INTRODUCTION:
Site started by Gabe Beasley (KF7DFP) on July 9th 2009
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
I still have A LOT of work to do and things to learn. There are many things I want to add and I'm sure other club members want to add things as well! this stuff can take a long time to do so thanks to all members of Gear for your patients. On average on my personal site (Mostly macros) it can take and hour per picture to post files.
Welcome to The Gorge East Amateur Radio club (GEAR). GEAR is a club of like-minded FCC licensed ham radio operators. The club meets once a month in the board room of our local collage and coordinates amateur radio activities such as field day (pictures on the left) and emergency preparedness day here in The Dalles Oregon and surrounding cities. The group also works with ARES and other emergency services to help the public in the event of an emergency. I was honored to become a new member after I got my amateur radio license just over a month ago. Since I had previous experience in building websites I offered to create one for GEAR. This is a work in progress.. I am new to the club and thus there are many things which will be added to this website over the next few months by club members and myself regarding amateur radio and related activities. The club is open to all licensed amateur radio operators. If you would like to join contact me or other GEAR club members on the frequencies listed below.
PICTURES:
On the left, an ICOM 706markII HF/VHF transceiver. This little power house radio can operate on nearly every band available to ham radio operators including 6/2meter SSB for better DX on these frequencies. Also a speaker with a digital noise limiter, a power supply to give 12VDC to the radio and antenna tuner. And a universal automatic. antenna tuner for use with the rig. Field day happens every year during which we try to make as many contacts as we possibly can (QSOs) in 24hrs. The antenna was a single 88ft dipole. Often the cost of your gear does not matter, nor does keeping up with the latest stuff. Ham radio is progressive but it's also very nostalgic and operates on a different level then some other hobbies. You buy an HT (walky-talky for VHF UHF) or HF rig and it will work well for you for as long as 20years or more if you take care of it. They do progress but never really go (out of date).. in that you don't have to buy a new radio every year or even every 5 years like you do a cell phone. And the features are just getting better and better. This is Hue's rig, they cost about $500-700. I operate an Icom 720A on HF and an old Azden PCS 3000 for 2m as well as a couple of good HTs.
Amateur radio is a fun and exiting hobby which requires a license from the FCC and gives far more freedom, frequencies and quality then CB. You no longer need to know Morse code (CW) to become a ham. However, you must pass a reasonable written multiple choice technical exam showing your proficiancy in the subject and pay a small fee for testing (about $10-15) Amateur radio is NOT CB radio and has nothing to do with the Citizens band radio service. Just thought I'd put that in there since so many people who don't know just might assume wrong.
I am pleased to be given the honor to setup a GEAR (The Gorge East Amateur Radio Club) in a blogspot website! I don't want to do much more then this without clearing it with all club members. I will be in contact with the rest of the club before I add anymore content to this site. I will also show the club how we may customize this system just about how ever we want it in terms of layout. For now it is very bland and very simple as I want to clear everything with everyone in the club before I proceed to put any more content on this site.. however, once given permission.. myself or anyone else with the password may make changes upon club agreement and or add content to this site. I would be honored to be the coordinator of this site for the club if approved so that I can add such things as links to ARRL, QRZed and other sites of amateur radio interest. Most of all.. to add pictures to this site for the good of the club to make things look a bit nicer. I have a huge personal database of pictures which I took myself such as all those you see on my site which we could add to this site to make it's format look awesome!
I had to create a new club email address to create this site which will be accessible for the club. The club site is up and running I now await the GEAR logo from Keith (K7RKH) so that I can scan it and put it into the site as well as possibly pics of ham radio gear, the gorge.. and other things. I also chose to use "The Gorge East Amateur Radio Club" as the name of this site rather then GEAR since "GEAR" is a very common term and will be very difficult for people to search for on Google and yahoo if they are trying to look up our club on line. It would be kind of like if I were to call my website "Photos". Large sites with lots of hits and such would rise up to the top. I plan to add a site meter as well as other "gadgets" to the club site in time and with club permission. Please Checkout my site.. Mostly Macros.. if you have not already to see the possibilities. This is not the only format that can be used here, there are a large number of format templates which can be used to add color and options to this site. This is a free and very flexible system and it is also very secure.
73s will hear you all on the air soon and thanks again for voting me into the club and approving this project,
Gabe and Alina Beasley
Mostly Macros Photography (for examples of content possibilities, checkout my site--click here)
my call sign= KF7DFP
Call on these local contact frequencies to learn about GEAR (in Mhz):
145.600 FM LOCAL (simplex) call me here first!
146.52 FM local and DX (simplex)
443.350 (82.5) (+)offset repeater 2nd
147.100 (100.0) repeater
146.820 (82.5) repeater
28.385 USB (simplex)
28.400 USB (simplex)
222.420 FM (simplex)
52.525 FM (simplex)
50.300 FM DX (simplex)
WARNING!: Transmitting on these frequencies without a valid license is highly ILLEGAL. For information on how to become a licensed ham please look up the ARRL website with your search engine.
GEAR CLUB WEBSITE
E-MAIL= gear.ke7eem@yahoo.com
My email: alinangabe@yahoo.com
COMMENTS and SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME!
It takes time for websites to reach list tops. It may take weeks to months before typing "gorge east amateur radio club" in a search engine will bring you directly to this site. Until then just type in your browser's TOP field where you see the "http://X"
http://gearke7eem.blogspot.com --bookmark the site to come back to it quickly.
Next meeting I will run my ideas about this site by the club and gather any other info regarding this site to club members. If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, or needs from me regarding me starting this site for GEAR please contact me on contact frequencies.
