ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Well as some may know, I'm a ham radio operator. Many seem to think it's important to have ham radio for prepping/emergencies. What about you guys?I'd put my callsign but the FCC has my address as public record... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
remixer 1,645 Posted November 7, 2013 Ryan, Iv been thinking by ham radio for years but never jumped on it. Would you mind a quick run down on costs of equipment and disg part tances . i know distance is not cut and dry as weather and the sun play a big part. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MedicYeti 96 Posted November 7, 2013 HAM is something I've been interested in since my first Boy Scout camping trip when I spoke to another new scout in Colorado. It's something I haven't had the money and knowledge to get into. My interest has increased since Sandy. There are classes in the county that I'm looking into. If experienced operators have suggestions I'd love to hear them. I have a few questions: That is the difference between HAM and short wave? Do HAM and/or short wave radios also do Citizens Band? What classes and lisences are needed? Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bhunted 887 Posted November 7, 2013 Been a HAM since '75 and yes, it's good to have radio equipment. If not licensed, at least a shortwave receiver. If you really think we'll ever get nuked or have an EMP burst sent down our throats, make sure you get an old school tube job. You'll also need a power source... Genny, many battery packs, etc. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
W2MC 1,699 Posted November 7, 2013 Check out: http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio for more info about Ham Radio. I, along with several others here, can go on for hours discussing this topic. In short: - There are three "levels" of licensing - Technician, General, and Extra. Each requires a test, which can be taken at various times and locations throughought NJ. Morse code testing is no longer required. - Ham operators, depending on their level of licensing, have access to various frequencies across the spectrum. Technicians (first level of licensing) have full access to VHF/UHF frequencies, and a tiny bit of HF. Generals have access to everything a Technician has, as well as a broad swath of the HF spectrum. Extra's have full access to everything a ham op can do. - VHF and UHF are generally "line of sight" limited. Kinda like what the police and fire companies use. HF is intercontinental/worldwide communications. Generally stated, If I wanted to talk a few towns over, I would use VHF...If I wanted to talk to Colorado, or Germany, or something distant like that, I would use HF. - VERY generally stated, HF and Shortwave are the same thing. The shortwave broadcast stations have their frequencies, Ham operators have their allowed frequencies within the "bands". - Equipment can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you want it to be. There's a large market for new equipment, as well as a flouishing market for used. We call the shows "hamfests", but otherwise, it kinda like some other hobbies discussed here... And yes, W2MC is my callsign. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wastegate 9 Posted November 7, 2013 Less than $60 you can get in to ham radio. Radio http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXVOKTW/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Practice for the test here. You don't have to pay, you can just keep taking the practice test till you consistently get passing grades. http://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/ Find a local place to take the Tech test. http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session Usually cost $15 or less. Congrats your a tech with a basic radio, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Newtonian 453 Posted November 7, 2013 I've been interested in HAM radio since I was a kid. I must have purchased four ARRL handbooks. But I never got my license. Thanks to your post I think I will. Does anyone know if there are repeaters in Sussex County? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Ryan, Iv been thinking by ham radio for years but never jumped on it. Would you mind a quick run down on costs of equipment and disg part tances . i know distance is not cut and dry as weather and the sun play a big part. Yeah it's not cut and dry. It depends on what you want. It's sorta like buying guns. They all go "bang" and send projectiles flying but they are not all the same. Equipment is as cheap as you want it to be or as expensive. For local communications you can get a VHF/UHF 2 meter/70cm (dual band) radio. For home use or car use the radios put out typically 25-50 watts. With a good antenna you can get out around town and beyond. Into a repeater you can get out maybe 30-40 miles, maybe more (I regularly talk on repeaters 70 miles out). Some repeaters are linked and internet linked so they can go worldwide. These radios typically run a couple hundred dollars. Used maybe less. Antennas are about $50 or can be home built. You can also get a handheld radio but caution - those typically only work well near to repeaters. For greater distances you want a HF setup. The cheapest HF radio is a couple hundred dollars used. The most expensive ones are over $10,000. Antenna wise you can put up a simple wire antenna or you can put up towers and beams. Most people typically put up a wire antenna. HF can go around town, regionally, or around the globe depending on the band and time of day. As a DXer and contester I know this inside out but for newcomers the general rule is that the higher bands (20 meters and up) work best during the day and the lower bands (30-40 meters and down) work best at night. