Arizona Overlanders

[MoreGone]

Open To All -

Doing a camping trip up at Sheep Bridge Fri 11/16 - Sunday 11/18.

Not trying to do any mass organizing for this. That's where we will be, welcome to come up for 1 night or 2. Once my departure time is confirmed for Friday, I will share it so anyone can join the caravan. This is 2wd friendly. Not a lot of terrain, but bumpy and kind of far out there.

I expect to post up right there on the North side of the bridge, but if it's full we may have to figure out Plan B.

So far confirmed
1- WJ (Me)
1 - LR4 (OB member)
1 - TJ
1 - JKU

Google can navigate you there. If you are coming in from North Valley or Northern AZ, you would probably want to use Bloody Basin. If you are coming in from South Valley or East, you will likely want to go up through Cave Creek.

If you have any questions, just let me know. Couple pics from previous trips out there.

Would be cool to see some of you out there.

~Morgan

 

[brien]

Looks like it's gonna be a beautiful trip. We're heading down to Baja starting that weekend so we'll have to miss this time.

EDIT: Is that last picture a hot spring!?? <3 <3

 

[Todd & Meg]

Wish we could go. There are some fun cactus out there.

 

[MoreGone]

Looks like it's gonna be a beautiful trip. We're heading down to Baja starting that weekend so we'll have to miss this time.

EDIT: Is that last picture a hot spring!?? <3 <3

Indeedly-do. Didn't find it the first time out, but found it the 2nd.

 

[MoreGone]

Wish we could go. There are some fun cactus out there.


View attachment 74628

Did that pic get re-shared by ABC15 on the Instagram? I know someone got one of it reshared and were chatted briefly since I had been there and seen it in very close proximity.

 

[Todd & Meg]

Did that pic get re-shared by ABC15 on the Instagram? I know someone got one of it reshared and were chatted briefly since I had been there and seen it in very close proximity.

I don’t know. I don’t do social media other than a little FB for family and close friends.

Todd

 

[AZBubs]

So programming a Baofeng with a Mac presented its own challenges. So far I have NOAA and some repeaters programmed in with Chirp. First impressions with ham...No chatter, no one talking. I need to find a simplex or repeater that has a LOT of traffic.

 

[brien]

I need to find a simplex or repeater that has a LOT of traffic. View attachment 75053

See if you can hit the EAARS repeater on Pinal Peak. The EAARS network is 11 linked repeaters that cover most of eastern Arizona, most of the southern half of NM and part of west Texas. There's usually noticeable activity during the day, and especially in the evening since many nets are run on the system.
145.41-, PL 141.3

http://www.eaars.com/eaarsnetwork.html


EDIT: here's the more verbose connection details: https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/details.php?state_id=04&ID=29

 

[Todd & Meg]

So programming a Baofeng with a Mac presented its own challenges. So far I have NOAA and some repeaters programmed in with Chirp. First impressions with ham...No chatter, no one talking. I need to find a simplex or repeater that has a LOT of traffic. View attachment 75053

Been there done that. I have a Baofeng and got it programed with a Mac. Same first impressions as you. LOL I wanted listen in to get a feel for ham before I took my test. Then I decided to put the ham test on hold till I get the teardrop done.

Let us know your progress, I'll need some guidance when I get back to it.

Todd

 

[James | Journey West]

I've been on the fence about ham. Seems like a great communication medium out there, but not sure if it'd be worthwhile if nobody else is using it. Anyone having good luck with ham in Arizona?

 

[brien]

I've been on the fence about ham. Seems like a great communication medium out there, but not sure if it'd be worthwhile if nobody else is using it. Anyone having good luck with ham in Arizona?

It's the best option there is, there are a lot of hams and repeaters all over AZ, and it's the primary comms that many of us use. The license is free, the Technician test is easy and will cost you at most a $15 donation to the club running the test session. Once you are in you are in for life, although you do have to renew (no test, just file a paper) every 10 years - also for free

 

[brien]

I've been on the fence about ham. Seems like a great communication medium out there, but not sure if it'd be worthwhile if nobody else is using it. Anyone having good luck with ham in Arizona?

Also, "Hi!" I recently started following you on YouTube!

 

[AZBubs]

See if you can hit the EAARS repeater on Pinal Peak. The EAARS network is 11 linked repeaters that cover most of eastern Arizona, most of the southern half of NM and part of west Texas. There's usually noticeable activity during the day, and especially in the evening since many nets are run on the system.
145.41-, PL 141.3

http://www.eaars.com/eaarsnetwork.html


EDIT: here's the more verbose connection details: https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/details.php?state_id=04&ID=29

I tried that one. I can key the mic and hear tone come back which I assume is the repeater. No one talking though.

