HAM radio...tech...ish...maybe...not

89wrangler said:
now that fits my budget:rockon:. Have you tried it out yet?
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Yeah, I've got a guy at work that wheels and he's a big HAM guy. He's the one that pointed me in that direction. I was listening to some chat tonight on one of the frequencies. I've not had the opportunity to take it on a trip somewhere yet.
 
LT1JEEP said:
You can listen to the one in Evarts but I don't think you can transmit on it. It is digital trunking or something like that. The radio tech has some kind of code he has to put in your radio to get it to work. I am over the Rescue Squad in Harlan They changed all our radio's about 8 years ago to meet gov reg. I liked the old system better had better reception and range.
Your cell phone will work just about allover the park you might have to get on a point in some places to make a call.
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I'm not saying you're wrong but I've had very spotty service and I have Verizon. The best place for me was on Mason Jar.
 
cranbiz said:
I use repeaterbook to pull the ham repeaters. I update my radio from that when I go on trips, repeater access tones can change, repeaters go down, new ones get added.

There is no one emergency frequency on any of these radios. In fact, the only actual emergency frequencies available would be local public safety, many of which are now 800mhz trunked and not within the capabilities of the cheap chicom radios. And while the local sheriff would help in a true emergency, they will be a mite pissed that you are on their frequency providing that they are still on VHF/UHF.

If safety is paramount when in remote areas, get a Sat Phone. It's probably the only thing that is close to 100% effective.
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Sat phones aren’t even 100% effective. Depends on brand and satellite system used.

Some are geostationary, so you basically need a clear line of sight to the Texas sky.

Others have a series of 9-13 satellites, they aren’t geostationary. But you have periods of time between each satellite passing over with little or no service. Ie: drop your call in the middle of it.

Also sat phones don’t work well with thick canopy cover. Especially if you are in a valley, with hills around. May need to get to the top of a hill for good signal strength.

Sat phones aren’t cheap either. Neither is the plan for buying satellite time.
 
To the OP, excellent topic! Need to drag my gear out and reprogram for the new location, so adding the repeaters in those places would be a good as well!

I'm a "Tech" licensed HAM (as @cranbiz indicated, stoopid simple, I've seen numerous children, including a 4 y/o that passed the test), so personally don't worry about it when on the trail... nor do those "unclean" masses using the freqs cause me any angst. Honestly, I highly doubt anyone is going to bitch about breaking on those repeaters DURING AN EMERGENCY situation...

However, there are documented instances where the FCC has dropped the hammer (read: Federal offenses + 5+digit fine$) for misuse by unlicensed folks.

To me, it's a "Do you feel lucky, punk?" scenario... like (these are purely examples!) not having "emergency brakes" on a trail rig or running a deleted diesel... you know it's "illegal", but do it it any way. Don't bitch about the consequences when busted or injured due to those decisions :beer:
 
Caver Dave said:
To the OP, excellent topic! Need to drag my gear out and reprogram for the new location, so adding the repeaters in those places would be a good as well!

I'm a "Tech" licensed HAM (as @cranbiz indicated, stoopid simple, I've seen numerous children, including a 4 y/o that passed the test), so personally don't worry about it when on the trail... nor do those "unclean" masses using the freqs cause me any angst. Honestly, I highly doubt anyone is going to bitch about breaking on those repeaters DURING AN EMERGENCY situation...

However, there are documented instances where the FCC has dropped the hammer (read: Federal offenses + 5+digit fine$) for misuse by unlicensed folks.

To me, it's a "Do you feel lucky, punk?" scenario... like (these are purely examples!) not having "emergency brakes" on a trail rig or running a deleted diesel... you know it's "illegal", but do it it any way. Don't bitch about the consequences when busted or injured due to those decisions :beer:
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Beadlocks/full hydro/no cats/egr delete/lifted vehicles/ undocumented things that go bang are all the same category for me mentally.
 
@McCracken, great thread!

I've had a UV-5R with an upgraded whip antenna and battery that I got as a deal of the day two years ago.

It collects dust mostly unless there is a hurricane or other event that makes me power it up. I have it programmed with a generic set of channels that I downloaded. These look a lot more useful for comms out in the woods.

And no, I don't have a license. As most have stated you "could" get in trouble. But I think the FCC is probably looking for the guy with the 30 foot mast antenna blaring crap across the net. A little handheld will not even bounce the needle for these guys.
 
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FWIW ive been studying for 2 days.

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Will probably test at the clingman hamfest.

Point being this stuff is super easy to learn and cheap to get going with the basics.
 
Mac5005 said:
#3. I’m not a loudmouth blaring away on channels i know I shouldn’t. I stick to our race freq and frs.
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The "race freqs" are in the commercial band (150-174MHz) and overlap pretty heavily with EMS/Fire/Forest Service/etc. If you're operating in those bands, you don't really know who you're talking over without checking the frequency allocations for your area. The 'dot' frequencies (WXMAN) being an obvious exception - you can talk to the kid at the Wendy's drive-thru on 151.625. Tell him I want a Frosty, please.
 
JSJJ388 said:
FWIW ive been studying for 2 days.

View attachment 324545

Will probably test at the clingman hamfest.

