O.T. Any amateur radio nuts here?

[raygunner]

Originally Posted by 11.4

Don't take my survivalist/prepper comment too far. When you go to amateur radio meetings you see mostly either guys/couples in their sixties or guys in their forties with big beards, big bellies, lots of camo, and pickups with 10-12 inches of lift, brushwhackers, and festooned with antennas. They still do a good thing for events like your MTB racing and search and rescue.

The distance and tech thing merge in a great area with ultra-low-power communications. The equipment is inexpensive because you're only working with power ranging from less than a watt to perhaps ten watts. You can make most of it yourself. It's more often still key rather than voice, so you can have fun with some of the amazing keys and keyers out there. And the whole point is to learn atmospherics and optimum transmission and reception so you can reach someone in Europe with a watt. Sometimes you can go days without reaching your next door neighbor, but tweaking your system and sometimes going to hilltops at night and stringing a long wire (or just hunkering down at home on a winter night) will give you a cluster of conversations with people all over Europe, Africa, wherever. With your background, you might look into it. It's not the stuff of most typical amateur radio meetings, but there are always people around who are into it and you get the most respect out of anything you can do in amateur radio.

Sounds super cool...might have to check it out in future for a new hobby.

[christian]

I don't know if I'm an amateur radio nut, but I have a technician license and chat on the local repeater every now and again.

[91Bear]

Originally Posted by william

cq, cq, this is w9gfo. Is anybody out there?




william

k9smw

[PaMtbRider]

kc3lvh is on the air and listening. I passed the technician and general exam and just got my call sign today.

[11.4]

Originally Posted by PaMtbRider

kc3lvh is on the air and listening. I passed the technician and general exam and just got my call sign today.

Congrats!

[speedevil]

Originally Posted by PaMtbRider

kc3lvh is on the air and listening. I passed the technician and general exam and just got my call sign today.

Congratulations on passing the exams and receiving your callsign. Enjoy your new privileges.

Look into aprs - some v/u handheld radios can be programmed to send the location packets automatically. Can be really useful if you ride mtb off the beaten trails.

There are lots of good folks in ham radio, just like in cycling - in my experience anyway.