Amateur Radio

Vanity | Sep 11, 2009 | Self

[William of Barsoom]

Getting your ham radio license is an idea well worth considering if you think comunications might be restricted under some circumstances.

[Clinging Bitterly]

Two things:

In the event TSHTF, I’m not going to care so much about government blackouts or who’s licensed. What I do will be MY decision based on the particular circumstances.

That said, operator skill is a good thing to have and you get that from experience. So, I’d advise anyone who has the interest, get licensed and operate legally, gain the experience.

[Senior Chief]

Doesn’t it defeat the purpose by getting a license? If you have a license, they can find you...kind of like regestering all your firearms with the fed.

[_Jim]

The North Carolina SSB Net every night at 7:30 pm on 3.938 MHz.

I'll give it a listen; my modest power level would probably preclude throwing much of a readable signal considering QRM on the band from the +KW 'big guns'

[_Jim]

That said, operator skill is a good thing to have and you get that from experience. So, I’d advise anyone who has the interest, get licensed and operate legally, gain the experience.

Well said.

[cyborg]

Look honey...here’s someone after your own heart (the glass of beer in the lower right corner!)

[charmedone]

Side Band operation is perfectly legal in addition to the 40 AM channels. But, yeah, if you go there be prepared to be walked on.

Also be prepared to have your ears scorched with F-bombs etc. In 53 years of hamming, I have yet to hear the “F” word. But CB does have its uses. Come to think of it, so do jail cells. LOL

[steve86]

So, I’d advise anyone who has the interest, get licensed and operate legally, gain the experience.

Generally good advice, but I want to remain anonymous in this regard plus I've been listening to ham and shortwave bands for what, 40 years, and using other types of radios such as aviation. Think I can push the talk button.

[_Jim]

Adding to the info-stream again; the 3840 frequency can be monitored via internet in the mornings at this link:

http://www.3819khz.net/listen.htm (Yes, it says 3819, don't let this throw you; 3840 will be active starting about 7:45 AM CDT)

The receiver will be on various frequencies day and night, with 3840 kHz selected usually sometime after 7:30 AM CDT (central) time until 9:00 AM

[charmedone]

“Nothing would stop Obama from shutting it down again in a “emergency” situation.”

Hams were willing to follow the ‘leader’ in 1941. Such is NOT the case today.

[kalee]

ping

[Clinging Bitterly]

Advanced Class is fully grandfathered (for now), and you still have the same sub bands beyond what Generals have.

I think it may have been you who mentioned the FT-817 to me once before. It would be nice if somebody made a solid state all band brick amp for those, say 50-100 Watts. Are you on an upper floor or close to the ground? If you're interested I can throw you a link to the plan for an all wire, no counterpoise, zepp type antenna that might be a good candidate for dropping out the window at night, might get you somewhere. The low power is tough but 40M & 20M are always open to somewhere.

[roses of sharon]

Bookmarking.

[_Jim]

Think I can push the talk button.

True, but this is on generally been on pretty simple to operate gear - no?

Experience with the HF, long range stuff includes antenna tuning, amplifier (500+ watt) tuning and operating, different modes including keyboard to keyboard modes like RTTY and PSK31 ...

[mad_as_he$$]

Why would you get a license?

[mad_as_he$$]

“The Tubes” or “tubes” - unfortunately I remember both.

[calex59]

Yep, but they were easy to change and they gave out great audio, but oh, the heat and the size of them:) Not to mention the plate voltage which would fry a person:).

[Clinging Bitterly]

Well, if you just want to operate a VHF HT, perhaps. A lot of the old timers who built their own gear call us new guys, who have been at it only 30 years or so, appliance operators. But I can tell you there’s much more to it than that, even with the supposedly simple stuff.

[mad_as_he$$]

I have a friend who still has a “HiFi” that is all tubes. At the end of the era he scoured the country and bought up every tube he could find that fit his unit. The sound is truly different and in many ways richer than solid state.

[calex59]

Yes, the audio is different from a tube. That was one reason Ham Radios kept tubes longer than they should have. Another reason of course was the transistors couldn’t hold up under the power needed to transmit 100 watts or better. Last I heard you could get tubes from China, you might tell your friend that.I don’t know how good they are.

[DYngbld]

THE XYL and I both have ours, KE4HTS/KB0VFX. All the kids are working on their tickets. I have as many radios as I do firearms in this house.