Amateur Radio

[Wheeler]

Yup. Been a long time user of Chirp. I was responding to Clusterfrack's desire to have a radio that didn't require Chirp.

That said, while I'm very comfortable programming my other two HTs via the front key pad, I'm not there yet with the new one. It's a bit too different...

Chris

My bad. I missed that part of the conversation. Yet another reason why I probably shouldn't respond to things when I read them on my phone...

[mtnbkr]

My bad. I missed that part of the conversation. Yet another reason why I probably shouldn't respond to things when I read them on my phone...

NP, it was lost in the noise.

I am getting sorted out on the new radio. I finally figured out APRS and GPS and even got a weather alert via APRS 5 minutes before a microcell blew through the area (hail and such).

Chris

[Wheeler]

NP, it was lost in the noise.

I am getting sorted out on the new radio. I finally figured out APRS and GPS and even got a weather alert via APRS 5 minutes before a microcell blew through the area (hail and such).

Chris

So what benefit does APRS provide?

[2xAGM114]

I used my APRS HT last weekend for two SOTA hikes, solo, way out in the sticks. My YL was able to see my location and watch it update regularly.

As an added benefit, I crank that annoying APRS data burst noise up when I'm trying to make my presence known.

2x previously unactivated 6 pointers - complete!

[mtnbkr]

So what benefit does APRS provide?

Besides what @2xAGM114 mentioned, I also intend to use it for sending/receiving text messages between my wife's phone and my radio when I'm out of cell coverage and to submit SOTA spots when I'm again out of cell coverage.

There are a lot more things you can do with it, but those are the specific uses I want it for.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automa...porting_System

ETA: Before I got this radio, I had to connect an APRS TNC to my other radio and connect that device to my phone via bluetooth in order to use APRS. Doing so rendered my radio useless for voice comms. This new radio does it all internally and allows me to continue using the radio for voice at the same time.

Chris

[Outpost75]

...The "ARRL Emergency Communications courses" as they currently exist are a joke. They are online-only. As are the FEMA ICS classes required, and these are commonly acknowledged to be less than ideal as far as actually inculcating the knowledge. (Online training generally doesn't. Train, I mean, although it is handy for checking a block.)

As for the ARRL classes, you have to request to access them. (Fine.) Then they assign you a mentor -- and this is, notoriously, where the wheels come off. I have heard so many complaints about mentors being unavailable, unresponsive, or dismissive of attempts by their "mentees"* that I have concluded that, in this case at least, there's enough smoke to indicate that there's a three alarm dumpster fire and I won't bother.

[/URL]

There are better free resources out there. The Arlington (VA) Radio Public Service Club http://www.w4ava.org
developed its own RACES training materials years before the ARRL got the idea a day late and dollar short. When I was training officer we conducted live sessions throughout the State as well as in Maryland and West Virginia. http://w4ava.org/training.htm

RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE (RACES) TRAINING

Arlington Radio Public Service Club, in cooperation with Arlington County RACES, Fairfax County RACES and Virginia RACES, Inc. has conducted weekly one-hour RACES interactive training classes via the Internet and toll-free voice conference bridge for participants.

The RACES training materials allow participants to obtain training from the comfort of their homes. RACES candidates must successfully complete an examination and receive background check clearance. After RACES certification is earned, additional FEMA NIMS training must be completed to maintain certification.

The training materials are available without charge to those who would like to use them for training purposes provided that (1) prior permission is obtained, and (2) the user places the appropriate copyright notice, "Copyright © 2006, Virginia RACES, Inc." and acknowledgments of Virginia RACES and Arlington County RACES on the materials. Contact: racesclass@w4ava.org

NOTICE: Pursuant to Arlington County OEM, RACES applicants are subject to background checks conducted by the Arlington Sheriff's Department.

RACES Class Training Materials:

• Class 1 - Introduction to Emergency Communications / RACES. Class 1 Materials: PDF -- PowerPoint® -- MP3
• Class 2 - Operating Procedures for Voice Nets. Class 2 Materials: PDF -- PowerPoint®
• Class 3 - Message Handling. Class 3 Materials: PDF -- PowerPoint® -- WAV
• Class 4 - Personal Preparedness and Equipment Recommendations. Class 4 Materials: PDF -- PowerPoint®
• Class 5 - RACES Functions in the EOC. Class 5 Materials: PDF -- PowerPoint®

Additional Training Materials:

Log (MS Word)-- Op Brief (MS Word)-- Message Form (PDF)-- Comm Plan (PDF)-- Vehicle Equipment Checklist (MS Word)--

http://www.w4ava.org/races-documents/

Here are a number of files for RACES/CERT training

AUX POWER

Cold Weather Safety Awareness for CERT

EDC Emergency Cash

FIND_YOUR_FIRE_STATION_1Dec09

Go Light List

Handheld Rigs

KeyringEDC

Recommendations for Preparedness

Simplex Exercise

Simplex OPS

[Outpost75]

I'm going to throw this question out there and then go to work. If a person lived behind a ridge that separated them from civilization by about 300' of altitude, would there be any point to trying to have a base station at their location? Let's say the ridge was nearly vertical and the base of it was about 200 yards from their house, traveling in one direction without end and the other direction about 1/4 mile before abruptly ending in a narrow notch which allowed traffic in and out of the area before another mountain rose and continued on.

Hopefully that made sense.

I live at FM09jt on the west slope of Great North Mountain in Berkeley County, WV at 680 ft. AMSL below Mills Gap which is 1083 ft. about a mile uphill from me. I use a Sinclair commercial grade repeater half-wave vertical fed with Time Microwave LMR400 elevated 30 feet above ground on the roof cap, and with 50w on FM routinely work 2m repeaters north into Chambersburg and Bedford, PA, south into Spruce Knob, WV and New Market, va, west into Cumberland, MD, Berkeley Springs and Moorefield, WV and east into Charlestown, WV, Rockville and Mount Airy, MD, Leesburg, Bluemont and Linden VA.

On 2m simplex using a Sinclair 6-element yagi with full wavelength boom, I readily make contacts exploiting edge effect, directing the antenna at Mills Gap, getting traffic-quality copy into Washington, DC, Arlington and McLean, VA, and off its side lobes can work most of my local repeaters without going to the vertical. The commercial yagi has double-driven elements and is wide-banded to cover 139-162 Mhz at 1.5 to 1 or less VWSR without adjustment. VERY sturdy, all welded construction you could use for a ladder and rated for 90 mph winds with one inch of ice. Not as "sharp" in front-to-back ratio as a ham antenna, but just dandy if you also want to use MURS or the old 154Mhz fire band.

[mtnbkr]

I live at FM09jt on the west slope of Great North Mountain in Berkeley County, WV at 680 ft. AMSL below Mills Gap which is 1083 ft. about a mile uphill from me. I use a Sinclair commercial grade repeater half-wave vertical fed with Time Microwave LMR400 elevated 30 feet above ground on the roof cap, and with 50w on FM routinely work 2m repeaters north into Chambersburg and Bedford, PA, south into Spruce Knob, WV and New Market, va, west into Cumberland, MD, Berkeley Springs and Moorefield, WV and east into Charlestown, WV, Rockville and Mount Airy, MD, Leesburg, Bluemont and Linden VA.

On 2m simplex using a Sinclair 6-element yagi with full wavelength boom, I readily make contacts exploiting edge effect, directing the antenna at Mills Gap, getting traffic-quality copy into Washington, DC, Arlington and McLean, VA, and off its side lobes can work most of my local repeaters without going to the vertical. The commercial yagi has double-driven elements and is wide-banded to cover 139-162 Mhz at 1.5 to 1 or less VWSR without adjustment. VERY sturdy, all welded construction you could use for a ladder and rated for 90 mph winds with one inch of ice. Not as "sharp" in front-to-back ratio as a ham antenna, but just dandy if you also want to use MURS or the old 154Mhz fire band.

What's your call sign? I do a lot of sota/pota activations in that region, you may have worked me. I also hunt up in Linden and across the mountain from you in Vance's Cove.

My buddy and I will be up on The Pinnacle for the VHF contest and for a sota activation.

Chris
Ki4pot

[Outpost75]

What's your call sign? I do a lot of sota/pota activations in that region, you may have worked me. I also hunt up in Linden and across the mountain from you in Vance's Cove.

My buddy and I will be up on The Pinnacle for the VHF contest and for a sota activation.

Chris
Ki4pot

PM sent.

[ViniVidivici]

I just the other day made my longest distance simplex contact on 2m, was just driving, I monitor the .52 on one slot usually.

Dude on a nearby peak calling out, ended up he was 25 miles away, at about 1500ft.