended from Oklahoma, Missouri and as far away as Georgia. Texas Hams visited from as far South as the Houston area.