Are Any Of The Amateur Radio Operators On Here Bringing Any Gear With Them On Bikes Rides?
- Thread starter Jim1348
- Start date
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Thats so weird, Ive been emptying my bookshelves a few minutes ago and all my old vhf/uhf scanner books are still there.
Ive taken my handheld CB 27mhz up a mountain on the bike, got a few replies.
Ive taken my handheld CB 27mhz up a mountain on the bike, got a few replies.
Chazmo
fat-tire biker
- Region
- USA
- City
- Central Massachusetts
I think that’s cool, Jim. If you really get into it, you’ll have to figure out how to mount it on your handlebars and power it from your bike battery!
Cheers.
WA2MAL (from the 1970’s).
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Curious, what kind of gear would you have to carry to make it worthwhile? How much weight? And would the purpose be just to keep communucating as you would at home, or something more cycling-specific?
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
its quite popular.
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
I ride with my brother occasionally to high points on trails where he CQ's with his 2 meter Handy Talkie. Small enough to fit in his pocket though, so there isn't much bulk or weight involved. I can see the advantage for hams to use a bike to get to high places where vehicles can't go. Most of the time we talk bike to bike via GMRS walkie talkies.
I once carried my 5 watt marine band portable to the top of Big Savage mountain in Maryland. I managed to talk to several mariners on Chesapeake Bay, over 150 miles away. Not bad for a 5 watt handheld with a 6" whip antenna on 156 MHZ.
I once carried my 5 watt marine band portable to the top of Big Savage mountain in Maryland. I managed to talk to several mariners on Chesapeake Bay, over 150 miles away. Not bad for a 5 watt handheld with a 6" whip antenna on 156 MHZ.
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
This is my handheld collection, ancient marine vhf, modified Motorola to plug into motorbike helmet, Tandy CB and a 20 quid Baofeng
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Its revealing of the human condition, we pretty well all have worldwide instant duplex communication, even in very remote places, but we still have a yearning for the difficult, the limited, the old way a sense of achievement at a distant connection from something that manages to work against the odds.
Its also not written down and added to your file
Its also not written down and added to your file
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I have a Technician license and four Baofengs. I use them for when I'm working at races. I do not currently use them for recreational communication.
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
This thread brings back many fond memories.
I grew up listening to my father in his basement "ham shack" (W2ERK) talking to others all over the world. We lived on a NJ hilltop and he had antennas strung everywhere. He knew how to use the "skip" (heavyside layer of the atmosphere). I remember the day he brought home his brand new Drake TR-4 transceiver and he was like a kid in a candy store. He had almost a thousand QSL cards pinned to the wall, some from south America and eastern Europe! He had a friend he talked to regularly on Guam. It's no wonder my brother and I picked up the "bug". My father passed in 2003 and I'm in the process of getting his old call sign transferred to my name. I live on a mountaintop in the Poconos and am in a great spot to carry on his tradition.
I grew up listening to my father in his basement "ham shack" (W2ERK) talking to others all over the world. We lived on a NJ hilltop and he had antennas strung everywhere. He knew how to use the "skip" (heavyside layer of the atmosphere). I remember the day he brought home his brand new Drake TR-4 transceiver and he was like a kid in a candy store. He had almost a thousand QSL cards pinned to the wall, some from south America and eastern Europe! He had a friend he talked to regularly on Guam. It's no wonder my brother and I picked up the "bug". My father passed in 2003 and I'm in the process of getting his old call sign transferred to my name. I live on a mountaintop in the Poconos and am in a great spot to carry on his tradition.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Your father probably knew my grandfather, W2ZI, a wireless Pioneer that lived in Trenton.
Nice, a bunch of 2 landers! Had my ticket since 1975. Cut my teeth on a Hallicrafters S38B, and a Heathkit AT-1 (hand me downs from my big sis). I'm still on the air at the shack I have a IC-756Pro, IC-9100, and a IC-705. In the Jeep is an IC-7000 w/AH-740. For a portable I mostly carry an ID-51A PLUS (and sometimes on the bike) though if I am chasing trains I carry an IC-F3261DT.
6zfshdb
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Northeast Pennsylvania
Quite possible. I wish I had saved his collection of QSL cards.
My father was inspired to get into ham radio by his college roommate, who was a ham pioneer (W1GD). He lived in Houston and they talked several times per week.
Chazmo
fat-tire biker
- Region
- USA
- City
- Central Massachusetts
Its revealing of the human condition, we pretty well all have worldwide instant duplex communication, even in very remote places, but we still have a yearning for the difficult, the limited, the old way a sense of achievement at a distant connection from something that manages to work against the odds.
Its also not written down and added to your file
Radio has always played to the human condition of wanting to communicate... even from remote places. I don’t know if it’s always been true outside the US, but In the US acquisition of ham licenses required testing and demonstration of levels of skill/knowledge/training/electronics. Long before internet, cellular, sattelite, etc., amateur radio operators were often on call for emergency communications. I never got that far with it, as all I was allowed to do was transmit via morse code. I did get pretty good at code, and it helps to have a musician’s ear for that.
When citizens’ band (CB) radios came up in the 1970s, we saw how strong the impulse was.
As for social media (I think your final comment there, Charge)… Well, ‘nuff said!
MrHyak
Member
- Region
- USA
As a teenager in the mid 70's I was into CB radio. Back then you were supposed to have a license to chat on air, but I was too young for a license and because I was afraid of getting into trouble not having one I applied under my dad's name to get one (he never knew) KBHF5883, I used to chat on what was referred to as the 'garbage channel' where the kids talked at night. Did that til' I was 16 yrs old or so. Good fun.
I only bring one radio at a time. Although I have owned Motorola in the past, I had sold those. More recently I bought one VHF and one UHF Motorola.
I use a RAM Mount on the handlebars with a Panavise Clip Caddy. I also have a RAM Universal Belt Clip Holder for my Unication radios that have a wider belt clip.
Next to it is my Garmin Zumo XT motorcycle GPS. I have added OpenStreetMaps with cycle and trail maps. Some of the paved trails near me are not very well marked. Yesterday, for example, I was riding in Saint Paul and the trail I was on was new to me. The Zumo kept me riding where I wanted to be.
I use a RAM Mount on the handlebars with a Panavise Clip Caddy. I also have a RAM Universal Belt Clip Holder for my Unication radios that have a wider belt clip.
Next to it is my Garmin Zumo XT motorcycle GPS. I have added OpenStreetMaps with cycle and trail maps. Some of the paved trails near me are not very well marked. Yesterday, for example, I was riding in Saint Paul and the trail I was on was new to me. The Zumo kept me riding where I wanted to be.
Onejohnvw
New Member
- Region
- USA
I usually bring along a handheld as well, nothing too fancy, but it’s nice to have the option to check in or catch a bit of chatter along the way.
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Heres me last year on CH19 near the top of Old Man Coniston, there were three people on but they were missrable buggers.
Do you use AM or FM mode?
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