How to find active repeaters?
I've found quite a few repeaters in my area but most of them dont really have activity. One has a "Traffic report" at 8:30, and another is cw and some data. But none of them seem to be really active.
Hams have been complaining about lack of activity on repeaters for well over a decade. Way back in 2003 I created a cover of a magazine I was editing (the SERA Repeater Journal) that spoofed the ARRL's Now You're Talking license manual by changing the title to Now You're Missing. See the art for this episode if it shows up in your podcast feed. I also wrote an editorial about the phenomenon in that issue.
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So I trot out my standard advice: make some noise. I even recommend calling CQ, because that's almost guaranteed to get someone to respond, if only to tell you that you're not supposed to call CQ on repeaters.
I don't know who made up that rule, but they're wrong. I think it happened back in the 60's and early 70's, when HF ops looked down their long pointed noses at us FM ops as something less than 'real hams.' So in retaliation we eschewed their cherished practice of calling CQ. That's my theory. 10-4?
I would have left it there, but then someone replied on Reddit that they tried my advice, and it worked! That warranted a short show (if 24 minutes counts as short, and for HamRadioNow, it does).
AUDIO PODCAST VERSION: This is a talking-head show, and the only one talking is mine. I show the magazine and the Reddit text on screen, but I read it all to you. So this is that rare show where I'm thinking directly about the audio-audience. And if I'm doing that, I must award this show a Radio Rating of A-. The 'minus' is because I'm still really proud of that Repeater Journal cover spoof. That was a couple of hours of Photoshop, if I recall.
And BTW, I mis-speak the era that I was the RJ editor. I say 'early 70's', but it's really 'early 2000's'.
Gary KN4AQ
KN4AQ is 10-10 and 10-7.
Gary KN4AQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ADqe6vt0xE&app=desktop
I agree, scanning all of them will let you know when any are active. You'll build a mental map of repeaters and times.
You can also create activity. Call CQ, announce that you're a new ham and you'd like to chat a bit.
Here's a script:
CQ CQ CQ. Anybody around? This is KN4AQ, Kilo November 4 Alpha Quebec. My name is Gary, I'm a new ham in Cary, and I'm looking for a contact. KN4AQ standing by.
When you get the inevitable reply that you're not supposed to call CQ on repeaters, well,
1 You've made a contract.
2 Tell them you got advice from KN4AQ, a ham who's been operating repeaters since the 60s, and wrote the FM and repeaters chapter in the ARRL Operating Manual.
And here's why. You need to make a little noise to get attention. Some hams are scanning and won't hear the first couple seconds of your call. And hams aren't hovering over their radios like police dispatchers just waiting for your call.
And you actually have to motivate one of the hams who's listening to get involved in a conversation with you. Some will pick up on the new ham thing and give you a shot.
I guess I'll add that really great ham conversations are kind of rare. If you're lucky (or good) you'll find some hams with interests in common, or just like talking about stuff.
Good luck!
Gary KN4AQ
https://www.reddit.com/r/HamRadio/comments/61a8fe/how_to_find_active_repeaters/?st=j1spw19y&sh=90302de7
This works nearly every time. I was never going to call CQ on a repeater since I heard someone get instructed not to do it.
ReplyDeleteSo what I did was to load all the repeaters, by distance, and start scanning and listening. I found several that already had traffic so that was easy. After I noted which ones had regular activity, I started working the ones that were apparently dormant. As soon as I key up and call CQ on the very first one, at least three people emerged immediately. It was hilarious. I was still laughing when I keyed up to reply. Once I explained what I was doing and why I was doing it, they all agreed it was rather clever. I got some good information from these exchanges, such as who runs the repeater and where one might join a club or contribute to maintaining the repeater either with cash or volunteer time.
This technique has worked very well for me.
Tim KE0LMX