[pct-l] ham radio?

[Bill & Cathy]

"AsABat"    It depends on the size of the "HAM"    lol
       Ground Pounder
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "AsABat" <AsABat at 4Jeffrey.Net>
To: <ned at pacificcrestcustombuilders.com>; "'Candy Smith'" 
<candyjsmith at gmail.com>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 5:47 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] ham radio?


>> My question for the community is, will a HAM radio accomplish the
> same?
>
> To some extent. I carry one on most of my trips.
>
> There are two general types of ham radio for this purpose. One is a VHF
> (or UHF) handheld radio, weighing about 8 ounces. At these frequencies,
> you would use amateur repeaters located on mountain tops. In the Sierra,
> for example, these repeaters are located east and west of the ridge, for
> example, on the east side of Owens Valley or down in the Central Valley.
> Therefore, in north-south canyons coverage would be difficult. However,
> I have used them several times because of a change in plans, including
> at Lower Palisade Lakes in a high snow year.
>
> The second type is an HF radio (like shortwave). Normally this equipment
> would be larger, but low-power versions can be just as light as the
> handhelds. Antennas at this frequency are much longer, typically a
> certain length of wire strung between two trees. I haven't used these in
> the backcountry, but several (including a couple that have been on this
> list in the past) have. You have a better chance of being able to reach
> someone from almost anywhere, but no guarantee who that person will be
> or where they will be located. From home, I once made a phone call from
> a hiker in the Emigrant Wilderness - they usually don't work well for
> short distances, in this case we were about 400 miles apart.
>
> I have some information on ham radio on the PCT at
> www.qsl.net/aa6j/pct .
>
> AsABat
> AA6J
>
>
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