# HAM RADIO + GARDEN RAILROADING



## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

I'm wondering how many Ham Radio operators are also into G-scale? There might be enough of us to warrant having a G-Scale Net on one of the bands if there are enough of us out there?

Mark


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

N6RGZ here... Only Technician class, code is not my forte... 

Regards, Greg


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

KG6PDN here. General class license. The code requirement got lifted about a year ago. That's when i got my license. 

John-Paul


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, my ham buddies tell me to go upgrade my liscense, but then there's ANOTHER expensive hobby! 

Regards, Greg


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## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

WA7SKG here. Licensed since Nov 1971. No HF on line right now. 
Sharon is N8QBX.


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## rocknr90 (Jan 4, 2010)

N7UDI, Thedford ,Ne I mix Ham radio,HO,G, Live steam, and collector cars. I only use CQ100, Because L don't need
any antennas to blow down in the wind, and lack of repeaters for 2meter or 440. Rocky


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## Lawrence Wallace (Jan 2, 2008)

WD8JIK Advance class Bellaire, Ohio 
XYL Lois N8MUC Tech. 

When your hearing goes it's CW from then on. 

Trains, Planes, and Haming 

73


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## Charles M (Jan 2, 2008)

KB0UII a technician class since 1996. My dad was WA0KHN , General ( deceased ) and my mother KB0ABC ,Technician ( also deceased ) . One very serious ham in the family was enough . Ha Ha. I was chief radio repair tech in addition to running trains. 

Charles M SA #74


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I'm AA2CE, but haven't had any HF equipment in years. I think my son (AA2CD) used our old Kenwood 440 for a down payment on his first car. The car has long since gone to the crusher, the 440 is probably a doorstop somewhere and I'm getting a bit rusty myself. 

jack


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

Well I'm pretty new to Garden Railroading, but I've been a Ham since 2000. And yes I do have HF capabilities here, but the wife and kids take up too much of my free time to get on and make contacts much. However, if you get a Net going for G-scale, I'll check in.


73's,
KC0IVL.


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## skipmesick (Mar 3, 2012)

Just getting into garden railroading. Antennas for 160 through 70 cm. 100 w all modes. This can be a good thing.

N3JDW in Myrtle Beach SC.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What does HF Mean? 

JJ


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

High Frequency, Very High Frequency, Ultra High Frequency 

Translation: Skipmesick has equipment that can operate - transmit and receive - on the various licensed bands from 160 meters (Low Frequency) to 70 centimeters (Ultra High Frequency), at a power output of 100 watts. 

Just like "G scale", there's a whole different language in amateur radio. 

JackM 

I miss the days my son and I were active hams. It's an excellent hobby. 

AA2CE clear


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Translation for the translation: 160 meters (~2 MHZ) is just above the commercial AM radio band, 70 cm (~450 MHz) is below TV channel 21


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

I've been licensed as WA1LBK since 1969 - had my Technician-class ham license before my driver's license. Like Greg, wasn't great at Morse code, so spent the 1st 22 years as a Tech; also had a 2nd-Class Commercial Radiotelephone license, worked on-&-off in the commercial 2-way radio field for @ 15 years. Did ham gear repair professionally for a few years & decided I needed to be able to test HF gear on the air, so got the code speed up to 13 WPM & got the General, a year later upgraded to Advanced. Got my Extra when they dropped the CW requiement to 5 WPM for all classes. Due to the years I spent Tech-only, was heavy into VHF / UHF weak-signal operation and contesting, Although not currently active hamming, still have a lot of gear, capabilities for HF up through 1296 MHz. (except 220 MHz., sold my 220 radio about a year ago after the antenna became damaged). Got to hire someone to take down at least part of my antenna array as some of them have become damaged; I put up the system when I was 35. Now I'm 60 & not as agile as I was back then. . Tom


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## sbaxters4 (Jan 2, 2008)

N1BAX here... Just got my license about two months ago... mainly for storm spotting.


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

I'm not a "Ham", but HF does not mean anything more than High Frequency. LF (Low Frequency), VHF ( Very High Frequency ), and UHF (Ultra High Frequency) are all different operating bands in the radio frequency spectrum. ( Maybe that is what you were trying to say) I forget all of the different break points (Google it).

I used to work at NRST Lualualei Oahu, Hawaii while in the Navy (Tough duty, but somebody had to protect the sand on the beach). We transmitted on all of those bands. I also worked at WWV, WWVB, Fort Collins, CO where I on one occasion I was personally responsible for adding a leap second to the year. I know many Hams were tuned in to hear that!


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## bf2468 (Jun 24, 2013)

I'm N6MZW in Corona CA a General class


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

N1BAX here... Just got my license about two months ago... mainly for storm spotting 

Hey Scott, I do Storm Spotting and some Storm Chasing too! So you got a Garden Railroad up there in Thief River Falls, MN? Are you a member of MGRS?


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## Ltotis (Jan 3, 2008)

I was but I let it lapse about 20 years ago. 
LAO


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

Still got a layout I could come video for YouTube?


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

KK4LJL here - I use to fly through to the clouds and back with my FPV goggles (Video transmitter is running on 1.280ghz at 400mw and control is spectrum hopping 433mhz at 200mw). 
We fly with the real time video downlink into a set of video goggles, its the closest thing to real flying as I can get before doing the real thing.

This was a recent outing in georgia (some of the shots you can see all the radio equipment, CPL antennas etc etc)  (this is also the best video I have ever made so far)


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

K1LED - Extra class


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

That's really awesome video, but I hate Fisheye Camera lenses. Fortunately there is a company that just came out with some software to correct for that: 
http://www.prodad.com/home/products/actioncam/300582316,l-us.html


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## sbaxters4 (Jan 2, 2008)

DocZ, I was a member but am no longer... I'm in Rochester... The Railroad name is misleading I know but that is the area that I model in the early years of Minnesota logging. We've talked already...


