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GT4494

By GT4494
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GT4494 Senior Member

GT4494

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OK fellow forum members,  The desire was made for a HAM Radio room forum.  It is now open for business.  

Any questions or topics/information about hardware, licensing, or any well anything is welcome.  Just remember they call it Amateur radio for a reason, we are not experts.  We can however, help answer any questions.  Plus the hard questions help us to learn ourselves.

Thanks to the Historian for opening the sub forum and lets the QSO's begin!

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Historian Crew Member

Historian

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Thanks for posting, sir.

I'm guessing there are some people out there who have always wanted to be a ham radio operator.  After all we are the rare and elusive sexy beasts everyone has heard of.  Prowling the airwaves and speaking in codes  (sometimes).  All the ladies get weak int he knees when they hear your Morse code at 20 words per minute.

I mean...my mother in law warned my wife...not to get involved with a ham radio operator....she fell for it. 

So here's the deal future porkulators (ham radio operators)

You need to study for a test and take it.  The first is the technician test.   You can get a copy of the book from the ARRL or Amazon.   Just type in Ham Radio Exam Book.   The first one is easy.  You could read the book three of four times and pass the test. 

But to get out on the big waves where the international communication takes place requires that you have an HF license.  The same thing goes for this ticket.  Get a copy of the general class license book. 

Now this test is harder.  You can read the book twice and take the test.  

So you can create an account with the ARRL and take some practice tests there to get you through.   Or you can try HamTestsOnline....i used this to get my last license...and then...i've been using it to study for my Extra class license.

Morse Code is no longer required but highly encouraged.

Then you need a radio.   They cost between $50 and $5000 it depends on what you want to do.   My main HF right is an Yeasu 857D (no longer made) and it blasts 100 watts down an End Fed Dipole Antenna...and I have worked 97 countries and all 50 states...on 10 radio bands.  

 

 

73s muchachos!    Can't wait to hear your signal scream across the US and beyond.

 

Edited by Historian
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GT4494 Senior Member

GT4494

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For those who may be wondering about the study guides and are not sure if they want to invest here is a free book liink.

https://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-no-nonsense-tech-study-guide-v1-1.pdf

This book actually taught me what I needed to pass the Technician test.  

The technician license will get you on 2 meter (144megahertz) and 70cm.  These are the most common for around town talking.  A simple hand held radio or Handy talky (HT) will cost around $50. Think of this as disciplined and family friendly CB experience IMHO.  Some never go beyond this.   This is a good start for people in areas that a natural disaster takes out electricity and or cell/internet.

Take a look.

73

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Historian Crew Member

Historian

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And to and to be clear, while my log book has thousands of contacts around the world, a solid number of unconfirmed contacts at 144/70 mhz on an inexpensive hand held radio in my truck.

I hit the local repeater and cover large amounts of land.   Maybe even large tracks of land (python reference).

Tomorrow I am running our local Am. Radio Emergency Net.  About sixty people have a chance to test their equipment with a check in.

Those people play a big role in our local emergency management system by providing critical communications outside of telephones.

When all else fails. There is ham radio.

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Historian Crew Member

Historian

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13 hours ago, railfancwb said:

Don’t some states allow/provide/encourage special emergency license tags for licensed hams?

Yes, they do.   But in many cases you need to be with some kind of an organization to get them.  Some states actually just issue ham radio license plates for those of use that request them.

There are two organizations nationally that hams are part of that contribute to emergency management.

One is ARES.  Am. Radio Emergency Services.   These are usually part of your local emergency management departments CERT (community emergency response teams).  These are normally volunteers.   But that doesn't mean they aren't amazing at what they do.   After Katrina hit NOLO the first signal out of that wiped out city came from local hams running off grid radios.

The other is RACES.   Races is different in the sense that ARES requires an individual license but RACES (Radio Am. Civil Emergency Services) is run by your EOC if they have the license.

Last night I received the definitive answer to the why there are two organization from a conversation i had with the former director of FEMA Craig Fugate.      When you are working with RACES you are not truly a ham radio operator.  You are now truly plugged into the national emergency management system.  It's done as a question of liability.

 

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janice6 Cross Member

janice6

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On 12/10/2020 at 11:22 AM, Historian said:

Yes, they do.   But in many cases you need to be with some kind of an organization to get them.  Some states actually just issue ham radio license plates for those of use that request them.

There are two organizations nationally that hams are part of that contribute to emergency management.

One is ARES.  Am. Radio Emergency Services.   These are usually part of your local emergency management departments CERT (community emergency response teams).  These are normally volunteers.   But that doesn't mean they aren't amazing at what they do.   After Katrina hit NOLO the first signal out of that wiped out city came from local hams running off grid radios.

The other is RACES.   Races is different in the sense that ARES requires an individual license but RACES (Radio Am. Civil Emergency Services) is run by your EOC if they have the license.

Last night I received the definitive answer to the why there are two organization from a conversation i had with the former director of FEMA Craig Fugate.      When you are working with RACES you are not truly a ham radio operator.  You are now truly plugged into the national emergency management system.  It's done as a question of liability.

 

I don't know about other states, but!

In Minnesota, it is the law, that licensed Amateur Radio Operators are allowed (while general citizens are not allowed) to have the capability to monitor law enforcement radio transmissions in their vehicle.

This is a capability that can provide essential linking of law enforcement agencies in the event of an emergency.

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Historian Crew Member

Historian

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1 hour ago, janice6 said:

Don't forget that you can always buy used electronics for much less.

This guy comes on sale sometimes.

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-Two-Way-136-174Mhz-400-520Mhz/dp/B00MAULSOK/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=baofeng&qid=1607797416&sr=8-5

It's fully programmable.   For the price and what it does it's a fantastic first radio.   I have two of them.    

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GT4494 Senior Member

GT4494

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1 hour ago, railfancwb said:

If doing ham radio and/or cruising the internet while reloading you MIGHT have taken on one too many tasks. A double powder charge while distracted could ruin your day and your gun. 

True, and each person needs to know their limits.

 

On the other hand setting the radio to a net or just a group of friends that chew the fat is no different then having a normal conversation with the exception of using a PTT switch.  This is done by hand , by voice or by foot.  

Most can talk and reload safely.  I hope.  :)

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