repeater questions
 

Me and my Dad have been thinking about a ham certificate for quite some
time. After trying cb and murs for use around the city we pretty much
gave up on the radio hobby due to unreliability.

2m repeaters sound like a lot of fun and have coverage all around our
town. I really don't have much to talk about with strangers but enjoy
listening occasionaly.

What we were wondering if theres any way to use a repeater and only have
our squelch open up when we call each other. of course once I am on the
air I want to hear everything. I dont really want to hear chattering all
day long just waiting for a contact. I hope this makes sense what I'm
asking.

From a practical point of view home and cell phones are much better but
thought the radio hobby could be fun.

We also dont like the idea of our names being public. is there any way
that you can keep your name and address away from nosey people?

thanks for your time.

Considering your preference for privacy, maybe the cell phone is what you
need.


"Jim" wrote in message
news:YTOoe.18764$x96.6562@attbi_s72...
Me and my Dad have been thinking about a ham certificate for quite some
time. After trying cb and murs for use around the city we pretty much
gave up on the radio hobby due to unreliability.

2m repeaters sound like a lot of fun and have coverage all around our
town. I really don't have much to talk about with strangers but enjoy
listening occasionaly.

What we were wondering if theres any way to use a repeater and only have
our squelch open up when we call each other. of course once I am on the
air I want to hear everything. I dont really want to hear chattering all
day long just waiting for a contact. I hope this makes sense what I'm
asking.

From a practical point of view home and cell phones are much better but
thought the radio hobby could be fun.

We also dont like the idea of our names being public. is there any way
that you can keep your name and address away from nosey people?

thanks for your time.

I'm not really concerned about on the air privacy because it would not
be used for private conversation.

I see nothing wrong with wanting a private call sign though. I used to
chat with friends on the cb and there were some very questionable people
there. There are also a lot of ham radio operators like this but they
behave slightly better on the air and a call sign is pretty much just a
abbreviation for your home address and phone number.

As I tried to explain in my question I just wanted a way to mute my
radio until a specific person calls me and then have the radio on so I
can hear everyone. I guess this is not possible through a repeater.

This is not another "dig" at hames. I am amazed at what some hams have
done by constructing their own equipment from the ground up and their
quest for electronics and radio knowledge.

thanks for your time

"Jim" wrote in message
news:3I_oe.28913$nG6.18155@attbi_s22...
I'm not really concerned about on the air privacy because it would not be
used for private conversation.

I see nothing wrong with wanting a private call sign though. I used to
chat with friends on the cb and there were some very questionable people
there. There are also a lot of ham radio operators like this but they
behave slightly better on the air and a call sign is pretty much just a
abbreviation for your home address and phone number.

As I tried to explain in my question I just wanted a way to mute my radio
until a specific person calls me and then have the radio on so I can hear
everyone. I guess this is not possible through a repeater.

This is not another "dig" at hames. I am amazed at what some hams have
done by constructing their own equipment from the ground up and their
quest for electronics and radio knowledge.

thanks for your time

You'll need to use radios with CTCSS encode and decode. My 2m/70cm rig
(Alinco DR610) has the feature but I've never used it. I don't know if a
repeater will pass on the tones or "strip them out".

73
Roger ZR3RC

Yep! Nextel..... no cell phone bill for "calls" as long as you use the
walkie talkie side only. Per my understanding, that part is unlimited.
To get a Ham license, you will get a license, and you'd need to use your
call sign once every 10 minutes. Your call sign is able to be found on line
and so - you would have a real problem with that. Nosey people? When you
intend to "share" PUBLIC airwaves, you have to accept that you WILL be
heard. Unless you're talking Drug deals, investments (to be kept secret),
etc; usually no one would give a crap what you and your dad talk about
unless you're violating the rules. The "Repeater" Control Operator is
legally liable for anything said. It is their business to be "nosey".

I suggest you go with Nextel if that is your attitude. The way this question
was put, I'd tend to believe it was a troll. Just another "dig" at the hams.
There has been a LOT of that. Hell, given your attitude, even CBers would be
too "nosey" for you. Yep... definately - go with Nextel. God forbid any Hams
or CBers would want to hear what you and dear ole dad have to discuss.
You'll have as much privacy as you want. You and dear ole dad could talk til
the cows come home about anything your little heart desires and no one will
hear you..........

Lou


"Hal Rosser" wrote in message
. ..
Considering your preference for privacy, maybe the cell phone is what you
need.


"Jim" wrote in message
news:YTOoe.18764$x96.6562@attbi_s72...
Me and my Dad have been thinking about a ham certificate for quite some
time. After trying cb and murs for use around the city we pretty much
gave up on the radio hobby due to unreliability.

2m repeaters sound like a lot of fun and have coverage all around our
town. I really don't have much to talk about with strangers but enjoy
listening occasionaly.

What we were wondering if theres any way to use a repeater and only have
our squelch open up when we call each other. of course once I am on the
air I want to hear everything. I dont really want to hear chattering all
day long just waiting for a contact. I hope this makes sense what I'm
asking.

From a practical point of view home and cell phones are much better but
thought the radio hobby could be fun.

We also dont like the idea of our names being public. is there any way
that you can keep your name and address away from nosey people?

thanks for your time.

"Jim" wrote in message
news:3I_oe.28913$nG6.18155@attbi_s22...
I'm not really concerned about on the air privacy because it would not be
used for private conversation.

