PTRS Net Attempt 2022-08-27T20:00-04:00

Goal

Test out local network communications. Specifically, find out who can hear me from my house in Hillsborough County.

Schedule

For this example, N0CALL is an FCC Amateur Radio license callsign. In the real test, a real callsign will be used.

• Announce net start on Matrix/Telegram.
• Call out on Pats Peak - K1BKE Repeater
  • Repeater output 146.895 MHz, CTCSS 100.0 Hz, FM (repeater input 146.295 MHz, CTCSS 100.0 Hz, FM)
  • using 60 watts
  • "This is November Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima monitoring on K 1 B K E for a couple minutes."
• Call out on VHF Ham frequency
  • 146.5500 FM
  • using 60 watts
  • "This is November Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima monitoring on one four six decimal four two simplex for a couple minutes."
• Call out on FRS 17 / GMRS 17
  • 462.60000 MHz FM
  • using ahem 2 watts
  • "This is John Three monitoring on F R S seventeen for a couple minutes."
• Call out on CB 3
  • 26.985 MHz AM
  • using ahem 4 watts
  • "This is John Three monitoring on Channel Three for a couple minutes."
• Call out on 80m Voice (SSB)
  • 3.990 MHz LSB
  • using 100 watts
  • "This is November Zero Charlie Alpha Lima Lima monitoring on eighty meters for a couple minutes."
• Call out on 80m Digital
  • 3.990 MHz USB
  • using ~40 watts
  • Contestia 4-250, 1500 Hz on the waterfall
  • FlDigi with optional FlMsg, or for Android, AndFlmsg
  • Brief text "Hello Radio de N0CALL"
  • Brief blank form message with "Hello Radio de N0CALL"

Radio and Antenna Used

• Icom IC-7300
  • 100 watt HF Ham radio
  • home made End-fed Half-wave (EFHw) 80m inverted-V sloping from ground to 40 feet
• Cobra CXT385
  • FRS hand-held
  • Fixed Antenna
• Baofeng UV-5RV2+
  • Ham radio hand-held
  • MFJ-1754 Dual-band 144/440 ground plane mounted above two-story roof peak
• Cobra 19 ULTRA III
  • CB mobile radio
  • home made End-fed Half-wave (EFHw) 80m inverted-V sloping from ground to 40 feet
• Kenwood TM-281
  • VHF Ham radio
  • MFJ-1754 Dual-band 144/440 ground plane mounted above two-story roof peak

Glossary

AM

Amplitude Modulation (Encode low-high sound by varying output power less or more)

CB

Citizen's Band ~27 MHz

CTCSS

continuous, tone-coded squelch system

FM

Frequency Modulation (Encode low-high sound by deviating the transmit frequency lower or higher)

FRS

Family Radio Service (Blister pack, Walmart, low power, camping UHF radios. Fixed antenna.)

GMRS

General Mobile Radio Service (FCC family license, high power, UHF radios. Repeaters allowed.)

HF

High Frequency 3 - 30 MHz

LSB

Lower Side Band (left half of AM signal with carrier suppressed. Used by Hams below 10 MHz.)

NVIS

Near Vertical Incidence Skywave

PL

Private Line (Motorola proprietary term for CTCSS, not "private")

PTRS

Pine Tree Radio Society

SSB

Single Sideband (half of an AM signal with the central carrier suppressed. Commonly Upper Sideband, except Ham voice below 10 MHz.)

SWL

Short Wave (Radio) Listening

UHF

Ultra High Frequency 300 - 3000 MHz

USB

Upper Side Band (right half of AM signal with carrier suppressed. Used by Hams above 10 MHz and everyone else everywhere, including digital.)

VHF

Very High Frequency 30 - 299 MHz

Watts

Measure of power named after Issac Watts, inventor of the steam engine. (Yes, watts convert to horsepower.)