HAM Radio operators

[realist]

Okay I bit the bullet and attended a three day HAM class and even passed. I should get my license sometime in the next couple of weeks. It was one of the things on my bucket list that I wanted to get done. From a prepping standpoint it was a big hole that I wanted to fill. I guess I could have taken a cram class and still passed. I wanted to take this class because they taught you how the whole system works rather than to just get through the test.

So with that preamble I would like to hear from a prepper standpoint what you folks thinks about having your HAM license. I plan on eventually having a base station as well as a mobile unit. If you can give me any insight it would be greatly appreciated.

[bacpacker]

Congrats on getting your "ticket". IMO a ham station will give the largest range of comms of anything available. Most of the radio's can be modified to open them up to where they can be used for transmit and receive on most any freqs they are capable of working on. I've been a ham since the mid 90's and worked in EmComm for 11 years. It will be a valuable tool if/when TSHTF.

One thing I would suggest, if you haven't already passed it, take the General class test as well. It will give you privleges on HF which will give you access to much longer communications. The technician level is more for local comms.

As far as equipment goes, there are many ways to go. 3 major brands I would recommend, Yaesu, Icom, & Kenwood. I have some of each and they all perform well. For the best coverage for longer ranges I would pick up a mobile radio, preferably a dual band 2M/70cM for local comms. They work equally well in the vehicle or in the home as a base station. Handheld, while very handy, will not give you great range without being on a mountian top. One thing to pay attention to is what antenna and coax you use. It makes a huge difference.

[realist]

Thanks for the tip. They let us take the general test without paying extra so I did but did not pass it. It was nice to see what was going to be on it. I will be studying up and taking the general class sometime the end of summer. I have used radios in public service for the past couple of decades it is going to be interesting to see it from the civilian side. Thanks for the info on the equipment. There is a guy that I used to know that handled Kenwood that I need to look up to see if he can help me out. What about used equipment? I am not sure it I should go this route since I don't know if I would be buying junk. The nice thing is the guys who gave the class are having another class this week to go over equipment so I should be more versed on it by then. I will also be joining the local HAM club so I should be able to pick their brains too.

[austinrob]

find your local HAM club (you probably already did) and check with them for used gear. Someone is always upgrading and needing to offload gear. Or you could stumble on an estate sale (usually widows let the other HAMs handle selling off the gear for them, at least around here) and get some really nice gear for "clean out the shack" prices.

My advice? Basically "ditto". Get a mobile rig, though a 2m mobile might be sufficient as opposed to a dual band. Check what the typical repeaters in your area use. I've had way more fun on HF than local comms. Yes, keep going, get your general ticket.

I went cheap with a dual band HT for my first radio, and while it's serving me well, I'm wishing I got a mobile rig. 75% of the time I use it I'm in my car. 20% I'm at my desk. I should have a mobile rig instead. Note that a 50W mobile 2m rig can be had for the same price as 5W dual band HT's.

If you have a real budget, you could get something like an FT-857D. (Welcome to Yaesu.com (http://goo.gl/iy1QM) all mode HF/UHF/VHF, digital ready, wide-band receive, modifiable for wide-band transmit) New they're 870-ish. I had a shot at one for 500 through the local HAM club swap-net but I was about 30min too slow.

I don't have a real budget. But if I did, I'd get an FT-897. cost about $175 more, but it's a bit more rugged, more buttons and dials (less menus) and essentially otherwise the same as the 857.

[bacpacker]

I'm wanting a 857 myself. I have a Icom 706 which is a similar radio.kenwood makes the TS-480 which cost more, but has 200watt output vs 100watts for the other 2.

My reasoning on getting a dual band was to give you the maximum choice of frequencies. Either way would work well. Also i would want a seperate radio for local and for distance comms. One radio might do it all, but if times are bad you may need to monitor multiple freqs.

[austinrob]

My reasoning on getting a dual band was to give you the maximum choice of frequencies. Either way would work well. Also i would want a seperate radio for local and for distance comms. One radio might do it all, but if times are bad you may need to monitor multiple freqs.

Valid.

Also, if it's all in one package, and it fails, you're SOL.

