Trackside Mobile (The Basics)

 

    Good Evening fellow Hams and Railfans, 

    Today I would like to introduce to you the lovely world of operating trackside mobile. What is trackside mobile you ask? Operating trackside mobile is operating your radio from trackside while rail-fanning. Now this can be done in a variety of ways and in this blog I would like to show you Some of the basics. 

    Operating trackside has it's benefits, you can have someone to talk to, test equipment and meet like minded hams who share the same passion for trains as you. I got my start in operating trackside mobile when I got my tech license. Most mornings I would tune into the Barometer Net and check in when there were no trains around and for a good reason and that reason is also one of the major drawbacks operating trackside.

    That reason is the fact you can cause unintentional harmful interference and knock out communications on poorly maintained receivers. (The Railroad always maintains their equipment right?)  Take for example the railroad operates in the 160-161 Mhz Band and the 2 meter band is 144-148 Mhz   just 26 Mhz apart. Frequency wise  this may seem like a good enough separation however there have been reports of train crews that have complained about  amateur club repeaters that has interfered with the train crews radio. Some sites like Bellevue Ohio have only a 440 Mhz repeater and this is a much better choice than cranking 50 or 100 watts of 2 meter power near a major rail hub. If you can  operating  on 440 Mhz and HF are the best options but, if you don't have that option or you want to operate on the 2 meter band here are some tips. 

  The first thing thing is to monitor radio traffic traffic and listen for trains in the nearby area as a railfan most of us do this anyhow. The reason is you don't want to knock out the radios with possible work like this in the picture below being done. Besides causing harmful interference and creating a nuisance you could possibly get someone killed. If the train crew can't communicate or hear an important track or train information then there could be serious consequences and YOU!!!! would be responsible.

A CSX Train passes a track inspector truck 

 

Next would be to operate like you are supposed to and use the minimal amount of power. Most 2 meter repeaters in urban areas or towns only require about 5 watts max to hit. For example I was able to check into the Barometer net on the Silver Creek Amateur Radio Club Repeater from downtown Akron on my HT and not bother my scanner 15 feet from me. That repeater according to repeater book was about 15 miles from my morning trackside location and to boot I was DOWN IN A HOLE!!!!!! I know that that was less than ideal conditions but it just goes to show you that even with just a HT you can do some great things. 

In the picture above is the prime example of an minimal operation. This picture was taken was before before I had my radio license, I used to use that HT as a monitor and as luck would have it I would wind up using the same HT to begin my ham radio journey operating trackside mobile. This shows you that it doesn't take much to get stated trackside mobile. 

    Many eons ago and I am showing my age as a railfan but in the back of the Altamont Press timetables there was a few ham frequencies published for railfans who had their license and wanted to operate trackside here are a few of them listed below.  

147.540 Simplex (PL 162.2)

146.490 Simplex (The unofficial national railfan frequency) 

146.520 Simplex (National calling frequency) 

446.000 Simplex (PL 162.2) (National Calling Frequency) 

443.800 Simplex (PL 100.0) Nor-Cal talk around Unknown if this still is in band 

Now you don't have to be on a repeater to enjoy ham radio either you could pick from one of the choices above or a clear frequency and use less than 1 watt talking car to car or making QSO's trackside with other rail-hams. 

I Hope you enjoyed this little journey into my world of being trackside and having QSO's always remember to be courteous and kind. If you are told that you are causing interference or hear it on the scanner stop!!! Even if you don't think that you are it might be true you will never know. Until next time my friends, stay safe and remember God is Still in control ~73