Activity seems sparse in the Wyoming forum LOL.

[Wyoming Prospector]

Thanks for the welcomes Scott, and WM. If you guys are ever in western WY be sure to let me know we will go do some hunting around here. I was looking at trying to get over to the Gillette area this year, but because of my schedule I may have to settle for just South Pass City/Atlantic City area. Your both Hamies, I have been thinking about getting the license, that's a good thing to have for sure. I may have to find the book called "Morse Code for Dummies", cause the only Morse I know is S.O.S/ ...---...

 

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[Scott in WY]

Wp, about the code, I passed the test by luck, and I have forgotten every bit of it.
Some people have the code ear, I'm not one of them.

Wyomedic
I figured you would catch the call.
What are the numbers for the repeater?
I still don't have my VHF/UHF put into the new (to me) jeep yet, but as soon as it warms a bit.

Scott

 

[Wyomingmedic]

You're in luck WP. No more code required. The FCC dropped that requirement a few years ago. I still chase a lot of foreign contacts with morse code, but that is about all I use it for.

Scott, the 146.805- 100hz tone is on Copper Mtn not far from you. Copper Mtn. is on the other side of the Wind River canyon toward Shoshoni. I have had quite a bit of luck getting into it from Worland/Thermop as long as I can run 30 or so watts into a good antenna.

That repeater is linked to one on the top of Casper Mtn as well as one on 9 mile hill outside of Rawlins. We call the system WyoCom.

WM

 

[Wyoming Prospector]

WM. Thanks for the info that's good to know that is the only thing I would be worried about if I ever take the test, of course I still have a lot of stuff to study.
Scott. I am the same way with the "code ear" just can't do it the right speed I guess. LOL

 

[Wyomingmedic]

Just give it a shot if you are interested. The first level of license (Technician) is rather easy to pass. If you have any technical know how at all (basic electronics, electricity, etc) you could probably pass the test by just studying the manual for 1 or 2 evenings.

My dear wife who is not even remotely tech savvy, was able to pass here Tech and General class exams with minimal studying.

If you want to take some practice tests, you can go to AA9PW FCC Exam Practice and it will generate some fake tests then grade them for you.

Once you get licensed up, it is very handy while driving the remote Wyoming highways. Plus, it gives you something to listen to. All of my vehicles have a number of ham radios in them as well as digital scanners so I can listen to the public safety agencies. Keeps we awake while I drive.

WM

 

[Wyoming Prospector]

WM thanks. I will check out the practice exam for sure. Yeah it is for sure a good thing to have. I have some hand held radios that I use in the back country I think they are 5 watts at the most. Two of them are ICom BC-146 VHF radios that were gave to me a few years ago. At the time while guiding I was using just the standard GMRS two way radios. However they couldn't reach camp in case of emergencies. So lucky for me I got the VHF's gave to me and can reach camp with ease from miles back in the wilderness. Just last year I bought a TYT-UVF9 handheld so I have the VHF band, but all so have some of the UHF as well so I can talk with guys who may be in the field with GMRS radios, and I love being able to monitor both frequencies at the same time. So I have been looking to take the exam so I can get one in my truck and possibly a base station at my house someday.

 

[Wyomingmedic]

That is my home setup. Above the big beam antenna is a 12 ft tall VHF/UHF vertical that allows me to have direct conversations 50 or 60 miles out. Of course, Casper Mtn cuts that down to the south, but not much I can do about that.

Then with the big antenna, I keep regular scheduled contacts with my friends all over the world.

Then I put big ol' screwdriver antenna on my trucks so I can keep in contact wherever I am. Lots of fun, but also very practical.

WM

 

[Wyoming Prospector]

Now that is a cool setup.

 

[Wyomingmedic]

It gets the job done, and the wife hates it. WIN-WIN lol.

The main boom of the antenna is 24feet and the longest of the 10 elements is 32 feet. That is me beneath it during install with the crane. I am 6'5" and 250lbs, so you can get some scale as to the size of that beast.

And in the notorious Casper wind, it is a real joy to watch.

