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VANITY: Recommendation for Ham Radio starter kit
Vanity ^ | 1-10-2021 | Vanity

Posted on 01/10/2021 5:35:47 AM PST by OKSooner

This topic has come up at least a couple of times in the last few weeks; I'd like to bring it up once more for one's own selfish needs.

One is interested in a starter Ham radio kit that for now will be used as a receiver only at home.

Later, one might wish to get the FCC license and acquire the means to transmit also but for now the interest is in a receiver with the following specs:

Reasonably portable, battery power capability would be nice. Scans available radio bands for traffic if possible. Made by a reputable manufacturer located ANYWHERE ON THIS PLANET EXCEPT CHINA. (I.E. USA or Japan, most likely.) Any reasonable difference in cost would be justifiable...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: hamradio
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To: beef

ACAB!
Nice “turn” of a Chant
By Libtards!


61 posted on 01/10/2021 8:25:01 AM PST by Big Red Badger (Disappeared )
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To: TexasGunLover

For starters look at KB6NU’s web site. https://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/
The Technician book is a free download in pdf format. https://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-no-nonsense-tech-study-guide-v1-1.pdf The General and Amateur Extra books are $10 downloads. Most prep books are just lists of the pool of questions and the available answers. His book is far different, in that he covers every question on the test along with the correct answers, but accomplishes this by providing a coherent text which actually explains and lets you understand the concepts, instead of simply memorizing the correct question/answer pairs. I read and reread all three License Guides last winter, the took all three tests in one session.

My starter rig was a YAESU FT-2980R Currently about $150. https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-015771
Add an antenna and you have a solid 2 meter communication rig. The handhelds will nominally get you on the air, but their utility is very limited. If you seriously want to communicate, look at a rig like this which can be used either mobile, or as a base station at home.

AG5YS


62 posted on 01/10/2021 8:30:21 AM PST by daifu
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To: OKSooner

“KISS” is the Key,
I been in radio All
My life and “HAMS”
are a different breed.
.
Yes, I have a Tech license.


63 posted on 01/10/2021 8:34:08 AM PST by Big Red Badger (Disappeared )
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To: AF_Blue

bfl


64 posted on 01/10/2021 8:42:10 AM PST by AF_Blue (My decision-making skills closely resemble those of a squirrel when crossing a road)
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To: RinaseaofDs

I have been looking at the BaoFeng UV-82HP.
What is the difference with the UV-82c?


65 posted on 01/10/2021 8:46:31 AM PST by freds6girlies (many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Mt. 19:30. R.I.P. G & J)
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To: T-Bird45

You can just strip the end off your coax hang it in a tree or out your window
It’s lenght has to be right for the frequency for 2 meter band just off the top of my head, I think is trimmed to 19 inches.

You can do this for any frequency until you start getting into giga hrz.


66 posted on 01/10/2021 9:07:27 AM PST by 4bye4
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To: sauropod

crystal radio basic https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Basic+Crystal+Radio&&view=detail&mid=B2C03FD58D0D75545131B2C03FD58D0D75545131&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DBasic%2BCrystal%2BRadio%26FORM%3DVDMHRS

Contact your local Ham Clubs. Might try the basic crystal radio kit. Also suggest a Faraday cage for your electronics.

Not my forte, but hubby’s, he is an Extra, teaches Extra classes for a local Ham Club, the Math/Electronic part, he is a Ret. 20 yr Navy Vet, 20 yr Electronic/Math Prof.

At 80 not into politics.


67 posted on 01/10/2021 9:15:48 AM PST by GailA (Constitution vs evil Treasonous political Apparatchiks)
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To: Ouderkirk
I know you're joking. There are snitches in ham radio that will report you and the FCC will track you down by triangulation . Once they find you they will take your station and hit you with a 20 k fine.

Unfortunately there are a lot of trolls in amateur radio, just like the internet. It is a great hobby .
It is a good idea to read the arrl (American radio rely league )website and go to local ham radio meetings to find an Elmer to help you.

68 posted on 01/10/2021 10:01:12 AM PST by pterional (scorched earth)
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To: metmom
I like the idea of getting a receiver only, something with which just to listen for the time being.

