Where to begin with a HAM radio?

[Richbirdhunter]

I have a small hand held ham radio, I keep it in my bug out bag. I’m not licensed to use it but it’s nice to have it in a pinch.

[locke_n_load]

I have a small hand held ham radio, I keep it in my bug out bag. I’m not licensed to use it but it’s nice to have it in a pinch.

Hard to learn how to really use it if you don't use it!
Get your license (not difficult at all) and get on the air.

[2farnorth]

I have a small hand held ham radio, I keep it in my bug out bag. I’m not licensed to use it but it’s nice to have it in a pinch.

What frequencies do you have it programed to?

[2farnorth]

Alright, got my callsign a while back: KG5ZOO.
Currently have a baofeng UV-5R with 771 antenna, and a TYT TH9800 quadband transceiver with a TRAM 1480 antenna in the attic. I like the crossband repeater function for emergencies - can use my handheld in my neighborhood and hit my base station which relays to a repeater too far out for the handheld itself.

Ham Field Day is next weekend - If I am not able to go to a location, how do you participate? I do not have SSB or CW btw, and I was told that was primarily the methods used for comms on ham day.

Congrats on getting the ticket. Check google amateur/ham radio clubs for your area. Here are a quick couple of clubs I could find in your general area. http://www.houstoncountytexasarc.org/ and http://setxac.com. Not all participate in Field day. Our club will be setting up in the pavilion at the park a Lake Bonham up here in north Texas.

There is some 2 meter and 6 meter participation but mostly on SSB. If 10 meters is open there will be some activity there also. It has been opening sporadically for a couple of weeks. I believe your radio is limited to FM operations only but scan the 10 meter band and see if anything happens. There are a few 10 meter repeaters out there also.

Best bet is find a nearby club and get involved. Be sure to tell them you just got your ticket. Congrats again.

I have recently found out that field day is mostly 10m operation. My radio does output 10m FM, but I do not have a good antenna for that and I hear that the action is SSB or morse. I just particpated in a nearby club (TEAC) net, and they will be setting up about 5 miles from my house, which I hope I can get away to go check out, as 10m really sounds cool (the availability to have comms 100+ miles away, without repeaters, is amazing). Thank you for the information. Either way I will be scanning the 10m band.

Ours will be mostly 40 and 20 meters, maybe 80 at night. 17, 15, 12, and 10 will be used if activity is heard.
I had some 10 meter FM DX last week, so it can happen. I do like SSB better though. Have fun.

edit: to get out of the quote area

[locke_n_load]

Alright, got my callsign a while back: KG5ZOO.
Currently have a baofeng UV-5R with 771 antenna, and a TYT TH9800 quadband transceiver with a TRAM 1480 antenna in the attic. I like the crossband repeater function for emergencies - can use my handheld in my neighborhood and hit my base station which relays to a repeater too far out for the handheld itself.

Ham Field Day is next weekend - If I am not able to go to a location, how do you participate? I do not have SSB or CW btw, and I was told that was primarily the methods used for comms on ham day.

Congrats on getting the ticket. Check google amateur/ham radio clubs for your area. Here are a quick couple of clubs I could find in your general area. http://www.houstoncountytexasarc.org/ and http://setxac.com. Not all participate in Field day. Our club will be setting up in the pavilion at the park a Lake Bonham up here in north Texas.

There is some 2 meter and 6 meter participation but mostly on SSB. If 10 meters is open there will be some activity there also. It has been opening sporadically for a couple of weeks. I believe your radio is limited to FM operations only but scan the 10 meter band and see if anything happens. There are a few 10 meter repeaters out there also.

Best bet is find a nearby club and get involved. Be sure to tell them you just got your ticket. Congrats again.

I have recently found out that field day is mostly 10m operation. My radio does output 10m FM, but I do not have a good antenna for that and I hear that the action is SSB or morse. I just particpated in a nearby club (TEAC) net, and they will be setting up about 5 miles from my house, which I hope I can get away to go check out, as 10m really sounds cool (the availability to have comms 100+ miles away, without repeaters, is amazing). Thank you for the information. Either way I will be scanning the 10m band.

Ours will be mostly 40 and 20 meters, maybe 80 at night. 17, 15, 12, and 10 will be used if activity is heard.
I had some 10 meter FM DX last week, so it can happen. I do like SSB better though. Have fun.

edit: to get out of the quote area

Do any bands allow for DX (for me, over 100 miles) regardless of the solar cycle?

