CLC HAM radio net?

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CO_Hunter

CO_Hunter

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Update: Since the first Net was a success we decided we would try this once a month. A way to catch up with one another, meet new people and practice radio usage.

First Tuesday of the month on the MARC repeater system at 8:00 pm or immediately after the MARC Net if they run over. Feel free to check in at 7:30 for the MARC net. See here http://www.nx0g.org/info.html#repeater

I will have a x-band repeater set up for those in the Springs wtih 2m only radios : For those with 2m only use frequency 145.500 Mhz. and I will have a cross band repeat set up to the MARC repeater in the Springs.



I moved this from the HAM radio information thread as I didn't want it to get lost. If we get this going I will update the information in that thread.

During the last CLC meeting there seemed to be some interest in having a CLC net on one of the local repeaters. The challenge is I know some of you have 2m only rigs and the MARC system uses 70cm here in the Springs and 2m up in WP and beyond. So let's try a couple of things:

Those in the Springs with 2m only, try to hit the WP MARC repeaters on 2m.

Those up in WP, try to hit a Cheyenne Mtn. repeater. Try them all and see what works best. Unfortunately I don't think Pike Peaks is back up.

With a big geographic distribution simplex would be a real challenge to get everyone.

Report back here and let's see what we can do. I have just emailed MARC, and floated the idea out there.

Dave, I don't frequent any vhf/uhf repeaters regularly. Mainly HF for rag chewing, DX, etc. If this comes together that will change.
 
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Sounds good to me. I'm waiting on some parts to get my antenna an additional 30 feet in the air. I'm on 2m only with my base station (Yaesu FT-2900R). I can get 70cm on my HT (Baofeng UV-5R) but I'm limited to 5W. I could always use another radio though! :D

I just tried the NX0G repeater and I can't hit it with my current setup (N9TAX Slim Jim on 12' painters pole.

The link between Cheyenne Mountain 145.130 and Mt Thorodin 145.310 has been near unreadable the last few weeks...not sure what's going on.

Last I heard the one on Pikes Peak 146.970 was waiting on the city to do construction on the building it sits on...been delayed & stuff because of the weather, etc. I think that one would probably work good once it's back up...not sure how you fellas up north & down south receive that one. Seems like most folks would have line of sight.

I'm going to start working towards my General tkt and learning CW, so I hope to be frequenting HF in the near future.

73,
W0ALE
 
Try the other repeaters such as CRA, look at first post in the thread. I happened to talk to a guy on the CC last weekend or so and we were both on the Cheyenne Mtn. repeater and could hear one another fine. He said the rest of CO probably wouldn't be able to understand us, as you described. I would prefer to use a repeater system with the smallest "foot print".

Good luck on the General. CW would be cool, I just don't have the time to learn now.
 
I can receive 147.225, but it's pretty scratchy from my QTH. I used to be able to hit it fine from Peterson AFB, in my truck on the UV-3R HT, so I think once I get an antenna up I should be able to receive that one better. Of course, being in the Springs, I hit the .160 which is linked to it just fine.

Just read on the CMRG site that there is a repeater on top of Fremont Peak which is 145.295 - 107.2Hz which will be linked with the 147.345(+) on Cheyenne Mountain so it will have access to the IRLP on the 147.345...

Edit: Crap, just realized that Fremont Peak is down by Canyon City...probably won't help the Denver folks out!!!
 
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Okay, forget all that stuff I posted earlier about trying to hit far away repeaters. Though it is good practice to test out your equipment.

I don't know why this option didn't occur to me sooner.

My Kenwood can cross band repeat. What that means is, I give you guys with 2m only radios a frequency to use and then my radio will re-transmit on the MARC 70 cm frequency and you all can then talk on the MARC system all the way out to the Badger Mountain repeater! I tested it tonight with my HT and it worked great.

So now I just need to get a hold of one of the MARC officers for permission, haven't been successful yet.

Post up if you are interested in doing this NET, seemed like there was interest a few weeks ago, not so much now. Anyhow, it got me to figure out the cross band repeater function of my radio :cool:
 
Just received my 37ft mast (tmastco.com)...the KB9VR Slim Jim is a little over 4.5 ft...that should do a little better than my 12ft painters pole I think. I'm going to mount it in a tripod this weekend and hook it up to the FT-2900R...if that doesn't work I'll have to figure out a roof mount.

I have a Kenwood TH-D72A on the way too...my Baofeng UV-5R low modulation problems are pissing me off and I wanted APRS, packet and Echolink capabilities anyway!
 
black95 said:
Is this the radio in your house or in your land cruiser? How difficult will it be for guys north of town to hit you on simplex?
Click to expand...

Right now it is in the cruiser. I think those with a mobile rig should be able to hit it from way up north. I asked Eric if he wanted to try and QSO on simplex, we'll see. Closer in an HT should be fine.

daveIT said:
Just received my 37ft mast (tmastco.com)...the KB9VR Slim Jim is a little over 4.5 ft...that should do a little better than my 12ft painters pole I think. I'm going to mount it in a tripod this weekend and hook it up to the FT-2900R...if that doesn't work I'll have to figure out a roof mount.

