Interstate 40 Oil Man

It's really neat to see so many truckers using Ham Radio these days. I have been involved in the Amatuer Radio hobby since 1973 and in the early days there were very few operators on the road. Then CB came onto the scene--there was a time without CB!!--and everyone including the public started to use these convenient forms of communication. Now with VHF and even HF radios being sold in small convenient packages, it is fairly easy to equip a rig with radios for this engrossing hobby.

I hear truckers locally on the 40 meter band as well as the state-wide Mega-Link 2 meter system here in the NM-AZ area. There is a system of repeaters that are linked together so you can access anyone within range of any repeater where ever they are in the area. You can find the repeater list with frequencies by "Googleing" for New Mexico Mega-Link or look on the Upper Rio FM group's web site.

Those interested in longer range conversations usually use the 20 meter band. You can truly "Work the World" from your vehicle with a HF rig and vertical antenna sized for this band. It is very much affected by atmospheric conditions and sun-spots but when the band is open it is not unusual to talk to someone half-way around the world.

The days of a Morse Code requirement are gone now. To become a ham is fairly easy in that you take a test at a local volunteer's place and pay a nominal fee. There are many books available that will more than prepare you for the test. Also, you can choose the level you want to work in. If the VHF 2 meter band is your aim then a Technician license might be your goal. To work the higher HF bands requires at least a General Class license. Each level requires a higher level of knowledge and testing. See: www.arrl.com for some details.

I can see why this hobby is attractive to truckers. They have the time to spend on the radio and talking to the world has to be more interesting than listening to some talk show in Iowa or somewhere. The time just flies by when you get into an interesting conversation with someone in England or Poland. They will be glad to talk to you and learn about your lifestyle, too.

Category: General