jhs@mitre-bedford.ARPA (12/07/85)
Certainly it would be practical to communicate over a 150-mile distance using ham radio if both of you have ham licenses and suitable equipment. You would have a choice of voice, Morse code (which is actually fun when you become proficient at it) or typed communications via radioteletype or "packet radio". You could even send television-like pictures if you so chose. For voice communication you could use Single Sideband on the 75-meter band or 2-meter FM with some fairly good directional antennas to talk through a "repeater" somewhere between your two sites. The 75-meter band requires antennas on the order of 37.5 meters long or at least half that, so you would need to live in a place where such antennas may be installed. Over such a short distance, voice communication on either of these two bands should normally be reliable at all times of day given good equipment at both ends. On rare occasions, the 75-meter band might be unsuitable at night because of unusual propagation conditions. The 160-meter band would be a likely alternative at such times (requiring antennas twice as long however). You can obtain help from local hams if you can get in touch with one of your local clubs. If you have no other sources of help, try any local university, especially one with an engineering department. Or try your local Red Cross or Civil Defense offices, which usually maintain contact with local hams. Note that you are not supposed to use ham radio specifically to avoid telephone toll charges. However, you can legitimately use ham radio to "yak" with a friend who is also a ham provided that you are not conducting business operations by so doing. I hope that this information is helpful. "73*", John Sangster, W3IKG * 73 is a telegraphers' abbreviation meaning "best regards".