Outdoor Adventure USA

For many people, Ham Radio offers a great addition to their current pastime, or a reason to pursue a new adventure. For others, it is an indispensable connection to friends, community, emergency service or a way to stay connected to their former career.

On tonight's Net, we would like to discuss the many aspects and applications of Ham Radio use in the Field including:

1. Ham radio gear -HF, UHF/VHF, mobile, remote and handhelds.
2. Antennas and accessory gear
3. What is your chosen activity? - SOTA, NPOTA, DXpeditions, Emergency Communication( ARES, RACES, CERT), as a lifeline when Off-Roading, Fishing, or practical Comms in place of FRS/GMRS walkie talkies.
4. Where do you operate while in the field?

Please join use with your comments, pictures and lists.

Kevin KK6DGL
Jack KK6WXQ

I originally became interested in Ham radio as a means of communication while fishing and hiking in the Mammoth Lakes area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I quickly graduated from a Yaesu handheld, to mobile radios and then an all inclusive Shack in the Box. While it serves my needs at home and while operating at remote sites, I am always looking for ideas on how to bring my new obsession with me.

Here are a few popular HF/UHF radios for field work.

Antennas
There are many options for antennas. Screwdriver, dipole, random wire, loops, beams and many others depending on your location and operating situation.

KK6CTT with an online check-in request please.

News from the Shooting Shack; current events section:

Bass Pro Shop...this coming weekend, 19-20 AUG, NRA partners with BPS and provides a great incentive to join. $35 annual membership or renewal nets a $25 BPS gift card. They will have other things going on like a visit from Eddie Eagle as well but the membership deal is attention-getting for sure.

Don't forget to ask about a Members' Council (CA) near you. https://www.facebook.com/NRAMembersCouncils/?ref=br_rs

http://www.basspro.com/#

In the field and around my community:
Strive to provide emergency communications through volunteer work with the following agencies; Riverside Emergency Communications Group, City of Riverside CERT, NWRC ARES and Jurupa Citizens Corps. I network with many others and find providing the basic building blocks for those who have the desire to be more prepared has been motivational and provides personal satisfaction.
Planning in depth and practicing with these agencies, who are always looking for help, keeps me occupied with many facets of ham radio to include the ancillary benefits of using the equipment and knowledge while doing personal activities with OAUSA, for example. I'm sold on the vast opportunities amateur radio has for anyone willing to give it a try and fully support all the different kinds of communication made available through the amateur radio licensing process.

What is your chosen Ham Radio activity?

Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES)

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.
http://www.arrl.org/ares

RACES - "Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service," is a protocol created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC Part 97, Section 407).

RACES operators are:
Licensed Radio Amateurs
Certified by a civil defense agency
Able to communicate on Amateur Radio frequencies during drills, exercises and emergencies
Activated by local, county and state jurisdictions and are the only Amateur Radio operators authorized to transmit during declared emergencies when the President of the United States specifically invokes the War Powers Act.
http://www.usraces.org

CERT - Community Emergency Response Team
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
https://www.ready.gov/community-emergency-response-team

Special Events Participation

SOTA- Summits on the Air
Summits On The Air (SOTA) is an amateur radio operating award program launched in Great-Britain in 2002, which is now known worldwide.[1] SOTA's aim is to encourage licensed amateur radio operators to operate temporarily from mountainous locations,[2] combining hiking and mountain climbing with operating their amateur radio station from the summits of hills and mountains.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summits_on_the_Air

2016 NPOTA - National Parks on the Air
https://npota.arrl.org

Field Day - Held in June each year
Field Day is ham radio's open house. Every June, more than 40,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio's science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.
http://www.arrl.org/field-day

Practical applications for Ham Radio

Communication within groups during special events:
Parades, racing events, club events, outreach groups.

Lineline when in the Field:
Off-roading, hiking, fishing, travel, or as an alternative to FRS/GMRS walkie talkies which will allow you to take advantage of Repeaters.

Happy Thursday OA USA evening!

Please log me in early...thanks much!