Where to begin with a HAM radio?

[Grundy1133]

I have a BaoFeng and I have no clue how to use it. i can tune into my local FM radio stations but other than that I cant pick up squat and I have no idea how. I gave up and threw it in a drawer somewhere..

If you're just scanning it could be skipping over the local frequencies; you really need to find out what the frequencies for the local repeaters are and monitor those. You might start here:

http://txvhffm.org/repeaters/repeaters.php

good deal ill check it out

[Grundy1133]

ignore this post... i dont like having 666 posts... this will make it 667.

[Flightmare]

I always liked https://www.repeaterbook.com/

[Grundy1133]

I always liked https://www.repeaterbook.com/

this site has more repeaters in my area than the site ghostrider mentioned. wonder why

[RoyGBiv]

Hello all, I'm in humble/atascocita (NE Houston) and I have a baofeng handheld with an upgraded antenna. I scan my local repeaters, but have only heard real communications on ham day... Is this normal? I guess I need to tune in on days with scheduled chatter.
Taking my tech exam Saturday.

Check out your local volunteer emergency service and weather emergency service groups.

CERT, RACES, ARES.
http://www.harriscountyares.org/about_us.htm

Even if you don't decide to volunteer, these are the folks you'll find on the radio most frequently.

Bonus.. http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/ba85r/hb0435.pdf
See "Digest" section.

[Liberty]

Hello all, I'm in humble/atascocita (NE Houston) and I have a baofeng handheld with an upgraded antenna. I scan my local repeaters, but have only heard real communications on ham day... Is this normal? I guess I need to tune in on days with scheduled chatter.
Taking my tech exam Saturday.

I have a BaoFeng and I have no clue how to use it. i can tune into my local FM radio stations but other than that I cant pick up squat and I have no idea how. I gave up and threw it in a drawer somewhere...

You need the cable and program. The cable isn't expensive The program is free.
If You don't have a Ham license get one, The test is pretty easy and no morse code required. Sometimes it seems as though there is more Repeaters than Hams. If you are looking for activity your Baofeng is a scanner that covers the public service and business bands but do not ever key up on these channels

[KC5AV]

I always liked https://www.repeaterbook.com/

this site has more repeaters in my area than the site ghostrider mentioned. wonder why

Repeater book is a collection of repeaters that individuals have entered. It's pretty well kept up to date, but it's essentially, user generated content.

The Texas VHF FM Society serves a the coordination body for the FCC in state of Texas. Any ham can set up a repeater, but it's possible for repeaters to interfere with each other. The Texas VHF FM society maintains a list of standards to help prevent that. If there is interference between a coordinated repeater and an uncoordinated one, the burden falls to the owner of the uncoordinated repeater to fix whatever is causing the interference.

[mojohn]

http://stats.allstarlink.org

[locke_n_load]

Passed my tech exam today. Now to wait the 10 days or so to get into the FCC database and receive a callsign. Seems kind of ridiculous when it should take about 2 hours! Oh well.

[Flightmare]

Passed my tech exam today. Now to wait the 10 days or so to get into the FCC database and receive a callsign. Seems kind of ridiculous when it should take about 2 hours! Oh well.

VE team has to mail the forms into VEC. VEC has to submit to FCC.

[Paladin]

Passed my tech exam today.

Congrats!!!

It's typically only a few days wait.

[locke_n_load]

Passed my tech exam today. Now to wait the 10 days or so to get into the FCC database and receive a callsign. Seems kind of ridiculous when it should take about 2 hours! Oh well.

VE team has to mail the forms into VEC. VEC has to submit to FCC.

Seems kind of archaic for 2018! Even DPS is mostly digital!

[locke_n_load]

Passed my tech exam today.

Congrats!!!

It's typically only a few days wait.

VE guy who was helping with Exams said it took around 10 days. Hope he's wrong and you're right!

[strogg]

Passed my tech exam today.

Congrats!!!

It's typically only a few days wait.

VE guy who was helping with Exams said it took around 10 days. Hope he's wrong and you're right!

Congrats!

I'd still expect 10 days. I took my exam on 2/25 this year, and the FCC issued the call sign on 3/7. The FCC usually runs on an oddball schedule, where they will sit on application for a set amount of time, then process them in batches only a handful of times per week. I suggest you get an FRN number from the FCC so you can track status, print your license when available, etc.

What equipment are you planning on getting?

[KC5AV]

Depending on which VEC the team works with, they should have the ability to electronically submit results for Technician licensees. I'm the contact VE for my team, and we submit our results to W5YI-VEC. Unfortunately, we don't submit enough tests for them to allow me to submit electronically, and I'm not going to send a blank roster every month to have that ability.