2 meter Calling Channel San Joaquin Delta Area

[Movieman990]

I have monitored 146.52 a bit but haven't really heard anyone calling .... or talking....on it very much.

What's the feeling from Sacramento down through Stockton, Manteca, Tracy, Modesto about using "the .52" for calling or for rag-chewing if not switching to another frequency once contact is made?

I've been using one of the repeaters in the foothills to send out a "testing" or "calling" request and have made some brief contacts there, and I even listened to a 30 minute exchange between old-timers there though I wondered about it at the time.

Thanks for any help.

 

[ko6jw_2]

A calling channel seems to be just that. You call, but no one ever answers. That said I've made contacts on 52 once in a while that were very rewarding. I monitor it all the time in my area. Maybe someday I'll make another contact.

It is rare to find hams that consistently listen to repeaters, let alone simplex.

You are correct that 52 is supposed to be a calling channel. You are supposed to move off to another simplex frequency to carry out your contact. It just doesn't work that way most of the time. How many simplex frequencies do you have in your radio?

When I first got licensed I put out a call and said listening. An old friend and long time ham came back to me and said, "If you want to talk to somebody, then CALL somebody." That's why you need to join clubs or groups so that you know people to call. Look around for nets in your area and check in.

 

[mmckenna]

I just drove from the Monterey Bay area (home) out over Highway 108 to Bridgeport, down 395 to Independence, across through Death Valley (120ºF) to Parumph and down to Las Vegas. Return trip was Interstate 15 to Highway 58 to Interstate 5 to Highway 46 to 101 and then home.

Heard very little traffic on 146.52. Didn't make any calls to test the waters, either.

It really depends on the locals if 146.52 gets heavily used. There's quite a bit of use in Las Vegas area, not much in others.

Ragchewing on calling channels was always kind of a pet peeve of mine. With modern radios, it's really easy to switch to another channel and leave the calling frequencies free for others to use. Even though they don't get used a lot, it's still good operating practice.
However, no one is going to take your license away if you do. Some amateurs get cranky about the slightest thing, many don't care.

 

[zz0468]

Somewhere along the way, someone at the ARRL screwed up. For many years, .52 was " the national simplex frequency". Then they published a repeater guide that referred to it as a calling channel.

The real use of a frequency is whatever the locals do with it. If I listen to 52 long enough, I'll hear QSOs.

If I'm not mistaken, the OP has an ht? Unless you're running 50 watts with an outside antenna, you won't be heard far on simplex. But it IS fun enough to make it worthwhile to get set up.

As for frequencies, you want to familiarize yourself with bandplans, local agreements about what sort of usage occurs on various frequencies. TASMA and NARCC are the 2meter coordinators in California. They also publish the local bandplans. They both haVe information you will find useful.

 

[mmckenna]

California tends to use 15kHz spacing between channels. If you look at the ARRL bandplan, thats what is listed for the state.
You can often hear users on 146.415, 146.430, etc.

I use 146.415 for most of my simplex work with family. Occasionally I run into internet gateways that have set up on that channel.
For a while, there was someone in the Central Valley running an internet gateway on 146.420. They'd often get pissy with us because we were "off frequency". We just ignored them and went on our way. We were usually out range of them in an hour or so.

 

[clanusb]

I'm up here in Sacramento and .52 gets used quite a bit. I toss my call sign out when I am mobile and usually get a QSO every few days. I am able to hear the simplex net some what well that is Thursday evenings from further up north.
I talked to a fellow that was in Chico while I was in Citrus Heights about 2 weeks ago.
You just need to get a better antenna set up and find that 2m mobile that I saw you were researching on getting.
When I get my base antenna up we can try a contact.

 

[K7MFC]

A tip I read here a while ago was to key up, wait a few seconds, then identify with your call sign. Many people are likely scanning the band, but not necessarily listening to 146.52 MHz all the time. Keying up and pausing for a few seconds may allow more people to find your transmission. Additionally, give out some more information when you identify like your current location, the frequency you're on, if you're mobile/base, etc. I'll do something like "K7MFC mobile monitoring one four six point five two megahertz from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport." You may find this increases the contact you make.