KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

///////////////////////////////////////////
Operating Notes: 2m serendipity

Posted: 25 Jan 2016 04:29 PM PST
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/kb6nu...m_medium=email


Over the last couple of months, Ive been noticing more activity on the 2 m
repeaters around here. Its been fun. The result is that Ive been able to
raise and chat with guys while Im on foot around town.

Saturday, for example, on my walk downtown, I heard Thom, W8TAM call and
started up a conversation with him. Soon after, Ralph, AA8RK, joined us.
Ralph asked if I was headed down to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum to
operate WA2HOM.

Honestly, I wasnt, but when Ralph said hed join me, I decided to go. Thom
also came down and joined us. It was fun. We worked a couple of National
Parks on the Air stations and we put a young museum visitor on the air. Her
first QSO!

This kind of serendipitous QSO seems to be happening more often lately.
With the addition of some new ham radio operators, we have reached some
kind of critical mass. Guys get replies when they call and have interesting
conversations. That prompts them and other operators to listen and get on
more often, which encourages even more activity.

Another indication of the increased activity is the number of check-ins to
our 2 m nets. For the last two Sundays, Ive been the net control for the
University of Michigan Amateur Radio Club net. Both times, weve had 13
check-ins. That may not seem like a lot, but it is a definite improvement.
Not only that, its more fun when there are more check-ins.
2 m simplex

One of the 2 m QSOs that I had while walking downtown was partly simplex.
Many hams rarely think about operating simplex anymore because the
repeaters are often so quiet.

Well, on this trek, I threw out my call, and Ed, W8EMV, came back to me. He
was at the home of Thom, W8TAM, and they were testing out a radio that Thom
was going to loan to Ed.

Since they were less than a mile and a half away, I suggested that we try
operating simplex. I rarely ever hear anyone operating simplex, and I was
pedestrian mobile with my Baofeng UV-5R, so I really didnt know what to
expect.

After we switched over, Ed was full quieting. This was to be expected, of
course. He was running 20 W, I think, into an antenna up about 30 ft. I was
a little surprised to get the same report, as I was on my handheld, with a
rubber duckie antenna. We were not very far away, though.

It was kind of fun to speculate how our signals were bouncing around to get
to one another. We also discussed how we might set up a net should there be
an emergency and the repeaters go down. We decided that someone needed to
head up to the top floor of one of the downtown parking lots. From that
location, they would probably have decent coverage.
Blog readers

In the past week, Ive worked a couple of guys who mentioned that they read
my blog. I love hearing from readers, especially on the air. If you ever
hear me, please give me a call.

The post Operating Notes: 2m serendipity appeared first on KB6NUs Ham Radio
Blog.