[2farnorth]

Alright, got my callsign a while back: KG5ZOO.
Currently have a baofeng UV-5R with 771 antenna, and a TYT TH9800 quadband transceiver with a TRAM 1480 antenna in the attic. I like the crossband repeater function for emergencies - can use my handheld in my neighborhood and hit my base station which relays to a repeater too far out for the handheld itself.

Ham Field Day is next weekend - If I am not able to go to a location, how do you participate? I do not have SSB or CW btw, and I was told that was primarily the methods used for comms on ham day.

Congrats on getting the ticket. Check google amateur/ham radio clubs for your area. Here are a quick couple of clubs I could find in your general area. http://www.houstoncountytexasarc.org/ and http://setxac.com. Not all participate in Field day. Our club will be setting up in the pavilion at the park a Lake Bonham up here in north Texas.

There is some 2 meter and 6 meter participation but mostly on SSB. If 10 meters is open there will be some activity there also. It has been opening sporadically for a couple of weeks. I believe your radio is limited to FM operations only but scan the 10 meter band and see if anything happens. There are a few 10 meter repeaters out there also.

Best bet is find a nearby club and get involved. Be sure to tell them you just got your ticket. Congrats again.

I have recently found out that field day is mostly 10m operation. My radio does output 10m FM, but I do not have a good antenna for that and I hear that the action is SSB or morse. I just particpated in a nearby club (TEAC) net, and they will be setting up about 5 miles from my house, which I hope I can get away to go check out, as 10m really sounds cool (the availability to have comms 100+ miles away, without repeaters, is amazing). Thank you for the information. Either way I will be scanning the 10m band.

Ours will be mostly 40 and 20 meters, maybe 80 at night. 17, 15, 12, and 10 will be used if activity is heard.
I had some 10 meter FM DX last week, so it can happen. I do like SSB better though. Have fun.

edit: to get out of the quote area

Do any bands allow for DX (for me, over 100 miles) regardless of the solar cycle?

80, 40, and 15 have small sections allocated to Techs for morse code only. There is a move afoot to allow techs some voice privileges in some of these bands, but it's not there yet. 10 meters: 28.000 to 28.299 code, 28.300 to 28.500 phone (mostly ssb, have heard a couple FMs). Get yourself upgraded to General as soon as you can and that will open up a lot more. Of course you would need to get an HF rig and put up an antenna. I upgraded from Tech to Extra about a year ago and have had about 600 logged contacts while operating a couple hours a week. But I already had some equipment on hand.
You can get some DX on 6 and 2 meters but it is weather and ionosphere depended, Can get some brief contacts done during meteor showers too.

[Gunner4640]

When I got started many years ago I used Gordon West study guides. His books give all questions and answers in the question pools and tell why it's the answer. Very good information. Do not broadcast until you have a call sign. Listen all you want
De Kk5up

[Gunner4640]

If you like computers look into packet radio
With a tnc (terminal node controller)
I was into all that years ago rtty amtor pactor
Lots of fun on Hf

[NotRPB]

some radios now have the tnc built right into the radio

Do any bands allow for DX (for me, over 100 miles) regardless of the solar cycle?

Well. it may be considered cheating (probably don't do it contesting), but Echolink uses VOIP voice over Internet Protocol (using a cell phone, tablet, laptop or any computer on the Internet) and connects with 2 meter 70cm repeaters worldwide.

The other bands allowing DX via radio waves depend on propagation weather, sun, temperature inversions etc.
time of day affects it too.
Early morning I aim my TV antenna at San Antonio and Houston from Austin area, and I can tell by that whether I'll be hearing California or talking on the Brownwood Texas repeater on 2 meter via ducting... (which is rare because of hills in the way)

Ours will be mostly 40 and 20 meters, maybe 80 at night. 17, 15, 12, and 10 will be used if activity is heard.
I had some 10 meter FM DX last week, so it can happen. I do like SSB better though. Have fun.

As a reference .. to old CB radio people who worked "skip" that old CB was 11 meters if I recall correctly

[Flightmare]

some radios now have the tnc built right into the radio

Do any bands allow for DX (for me, over 100 miles) regardless of the solar cycle?

Well. it may be considered cheating (probably don't do it contesting), but Echolink uses VOIP voice over Internet Protocol (using a cell phone, tablet, laptop or any computer on the Internet) and connects with 2 meter 70cm repeaters worldwide.