I see nothing wrong with wanting a private call sign though. I used to
chat with friends on the cb and there were some very questionable people
there. There are also a lot of ham radio operators like this but they
behave slightly better on the air and a call sign is pretty much just a
abbreviation for your home address and phone number.

As I tried to explain in my question I just wanted a way to mute my radio
until a specific person calls me and then have the radio on so I can hear
everyone. I guess this is not possible through a repeater.

This is not another "dig" at hames. I am amazed at what some hams have
done by constructing their own equipment from the ground up and their
quest for electronics and radio knowledge.

thanks for your time

Well, through repeaters, it isn't possible, least not that I am aware. Now,
simplex - it can work. But, simplex can be tough. If you're unaware of what
simplex is, that is radio to radio - no repeater. Every radio has somewhat
different characteristics and so on in range, etc. I think you said you
played with MURS. How about FRS? The range of 2 meters may be the same or
slightly better. "IF" you're both at a fixed location, you could use
external antennas. You can get a newer rig and program a PL into it for
Transmit and Recieve. The only thing remaining is range required, and of
course the license and making sure you do not say anything you don't want
others to know. Mobile 2 meter rigs pack as much as 50 watts while H.T.s go
up to about 7 with some models. I'm not aware of any that do more. So, that
may help you decide.

As for the time, you're welcome. I try to help when I can, but sometimes
things can be misinterpreted. Knowing what I know now, if you decide to get
a license, I'll be the first to welcome you. Good luck.

Lou

On Mon, 06 Jun 2005 02:52:40 +0000, Jim wrote:

Me and my Dad have been thinking about a ham certificate for quite some
time. After trying cb and murs for use around the city we pretty much
gave up on the radio hobby due to unreliability.

2m repeaters sound like a lot of fun and have coverage all around our
town. I really don't have much to talk about with strangers but enjoy
listening occasionaly.

What we were wondering if theres any way to use a repeater and only have
our squelch open up when we call each other. of course once I am on the
air I want to hear everything. I dont really want to hear chattering all
day long just waiting for a contact. I hope this makes sense what I'm
asking.

From a practical point of view home and cell phones are much better but
thought the radio hobby could be fun.

We also dont like the idea of our names being public. is there any way
that you can keep your name and address away from nosey people?

thanks for your time.


Yes
No
Get a Cell Phone.

--
Korbin Dallas
The name was changed to protect the guilty.

Jim wrote:
Me and my Dad have been thinking about a ham certificate for quite some
time. After trying cb and murs for use around the city we pretty much
gave up on the radio hobby due to unreliability.

You might want to define reliability. If I remember correctly, it was
Ham Radio that kept lines of communications open during many disasters
that took other modes out of service. If that's unreliable then you may
want to consider lowering your standards.

2m repeaters sound like a lot of fun and have coverage all around our
town. I really don't have much to talk about with strangers but enjoy
listening occasionaly.

For me, part of the fun of local chatter on 2M is that I am talking to
people who might be stranger, or they might be my next-door neighbor.
If you're looking for something private between you and your father, you
should consider a private system and get a scanner to listen into Ham
chatter.

What we were wondering if theres any way to use a repeater and only have
our squelch open up when we call each other.

Repeaters can be configured to respond to sub-audible tones that your
radio emits when transmitting. Only those tones will open up the
repeater, and then the repeater either passes the same tone or
regenerates it so that radios configured like yours will open squelch.
As others have mentioned, repeaters can be configured to listen for a
certain touch-tone sequence and then begin transmitting.

Both of these would be private repeaters using frequency space allocated
by the regional coordinator.

Alternatively, a commercial system, maintained by a vendor, would give
you the private communications you seem to desire, and could also offer
wide-range access.

of course once I am on the
air I want to hear everything.

Ham radios can be set to only emit a squelch-releasing tone or both emit
and expect the tone. The former means you will hear all traffic on the
frequency, which should be none because the repeater only opens on
hearing the tone and no one uses a repeater frequency for simplex -
direct - communications.

I dont really want to hear chattering all
day long just waiting for a contact. I hope this makes sense what I'm
asking.

Not really. You started by saying that 2m sounds like fun, but now you
say you don't want to enjoy it.

From a practical point of view home and cell phones are much better but
thought the radio hobby could be fun.

Half the fun is contacting other Hams, locating them, exchanging cards,
working toward several awards based upon contact numbers or locations.
And then there's the service aspect, that of providing emergency
communications and other services during a disaster. Depending on your
area, there may be varying degrees of activity in the emergency service,
which trains by providing communications services for any variety of
public events.

One can't forget the joy of building a rig, or antenna, or a complete
radio shack. The first time you wire up a bunch of parts, give it some
juice and start talking to someone halfway around the world is
satisfaction not easily topped.

Many locations have clubs at which nearby Hams gather for regular
meetings to exchange ideas, help each other building something or to
advance in their license class.

We also dont like the idea of our names being public. is there any way
that you can keep your name and address away from nosey people?

Ham Radio is a public system, and being licensed means that your name
and address of record can be viewed. It's how we help each other.
There was a time many decades ago when I accidentally left my mobile rig
transmitting while I was inside a shopping center. Those who found my
car saw my license, looked up my name and then paged me. I was grateful
and embarrassed, but without my call sign they could not have located me.

There is nothing preventing you from using a P.O. box as your mailing
address.

Before you consider Ham Radio, since it sounds like its hobby aspect is
more of an added bonus than the primary cause for consideration, figure
out what you want to do and why.

Regards,
Larry
N1POP/7