I have a Kenwood TH-D72A on the way too...my Baofeng UV-5R low modulation problems are pissing me off and I wanted APRS, packet and Echolink capabilities anyway!
Click to expand...

You are going all in, aren't you :D The 37ft mast should be great, I'll have to check it out. Let me know if you want to chat about any set up and I'll try to help out. I don't know if you knew this but there are ways to take the TM D710 head unit (that is where the TNC resides) and use it with many HT's including Yaesu that will give you "hand held" APRS. Now it would not be nearly as slick as the TH-D72A.
 
I've had the Baofeng UV-3R (which I can't seem to get either battery to charge) and UV-5R for awhile...time to upgrade to something nicer!

Yeah the mast is sweet...it's in 48" sections, so I could take it to a field day or something if needed. I wasn't really wanting something permanent. I hope that I can stick it in that tripod and then have a clamp up at my roof line to hold it so I won't have to bother with a bunch of guy wires. I did buy all the crap to properly guy it if needed though. It's just going to have the lightweight Slim Jim on it, so it should work.

If I want it higher I just buy some more sections :-) They are surplus aluminum military masts. The mast is green...the Slim Jim is copper...will that turn green or is that just brass? Maybe I should shoot it with some camo paint...

Anyone heard what's going on with the link between Cheyenne Mtn and Mt Thorodin? I've just about given up on the nets hosted there.
 
I have one of those military mast systems as well but I got fiberglass. They are nice. I have a copper j-pole on some gray pvc and haven't noticed any staining, even though the copper is tarnished. Think about lightning protection.

Haven't heard when the repeater link will be fixed, too bad it's having problems.

Also, when you get your Kenwood I can give you my program file if you want it.
 
Ah, was just wondering if the copper would tarnish and not stick out as much. I don't have an HOA or anything...just OPSEC :) I'll probably grab some green spray paint anyway since I have a piece of white PVC to isolate the antenna from mast.

That file would be cool...is it just a .txt file? You can send it to dave DOT W0ALE AT gmail DOT com. After programming the Baofengs (with factory software and later CHIRP) I think it'll be easy to program anything!

I've been trying to figure out what to use for lighting protection. I usually just have the antenna unhooked if lightning is probable. I can always just hang my N9TAX roll-up Slim Jim in the window and use my HT.

Checked in to the NTS tonight...Leslie said my Baofeng UV-5R was getting into the repeater fine but the modulation is too low. Looking online it's a common issue that takes some soldering (tiny crap) work. I drilled out the hole where the speaker was, but I don't think it was enough. Oh well, soon I'll have the '72 :-)
 
I simply disconnect things as a matter of habit as well.

The Kenwood files have their own format and the software is free but you will need to get a programming cable. Search around, you may be able to find a non-Kenwood cable for cheaper. For example, the factory cable for mine was about $50. I found someone had posted a compatible foot pedal synthesizer cable, 10 ft long for $8 on Amazon. :D
 
I got the TH-D72A today. It came with the programming cable, an extra battery and house & car chargers.

Do I even need to ground it if I'm going to disconnect the antenna when not in use? My coax sits outside a window when not plugged in.
 
Congrats on the new radio. As for lightning protection I just unplug everything from the radio. Hope the file is working out for you
 
I got permission to use the MARC system. I am thinking we can try this June 4th, it will be on a Tuesday at 8:00pm following the MARC weekly net. I have had a couple of people tell me they are interested off line.

This is a great opportunity to get over that stage fright ;)

Here is part of the response from Wes of MARC.

What you might consider -- and what might actually work best for you -- we
have a joint Mountain Amateur Radio Club (MARC) and Park County Radio Club
(PCRC) net every Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm. Our attendance has been pretty
pathetic of late (5-10 check-ins), but you could encourage your club members
to participate in our net so our radio club and your vehicle club could get
better acquainted with one another, then schedule your net to start right
after ours concludes (rarely later than 8 pm). Since you probably
four-wheel up in this area, the more we all know one another the better. If
you didn't want your net every week, you could have yours after ours on --
say, the first Tuesday of the month, or something like that.

I will post the rest of his reply discussing repeater usage and etiquette in the main HAM radio thread.
 
Leon and I tried out a 2M simplex contact this afternoon - had no problem from his place near Bear Creak to mine in the south end of black forest, even at just 5 watts. Made the initial contact with my 5/8 wave, then switched that out for the 1/4. It got a little noisier with the 1/4, but still very readable.

We were thinking though, that aside from trees and such, we probably almost have line of site from his place to mine. The guys down in the valley may have a different experience.
 
EricG said:
Leon and I tried out a 2M simplex contact this afternoon - had no problem from his place near Bear Creak to mine in the south end of black forest, even at just 5 watts. Made the initial contact with my 5/8 wave, then switched that out for the 1/4. It got a little noisier with the 1/4, but still very readable.

We were thinking though, that aside from trees and such, we probably almost have line of site from his place to mine. The guys down in the valley may have a different experience.
Click to expand...

Just took a look with google maps - looks like about 15 miles as the crow flies.
 
This Tue. night (4th) at 8:00 pm. For those with 2m only use frequency 145.500 Mhz. and I will have a cross band repeat set up to the MARC repeater in the Springs. Feel free to check in at 7:30 for the MARC net.
 
I should be on.
 
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