 

[brien]

I tried that one. I can key the mic and hear tone come back which I assume is the repeater. No one talking though.

Is the tone a "beep"? If so, that's likely the "courtesy beep" on the repeater, which means you are definitely getting through!

Try tuning in this evening, there should definitely be activity tonight at 6:30 MST - that's when the Saguaro NTS Net meets. It is a /directed/ net, so do not speak, just listen. NTS net meets every night, there are also other nets that meet at other times in the evening, and other nets that happen every morning.

At 1900 every Sunday night there is the main EAARS net, it's also a directed net, but open to anybody. It's a great way to get some practice with your radio. Just tune in and listen to the "net control" going through the agenda. He'll take attendance, then go around asking certain people to give an update. Once the active members have gone, the net control will ask any new people to come with their call sign. This is the point when you would key up the mic and then say your call sign. Note that there is a slight delay between the time you key up your mic, and the time the repeater network connects. Because of this, pause for about one second after keying your mic before you begin talking, otherwise the first half second or so of whatever you are saying will be cut off.

Here's the nets that i'm aware of on the EAARS system:
Sunday 1900 EAARS Net
Monday 1930 Gal's Night Net (women only net)
3rd Wed 19:30 Skywarn Net (I think this one only happens during Monsoon season)
Daily 0530 Weather Net (old people sharing their local weather conditions)
Daily . 1830 Saguaro NTS Net (Emergency preparedness practice net where they send and receive radio gram messages)
There was also a net that used to meet daily (or weekdays, at least) at 0500 that i think was called the Oz Net, for 30 minutes between 0500 and 0530 an IRLP link was brought up between EAARS and some repeater somewhere in Australia (i forget where)

anyway, tune in at any of those times and you should definitely hear activity. the evenings in general are pretty well trafficked, too.

 

[Todd & Meg]

I have been looking into setting up a meet n greet up in the valley and a few of the places I checked with are booking up for Christmas parties or want to much money if you want to use a meeting room. So I wanted to ask what people would want in a meet n greet? Reply here or send me a PM, would like to set something up for early December. Here are a few things I'm trying to figure out.

When, weeknight after work or weekend? If weekends morning or afternoon, Saturday or Sunday? What week night is best?

Where, Seems like these meet ups end up in the parking lot looking at the rigs, would a parking lot be fine? What about fee areas like county parks, Tonto fee areas, state parks? We have annual passes for most of these do others? It is around $6-$7 daily I think.

Food, should the location have food? Meeting at a restaurant is easy but we would really need to know how many people will be showing up to make sure everyone has a seat. What about a parking lot that would have takeout food within walking distance?

How often should we meet? Is once a month to much?

I think it would be cool if we could setup something where we can learn some new stuff like navigation 101, how to use Gaia, getting started in ham radios. There are probably a lot of topics that could be covered.

Let me know here or PM.

Todd

 

[Phessor]

I have been looking into setting up a meet n greet up in the valley and a few of the places I checked with are booking up for Christmas parties or want to much money if you want to use a meeting room. So I wanted to ask what people would want in a meet n greet? Reply here or send me a PM, would like to set something up for early December. Here are a few things I'm trying to figure out.

When, weeknight after work or weekend? If weekends morning or afternoon, Saturday or Sunday? What week night is best?

Where, Seems like these meet ups end up in the parking lot looking at the rigs, would a parking lot be fine? What about fee areas like county parks, Tonto fee areas, state parks? We have annual passes for most of these do others? It is around $6-$7 daily I think.

Food, should the location have food? Meeting at a restaurant is easy but we would really need to know how many people will be showing up to make sure everyone has a seat. What about a parking lot that would have takeout food within walking distance?

How often should we meet? Is once a month to much?

I think it would be cool if we could setup something where we can learn some new stuff like navigation 101, how to use Gaia, getting started in ham radios. There are probably a lot of topics that could be covered.

Let me know here or PM.

Todd

Saturdays work best for me.

 

[Chip Young]

Just joined up. Prescott here.

 

[Phessor]

Just joined up. Prescott here.

Welcome aboard

 

[Chip Young]

Welcome aboard

Thank you. Looking forward to getting out under the stars.

 

[ForestRoadSurfer]

Just joined up. Prescott here.

Welcome!