Ham Radio Operators?

[PewPewChris]

Currently starting the ham radio journey myself. Started the online tech license prep stuff, some of it makes sense, a lot of it does not lol. I want to learn something new and also have emergency communication ability, etc. I'm not too good to tell you that "Ham Radio for Dummies" showed up at my door today.

 

[splingbobble]

I’m starting to think it’s becoming a must

 

[PewPewChris]

My HOA would LOVE something like that in my backyard

 

[Ex313]

I haven't started my Ham license yet. I've been getting into LoRa. It's kind of interesting.

 

[41mag]

Sub…
For more info

 

[rodanvssct]

Got a few baofengs and Xeigu G90. Built a 20m OCF dipole in my attic, and it seems to work ok.

 

[PewPewChris]

Are there still folks out there doing morse code (CW) in the ham world? Learning and using/sending morse code intrigues me for some reason.

 

[PartyWithArty]

I got two baofeng radios. Programmed. The only I bought on eBay I was able to transmit with someone in California. I’m assuming the guy had a serious set up to reach Georgia.

 

[Klif]

I have been licensed since 1982. I am a High Frequency Morse Intercept Operator by military specialty and did that in the Air Force from 1970 - 1992. I have been stationed in Europe, Middle East, Far East and other places I'd just as soon not talk about. I have been active on HF most of my licensed life and have a "shack" here at home. I'm not very active now as I am losing my hearing and SSB sounds pretty funny to me now (especially when an XYL is talking).

You should check out the site QRZ.com for lively discussion all about HAM radio (everything from using boat anchors to how to get around HOA and still have a viable antenna.)

You can buy a receiver. Most serious sellers and stores will not sell you a transceiver if you aren't licensed. So, study up, take the test, get licensed and get on the air. You don't have to use Morse or even pass it on the test any more so the test is easy. They publish the test questions and you can just study them and take the test. It's better if you learn and understand theory and rules and regulations before you jump in.

As far as grid down stuff or SHTF stuff, I have gear in Faraday cages, and have rechargeable car batteries to run the gear. My antenna stays up but if something happens I can toss a multi-band dipole in the trees and be on the air pretty quickly.

I have used my gear in Japan during earthquakes and provided back up comms for the base when the telephone central office was knocked out. I provided coms between a crash site and the base when it was out of range of the handi-talkies the emergency responders used (another Ham had HF gear in his car, took off and camped out at the crash site for 2 weeks during the clean up and we talked daily).

Anyway, sorry about going on and on. You can learn as much or as little to get started. You can work HF, VHF, UHF, satellite, Morse, Voice, data or even Moon Bounce. It is what you make it.

73

 

[Klif]

I got two baofeng radios. Programmed. The only I bought on eBay I was able to transmit with someone in California. I’m assuming the guy had a serious set up to reach Georgia.

You can talk all over the world using just a few watts of transmitting power. The key is having a VERY GOOD Antenna.