Understandable. However, if you decide later on that you like to transmit, then you'll be buying another device, and probably won't have a whole lot of use for the receiver. OTOH, just being able to listen in might be 'good enough' for your purposes.

69 posted on 01/10/2021 10:14:49 AM PST by zeugma (Stop deluding yourself that America is still a free country.)
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On thing I'd like to point out about HAM operations, especially to newbies just considering it for SHTF-type scenarios is that locating a broadcasting station is trivial. Amateur radio clubs do this all the time. They call it a 'fox hunt'. Someone sets up in an unknown location, and folks from the club use their radios to triangulate upon the transmitter. It's kinda fun.

If you believe that the NSA/FBI/CIA, with all of their untold 'black' multi-billion dollar budgets don't already have automated systems in place to very quickly pinpoint even relatively short transmissions, I have a bridge or two for sale that you might be interested in. Such a system and the associated software to manage it wouldn't even be a rounding error for these anti-american agencies.

One bit of advise would be to buy, in addition to actual HAM gear are a bunch of effectively 'disposable' two-way radios that work on CB or similar frequencies. Some of these have pretty decent reach considering what they are, and having something that you can use, drop, and walk away from might be very useful.

I believe we are entering the terminal phases of this republic. The leviathan state will eventually pull out all the stops. Plan accordingly.

70 posted on 01/10/2021 10:24:17 AM PST by zeugma (Stop deluding yourself that America is still a free country.)
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To: freds6girlies

82C allows you to program in marine VHF. That was handy for me as I’m on the coast and have a boat.


71 posted on 01/10/2021 10:30:47 AM PST by RinaseaofDs
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To: T-Bird45

Cool, thanks.


72 posted on 01/10/2021 11:06:30 AM PST by OKSooner
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Bump


73 posted on 01/10/2021 11:56:42 AM PST by Darth Mall
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To: OKSooner
From "Push Back: After the EMP (The Disruption Trilogy - Book 2)" by R. E. McDermott
"'We got the HAM license database from the FCC, and General Rourke is preparing a coordinated operation to take all the operators and their families into custody and to destroy all of their equipment,' [president] Crawford said."
Just sayin'
74 posted on 01/11/2021 11:26:40 AM PST by NonValueAdded (We Are All South Vietnamese Now. The last chopper has flown and the reeducation camps await.)
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To: beef

ping


75 posted on 01/11/2021 11:30:37 AM PST by NonValueAdded (We Are All South Vietnamese Now. The last chopper has flown and the reeducation camps await.)
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To: beef

Hiding HF radio receive transmit antennas isn’t the easiest thing to do.

Mobile sniffers can find you if you are transmitting.

Pretty difficult to get away with much in this world for white religious conservative amateur radio types.


76 posted on 01/11/2021 12:29:08 PM PST by wita (Always and forever, under oath in defense of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.)
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To: wita

I am concentrating on receiving. If things really go south our info will be coming from outside the country.


77 posted on 01/11/2021 3:15:32 PM PST by beef (Use a VPN, use Tor, and get a shortwave radio. Oh, and ACAB- All Commies Are Bastards)
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To: OKSooner

I am so glad you started this thread. I’ve been pondering this for several days now.

It’s been decades, but IIRC I got a FCC 3rd class license (college radio). I have no idea where that piece of paper is, though. I thought it was supposed to be lifetime, but according to their website it’s “no longer operative”.

https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/commercial-radio-operator-license-program/commercial-0


78 posted on 01/11/2021 3:21:01 PM PST by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: RinaseaofDs; freds6girlies

I found a 4-pack of the UV-82 online for about $100. The UV-82 looks like it lacks the bells and whistles of the UV-82C but for a family within a 25-mi radius of each other, will either unit get it done?


79 posted on 01/17/2021 1:52:11 PM PST by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s^2)
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To: DoodleBob

It will do the trick, but you won’t get the Marine VHF channels. Don’t let that stop you.


80 posted on 01/17/2021 2:48:26 PM PST by RinaseaofDs
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