[BEEBEE]

HAZ Ham's (AKA Amateur Radio operators)

I am posting this thread to see how many other Ham's are active in the Haz hiking community. I have discovered a fellow ham on Haz through some photos that were posted showing me working people on 2 meters from Browns peak.

If you’re a Ham radio operator introduce yourself maybe we can get a hiking related net going or incorporate the 2 activities more. Field day event for example.

My call is W7JET and I can operate 2 meters and 70 cm portable and Mobile. I have HF and 6 meters but I operate fixed 6 meters and below.

[Grasshopper]

@BEEBEE
If you are able to fix it for me.. http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=252933 , I'm in

[azbackpackr]

That's a cool hobby! (Useful beyond just being a hobby, too!!)

[BEEBEE]

Hank I think we will know for sure where the problem in a short period of time it will either be the feed line for the rig or the rig itself. I am hoping its the feed line easy and cheap to fix

[jochal]

I have a license (whatever tech+ means anymore) and might be willing to participate in something. Right now all I do is sporadically attend my dad's club's field day events. The last one I went to, in exchange for working the novice station a bit, I got meals and a base camp to go hiking from.

I would like to start using it again. It might make some family more comfortable when I'm out if I could check in.

[BEEBEE]

On the hike up browns I had cell service but was too far from a tower for my phone to hit it. So I made a call to my wife on the ARA Mount Ord repeater autopatch for fun. She got a kick out of it and I have found we have fairly good coverage in most areas of AZ via 2 meters

Jochal whats your call?

[jochal]

@BEEBEE

Thats often been my experience; it looks like I have great cell phone service until I actually try to make a call.

kc7fwo (blech--terrible luck haha)

[BEEBEE]

Between the EARS and ARA linked repeaters the coverage is excellent around the state and with a little elevation you can always hit something.

[Espi]

I got my license a bunch of years back. I used to be involved in Amateur radio.

I work in the industry and have since found it hard to work with radios after I get home for the evening after, working with radios all day.

[Grasshopper]

Hank I think we will know for sure where the problem in a short period of time it will either be the feed line for the rig or the rig itself. I am hoping its the feed line easy and cheap to fix

Thanks again Brian for stopping by today and bringing me back online again It's been seven years since I've been able to used my Ham Radio. You are a real wiz with a Multimeter and a Q-Tip and alcohol was the kind of cheap repair fix I was hoping for too

[coanbru]

Breaker, Breaker for the Grasshopper....Looks like you got 'chor ears on.

[BEEBEE]

No problem Hank. I enjoy doing stuff like that just happy to help

[Thoreau]

I'm down for just about anything. I've been putting ham to more use with some off-roading groups lately than I have been with hiking, and I'd love to get back on some trails and maybe on the air at the same time. I carry that radio with me everywhere I go!

I've only got VHF/UHF gear, even though I'm licensed as general class, so anything on 2m/70cm would be ideal.

Having just rebuilt my repeater list for the Phoenix area, and finding many new ones that I'd never noticed before, I'm sure there's a machine out there with some idle airtime just begging to get some use by HAZ/hiking types. Of all the different recurring net topics out there, hiking definitely doesn't seem to be one of them... yet.

[BEEBEE]

Thoreau I am a member of a local club the Superstition ARC 147.120 + 162.2 and 449.600 - 100.0 . I am sure we could set up a net one night on the Machine that is hiking/outdoor/off road related. I carry my 2m/440 ht on every hike also. I have HF but it is fixed not portable.

Hank and I had a QSO today!!!

I am an Extra and a VE (W7JET)

[johnr1]

DE K7LSU HF QRP K

[BEEBEE]

RR you are Five Niner QSL

On HF I run 40, 20 and 15 mostly SSB voice and PSK

On OMISS 40 meter net at the moment

[Thoreau]

So sad that I had to look at a bandplan chart to remember where 40m is in the spectrum. One day...!

kf7mmx

[The Hippy]

@BEEBEE
hello! I am not a HAM but my dad (KJ7LO) is and a few years back he and I use to run the campground at the Fort Tuthill HAM Festival up near flagstaff!
My sister (KC7MQY) is also a HAM as is my grandfather I forget his call, I've always been studying but never got serious enough although I do know a LOT of other HAMS and for the places I hike and backpack it would be great to have handy!!
Anyone wanna be my tutor?

[jochal]

@HippyHaley Fort Tuthill! That takes me back...we went every year when I was a kid.

@Thoreau
@BEEBEE

Do either of you have suggestions for a new handheld? It would be for hiking.

[Thoreau]

I'm kinda partial to Yaesu in general, and specifically the VX-7R.

http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=Di ... Archived=0

It can operate on the two main bands (70cm and 2m) and also has limited abilities on 50/220. Capable of actively listening to two frequencies/bands at a time (monitor one while using another for example) and is small and EXTREMELY ruggedly built. Retails for about $350, plus accessories (and you'll definitely want to add a spare battery (and perhaps the AA battery adapter), and upgraded antenna.)

I've been using this radio now for a couple years and can't find a fault with it other than the interface taking some getting used to. Yaesu, in general, requires a little more of your time in getting past the learning curve of their radio interfaces, but once you do it's a really efficient setup.

If I were starting over again and wanted the top of the line, I'd go with Yaesu again, but probably pick the VX-8GR.

http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=Di ... Archived=0

It's "only" dual band (70cm and 2m) but since the other bands on the 7 are limited on power output (and not many people use them anyway) they're more of a toy than something for utility on the trail. This one also has built in GPS/APRS capabilities which can effectively make your radio into something of a SPOT-tracker-like system with a little learning. At the very least, I'd like to have the extra device that can tell me my current GPS coordinates and cardinal direction of travel (it does NOT do mapping like the GPS's we normally use on hikes though, so don't expect to replace those.)

Cost is $20-$30 less than the 7r, although you'd still need extra batteries and a real antenna (antenna thing goes for ANY radio you buy. They always come with a truly crappy rubber duck antenna that isn't worth the cost to ship it.)