Point being this stuff is super easy to learn and cheap to get going with the basics.
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If Clingman doesn't work out for you, on Sept 26th, my ham radio club is having a test session in Wentworth 9am-1pm. While we like to know if someone is coming, walk in's are welcome.
 
cranbiz said:
If Clingman doesn't work out for you, on Sept 26th, my ham radio club is having a test session in Wentworth 9am-1pm. While we like to know if someone is coming, walk in's are welcome.
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The same with FARC (Forsyth Amateur Radio Club)... meets in W-S at the American Red Cross building monthly
 
Caver Dave said:
The same with FARC (Forsyth Amateur Radio Club)... meets in W-S at the American Red Cross building monthly
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Are they actually doing exams now?

Lots of clubs did them prior covid. I believe we (RCARC - Rockingham County Amateur Radio Club) are one of the few that are now doing them. We have social distancing, seat 6 at a time and the exam is done on a laptop, just like the practice exams. We then sanitize each position before the next examinee takes a seat.

Ran a session on field day, worked out great.
 
cranbiz said:
If Clingman doesn't work out for you, on Sept 26th, my ham radio club is having a test session in Wentworth 9am-1pm. While we like to know if someone is coming, walk in's are welcome.
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Caver Dave said:
The same with FARC (Forsyth Amateur Radio Club)... meets in W-S at the American Red Cross building monthly
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Thanks. Wentworth is too far of a haul, and that's my wife and I s anniversary weekend. I'd love to, but she doesn't need anything else to complain about.

However, ws is close enough. Might even drop by and hang around. I'm looking at the Foothills Amateur Radio Club since its local.
 
cranbiz said:
Are they actually doing exams now?
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Apparently not :(

JSJJ388 said:
However, ws is close enough. Might even drop by and hang around.
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Amateur Radio License Testing Amateur radio testing has been suspended for now due to the national emergency. Testing is normally available for new applicants as well as upgrades. As soon as we can we will resume exams on the 2nd Monday of every month, except December, prior to the FARC regular meeting. Check w4nc.com for updates. The normal starting time is 6:20PM The place is the . Red Cross building on 690 Coliseum Drive in WinstonSalem. Pre-registration is required via e-mail, listing the elements you wish to test for, your phone number and email address. You may pre-register or get additional information via Email to testing@w4nc.com Attention Dale Mierisch WB9SZL Pre-registration is required via email only, testing@w4nc.com - no text messages please, listing your name, call - if you have one, the elements you wish to test for, your phone number and email address. Please note that candidates wishing to upgrade their license MUST bring: A) Their original license for viewing B) Two copies of their Signed license (FCC 660 – May 2007 Form), one of which must be attached to their FCC Form 605. C) The Original CSCE and One Copy of their CSCE if they have a CSCE. D) $12.00[\QUOTE]
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JSJJ388 said:
Thanks. Wentworth is too far of a haul, and that's my wife and I s anniversary weekend. I'd love to, but she doesn't need anything else to complain about.

However, ws is close enough. Might even drop by and hang around. I'm looking at the Foothills Amateur Radio Club since its local.
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I get it. Happy wife, happy life.

We are scheduling them every couple of months right now seeing as we just got testing restarted in Rockingham County. We list the sessions on the ARRL web site and on our website, N4IV.org

@Caver Dave I would love to like your last post but can't because they aren't testing. :mad:
 
update on clingman:

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Tried for extra and got 18 right going in blind. Now I need an hf rig...
 
Congrats .... now you have somethng new to spend too much money on.
I have a whole room of nothing but ham stuff.
Got a callsign yet?

If/when you get a 2m ht we can talk evenn tho I'm in Stokes co.
 
Lizooki said:
Congrats .... now you have somethng new to spend too much money on.
I have a whole room of nothing but ham stuff.
Got a callsign yet?

If/when you get a 2m ht we can talk evenn tho I'm in Stokes co.
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No call sign yet. But have a BF ht that I've been playing with. Ordered a qyt yesterday to try out as well. I did have some fun yesterday and built a 2m dipole to set up. I'm looking forward to getting on the air.
 
Congrats. Nice job.

The QYT is a decent dual band for the money.
 
I just saw that you took an ARRL session. Unfortunately, you probably won't see your call sign in the database for a few weeks. I hope it's sooner than that but the ARRL runs on paper, not electrons and that takes way more time to process.

We do everything electronically thru W5YI and the call signs for all who passed our exam session on the 12th had their call signs in the database on the 17th and that was a couple of days later than normal.

Here is the link to the ULS so you can check your status. License Search

I just saw that the ULS site will be down tomorrow for maintenance.
 
I hold a General license but I am not militant about radio. I do believe one cannot get the right kind of practice without actually using a radio quite a bit (10 fold with HF) and guys who hold to the idea that they will only use it in a breakdown of society or emergency are fooling themselves. There’s a huge learning curve in knowledge, theory, practice and radio etiquette. The way to really know radio is to take 1 night, study online flashcards and take the test. Then use it regularly. ANYBODY can get Tech who has 2 brain cells and General isn’t hard.

That said, guys using marine band in a 4x4 club or FRS at 5w to talk to family working the back 40 doesn’t bother me at all. Chinese radios brought people into a dying hobby and that is a good thing overall.

It does bother me when idiots do childish CB shite like playing sound effects and keying mics to jam repeaters and if I could crush their Baofeng with a jackboot I indeed would.

40m has become almost unusable due to idiot behavior, fudds claiming frequencies as their personal part of the spectrum and overall misuse of equipment (making a quality signal seems a lost concept).

I rarely get on in the last year (we moved you know) but plan to put my awesome offset center fed dipole back up and get my Kenwood HF gear out of boxes soon.
 
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