Ham radio repeaters

br549redneck wrote:

Tachdriver wrote:

Horizon170 wrote:
What does one have to do to qualify for a HAM permit?
No way I can learn MORSE Code.

\

The code requirement has been dropped so no worry there. There are numerous websites that support the teaching of the test, once you feel comfortable to take the test find out where the next one will be administered in your area. The cost to administer the test is about $15.

The technician test allows you access to VHF/UHF and SSB portion of a few KHz on 10M (28Mhz).

Worse thing FCC ever did was drop the code portion of the test.
N5DIT

Yep

Hmmmmmm -

Thread started on 6-6-14

Last post *before* the above, 11-10-14

Guess that's a - repeater resurrection...:W

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DW and I replaced the aged F150 with a 2014 version and she said I couldn't drill holes in the new one to install a radio. Fix: 18 aH 12v battery hooked to the Ft 8900 with face plate attached to a PVC pipe/cap that fits in the cup holder (so I can move it around). The magnetic antennae works well enough to hit the repeater 20 miles away over the hills where I live in Texas. I am going to put a small solar charger on the battery to keep it charged while I am at work.

If the truck is moving 2M is on. I standby on 52 which is extremely quiet. Did 15,000 miles to Alaska this year & hardly spoke to anyone except in Yukon. They have an excellent linked repeater system there. Nce to be out in the middle of nowhere & have a connection.

Across the lower 48 52 is very quiet. I don't try to fiddle with the radio while driving so I don't go repeater hunting.

Horizon170 wrote:
What does one have to do to qualify for a HAM permit?
No way I can learn MORSE Code.

You need INCENTIVE to learn morse code.

Got my ticket in 1979. They guy teaching me morse code would send letters from Penthouse magazine. I learned fast.

When in the Billings, MT area, there are two repeaters that are the primary ones.
145.410 (negative offset, 100 Hz tone) and 147.360 (positive offset, 100 Hz tone).
These two repeaters are linked together. The total coverage area extends from Greybull, WY to Stanford, MT and from Big Timber, MT to Custer MT and beyond.
Monday through Friday there is a morning 2 meter net at 0800 lcl. on these repeaters. In fact, I will be net control for the net this morning. There is also a Tuesday Evening net at 1900 every Tuesday, and a YL net on Thursday evening at 1900 for the ladies (but everyone is welcome to join in).
There is a 10 meter "Gum Beaters Net" Fridays at 1900 on 28.4mHz
For more information on other HF nets around the area, go to the Yellowstone Radio Club website.
If you are going to be in Montana in July, look up the Glacier Waterton Hamfest online. It will be the third weekend in July at the Glacier Meadows RV park 16 miles West of East Glacier on Hwy 2. You won't get a hookup site (they are reserved 3 to 5 years out), so it will be dry camping in a hayfield. I usually try to get there on Thursday afternoon, so I can get my favorite spot along the tree line.
There are active clubs in Great Falls and the Flathead Valley(Kalispell) as well.
As for getting licensed, our club (Yellowstone Radio Club) has a class the second Saturday of every odd-numbered month in the computer lab at the Billings library. Testing is the following Saturday. The last I heard, they were running a 90% pass rate!
All of our older operators are great guys, always helpful. I had never heard the term "appliance operator" until I read this thread.
Oh, well...
73, KJ7POE (vanity call)

Reviews on the ARRL TravelPlus Mobile GPS for Garmin.

It is good to see there is still interest in Ham Radio, I got my
ticket in 1974

Thanks

Johnnie

If you are camping in the smoky mtns in TN/NC there is a local HAM REPEATER on the same mtn. Kinda neat running around the camp site using the handhelds on VHF. It is also Internet Linked...

We like alot of others usually go to the same places and I use my VHF/440 mobile units alot in-route. I am also on HF 80/40 SSB from both the mobile and camp ground setup.

Ham Radio has always been part of my camping trips even when we tent camped back in the 60s-70s alot....

I suspect HAM RADIO will be forced into the Digital Mode Operations like the commercial public service radio system are going making all of the analog and FM radio operations obsolete...

Roy K9PHT

Well, success varies.. in some areas I've had good success.. I use using a Kenwood mobile, I had it programmed (in advance) for the repeaters along my route (using ARRL software to find the repeaters, Travel Plus with repeaters) and a 2nd radio locked (Rock bound) on 146.52 The Kenwood died, and got repalced, but the new one has fewer memories (will change that some day)

One of my radios here was originally purchased in 1978 Fell out of use for a while, (got misplaced) but is still functional. It is a Wilson WE-800 3rd production run. (never buy anything before Revision 3)

True story: I ordered it in time for a 2nd run (R-2) radio but the funds to pay for it were delayed.. So I told the store "Give it to the next person in line and I'll take his place"... he had many headaches with his R-2 version,, Mine worked perfectly from day one to today.

I tell a story (Height is might) about the effect of height on antennas.. THIS is the radio I was holding in my hand, 1 watt into a rubber duck, when I made the "Trip" from Detroit to Adrian, mi to Toledo, OH and a poor ham running about 40 watts ERP at 30 feet in Windsor (I could see his house from where I was standing) could not make it... My secret... I got in the elevator and pressed "21" before raising the repeater, I was about 250 feet above ground.

Dyngbld wrote:

hotpepperkid wrote:

Horizon170 wrote:
What does one have to do to qualify for a HAM permit?
No way I can learn MORSE Code.

What you mean is that Im not going to bother learning the code. Your in luck you don't have to. You can be an appliance operator and learn just enough to get you license

Attitudes like that are why the hobby has very few young people in it. At 44 I am the youngest operator I know. Yes I learned code several years ago, never upgraded. I finally upgraded and the code was no longer required.

Attitude? I didn't think there was any attitude in his statement. I guess you are new to ham or like you said young. An appliance operator is just someone who buys a radio instead of building one.

I was trying to get onto echolink and the owner of the node came on telling me my audio was too loud. I told him, that I was new to echolink and sorry Old Man, but I needed an audio report. He immediately dumped me and banned my callsign on his node. I guess he didn't like me calling him, OM?
That is another term that has no attitude on ham radio. Now if I refereed to his YL(young lady) as OL for old lady, that would have shown attitude.

Good luck to you on ham radio. Lighten up a bit and maybe find a mentor that has some miles under his belt to show you the ropes.

73,
Marty
KG6QKJ