TO: ALL WEST VIRGINIA ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM WV SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES® BULLETIN NR 10.32 DATE: August 8, 2010
SUBJECT: BE COURTEOUS DURING BAND OPENINGS
From time-to-time the radio bands play tricks, and cause RF signals to do some strange things. When this happens, radio signals may travel a lot farther then normal. You will notice it a lot more on the Amateur frequencies above 28 MHz.
These band openings, or tropospheric ducting, can cause our signals to travel hundreds of miles. Therefore interfering with repeaters, miles away, coordinated on the same frequency as your own local ones.
What can we do to decrease our chances of unintentionally interfering with other repeaters? We might do the following: Use the lowest power setting on our radio (as we are instructed by the FCC to do anyway), use a lower antenna height and maybe even a 1/4 wave (indoor or rubber duck if possible), and be careful when travelling in our vehicles on or across hilltops.
Band openings can be fun and challenging if we are courteous to our fellow amateurs. Find those distant repeaters, listen closely for traffic on other machines on the same frequency, make your call when the frequency is clear, and make your contacts short, since you may be tying up two or three repeaters at the same time.
Enjoy these band openings sparingly, avoid tying up the same frequency for any length of time, and tune thru the band to find more opportunities to communicate unusual distances on frequencies above 28 MHz. Have fun with amateur radio, but be a courteous HAM.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES® Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES® District 3 Emergency Coordinator