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 I've been interested in HAM radio since I was a kid. I must have purchased four ARRL handbooks. But I never got my license. Thanks to your post I think I will. Does anyone know if there are repeaters in Sussex County? Absolutely! Sussex County ARC has a repeater. http://www.scarcnj.org They also have free classes at the OEM/Sheriff's office and also give the exams. Fees for the exam are around $20 I think but you get to take as many test elements as you want and one free repeat if you fail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
W2MC 1,699 Posted November 7, 2013 Sussex County Amateur Radio Club Repeaters: http://www.scarcnj.org/repeaters/index.php Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greatgunstatenj 32 Posted November 7, 2013 I was doing some of the practice questions and they seemed relatively easy (Technician Level). How hard is the 35 question test for Technician level for someone with basic knowledge of electrical systems and common sense for safety measures (such as not being dumb enough to attach your ham antenna to a utility pole, lol)? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Newtonian 453 Posted November 7, 2013 Absolutely! Sussex County ARC has a repeater. http://www.scarcnj.org They also have free classes at the OEM/Sheriff's office and also give the exams. Fees for the exam are around $20 I think but you get to take as many test elements as you want and one free repeat if you fail. Thanks! I may stop in one Friday. You say they have classes at the Sheriff's office? You mean the one on High St.? Any info on that, or should I just call them? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Thanks! I may stop in one Friday. You say they have classes at the Sheriff's office? You mean the one on High St.? Any info on that, or should I just call them? You should really ask Sussex County ARC about the classes. I am not a member but a close friend of mine is. It's at the OEM command center and I think they have them every month. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smokin .50 1,907 Posted November 7, 2013 Tech here from way back when code was still needed. Made it to "Technician Plus", which was slang for passing the General written test but couldn't get the code fast enough....that was over 25 years ago now! Keep in mind when the SHTF, even an unlicensed operator can use ham radio IN AN EMERGENCY where life and limb are concerned. More than one ham operator has been saved by a passerby using the ham's radio to call for help....but in the meantime, get your Tech license. Repeaters are fun, but just remember not ALL of them have back-up emergency power, and those that do are often "closed nets" like RACES during the actual emergency. ARRL has or had a little book listing repeaters and owners/locations. Great to keep in the glove box. I'll be "On the side".......... Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Keep in mind when the SHTF, even an unlicensed operator can use ham radio IN AN EMERGENCY where life and limb are concerned. More than one ham operator has been saved by a passerby using the ham's radio to call for help....but in the meantime, get your Tech license. That's true but since ham radio is self policing a lot of hams wouldn't talk to an unlicensed op. But it's really easy to get a license (I would go for General at least, it's not much more difficult than Tech) so why not? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smokin .50 1,907 Posted November 7, 2013 That's true but since ham radio is self policing a lot of hams wouldn't talk to an unlicensed op. But it's really easy to get a license (I would go for General at least, it's not much more difficult than Tech) so why not? Any Ham that wouldn't talk to an unlicensed operator asking for help for an emergency in-progress is an A-Hole. Somebody gets on the horn and is really excited/scared and relays info about a fellow Ham that's in trouble (car in a ditch, no cell service there) WHO WAS JUST ON THE AIR TALKING to another Ham, I'm going to acknowledge them and start asking questions FAST! Likewise if someone reports some other vehicle-related incident. Get info and relay to the Cops. Now if someone is "playing" and Kerchunking a repeater, and then all of a sudden there's a call for help without a previous Ham conversation between two or more Hams, well, that's when you really have to ask questions. Always better to be safe than sorry, so take the info and relay it to proper authorities. "Back in the day" when I was a member of REACT, our Club once handled a report of an accident on a bridge. The roadway was foreign to us, as was the name of the closest town. So we asked what State the caller was in! When the answer came back as "California", on the San Mateo Bridge, we called CHP and told them what they had ( a head-on, with injuries ). Is it illegal to knowingly transmit to another radio operator more than 3,000 miles away, using 27.065 Mhz AM? YES, it IS, UNLESS it's in the course of handling an EMERGENCY! So we worked the skip on CB Channel 9 and helped to SAVE LIVES! Anybody can do the same thing on Ham Radio, as an unlicensed operator! It's even in the RULES! It's ALWAYS better to be licensed, but in a true emergency common sense prevails.