1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
Dave it is interesting that you should mention this because I have very much run into this feeling from the "old timer" pure ham folks....also a feeling that I am playing around with ham since it is secondary to my traveling.
No worries from me as since ham is a self regulated hobby there will end up being ruler enforcer types.
I want to get the regular radio net going to give myself and other new folks air time to practice with our radios but with topics not ham related. All the nets I have joined in on locally are ham guys talking ham topics and I just don't know enough to join in so all I do is listen which makes my ham radio no more than my am/fm
For me ham serves 3 roles:
On trail rig to rig comm that is clear and has great range
During trip comm with the wife at home when I don't have cell coverage, depending on if a repeater in the area has open autopatch (I would also like to look into arps to give her gps data on my location, still learning)
Emergency Comm in can of disaster (I am a RN at the biggest hospital in the area and 1 of the few hams who will be able to use the new repeater they are installing)
I agree that in case of a major poop hits the fan deal like Katrina I won't have a HF radio or antenna to reach out to the world if irlp/echolink/winsystem is down...but hey I might have other worries and at least I can talk to other hams who should be able to relay comm for me....in the end that is the least likely form of useage for me.
Luckily I have come across some ham guys that are willing to teach and help even though I am only into ham as a secondary hobby or extention of my travel goals.
My first use of irlp last night was not succussfull so I will have to play more with it today and try to get it going for Monday. I might have to go to the local Ham Radio Outlet and drool over the 7800 more and slide in a talk about irlp and get help
Oh and on the issue of asking the western reflector owner,,,,I went to the website for the node and they mention it as an open reflector anyone can use. Now to make sure I understand how to open 1 of the unused channels that way we aren't in the middle of other conversations.
Everyone keep trying and post the nodes you are hitting in case someone else in your area want to try also.
Thanks eveyone
No worries from me as since ham is a self regulated hobby there will end up being ruler enforcer types.
I want to get the regular radio net going to give myself and other new folks air time to practice with our radios but with topics not ham related. All the nets I have joined in on locally are ham guys talking ham topics and I just don't know enough to join in so all I do is listen which makes my ham radio no more than my am/fm
For me ham serves 3 roles:
On trail rig to rig comm that is clear and has great range
During trip comm with the wife at home when I don't have cell coverage, depending on if a repeater in the area has open autopatch (I would also like to look into arps to give her gps data on my location, still learning)
Emergency Comm in can of disaster (I am a RN at the biggest hospital in the area and 1 of the few hams who will be able to use the new repeater they are installing)
I agree that in case of a major poop hits the fan deal like Katrina I won't have a HF radio or antenna to reach out to the world if irlp/echolink/winsystem is down...but hey I might have other worries and at least I can talk to other hams who should be able to relay comm for me....in the end that is the least likely form of useage for me.
Luckily I have come across some ham guys that are willing to teach and help even though I am only into ham as a secondary hobby or extention of my travel goals.
My first use of irlp last night was not succussfull so I will have to play more with it today and try to get it going for Monday. I might have to go to the local Ham Radio Outlet and drool over the 7800 more and slide in a talk about irlp and get help
Oh and on the issue of asking the western reflector owner,,,,I went to the website for the node and they mention it as an open reflector anyone can use. Now to make sure I understand how to open 1 of the unused channels that way we aren't in the middle of other conversations.
Everyone keep trying and post the nodes you are hitting in case someone else in your area want to try also.
Thanks eveyone