Ham Radio Operators

how about a freindly discussion on ham radios?? anybody else a radio nut?

I'm a General class ham, been involved for about 5 years. it's a great past time. I currently have an old Kenwood TS-520 for HF and a Yeasu 7800 for 2m/440 local stuff at the QTH. I also have local repeaters programed in my squad radio. that's very useful for SKYWARN and local emergencies. I have one other officer that's a ham.

one thing I dont' have is cop freq's in my mobile radios... i listen to that stuff too much already,

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Permalink Reply by Jim Spoor on August 7, 2009 at 4:25pm: 73s
I've been a no-code tech since 1994. My "radio-activity" waxes and wanes more than sunspots. Right now I am off the air due primarily to my own laziness but I claim it is because of the household budget. Ham radio is still viable and necessary. Just ask your emergency managers

N2XWU; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richard Ratcliffe on August 12, 2009 at 4:54pm: Mike,
My dad was a radio operator in WWII and introduced my brothers and me to Amateur Radio in an effort to keep us off the streets. For me it worked! I believe I was 13 when I got my novice license. I am also a General Class Operator. When I was in the Army I spent a couple of years as the MARS Chief Operator in Chitose Japan. And they paid me for it.

For 4 years I worked in Washington DC and occasionally walked a beat. At that time they did not issue walkie talkies so I carried a 2 mtr hand held and talked with hams. Plus if I ever needed help I had a way to call for it.

One of most fun times I used to have was conversing with a Calif Highway Patrol Sgt as he was on his way to work. We did that for several months while he was on the evening shift and I was on daywork.

I have had several partners over the years who were also Hams.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike Gehrke on August 12, 2009 at 7:46pm: could you imagine walking a beat without a portable now??
I remember one time during an ice storm a few years ago, our LEO repeater went down. (as with most of the elect in the county,,) anyway, the only radio comm was with my 2 meter on the Austin ham repeater.. which had power, genny back up...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richard Ratcliffe on August 12, 2009 at 9:05pm: When all else fails- Amateur Radio

You have to remember I started law enforcement back in 1970, Portables were few and far between. I was a rookie and didn't know any better doing things like patroling an alley on foot with no partner.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike Gehrke on August 13, 2009 at 1:12am: I was a reserve officer in 1976,, town of 5000,, we had a beat officer,, and only he got the one and only portable.. I think maybe the shift supervisor had one, but thats all. I think they were about $1200 back then for a 2 or 4 ch HT..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by James Loop on August 17, 2009 at 10:48pm: Hello From Jim (W7AYJ) in Salem, Oregon I too am a Ham. I run a IC-v8000 in both my cars and also use the one from my work car in the house as a base station. I also have a IC-718 HF rig.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Richard Ratcliffe on August 18, 2009 at 9:35am: There are a few of us hams out here. Most of these guy would not know what to do when their police systems go down and their cell phones don't work. But some of us remember having to pull a call box every hour on the half hour to get calls and make reports. Most of you back up, if you were walking a beat, were called in by citizens. But I digress.
I retired from Prince George's County MD about 11 years ago.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike Gehrke on August 18, 2009 at 2:15pm: prior to this job, i was in another small town we had a 'spare car' so I assigned it to me..... I was the only one that drove that car ( 2000 CVI, everyone else wanted to drive the new fancy flat top) so i put a Yeasu 1802 in it and it was great,, neither towns are crime ridden, so I had time to listen to the weekly nets, and participate in the SKYWARN activity with the ham radio.. I was relaying traffic between the two.. worked for me.. And my wife is also licensed ham,,, it came in handy to when supper was ready, and to bring home milk.. LOL..
in the year and half I had it in the squad, I helped one ham that was lost in my area. I always monitor '52.; ▶ Reply to This