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plode 0 Posted November 7, 2013 HAM is something I've been interested in since my first Boy Scout camping trip when I spoke to another new scout in Colorado. It's something I haven't had the money and knowledge to get into. My interest has increased since Sandy. There are classes in the county that I'm looking into. If experienced operators have suggestions I'd love to hear them. I have a few questions: That is the difference between HAM and short wave? Do HAM and/or short wave radios also do Citizens Band? What classes and lisences are needed? Thanks. Some ham bands are shortwave frequencies(HF- High frequency), but shortwave is typically "commercial: broadcasts like BBC or Radio America. What people commonly refer to as shortwave are one way communications. Ham operators are ordinary people transmitting back and forth- like you and I talking. My one ham radio- a HF radio- will do CB frequencies, but I can't use it as it transmits way over the legal limit(and is even over the legal limit on low power)...CB is regulated to 4 watts on AM, and 12 on single side band. There are three classes of Ham radio licenses currently issued to newcomers. Technician is your base license. You get to operate a whole lot of stuff with this, mostly VHF and UHF, and a tiny bit of one HF band. General is the next step up, which gets you the majority of the HF bands. Extra is the highest, allowing you full privileges on the amateur bands. I currently hold a general license. I took the extra exam at the time I took my general exam, but I hadn't studied for the extra portion at all. Still only missed it by 3 questions. I'll eventually upgrade, but I need to get the new book and read up on it. The ARRL has a ton of info on getting licensed, and they also sell all of the books that you could possibly need to study to ensure you pass the test. As most of you know, you don't have to do morse code anymore. http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed Any questions feel free to PM me or post them up and I'll do my best to answer them for you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plode 0 Posted November 7, 2013 I do happen to have an older FT840 that has been opened up and sits ready to go...... My first HF rig was an FT840. I'm into a lot of the digital communication modes, so I wanted something a little more computer friendly. Currently running a Kenwood TS-480SAT. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Any Ham that wouldn't talk to an unlicensed operator asking for help for an emergency in-progress is an A-Hole. Somebody gets on the horn and is really excited/scared and relays info about a fellow Ham that's in trouble (car in a ditch, no cell service there) WHO WAS JUST ON THE AIR TALKING to another Ham, I'm going to acknowledge them and start asking questions FAST! Likewise if someone reports some other vehicle-related incident. Get info and relay to the Cops. Now if someone is "playing" and Kerchunking a repeater, and then all of a sudden there's a call for help without a previous Ham conversation between two or more Hams, well, that's when you really have to ask questions. Always better to be safe than sorry, so take the info and relay it to proper authorities. "Back in the day" when I was a member of REACT, our Club once handled a report of an accident on a bridge. The roadway was foreign to us, as was the name of the closest town. So we asked what State the caller was in! When the answer came back as "California", on the San Mateo Bridge, we called CHP and told them what they had ( a head-on, with injuries ). Is it illegal to knowingly transmit to another radio operator more than 3,000 miles away, using 27.065 Mhz AM? YES, it IS, UNLESS it's in the course of handling an EMERGENCY! So we worked the skip on CB Channel 9 and helped to SAVE LIVES! Anybody can do the same thing on Ham Radio, as an unlicensed operator! It's even in the RULES! It's ALWAYS better to be licensed, but in a true emergency common sense prevails.... Life and death, no doubt 99% will talk to them. Happens all the time, especially with maritime emergencies (pirate attacks usually). But if it's something like a hurricane and unlicensed people pop up on the air afterwards, you will hear "SLIM!!!" It's so easy to get a license. Just do it. I know a guy who had a serious ham station, complete with towers and beam antennas. NO license because he didn't want it. I used to go and operate at his place. That's like having a ferrari and no driver license. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 We are talking licensing in a SHTF situation....? Seems kinda odd to me.......... Ham radio is fun........DAVE you KNOW how much fun im having on 10M lately.......BUT HAM radio for me now is a SHTF comms method......... Also everyone should remember.....the radio doe snot matter that much, its all in the antenna.............. To that end I also subscribe to the stealth method.........simple wire in trees....... Yes. Have your license for several reasons. The BIG reason is to be able to test your gear and actually use it BEFORE SHTF. You have guns, you don't just keep 'em locked up in the safe, do you? No, you take them to the range and convert money into noise. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 There are three classes of Ham radio licenses currently issued to newcomers. Technician is your base license. You get to operate a whole lot of stuff with this, mostly VHF and UHF, and a tiny bit of one HF band. Not really. With Tech you can operate CW on 40, 80 and 15 meters. Even if you don't know the code you can use a computer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Ham radio *IS* part of a prep package........BUT, I have a take on it...... For *ME* as a operator, the part of ham radio I want it HF.......VHF UHF I could care less about........now there is a place for discreet low level short range VHF/UHF ops...call it squad level. What I WANT is HF short hop and long haul comms.......... I am very interested in NVIS in this regard........ I do happen to have an older FT840 that has been opened up and sits ready to go...... I am mostly into contesting and DXing. That said I have a few wire antennas for NVIS. But I am one of the most powerful signals out of North America into Europe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plode 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Not really. With Tech you can operate CW on 40, 80 and 15 meters. Even if you don't know the code you can use a computer. True. I was just speaking generally, as most new tech's I've met don't have an interest in CW, but they do have 3.525-3.600 MHz CW only, 7.025-7.125 MHz CW only, 21.025-21.200 MHz CW only, 28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data(max 200w PEP), 28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone(max 200W PEP). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 True. I was just speaking generally, as most new tech's I've met don't have an interest in CW, but they do have 3.525-3.600 MHz CW only, 7.025-7.125 MHz CW only, 21.025-21.200 MHz CW only, 28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data(max 200w PEP), 28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone(max 200W PEP). I try to encourage newcomers into CW because it is a fun mode, and it is actually more reliable with weak signals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plode 0 Posted November 7, 2013 I try to encourage newcomers into CW because it is a fun mode, and it is actually more reliable with weak signals. I got into PSK31 a lot. I've drifted off and experimented with other modes(JT65), but haven't messed with cw yet. For me, Ham Radio Deluxe doesn't decode CW too well for me. I don't really have an interest in learning it myself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
revenger 472 Posted November 7, 2013 Establishing a 40m /80m "guard" frequency would be a good idea and incorporate a informal net into it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryan_j 0 Posted November 7, 2013 I got into PSK31 a lot. I've drifted off and experimented with other modes(JT65), but haven't messed with cw yet. For me, Ham Radio Deluxe doesn't decode CW too well for me. I don't really have an interest in learning it myself. UA9OV CWGet is a good app to use. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plode 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Establishing a 40m /80m "guard" frequency would be a good idea and incorporate a informal net into it. I'm down for an informal net for NJ gun owners. Tell me a freq and time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dh-wp 0 Posted November 7, 2013 Count me in. I have given two licensing class in the past few years, along with the technician test at the end. So if there was enough serious interest, I could give a class and/or schedule an exam session. Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smokin .50 1,907 Posted November 7, 2013 We are talking licensing in a SHTF situation....? Seems kinda odd to me.......... Ham radio is fun........DAVE you KNOW how much fun im having on 10M lately.......BUT HAM radio for me now is a SHTF comms method......... Also everyone should remember.....the radio doe snot matter that much, its all in the antenna.............. To that end I also subscribe to the stealth method.........simple wire in trees....... Workin' 10 meter skip on the "flat side"? Love it! I love reading your mail Nick! Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites