Alaska Field Reference · Kenai Peninsula Edition
RADIO.ALASKAINTEL.COM
For Licensed Amateur Radio Operators Only
§1 — Keypad & Controls Reference
Key Functions Quick Guide
PTT (Push-To-Talk)Key on left side. Press and hold to transmit voice. Release to receive incoming signals.
VFO/MR (Mode Select)Toggle between Frequency (VFO) mode for direct manual entry and Channel (MR) mode for saved memories.
A/B (Line Select)Toggle active receiver line (top ↔ bottom display). The selected line is where commands and TX occur.
BAND (VHF/UHF)Toggle frequency band in VFO mode. Pressing switches between VHF (136–174 MHz) and UHF (400–520 MHz).
MENU (Select)Enter radio menu system. Press to open menu, use ▲/▼ to scroll, press MENU to select, edit, and save.
EXIT (Cancel)Cancel the current operation, exit the menu system, or clear numeric digits typed on the keypad.
MONI (Monitor)Press to temporarily disable squelch and hear weak signals. Press quickly to toggle LED torch flashlight.
# KEY (Key Lock)Hold for 3 seconds to lock the keypad from accidental inputs. Hold for 3 seconds again to unlock keys.
Volume/Power KnobTop right dial. Turn clockwise to click power ON and increase volume. Turn counter-clockwise to power OFF.
§2 — Essential Menu Settings
Key Menu Settings Reference
| # | Item | Recommended Setting |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Squelch level (0–9) | 5 (Default). Filters background static. Lower = sensitive. |
| 2 | Transmitter power | LOW (1W) first to save battery. Increase to MID/HIGH if needed. |
| 5 | Wide/Narrow Bandwidth | WIDE (25kHz) for Ham repeaters. Use NARROW for NOAA/GMRS. |
| 11 | Receiver CTCSS sub-tone | OFF. Keeps receiver open to all signals on the frequency. |
| 13 | Transmitter CTCSS tone | Set to match local repeater CTCSS sub-tone (e.g. 100.0 Hz). |
| 25 | TX frequency offset dir | + or − for repeaters. Set to OFF for simplex. |
| 26 | TX frequency offset value | 0.600 MHz for 2m band. 5.000 MHz for 70cm band. |
| 27 | Save to memory | Use after setting RX, tones, offset. Saves to CH000–CH127. |
| # | Item | Recommended Setting |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | Delete memory channel | Be in MR mode first. Erases channel content permanently. |
| 34 | Dual receive watch | ON to monitor A and B lines simultaneously. Disable during scan. |
| 35 | Tail tone eliminate | ON. Mutes squelch crash at the end of transmissions. |
| 37 | Repeater tone delay | Leave OFF / default. Eliminates end tail tone on repeaters. |
| 40 | Factory reset | Choose VFO to clear menu changes. Avoid ALL (deletes memories). |
§3 — Field Programming
Program Simplex Channel
1
Press
VFO/MR → enter VFO mode2
Press
A/B → select desired band line3
Press
BAND → select VHF or UHF4
Type frequency on keypad e.g.
1465205
Ensure
MENU 25 SFT-D → OFF (no offset)6
Set tones to OFF:
MENU 13 → 07
MENU → 27 → select channel # → MENU to saveProgram a Repeater
1
Press
VFO/MR → VFO mode2
Enter receive (output) frequency of repeater
3
MENU → 13 T-CTCSS → select tone (e.g. 100.0)4
MENU → 25 SFT-D → set + or −5
MENU → 26 OFFSET → enter offset (e.g. 0.600)6
Test with
MENU 2 TXP → LOW power first7
MENU → 27 MEM-CH → pick channel # → MENUOther Common Tasks
·
Change Power:
MENU → 2 TXP → LOW / MID / HIGH·
Change TX Tone:
MENU → 13 T-CTCSS → scroll → MENU·
Delete Memory: MR mode → scroll →
MENU → 28 → MENU·
Lock Keypad: Hold
# for 3 seconds. Repeat to unlock.·
Flashlight: Hold
MONI for 3 sec. Toggle.·
FM Radio: Press
CALL → use ▲▼ to scan stations·
Dual Watch:
MENU → 34 TDR → ON then set A and B lines§4 — Ham Simplex & §5 — NOAA Weather
US Amateur Simplex — No Tone Required
| MHz | Band | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 146.520 | 2m VHF | NATIONAL VHF CALLING |
| 146.550 | 2m VHF | Common simplex (Pacific NW) |
| 146.580 | 2m VHF | Common simplex |
| 147.555 | 2m VHF | Alternate simplex |
| 446.000 | 70cm UHF | NATIONAL UHF CALLING |
| 446.025 | 70cm UHF | Common UHF simplex |
| 446.500 | 70cm UHF | Digital / alternate |
Protocol: Call on 146.520 → agree to move to working channel → clear calling freq.
NOAA Weather Radio — Alaska Stations
Set radio to VFO mode, WN=NARROW, no CTCSS. Tune each freq and scan for strongest signal. Weather radio is receive only.
162.400
162.425
162.450 ★
162.475
162.500 ★
162.525
162.550
★ Strong Kenai Peninsula stations: 162.450 (Kenai/Soldotna area), 162.500 (Anchorage/Cook Inlet area). Scan all 7 channels and lock the clearest. Signal fades in mountains — try all channels.
§6 — Alaska Repeaters · Kenai Peninsula Area
Common Repeaters — Verify Before Use. Values May Change.
| Location | Output (RX) MHz | Offset | Direction | Tone (CTCSS) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | 146.880 | −0.600 | − | 100.0 Hz | WL7CXO / Wide coverage |
| Anchorage | 147.180 | +0.600 | + | 100.0 Hz | Commonly used 2m |
| Eagle River | 147.000 | +0.600 | + | verify | Hillside area |
| Soldotna | 146.760 | −0.600 | − | verify | Central Kenai Peninsula |
| Kenai | 147.270 | +0.600 | + | verify | Kenai city area |
| Homer | 146.700 | −0.600 | − | verify | Homer / Kachemak Bay |
| Seward | 146.640 | −0.600 | − | verify | Resurrection Bay area |
| Cooper Landing | 147.150 | +0.600 | + | verify | Kenai River corridor |
| Moose Pass | 146.820 | −0.600 | − | verify | Summit Lake area |
| Ninilchik | 147.300 | +0.600 | + | verify | Southern Kenai Peninsula |
⚠ Repeater data changes frequently. Always verify with the current Alaska Repeater Directory at arcc.org or repeaterbook.com before transmitting. Using wrong tone will prevent access; using wrong frequency may violate FCC rules.
§7 — Kenai Peninsula Emergency Reference
Emergency Contacts — Phone Reference
EMERGENCY — All Services911
Alaska State Troopers (non-emergency)907-262-4453
Kenai Peninsula Borough Emergency Mgmt907-262-4636
NOAA Anchorage Weather Forecast Office907-745-4526
Alaska ARES / RACES (ARRL AK Section)arrl.org/ak
US Coast Guard Sector AnchorageVHF Ch 16
Marine Distress (if near water)156.800 MHz
Local Emergency Frequencies (Fill In)
§8 — Radio Etiquette & §9 — Go Kit
Operating Etiquette — Best Practices
Monitor before transmitting. Listen for ongoing QSOs before keying up. Never break into an active contact without an emergency.
Always identify with your FCC-issued call sign at the beginning and end of every transmission, and every 10 minutes during contacts.
Leave a 1–2 second pause after another station finishes before transmitting — allows others to break in.
Use the lowest power necessary. High power does not always mean better signal, and wastes battery in the field.
Keep transmissions short and relevant. Say what you need, then say "over" or "out" clearly.
Emergency traffic has absolute priority. If you hear "BREAK BREAK" or "MAYDAY," stop transmitting immediately.
Don't transmit on frequencies you are not licensed to use. Technician class covers 2m and 70cm fully.
Use plain language in Alaska backcountry — brevity codes are less useful when coordinating with non-hams or SAR teams.
Go Kit Checklist
Radio (BH-F8HP)
Spare Battery
USB-C / Charger
Programming Cable
Longer Antenna
Vehicle Charger
Headset / Earpiece
Power Bank
Notebook
Pencil / Pen
Topo Map (paper)
Flashlight
Extra Fuses
First Aid Kit
This Cheat Sheet
Hand Warmers
§10 — Personal Notes
Your Information — Fill In Before Going to Field