STEVEM
12-17-2006, 20:57
I am hoping there is someone out there with some ham radio experience who can help me learn how to use a radio that my wife purchased for me last year. The radio is a Yaesu VX-7R with 50/144/430 MHz ham bands.
As background information, my wife is a nurse and has seen a few hikers at the hospital who have been rescued after having been injured or becoming ill while hiking. I told her that for these few there are many thousands whose hikes were uneventful. This reasoning doesnt seem to work and she seems to worry a great deal about me. I hike solo, primarily in the winter and cell phones do not work reliably in the mountains around here.
Anyway, she purchased this radio for me (internet source), and was assured by the salesperson that this model would allow me to call for help if necessary, and would work in the mountains. Unfortunately I know nothing about radios and have only been able to listen to the NOAA weather band. The instruction book is written for a person who already understands radio and is of no help to me.
1. Is there an emergency band that is monitored by police or emergeny organizations where civilians can call for help like a radio version of 911?
how do I find out what it is and how would I use it?
2. Can I select a particular band and frequency and leave it in a note in my car along with my destination? That way if something happened potential rescuers could contact me on that band.
3. Is there a way for the radio to send some type of S.O.S. signal that could be used by rescuers to find me?
Thanks for your help and please answer in basic simple terms, I'm not kidding, I really know nothing about radios. If you feel the urge to tell me how silly this is I almost agree, but my wife is freaked by my solo hiking, and the recent events in Oregon have really set her off.
As background information, my wife is a nurse and has seen a few hikers at the hospital who have been rescued after having been injured or becoming ill while hiking. I told her that for these few there are many thousands whose hikes were uneventful. This reasoning doesnt seem to work and she seems to worry a great deal about me. I hike solo, primarily in the winter and cell phones do not work reliably in the mountains around here.
Anyway, she purchased this radio for me (internet source), and was assured by the salesperson that this model would allow me to call for help if necessary, and would work in the mountains. Unfortunately I know nothing about radios and have only been able to listen to the NOAA weather band. The instruction book is written for a person who already understands radio and is of no help to me.
1. Is there an emergency band that is monitored by police or emergeny organizations where civilians can call for help like a radio version of 911?
how do I find out what it is and how would I use it?
2. Can I select a particular band and frequency and leave it in a note in my car along with my destination? That way if something happened potential rescuers could contact me on that band.
3. Is there a way for the radio to send some type of S.O.S. signal that could be used by rescuers to find me?
Thanks for your help and please answer in basic simple terms, I'm not kidding, I really know nothing about radios. If you feel the urge to tell me how silly this is I almost agree, but my wife is freaked by my solo hiking, and the recent events in Oregon have really set her off.