Some Good Chats on VHF

[n2ize]

Lately I've been taking my Yaesu handheld along with me when I am out mobile. On short trips I just bring the HT + rubber duck. On long trips I install the old Larsen Dual Band Mag-mount on the car roof and plug it in the HT. Been having some nice conversations via many of the various repeaters round the area. I know 2 meters (particularly the repeater scene) very often gets a bad rap and the "sewer of ham radio" but for me the experience of late has been positive. No jammers and some really good QSO's with sensible, knowledgeable and intelligent people. If this keeps up it may renew my faith in ham radio and I may operate more often and I may even get the inspiration to get back on HF AM and CW.

[K9CCH]

We have the Saltgrass system here. It's linked from Lubbock TX to Alexandria LA.

Quite a span, and lots of different folks.

[n2ize]

We have the Saltgrass system here. It's linked from Lubbock TX to Alexandria LA.

Quite a span, and lots of different folks.

Sounds nice. Does it get much activity ? If ever I'm down that way maybe I'll give it a try.

[K9CCH]

Sounds nice. Does it get much activity ? If ever I'm down that way maybe I'll give it a try.

Lots.

You can listen to it on broadcastify.

http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/12825

[KG4NEL]

90% of the people I've run in to on VHF/UHF repeaters have been fine. It's just there are painfully few of them outside of peak commuting times.

[WØTKX]

Yea John, we had a good time once long ago, when I logged in via Echolink to one of your local machines.

[NQ6U]

We have the Saltgrass system here. It's linked from Lubbock TX to Alexandria LA.

Quite a span, and lots of different folks.

Can you reach the Rosston repeater on 443.7375 MHz? There's a 6m repeater here in San Diego County that's linked to that one, perhaps we can have a QSO one of these days.

[n2ize]

Yea John, we had a good time once long ago, when I logged in via Echolink to one of your local machines.

Maybe we can try it again one day. I need to find out if the Alpine repeater can be reached via echolink. The Alpine machine is quiet most of the day and is a good place to set up a QSO.

[Bubba]

Lots.

You can listen to it on broadcastify.

http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/12825

Just curious where the armpit of Texas is exactly.

[WØTKX]

Not too far from the nipple.

[Bubba]

Not too far from the nipple.

Mmmmmm. So that must be Amarillo.

[K9CCH]

Mmmmmm. So that must be Amarillo.


Houston. I'm out near all the plants and refineries and it stinks like hell all the time.

[Bubba]

Houston. I'm out near all the plants and refineries and it stinks like hell all the time.
Really, I thought Houston was a cool place. But I can only say I’ve been in the airport and the surrounding area. I know they make great BBQ pits, I want to order one from there, buy delivery is going to be a little pricey.

[n2ize]

Another nice chat tonight on VHF on the Alpine. Followed up a few minutes later by a nice casual tech net.

[WØTKX]

Which Alpine repeater? I think I saw three when I looked it up. Two meters?

[K9CCH]

Is there a way we could all dial into an IRLP node somewhere?

[n2ize]

Which Alpine repeater? I think I saw three when I looked it up. Two meters?

Two meters. It's in New Jersey near Alpine NJ. I think it's run by either the Chestnut Hill ARC or BARA (Bergen County Amateur Radio Association).. It's on 146.9550 (input down 6, i.e. standard split). It has very good coverage into my area... good enough for portable HT/rubber duck coverage. I believe it may be accessible by IRLP and/or echolink. I occasionally hear people calling into it from different parts of the country/world. When I get a chance I'll have to ask a club member more about it.

[Bubba]

Is there a way we could all dial into an IRLP node somewhere?

Are you on HF, or just use VHF ? My limited knowledge of IRLP is that you cant have like a net , or more than one node being used at once. I think once the node is being used, it is not available, unless things have changed. I may definitely be wrong, maybe someone else knows that. I have the node for Guam if you want to try, it works.

[K9CCH]

I could dial into Guam! Lets try it!



im only on VHF right now, with a little Baofeng radio.