Here is one of my off roading trucks. I spend a lot of hours in this thing as I explore. The radios have gotten me out of a bind more than once.



WM

 

[Wyoming Prospector]

Yeah WM you can definitely tell that bad boy is up in the air a ways. The setup on the truck is sweet as well. What is the antenna on the roof of the truck?

 

[Wyomingmedic]

The one on the roof is called a Larsen NMO150WB. It is hooked to a 2 meter VHF radio which I use for the bulk of my talkin'.

I have switched to some new antennas lately. If you search for "Scorpion antennas" you can see the new top of the line HF stuff. I have one on my other truck and love it. Super machine.

WM

 

[Buzzlitebeer]

Looking to move to your great area! wife has me looking from WY to OR. I am pressing ID, but research is still incomplete. Any ideas for a retired USN guy looking to live simple and clean?

 

[Wyoming Prospector]

WM thanks for the info, those Scorpions are NICE!!! I think that will for sure be what i get when i rig my truck.
BLB you are more than welcome to move here. Afton is really nice In fact I know of some good buys in the area.

 

[Wyomingmedic]

Hello Buzz,

Wyoming is a great place to live. I was born and raised here and it sounds like WP was as well.

I would not recommend Casper. The population where I was born here was 18K and it still had a small town feel. It is now 55K and like a mini Denver. The benefit is, I am centrally located and can go anywhere I want within a few hours.

If I were retired and moving to the state, I would look where the housing is cheapest. Casper, Rock Springs, Gillette have a large oil and coal boom going on and it is almost impossible to even rent a place under $1500 a month. Oil is IT up here.

Cheyenne is just north Denver IMO. Anything along the I-80 corridor is wind central. I mean REALLY. Casper here averages 20mph winds over the course of a year. We see more days at 70mph + in the winter than not. 100mph is quite common here. One of the windiest states in the country.

Look in the Afton area. Star Valley is very nice. Buffalo is amazing and I would live there in a minute if decent work existed. If you want to be a bit bigger, try Sheridan. You are just a few miles from Montana and the Bighorns are your backyard.

There are many great places here, you just have to know where to look.

WM

 

[Wyoming Prospector]

WM I almost forgot about the bad wind in the 1-80 area. Lucky for me I am far enough into the mountains and in a valley the wind if any is usually very calm. Once in a while a storm with some strong winds comes though, but nothing like the I-80 area. It has been a long time since I have been to Casper, I didn't know it has grown that big. I didn't know Casper has some pretty harsh winds too. and Buffalo is nice, and it has been roughly 12 years since I have been to Sheridan, but I liked it twelve years ago. LOL

 

[Scott in WY]

Welcome Buzz!

The basin is pretty calm wind wise. not alot of jobs, but housing is VERY afordable.

Scott

 

[Wyomingmedic]

Anybody know much about school district policy in Casper?

There is a piece of land that I used to airsoft on. At the time, we were stopped by the sheriff (a bunch of kids running around shooting each other with VERY real looking guns). Once he determined that we were not killing people, he told us to carry on. He also said that school district property was public.

This piece if land has a very old house and several out buildings from the 1920s and 30s. I have not been there is a few years, but I suspect it would be a great stop this summer. It has to be walked to (no road) which I think has protected it.

Any thoughts?

WM

 

[Scott in WY]

Lets go. How is the ground in Casper? last sat I went out in the yard and it had only thawed about 1.5 inch.

I did find 3 nails and a screw

BTW if we are going to reach 1000 posts we need to get our daily average up.

 

[Wyomingmedic]

I know, were slackin'.

The ground here is just an inch of mush then frozen. And we're expecting snow tonight and tomorrow.

Still a few months yet. I see these guys on the other sections complaining that they can't go detect for 3 more weeks because of the thaw. Pffft!!! 3 week, good grief

WM

 

[Wyoming Prospector]

Scott and WM I have at least 3 feet of snow in my yard right now. Expecting 6 inches tonight, at least two more months before I am even close to getting out and Detecting in the Star Valley area.