[Geysers] visitor center radio reception

[Mike O'Brien]

> The best options IMO boil down to expensive amateur gear for long-range
> for a few gazers or cheap FRS for short range for everyone.  I think it
> would be beneficial to take a survey to see who's willing to take the
> plunge for the amateur gear.  If enough say yes, then it could become
> the new GOSA "standard" radio.  Any takers?  Any other recommendations
> besides using cell phones?

	I'm a ham myself and have helped (noodged) a few non-
technophile people into getting their licenses over the years.
It's not easy for them, but they all did it and were glad they
did.  However, they were motivated (had me hanging over them).
This is not something you do to fill an idle Saturday, no matter
how simple the license exam looks to current hams who were
licensed "back in the day".

	The rewards are large, though.  I had a 50W moble cross-band
radio in my car acting as a mobile repeater, which let me talk
via a tiny half-watt hand-held from Sentinal Meadows back to my
friend in his room at the Inn.  Utterly NO PROBLEM talking between
basins with that get-up.

	This is just not something that's ever going to work at the
VC though.

	It's true that it makes a good safety net, though, especially
when George is in his fire tower up on top of Mt. Holmes.  He keeps
his two-meter ham radio on 24/7, and I've heard him pass a lot
of emergency messages on over his park service radio from hams who either
were in trouble, or (more typically) ran across people in trouble.
You can reach George from a 5-watt two-meter handheld from just
about anywhere in the park.  He's saved an awful lot of people's
butts over the years.

Mike O'Brien