[Bubba]

Ok, the IRLP node is 3444. I’m not home yet, 2 hours. I use digital a lot to the US, very easy contacts, do you use psk. Lately I have been able to contact everyone on 10 meter digital, which is pretty cool. 28120. My usual is 21070 and 14070.

[K9CCH]

No. All I have is this little Baofeng UV-5RA HT right now. I've only ever dialed into an IRLP node once, and that was only to hear the "connected" announcement.

I'm pretty green at anything other than this PTT button on this HT.

[Bubba]

No. All I have is this little Baofeng UV-5RA HT right now. I've only ever dialed into an IRLP node once, and that was only to hear the "connected" announcement.

I'm pretty green at anything other than this PTT button on this HT.

Oh, ok. Sorry, didn’t realize . So your tech licensed now. Going for general. I don’t usually do profile look ups on peeps, unlike some people, who know everything about you before you introduce yourself. Anyway, we’ll try out the node. Let me know once you get your general if you get into digital modes, that’s my thing.. lol.. :geek:

[kb2vxa]

Digital modes...........

Rant mode on.

What's up with people and their FM only VHF/UHF rigs? There's much more out there at the bottom of the band, ever hear of weak signal work? Maybe you have, but signals are hardly weak, SSB is a popular mode followed by CW with a drop of EME and ATV on 70cM in there so why no digital like HF? HUH?

Rant mode off. We now return you to our regularly scheduled power hungry FM mode... bao fungoo you and 73.

[KG4NEL]

Digital modes...........

Rant mode on.

What's up with people and their FM only VHF/UHF rigs? There's much more out there at the bottom of the band, ever hear of weak signal work? Maybe you have, but signals are hardly weak, SSB is a popular mode followed by CW with a drop of EME and ATV on 70cM in there so why no digital like HF? HUH?

Rant mode off. We now return you to our regularly scheduled power hungry FM mode... bao fungoo you and 73.

In many places in the country, it's a vast wasteland down there. Meteor scatter using WSJT seems interesting, but unless it's possible to make random QSOs with it, I don't think it'll have the popularity of digital on HF. The idea of being forced to stick to a sked kind of takes the fun out of it, IMHO...

I know, chicken and the egg, and all that...

[Bubba]

Digital modes...........

Rant mode on.

What's up with people and their FM only VHF/UHF rigs? There's much more out there at the bottom of the band, ever hear of weak signal work? Maybe you have, but signals are hardly weak, SSB is a popular mode followed by CW with a drop of EME and ATV on 70cM in there so why no digital like HF? HUH?

Rant mode off. We now return you to our regularly scheduled power hungry FM mode... bao fungoo you and 73.

I honestly have no idea what you are saying. Can you break it down for us dumb asses.

[kb2vxa]

Weak signal: modes other than FM.
CW: continuous wave, actually a misnomer because the FCC calls it "test" when hams call Morse code CW. To a music affectionado it's Country & Western. It's also a television network, are you confused enough yet?
"Meteor scatter using WSJT seems interesting..."
Could be, never tried it because I never heard any bursts on 2M where burns are fleeting. SSB works just fine on 6M where you often get a burn long enough for a quick CQ and exchange. Once in a while you can get two exchanges, some burns last a minute or more.

EME: Earth moon Earth aka moonbounce.
ATV: Amateur television aka fast scan (NTSC) as opposed to SSTV, slow scan.
Bao fungoo you: a Chinaman trying to curse in Italian.
73: seventy fleas, the heavenly reward for a suicide bomber who thought he'd get 70 virgins.

Is that broken enough or do I need a bigger hammer?

[Bubba]

Weak signal: modes other than FM.
CW: continuous wave, actually a misnomer because the FCC calls it "test" when hams call Morse code CW. To a music affectionado it's Country & Western. It's also a television network, are you confused enough yet?
"Meteor scatter using WSJT seems interesting..."
Could be, never tried it because I never heard any bursts on 2M where burns are fleeting. SSB works just fine on 6M where you often get a burn long enough for a quick CQ and exchange. Once in a while you can get two exchanges, some burns last a minute or more.

