Ham TV and how you can receive it

When the Space Shuttle is on a mission, Pressing Touchtone function one (#1) on the "QST machine" will buy 60 minutes of audio on 146.730 Mhz. Between 7PM and 9PM it will also bring up the 434 Mhz Ham TV Transmitter with Shuttle Video!

Simplified instruction on how to receive "HAM" TV with a cable ready TV or VCR.

• Ham television can be received by the average amateur radio operator or interested individuals on a regular home TV set.
• The best way to receive simplex ham TV is with a receiver and antenna that is manufactured for optimum reception.
• In order for you to find out if you want to upgrade to a high quality receiver, that you can purchase, this instruction sheet will assist you to try it without spending any money and to generate you interest in HAM TV.
• To find out more information about equipment for 434 MHZ HAM TV that you might want to purchase, please check out http://www.hamtv.com

It just so happens that 434 Mhz is the frequency where Local Hams transmit live "REAL TIME" television. This is the same type of TV signals that your normal Broadcasting stations transmit. The only difference is that it's lower than channel 14.

It's also nice to know that on a CABLE ready TV or VCR, if you place your UNIT into the "CATV" mode then go to Channel 59, that Channel 59 is real close to the 434 MHZ frequency you want to be on to receive "Ham TV".

One last thing! You need to understand that to get "HAM TV" on 434 MHZ, you need to do the following:

• Find a Ham Radio Operator that transmits "HAM TV". There is a regular schedule that you can be sure a TV signal is on. The schedule is, 7PM to 9PM whenever the Space Shuttle is on a mission, and every Tuesday from 7PM to 8PM when the Las Vegas Amateur Radio Club NET is conducted on 146.940 Mhz.
• You can be sure there is a TV Signal on the air by going to the "QST machine" on 146.730 Mhz. whenever the message ID Barker runs, if the TV transmitter is on, there is a 250 Hertz Tone transmitted continuously under the message. You can hear this tone. If you hear the tone, this means the TV Transmitter is on. The purpose of the tone is so that you can hear it, but it also operates CTCSS decoders on Ham Radio Transceivers so regular Ham TV Operators will know when the TV Signal is transmitting.
• Disconnect any Cable TV or other input you might have to the antenna or CATV input on your TV or VCR. Plug in a UHF or any other TV Antenna you have into the CATV input. If you have a splitter, do not use it, go directly into the Cable TV input. The best antenna would be a UHF directional Antenna with the elements horizontal, if you don't have that, the next best is a outside UHF/VHF Antenna with coaxial Cable to your TV set. In the Las Vegas area, we have placeed the TV Transmitter on top of the Mountain (Black Mountain) in Henderson (Of Course) where TV 5, 3, 39, 21, 10 ETC. Transmit from.
• Be sure that you find the switch or menu screen to get your receiver into the Cable TV mode. This would be the same function if you really had cable TV. Perhaps you already have Cable TV, and are already in the CATV mode, that's great, unplug your cable from the back of your TV and plug in the antenna and go to Channel 59.
• If you have a scanner you can listen to the local simplex talk back frequency for information about Ham TV on 434.000 Mhz when the transmitter is on. The local talk back frequency for simplex Ham TV is 144.300 Mhz.
• Be sure to turn up the sound on your TV once you get the picture for more information.
• Don't forget, this is only a hobby and you will want to find out more about how to improve reception, so check out the following reference books and web site information sources. ARRL Handbook Chapter 12 PAGE 46. http://www.arrl.org and http://www.hamtv.com
• The first item you can buy to make reception better is a UHF Directional antenna, connected with coaxial cable to your TV set still in the CATV mode. Get the antenna as high in the air as possible and make sure the elements are horizontal. The next item to buy to make a real improvement is a Down converter. You connect your new UHF Directional antenna to the Down converter, then connect the Down converter to your TV set and tune in Channel 2.

We will be adding an E-Mail list of Las Vegas Hams that transmit "HAM TV". Until the list is complete, please e-mail Steve Scott, KD8S <kd8s@skylink.net> for answers to your questions.

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