HAM Radio Starter Kit - Information for Beginners

[baker3gun]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies.

Before posting yesterday, I found the hidarg and PRA websites, and learned that PRA discourages testing on their network, so I was a little reluctant to key up on Walker.

I also used repeaterbook to confirm RVTech's description of the Walker specs.

I also learned that La Pine is near Walker Butte and Walker Mountain. The repeater is on the latter.

My HT is 8w, connected to an Ed Fong j-pole raised 15' above my steep-pitch metal roof, on a bluff overlooking 6 miles of the west end of a valley. Pretty clear air to the west.

I send and receive successfully on the Heppner repeater. That is the 70-mile distance i referred to earlier.

From my place to the Walker repeater is 190 miles, so yah, gonna need some more oomph to make that jump.

It's 160 miles from La Pine to Heppner. Not sure if that's doable on 2m.

My fam is gone for the weekend. It was fun to scab together a pole and stick my antenna up, which I did thanks to this thread.
It kept me from laying around drinking beer all afternoon.

The only downside is now i gotta take it all back down today. It's not a wind or weather-proof set up.

I'm gonna listen on Heppner for a few hours, maybe try some other regional repeaters. Then back to work...

Thanks.

 

[RVTECH]

so I was a little reluctant to key up on Walker.

No problem on Walker! I know the owner of the repeater and the LaPine area group uses it daily and are a pretty open and friendly group, however if you cant reach it well, end of story.

Yea I just programmed Heppner and can't reach it either - but I hardly expected to !

I am approximately 40 miles from the Walker Mtn repeater and am surprised I am hitting it with a handheld. and dipole.

 

[baker3gun]

@RVTECH

You said CTCSS is 77, and another member Foreverlost seemed to confirm this.

However, repeaterbook says the "uplink tone" for Walker is 162.2.
https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/details.php?state_id=41&ID=196

Is that just an error on repeaterbook?

If I understand things correctly, Walker transmits on 145.470 and listens on 144.870 (the minus .6 offset),
and to open the repeater, I need the correct CTCSS tone,
but to hear the repeater, no CTCSS tone is necessary, it just transmits openly on 145.470.

Do I have that right?

Thx.

 

[RVTECH]

If I understand things correctly, Walker transmits on 145.470 and listens on 144.870 (the minus .6 offset),

This is correct.

but to hear the repeater, no CTCSS tone is necessary, it just transmits openly on 145.470.

This is correct as well.

However, repeaterbook says the "uplink tone" for Walker is 162.2. Is that just an error on repeaterbook?

The 162 is the 'old' tone and 77 is now correct.

 

[baker3gun]

Got it. Thanks!

 

[RVTECH]

You listening on walker now?

Whats your call sign - I'll call you to see if you can hear anything

I am KJ7 ZNH

 

[Cerberus Group]

Chemult...that's a ways south.

 

[RVTECH]

Chemult...that's a ways south.

From you for sure!

 

[Foreverlost]

Tones & Why:

Do a quick search for Amateur Radio Repeater Coordination. Short answer is to keep the large number of repeater from interfering with each other. Consider a donation of time, effort, and/or $$ to the person/club which owns a repeater that you use often. They have plenty of $$ invested in that installation.

Much to learn about ham radio. Last number I heard, there are over 1200 different modes/ways to communicate and get a message from point A to point B.

Foreverlost,

 

[Frank RW]

I'm in Hillsboro, right around corn pass & baseline. with a Diamond x50 up 30-ish feet (amongst others) if anyone wants me to listen for them.

 

[RVTECH]

Consider a donation of time, effort, and/or $$ to the person/club which owns a repeater that you use often.

Yep - I am becoming instrumental in the COARECT group here in LaPine. Heck we had a potluck on Saturday!

 

[Frank RW]

Much to learn about ham radio. Last number I heard, there are over 1200 different modes/ways to communicate and get a message from point A to point B.

True that! I stopped counting the different modes I've used once I got past 100 or so. The one thing I collect.



My logbook on a map. Reached around the world on less than 100W and a wire.

 

[Frank RW]

my "modes and methods" bible.
(about 800 in here alone)



73, de k2ncc

 

[Foreverlost]

COARECT..................bunch of hooligans. Even AA1JW, he is the worst of the bunch.

 

[RVTECH]

if anyone wants me to listen for them.

Tune Walker to 145.470 and Ill transmit and see if you can hear me.

 

[RVTECH]

Even AA1JW, he is the worst of the bunch.

Well, if 'worst of the bunch' is your opinion I'll add AA1JW is very helpful to anyone (especially newcomers) always answers everyone calls and facilitated the upgrade of the new Walker repeater.

There are also people in the group who are instrumental with volunteering in the community and active with Veteran issues.

 

[Frank RW]

Tune Walker to 145.470 and Ill transmit and see if you can hear me.

Alrighty sir, it's 8:15pm and monitoring...

 

[RVTECH]

I managed two transmissions before my battery went dead !

Did you hear me?

 

[Frank RW]

nada. feel free to hit me up again later.

 

[RVTECH]

Yea I was getting the 'low battery' signal on my Baofeng and I was getting a 'beep' when I pushed the PTT button so I think thats a sign of very low power as well.

We'll try tomorrow when I am back up!

What is your call sign?