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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!danny
From: danny@alice.UUCP ( )
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: Re: Monitor 52 Simplexvi simplex
Message-ID: <2931@alice.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Jul-84 19:28:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: alice.2931
Posted: Fri Jul 20 19:28:35 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Jul-84 04:19:24 EDT
References: <370@noao.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 31


        
WD6BBQ suggests that people monitor 146.52 when not otherwise using
their 2m xcvrs.  I think this is a good idea.  A problem exists,
however.  Since so many people use 52 as their first choice of simplex
freq, the channel is often occupied; very few people are willing to
monitor for possible emergency calls if there is constant chatter on
a channel.

Other services have solved this problem by designating an emergency-only
freq (e.g., aviation band) or a calling-only freq (e.g., marine band).
(A calling-only channel is used for emergency calls, but also for general
calls; once communication is established, you move to a different freq to
free up the calling channel.) 

I'd like to see 52 used as a calling freq.  Now that the great majority
of hams are using synthesized equipment on 2m, there's no reason why
people can't move off 52 once contact has been established.
There are fairly-well-respected calling freqs in the ssb segments
of the v/uhf bands (e.g. 144.200) - why not for FM?  Think how
much easier it would be to make random simplex QSO's, try to work
FM DX, etc. if everyone interested in making a QSO listened on a
single channel; it would work if people would agree not to ragchew
on that channel.  And think of the implications for getting help
in an emergency, as WB6BBQ suggested, if there were one channel
that everyone listened to, but nobody ragchewed on.

Comments invited.

					Dan Kahn, K1DK
					Bell Communications Research
					Murray Hill, NJ