Ham Radio & Hiking

[ForestGal]

Fight On, if you're the least bit interested in this ham radio stuff at all, I definitely recommend that you tune in on the live scanner on Sunday night, as Bob C suggested.  You will hear how ham communication is properly done, and probably learn a lot about why we do this.  This net is geared to disaster preparedness, and you would hear how far and wide transmissions can be heard on the repeater that we use (Table Mountain 2 meter).

I'm no expert by any means, I got my technician license 2-1/2 years ago (have since upgraded to General class), and I still just use my radio mostly to listen and learn.  My radio is the Kenwood TH-F6, pictured at the far left in the photo above.  I always take it with me when out in the forest, whether on a hike or just up there driving.  I actually have found cell service while atop Baden-Powell, and my friend actually received a call on her cell phone one day this past summer while we were taking a break at Little Jimmy CG, (about 2 miles up from Islip Saddle on the PCT, in case you don't know where that is).  But that's rare, and if we had really needed to get in touch with someone, I would have used my radio.

[FIGHT ON]

Fight On, if you're the least bit interested in this ham radio stuff at all, I definitely recommend that you tune in on the live scanner on Sunday night, as Bob C suggested.  You will hear how ham communication is properly done, and probably learn a lot about why we do this.  This net is geared to disaster preparedness, and you would hear how far and wide transmissions can be heard on the repeater that we use (Table Mountain 2 meter).

I'm no expert by any means, I got my technician license 2-1/2 years ago (have since upgraded to General class), and I still just use my radio mostly to listen and learn.  My radio is the Kenwood TH-F6, pictured at the far left in the photo above.  I always take it with me when out in the forest, whether on a hike or just up there driving.  I actually have found cell service while atop Baden-Powell, and my friend actually received a call on her cell phone one day this past summer while we were taking a break at Little Jimmy CG, (about 2 miles up from Islip Saddle on the PCT, in case you don't know where that is).  But that's rare, and if we had really needed to get in touch with someone, I would have used my radio.

Ya I plan to listen. so you got that good one on the left? cool. I wanna check it out. I don't understand what else you could be learning though?
For me I would just use it if I needed to be rescued. or if I saw someone else that needed to be.  "Help, I'm on so and so trail about 3 miles from the trail head and a snake bit me." " some guy is down a gully and says his leg it broken."
When you say you are still learning stuff what else is there?

[RennMan]

Speaking just for me, Ham Radio is a constant learning process.  I learn how the radio itself works, which can be more complicated than it looks.  I learn where the "sweet spots" are for various repeaters.  I learn things about the people who share a particular repeater.

Mostly, I learn what I don't understand about this particular hobby, and make a decision as to what path to further investigate.  There is much more to the hobby than picking up the radio and turning it on.  You can learn as much or as little as you wish.

I'm a Boy Scout leader.  I teach my scouts and their families to Be Prepared for whatever comes their (and my) way.  This is another tool in that preparation.

[Tomas]

I've used my radio on the trail from Vincent Gap to Cabin Flat pretty deep in the canyon. I've used it on several hikes around the Big Pines Area. I've also heard from people who were on the top of Mt. Whitney communicating with Wrightwood through the Table Mountain Repeater.

I just called in an Emergency a couple of weeks ago with my radio. I saw an upside down car on Big Pines Hwy with a you man stuck in it. There were several people pacing around staring at their cell phones trying to get service. I was the only one that could reach EMS with a relay from another Ham.

I originally got into Ham Radio thinking I would only use it in emergencies. Over time I've learned that the more I use it, the better prepared I'll be in an emergency. I've also had a bit of fun in the process. As RennMan said, you can learn as much or as little as you want. I've found a couple of nets that I enjoy listening to like the Rescue Net and Outdoor Adventure Net on the Keller Peak Repeater that bring up topics of interest beyond Ham Radio as well.

You can also make emergency antennas for your radio that can dramatically increase you capabilities by stringing them up in a tree or another tall non-metallic object. With a cell phone you're stuck with the antenna the manufacturer gave you.

[FIGHT ON]

Speaking just for me, Ham Radio is a constant learning process.  I learn how the radio itself works, which can be more complicated than it looks.  I learn where the "sweet spots" are for various repeaters.  I learn things about the people who share a particular repeater.

How long have you had yours? which one is it?

Mostly, I learn what I don't understand about this particular hobby, and make a decision as to what path to further investigate.  There is much more to the hobby than picking up the radio and turning it on.  You can learn as much or as little as you wish.

I just don't get the "hobby" part. It's just fun listening? to other conversations? like eavesdropping? so it's kinda like message forums in a sneaker kinda way? 

I'm a Boy Scout leader.  I teach my scouts and their families to Be Prepared for whatever comes their (and my) way.  This is another tool in that preparation.

this is cool. how many in your troop? do any of the scouts or their parents take a ham with them on a hike or a camping trip?

[FIGHT ON]

I've used my radio on the trail from Vincent Gap to Cabin Flat pretty deep in the canyon. I've used it on several hikes around the Big Pines Area. I've also heard from people who were on the top of Mt. Whitney communicating with Wrightwood through the Table Mountain Repeater.

How did it work down there? can you plot where you were at different points on this acme mapper thing? Like I was at "a" and it worked well but "b" was not that clear and "c" no reception?  I'm not asking for exact spots if you do remember where that would be very cool. approximately. still trying to get a sense of how the reception is. Thanks.

I just called in an Emergency a couple of weeks ago with my radio. I saw an upside down car on Big Pines Hwy with a you man stuck in it. There were several people pacing around staring at their cell phones trying to get service. I was the only one that could reach EMS with a relay from another Ham.

funny.

I originally got into Ham Radio thinking I would only use it in emergencies.

that's me.

Over time I've learned that the more I use it, the better prepared I'll be in an emergency. I've also had a bit of fun in the process. As RennMan said, you can learn as much or as little as you want. I've found a couple of nets that I enjoy listening to like the Rescue Net and Outdoor Adventure Net on the Keller Peak Repeater that bring up topics of interest beyond Ham Radio as well.

I can see that. and how you can learn how to properly report an event.

You can also make emergency antennas for your radio that can dramatically increase you capabilities by stringing them up in a tree or another tall non-metallic object. With a cell phone you're stuck with the antenna the manufacturer gave you.

think I've seen some houses with stuff like that on them. One house, a little shack had this HUGE one going way up from the center of the roof. supported by like 8 diagonal ones from near it's top to the eaves of the roof. the neighbors said he's a hermit. maybe he's an obsessed ham guy. btw do you have to have a radio device other than the hand held ones on the ends of the three pictured above? Could I just purchase the hand held and still have it work. the antenna is hooked up at your house to the base unit? Thanks!

[FIGHT ON]

any one have a pic of repeaters? table mountain? etc? thanks.

[Bob C]

any one have a pic of repeaters? table mountain? etc? thanks.

Here's where amateur radio excels, when it comes to disasters. A self-contained emergency repeater in a box: http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php?topic=16470.0

More info on emergency benefits of amateur radio, and photo of typical repeater: http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php?topic=15285.0

[ak7v]

Sometimes I'll take a low-power CW (Morse Code) radio out with me on a hike.  I'll string about 40 feet of wire up in a tree and talk with people in Japan.  

Just one of the many things you can do with a ham radio license if you want to.  

Licensing is done primarily, I believe, because back in the day people could kill themselves with tube radio equipment.  Also, one of the missions of the amateur radio service is to cultivate a trained, rehearsed crop of people who could institute a communications infrastructure in the event that other methods fail.  That's what Field Day is about.

The test isn't difficult.  I'd recommend studying a bit, taking the test, passing it, and then you're done.  You never have to take another test as long as you renew your license every 10 years.  If you want, you can take more tests to gain more operating privileges, but that's entirely up to you, and you can do plenty with the entry level license.

[Bob C]

It's just fun listening? to other conversations? like eavesdropping? so it's kinda like message forums in a sneaker kinda way?

Not listening... talking. Talking to friends. Meeting friends. Helping strangers.

By the way, we've been talking about VHF/UHF radio so far... we haven't even gone into the world of HF, which is where you're now talking about world-wide communications. Voice. Video. One of many digital modes.. whatever turns you on. That's the hobby part of it.

http://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-faq-s
http://www.hello-radio.org/whatis.html
http://www.eham.net/newham/

[RennMan]

How long have you had yours?
I got my first licence, the Technician level, in 2005.  BTW, Wrightwood and gus were in that same class, so that's where I met them for the first time    I upgraded to the General licence by using online tests and information, then taking a test.
which one is it?
I have a VX-150, which the one on the right of the picture that Wrightwood posted.  It has been replaced by the FT-250, which is very similar in form and function.
I just don't get the "hobby" part. It's just fun listening? to other conversations? like eavesdropping? so it's kinda like message forums in a sneaker kinda way?  this is cool.
See BobC and ak7V answers for this one, they answered it better than I could.
how many in your troop? do any of the scouts or their parents take a ham with them on a hike or a camping trip?
There are about 30 boys in our WW troop.  Right now there is only one other leader who is licenced.  His 13 year old son is licenced as well.

I was the one who originally posted about the class in Victorville in February.  Some of our boys are thinking about going to that one, however there are at least two other instructors in Wrightwood who may have classes in 2011.  I haven't heard if/when those classes will be held.

To answer another question, the sum total of radios that I currently have are:
- 4 handheld radios (commonly called Handi-Talkies, or HTs):
- two of the VX-150 for myself and my wife (KI6PBN-Loretta)
- two 220MHz units made by Alinco, for myself and my wife

- two Kenwood TM-271A 2 meter mobile radios for our cars (though I still have to install the one in my wife's car!)
- one Yaesu FT-7800R mobile radio for my truck.

Sum total for all this equipment, antennas, cables, accessories, etc, was well under $1000.00, spread out over several years.  Realistically you can get into this hobby for under $200.00 in books, licence fee, and a handheld radio like we've previously described.  I haven't yet felt a need to get a larger house-mounted antenna, but when I do, I can cable it to the VX-150 radio.

Maybe one day I'll get a base unit, or another mobile unit with a power supply to use as a base unit, but that is in the future.  I'm having a good time with the radios we now own.

[SkierBob]

Sure, if you get lost in a mettopolitan area (unless cell service is out, such as during a natural disaster).

yep cell service was never ment to handle the kind of traffic generated by a natural disaster.  AT&T in Mammoth can't even handle the traffic of a big tourist weekend and went down several times over the recent holiday period.

When the big one hits the only people who will be communicating are ham radio operators.  Hams are always the first ones to get information out to the World when disaster strikes. It's always been that way, and I think it will always be that way.   

[Bob C]

When the big one hits the only people who will be communicating are ham radio operators.

Yup. There's a reason EOCs, Sheriff departments, and other agencies have "amateur radio" support groups.

The last time I remember a wide-spread outage of both cell phones, and landlines, was immediately after the Northridge quake. At the time, I was living in Lancaster. I don't think it was the infrastructure that failed, but more likely "everyone calling home" at the same time, which just overloaded the circuits.

A year or two ago, I remember a complete outage of phone service here in Wrightwood. I think it was a cut line or something like that. Amateur radio was the only (civilian) way to communicate out of the area.

[SkierBob]

Yup. There's a reason EOCs, Sheriff departments, and other agencies have "amateur radio" support groups.

 In a major disaster when the public has no way to directly contact these EOCs, Sheriff departments, and other agencies, ham radio operators will become the central point of contact for the public to these various agencies. 

