(sorta OT) Free Ham Radio Course

"Scott" wrote in message
...
Of course it's legal. It just has to be separate from any comm radio
gear installed in the plane. Of course, this is only true in an
experimental unless a 337 is completed and approved. But, since this is
a homebuilt newsgroup, no 337 required.

Right?

On a second note, handheld radio equipment solves all the above
mentioned problems...

Scott
N0EDV

Sailplane pilots, hang glider pilots, and paraglider pilots have all
discovered the use of 2 meter ham radios to use for chatting with others and
not congesting the air to air frequencies. They use hand held units,
including one from Vertex Standard that is VHF aircraft, VOR navigation, and
2 meter ham all in one tiny hand held package. I understand that they are
legal to use in airborne aircraft with a tech license.

One of the advantages to using the 2 meter radios is that if one lands out
in the boonies, away from cell towers and other aircraft traffic, one can
use repeaters installed on mountain tops to send their distress message to
distant receivers. I further understand that these repeaters are manned at
all times, which can be a big help in an emergency.

I am not a ham and am only posting what I know second hand. Please correct
me if I have made mistakes.

I don't think this thread is too far off topic and I, for one, appreciate
all that Jim Weir has done over the years to help keep flying less costly
for those of us not born with silver spoons in our mouths.

I'll look at the study site myself.
-Bob Korves

How timely! I purchased a Vertex Standard VXA-700 with the 2m band and have
been wanting to get my ham license so that I can use it. The Palomar
repeater covers most of San Diego county too. How nice of you, thanks!

Carl

With the crossbreeding of amateur (ham) radio operators and pilots being
something on the order of 25%, this is only slightly OT.

Bob,

Are 2 meter rigs really common in California/Nevada base sailplane? I have
only been involved in the sport for about 10 years. I believe that I am the
only local pilot that is a Ham. Most of the hang glider pilots I know use 2
meters to keep in contact with their crews. This requires both the pilot
and chase a crew member to have a "ticket."

On occasion when flying in mountain regions of Idaho without cell phone
coverage I have carried my 2 meter hand-held.

What percentage of the sailplane pilots flying in the mountains and deserts
of California and Nevada are hams?

Please don't think that I am challenging your experience. I am simply
curious about what frequencies to use and how much traffic I will hear when
I participate in the annual trek to Austin, NV this summer.

Wayne
W7ADK
Schreder HP-14 (N990) "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/

"Bob Korves" bkorves@winfirstDECIMALcom wrote in message
...
Sailplane pilots, hang glider pilots, and paraglider pilots have all
discovered the use of 2 meter ham radios to use for chatting with others
and
not congesting the air to air frequencies. They use hand held units,
including one from Vertex Standard that is VHF aircraft, VOR navigation,
and
2 meter ham all in one tiny hand held package. I understand that they are
legal to use in airborne aircraft with a tech license.

One of the advantages to using the 2 meter radios is that if one lands out
in the boonies, away from cell towers and other aircraft traffic, one can
use repeaters installed on mountain tops to send their distress message to
distant receivers. I further understand that these repeaters are manned
at
all times, which can be a big help in an emergency.

I am not a ham and am only posting what I know second hand. Please
correct
me if I have made mistakes.

I don't think this thread is too far off topic and I, for one, appreciate
all that Jim Weir has done over the years to help keep flying less costly
for those of us not born with silver spoons in our mouths.

I'll look at the study site myself.
-Bob Korves

Hey doggy, tight your chain a bit!!!
"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"RST Engineering" wrote in message
...
With the crossbreeding of amateur (ham) radio operators and pilots being
something on the order of 25%, this is only slightly OT.

Bull****. It's 100% off-topic in rec.aviation.hombuilt AND
rec.aviation.piloting. There's no "crossbreeding", and I guarantee you
that
it's not true that 25% of all pilots are amateur radio operators. Even if
it were, that doesn't make your post on-topic here.

Not that you'd care, of course. You always do what you want, and call
anyone that doesn't like it an "asshole". But why would you bother lying
about the appropriateness of your actions?