Local repeater Scene

[ki4itv]

That machine is most probably a no-go. I CAN bring it up, and I can hear the carrier, but it's scratchy and it's a good bet that I won't modulate it worth diddly. BUT...we CAN try it...so let me know.

Can't wait til you're 440 enabled and I hope you can reach the KQ2H machine.

I made one of those "Tape Measure Yagi's" for df'ing.
Worked really well--- surprised the crap out of me. Was even working simplex with Doug while he was around Afton mtn. about 70 mi away.
Might try that.

[n2ize]

The only machine I can bring up is the 145.230 machine. It's scratchy but worth trying. I'll keep the radio on for a while in case you can give me a call. It's about 6:00 PM right now.

Sorry, I missed your message. I can hit 145.230 but I don;t know how well. We can give it a try. Are you sure you can't hit 146.8500 / PL 136.5 ? It's supposedly located near the Manhattan/Long Island border. I can make it in from here using low power and a rubber duck "attenuator" :). You must use the PL however. Virtually al these machines require a pl tone these days. I also notoced some use tone squelch and some don't. In any event let me know when you have a chance to give it a try again.

As far as 440 goes, I'll have 440 capability back again as soon as I can find the right sized flat flex cable jumper for my FT-470.. I need a new piece of 1mm pitch/ 20 conductor flat flex cable which runs from the if board to the control board. Without that cable the radio is useless.

[WØTKX]

Try a 2 meter Moxon?

http://www.moxonantennaproject.com/KJ4IVD/kj4ivd.htm

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

From where I am at I can hit every machine as far down as Cotulla and as far up as New Braunfels.
That is around a dozen echolink machines.
Take your pick.

[n2ize]

Hello.

From where I am at I can hit every machine as far down as Cotulla and as far up as New Braunfels.
That is around a dozen echolink machines.
Take your pick.

I too can hit a lot of machines but unfortunately not many QSO's. Either the repeaters are void of activity and some are still very cliquish. If they don;t recognize your call they don;t want to talk. Case and point, i will put in a call, "N2IZE Listening" on a machine and get no response. But 30 seconds later someone else will drop their call and someone will respond because it is somebody they know. Of course this is nothing new, repeaters in this area have always been very cliquish. But one would think that in this day and age when activity is dwindling and the buzzword is "encourage new hams" the cliquish attitude would have changed. But, sadly it hasn't. I have spoken to new hams who have become discouraged by the cold shoulder they get on some VHF repeaters. I try and encourage them to stick with it and don't let the clique oriented types get them down. VHF can still be a llot of fun and there are many hams who welcome noobs. I allso encourage them to experiment with HF and some of the older modes, like CW and AM, as well as the newer dipshittal modes.

[KC8TCQ]

Our club has a repeater in Archbold Ohio 145.410, IRLP node 8866, echolink node 538441

[W3WN]

There are many hams in the hospital or nursing homes that can only use Echolink or CQ-100.

But they can talk to their buddies, and it's a happy thing.

Y'know, I've always wondered about that.

Over the years, I've heard of or learned of more than a few hams who moved into a retirement village, or assisted living, or a nursing home, or some other flavor of care facilities for their remaining years, for any of a variety of reasons.

Virtually all of them have gone QRT as a result. A handful stay active via their clubs, or friends, but their own stations are gone (save a V/UHF mobile or an HT, and often, not even those remain). And none of these facililties (again, that I've heard of) permit amateur radio, or provide an alternative, such as a "club" station.

Why is that? Is it a liability issue? Or a lack of knowledge?

I mean, think about it. You'd think that a facility that wants to provide services to their elder patients or guests would be interested in activities that would keep one mentally sharp (no wisecracks please). And it wouldn't cost THAT much to outfit a small room (size of an office) with some HF & VHF gear, plus a vertical or two. Heck, I'd bet some of the people moving into the facility would gladly donate or "permanently loan" their gear just to have the ability to stay on the air.

But you never hear about it.

Why?

[WØTKX]

There are a couple of places I know of that have a station set up in a common area in their facility, and there is a club in CA that has a Ten Tec Omni VII set up for remote operation just for folks like that to use. I've had two QSO's with the same guy using that via HRD, but I forget his name and call. He was about 90 years old as I recall. Excellent, eh?

Works really well on voice and digital modes, but CW is QRS at best.

FWIW, the SSB audio was very good.

[N8YX]

Our club has a repeater in Archbold Ohio 145.410, IRLP node 8866, echolink node 538441

I think I can hit that one. I'll definitely be able to when I get the tower and new antennas installed.

[n2ize]

Y'know, I've always wondered about that.

Over the years, I've heard of or learned of more than a few hams who moved into a retirement village, or assisted living, or a nursing home, or some other flavor of care facilities for their remaining years, for any of a variety of reasons.

Virtually all of them have gone QRT as a result. A handful stay active via their clubs, or friends, but their own stations are gone (save a V/UHF mobile or an HT, and often, not even those remain). And none of these facililties (again, that I've heard of) permit amateur radio, or provide an alternative, such as a "club" station.

Why is that? Is it a liability issue? Or a lack of knowledge?

I mean, think about it. You'd think that a facility that wants to provide services to their elder patients or guests would be interested in activities that would keep one mentally sharp (no wisecracks please). And it wouldn't cost THAT much to outfit a small room (size of an office) with some HF & VHF gear, plus a vertical or two. Heck, I'd bet some of the people moving into the facility would gladly donate or "permanently loan" their gear just to have the ability to stay on the air.

But you never hear about it.

Why?

Probably a combination of both. A fear of liability issues and a general ignorance with regards to radio. It's really a shame because the whole idea of being limited to nothing but a handie talki with a rubber duck or a computer or iPhone via the internet really sounds depressing. Don't get me wrong, VHF/UHF . is fun and things like Echolink have their place but, I like the idea of having the freedom to put up some sort of antenna and connect an hf rig and talk to people under my own power. Losing or surrendering that freedom just doesn't set well with me. I would rather live in a shack in the woods where I can put up an antenna than live in some condo or gated retirement community where any form of antenna is severely forbidden.

I guess if I did live in a restricted zone I'd find some way to sneak in an antenna. Perhaps a hidden or a disguised antenna or, maybe a wire that gets hoisted up at night and lowered down by morning. I'd find some way to do it.