When #hamradio meets #roadtrip

It was bound to happen.  Having just returned from a road trip to Texas, there was NO High Frequency in the car.  There was nothing stronger than an HT tuned to Voice Alert and 146.52. The Hamshack Hotline phone doubled as the Automatic Packet Reporting System device.

Other than the squelch popping a time or two on 146.52, a nice QSO was held over Hamshack Hotline.  Using RepeaterBook, the author found a local repeater with Allstar.  That connection produced a contact with a member of the 7290 net.

The destination location produced a RepeaterBook resources on Dstar and analog.  There was a ham radio operator using APRS.  The operator was monitoring the analog frequency.  He was from Kansas.

How was it?

It was nice in the car.  The spouse got to sleep.  We got to visit.  The trip was a joy.  I got to "radio" when I wanted.  

Take aways include:

1.  Keep your RepeaterBook listing up to date with information about nets, links, Skywarn, etc.  IF you don't want to do it, make sure the trustee is.

 2.  Set Voice Alert on your mobile radios. There were mobile stations closeby as evidenced by their location on the map.  Do NOT set voice alert on the digipeater.  That's not the purpose.

 

Hope you have as good a road trip as this one.

In 1980, your #roadtrip was MUCH higher than today #hamradio #Skywarn @GasBuddy

 In 1980, the price of gas was $2.95 per gallon ... adjusted for inflation, that's $10.72 today.

That means the price of gas is NO where near the misery of 1980 when the Organization of Petroleum Countries caused the 1973 Oil Crisis.

What's the solution?  Same as it was with OPEC, Venezula, and Russia, the answer is to use more domestic oil.  In addition, build MORE refineries.  Hurricanes can cause a pause in output.  

Make Skywarn trips affordable.  Build more to use more.

Comment Period to be Re-Opened on Forest Service Fees #ARRL #hamradio

Repeater owners in the Division who have their systems on U.S. Forest

Service properties are facing the possibility of a new fee levied by the
service.  There was a comment period on the proposal that recently
ended.  Because of the strong feed-back, that comment period will be
reopened.  Here are the relevant parts of an email I received from the
ARRL Washington Counsel, David Siddall, K3ZJ.  I am forwarding this with
his permission.

********************
The Forest Service sent a Notice to the Federal Register yesterday
announcing that they will re-open the window for comments on the
proposed new $1400. annual administrative fee.  This means that amateurs
that may have missed the earlier comment period, or who wish to file
additional arguments and information, can submit new filings between
March 1 and March 31.   A copy of the Notice to be published on March 1
is here: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2022-04254.pdf.
(This is completely public information.)

I notice that in several of the amateur comments sent me that there
appears some confusion.  The proposed fee is a new and separate fee, not
an increase to fees (such as rent) already being paid.  If adopted, the
existing fee(s) – which generally have been around $130-140 annually
for amateur uses – would have to be paid in addition to the new
proposed annual administrative fee of $1400.  IMHO, the fee would be so
high because the proposal is to include amateur uses equally with those
of commercial wireless entities such as broadcasters, cellular providers
and broadband entities that require a much more significant presence and
greater Forest Service support than amateurs. 

73, Dave K3ZJ