National SImplex Monitoring Team - An interesting proposal

[DarioCarrera]

Hello guys yesterday I was reading about this and I thought it is an interesting proposal to post it here given that we as natural wanderers coould out this to good use.


Press Release: National Simplex Monitoring Team
November 4th 2011 --

The Interstate Highway Rest Area Society (IHRAS) is launching a grass roots effort to increase usage of simplex communications. The National Simplex Monitoring Team was created to promote the “Active Monitoring” of 146.520 simplex.

How many times have you driven down the road and seen another ham and wanted to have a short QSO?
How many times have you put out your call on simplex on not received a response?
How many times do you recall stories of the “good old days” when you could regularly make contacts on simplex?

Well let's bring the good old days back. Please monitor 146.520 simplex while at home or mobile. For this effort to work we will also have to use 146.520 simplex. This means throwing out your call sign once in a while going down the road and for the rest of us it means not letting calls go unanswered.

The facts are that many of you use 6m FM and 10m FM simplex on a regular basis. While this effort is promoting 146.520 we encourage the use of any frequency or band you have access to.

A webpage has been set up to promote the monitoring team and other announcements/enhancements will be made in the coming days. Please help promote this effort by republishing this announcement in your club news letters, message boards, or email lists.

“At home - Away from home - In town - In the country”
National Simplex Monitoring Team - 146.520

Brian K0MCM
Founding Member
Interstate Highway Rest Area Society
Link: http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.ph...es-quot-National-Simplex-Monitoring-Team-quot

Link to the group : http://www.ihras.net/Main14/146.52.html

 

[Pskhaat]

I always monitor 52.525, 146.520, 462.5625 (FRS#1), 121.500 (AM), 156.8 (think Lake Powell), and 446.000. I rarely if ever hear anyone on any of them (though I generally skip 156.8 when near the coast due to sufficient coverage and too much traffic), nor have I had the opportunity to respond to any urgent needs, but I have been in several situations before when I have called out with need and have not heard anything back so I reckon I better pay it forward.

 

[1leglance]

I like the idea of keeping the radio on 146.520 when just cruising around solo. And I will try to give a call now and then.
Around town I monitor some of the more active repeaters, not much for chatting as it is usually antenna/radio related and I am a ham USER vs a hobbyist, it is a tool for me more than a passion so I can't keep up with the club chatter.
The simplex idea sounds like a way to have more informal ragchews

Thanks for posting this, might just make highway jaunts more fun between the dirt sections.

 

[mountainpete]

I always keep one side of my dual receive on 146.520 and the other either on a local repeater or a forestry frequency. Like Lance, I call out on occasion but I don't think I have ever had a response. It would be nice to have more people monitoring!

 

[1911]

I monitor 146.520 MHz pretty regularly when I'm on the road and have made contacts there, but not a lot. I periodically switch back and forth between 146.520 and 146.460 MHz, which is what my APRS status text beacon says that I'm monitoring.

 

[brussum]

I keep 146.520 in the memory bank, so it's there when I'm scanning the presents. However, I'm usually monitoring the IRLP or one of the local repeaters. I always thought 146.520 was unofficially designated as the national call channel.

 

[James86004]

I have 146.52 on my scan list and when in Tucson hear occasional activity on it, usually folks traveling on the interstate.

 

[xtatik]

Simplex is alive and thriving. I'm a big fan of simplex communication, rarely use repeaters, and can find contacts at any time of day. I usually monitor from 14170 to 14300 during the day and 7125 to 7190 at night. It's nearly wall to wall and non-stop!...or, am I missing something?:snorkel:

 

[1911]

On the road from north Texas to Denver today, and calling out to the mobile stations on the APRS list on my radio and GPS. Made one contact on 146.520 so far. Wishing that I had my HF radio installed in this truck.

 

[adventureduo]

Im always monitoring ns on 146.520 if im not on a repeater or on 146.46. I've actually had people call me on highways on 520 with my ham radio callsign on my license plate.

 

[Mash5]

I have been listening for the last few weeks and there is a lot of traffic on it around here. That said I have thrown out my call a few time when its been quiet with no reply.

 

[cellularsteve2]

I always monitor 146.520 and can drive LA to Zion N.P. and with the exception of Vegas, rarely hear traffic. I call out about once an hour.