Posted on 09/11/2009 11:29:39 AM PDT by William of Barsoom
Getting your ham radio license is an idea well worth considering if you think comunications might be restricted under some circumstances.
Such as under a real or imagined (or ginned-up) emergency, which grants the president special authority to control and restrict radio and TV networks, and now possibly the internet as well.
If one secures the entry-level ham license, the "Technician," one will meet other ham radio operators -- many of whom you will discover are quite conservative in their views. One can gather ham radio gear more easiy and quietly both from commercial sources and from other operators. And, one will "learn the ropes" from the local guys. Almost everywhere has an active ham radio club or two, and they happily assist newcomers with license courses and license testing sessions. (There are a few crusty crotchety old crabs, but they are rare and can be ignored.)
The material isn't very difficult. Knowledge of Morse code is no longer required,
I suggest the book, "Ham Radio for Dummies," by Ward Silver, available from The American Radio Relay League (www.ARRL.org) and from Amazon (cheaper). It's a typical "Dummies" black and yellow book, and is a great beginner's low-cost, no-obligation look into what it is, and what you can do with it.
Family groups can use it for routine daily personal communications far beyond the capabilities of old-style CB and the new so-called "Family Radios." It even has some significant advantages compared to cellphones and texting. For example, no "air-time" billing charges or records, and no permanent texting archives stored... ...somewhere.
I have interest in the field, but know nothing.
Only issue is that if something ‘big’ happens, the air waves are off-limit to hams as well (perhaps some RACES traffic, that is all).
That said, one could still remain on the air regardless.
True, but the downside when compared to cellphones is that everybody—at least, anybody with a scanner that can pick up the right bands—can hear your conversation.
The other minor drawback, when you get your license, you have to give your address. That database is public. If you post your FCC callsign on a public forum, anybody can go to the FCC website and look your address up. If you’re paranoid about the government, that to me seems a bigger drawback.
That having been said? Ham radio is a great hobby and like you, I wholeheartedly encourage anybody with an interest in communication to get into it. I’ve held a license for seventeen years now and had a great deal of fun with it. I keep saying I’m going to get more active (I’ve been off the air for several years) but I’m constrained currently by lack of money and equipment. Someday, though, I’ll find room to throw that dipole up in the backyard and buy a gently-used HT at a hamfest and get back at it!
}:-)4
Some antenna info here (beyond VHF/UHF range):
http://www.w0ipl.net/ECom/NVIS/nvis.htm
Radios start at about $100 (VHF/UHF handhelds) or >$500 for HF (see antenna info above).
VHF handie-talkies (or “HTs”) can be bought new for as little as $150, maybe a bit less. They transmit in the 144-148 MHz, or “2-meter” band. They’re good for simple local communications, extended through the use of repeaters, similar to the way public safety communications work.
A bigger base station that covers the HF frequencies, under 30 MHz, can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars used to over $5,000 new. The newest ones are amazing technological marvels, really. You don’t need a big tower in your backyard, simple wire antennas strung up in a tree can be very effective and get you around the world if conditions are right. HF communications are highly dependent on atmospheric conditions and sunspots, and considering we are STILL at the very bottom of a sunspot cycle, they aren’t always that great right now.
}:-)4
Find a local “Elmer” (ham who will teach newcomers), they can teach you more than a book or class environment. Many X-mil personnel around the country.
Find a local Ham Club. Best place to ask is you EMS friends, local Red Cross, or 2-way shops. They nearly always know who to talk to.
73 de
TF
“And do you need one of those antennas (50-ft tower or so)?”
I worked all 50 states on three modes (voice, Morse Code, and Radio-Teletype) using a 30 foot piece of 12 gauge wire and an antenna tuner (ARRL calls it a Triple Play in their awards program). I also talked to over 130 countries using this same piece of wire. I’m limited to stealth antennas because I’m in a dreaded deed restricted community.
WT4Y
Thanks for the info!
