HAMs

I tune in to the local HAM repeater from time to time. This essentially allows local amateur radio operators to rebroadcast what they're saying through a far higher powered and prominently located transmitter than with their home kit. Particularly in this area where hills, fells and mountains block much line-of-sight communication, it's common to hear two HAMS chatting away on the repeater from two locations between which VHF contact would normally be impossible. One may be near Windermere, the other down Blackpool way, for instance.

Yesterday I heard the first conversation on the repeater in a while. I suppose the random times I tune in aren't always favoured by HAMs, and many use the repeater to chat when they're on their way home. (I wonder if the new hands-free legislation has put pay to this?) In any case, on this occasion one must have been based around Alston way, as he was recounting having his transmittions unintentionally being re-broadcast via Great Dun Fell, and was complaining about a new radar installed which was interfering with much of the VHF comms he normally would listen to.

This is fairly interesting as far as HAM comms go, as I believe legislation prevents discussion of anything topical or juicy in nature. By the sounds of it most of the local crowd were heading to a HAM 'do' today in Blackpool - a flea market thing as far as I could tell. It made me wonder how many of the HAMs actually meet up with the various they speak to.

At least when chatting to someone in the same region there's a decent chance of ending up at the same do, or having a get together. I wonder if I'll ever seen many of the people I chat to on the internet.