I have noticed an overlap between piloting and amateur radio too but have
never put a number to it. Back in the days when I was active on radio I
communicated with several people in planes. Now I'm a pilot too but have
not operated amateur radio from the air. Sounds like something to look
into.

Do people still exchange QSL cards?

Good flying,

JimC
N2233W
WT0J

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
...
In about two weeks (and for ten days thereafter) the largest collection of
aircraft in the world will be converging on Oshkosh WI from all corners of
the
USA and several countries. The show actually starts on the 29th of July
and
ends on the 4th of August, but the heaviest traffic is going to be the
weekends
of 26 July and 2 August.

There is a large crossbreeding of pilots and hams. Our (admittedly
nonscientific) research shows that approximately 15% of all certificated
pilots
are also certificated amateur radio operators. Given that there will be
about
10,000 aircraft flying in at some point during the week, that means 1500
pilot-hams will be in the air somewhere over this country.

Most of us flying our own aircraft have installed ham rigs in the
airplane,
predominantly 2-meters. Most of the rest will at least have an HT with
them.

If you hear one of us on 52 simplex, please give us a shout. Flying
between,
oh, say, Salt Lake to Minneapolis is hours and hours of nothing but hours
and
hours. And, please excuse us if you turn it back to us and we don't
immediately
respond. Every now and again the ground controllers want us to talk with
them,
and with all due respects, they've got priority.

Jim & Gail
WX6RST & KB9MII

Cessna 182A N 73 CQ


Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com