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Request for addition of ham caching freq to geocaching f.a.q. on Geocaching.com


drew82

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Greetings.. I am a general class license holding amateur radio op, and started a thread in the gps and ham radio forums last july... the thread is still going ( http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=169616 ) and suggests adding the 2 meter ham freq 147.555 as the generally agreed upon freq for use while hams are caching... I see that frs has a listed channel in the geocaching faq for use, and would like to request that our frequency be added to the faq also.. thank you for your consideration.. drew82

Edited by drew82
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As the mod for the ham forum I just want to mention there is hardly a concensus for the request made by the OP. The thread the OP points to contains many arguments against the OP's request. Many hams there point out there is already another agreed upon calling frequency. It's also been pointed out there is already an official wilderness protocol for outdoor enthusiasts that calls for monitoring the already agreed upon calling frequency.

 

update. Here is the wilderness protocol mentioned.

The Wilderness protocol (see page 101, August 1995 QST) calls for hams to announce their presence on, and to monitor, the national calling frequency 146.52 MHz for five minutes at 7 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM and 7PM local time while in the backcountry. A ham in a remote location may be able to relay emergency information through another wilderness ham who has better access to a repeater. Primary usage is on 2 Meters (146.52 MHz) but other calling frequencies may be used: 52.525, 223.50, 446.00, 1294.50 MHz.

Edited by NJ Admin
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As the mod for the ham forum I just want to mention there is hardly a concensus for the request made by the OP. The thread the OP points to contains many arguments against the OP's request. Many hams there point out there is already another agreed upon calling frequency. It's also been pointed out there is already an official wilderness protocol for outdoor enthusiasts that calls for monitoring the already agreed upon calling frequency.

 

update. Here is the wilderness protocol mentioned.

The Wilderness protocol (see page 101, August 1995 QST) calls for hams to announce their presence on, and to monitor, the national calling frequency 146.52 MHz for five minutes at 7 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM and 7PM local time while in the backcountry. A ham in a remote location may be able to relay emergency information through another wilderness ham who has better access to a repeater. Primary usage is on 2 Meters (146.52 MHz) but other calling frequencies may be used: 52.525, 223.50, 446.00, 1294.50 MHz.

No one is saying that we should stop scanning the national calling freq respecting wilderness protocol... And most caches i have seen are not in the wilderness... If you are using that as your argument why has the frequency for frs use while caching not the agreed upon emergency channel 1... I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel.. just trying to increase interest in both communitys.. didnt see any negitives to my request.. or any arguments to it that had any merit... my radios as well as everyones i know are continually scanning.. the national calling freq as well as the secondary one and all the local repeaters around are in the memory channels and i will catch anything that comes up on any of them... didnt see the harm in adding another frequency to the bank...

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Just curious .. NJ Admin, are you a licensed amateur radio op? Thanks...

Please see the forum guidelines. Private, off-topic conversations between two forum community members ought to take place via PM or e-mail. This thread is about whether a ham frequency should be listed by the website. Thanks.

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As the mod for the ham forum I just want to mention there is hardly a concensus for the request made by the OP. The thread the OP points to contains many arguments against the OP's request. Many hams there point out there is already another agreed upon calling frequency. It's also been pointed out there is already an official wilderness protocol for outdoor enthusiasts that calls for monitoring the already agreed upon calling frequency.

 

update. Here is the wilderness protocol mentioned.

The Wilderness protocol (see page 101, August 1995 QST) calls for hams to announce their presence on, and to monitor, the national calling frequency 146.52 MHz for five minutes at 7 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM and 7PM local time while in the backcountry. A ham in a remote location may be able to relay emergency information through another wilderness ham who has better access to a repeater. Primary usage is on 2 Meters (146.52 MHz) but other calling frequencies may be used: 52.525, 223.50, 446.00, 1294.50 MHz.

 

Amateur already has a designated frequency for these types of activities as stated above. You use these frequencies to make contact, and move to an open frequency to continue your conversation. Since these frequencies are in a spectrum that is local in nature (line of sight), most hams have frequencies they know they can go to that will not cause interruption locally to other activities. Because these frequencies are universally accepted as a "gentlemans agreement", hams tend to avoid these frequencies when they are doing activities such as foxhunts, roundtables, nets, ragchewing, etc.

 

The consensus thus far in other threads is that trying to find a frequency that would not somehow interfere with other local and regional activities would not be workable, and that is only here in the states. Factor in international concerns and it becomes a much more troublesome issue.

 

Since 146.52 is already designated for this, we would simply be fixing something that isn't broke. If a small group of local hams decides to use another frequency, even if it catches on, they are free to however any type of endorsement of the frequency by Groundspeak would have to much potential to cause strife between geocaching and the established ham community which already has a tendency to close ranks when things like this come up.

 

This is a duplicated thread from one over in the hams forum.

Edited by baloo&bd
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As the mod for the ham forum I just want to mention there is hardly a concensus for the request made by the OP. The thread the OP points to contains many arguments against the OP's request. Many hams there point out there is already another agreed upon calling frequency. It's also been pointed out there is already an official wilderness protocol for outdoor enthusiasts that calls for monitoring the already agreed upon calling frequency.

 

update. Here is the wilderness protocol mentioned.

The Wilderness protocol (see page 101, August 1995 QST) calls for hams to announce their presence on, and to monitor, the national calling frequency 146.52 MHz for five minutes at 7 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM and 7PM local time while in the backcountry. A ham in a remote location may be able to relay emergency information through another wilderness ham who has better access to a repeater. Primary usage is on 2 Meters (146.52 MHz) but other calling frequencies may be used: 52.525, 223.50, 446.00, 1294.50 MHz.

 

Amateur already has a designated frequency for these types of activities as stated above. You use these frequencies to make contact, and move to an open frequency to continue your conversation. Since these frequencies are in a spectrum that is local in nature (line of sight), most hams have frequencies they know they can go to that will not cause interruption locally to other activities. Because these frequencies are universally accepted as a "gentlemans agreement", hams tend to avoid these frequencies when they are doing activities such as foxhunts, roundtables, nets, ragchewing, etc.

 

The consensus thus far in other threads is that trying to find a frequency that would not somehow interfere with other local and regional activities would not be workable, and that is only here in the states. Factor in international concerns and it becomes a much more troublesome issue.

 

Since 146.52 is already designated for this, we would simply be fixing something that isn't broke. If a small group of local hams decides to use another frequency, even if it catches on, they are free to however any type of endorsement of the frequency by Groundspeak would have to much potential to cause strife between geocaching and the established ham community which already has a tendency to close ranks when things like this come up.

 

This is a duplicated thread from one over in the hams forum.

 

I understand what you are saying.. not trying to disrespect anyone in the ham community, i'll leave that to the fcc:)... Maybe choosing frequencys to use would be better if done locally and listed in individual cache pages... Seems that if its ever to be a national thing... which is what the original post suggested,, (although i keep getting replys reguarding international probs??) it will be something accomplished in the future... I was not trying to start some war between hams, this would not be the first nationally agreed on freq for use by a group ( i.e. skywarn listing 146.550 simplex on site)... just an idea...

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Just curious .. NJ Admin, are you a licensed amateur radio op? Thanks...

Please see the forum guidelines. Private, off-topic conversations between two forum community members ought to take place via PM or e-mail. This thread is about whether a ham frequency should be listed by the website. Thanks.

Well, I'll answer it anyway since I guess my level of experience is important to the debate.

Yes Drew, I am I licensed ham who has been involved in amateur radio for over 30 years.

Now, answer a question for me. Drew, are you an active geocacher? Thanks...

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Just curious .. NJ Admin, are you a licensed amateur radio op? Thanks...

Please see the forum guidelines. Private, off-topic conversations between two forum community members ought to take place via PM or e-mail. This thread is about whether a ham frequency should be listed by the website. Thanks.

Well, I'll answer it anyway since I guess my level of experience is important to the debate.

Yes Drew, I am I licensed ham who has been involved in amateur radio for over 30 years.

Now, answer a question for me. Drew, are you an active geocacher? Thanks...

 

Yes.. under my older username(team name), don't like to use it in the forums, for this reason... not trying to offend... respect your answer now... just didnt know, I'm sure you can understand...And I'm sure everyone is glad to know the mod of the ham forum is a ham... And a good point would also be that i am not only active, but someone who pays for three premium memberships between myself my team and my spouse... figure that should allow me to speak my mind... Tend to be blunt, don't mean to be disrespectful... 73

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