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Amateur Radio in the PNW?


Criminal

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OK, this is what it is: I have long had a fascination with wireless and am seriously considering getting my amateur license so as to operate (legally) a radio on 2meters. There’s a test in early June on McChord that I intend to pass, I should be on the air shortly thereafter.

 

My question is this, how many geocachers are out there monitoring 2 meters in the Pacific Northwest? It was a hot enough topic that it got its own place in the forums (military members/topics did not) so I’m guessing there are at least a few.

 

If there are any in the Puget Sound region, chime in as well.

 

http://fp1.centurytel.net/Criminal_Page/

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Been looking at doing that myself. Tried one of those online practice exams, and passed it. Looking for the "look whos talking" book to brush up. Have you started looking at radios yet?

 

"We never seek things for themselves - what we seek is the very seeking of things."

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

 

icon_geocachingwa.gif

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I've got three websites that have the practice tests, I pass pretty consistently. I have my heart set on the Yeasu 8900R, which is a mobile unit. It has a feature whereby if you are out hiking with a handheld and you leave the 8900 in the car turned on, the 8900 will act as a cross-band repeater, thus greatly extending the range of your handheld. The Yeasu radios also have a feature that check periodically to be sure you are still in range of another radio (like your in-car repeater) and warns if you are going out of range. I think this would be great for geocaching in remote areas and other places where cell reception is nil. (My verizon is about useless if I get too far outside the I-5 corridor.) Plus it might make the morning commute and other drives more tolerable, being able to talk with other cachers etc. Apparently there are not too many others using/considering 2 meters judging by the responses, or lack thereof.

 

http://fp1.centurytel.net/Criminal_Page/

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K7RKT. I usually monitor the local repeaters here in Portland when I'm in my car. If I'm going anywhere far from my car, and ESPECIALLY if not in cell phone service, I always bring my HT. I've got an Icom 2720 mobile w/ cross-band repeat, but have never used it except to try it out once. 5 Watts on my Kenwood TH-G71A is usally enough with a handheld to hit most repeaters from most places. Plus, you have to setup the cross-band repeater BEFORE you leave the car -- with my setup you can't control the mobile rig from the HT.

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