I like ham radio, and try to combine it with camping/trips outdoors.
You do need a licence, but in the UK you can now do a weekend course, a simple exam, and Bob's your uncle: the government issue you a callsign and you can communicate worldwide. You don't need Morse any more.
I have a 100 watt rig and big antennas at home, but in the field I have a 2 watt shortwave transceiver the size of two cigarette packets. I run out 20 metres of wire on a telescopic fishing pole and can always contact other stations, day and night; there's something vaguely surreal chatting to someone in Prague from a hillside in Scotland....I do this on Morse, but then I'm a bit of a traditionalist.
Always useful in an emergency too.
There is an organization called the Adventure Radio Society that promotes ham radio from the wilderness. Some guys operate on solar power.
Can give anyone interested a few pointers.
73, Doc
You do need a licence, but in the UK you can now do a weekend course, a simple exam, and Bob's your uncle: the government issue you a callsign and you can communicate worldwide. You don't need Morse any more.
I have a 100 watt rig and big antennas at home, but in the field I have a 2 watt shortwave transceiver the size of two cigarette packets. I run out 20 metres of wire on a telescopic fishing pole and can always contact other stations, day and night; there's something vaguely surreal chatting to someone in Prague from a hillside in Scotland....I do this on Morse, but then I'm a bit of a traditionalist.
Always useful in an emergency too.
There is an organization called the Adventure Radio Society that promotes ham radio from the wilderness. Some guys operate on solar power.
Can give anyone interested a few pointers.
73, Doc
