HAM Radio

[Chris]

Everyone needs a Ham radio in their truck so here's a deal.

Deatails - http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-010077

$75/OBO

I probably have a magnetic antenna for it as well.

[Hypoid]

I am interested, but if somebody puts money in your hand first, they own it.

[Tom]

Nice. Love to own it but can't right now.

[ILuvtheMountains]

Wish I was licensed!

[Chris]

SOLD!

[Chris]

NativeTaco previously posted:

[Bob]

Hi NativeTaco, and anyone else in the club-

I'm a Ham (Extra Class) and an electrical engineer. I would be happy to help you get your license. As Chris said the entry level (Technician) license isn't that hard to get, but if you need some tutoring or other assistance let me know. By the way, you don't need to learn Morse code anymore to pass the test.

[ILuvtheMountains]

Thanks bob! I have been thinking about getting HAM certified because the signal has so much more range and clarity (from what I have been told). Problem is that I just bought and installed my cb not long ago. I know I can sell my cb unit easily, but will my cb antenna work with a HAM unit?

[alexb]

NativeTaco previously posted:

[Bob]

NativeTaco previously posted:

[Chris]

Bob's spot on, what I did was use an NMO mount to swap antennas depending on which I wanted to use. Best to be able to use both at any time though. CB's are the standard for trail use and it'll be a long time before Hams replace them IMHO.

[Max]

I wouldn't mind getting a license. Maybe someone should do a clinic.

[Chris]

They exist Max, http://www.w0tx.org/classes.htm

You really don't need them for the technician license as already mentioned just use the online test to study.

[Bob]

In addition to the resources Chris mentioned above, I ran across a really nice FREE tutorial and exam answer combination book. It's online in PDF form at

http://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uplo...guide-v1.0.pdf

I think studying this and then taking one of the online practice exams would work well. He also has guides for other license classes and other interesting stuff.

Again I'm happy to help anyone in the club get licensed. Let me know if you want to know more about it, or have technical questions, or need some help finding exam locations, or whatever.

On edit: forgot to put this link in to the ARRL (the main US amateur radio organization) section on getting licensed

http://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training

[4Runninfun]

Great topic!

I've been thinking about getting a HAM radio. Just haven't found time to sit down and do it. I have a few questions...

How many different classifications of licenses are there? And what does one get you that another one doesn't?

How much should I be looking at for a unit? Nothing super fancy but would rather pay a little more upfront and not have to replace later.

How useful is it real world. For example I tend to wheel alone, a lot, would it really be usefully for getting help if needed out in lets say canyonlands in UT?

Thanks!

[Bob]

Ok, long response coming!

There are presently three license classes, Technician, General and Amateur Extra, going from fewest privileges to most and easiest to hardest test requirements. Basically, Technician confers operating privileges on VHF, UHF and higher bands, with a few tiny segments on HF (short wave) for continental and global communications by "bouncing" off the ionosphere. General can use more of the HF bands and Extra can use all of the bands.

VHF/UHF signals propagate more or less in a line of sight manner. But VHF/UHF can reflect and refract off of objects and large rocks and goes much further near the ground than CB, so in a canyon or behind a hill one may still get a signal out where CB could not. VHF/UHF signals don’t (usually) bounce off the ionosphere and go hundreds or thousands of miles, so there is no “skip” covering up the desired signal as happens with CB.

A basic but very capable new VHF transceiver with up to 50 watt output can be had for $200 and a typical antenna and mount would be around another $70, so a nice new mobile station can be had for under $300. Of course you can often get good deals on used gear, like the bargain Chris had above.

I think it's very useful in the real world. As you probably know cell phone coverage is almost non-existent away from towns and major highways. Besides talking directly to other hams with much more range and clarity than CB, you can use repeaters. Here in the west we have mountains, and there are clubs of hams that put VHF/UHF repeaters on them that can cover very wide areas. There are few places in Colorado or Utah that are not within range of a repeater, except perhaps some of the plains where the repeater can only be on a tall tower.

This means that your mobile station can transmit to the repeater on a mountain, which receives your signal and rebroadcasts it with much higher power and a much better antenna on a slightly different frequency so that any ham within the coverage of the repeater can talk to you in the same manner. Some repeaters are “linked” in systems so that your signal gets repeated from mountain to mountain and ultimately covers a huge region. Some repeaters maintain a "patch" that connects directly into the telephone system, and the radio microphone has a touch-tone keypad for this purpose.

There is usually someone listening on the repeater, so an emergency call (by saying “mayday mayday mayday”) will most likely be answered quickly. A prime reason that government allocates radio spectrum to amateur radio operators is to handle emergencies when other communications systems can’t, such as during disasters. So, hams take emergency communications and other public service very seriously. I always have my VHF radio with me in the backcountry, either the unit in the vehicle or a hand-held version (walkie talkie), and a list of repeaters in addition to having them programmed in to the radio ahead of time.

There are some other communication alternatives, like the SPOT satellite system, but the communications are limited to preloaded messages (including an emergency distress signal) and tracking of your GPS location. Some of the newer ones allow your cell phone to work with them to send a text message. There is a monthly or yearly recurring charge though. A satellite phone is the best, better than a ham radio, as it works anywhere (except near the poles) but costs a bundle to buy or rent plus time charges. Depending on your needs and budget, one of these might be better than a ham radio.

[4Runninfun]

That was a long response! Thank you! I need to sit down and just get the test done. I really want the ability to communicate while out in the back-country.

[Bob]

4RunningFun, if I can help with that let me know!


After re-reading my post, I want to make sure that my enthusiasm doesn’t unintentionally mislead anyone into thinking that ham radio is best everywhere and for everyone in all situations-it isn’t.


For example, if you anticipate the need to call someone to help with your disabled vehicle on a trail, then ham radio might be just right. On the other hand if you anticipate something like being alone with a broken leg or worse in the bottom of a ravine in the middle of nowhere, then a satellite solution to alert search and rescue with your GPS coordinates is the best.


DeLorme makes inReach, a SPOT-like sat device that also has two-way messaging (cool!), but like SPOT requires subscription fees to work. One nice thing about these is you can text message directly to the phone or email of person(s) you wish. I’ve seen reviews though where they malfunctioned or messages were not delivered.


There is also a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). A PLB is a rugged emergency device that does one thing: send a distress signal and GPS coordinates to a satellite for search and rescue. They cost about $300 and don’t require any other fees.

Happy trails!

[4Runninfun]

Thanks! I'll let you know if I run into any problems.

Bob previously posted:

[Bob]

4Runninfun previously posted: