Is Amateur Radio for me?

[Daisymae]

Though i am fairly young, i know nothing about technology. Please be kind and give this girl a clue.

When i was a kid visiting remote parts of this state, i saw that folks out there would often have a "radio" set up in the main room of their home. it was local folks just talking back and forth about local gossip mostly, weather, hunting, etc. Or passing messages back and forth, "If you see thomas johnson in the coming week could you give him them message that his uncle is trying to reach him."

it was a way to stay connected to those that were around you and picked up signal from unknown distances (nearby villages anyhow). it wasn't simply passive, as you could pick up a mic and respond as well. now what would y'all guess this type of tech. would be? this has been my idea of what amateur radio is. is that correct or is a.r. more of a monologue by a single user? i have searched amateur radio sites on the net, but it's all over my head. i am just looking for someone to speak some plain english to me.

i am interested in keeping in touch with local folks esp. in the case of disaster (no phone-tv-etc. ). what are my options? i have a Grundig SW Radio World Band Receiver, but i mostly hear Russian and Chinese (it's cool though, don't get me wrong!). i want something a bit more ?? local?? useful??

i thank you in advance for you time,
Daisymae

[conundrum]

I used to listen to shortwave as a kid. I never seemed to have time to go for the license-milking, chores, school, my father....
I wonder if those folks you were around were using Citizen's Band as opposed to shortwave? Some of the CB base stations were quite powerful. I remember the craze sweeping the area I grew up in around the early 60's if memory serves.
Shortwave, or 'ham' will reach out farther and I suppose more consistently, but the equipment is more costly if you want to have the ability to transmit as well as receive. I have heard the FCC removed the Morse code requirement from the ham license tag.
You might try searching for amateur radio clubs in your state, or, if you have one nearby, check with a Radio Shack. They sometimes know of radio groups in a given area. Sheriff's office might be another source. Luck. c.

[fire5man]

Go for the HAM ticket. Its fun you can learn a lot and when the phones goes down your radio is always up. You can find more info on my website kb3lzv.org Lots of links too.

[Daisymae]

Hmm. I will look into it. I think my first step will be to talk to a local HAM club- if something like that exists. I appreciate your feedback. Thank you.

[Gibbonboy]

Check out arrl.org as well. Tons of information there. Lots of people complain about them, but they are the center of some of the (unfortunately) few remaining ham activities.

Study online, take practice tests over and over until you consistently get over 80%, then find a test site on the ARRL site and go. It's only 14 dollars or so, email the test administrator to "check in" so they know you're coming, and they'll give you the details. Most places don't make change, so you'll want to be sure how much it is.

The FCC did remove the Morse requirement, so the only obstacle to upgrading your license to the HF bands is a little more studying and some practice.

Even with all of the "high-tech" stuff I work with all day, and have in my house, the HF radio is humming away right now behind me, was on battery a few minutes ago due to a power outage. Had to run to one of our multi-million dollar transmitter sites to start a generator, but I could still likely talk around the world if conditions are right on that old radio! Actually, it's not that old, and it's about as complicated to operate as a cell phone, if not less- just different.

Enough of my rambling, look into it, don't mind me. Amateur radio just might be something that you can learn and enjoy, and it could come in handy someday soon.

[ShadowWolf]

Check your library and see if they have a copy of "Now Your Talking" is a great book all about stuff you need to know about Ham radio.

[ozarkslivin]

My son has a HAM license,he loves it! He's talked all over the world.

I don't have a license,but I enjoy listening to it.

