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re: Anyone here a HAM operator?
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:29 am to CaptainsWafer
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:29 am to CaptainsWafer
quote:
what are the benefits?
It's a great hobby. I get much satisfaction communicating in Morse Code with hams around the world.
1
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:29 am to PikesPeak
Several years ago I took a HAM class at the BR library but I never got any farther into it.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:32 am to blueridgeTiger
quote:
Right here - been a HAM since 1955. Currently hold an Amateur Extra Class license. de K5***
W5 CRD
My dads identifier, who passed away this morning. He was big into it. Started in his days in the Air Force back in the 50’s
This post was edited on 3/16/23 at 10:58 am
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:33 am to GeneralLeeAwesome
quote:
passed away this morning.
sorry to hear that, condolences
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:35 am to 777Tiger
Just had to comment on this post. He was on his radios until he could physically do it anymore
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:41 am to GeneralLeeAwesome
Godspeed to your father sir.
I have felt your pain.
Pay tribute to him for the rest of your life. Same with the Mother.
I have felt your pain.
Pay tribute to him for the rest of your life. Same with the Mother.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:43 am to GeneralLeeAwesome
Sorry for your loss.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:51 am to A Smoke Break
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:55 am to GeneralLeeAwesome
My condolences
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:57 am to CaptainsWafer
I'm wanting to get into it from the aspect of if major communications are down for extended periods of time, I'd like to be able to check in with my family in Texas. I remember during Hurricane Ike I would get on his desk station and listen to my dad from his mobile rig with updates when his job pulled him to the backup emergency center from Houston to North LA. It was good to have plans and hear news that we weren't otherwise getting.
Plus it'd be neat to talk to him from 2 states over
Plus it'd be neat to talk to him from 2 states over
Posted on 3/16/23 at 10:58 am to Wraytex
quote:
In Texas you can get radio operator plates
I've never had a ham operator license plate - the problem is that anyone can identify you with your home address by going to qrz.com.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:24 am to PikesPeak
I’ve had a general class license for about five years now. Local clubs can be a great resource for you depending on your area. My club is full of 70+ year old extras that have been licensed for 50 years, so the majority of our meetings centered around things way beyond my knowledge. They weren’t interested in teaching me much 
I found QRZ forums to be better for learning about the hobby. You can’t join until you’re issued a call sign, but you can find the answers to pretty much any question you may have there.
As far as radios go, what exactly are you interested in? UHF/VHF? HF? The first radio I bought was Yaesu FT-65R. My only complaint is it’s a PITA to program manually.
73
I found QRZ forums to be better for learning about the hobby. You can’t join until you’re issued a call sign, but you can find the answers to pretty much any question you may have there.
As far as radios go, what exactly are you interested in? UHF/VHF? HF? The first radio I bought was Yaesu FT-65R. My only complaint is it’s a PITA to program manually.
73
This post was edited on 3/16/23 at 11:25 am
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:25 am to PikesPeak
Don’t you have to take a class and get some kind of certification to operate one? Genuinely curious. They don’t just let any old baw on the airwaves.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:30 am to PikesPeak
Threes a club in Ascension Parish that’s very active. They have a soldering class this weekend for beginners.
Ascension ARC
Ascension ARC
This post was edited on 3/16/23 at 11:49 am
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:30 am to blueridgeTiger
quote:
I get much satisfaction communicating in Morse Code with hams around the world.
You OM’s love your Morse Code
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:35 am to Sam Quint
quote:
my main interest in HAM is for the potential "shite hits the fan scenario", but i'm not entirely clear on how much benefit a radio will have if the government collapses.
This is a pretty common reason for people to get into HAM, but in this scenario, who is going to be around to check if you’re licensed when you broadcast?
Pirate stations operate now outside of government oversight. Not that I’m involved with that, FCC fed bois posting here.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:42 am to PillPusher
It is a fun hobby. If you have the IQ of at least “trainable retarded” you can easily pass the first test for a Technician license. There has been a big surge of younger people since Covid. Seems like that was when a shite load of people found out you don’t have to learn Morse code anymore to get a license.
If you are really thinking about it, I would recommend getting a GMRS license first. No test, covers whole family and costs 35 dollars. Radios are relatively inexpensive too. There are a growing number of GMRS repeaters around now too. If you still geek out about radio stuff after that go for an amateur license. It’s a hobby that can be cheap or extremely expensive depending on how deep you go and how sucked into “just one more radio” you get.
If you have a local club Field Day is a good chance to checkout a bunch of stuff and experience all levels of amateur radio. ARRL Field Day
If you are in Baton Rouge, there are two decent local clubs. Baton Rouge amateur radio club www.brarc.org and the Ascension Amateur Radio Club www.k5arc.org.
If you are really thinking about it, I would recommend getting a GMRS license first. No test, covers whole family and costs 35 dollars. Radios are relatively inexpensive too. There are a growing number of GMRS repeaters around now too. If you still geek out about radio stuff after that go for an amateur license. It’s a hobby that can be cheap or extremely expensive depending on how deep you go and how sucked into “just one more radio” you get.
If you have a local club Field Day is a good chance to checkout a bunch of stuff and experience all levels of amateur radio. ARRL Field Day
If you are in Baton Rouge, there are two decent local clubs. Baton Rouge amateur radio club www.brarc.org and the Ascension Amateur Radio Club www.k5arc.org.
This post was edited on 3/16/23 at 11:46 am
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:54 am to td1
I recently passed the Technician Class test. I did take the exam prep course. I don't have a technical background, so I took the prep seriously. The examiners also gave me the General Class test just to see how I would do (even though I didn't study for it) and I got half the answers correct. I plan to eventually take that test.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 11:55 am to PikesPeak
I've read that musician Joe Walsh is a Ham operator.
Posted on 3/16/23 at 12:36 pm to PikesPeak
Is this a new term for banging big womerns?
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