Remote Base on 146.520???

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bryan_herbert

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I have the 10m through 1.3GHz simplex calling freqs in my scanner and monitor them 24/7 for obvious reasons. A couple weeks ago I heard WB6LNX booming into Newhall on 146.520, at first I didnt think anything of this because it is a '6' call until he said he was on the island of Kona. LNX was talking to a station in Simi Valley that I could just barely make out. At first I was thinking this was the result of some really good tropo until LNX mentioned he was talking through a remote base.

Does anyone know what remote base he is talking about and where it is located? Judging by the signal strength I'm going to guess Oat Mtn - but why set up a remote base on the calling channel? Why not one of the other simplex channels that sit vacant every day?
 

zz0468

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Does anyone know what remote base he is talking about and where it is located? Judging by the signal strength I'm going to guess Oat Mtn - but why set up a remote base on the calling channel? Why not one of the other simplex channels that sit vacant every day?

Hard to say, if he wasn't identifying the remote base transmitter like you're supposed to. Since he was in Hawaii, I'd assume that he was going through Echolink or some such thing.

Why on .52? Probably because that's where you're likely to actually find someone to talk to.
 

BoboPinky

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I'm not sure of the part 97 legality of this (I am a HAM), but I here this sort of thing here in Los Angeles from time to time. I myself think this is NOT the right thing to be doing... .520 is the Calling Freq, NOT a repeater or remote base freq, not in my mind anyway.
 

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I'm not sure of the part 97 legality of this (I am a HAM), but I here this sort of thing here in Los Angeles from time to time. I myself think this is NOT the right thing to be doing... .520 is the Calling Freq, NOT a repeater or remote base freq, not in my mind anyway.

It's legal. The "calling frequency" status of .52 is by gentleman's agreement, not FCC rule. It's not at all like, say, marine channel 16, which is a calling frequency where, by law, one has to change channels once contact is established.

Short QSO's on .52 via remote base are perfectly fine. Tying up the channel with anything not so much, particularly in a populated area.

Also, be aware that a repeater and a remote base are two completely different animals.
 

zz0468

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Keep in mind a remote base means someone can hear you call for help (presumably).

If it's on.

I wouldn't rely on someone listening to a remote base to call for help. It would be a great tool in a SAR operation or some such thing. But a remote base's normal configuration is OFF. It gets turned on when a control operator wants to use it, and gets turned off again when he's done.
 
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I monitor 146.52 about 90% both moble and base, have not heard anything in Oxnard.
I also was not aware that a remote was legal on that freq.
but it was noted as to why not.
keep us posted,


Dana
kg6wxe
 

zz0468

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I also was not aware that a remote was legal on that freq.

A remote base is legal on any amateur frequency, including HF. Any mode, as well, so an HF remote operating on 20 meter CW is perfectly legal. It's the control link that has to be above 222 MHz, and frequently operates as a repeater.
 

KG6GTH

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It was a remote base... And works great on .52 A friend of mine operates one locally on that freq.... Good to see activity on that freq...
 

spock00

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It may work great but the guys that run it are goons. They don't monitor for simplex traffic and stomp on anyone else using 520 how it is intended. One time they came back to me on the air but most of the time they rag chew for hours at a time and stomp on everyone else. There is plenty of legitimate simplex traffic on 520 in LA without that remote base to screw it up. Next step is reporting those aholes for malicious interference and not controlling the remote base properly.
 

code3cowboy

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If it's on.

I wouldn't rely on someone listening to a remote base to call for help. It would be a great tool in a SAR operation or some such thing. But a remote base's normal configuration is OFF. It gets turned on when a control operator wants to use it, and gets turned off again when he's done.

That depends on the remote base. When I remembered my ham license is still valid I put one up on 146.52 (local remote), and keep it with a high squelch gate on the building feeding into a speaker I can hear around the house. Granted, I also switch to the local RACES simplex stuff when drilling, but keep it scanning about 3 channels.
 

zz0468

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...Next step is reporting those aholes for malicious interference and not controlling the remote base properly.

Properly controlled, a remote base really shouldn't be a problem to anybody. The operative word there being "properly". It's normal practice to bring up the remote in a monitor mode first, and listen, just like you would with any other radio. When the frequency is clear, enable TX, and have fun.

Some systems seem to leave remote bases on from the control channel, so any activity on that spits out on 2 meters, and no one seems to pay attention to it.
 

zz0468

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That depends on the remote base. When I remembered my ham license is still valid I put one up on 146.52 (local remote), and keep it with a high squelch gate on the building feeding into a speaker I can hear around the house. Granted, I also switch to the local RACES simplex stuff when drilling, but keep it scanning about 3 channels.

What's a 'local remote'? In this discussion, we're referring to a remote that's miles from the control point. Control is over a radio link or, nowadays, maybe an internet link.
 

bryan_herbert

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Because SoCal is so huge and heavily populated, especially on 2m and 70cm, a group of hams created TASMA to prevent this from happening. Many dont know it but we have a local band plan were supposed to be going by and that includes a dedicated remote base frequency. LNX and the guy in Simi tied up 520 for a good 20 minutes and neither of them could hear me calling.

http://www.tasma.org/bandplan.pdf
 

zz0468

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Because SoCal is so huge and heavily populated, especially on 2m and 70cm, a group of hams created TASMA to prevent this from happening. Many dont know it but we have a local band plan were supposed to be going by and that includes a dedicated remote base frequency. LNX and the guy in Simi tied up 520 for a good 20 minutes and neither of them could hear me calling.

http://www.tasma.org/bandplan.pdf

A couple of things...

TASMA does the 2 meter bandplan. SCRRBA does the UHF bandplan.

Both have provision for a remote base channel, but the idea behind that is for remote base to remote base contacts. There is no prohibition in either the bandplan or FCC rules against using a remote base to talk to other "normal" simplex or repeater frequencies. It's poor practice like what you describe that makes it a problem, not the fact that it gets done at all. I see no problem with bringing up a remote base on .52, making contact with someone, and moving it to another channel.

Historically speaking, .52 has been the "national SIMPLEX frequency", not the national CALLING frequency, so that's somewhat of a change from what it had been used for years ago.
 

bryan_herbert

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The remote base is up again

146.520 C136.5 Oat Mtn.

Right now KE6YMW 'Gene' who says he is near Fresno is talking to two other hams, one is here in the LA area. Gene made a comment he is using his computer to talk through the All Star Network which he describes as IRLP on steroids. Earlier tonight I also heard a couple hams in Death Valley talking through it.
 

zz0468

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