If I had absolutely no choice but echolink, I'd pack it in and quit until I 
had a better option, I'd never sink that low. The only time I ever get on is 
to talk to the local ARES team during emergencies and even then, only when 
they don't want to use AIM for some reason though usually I'm over there 
because at least then, there's no implication that it's radio. If I want to 
chat online, there are programs for that that don't claim to be what they're 
not and I don't need a license for them.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 1:43 PM
Subject: Re: Is echolink Anti-radio?


> Echo link reminds me of the days I was active in packet radio.  I had a 
> node
> set up on a common frequency and I noticed from my log, over a period of
> time, that guys running handy talkies from third floor apartments, were
> connecting to me and out to other nodes.  I had tall towers and big 
> antennas
> and they ran 1 watt to inside antennas.  I talk on echo link once and 
> awhile
> because our repeater club has an active node but I don't get all that 
> turned
> on by it for some reason.  I think I would, however, if I lived in a small
> apartment and I have used and built many small inside antennas, ran wires,
> and all sorts of inside antennas and never found it as enjoyable as having 
> a
> good wire or vertical antenna up even just a few feet.  Shoot, I wired a 
> 100
> watt light bulb on to a few feet of coax back in the sixties, tuned up and 
> a
> friend 50 miles away was talking to other friends on 75 meters.  I
> transmitted, he heard me, and I had a conversation with him with the light
> bulb laying on the table and the coax on the floor in a basement ham 
> shack.
> I've worked all 50 states on 40 meters running 2 watts output and a ground
> mounted trapped vertical, too, but it was work.  I know a guy who worked a
> ZL on 75 meter sideband running 1 watt but it took him weeks of trying
> before the ZL ever copied him.  It just all comes down to what a person 
> can
> do and enjoys doing I suppose.
>
> Phil.
> K0NX