[at-l] RE: [BackpackingLight] Ham radios

["Beau Bushor" <mail2beau@adelphia.net>]

I also carry a Ham Radio while backpacking.  Getting your ham radio license
is quite easy now days because you do not need to learn Morse code.  I wrote
a Ham Radio repeater guide for the entire AT which is free to download from
the following websites.

	Kathy Bilton's AT Homepage: http://www.fred.net/kathy/at/hamguide.html
	ALDHA: http://www.aldha.org

The Appalachian Trail 2 Meter Repeater Guide has been tested the entire
length of the AT and found to have about 98+/-% coverage.  I wrote the guide
to give something back to ham radio and backpacking which have given to me
so much.  I hope you enjoy using it.  If you would like more information on
Ham Radio please email me.  I will be away from home from today 09-22-99 to
09-27-99 and will answer your emails when I return.

See you at the Gathering - East,

Beau Bushor N1MJD
      "bleeder guy"

Backpacking coming events:
There will be loads of backpacking activities including special guest
speakers, trail slide shows, presentations, equipment reviews, used
equipment sales and lots of just plain fun.
**ALDHA - East "Gathering 99", October 8, 9, 10, 11 (Columbus Day weekend)
in Hanover, NH; http://www.aldha.org
**ALDHA - West "Gathering 99", October 1 - 3, At the Mazama Lodge, Mt Hood,
Oregon; http://www.gorp.com/nonprof/aldhaw/


-----Original Message-----
From:	Roy P. Massena [mailto:rpm@apgar.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, September 22, 1999 3:52 AM
To:	To:
Subject:	[BackpackingLight] Ham radios

From: "Roy P. Massena" <rpm@apgar.com>

Amateur radio enables me to hike and ski ridges in N Idaho solo that would
otherwise be too dicey.

The kit (Kenwood radio, telescoping 1/2 wave antenna, double batteries, and
case) weighs 1lb and is the size of a small camera. Line of sight range is
85 (eighty-five) miles. It turns out that Ham's sprinkle repeaters about in
locations with wide coverage, i.e. mountain tops. Yes, even in Idaho. That
suits me fine, because that is exactly where I want to go.

I travel long, linked ridge systems that see little traffic with
reasonable, or at least acceptable risk. I leave my route and itinerary
with reliable friends. In the event  of a problem, I can generally hit one
or more repeaters and immediately communicate with civilization. If not, I
stay put until one of my buddies moves into the area or flies overhead with
his radio. You can search a lot of ground quickly with a radio in a plane.

This system works better than a cell phone, because 1) the radio has
greater range,  2) it is hard to carry a cell phone base station in a
plane, 3) search teams can carry radios that talk directly to yours
4)  battery life is longer.

When you are lost deep in the bush alone, cloud hidden, you tend to think
about such things.


--------------
Roy P. Massena, 1713 E. Ilinois Ave, Spokane WA 99207-5049
(509)482-0082, rpm@apgar.com
---------------

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