Ham Radio License

JohnO · Jun 7, 2006

I decided to get my Technician License and join the ham radio ranks. For those interested here is link to get started <http://www.arrl.org/>.

Current operator told me, â€œThe best way to prepare is to purchase the Technician Class manual from the ARRL website. The book is called "Now You're Talking". The book has all the exam questions and answers. The first part of the book is the theory. Once you are proficient with the exam questions/answers, we can arrange an exam session by Volunteer Examiners.â€
Here is link for manual <http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=8810#top>.

Thousands of US servicemen used the network of ham operatorsâ€™ set-up by Arizonaâ€™s Senator Barry Goldwater. I used the system many times calling home back in the mid 60â€™s it cost nothing verses $9 a minute via AT&T. Now I'm sure they rely on computers more than ham radios.

Last year when I was working FEMA in Louisiana they were clamoring for ham operators to assist with a host of emergencies.

Itâ€™s way too early to get radio but if anybody uses one currently in their truck I would appreciate feedback.

Thanks

LDB · Jun 7, 2006

I have a tech license. I have an HT that I can use anywhere as well as a Kenwood D700 I am setting up in the truck. Once it's fully set up I can opt to use APRS (automatic position reporting system) and it will show via internet where my truck is within a 3 minute level of accuracy. It's an interesting hobby that can be used to great advantage during emergencies. The rest of the time it's an intelligent and civil alternative to CB (children's band or cursing band) radio. It also has the advantage of being useful over more than a mile or so radius. One thing to note for anyone researching, the test pool for the technicial license is changing this month so be sure any books or materials you get have the new question pool. Another good resource is hamtestonline.com that gives you a 2 year membership for $40 and can be used for any level license. Good luck John and any others who pursue this great hobby.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

Kurt_Kaoss · Jun 9, 2006

Good job on getting your ticket! I'm also a ham radio operator, and I'm looking to get back into the expediting business, once I move from FL back up to MI. Having a ham radio in your truck is a great thing: my suggestion is, print out a repeater guide for wherever your headed. And if there's any sitting time, you can rag chew with the locals, and not get all the swearing and idiots from the CB. Who knows: if I get hooked up with someone, you just might hear me out there.

73, de KC8SBX (Kurt)

JohnO · Jun 9, 2006

Leo,
I'm sure I'll be picking your brain about equipment once I get my license.

Thanks

LDB · Jun 9, 2006

This is the best thing I've found for drivers. You don't have to do a lot of research and writing, just turn the pages.

http://www.artscipub.com/mapbook/

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

hedgehog · Jun 9, 2006

Are the repaters still using 2 meter FM ???

Any morse code involved, or, is a tech's license enough ??

Be safe.

LDB · Jun 10, 2006

The largest number of repeaters are on 2m with 440 being next. There is some activity on 220 and 6m but not nearly as much. There is no code requirement for a tech license anymore. With a tech licene you can use any mode in 6m which at times leads to some significant dx. For a driver, 2/440 via repeater is the most useful I think.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

hedgehog · Jun 10, 2006

Leo:

If you're are a complete novice, what rig would you buy and what frequency do you use ???

Thanks for the help and advice.

Be safe and thanks for the help.

LDB · Jun 10, 2006

For someone just getting into amateur radio the technician license is the entry point. That provides privileges on VHF and UHF. The most popular band is the 2 meter VHF band of 144-148 mhz followed by 70 centimeters on 420-450 mhz and commonly referred to as 440. Using a mobile radio with 40-50 watts power would give a range of up to 75-100 miles or so depending on terrain, weather etc. through a good quality antenna. There are repeaters located all over the country. The repeater receives the incoming signal on a specific frequency and retransmits it on a frequency offset 600hz from the incoming frequency. The repeaters are generally privately owned and operated as a part of the hobby. Most are open to anyone to use with a few being private.

To get your license you can get a book titled "Now You're Talking" from the ARRL or Radio Shack stores. The question pool just changed so the book has to be the brand new one that just came out. Online there is www.hamtestonline.com that gives you 2 years access to the complete materials for all license classes for one $40 fee. The test for the license is given by volunteer examiners. It's given all around the country at various times by local ham operators who help out by giving the test. It costs $14 to take the test and if you pass you get your license that is good for 10 years.

