Posted on 11/24/2011 8:07:46 PM PST by SpaceBar
The newest trend in American communication isn't another smartphone from Apple or Google but one of the elder statesmen of communication: Ham radio licenses are at an all time high, with over 700,000 licenses in the United States, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
Ham radio first took the nation by storm nearly a hundred years ago. Last month the FCC logged 700,314 licenses, with nearly 40,000 new ones in the last five years. Compare that with 2005 when only 662,600 people hammed it up and you'll see why the American Radio Relay League -- the authority on all things ham -- is calling it a "golden age." "Over the last five years we've had 20-25,000 new hams a year," Allen Pitts, a spokesman for the group, told FoxNews.com.
The unusual slang term -- a "ham" is more properly known as an amateur radio operator -- described a poor operator when the first wireless operators started out in the early 1900s. At that time, government and coastal ships would have to compete with amateurs for signal time, because stations all battled for the same radio wavelength. Frustrated commercial operators called the amateurs “hams” and complained that they jammed up the signal...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
No morse code required?
In the event of an economic or national collapse, it may well be the only way to communicate.
Not for several years. Licenses are administered by volunteer examiners near you. www.arrl.org for info.
Over 40 years and still havin’ fun with radio every day
Nope. That requirement was dropped. The entry level license (Technician) requires you to answer 35 questions with a 70 percent passing grade.
Been in this hobby for almost 55 years and enjoy it everyday.
A Morse code test is no longer a required part of the Ham radio tests. It still is one helluva lot of fun, though: My buddy just chatted from Denver to Paris on a 2 watt Morse rig.
Tried to study the book, you guys are a bunch of science geek geniuses!
I admire you all:) It’s really great fun to listen though:)
Well it is time for me to get active again.
Thanks for the post.
I’m a ham, been licensed since 1990.
I’ve been thinking of buying a ham radio myself. Now I know what to ask for this coming Christmas!
When the untelevized revolution arrives, as it is scheduled to come, they’ll become indispensable!
Any recommendations on what equipment to start out with?
SHTF preps?
“In the event of an economic or national collapse, it may well be the only way to communicate.”
John has a long mustache. John has a long mustache. The chair is against the wall. The chair is against the wall.
No morse code required?
Nope. That requirement was dropped
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Guess I won’t have to find that Vibroflex after all.
Of course us old ‘sparkies’ will rule the world when the current fad of phones and internet runs its course.
Kind of like keeping a supply of buggy whips on hand.
But, keep screwing with the fuel supply and buggy whips will be back in demand.....
Still long for the ‘cans’ and ‘bug’ days...
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“No morse code required?
Nope. That requirement was dropped.”
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Sorry to hear that. It will open the gates to the CB types.
DE W4EX...first license in 1958.
DXCC top of the honor roll.
Now inactive from the Philippines
Bookmark
Morse?
My license has the certification for that. Advanced since 1976, Extra since 1985. Commercial later.
LOL!
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