Had one for quite some time now.
Very enjoyable hobby but not for everyone.
IMHO the new new giveaway licenses are a REAL danger.
This recently crossed my mind too. Thanks for the info.
That is true for Ham operators, but another option is CB (Citizen's Band). It operates on the 11 meter short wave band between 26.965 MHz and 27.405 MHz. There are 40 main channels available, but with Single Side Band (SSB) transceivers you can effectiviely triple that. Range is limited (I've talked coast to coast when weather conditions are right) at standard output, but it does not require a license anymore.
Call Sign: K6CUK, Licensee ID: L00938390
Grant Date: 11/10/2004, Expiration Date: 01/31/2015, Certifier: Robert Hayos
Registrant: Robert Hayos, 1502 E Sycamore Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: K6PWI, Licensee ID: L00851190
Grant Date: 04/22/2004, Expiration Date: 04/22/2014, Certifier: Merrick W Creagh Iii
Registrant: Merrick W Creagh Iii, 433 West Maple Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KA6GUF
Grant Date: 02/05/1996, Expiration Date: 02/05/2006, Cancelation Date: 02/06/2008
Registrant: Samuel F Gilbert, 847 Pepper St, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KA6UYS
Grant Date: 04/12/1988, Expiration Date: 04/12/1998, Cancelation Date: 04/13/2000
Registrant: David B Schneider, 323 1/2 Richmond St, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KA9NHM
Grant Date: 01/19/1988, Expiration Date: 01/19/1998, Cancelation Date: 01/20/2000
Registrant: Richard J Crowell, 839 Hillcrest, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KB7MMH, Licensee ID: L00610444
Grant Date: 12/20/2002, Expiration Date: 02/02/2013
Registrant: Nathan L Cox, 953 Loma Vista Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KB9ZW, Previous Call Sign: WB9LYX
Grant Date: 11/22/1988, Expiration Date: 11/22/1998, Cancelation Date: 11/28/2000
Registrant: Robert W Stewart, 627 W Elm Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KC5ZCN, Licensee ID: L01088253
Grant Date: 01/23/2007, Expiration Date: 02/24/2017
Registrant: Frederick W Percival Jr, 214 Main St., Box 102, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KC6BBW
Grant Date: 12/06/1988, Expiration Date: 12/06/1998, Cancelation Date: 12/07/2000
Registrant: Carl E Gram, 531 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KC6BDN, Licensee ID: L01453350
Grant Date: 12/18/2008, Expiration Date: 03/08/2019, Certifier: Alfonso Morales
Registrant: Alfonso Morales, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KC6MGC, Licensee ID: L00246579
Grant Date: 05/30/2000, Expiration Date: 08/14/2010
Registrant: Dan Marks, 711 W Palm Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KC6RAG
Grant Date: 03/12/1991, Expiration Date: 03/12/2001, Cancelation Date: 03/13/2003
Registrant: Madelyn L Bennett, 770 W Imperial N 2, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KC6RAU
Grant Date: 01/22/1991, Expiration Date: 01/22/2001, Cancelation Date: 01/23/2003
Registrant: Timothy E Holden, 501 Center St 19, El Segundo, CA 90245
Call Sign: KC6RHE, Licensee ID: L00370521
Grant Date: 06/22/2001, Expiration Date: 07/09/2011
Registrant: Don T Webster, 527 Richmond St, El Segundo, CA 90245
.......................
127 entries, and it took 25 seconds to get.
I have a nice older reciever but it doesnt transmit.
haven’t used it in years though.
Been there, done that. All I can say is that 40 meters isn’t worth a crap until we get some sun spots back!:) How ever, very reliable communication can be had on 2 meters and lower(lower in the sense the wave length is shorter)and there are repeaters across the country so you can talk a long distance on these 2 meter rigs. I have been a ham for a long, long time(remember tubes?).
