New Stuff
Links to letter
writing efforts to Keep our public lands open to the
public!
Dennis Mayer 1943-2008
RTF Treasurer and Friend of the Rubicon
Celebration of Life - Remembering Dennis Mayer
Dennis Mayer Memorial Fund
FOE Workparty Press Release.
Click here for the story and
photos
The Tahoe Forest Route Designation
Route Designation for Tahoe is out. The Draft
Environmental Impact Statement is available for
review and download at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/projects_plans/ohv_inv/DEIS_overview.shtml
History of the Rubicon Trail Foundation is now
available to read.
http://rubicontrail.org/aboutus/history.asp
Amateur Radio on the Rubicon
The Story
On July 7, 2007 a local Jeep club made their
annual run on the Rubicon Trail. During that run, on
their second day, on the way from Rubicon Springs to
the Ellis Creek area, they were running Big Sluice
in the uphill direction. In this difficult section,
one of the vehicles rolled onto its right side,
injuring the passenger. He was complaining of neck
pain and chest pain and it was obvious to those
nearby that he needed medical help. The club members
and others on the trail tried futilely to summon
help via CB and cell phone. The range on the CB’s
was too short and no cell sites were available.
As the victim’s condition worsened it became
clear that he needed to be flown out immediately,
and it was decided to send hikers in each direction
to try to find help. One was sent towards Rubicon
Springs, the other towards Buck Island Lake.
Fortunately, a small volunteer work crew had just
finished a minor project at Buck Island Lake. One of
those volunteers was a paramedic, but most
importantly had access to amateur radio: a license
and a radio. He had soon summoned a medical
helicopter via amateur radio, secured a helispot at
Buck Island, and begun treating the patient.
By the end of the day, board members of the
Rubicon Trail Foundation had begun to discuss
bringing widespread year around amateur radio use to
the trail. This plan consisted of two phases:
- By that fall the first RTF amateur radio
license class was completed. Since then RTF has
sponsored and put on classes to license more
than 100 OHV oriented hams. More classes are
planned!
- In the spring of 2008 RTF began to execute a
plan to have permanent year around repeater in
the Rubicon. Cooperation with a local repeater
operator was secured, an agreement was signed
between the stakeholders, and construction
completed on a repeater vault and the associated
equipment by the summer of 2008. This required
the assistance of many groups and individuals.
To see the list, check the links below.
How it Works
The KA6GWY repeater system is comprised of three
transmitters and a multitude of receivers. Keep in
mind that this is the primary EL Dorado County
Search and Rescue Team repeater, so courtesy should
be shown them if they have a SAR mission going. It
should be used as follows:
146.805 mHz, –0.0600 mHz split, PL 123.0 – The
main KA6GWY repeater, located in the Placerville
area, it works well on the western slope of El
Dorado County including the western side of the
Crystal basin and in the Sacramento Valley. This is
the appropriate repeater to use in these areas and
is permanently linked to the repeater on the trail.
444.9875 mHz, +5.00 mHz split, PL 156.7 – This is
the Rubicon repeater, boasting year around hand-held
coverage on all of the Rubicon Trail. It should be
used in the Rubicon for talking from one area of the
trail to another. Note that there is a receiver for
the 146.805 permanently linked to the repeater so
all of the 146.805 traffic will be heard.
444.9875 mHz, +5.00 mHz split, PL 107.2 – The
same repeater listed above, but using a different PL
will cause the Rubicon repeater to connect a
transmitter to the 146.805 repeater, thus linking
the two repeaters. This repeater should be used to
contact emergency services or to talk to an amateur
radio operator outside the Rubicon on the 146.805
repeater.
145.605 mHz, +0.600 mHz split, PL 123.0 – This is
the Tahoe basin repeater. It is permanently linked
to the 146.805 repeater and works well in most areas
of the Tahoe Basin as well as in some side canyons.
Please keep in mind that you must be licensed to
use these repeaters.
For questions please contact:
John Arenz
N6YBH
For information on RTF amateur radio licensing
classes contact:
Dennis Mayer
W2DWM
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