Ham Radio?

[steve817]

Anyone know where to buy a hand held locally? Preferably Arlington.

[Slowplay]

Texas Towers in Plano is the only local amateur radio store AFAIK.

[steve817]

That stinks.

[The Annoyed Man]

What a coincidence.....

I was actually going to post a thread asking what's involved in getting a Ham license. I've been thinking about picking up a couple of handhelds for my wife's and my go-bags, and I'm pretty sure that I don't want FRS simply because this is for when we are separated by some distance. I don't know if we'd be better served with handheld CBs or handheld Hams. I am a real novice at this stuff and don't know a thing.

[WildBill]

What a coincidence.....

I was actually going to post a thread asking what's involved in getting a Ham license. I've been thinking about picking up a couple of handhelds for my wife's and my go-bags, and I'm pretty sure that I don't want FRS simply because this is for when we are separated by some distance. I don't know if we'd be better served with handheld CBs or handheld Hams. I am a real novice at this stuff and don't know a thing.

There are a few hams on the forum who will probably offer some good advice picking out a rig. Most of the licensing info that you need is here: http://www.arrl.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jimlongley]

What a coincidence.....

I was actually going to post a thread asking what's involved in getting a Ham license. I've been thinking about picking up a couple of handhelds for my wife's and my go-bags, and I'm pretty sure that I don't want FRS simply because this is for when we are separated by some distance. I don't know if we'd be better served with handheld CBs or handheld Hams. I am a real novice at this stuff and don't know a thing.

Although FRS is limited in power, the primary limitation for most handhelds is line of sight distance. The way handhelds accomplish longer ranges is by using repeaters, and I'll bet that if the time comes that your go-bags are necessary, repeaters will be in short supply.

[The Annoyed Man]

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread. I'll ask one more question then and let it go for now......

What a coincidence.....

I was actually going to post a thread asking what's involved in getting a Ham license. I've been thinking about picking up a couple of handhelds for my wife's and my go-bags, and I'm pretty sure that I don't want FRS simply because this is for when we are separated by some distance. I don't know if we'd be better served with handheld CBs or handheld Hams. I am a real novice at this stuff and don't know a thing.

Although FRS is limited in power, the primary limitation for most handhelds is line of sight distance. The way handhelds accomplish longer ranges is by using repeaters, and I'll bet that if the time comes that your go-bags are necessary, repeaters will be in short supply.

So for that application then, in a "repeaterless" world, is there any particular advantage to having a handheld CB over a handheld FRS radio?

[apostate]

and I'll bet that if the time comes that your go-bags are necessary, repeaters will be in short supply.

Especially open repeaters.

[MasterOfNone]

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread. I'll ask one more question then and let it go for now......

What a coincidence.....

I was actually going to post a thread asking what's involved in getting a Ham license. I've been thinking about picking up a couple of handhelds for my wife's and my go-bags, and I'm pretty sure that I don't want FRS simply because this is for when we are separated by some distance. I don't know if we'd be better served with handheld CBs or handheld Hams. I am a real novice at this stuff and don't know a thing.

Although FRS is limited in power, the primary limitation for most handhelds is line of sight distance. The way handhelds accomplish longer ranges is by using repeaters, and I'll bet that if the time comes that your go-bags are necessary, repeaters will be in short supply.

So for that application then, in a "repeaterless" world, is there any particular advantage to having a handheld CB over a handheld FRS radio?

The biggest problem with FRS is the 0.5W power limit. This limits the range significantly, typically less than a mile. The hybrids that are commonly found have both FRS and GMRS (5W power) channels, but the GMRS requires a ridiculously expensive license. Of course, in an emergency, the rules mean little.
The choice between CB and ham goes to ham. Beyond communicating with your wife, ham is more likely to give you access to emergency/survival minded people.

[2farnorth]

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread. I'll ask one more question then and let it go for now......

What a coincidence.....

I was actually going to post a thread asking what's involved in getting a Ham license. I've been thinking about picking up a couple of handhelds for my wife's and my go-bags, and I'm pretty sure that I don't want FRS simply because this is for when we are separated by some distance. I don't know if we'd be better served with handheld CBs or handheld Hams. I am a real novice at this stuff and don't know a thing.

Although FRS is limited in power, the primary limitation for most handhelds is line of sight distance. The way handhelds accomplish longer ranges is by using repeaters, and I'll bet that if the time comes that your go-bags are necessary, repeaters will be in short supply.

So for that application then, in a "repeaterless" world, is there any particular advantage to having a handheld CB over a handheld FRS radio?

That is a very hard question to answer. I have seen FRS radios that advertise a 20mile range. I doubt that range is really feasible in any but ideal conditions. I generally figure line of sight without interference. When traveling I found that some stores/companies use FRS for there in-store communications so there will be some interference. I use FRS radios when traveling in multiple vehicle convoys. The only thing I use a mounted mobile CB for is traffic and road conditions from the trucks but you have to listen to a bunch of foul crap sometimes.

Handheld CB is a different matter. Under ideal conditions with a 4 watt radio, no skip, rubber "ducky" antenna, and flat terrain 1/2 to 1 mile transmit range. If hooked up to an external antenna the range will greatly improve to 1 - 5 miles. If the long distance "skip" is running (depends on sunspot activity/ionosphere conditions ) the noise level on the band gets very high from powerful signals coming from long distance effectively killing local communication beyond 1/4 -1/2 mile (with legal power CB).

Many Ham VHF/UHF repeaters have back up power available to keep them operating in power out conditions. This is fine as long as they can get fuel for the generators. Some do have solar power charged batteries but the out put power and use on the repeaters would be necessarily limited in emergency conditions. They many times have a PLL code restricted access which is one of the reasons I've kind of faded from the local ham circles. I haven't been willing to go out and buy new updated equipment to maintain my access. Most of my equipment now qualifies as antique. Getting a Technicians ham license is not that difficult. Would require some study of electronic theory and the rules manual, and take a test with a designated local examiners (usually local hams). That would give you operating privileges in a few of the local area bands that include many of the repeaters plus the 28mhz hf band which is close to the CB band. But the ham bands are generally more orderly and polite than the CB or FRS bands.

N5PNZ

[jimlongley]

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack this thread. I'll ask one more question then and let it go for now......

What a coincidence.....

I was actually going to post a thread asking what's involved in getting a Ham license. I've been thinking about picking up a couple of handhelds for my wife's and my go-bags, and I'm pretty sure that I don't want FRS simply because this is for when we are separated by some distance. I don't know if we'd be better served with handheld CBs or handheld Hams. I am a real novice at this stuff and don't know a thing.

Although FRS is limited in power, the primary limitation for most handhelds is line of sight distance. The way handhelds accomplish longer ranges is by using repeaters, and I'll bet that if the time comes that your go-bags are necessary, repeaters will be in short supply.

So for that application then, in a "repeaterless" world, is there any particular advantage to having a handheld CB over a handheld FRS radio?

That is a very hard question to answer. I have seen FRS radios that advertise a 20mile range. I doubt that range is really feasible in any but ideal conditions. I generally figure line of sight without interference. When traveling I found that some stores/companies use FRS for there in-store communications so there will be some interference. I use FRS radios when traveling in multiple vehicle convoys. The only thing I use a mounted mobile CB for is traffic and road conditions from the trucks but you have to listen to a bunch of foul crap sometimes.

Handheld CB is a different matter. Under ideal conditions with a 4 watt radio, no skip, rubber "ducky" antenna, and flat terrain 1/2 to 1 mile transmit range. If hooked up to an external antenna the range will greatly improve to 1 - 5 miles. If the long distance "skip" is running (depends on sunspot activity/ionosphere conditions ) the noise level on the band gets very high from powerful signals coming from long distance effectively killing local communication beyond 1/4 -1/2 mile (with legal power CB).

Many Ham VHF/UHF repeaters have back up power available to keep them operating in power out conditions. This is fine as long as they can get fuel for the generators. Some do have solar power charged batteries but the out put power and use on the repeaters would be necessarily limited in emergency conditions. They many times have a PLL code restricted access which is one of the reasons I've kind of faded from the local ham circles. I haven't been willing to go out and buy new updated equipment to maintain my access. Most of my equipment now qualifies as antique. Getting a Technicians ham license is not that difficult. Would require some study of electronic theory and the rules manual, and take a test with a designated local examiners (usually local hams). That would give you operating privileges in a few of the local area bands that include many of the repeaters plus the 28mhz hf band which is close to the CB band. But the ham bands are generally more orderly and polite than the CB or FRS bands.

N5PNZ

CB and FRS would get very crowded as they did on 09/11 in the NY metroplex, a whole bunch of repeaters were lost that day and others became overcrowded with operators who didn't understand that if all trunks were busy for their landline phones and their cell phones couldn't get any signals, that maybe the repeater's autopatch would be suffering the same malady.

[steve817]

But the ham bands are generally more orderly and polite than the CB or FRS bands.

N5PNZ

That right there being one of the main reasons I'm looking into it. People tend to play nicer when their license is at risk. What really pushed me though was when the Arlington tornado missed my house last week. I couldn't see anything because of all the trees around me. I had a police, fire, and EMS scanner app on my phone that I used to get almost real time information which surprisingly worked but I wouldn't want to count on it. With a hand held I could have monitored the local spotters even if my house had lost power.

[recaffeination]

You can monitor without a license.

[RPB]

RANGE/GAIN/Antenna Height
Does anyone else shop for houses by altitude?
I'm kinda window shopping, but seem to be in a great spot already ...
(Aren't you glad you are not my real estate agent?)

I have a 15 foot mast on top of my roof peak which is 15 feet above ground level (like a 30 foot tower)
Say the Altitude of my house is 1323.394 feet above sea level

I'm in Hill Country, Central TX and watch TV in Houston in the mornings, Waco/Temple/Killeen/San Antonio/Bryan-College Station; Victoria, and Austin ...but people in other parts (lower parts) of the city can only watch Austin TV

I mean if my house is at 1323.394 feet, and a great house is for sale within a mile and it's 1357.921 feet, I want to move there, but it just went on the market and is overpriced for the area, so I'll wait until a break even price occurs

I could make money on this other house ...
but there's a (appraised at) $120,000 house on 2 lots near here that needs paint (icky color), the lady passed away March 2011 and the daughter just dropped the price to $69,000 It's easily easily worth $90,000 or more, but I won't buy it because ...1279.438 ft

I'm waiting to put up the ham/scanner other antennas until I figure out which hill I need to live on

Oh ... My point ...

Not exact, but helpful ... DOES anyone have any better tool?
Find Altitude by address
http://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google ... titude.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[steve817]

You got it bad man!