I think my final radio loadout when I have everything else bought (like that ever happens) would be a mobile 2m, a mobile dual band, some kind of setup for a repeater (cross band, or 2 radios for same-band... or a real repeater), a mobile HF (UHF/VHF also maybe), and a base station HF. Yes, duplication. All of it can run inside the shack or mobile. But that's about $4000-5000 in radios, antennas and feedline. The extra 2m is because most of the comms locally are on 2m, and they're cheap.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

I bought a Yaesu FT-60R, all my books to get my tickets punched about 2yrs ago..........and then then something else came along and..................... and I'm glad I caught this thread cause If i don't get up off my ass and do something about it, it's just going to sit there and rot till ............................ so fellas would you PLEASE GIVE ME A SHOVE HERE!


Be safe........... the night is your friend

[austinrob]

The new pool of Tech license questions went into effect 7/1/2010, so check which ones your books refer to. The questions have changed (but not the info). General changed 7/1/2011, so you probably don't have those questions in your general book. Again, the info is the same, just the question pools have been updated. Read the books, take online practice quizzes.

[Katrina]

Sure wish I had been thinking straight I would have grabbed Pops HAM radio before it was auctioned off after he passed. He was an operator. For years. Realist one thing I remember growing up is a game dad's club used to play to practice using mobile ham radio, it was called Fox & Hounds. One member would drive around streets of Detroit as the fox, park on a side street and the others would be the hounds trying to triangulate the foxs position. Pop was the only that couldn't be found. the guys in the group,figured as he had us kids in the car , he'd be easy to find "look for the car with all the kids" was what one of Pop's friends used to say. Of course they would only do this for a set time limit. CQ,CQ.

[austinrob]

You should see if your dad's callsign is still available. You can request it specifically.

[bacpacker]

Valid.

Also, if it's all in one package, and it fails, you're SOL.

I think my final radio loadout when I have everything else bought (like that ever happens) would be a mobile 2m, a mobile dual band, some kind of setup for a repeater (cross band, or 2 radios for same-band... or a real repeater), a mobile HF (UHF/VHF also maybe), and a base station HF. Yes, duplication. All of it can run inside the shack or mobile. But that's about $4000-5000 in radios, antennas and feedline. The extra 2m is because most of the comms locally are on 2m, and they're cheap.

Rob I agree with your post here. for your station wants. That's about what I'm trying to build myself. I have 2 dual band radio's (Kenwood D700) that can be used as a mobile or stationary rig. It also has the capability of being used as a repeater, digipeater, or as a cross band repeater. Some but not all dual band repeaters can be used as either a repeater or cross band, look for the specs of VHF/VHF, UHF/UHF, & VHF/UHF. Pay attention to that if you think you may want to use it as a repeater.

The Icom 706 and the Yaesu 857 both have 2M/70cM and HF capabilities which is a nice feature but like Rob said, you have all your eggs in one basket you better not drop it. I have a original Model 706, it only has 2M and HF. I also have a 2M only that is wired up to a TNC (terminal node controller) that allows the station to operate as a digipeater. It can be ran as either a APRS (automatic position reporting system) or Winlink (think e-mail by radio) digi. I would like to get a dedicated HF base station at some point as they give you a lot of filtering capability and many other features, but the cost is high (up to $10,000 just for the radio). They can be had for much less used.

BWRR Here is your shove! Seriously, I think you have plenty going on already. I also have a FT 60 HT, best HT I've owned. I've had 4, 3 of which I still have and the 60 is head and shoulders above them all. Good luck with the testing. One of my co-workers and his son got their tickets over the weekend.

Katrina, I would sure try to get your dad's old call. I think that would be very cool. Fox hunting is a lot of fun and is a good way to learn how to track a signal and some about propagation locally.

Realist the class to discuss equipment sounds great. You will learn a lot. a ham club is a great place to get a line on used equipment. A lot of stuff can be had for a song, estate sales in particular.

[Katrina]

I am going to he hadn't used it for a while while step witch was alive but he got it back a couple of years later after she died. I'd love to get it, I have it memorized. Just have to take the classes and get a radio.