In a disaster the person with the best communications becomes central point of communications, regardless of title or agency affiliation.   

[Tomas]

How did it work down there? can you plot where you were at different points on this? I'm not asking for exact spots if you do remember where that would be very cool. approximately. still trying to get a sense of how the reception is. Thanks.

I can't remember which spots I hit which repeater. While I was on the hike I was playing around with it to see how I could hit different repeaters. I was always able to contact someone.

I've seen some houses with stuff like that on them. One house, a little shack had this HUGE one going way up from the center of the roof. supported by like 8 diagonal ones from near it's top to the eaves of the roof. the neighbors said he's a hermit. maybe he's an obsessed ham guy.

The antennas I'm talking about can be rolled up small enough to fit in a shirt pocket or a pack and taken on hikes. I always take one of these antennas on my mt. bike rides and hikes. In case of emergencies but I've nver had to use this set up.

btw do you have to have a radio device other than the hand held ones on the ends of the three pictured above? Could I just purchase the hand held and still have it work. the antenna is hooked up at your house to the base unit? Thanks!

I started out with a radio like the one above and made an antenna for my house out of copper pipe. I was able to contact a lot of people with that set up. I also set up a good antenna on the roof of my car and I had adapters that allowed me to switch my radio from a hand held, to the car, to the house. The antenna is the most important thing for radio performance.  I still use a similar set up to that for the 220 band and can work repeaters that allow me to talk to people all over the state and in Arizona. I started off on a budget and wanted to learn more about radio before I spent a lot of money.

My wife teased me when I first got into Ham Radio. She became a Ham last year after the Sheep Fire. I was out of town for the fire but she listened to my radio and got the most current information. She tried to get info from the local news reports but most of the reports were exaggerated and inacurate. The radio was the only way she found out about evacuations in our neighborhood. We never got a phone call or a knock on the door.

[KC6ZGG]

any one have a pic of repeaters? table mountain? etc? thanks.

Not table but a few pictures of repeaters and an articile on the Table Mountain repeater

http://wr6jpl.ampr.org/tablemtn.php

[FIGHT ON]

Here's where amateur radio excels, when it comes to disasters. A self-contained emergency repeater in a box: http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php?topic=16470.0

More info on emergency benefits of amateur radio, and photo of typical repeater: http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forum/index.php?topic=15285.0

the first link is cool! too bad you can't make that summit pole a repeater. I mean it's there already. still don't even know where table mountain is. the second link. what's a microwave tower? I know it's not for cooking but is it for cell service?

[FIGHT ON]

Sometimes I'll take a low-power CW (Morse Code) radio out with me on a hike.  I'll string about 40 feet of wire up in a tree and talk with people in Japan.  

Just one of the many things you can do with a ham radio license if you want to.  

Licensing is done primarily, I believe, because back in the day people could kill themselves with tube radio equipment.  Also, one of the missions of the amateur radio service is to cultivate a trained, rehearsed crop of people who could institute a communications infrastructure in the event that other methods fail.  That's what Field Day is about.

The test isn't difficult.  I'd recommend studying a bit, taking the test, passing it, and then you're done.  You never have to take another test as long as you renew your license every 10 years.  If you want, you can take more tests to gain more operating privileges, but that's entirely up to you, and you can do plenty with the entry level license.

so you communicate in moris code? or is the radio called a moris code radio? is a cw radio a ham?

[Bob C]

still don't even know where table mountain is.

Where Mountain High North is located.

what's a microwave tower?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_transmission

Microwave links are used for many things... commercial/gov't. Data, phone transmissions, voice. The issue here, is that during earthquakes, for instance,  the towers (located many miles from each other) can move/shift just slightly, causing the microwave link to be compromised (its generally a very narrow beam, so any mis-alignment causes problems.

[Bob C]

so you communicate in moris code?

You can.

is a cw radio a ham?

CW stands for "continuous wave" (describing the type of transmission), and the way we use it, is generally accepted to mean "Morse Code".