? Standard Overland Ham Frequence Used.

[Gear]

Hello Everyone,
I am working on my Tech License and was wondering if there is a Standard Overland Ham Frequency Used by 4 wheelers. I know that most of the time CB users use Channel 4. If not, does anyone else think it would be a good idea to set up a certain frequency.

I know a lot of us are out wheeling in the southwest on the weekends and just thought it might be nice to simply CQ on a designated Portal Frequency. Who knows I might be just around the corner.

I like pictures in threads so here is my Diamond Antenna.

Thanks

 

[Scott Brady]

We have been using 146.460 for years. It is standard, at least in our little group.

 

[DaveInDenver]

FWIW, the 146 MHz FM simplex part of the 2m ham band is subject to localized rules called band plans.

Most places use a 15KHz spacing and so the channels fall out as:
146.400
146.415
146.430
146.445
146.460
146.475
146.490
146.505
146.520
146.535
146.550
146.565
146.580
146.595

But some places (I think the PNW, maybe Salt Lake City too?) use a 20KHz simplex spacing, so their channels fall out at:
146.400
146.420
146.440
146.460
146.480
146.500
146.520
146.540
146.560
146.580

You'll notice that only 4 of those line up. Scott's 146.460 is one of them, along with 146.400, 146.520 and 146.580. What that means for this thread, I dunno. The 2m national calling frequency is 146.520 and so that's usually the one I leave the radio on in the backcountry. This is also the ARRL recommended wilderness procedure, to monitor the national calling frequencies at the top of the hour while you are in the backcountry.

 

[Gear]

expeditionswest wrote

We have been using 146.460 for years. It is standard, at least in our little group.

Well than I think I will save this frequency in my radio. If you don't mind I think we should make this the new

Expedition Portal Frequency 146.460

I am looking forward to monitoring this frequency.

 

[articulate]

....This is also the ARRL recommended wilderness procedure, to monitor the national calling frequencies at the top of the hour while you are in the backcountry.

That's interesting. Didn't know that.


My small collection of HAM-licensed Jeep buddies have set up three frequencies we'll use for our outings - it's "standard" just between us so we always know where to find one another. Similar to the typical 146.460, I guess....if you're on 146.460 you know you're rolling with the cool kids.

 

[Gear]

DaveInDenver wrote

The 2m national calling frequency is 146.520 and so that's usually the one I leave the radio on in the backcountry. This is also the ARRL recommended wilderness procedure, to monitor the national calling frequencies at the top of the hour while you are in the backcountry.

Very interesting. Maybe I have jump to a conclusion to quickly. I better let others have some say first. Dave this is great information - Thanks

 

[DaveInDenver]

Obviously the ARRL can't make us do anything, so it's only recommended. And to be honest, I've only once ever heard anyone else follow the procedure. BTW, the procedure is to TX your call sign at the top of each hour and monitor for 5 minutes from 7AM to 7PM and every 3 hours from 7PM to 7AM. Um, yeah, I'm gonna wake up to do that. I end up calling on the top of any hour I happen to notice. That might be a couple of hours in a row, maybe a handful of times throughout the day. I figure that if someone is in a bad way that even just a few calls over the whole day I'm bound to eventually catch them.

 

[Ursidae69]

The 2m national calling frequency is 146.520 and so that's usually the one I leave the radio on in the backcountry. This is also the ARRL recommended wilderness procedure, to monitor the national calling frequencies at the top of the hour while you are in the backcountry.

I monitor 146.52 pretty often on road trips and have never heard anything. I have called CQ many times too, nada...

 

[DaveInDenver]

I monitor 146.52 pretty often on road trips and have never heard anything. I have called CQ many times too, nada...

There is definitely a lot more activity on the repeaters. If I ever needed help I honestly would probably run through the repeater list first before calling on simplex. But none-the-less, I loosely follow the wilderness protocol.

 

[mountainpete]

If I am outside the range of a repeater, I ALWAYS monitor 146.520. It's the national calling frequency and the 2M simplex frequency that should be used in case of an emergency (again, if out of the range of a repeater).

However, if I am communicating simplex between a group, I will move to another channel like 146.460, etc...

My usual setup in the backcountry is to use both sides of my Yaesu FT8800R. One side monitors 146.520, the other monitors either a repeater or commercial logging frequency if there are operations in the area.

Pete

 

[Ursidae69]

There is definitely a lot more activity on the repeaters. If I ever needed help I honestly would probably run through the repeater list first before calling on simplex. But none-the-less, I loosely follow the wilderness protocol.

I agree, I was not calling for help when I tried CQ, I was just bored on the interstate looking for a QSO to pass the time. If I were in trouble, I'd look for the nearest repeater.

 

[teotwaki]

I monitor 146.52 pretty often on road trips and have never heard anything. I have called CQ many times too, nada...

In the SoCal deserts 146.520 is used a lot.

 

[adventureduo]

I monitor national simplex 146.520 while out also. I key up "monitoring" at least twice a day out on a route. We also have our callsign on our license plate in case someone wants to call on simplex we'll hear them.

In a group we ran on 146.540 last time out.

 

[Cabrito]

I hear plenty of traffic on the 146.520 freq. in the SF area. I also monitor it as one of my presets in all my radios. That nice list that Dave posted is going in the radios as well. That seems like some good info. Thanks for posting those.

FWIW, the 146 MHz FM simplex part of the 2m ham band is subject to localized rules called band plans.

Most places use a 15KHz spacing and so the channels fall out as:
146.400
146.415
146.430
146.445
146.460
146.475
146.490
146.505
146.520
146.535
146.550
146.565
146.580
146.595

But some places (I think the PNW, maybe Salt Lake City too?) use a 20KHz simplex spacing, so their channels fall out at:
146.400
146.420
146.440
146.460
146.480
146.500
146.520
146.540
146.560
146.580

You'll notice that only 4 of those line up. Scott's 146.460 is one of them, along with 146.400, 146.520 and 146.580. What that means for this thread, I dunno. The 2m national calling frequency is 146.520 and so that's usually the one I leave the radio on in the backcountry. This is also the ARRL recommended wilderness procedure, to monitor the national calling frequencies at the top of the hour while you are in the backcountry.

 

[BogusBlake]

If I'm alone, Ill monitor 146.520 and some local repeater. If I'm in a group, we'll decide on a simplex freq, and Ill monitor that and the local repeater, but check in on 146.520 hourly when I remember.

The last few times I've been out, the simplex freq was 146.460.