Hello Dear Hams!

This time I bring you a short explanation of an idea for local communications by George KJ6VU. I have permission 
from George to bring this article to you. I think it's a brilliant idea that help organize and use our frequencies more eficiently. I hope in time, we adopt the "Adventure Radio Protocol".
Finaly, here is a link for a video where George deeply explain his idea.

Link https://www.youtube.com/live/JhDkGCmuJY8?si=goTdWKNpAwjjKJxx

73
Jorge VE3EAD

Adventure Radio Protocol
By George Zafiropoulos KJ6VU

The Adventure Radio Protocol provides a common radio frequency and signaling standard to make it easier for radio operators in the field to find and communicate with each other.  The signaling protocol that uses CTCSS sub audible tones allows operators to signal the type of traffic on the adventure radio frequency and enable 24/7 monitoring without the need to listen to all traffic on the channel.

ADVENTURE RADIO FREQUENCY - 146.580 MHz

We propose to use 146.580 MHz FM for the nationwide US adventure radio frequency.  This frequency is chosen because it is already in use in various regions of the US for hiking, backpacking, SOTA, overlanding and other outdoors 
activities.  We also want to avoid using 146.520 to remove outdoor activity traffic from the national calling frequency.

CTCSS TONES

CTCSS sub-audible tones are used to signal the type of traffic on the adventure radio frequency.  The following CTCSS tones are assigned for various types of traffic.  The Adventure Radio Protocol reserves all CTCSS tones between 67.0 Hz and 151.4 Hz to be assigned over time for various purposes.  Radio operators can use any CTCSS frequency above 151.4 Hz for any purpose and are not governed by the AR protocol.

    67.0 Hz   Emergency calling.  
    77.0 Hz  Ping - Keying up will cause any automated monitoring station to respond to let you know there is a system on the air.
    88.5 Hz   SOTA/POTA and other operating events.
    100.0 HZ   General backcountry conversations.
    123.0 Hz   Trigger automated messaging from local repeaters.


MODES OF OPERATION - PERSONAL RADIO TO RADIO

Any radio operator can use the Adventure Radio signaling protocol by simply operating on the adventure frequency (146.580) and selecting the appropriate CTCSS tone for the type of traffic signaling you want.  For example, for emergency traffic calling and monitoring all you need to do is to program your radio to encode and decode 67.0 Hz and you are good to go.  We recommend programming multiple channels in your radio all on the same RF frequency (146.580) and each channel would have one of the assigned CTCSS tones.  You may have channel 1 for backcountry traffic (PL 100.0, Channel 2 for SOTA/POTA operations (PL 88.5) and Channel 3 for emergency calling with CTCSS tone 67.0 Hz.

MODES OF OPERATION - INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT

High radio sites are ideal for building out ARC infrastructure.  ARC remote sites can be a port on an existing analog repeater system, a remote radio connected to a VOIP system like AllStar or even a base station monitoring for AR traffic.