Truck Haven March 17-19 2023

[BKennedy]

I will be in Arizona from 2/15 for about a month. If we get everything done, I should be able to make that weekend on the way back to San Diego.

 

[Stic-o]

Anyone else? So we can lock in a day and plan?

 

[Rick]

@Maniak @DB_1 @RockRanger @zukman @tdavis @jobunn @Ritsui @Elgatoprerunner @FR-425 @rjcooperss396
@FROADER @DUDER 1 @Travisfab @JW @Caejxr @david alfaro @Bulldozer

 

[BKennedy]

@Fix4Dirt

 

[Fix4Dirt]

@Fix4Dirt

seeing this now, its about a week before spring break, which means probably will have some tests etc coming up then. unless its over break, wont really be able to plan much ahead until i can see when assignments are. so it may be last minute yes, a possibility for now

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

T-Hvn: March 17-19, 2023. It's on our Calendar!

Ray and Debby Hutchinson

 

[FROADER]

I should be good for that weekend, but put me as a maybe for now.

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Question about March 17-19 (Booking an area Hotel): How many nights are folks planning on lingering in the area? Frfi nite, Sat Nite, then last runs on Sunday, and then heading home, OR will it hold over into any Monday activities this year? Group restaurant dinner one night, or just campfire dinners? Sat nite or Sunday nite?? Just trying to think back to what we did in the "Good Ol' Days", B4 Covid, lol.
The Mex Restaurant in Salton City was fun last time! It's the Alamo on S. Marina Dr at Center St., not far off the 86. Interwebs says they're still there.

Another major issue: Since Fri the 17th is St Paddy's, how we gonna get our Corned Beef and Cabbage?? Faith 'n Begorra! Oh, the quandaries of trip planning!

 

[tdavis]

Golly Gee Wiz, the weather here in California is just crazy.. I've made almost zero progress on my JKUR because of it.

I-5 over the Grapevine has been closed twice this week due to snow and ice. Just crazy California boom/bust weather..

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Golly Gee Wiz, the weather here in California is just crazy.. I've made almost zero progress on my JKUR because of it.

I-5 over the Grapevine has been closed twice this week due to snow and ice. Just crazy California boom/bust weather..

even the 14 has been closed!

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

CA WX: It's only got 16 days to straighten itself out! Got a few things to do to my ride also, and it's too damn cold and wet out there for a geezer like me! Wonder if it's gonna be a mud run?

We're still looking forward to T-Haven, even if only to catch up with some of the old gang, and meet the newer ones! Talk it up, we need a good group!

BTW, Debby tested (Ham-Tech) this past Monday and now is: KN6YRA!

 

[Stic-o]

Yes, the weather has been crazy. I'm tired of living in Seattle.

Explorer is ready to go, but the RV is a different story. Towing is straining the rear of the RV, and I need to reinforce the frame. I'm also adding a load leveling hitch to take some of the strain off. As of right now I have a pretty good crack in the side of the fiberglass that I'm not happy about. It grew after trailering out to the Hammers.

 

[Stic-o]

So TDS is this weekend, and I'm hearing they blocked off N. Marina so you can't turn right coming south on N. Marina.

 

[Rick]

Yes, the weather has been crazy. I'm tired of living in Seattle.

I agree. I used to joke that this area only has two seasons, Summer and Hell. This year we actually had a winter. I sure hope things straighten out so I can get some work done outside.

 

[Rick]

BTW, Debby tested (Ham-Tech) this past Monday and now is: KN6YRA!

Congratulations to Debby.

I just realized that mine and Char's licenses are set to expire in October. We haven't been "radio active" for quite some time.

 

[tdavis]

I missed my HAM license renewal, realized it and renewaled it. The cost is now $35 to do that, Congress said the FCC must recover costs of licensing..

You should also apply for a GMRS license, since that is becoming the go to for off-road (up to 50 watts of power, no testing) The GMRS frequencies are in the upper 2 meter band, but a ham license doesn't technically give you the right to transmit on those bands, even though your 2 meter radio may work on those frequencies..

Oh, and a GMRS license covers the whole family, it's not by person.. So get 1 license, and you are set.

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Great Tom, Glad to Hear that you renewed!

Yes, GMRS is becoming the go to radio service for off roaders here in S. CA, who don't want to bother to study a little and pass a simple muiti-guess 35 question test! It offers more quiet ,clear FM, skip and a**hole free , albeit shorter range comms than CB. I too, BOUGHT a GMRS license a few years ago: WQXK637. Small point, GMRS is way above 2M (144-146 MHz) and even above Ham UHF "440" and is at 462-467 MHz. You may be thinking of MURS at 152-158 MHz, NO license required, but that has only 5 channels, and power is legally limited to 2 Watts, VS GMRS having a Max of 50 Watts.

This brings up a good point: What will we be using for Comms at T-Haven this time? I have all 3 on Board: Ham, GMRS, and CB. Of course, It will depend a lot on what other ppl have.

If we do 2M Ham, I'd like to suggest 146.580 Simplex. I've been checking the S.CA, N.CA, AZ, and NV 2M Band-plans and that appears to be the only simplex that is common to S. CA's 15 KHz channel spacing, and the other's 20 KHz channel spacing.

In know we've used 146.520 in the past bc that was the only simplex some claimed to have, BUT ,in S. CA at least, .520 is the calling and the Emergency Wilderness Protocol (WP) channel. The WP says that all hams traveling in the back country should monitor .520, on and for 10 min after the hour for emergency calls from stranded or distressed backcountry users. .520 definitely isn't recommended for trail chatter!

If we do opt to use 146.580 ( my recommendation), that gives everyone who is a Ham plenty of time to program it in ahead of T-Haven. Even if the majority are on CB, the Ham channel is a great back-up.

Sooo, Is everyone Ham on board with 146.580 Simplex for T-Haven? LMK Please.

73 DE Ray, AE6H

 

[tdavis]

I was going off this chart..

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...land_Frequency_Channel_Chart.jpg?v=1621460512

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

And right you are: That chart is GMRS / FRS.

Not to nit pick, but you wrote: "The GMRS frequencies are in the upper 2 meter band," AS you already know, the 2M band is 144-148 MHz, VHF. From the chart, GMRS is in the 462-467 MHz UHF range, well above 2M. It's more accurately just above the Ham 70 DM (AKA 440) UHF band.

Didn't want to mislead those with 2 Meter only radios to think they might be able to tune up to GMRS; they can't. Mono band radios on 2M just aren't that frequency agile. Now, MURS at 152-158 IS just above 2M, and some 2M radios can go there.

I know, I know, VHF, UHF, MURS, FRS, GMRS, It all becomes alphabet soup.

BTW, here in S. CA the GMRS offroaders use GMRS Channel 1-8, (Channels 15-22 on your Midland Radio chart). Those are the repeater OUTPUTS for GMRS repeaters and are also considered useful as simplex. The channel charts are all over the chart, so to speak, depending on what radio manufacturer printed the chart. Motorola designates the channels differently than Midland, than Radioddity, etc. The actual frequencies are the only common thing so you have to all use the MHz as your Channel selection. I think they do this to attempt to buy their brand of radios.

73 DE Ray, AE6H

 

[tdavis]

I just realized all my radios are a 440mhz/2m dual band.. so that's why I'm thinking it.