Dipping into the 2m/70cm waters...an idea.

Heres the story - I have been a ham for about 4 and a bit years - always HF and the last 2.5 years CW only. Last weekend I took a bit of exercise and walked up to a high place, and I thought came to my mind; "hey if I had one of those 2m handie things I could reach the repeater on Kitt Hill I reckon". And the view was nice too.

When I got home Radcomm was there and had an ad for a handie dual band from Quangsheng?? for £47. BARGAIN. So the plan is every Saturday, after I drop my daughter off to her drama school, is to go up to a high place that involves a bit of exercise, and see if I can hit the repeaters... Mix healthy exercise with a bit of radio. I'll have about 3 hours all up so cant go everwhere but I need the exercise and after 5 years living near Dartmoor its about time I saw some of the place!

 

I don't like exercise.

I just move the repeaters closer to me.

Problem solved.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

 

What you plan is a great idea. I used to do the same thing, myself, almost every week.

One daughter had an art class every Saturday when she was pre-driving age and it was at a college campus that was very hilly. I'd drop her off and hike up the nearest hill and sit on the hilltop using a 2m hand-held to chat with folks on repeaters 100 miles away that were impossible to access from "down below."

Good fun and good exercise. Until the batteries run out. You can always get spare battery packs.

Most of these little hand-helds can "receive" for 2 days on a battery charge but only transmit at full power for maybe 45 minutes; maybe 2 hours at reduced power. But they do go dead.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys! Already I am thinking it would be nice to have a better antenna.....but there are strict limits as to what I can spend on this stuff. In radio my main station and CW must be number 1 priority.

 

Well thats it I have ordered the thing.

 

CQ Magazine Editor Rich Moseson W2VU ran an article a few years back about simple antenna ideas for your HT to improve range--easy stuff like making a counterpoise--but made a real difference in your ability to get out.

73 and have fun! Jim N3AWS

 

You say want to look up Summits On The Air, "SOTA".

It is basically what you are talking about, although often to higher and less accessible "summits". On the other hand, these other summits are easier to reach from high ground like you are talking about. So in addition to a VHF HT you might think about portable HF gear.

For VHF on high ground, a good antenna is definitely a plus. Perhaps a roll-up J-Pole. I use one attached to a walking stick, and it greatly increases range over a rubber ducky.

Portable operation can be challenging, but can also be surprising in how many contacts you can make and how much range you can get with simple equipment.

Hope you have a great time, and would like to hear how it goes.

Dave, W6DPS

 

I always thought it meant Station On the Air. But it does seem that people that use the term are up on a mountain top somewhere, come to think of it.


Mike

 

IN addition to the repeaters - try some simplex operation. I don't know what the simplex calling frequency is over there.

 

I'm definately going to try simplex - all these repeaters are something I don't know nuthin' aboot!! SOTABeams do a lovely horizontal/vertical backpack dipole thats within my budget.