[aprssig] wilderness protocol cq

[Daron Wilson]

> hi, like I said, I called for 4 days, 4 mins after the hour and listend
> 24/7
> not a single signal.
> and I am in range of 60000 people, 5000 hams, simplex is the way to use
> your
> radio, can  not depend or should not depend on repeaters.  Will try 50
> watts
> and a better antenna next time.

I am a bit surprised, many hams I know keep 146.520 simplex in scan all the
time.
 
> Wilderness protocol is the way to go.

It appears that logic and your experience would dictate otherwise.  Assuming
that (generally) repeaters are located with better coverage area than mobile
or fixed amateur stations, the likelihood of being heard through a repeater
is much greater than being heard on simplex.  Assuming you are in range of
5000 hams, and assuming that all of those hams operate VHF FM, it is very
likely you will find their receivers tuned to local FM repeater frequencies.

While repeaters are not 100% dependable, and I understand your desire to not
rely on them, if you wish to contact other amateurs you need to operate your
transmitter on a frequency that is being monitored by those amateurs in
range, which is probably going to be a repeater output.

If my choices were to carry enough power to operate a 50 watt radio in the
wilderness, or switch my 5 watt radio to a different channel where I can be
heard, I would quickly choose the latter.

Good luck!