Two Ways to Reduce your Risk on Mt San Jacinto

[Perry]

Probably some paints are better than others. Anybody know?

[halhiker]

For those interested, this is an article that I read in last week's Wall Street Journal:

http://www.solution.allthingsd.com/20080130/phoning-home-without-a-phone/

[magikwalt]

After a attending a meeting with RMRU the following is noted. They may possibly use standard FSR/GMRS radios to stay in touch while walking on the mountain. If they were told a person needing rescue had a like radio with them they would be listening.

Still the Garmin Rino seems like a value.

[Jim Bakos]

Actually, we use commercial FM radios (Motorola Spectra's and MT1000's), But we carry FRS/GMRS radios in all our rescue vehicles.

If we know you have a radio (HAM included), we'll attempt to make contact with you -- if we also know the frequency, of course.

--Jim

[asabat]

If we know you have a radio (HAM included), we'll attempt to make contact with you -- if we also know the frequency, of course.

Is there a preferred ham freq? Maybe the standard 146.520?

I've often thought if necessary it would be listening to SAR (I presume 155.160?) and relaying through whatever repeater I could reach.

My list of repeaters www.qsl.net/aa6j/pct

[Jim Bakos]

If you’re an amateur radio operator, I’d bring the local repeater guide and plan on using one of the many that can be hit from the high country. Make contact with someone and have them call 911 with your information.

We don’t monitor the backcountry frequencies – that would require a lot of resources. We would expect if you had FRS/GMRS that you would leave a list of channels and sub-tones with the person that will report you missing (along with your itinerary, equipment list, boot type, wilderness experience, etc…).

But as mentioned before: There’s no substitute for good old fashion wilderness experience. Ellen is living proof of that!

--Jim

[Rob]

My list of repeaters www.qsl.net/aa6j/pct

asabat, what's the weight and size of the amateur radio gear you carry into the wilderness?

Do amateur radio repeaters give better coverage than typical cell-phone coverage?

Does HF gear weigh more?

General-class ticket requires code at 5 wpm?

[MikeJ]

I carry a Yaesu VX-5R. It is about the size of a deck of cards. The weight of the radio with battery and small whip antenna is 8.7 ounces. However, I usually use a corded speaker/mic so I can put the radio in a pocket on my pack. With the speaker/mic the total weight is 10.5 ounces.

In remote areas you can usually reach a repeater when you can not reach a cell tower. A fellow amateur and I used to help lead scout campouts to places like Anza Borrego. We would ask the other adults to check if anyone had cell phone coverage. Usually nobody did. We would then autopatch through our club repeater on top of Santiago Peak and call our wives.

And, there is no longer a Morse code requirement for the General license.

[asabat]

As Mike said, a handheld VHF/UHF radio is about 8 ounces. Add a good telescoping antenna for better coverage.

About all I can say about repeater coverage is that it is different than cell phone coverage. In some areas, like Borrego, repeaters are accessible ALMOST anywhere. In the canyons of the John Muir Trail, not much coverage for anything, but with some surprises. (I document a few of these at www.qsl.net/aa6j/pct .)

HF gear often weighs more, but can weigh less with the low-power rigs. HF requires a much longer antenna, usually made of wire strung between trees, etc. It's not common in the backcountry except by hobbiests, although I once made a phone call for a guy who was two days into the Emigrant Wilderness. He had a tiny homemade Morse code rig.

The autopatches to the phone system are cool, but almost exclusively require membership in that particular repeater system. Still, you can usually get a local to make a call when needed.

Morse code is no longer required for any ham license. The test itself is 35 multiple choice questions from a pool of about 500 questions that are published in books. My daughter got her license at 11, so it's not real technical.

AA6J

[Rob]

MikeJ and asabat, thanks for the info. Amateur radio sounds tempting . . .