A good working new or gently used HF transceiver can be readily found for under $500, and a simple wire antenna that can be made for a few dollars worth of parts from the hardware store is all that’s needed for world wide communications. Amateur radio uses the ionosphere to reflect signals (skip) across vast distances much like the AM radio stations you hear after dark, when even the AM broadcast band can support skywave propagation. It’s the only form of communication that doesn’t rely on infrastructure (such as cell towers, landlines, undersea cables, microwave relays, etc) provided and controlled by others. A low power HF radio is smaller than a laptop, can run from 12 volt battery or renewable power sources, and both voice and digital comms are possible.
Ham Radio and find out more.
ping
One of my most-often used radios is a 5-watt 2-meter walkie-talkie, made by Alinco, that I bought for $30 at a ham-fest.
The 2-meter band is 144-148 MHz, and carries a LOT of ham radio via “repeaters,” which are “re-transmitters” that sit on a high place — mountain, tall building — and relay in realtime between to low-power stations that otherwise would not hear each other directly.
Some repeaters cover a town, some cover tens of miles, and some cover out to fifty to sixty miles, in a big circle in all directions. Two little peanut-whistle walkie talkies could communicate through such a repeater from anywhere to anywhere within the repeaer’s coverage area.
The rest of the story, I’ll suggest you consult the book I cited. But cost isn’t a big deal. You CAN put in thousands, and get VERY complex radios with dozens of features and doo-dads. But “simple” is best — especially for a beginner. And older radios are simpler and cheaper y far — and work just fine.
Don't expect the internet to stay up and open in case of obama declaring an emergency .
The laws have long allowed for use of any radio regardless of license if necessary to preserve life and property(like a sinking ship)but that doesn't mean they won't confiscate the "illegal" radio afterwards;as in the case of a California ham who call for help on a police channel using his modified 2 meter radio.
But for people who store thousands of dollars of emergency rations,and survival gear,spending another $1000 or less on any of several hf/vhf/uhf transceivers with general coverage receivers might be prudent.
Only independent units can be counted on if through gov't or other calamities the networks are shut down.That means independent power ,too.
“They” already know who you are. The info in the FCC database is very, very basic. Little more than name and address. One look at your mailbox, and “they” know as much. The guy who fixes your car, or your bartender knows more about you.
The listnership with scanners is vanishingly small. It’s possible, of course; but I’ve been a ham since 1959 and never yet met a non-ham who eavesdropped with a scanner. They could easily enough, but they just don’t.
Let me say this: if “it” happened tomorrow, and the radio and TV nets were either silenced or heavily constrained, you’ll wish you had set it up today.
I believe events are converging, and September and October will see momentous events.
...for what that may be worth.
I think that insults newcomers. Nobody is born knowing this stuff. Everybody has a “square one.”
You begin. You get a book. You talk to a few people. Over time, you develop.
Even the lowest license is earned — not given away — by reading and effort.
Several other very worthy radio services are either license-free, or just a name & address formality. Marine VHF, “M.U.R.S.”, Class A (UHF) CB, Family Radio, CB, Aircraft Pilot’s Radio License — a few others.
Even at the lowest level, one takes a test before honest fellow ham examiners. That’s a lot harder, and not a give-away.
Throw a piece of wire over a tree, and hook it up.
99.99% of all useful intel comes from listening. Only.
The Nazis also discouraged the use of ordinary AM broadcast receivers as well, and encouraged the adoption of "Drahtfunk", or cable radio connected to landlines, much like modern internet radio.
The rationale was that the British were broadcasting fake 'all clear' announcements when bombing was imminent, the real reason was Nazi control of information and irritation with BBC counter-propaganda broadcasts.
127’ foot “80-Meter” (3.84 MHz) dipole fed in the center just laying on the roof in a big S-curve shape on a single story wood-frame structure works for me; even a little bit better if you can hoist the center up 10’ off the roof.
