Ham Radio

Introduction

• After study sessions with other AshlandCERT.org members,
  I obtained my Technical and General Ham licenses in Summer 2018.
• My main interest: emergency communication on VHF and UHF bands,
  e.g., if cell phones, landlines and internet fail after Cascadia earthquake.
• To improve my skills, I often check-in and train on a 'weekly net'
  -- usually via repeaters, sometimes with simplex (radio-to-radio) exercises.
• attend a monthly meeting with other CERT Hams,
• and provide radio support for public events, e.g., MLK Day, 4th of July parade, etc.
• My call sign: K7SWX.
• My radios:
• Handheld: Baofeng UV82-C, 5w (output power), VHF&UHF;
  several antennas: 'rubber duck', whip, mag mount, J-pole
• Mobile: Kenwood TM-281A, 25w/65w, VHF-only
  -- plus X-50A antenna (when home)
• Summary from OLLI Course: Disaster Preparedness: Be Informed: Alerts and Communications

Resources

• Amateur Radio (ARRL) national org.; Licensing; Freq. Band Charts; Question Pools
• Jackson County (JC) Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES); weekly nets
• Mt. Baldy repeater (K7JAX) 146.840 (-.6; PL 123.0) -- near Phoenix, OR
• AshlandCERT.org; CERT Radio Group map (SARTopo)
• weekly net: each Monday night at 19:45 (7:45 pm) on JC ARES' Mt. Baldy repeater
• Cascade Amateur Radio Enthusiasts (CARE)
• Rogue Valley Amateur Radio Club (RVARC)
• RepeaterBook call sign search; repeater directory: web, iOS, Android
• CHIRP free, open-source tool for programming your amateur radio, e.g., importing a channel list
• EchoLink can be used for radio communication over the internet (register w/ your callsign).
• my iPad's Echolink app can connect to Ashland Acres repeater (when its EchoIRLP setup is running).
• Practice Licensing Exams: HamExam; AARL; eHam; AA9PW; QRZ