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

High Frequency, Very High Frequency, Ultra High Frequency 

Yuh, I figured folks would transpose the meaning of "HF" into the more common terms "VHF" & "UHF". A High frequency is a frequency that is high, whether it is Very high, or Ultra high, or just regular high. 

JackM 

(I got my Extra the hard way: five written exams and all three codes. Is there any other hobby that has such stringent requirements for entrance?)


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## Aaron S (Aug 1, 2013)

KF5VBV Technician Class here (For now)


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## jcopanos (May 29, 2010)

Mark, 

N0FTC here, a General since 1985 or so. I live (retired) in Albuquerque but G scale the Pennsy from Massillon where I grew up. Not set up at the moment but still have the equipment. I live an a neighborhood that doesn't allow things sticking up in the air. 
'73 
Jim


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

N3ENM since the 1980's - general license - mostly VHF and digital things (big surprise there, eh?) - Packet, APRS, etc. 
Great fun! 

dave


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 30 Jan 2010 07:34 PM 
N6RGZ here... Only Technician class, code is not my forte... 

Regards, Greg 
.........................................................................................................................................
Greg. Back in the 50 and 60ths I was Gen. K6WGZ and I see you have the two last call letters I had.. Wonder how your called out yours? Our sounded out call letters was, "K, Kilowatt 6, W, (Whisky) G, (Gin), Z," Zombie). Like you on Cigars, We liked Four Roses for our fix. lol.

We started out with a home made CW/Voice 12 watt trans with a BC348 rec. and later on got a Military BC-610 with all of the goodie at our local AFB as a MARS member. After installing a Pi-network, it work fine for 1,000 watt rig. I think that Transmitter took more juice that our house did.. lol.
In tho days living in a housing projects we had a lot of problems with TVI and just being a Ham was a bad name in the old days. We have a power outage we be accused of taking all of the power to the homes in our area when we still had lights with our small Gen. and talking to other Hams and wife had light and TV till on. 

We tried to start up a Ho Model R.R. club with some member of The Ram Radio club here in Sacramento, Ca. Guess it just never really got a good start due to most of the Ho train guys were in the Air force and moved a lot. 
We gave up the Lic. after going thu a divorce in the late 6oth's.

Now with computers for Videos and links like this, all of the new phones and tech stuff kind of getting a way from the Ham Hobby.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

November 6 Romeo Golf Zulu .. have had the call on my plate for years... ... I did have someone pull beside me and have their own interpretation of N6RGZ 

When I was younger, driving a Corvette, a minivan pulled alongside, and the sliding door rolled open revealing a bunch of girls my age... they asked me what my liscense plate meant, and I told them to guess... 

"Need 6 Orgies".... needless to say a most entertaining interpretation... I'll keep the rest of the story under wraps... 

Greg


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

That's funny, Greg.. I hear of one gal at a drive in ask me when seeing my plates and ask if it mint " Who's Growing Zits." and ask what the K6 stand for..I told her, "Kiss me 6 times and you may get love Zits." lol 

I was a teen ager then.. Ok we bad.. enough for now. lol


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## jcopanos (May 29, 2010)

NOFTC stands for 'frightened tower climber'. No kidding either! 
Jim


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## bobd trains (Oct 13, 2012)

K1HKI since 1958 when I was KN1HKI. I'm an Old Timer with 20 wpm Extra Class...got it the hard way! YL Beth is N1DUX (Advanced Class).

I enjoy running trains and Garden Railroading more than Ham Radio...less QRM!

73 Bob


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Back when I was working in Detroit, I originally had my Tech call on my license plate. Since Mich. is a one-plate state, when I got my Advanced call on my new plate, I simply put the Tech plate on the front of the car. N2IYA on the front of the car, KF8CY on the rear. 

Naturally, no one noticed, except the Customs guy as I was coming back into the States from Canada (TV cameras front and back). 

"Why do you have two different plates on your car?" 
"Because Michigan lets me." 

I knew it wouldn't be a problem. I have a relative in Detroit who had a Hawaii plate on the fromt of his car. 

JackM


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## sbaxters4 (Jan 2, 2008)

ok train/ham guys how many use thier radios to train spot? if so where can a fella get a listing of local frequencies that the railroads use? I can find some listings but they typically are California or New York....


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## clifforddward (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Scott:
For the most part (OK, maybe 100%), the frequencies used by the railroads are on in a different frequency range than that covered by HAM radio operators, regardless of which level of license carried...so having a HAM license will be of no advantage.

To listen in on the railroad frequencies you'll want to obtain a scanner for listening only...that way you'll be able to hear them all within range. As these are all outside the range of HAM radios operators, you will not have two way communication capability (in fact you would not want or need to communicate with the train operators, nor could you legally do it).

You will want a scanner because many railroads use multiple frequencies in the same area...for different lines, direction of travel, yard vs road use, etc....in some areas with multiple railroads, division yards and several routes all close enough to be picked up with a decent antenna, it is not uncommon to have 8 or more frequencies to listen in on.

Scanners are pretty cheap these days...go check out the upper end ones at Radio Shack or online sources, even an eBay search will get you there. You can get one that is programmable via you computer, and I imagine a google search for "railroad frequencies" will get you plenty of hits to get you started. 

Good Luck and have fun listening in! 

Best Regards,
Cliff Ward, W2TL


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## DoctorZ (Jul 26, 2013)

Gee Scott, you are new to Radio, aren't you....For all your scanner frequency information, there is nothing better than RadioReference.com: 
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=5772 

73's, 
KC0IVL


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