Listening only?

[jazzbassNick]

Hi all,

Hope this is the right place to ask. I've tried to google but have come up empty.
I recently started listening to various 2M repeaters with my RTL-SDR (using sdr# and an E4000 dongle).

I'm wondering if folks are interested in knowing that I heard them, without me actually speaking to them. If so, is there someplace I should be reporting that info?

Hope that makes sense. I downloaded the DXLab suite to get started logging.

Thanks,
Nick

[k3td]

That's much more common on HF than VHF/UHF frequencies. Shortwave listeners will sometimes send their own QSL cards to amateur radio stations they have heard. I get a couple every few months myself, but have never received anything for VHF/UHF.

I use the DXLabSuite of products myself - they are very robust, well supported and you can't beat the price!

[TheSpaceMan]

Many repeaters have a website which they are affiliated with. For example the W6NUT 147.435 and K6HOG 147.450 repeaters in LA (W6NUT.com) have a board on their site where you can post messages, give opinions, comment on the repeater or its users, etc. Those repeaters are actually online, so you can listen to them all over the world.

[kb2vxa]

Oh PLEASE don't attract attention to that sewer pipe repeater! They give Amateur Radio a black eye and then some.

Speaking of SWL QSL cards, back when Popular Electronics had an SWL club I was a member and they issued me a "callsign" certificate WPE2MTN. I sent them as reception reports to hams and ofen received their cards in return. We like reception reports be they from SWLs or fellow hams, it's nice to know where we're being heard. I also included them in standard report letters to broadcasters and utility stations.

[jazzbassNick]

Hehe...cool. I was mostly listening to 147.210, but I had no idea some of them had web sites.

All good info. Thanks.

I think it's time to start studying though

[kb2vxa]

Sure they have websites, many clubs do. Most repeaters are owned by clubs so it stands to reason, here's my local club as an example. Welcome to the Jersey Shore Amateur Radio Society | Jersey Shore Amateur Radio Society They have two voice repeaters, one on 2M, the other on 70cM plus a packet BBS with the public access port on 2M. An interesting note, the 70cM repeater and BBS are at 200' HAAT atop hangar 1 at Lakehurst NAS. Ring a bell?

[zz0468]

Originally Posted by jazzbassNick

I'm wondering if folks are interested in knowing that I heard them, without me actually speaking to them. If so, is there someplace I should be reporting that info?

I doubt that most users of 2 meter or 70cm repeaters are much interested in getting SWL QSL cards, unless there was something unusual about their contact. In example, if there was a band opening and you heard a repeater from 500 miles away, I think people might be interested to hear that.

Or maybe there was a really interesting conversation and there was something worthwhile that you just had to add.

As far as finding out what/who you're listening to, TASMA (tasma.org) has a list of repeaters by frequency. You could then find the call sign, and look it up (qrz.com).

BTW, 2 meters in the LA area is pretty inane. You might find the listening more interesting higher in frequency.

[jazzbassNick]

Originally Posted by zz0468

I doubt that most users of 2 meter or 70cm repeaters are much interested in getting SWL QSL cards, unless there was something unusual about their contact. In example, if there was a band opening and you heard a repeater from 500 miles away, I think people might be interested to hear that.

Or maybe there was a really interesting conversation and there was something worthwhile that you just had to add.

As far as finding out what/who you're listening to, TASMA (tasma.org) has a list of repeaters by frequency. You could then find the call sign, and look it up (qrz.com).

BTW, 2 meters in the LA area is pretty inane. You might find the listening more interesting higher in frequency.

Yep. I must've got lucky. Heard a 90 yo fella in Fresno playing with his mobile while his wife was shopping and a guy out of Grants Pass, OR. I thought it was cool enough that I got excited, but yeah - it's been awfully dull since.

Good info - checking out 70cm today.

[k3td]

[QUOTE=zz0468;1869737]
BTW, 2 meters in the LA area is pretty inane. You might find the listening more interesting higher in frequency.[QUOTE]

Very true. There is a growing group of folks on 927 MHz FM linked repeaters using converted Motorola and Kenwood commercial equipment. N6EX and NC9RS repeater systems in CA are linked via Echolink to other 927 MHz repeaters in TX, PA, ID, OR an other areas. Very interesting technical conversations.

[ka3jjz]

Originally Posted by jazzbassNick

Yep. I must've got lucky. Heard a 90 yo fella in Fresno playing with his mobile while his wife was shopping and a guy out of Grants Pass, OR. I thought it was cool enough that I got excited, but yeah - it's been awfully dull since.

Good info - checking out 70cm today.

There are many repeaters that can connect to the Internet via VOIP type applications such as IRLP or EchoLink. In addition some repeaters are linked to either 10 or 6 meters (sometimes both),

Either one could be what you heard that day. HTH..Mike

[kb2vxa]

I hadn't thought of QSLing on repeaters because you're not hearing the station but the repeater. It's also pointless QSLing club repeaters, the trustee usually isn't interested but a private owner just might be, maybe.

[zz0468]

Originally Posted by jazzbassNick

Yep. I must've got lucky. Heard a 90 yo fella in Fresno playing with his mobile while his wife was shopping and a guy out of Grants Pass, OR. I thought it was cool enough that I got excited, but yeah - it's been awfully dull since.

Good info - checking out 70cm today.

The frequency you mentioned in an earlier post is used by the WIN System. It's a large linked system, so hearing stations from out of the area would be common.