Equipment choice is a tough question. There are scores of rigs available. An excellent resource is www.eham.net that has a section called product reviews on the left side of the page under resources. Individuals post reviews of their equipment based on personal usage. The main players in 2/440 are Alinco, Icom, Kenwood and Yaesu. I have a Kenwood mobile radio and an Icom HT (ht = handi talkie or handheld) and both are 2/440 dual band. Good used equipment can be picked up at hamfests which are a big swap meet, flea market, generally fun weekend meeting. Schedules can be found on www.arrl.org under the hamfest tab. A good basic 2m only radio can be had for around $100 with a little shopping work.

One really cool option is APRS. That stands for automatic position reporting system or amateur packet positioning system or a couple other things depending on who's labeling it. I like the first label because one thing it does is allow you to broadcast your physical position if you choose to. By combining a compatible radio and a GPS unit it will show your location on www.findu.com and perhaps other sites. That's cool for letting the folks at home follow you along your runs.

Well, that's probably enough to really confuse things. Some of the good starter websites are:

www.eham.net

www.arrl.org

www.qrz.com

www.rigpix.com (to get a good look at the various radios)

groups.yahoo.com (then finding groups specific to the particular radio or activity that interests you)

www.hamtestonline.com

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

hedgehog · Jun 10, 2006

Leo:

Thanks for the info.

I drive mainly the rustbelt area and mostly I-80 & I-90.

A ham friend of mine in the early 80s could hit the Detroit repeaters while driving through the Greater Cleveland area with his HT, as long as he was close to Lake Erie. (line of sight I guess)

A little off the subject but the name "Yaesu" brings back some fun memories during the CB era of the 1970s. Sliding between 10 & 11 meters catching skip from down south.

Had to do it mainly afterhours, (this was pre-cable days) because of the nasty bleed would wreek havoc with the reception of the neighbors TVs.

Be safe

arkjarhead · Jul 20, 2006

I know a guy who had a mobile set up in his ford ranger. He was putting out 7,000 watts when he had everything fired up. He had to go out of town a few miles to talk full blast. He talk to Jamaica alot. He was a cb tech. Anyway one night were riding around memphis and wind up by the airport. He stops jumps in the back of his pick up under the camper and fires everything up. He says watch this. He hit keyed up for maybe half a second let off and tapped it again. He tapped the button mayde 5 times. Everytime he tapped the button the runway lights blinked off the back on. He said one night he caused a city blocks cable tv to go out. Then of his radio buddies made a guy's pacemaker go haywire. That guy got in a lot of trouble. After that he started going out in the country to talk.

LDB · Jul 20, 2006

I can't say what I wish would happen to the CB morons who do things like that but losing their equipment and their vehicle and a lifetime ban from operating any radio equipment would be an adequate start. With amateur radio he could talk legally to Jamaica and Japan and the rest of the world with 100 watts. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll go a little way off frequency and be in the wrong place when he keys up and permanently shrivel his gonads so at least he can't add more radio dolts to the gene pool.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

Dreamer · Jul 20, 2006

Leo,

You said you use a handheld? I didn't realize those were powerful enough to talk any distance. Do you have to hook them to an external antenna, or do they just have the 'rubber duck' antenna like the Cobra handheld 'walkie talkies'. I have one of those and the range is very limited on CB freqs. Good for listening, and talking around our property from 4 wheeler to the house, but not much more.

I'm thinking about getting my tech license also. I'm an avid CB'er, and I sell stuff (mostly jumpers, a meter now and then, etc.)to a lot of ham operators, but never pursued it myself.

Dreamer
Forums Administrator

--------------

Ability is what you're capable of doing...
Motivation determines what you do...
Attitude determines how well you do it. (Lou Holtz)
-------------------

---------

greg334 · Jul 20, 2006

You know that the rf exposure is a good source of cancer and no one could figure out why so many radio engieers who worked from the 20's to the 50's had a very high cancer rate.

