NorthWind Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 Do we have any hams here? I am considering getting my license. Just looking for any tips or info, positive or negative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClamCop369 Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 Yes, Ham here. Callsign is N4NMK. Getting your license is easier than ever you no longer have to know Morse code. There are many free study guides available on the internet. Your local Ham club provides the testing. Hope this helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 A good source of info is The American Radio Relay League, Inc.. Visit http://www.arrl.org/home You can buy the Ham Radio License Manual and study without being in front of a computer monitor. I do not have a license but I have the study guide. I am not sure if Jodie Foster belongs to ARRL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWind Posted April 19, 2022 Author Share Posted April 19, 2022 3 minutes ago, Catmandoo said: A good source of info is The American Radio Relay League, Inc.. Visit http://www.arrl.org/home You can buy the Ham Radio License Manual and study without being in front of a computer monitor. I do not have a license but I have the study guide. I am not sure if Jodie Foster belongs to ARRL. Thanks for the info, both of you! I have my GMRS license, but not Ham. Yet! Book ordered, I appreciate it. Jodie Foster? Are you referring to the movie "Contact"? She did a great job in that, but she will always be Clarice Starling to me. @ClamCop369 do you have all three certs? I also have an RTL-SDR on the way because I'd like to just poke around a little while I learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SasquatchPA Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 8 hours ago, NorthWind said: Do we have any hams here? I am considering getting my license. Just looking for any tips or info, positive or negative. My dad is a ham. I grew up going to hamfests. Dad had a number of articles published in the ARRL magazine over the years. I like you have my GMRS license and now would like to w my Ham license. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWind Posted April 19, 2022 Author Share Posted April 19, 2022 You should get it! Who knows, we may need it in the near future. If for nothing else but to communicate with other people out on the trail. CB. GMRS. And ham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SasquatchPA Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 7 minutes ago, NorthWind said: You should get it! Who knows, we may need it in the near future. If for nothing else but to communicate with other people out on the trail. CB. GMRS. And ham. In 1972 when hurricane Agnes came through central PA my dad set up the emergency communications for our county. He maned the station for about a week during that disaster. The Governor sent him a letter of appreciation for that. A Ham license is certainly a great thing to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiiawiwb Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 The simple truth is I am ignorant about all matters related to a ham radio and it use. Is it something small and light enough that you can haul it hither and yon? All I can think of is Rambo movies where one is used to communicate. It struck me as something rather large and heavy but maybe I'm confusing it with something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SasquatchPA Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 3 minutes ago, wiiawiwb said: The simple truth is I am ignorant about all matters related to a ham radio and it use. Is it something small and light enough that you can haul it hither and yon? All I can think of is Rambo movies where one is used to communicate. It struck me as something rather large and heavy but maybe I'm confusing it with something else. There are many different bands. While the larger radios are certainly part of Ham radio, Mobile and handheld units using terrestrial repeaters are also common place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 1 hour ago, NorthWind said: Jodie Foster? Are you referring to the movie "Contact"? Very good tastes in movies. " Ellie Arroway" was W9GFO in the movie. It is a real call sign. The original holder was deceased when the movie was made so no one complained. The call sign was picked up as a vanity license after the movie was made. I don't like lamb. 1 hour ago, NorthWind said: You should get it! Who knows, we may need it in the near future. When the satellites fail, the cell towers fail, land phone lines lose power, we will have HAM radio operators still fucntioning all over the world. CB radio for local calls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incorrigible1 Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 I've seen your jokes, NorthWind. You're already a ham! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWind Posted April 19, 2022 Author Share Posted April 19, 2022 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Incorrigible1 said: I've seen your jokes, NorthWind. You're already a ham! Good one, Inc! And @Catmandoo, for the film, Jodie Foster had to know Morse, because her dad was played by David Morse. Edited April 19, 2022 by NorthWind To add a really bad joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiiawiwb Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 12 hours ago, SasquatchPA said: There are many different bands. While the larger radios are certainly part of Ham radio, Mobile and handheld units using terrestrial repeaters are also common place. Do ham radios transmit and receive in a dense forest or does one need an open area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SasquatchPA Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 2 hours ago, wiiawiwb said: Do ham radios transmit and receive in a dense forest or does one need an open area? This is difficult to answer. How far do you want to communicate? Certainly dense forest does absorb rf signals. The nice thing about amateur radio is that you can operate at a lower frequency band then GMRS and there are Ham mobile units with 50 watts output. CB has lower RF frequencies yet but have a maximum of 4 watts AM and 12 watts SSB. Since I do not have my license I can’t speak from first hand experience. I can only go off of my dads info and a few friends. I have a very good friend in Utah that specifically got his ham license for off road use as he was not happy with CB or GMRS. He has not looked back. The biggest drawback to Amateur radio is the license. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norseman Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 As a redneck trucker I just wait for the proper atmospheric conditions to skip…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts