[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Results of Thursday Net Meetings Survey (To date)

[Larry Walker]

Comment

 	

 	

*	Don't have the equipment to hit the repeater .  I am going to
install my Yaesu into my Honda 

and see if that will give me the power/range to participate.

 

Here are the comments I have received as of today.  It seems that many are
trying to hit the repeater 

with a 5 watt handheld and not succeeding.  As Ian says, a magnetic base
antenna sitting on a pizza pan 

and setting as high as possible can work wonders.  I even built a seven
element Yagi out of wood scraps and 

welding rod and kept it in the spare bedroom.  It really did the job.
Perhaps a short session in our next

meeting on how to increase effective transmission distance using a handheld
would be helpful

to our newest members.

 

Best to all,

Larry, KK4CBL

 

Survey comments received:

 


 	
*	My Yaesu VX-8 handheld picks up the repeater just fine but its 5W
and small antenna just 

won't reach. l cannot have a large antenna and usually more power doesn't
help. 

I will propose a "family outing" to a better spot.

 


 	
*	My interest in ham radio is somewhat casual.  Additionally, I don't
have anything beyond an HT, 

which makes hitting the repeater a frustrating challenge.  Installing a
proper antenna in the 

attic or roof, as well as acquiring and installing other equipment, has been
on my "to do" list for 

about a year.  I sometimes have other things going on, although there aren't
any particular 

days of the week that would be any better.

 


 	
*	I have been tremendously busy with work and so I haven't been
participating for that reason. 

That will start winding down soon but it also happens late for me. I
normally get up at 0400 

and staying up past about 8 at night is a bit of a challenge I'm sorry to
admit.

 


 	
*	New shack now faces repeater.  I was challenged making it into the
repeater from previous QTH.  

I like what Rick did when he had an informal net on the other repeater.
Maybe we can do that again.  

Current date and time work well.

 


 	
*	I participate in the net only sporadically.  I am not particularly
verbose, and am most interested 

in emergency communications, primarily on VHF.  At present, I have low
interest in contests 

and HF, so I feel a majority of the conversations doesn't apply to me.  That
is ok, because I 

know the Net can't be everything to everyone.

 


 	
*	Unable to hit repeater from Centreville.