Official Colorado HAM and cheese thread

I want to upgrade my mobile radio to aprs. May setup a home base station with this kenwood

 

How strictly do you guys follow the rules on trail communications running simplex? The Rising Sun guys make mention that recently they are trying to limit trail chatter. Not sure if they had issue running over someones signal and got reported. They make mention that the purpose of the frequency they run should mainly be used for emergency only, though light trail communications are ok. Do you follow the rules on call sign announcements? Do you turn your radios to the minimum wattage on the trails?

I'm on the fence because I don't like the regulation side of the "hobby".

 

I'm not aware of any rules that would prevent you from using a HAM the same way you would use a CB on the trails.
I've heard people having a 45 minute non stop conversation even over a repeater.
you're supposed to give your call sign every 10 minutes and at the end of transmission but that's about it.

Link to rising sun trail chatter stuff?

 

No issue with trail chatter on simplex. Should not be any issue imho either as long as no one is stepped on. Now they(rising sun) dedicate a freq and it may be getting more activity with the groups on Facebook and the hobby growing as more #eaf users become licensed. I'm not sure they chose an obscure frequency and that thought almost makes it seem like they want to control a frequency which is BS.
I do turn down the power until neccessary. I do follow the call sign rules on repeaters but not on simplex as I see thathat as more of a private conversation typically decided on to step away from other's on the repeater. I typically identify to begin simplex communication and to end but during conversation only if someone new comes through

 

I have so much to learn still.

 

If you find a 1 day class, let me know. I'm sure I could squeak out a pass if I read a little.

 

This makes mention of some of it. They might have moved the conversation to private because I seem to remember them talking about a call-out from another HAM.

http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=24689

 

The way I read that, it's just them trying to create some semblance of organization to radio use within their club and on their runs.
Nothing they decide can be imposed on anyone else.
It's amateur radio and as such, no one can profit from it and no one owns any of the frequencies.
Even their designated frequencies do not belong to them and they can't govern their use.
It's no more or less than if we all decided that TW runs were going to use cb channel 4.
We would all know what channel to tune to to expect to hear the others but we couldn't exclude anyone else from using it and we couldn't impose any rules on it's use.

 

This is something I'd really like to do. It would be cool to get the test out of the way this winter and shoot for having a radio set up by the summer.

Does it make more sense to start with an H/T setup or go straight to mobile?

 

I agree with all @teamhypoxia said.

The points of mention for me were communicating with unlicensed operators and not being as flippant as CB so that the FCC doesn't decide to implement more restrictions.

I disagree with his point about it being emergency use and not keying up. It's amateur radio and emergency use is only 1 part of it all. I do recognize the need to allow some seconds between transmission to allow an emergency communocation to occur but I've not seen too much off a repeater that went this way where someone could not jump in the converaation.


Get the baofeng first and see if you think you need more. They also tune frs frequencis which is my go to for those without a license even though they are a bit over powered for those freqs

 

The unit @Gramps picked up has a mod to run FRS and GRMS and is a mobile unit. That is the direction I would go as HT comms can have range issues while trying to broadcast from inside a vehicles cabin.

I would likely scale my CB back to a normal unit so that is another reason I'm hesitant. Or buy a HF unit that I could hack to run CB but the antenna gets a little freaky.

 

This. I just ordered a Baofeng last week and have began reading/ using apps for practice tests. A lot to learn, but I'm hoping to take the test next month or so.

I paid in the neighborhood of $30.

 

Thanks fellas.

I'll look into the Baofeng. What apps are you using, Austin?

 

This is the baofeng I ordered:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HX03AMA/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'm sure there are better ones, but it's my introduction to HAM.

The apps I use are for iPhone, HAM General and Amature Radio Exam Prep.

Both provide general test questions you'll encounter (from what I can tell). They also provide the FCC rules.

I'm just scratching the surface on all of this so I'm the last person to provide any assistance beyond everything I just stated

 

Nah, bud! That's a great start! Thanks!

 

Awesome info on the App.

I found "HAM Test Prep" in Google Play Store. Gonna start my studying on the plane this week.

Also found a RepeaterBook App to help locate repeaters world wide.

 

The questons and answers are word for word on most the study guides and apps

 

@3378jakesr5 you have no excuse. The technician test is at most 8 hours of study. And you already own a radio.
Get to it!

 

Ill just take some of the stuff off the taco since its not all going back then ill start the ham stuff.

 

@BDN @iRideMTB

Just your daily reminder of HAM superiority.

Darwin said so...