The other bands allowing DX via radio waves depend on propagation weather, sun, temperature inversions etc.
time of day affects it too.
Early morning I aim my TV antenna at San Antonio and Houston from Austin area, and I can tell by that whether I'll be hearing California or talking on the Brownwood Texas repeater on 2 meter via ducting... (which is rare because of hills in the way)

Ours will be mostly 40 and 20 meters, maybe 80 at night. 17, 15, 12, and 10 will be used if activity is heard.
I had some 10 meter FM DX last week, so it can happen. I do like SSB better though. Have fun.

As a reference .. to old CB radio people who worked "skip" that old CB was 11 meters if I recall correctly

And lets not forget AMSAT. A guy at our club built himself a nice rig to mount a couple HTs on with antennas he built. He was demonstrating for us and hitting South America on some Baofeng HTs.

[2farnorth]

some radios now have the tnc built right into the radio

Do any bands allow for DX (for me, over 100 miles) regardless of the solar cycle?

Well. it may be considered cheating (probably don't do it contesting), but Echolink uses VOIP voice over Internet Protocol (using a cell phone, tablet, laptop or any computer on the Internet) and connects with 2 meter 70cm repeaters worldwide.

The other bands allowing DX via radio waves depend on propagation weather, sun, temperature inversions etc.
time of day affects it too.
Early morning I aim my TV antenna at San Antonio and Houston from Austin area, and I can tell by that whether I'll be hearing California or talking on the Brownwood Texas repeater on 2 meter via ducting... (which is rare because of hills in the way)

Ours will be mostly 40 and 20 meters, maybe 80 at night. 17, 15, 12, and 10 will be used if activity is heard.
I had some 10 meter FM DX last week, so it can happen. I do like SSB better though. Have fun.

As a reference .. to old CB radio people who worked "skip" that old CB was 11 meters if I recall correctly

And lets not forget AMSAT. A guy at our club built himself a nice rig to mount a couple HTs on with antennas he built. He was demonstrating for us and hitting South America on some Baofeng HTs.

CB band is in the 11 meter area. 26-27 mhz, the ham part 10 meter starts at 28mhz up through most of 29 mhz

AMSAT is good for talking long distance too. I haven't done any since the 80s. My ancient equipment expired (unrepairable) and the newer satellites use different bands now. Maybe some day I'll build a small antenna set up for the Baofeng..
With enough power and good directional antennas Moon bounce can also be fun

[Flightmare]

https://w5wx.net/2018/12/28/texas-legislature-sb43/

Couldn't find a better post to put this under. Looks like Senator Zaffirini has filed a bill that would change the "texting while driving" law to outlaw ham radio operation while the vehicle is in motion. This would definitely affect Skywarn storm spotters/chasers.

[Liberty]

This will effect hands-free communications and dispatched services as well.

[2farnorth]

https://w5wx.net/2018/12/28/texas-legislature-sb43/

Couldn't find a better post to put this under. Looks like Senator Zaffirini has filed a bill that would change the "texting while driving" law to outlaw ham radio operation while the vehicle is in motion. This would definitely affect Skywarn storm spotters/chasers.

This bill is aimed specifically at federally licensed operators. Striking out the current exemption the way I read it. Why? What has she got against us? Another democrat that wants to control every aspect of her subjects lives.
All radio dispatched non emergency services would be affected, Truckers underway with their CBs would be affected also. i don't like much of what I hear on a CB, but it does serve a good purpose.

Keep her stinking laws where the problem exists. Cell phone texting.

Hopefully it will never get committee consideration.

Get in touch with your local senator a get this squashed.

[2farnorth]

https://w5wx.net/2018/12/28/texas-legislature-sb43/

Couldn't find a better post to put this under. Looks like Senator Zaffirini has filed a bill that would change the "texting while driving" law to outlaw ham radio operation while the vehicle is in motion. This would definitely affect Skywarn storm spotters/chasers.

This bill is aimed specifically at federally licensed operators. Striking out the current exemption the way I read it. Why? What has she got against us? Another democrat that wants to control every aspect of her subjects lives.
All radio dispatched non emergency services would be affected, Truckers underway with their CBs would be affected also. i don't like much of what I hear on a CB, but it does serve a purpose.

Keep her stinking laws where the problem exists. Cell phone texting.

Hopefully it will never get committee consideration.

Get in touch with your local senator a get this squashed.