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Post by 2W0HMF on Jul 10, 2012 3:17:58 GMT -7
Hay! nice set up! do you work Europe at all?
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Post by Pennsylvania Mike on Jul 10, 2012 3:56:03 GMT -7
Lately all I do is participate on some radio nets here in the US, sometimes I so work DX if conditions are right with modest radio station. I have been a ham for over 29 years and hold an Extra class license, I used to do a lot of emergency communications but since I retired I have been spending over half the year in Virginia doing some fishing and crabbing, cooking, socializing at campfires, boating, and doing some short hikes when time permits, this leaves little time to seat in from of the radio like I used to. I consider ham radio one of the most enjoyable hobbies if not the most that I have come across. My XYL is also a ham, and that made ham radio more enjoyable for me, even thou she does not work HF. One of my first rigs was a single side band/CW rig 10 meter, ten watt rig, and with a homemade vertical dipole I worked many parts of the world including a station in Strafford of Avon (home of William Shakespeare) in Great Britain, the contact was make in the morning hours, and he sounded like he was next door, thanks to good propagation. I have worked DX mobile as far as Japan on a 100 watts and a 20 meter Hamstick antenna mounted on a big magnet on top of the truck roof. By the way, this morning conditions are terrible on the 75 meter band, I think due to some solar flares. Mike
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Post by 2W0HMF on Jul 10, 2012 7:40:54 GMT -7
Conditions are up and down to say the least! well I'm UK intermediate but as I'm in Germany I'm on a low class license All I can use on HF is 160m (no good to me as I have a G5RV) 80/15/10m, max power 100w. I have made the states a few times though. All the best. 2W0HMF / DA6HMF John 73
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Post by Pennsylvania Mike on Jul 10, 2012 16:55:12 GMT -7
Turned on my rig today and it was all static it is 11:40 GMT right now it is mainly noise, can only hear the high power stations (very few) in all the bands. I guess the solar flare is causing havoc on all the bands. I am going to check the 75 meter band tonight to see how much propagation there is.
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Post by 2W0HMF on Jul 11, 2012 2:53:13 GMT -7
Yes, finding most noisy at the moment
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mia
Just got here
Not an expert, just opinionated.
Posts: 2
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Post by mia on Jul 29, 2012 19:44:35 GMT -7
What comms will you be relying on in a SHTF scenario? if any? This is just a "copy and paste" of a reply to a similar thread on another forum. No sense reinventing the wheel. Forgive me, those that may have read it before... In the event of a situation where normal lines of communication are down, my son and daughter, who both live in different adjacent states have worked out a communication plan for their BO to this location. They are both Amateur Radio operators, but our primary plan is to use Sat phones. Should that not be available, we will fall back on the Ham radios. We have a communications plan that we have tried several times during their trips back home. Basically it involves using HF for coordination of their travel plans. They both have Kenwood 706MKIIG HF/VHF/UHF radios and "screwdriver" (motorized, multi-frequency) type antennas. We have a rotating frequency schedule, in the case of atmospheric and/or propagation problems on our initial contact band. If we are concerned that others may be attempting to listen in for nefarious purposes, we also have coordinated book codes that we can use over the air (not per regulations during normal times, but when the SHTF, the rules change). Should they be able to follow their primary and/or secondary planned routes, then codes should not be needed as we never discuss the actual highways or other landmarks during the BO. The HF radio part may sound a bit complicated to a lot of people, but it is the one way that we can be fairly sure to communicate in a SHTF situation. It was worth the time, effort, and expense to be able to communicate during the BO and to try to ensure that they arrive safely. For use around our property, which is in a rural setting and is the primary BOL for the family, we have have multiple plans. As Hams, we of course have that option, but we also have CB, Marine, FRS/GMRS/eXRS, as well as a few others. On the property we mainly use eXRS radios due to their inherent security. Most of the other radio services are for backup, to be able to coordinate with others in our areas, to keep in contact should we have to travel off of the property, and to be able to know what is happening elsewhere. __________________
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Post by 2W0HMF on Jul 29, 2012 22:41:45 GMT -7
Looks like your well covered there Mia!
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