EME: Earth moon Earth aka moonbounce.
ATV: Amateur television aka fast scan (NTSC) as opposed to SSTV, slow scan.
Bao fungoo you: a Chinaman trying to curse in Italian.
73: seventy fleas, the heavenly reward for a suicide bomber who thought he'd get 70 virgins.

Is that broken enough or do I need a bigger hammer?

Thanks, but that is not what I meant. I was responding to CCH ’s modes available to him, just realizing he is Tech licensed. He responded with

“ No. All I have is this little Baofeng UV-5RA HT right now. I've only ever dialed into an IRLP node once, and that was only to hear the "connected" announcement.

I'm pretty green at anything other than this PTT button on this HT. "

So, he is just trying to get on the air. Then you rant about why he is not using meteor scatter, CW, EME STV, SSB on VHF, when the dude just got his license and wants to talk to somebody. That is what I meant by not understanding what you are saying. Not sure about you, but my first contact after getting my Tech license was not an EME moonbounce or ATV on 70 cm....

[kb2vxa]

I was just tossing out a rant, I gave no indication I was responding to anything. The bao fungoo you bit was a joke on Baofeng I had been holding in too long, it had to escape sometime. So solly you misunnesood honallanle Davi-san, I'm a grumpy old bastid, not mean Mister Mustard.

[K7SGJ]

I was just tossing out a rant, I gave no indication I was responding to anything. The bao fungoo you bit was a joke on Baofeng I had been holding in too long, it had to escape sometime. So solly you misunnesood honallanle Davi-san, I'm a grumpy old bastid, not mean Mister Mustard.

Oyoeshitu

[K9CCH]

Digital modes...........

Rant mode on.

What's up with people and their FM only VHF/UHF rigs? There's much more out there at the bottom of the band, ever hear of weak signal work? Maybe you have, but signals are hardly weak, SSB is a popular mode followed by CW with a drop of EME and ATV on 70cM in there so why no digital like HF? HUH?

Rant mode off. We now return you to our regularly scheduled power hungry FM mode... bao fungoo you and 73.



I thought I had replied to this, but apparently it was a completely different thread. This is what I had posted:



While I'll agree that any "radio" linked via the Internet really isn't true 'radio', for us little folks its the only way to get out of our neighborhood until we move up a few notches.

I still have great aspirations of DX'ing from a hill top, with nothing more than a radio in the back of my Jeep and a home brew antenna strapped to the tailgate - but until I get to that point, IRLP will have to suffice.


And I didn't take any offense to your light hearted rant either.... It's all good.

[WØTKX]

I was just tossing out a rant, I gave no indication I was responding to anything. The bao fungoo you bit was a joke on Baofeng I had been holding in too long, it had to escape sometime. So solly you misunnesood honallanle Davi-san, I'm a grumpy old bastid, not mean Mister Mustard.

QSL, QSL, 5x9. I speak grumpy bastid as well, with a similar nerdy accent.

[WØTKX]

Repeaters on Guam... according to the web.

AH2G 146.310 IRLP node #367, no Echolink listed.

KH2JU 145.590 This is a DX club, listed as having Echolink, but not active. No node number listed.

[Bubba]

Repeaters on Guam... according to the web.

AH2G 146.310 IRLP node #367, no Echolink listed.

KH2JU 145.590 This is a DX club, listed as having Echolink, but not active. No node number listed.

KH2, that is the correct one. That’s my club, its active. 145.590 The node number is 3444.

[Bubba]

Nobody is ever on it however. So if you want to try it you almost need to contact me or whoever you want to speak to ahead of time because nobody is ever on.

[K9CCH]

Nobody is ever on it however. So if you want to try it you almost need to contact me or whoever you want to speak to ahead of time because nobody is ever on.


I'm off of work Monday and Tuesday coming... I'm going to try and connect down there.