I'm glad someone in the family has a license,cell phones won't always work in emergencies.

go ahead and go for that license! :)

[wy0mn]

Any decent bookstore will have a current issue of CQ magazine. There are tons of web addresses & adverts in them.
The forums on qrz.com are fun too. Sometimes I'll just lurk & see whats going on.
Became a ham in '93 because of all the 'trashy' talk on CB. I wouldn't have young children exposed to such language.
In an emergency you are more likely to get 'quality' assistance from a HAM than some drunken yokel with a CB. I feel safe in saying this because I am both a HAM and a CB'er.
Go for the license. Three times since I got mine I've been able to offer emergency assistance to folks, not a large number for sure, but precious to those whom I was able to help.
Lex aka wy0mn/7

[flatwater]

All good replies from everyone but a key word you used was local. Ham is great with a licence but CB with the proper location with the antena can get you out 25 or more miles and you can always shoot skip. The problem with both is if you want to talk locally the recieving party also has to have a radio . A good CB with single side band will not cost much and run on 12 volts. So if by local you mean 30 miles or under I would choose a CB with a single side band. It's not hard to create your own private channel to keep the drunks and stupids away. There probably drunks and stupids on ham also but just less of them.
Flatwater

[wy0mn]

Local- most areas are within range of a 2m/440 repeater; even if they aren't, these are line-of-sight frequencies same as skipless CB; and HAMS are allowed more "legal" power than CB'ers. A nice 2m automotive radio will compare pricewise with a quality CB.
Emergency groups like ARES, and the many 'storm chasers' are on these frequencies. The Laramie radio club supplies emergency comms for the MadDog bicycle endurance race, providing relay comms for the sections of the race that are beyond range of the cell-phone towers.
Many repeater offer a 'phone patch' capability. You can dial a phone number thru your radio!
There are 'butt heads' in the Amateur ranks too, but you are correct that there are many, many less than in the CB community.
I'd feel much safer for my wife if she called for help on a HAM rig than on a CB, or any lady for that matter.
However I would also recommend having a CB handy, it just would not, ever, be my first choice.
Lex

[flatwater]

Lex
Does the police cars monitor Ham? In Oregon when my wife and I were on vacation my brakes froze up in the middle of no where but as luck would have it we were on top of a mountain so I called the emergency channel and found out the local police monitor that channel only. I was 15 miles from anywhere and they sent a tow truck out to haul us back. It did take a little bit of time to convince the local police I wasn't a kid playing a joke. I sometimes wish we were back in the early 70's late 60's when CB was still pretty clean and polite.
Flatwater

[wy0mn]

No Flat, they don't, but here they also do not normally monitor CB either. Maybe the Troopers on the Interstate, but definitely not County or Municipal.
CB'ers, kids and adults, have ruined their credibility for a true emergency. When I was a cop we were instructed from higher up to verify prior to dispatch, no verification, no dispatch (1981). The verification time can be the few extra minutes needed to insure continued life.
Using a radio repeater system to directly phone dial for LE help is logged, adding credibility. Even if your beyond the range of a repeater & are forced to relay info thru another HAM, chances are that the local LE folks know him/her. Many dispatchers are HAMS themselves, their hobby and interest realized in the workplace. And a great many folks in hospital ER's, ambulance drivers/paramedics and others are into the hobby too.
You should have been here last week! I-80 was closed and the local cops were herding all the truckers to parking areas. The CB was so full of gab & trash, and CONTRADICTORY & conflicting information about road openings/closures, that no intelligence could be made of it.
As a former trucker & cop, current HAM & CB'er, I stand by my opinion.

[flatwater]

Hay it works for me and makes sence. I got out of the cb scene in 75 because of the stupidness.
Flatwater

[wy0mn]

I'm not 100% against CB's or CB'ers, I am one myself!
Communications are very important to me. I have my global/local HAM rigs, a sideband CB, FRS radios, my cell phone (with directional antenna), and an internet dish.
The property we are fixing up is remote; by remote I mean 70mi from hospital & groceries, 28mi off the pavement, and 2mi off grid. Not a good place to get hurt/sick without adequate communications. There are two small convenience stores within 35mi.
The FRS radios are a joke here, at least to me. In two years I've never heard another person, other than my wife, on any of the channels. Smoke signals would arouse a greater response and interest.
Lex

[breadtrk]

I would bet thet the radio chat you were listening to was CB. It is still the prime means of local communication in my neck of the woods. I'll even bet that if you talk to the folks that you heard listening they would be able to get on the horn and find a free beginners rig for you.

If you lived near Nashville we could have you on the air tonight.

[Florida_boy]

You should be able to find a local radio club through the ARRL. That's the American Radio Relay League. If local is what you're interested in an inexpensive scanner will allow you to listen to any 2 meter repeaters in your area.
When you take the test, the test for the tech lic. is made up from a test pool of 200 questions. When you take the practice tests online they will contain questions from that pool. As was said above keep taking the tests until you get about 80% or better correct, then go take the test for real through a Volunteer Examiner.

KE4VBB

[Fred_47460]

DaisyMae

I see that this is an older post....but I'm new to this forum...so I couldn't weigh in before this. I hope you're still hangin' around. By all means GET your ham license. It's very easy to get one anymore. You can get a ham radio to use for ham stuff....but you can also modify it for use on other frequencies (CB....etc) for use in emergencies. It is illegal to use a ham radio on frequencies for which you are not licensed...EXCEPT during an emergency. It's great that you've got a sw radio (Grundig)....I would recommend to EVERYONE to AT LEAST get a AM/FM/Shortwave radio that runs off batteries.....and keep some batteries stashed for that radio!!! You're already there...but a ham radio gets YOU the ability to ASK for help!! A receiver can't do that......it will INFORM you....but you may want the ability to talk back someday.

Go for it!! Fred....Spencer, IN.

PS: Let me know if you want to take the ham tests and I can try to find a test session near you. You might want to pick up a book called "Now You're Talking" put out by the Amateur Radio Relay League (www.arrl.org) to study for the test.

[dkemple1]

Fred 47460

I am 47446, Mitchell. I recently received my technician class license. But it has been since March I think, and I have forgotten which frequencies I am allowed to operate on. I have not bought any equipment as of yet. I plan on doing this during the local Hamfest during the first weekend in October at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds. maybe I will see you there.

KC9NMN

[Brenda]

I am also a ham radio operator. I have my Generals license and I really enjoy talking on the radio. We had a radio room in our home that has all kinds of capablities. I am not the smartest cookie when it comes to all the tech stuff but my DH and good friends taught me and we all use the radios on regular basis. Whenever there is an emergency and the cell phones go dead the radio will still be working and you will be able to get through.

I would encourage all to get their license for ham. My husband went down to Mississippi after Katrina hit for radio communications. The cell phones were done and that was the way they communicated with all the other emerency workers.


Okay that is enough of my ranting on and on!

[Brenda]

Misspelled words

down not done

KD8EBQ

[gunsmoke]

This is bithing more than my humble opinion offered for whatever it may be worth.

CB and HAM both have their respective strengths and weaknesses, they CAN be complinentery, and ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE!

ITS ALL IN THE WAY YOU USE IT.

i WOULD GET THE BEST SSB CB RIG I COULD AFFORD. (I've already done this I have three primary base rigs one hot two cold in operation. Double redundancy) I'm studying for my HAM lic which I'm going to sit for in NOV, so is my better-half, our four daughters and four sons in law. Since we purchaseD together a tract of land totaling 720 acres, 360 for us and the other 360 divided by the daughters and their families.

I am also going through the process of licensing a UHF biz band and a repeater as our primary communication within our family, the HAM and CBs are backups and for general communicating with outsiders.

Its like the old question "WHAT KIND OF GUN DO I WANT FOR HOME DEFENSE A RIFLE OR A SHOTGUN?"

The correct answer to which is "YES!"

A strong community, even a small one will have much better chances of minimizing negative impacts from any shtf scenario and good solid communications capabilities within your immediate group/family and extended group/family/community will be invaluable to every members respective security and well-being as well as the common weal of the larger community.

The more options you have the better and the more cohesive a community you will be able to rebuild following calamity whether it be a natural or man-made disaster. Communications is just another importabt tool for survival.

God luck whatever course you choose to take!