There are 40 main channels available, but with Single Side Band (SSB) transceivers you can effectiviely triple that.Mention should be made that operating outside the normal 'forty' is frowned on (literally: it's illegal) and could earn one a 'citation' (infrequently a fine)
Placemarker
Thanks for your quite timely post.
I am taking the test at 9:00am tomorrow morning.
Something I have been putting off for years (since having a novice license 45 years ago). I feel that even if they ban transmissions, having your ears tuned worldwide can be very beneficial in such circumstances. Knowledge is power...
An excellent online resource is:
The questions are all standardized multiple choice and the test consists of 35 questions from the pool of about 395 questions. The link above generates tests and grades them, along with showing you the correct answer for ones you missed.
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.
Let me add this to the info-stream:
we have a good-sized group that meets on 3840 kHz (3.840 MHz) LSB (lower sideband of course in the 80 M band!) receivable in the SW and central states down into Tejas from about 7:30 AM until 9:00 to 9:30 AM every day of the week.
Side Band operation is perfectly legal in addition to the 40 AM channelsTrue; I was thinking 'freebanding'/freebanders ... sometimes they will splatter 10 Meters and that gets some of us to DFing the 'source' ...
I don't understand. What would be considered "big"... What does RACES stand for?
Good reminders; I lived in such an environment where fellow hams were detained and ‘visited’ at home more than once.
The hobby is certainly not THE answer, just a small piece of it, as with it (if one so desire), come skills that, well, are good to have!
Try also The North Carolina SSB Net every night at 7:30 pm on 3.938 MHz. Plan on staying awhile. These guys often talk into the wee small hours, and quite a few are retired military or have other interesting histories. They can get a bit obstreporous at times, but they’re usually pretty interesting. They have folks come by from Maine to Florida and as far inland as Missouri some nights.
Been there, done that, but not recently. Worst thing I do now is use a tube linear (once in a while). Built it myself back in 1974, and it still works. ;~)
The easy-access public callsign database is why I never opted for the call-sign license plates.
“Big” in the noted context would mean a declared emergency where the gooberment moves into ‘war mode’ if you will.
RACES is Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, in some areas now known with various other (wider scope) acronyms.
Info here: http://www.usraces.org/
Thanks!
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. Try RACES and also ARES on wikipedia for more.
What’s “big.” Nobody knows for sure. General wisdom today is a presidential declaration and silencing is unlikely in the extreme. Besides, as I said, 99.99% of good intel comes from listening. Only.
Vietnam, Korea, the World Trade Center, Iraq, and everything else since WW2 haven’t caused a presidential declaration. As a practical matter there’s no way it could be enforced anyway. Perhaps our current president would send you a very sternly and firmly worded letter.
Where’s the key????
Ham radio was shut down totally during WW-I and WW-2. Nothing would stop Obama from shutting it down again in a “emergency” situation.
Let him try.
I have considered purchasing a used 2M portable to use (for transmitting) ONLY during emergencies (unlicensed). Who cares if I have an FCC license if WW3 or CW2 is going on? Especially if a totalitarian government is making the rules! Good thing about analog radio -- there is no IP/ethernet address to trace, and if you are on the move, no usable triangulation.
Trangulation needs a trianglaTOR. Trust me: they’ll be busy with Other Stuff unless you ARE that Other Stuff. (Unlikely.)
‘I have considered purchasing a used 2M portable...’
Lots of inexpensive gear out there as the new/spiffy ones come out.
Some people I talk to from time to time are thinking the same. For years folks from Mexico have used 2m rigs illegally over there, so is not a novel idea, but is effective.
Wanna hear something crazy? Wanna know why I picked William of Barsoom?
“Barsoom” is Edgar Rice Burrough’s name for Mars — the thing the actual Martians called themselves.
Since I was a kid, and a new Novice ham, I wanted to talk to Mars — humans on Mars — before I passed away.
I still have that hope.
With each passing day these days that seems less likely. But I’ll hang on as long as I can...
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