Let's see 7KW of RF from a leaky amplifier - I don't think it would be properly engineered from what I read - how many rands of radiation would you think it would produce for the people within 100 feet? (yes radiation)

A long time ago when I was young and daring, I was advised not to mess with RF and high power amps but take as many safety precuations in building/repairing amps as possible. All my work was propely built with finger stock sheilding, proper wiring and good cabinets, even the one tubers I built. Everything I turned out was top drawer, no crap. My competition from that time recently died from cancer and the doctor told his soon to be widow it was due to the 5KW amp that he ran in his house next to the CB for five years. The funny thing was he had to tap off the pole for the electricity and he lived in such a bad area of detroit that edison refused to do anything about it for years.

LDB · Jul 20, 2006

VHF/UHF is pretty much line of sight unless you go through a repeater. There can be atmospheric conditions that give skip to get more distance but generally a 5w handheld will give several miles range. If there is a repeater within that range the distance can go up several times. I carry a handheld but also have a mobile unit in the truck. A mobile unit typically does 50-60 watts and could do 40-50 miles mobile to mobile with good conditions. Through a repeater it might double that. To talk worldwide requires HF privileges which is a general license or extra license. With that and the correct equipment the world is literally at your fingertips.

There are cool things like cross band repeat that would let you carry a small handheld inside a shipper etc. and use it to talk to the mobile unit in your truck which then would talk to the repeater your handheld can't reach. Some of the handhelds have wide receive so they pick up broadcast am/fm, aircraft, international shortwave etc. as well as ham bands. It's a fun hobby.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

ATeam · Jul 21, 2006

What new nickname do you prefer, Leo? Elmer or Sparks?

After picking up, delivering or laying over in 17 Katrina-affected communities last year, I resolved to get my amateur radio license. In the Army, I learned Morse Code and ran a net at a MARS station for a while. The code sticks with you no matter how much time passes.

I'm looking forward to working the CW bands. In Katrina, one thing that happened was that many repeaters went down for lack of electricity. Cell phones failed too. My orientation in the hobby is CW and in using the truck as a self-contained, self-sufficient station; able to communicate worldwide with low power and a modest antenna configuration. With three power sources (main engine, generator, reefer) and all the other survival goodies we carry, amateur radio would round out the package.

In the Army, it was a good time to head to the woods, string an antenna between the trees and run traffic with Korea, Germany and Kansas using Morse code. In a real emergency like Katrina or the "big one" when it hits California, that kind of communications capability may come in handy.

Not where I need to be to pass the tests yet but it's absolutely on the to-do list. The study materials are in the truck.

terryandrene · Jul 21, 2006

I prefer semaphore, wig-wag and flashing light. Each are line of sight; however, I've gotten reception at about 50 nautical miles by bouncing a 24" signal light off the clouds.

LDB · Jul 21, 2006

I think I'll just stick with Leo. I don't consider myself at a level to be Elmer and don't do CW so no sparks. Having a general license with an HF rig is a good thing but don't discount VHF/UHF. First responders will be going in with minimal equipment good for the first 24 hours or so. That will be HT's with spare batteries and AA packs. Much of the primary EmComm and rescue will be run V/U. That same generator on your truck will also power a repeater as well. A couple of days study should be enough to pass the tech license. The test is offered at many hamfests around the country as well as offered periodically at various clubs.

A good dual band HT and a good V/U mobile unit for the truck would be a nice setup to start with and give good EmComm capability if needed. Setting up that way wouldn't be terribly expensive either. With the proper radio choices and correct GPS choice they can be interfaced and position reports can be made at preset intervals. Position can also be passed to a website and anyone given the station identifier can follow the progress of the truck via the web.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

greg334 · Jul 21, 2006

When you look at the selection of radios and the prices, there is a lot of choices. for about $300 you can have a really good station setup.

Leo you mentioned EmComm, don't forget RACES. I am meeting this weekend with a number of EmComm/CERT people this weekend to discuss the work I am doing.

Anyway, Phil if you can copy code - you got it beat.

The funny thing is the failures during and after Katrina was that many ran down there and got mad when they were asked not to even take thier radios out of the bags but pitch in and unload trucks, etc... The other thing is I read a rather disparing article about the failure of amateur radio during both Katrina and Rita written to take away from Field Day. Mind you that there is room for training and practice and the author seems to think that Field Day is the only practice that operators get.