Early Retirement Extreme Forums

I know that a few of us forumites are already licensed operators. Personally, I have a technician license, but I soon gave up on the hobby due to not really fitting in with the regular crowd on the local repeater. The "AM radio talk show"/"daily commute"-vibe was too strong for me to persist but that's alright. Thus my little handheld radio went unused for ten years until I eventually gave/swapped it away. I want to give [radio] another go though!

Would anyone be interested in making regular attempts to connect over the airwaves instead of using zoom et al?

The purpose of such an MMG would focus on making such eremite2eremite connections happen over the air.

We can coordinate via other means but the idea is to connect via radio. Only meeting online on a need to basis.

I don't think there needs to be a lower limit on membership although it obviously gets a lot easier if members are geographically closer to each other. The further away we are from each other, the more expertise is required.

I'd be up for this. Getting my license has been on my bucket list for a while now.

I've been looking for another hobby to insert into my "web of pleasant distractions", so could give it a try if the distance isn't an issue. ~1000 miles to chicago.

Shortwave range is technically unlimited, but 1000M would be hard/require a serious antenna. The little UHF/VHF handhelds that are unlocked with a technician license go 2-5M on their own and maybe 25M with a good repeater. The base stations can reach a little longer (4-8M). There are "ways" in which the internet can be used to connect two repeaters, but that would be hijacking the entire line.

My station is on 40 meters JS8Call, which is a digital mode, keyboard to keyboard. I use a self-built QDX radio with a Raspberry Pi 4 and an attic dipole resonant at 40 meters. I only have a 40 meter antenna, so I am tied to that band. I have other radios, but not sure if they work.

I am perhaps too close to Chicago at 80 miles for reliable communication on 40 meters, but could give it a try.

My station is regularly heard in Europe, occasionally in Australia. Digital modes are very effective over long distances, especially JS8Call mode.

Just so you guys don't feel left out.
At the behest of my uncles, I have my general license and a YAESU FT-2980 and a 2m carroof mount. I studied to take the test so my useful knowledge is lacking. I only use it during during offroad rally events that my uncles are involved with. This skill feels like an orphan compared to the rest so I doubt I'd develop it more. Sorry.

I'm going to file this under aspirational for me. I would like to add Ham skills to my resilience portfolio, but I am at square zero and over 800 miles from Chicago.

Would it be of any service if I got from square zero to square one and then served as a check to see if people could reach me without able to reciprocate for a while? If not, I wish all luck and hope it becomes a going concern long enough that I can one day join.

candide wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 27, 2023 8:34 pm

I'm basically in the same position as candide. I hope you all get something running, so when I get to square one (or two, given how far I am from Chicago), I can join you.

Noodling around in http:/sdf.org I noticed they have a ham radio club:

http://sdfarc.org/

So that directly ties in.

Also, I'd say if you like ham radio, then sdf might be of interest. The main service is a public unix system. This tends to attract people into retro and minimalist computing ... I mean, if you hang on to a computer long enough it becomes retro eventually, no?

I am getting an Anytone 6666 for my car. This is a cb, cb sideband (ssb) and 10 m radio. It will allow me to yell out numbers and generally shout at fellow idiots on children's band. Entertainment only, no intellectual value.

I have always wanted to learn to build a radio and participate in Ham radio but always believed I should lock down a Mrs before pursuing the hobby. I feel like I am saying "I will forever be single" if I take up Ham radio before then.

frugaldoc wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 04, 2023 11:27 pm

I have always wanted to learn to build a radio and participate in Ham radio but always believed I should lock down a Mrs before pursuing the hobby. I feel like I am saying "I will forever be single" if I take up Ham radio before then.

…But what if you were supposed to meet Mrs. frugaldoc via HAM radio? I vote that you go for it!

I’m not a fan of avoiding a particular hobby because some people might take it the wrong way. It’s burning a piece of your soul to conform to some imaginary offense of a human you made up. As long as you don’t eat, sleep, and drink a singular hobby any hobby just makes you a more varied, complex, and more interesting person. Plus I see enough humans with dead glazed-over eyes from killing off their hobbies and playtime. Don’t be them.

That is true. Maybe I should look into it more. I'll have to wait until after this assignment though. Radio emissions from our ship while at sea would have security knocking on my door rather quickly. Maybe stamp collecting in the interim instead.