HAM Radio anyone?

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I use mine mostly for my Marshall tracker and a very little bit poking around the repeaters when I am looking for something to do. The tracker is my main use for my Tech though.
 
I took and passed (98%) the Extra class license test this past Saturday. I had been studying using www.hamtestonline.com for two months about 30 to 45 minutes a day; an hour or longer the closer it came to exam time. HTOL does cost about $25 but is well worth it. They have study guides for all classes.
 
I got my novice and tech in college and general shortly after. Just barely passed the 13wpm cw test.

Played around for years with packet radio (1200bps 2m and 9600 70cm, hacking com boards and KA9Q NOS) and some 10GHz microwave with a friend. Didn't care for the clubs in the Chicago area and haven't been on the air in 20 years, I'll bet. Made sure the licenses (XYL, too) stay current through moves.

The closest I've come recently is threatening to give my younger boy an HT instead of a cell phone.
N8OKM
 
I got my novice by local test, Tech in San Francisco, General and Advanced in Detroit a long time ago. I was up to 13 wpm send/receive in front of FCC. I stopped at Advanced. My ex was an original Extra and Dad was too. The extra technical and send/receive at 20 wpm.

I have a son-in-law, two grandsons and daughter and one grand daughter in one family that are tech or generals. Youngest age for tech was the grandson at 9 years old.

Most anyone can do it now.

Always glad to see more ham radio operators.
 
Angie said:
I got my novice by local test, Tech in San Francisco, General and Advanced in Detroit a long time ago. I was up to 13 wpm send/receive in front of FCC. I stopped at Advanced. My ex was an original Extra and Dad was too. The extra technical and send/receive at 20 wpm.

I have a son-in-law, two grandsons and daughter and one grand daughter in one family that are tech or generals. Youngest age for tech was the grandson at 9 years old.

Most anyone can do it now.

Always glad to see more ham radio operators.
Click to expand...
QCWA?
 
I've not been active for a bit, but translate QCWA? please.

Last year after Dad passed away I adopted his call sign to keep it in the family.
 
dinoburb said:
And as a note, during the current medical unpleasantness, online testing is now happening. No travel at all!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation

used this website to sign up for the test online - it will be a zoom call that is proctored

https://hamstudy.org/sessions/online
taking it on Friday, went with this study guide

https://www.amazon.com/Pass-Amateur-Radio-Technician-Class/dp/150873822X
and this online practice test site

https://hamexam.org/
so far getting passing grades on the practice tests
 
KarlS said:
I took and passed (98%) the Extra class license test this past Saturday. I had been studying using www.hamtestonline.com for two months about 30 to 45 minutes a day; an hour or longer the closer it came to exam time. HTOL does cost about $25 but is well worth it. They have study guides for all classes.
Click to expand...

Congrats, I too subscribed to www.hamtestonline.com for my Extra test preparation. I don't think I would have made it on the first try without it. I just studied the question pools for my tech and general.
 
ether said:
Thanks for the recommendation

used this website to sign up for the test online - it will be a zoom call that is proctored

https://hamstudy.org/sessions/online
taking it on Friday, went with this study guide

https://www.amazon.com/Pass-Amateur-Radio-Technician-Class/dp/150873822X
and this online practice test site

https://hamexam.org/
so far getting passing grades on the practice tests
Click to expand...

Awesome, I recommend getting the study questions on your phone too if you haven't already. Before the test, get something to eat and take practice tests until the exam is ready. There was at least one question I would have missed had I not done that, and I also realized that I was more stressed than I thought and putting dumb answers into the practice test for questions I knew. It made me slow down and focus for the real exam.

And get a calculator. I didn't need one, but I figured I would double check my answers anyway, just to take a second look at them. It was handy for the General. They cost a couple bucks at Dollar Tree if you don't already have one. .. and they're handy sometimes.

Good luck on your test. Still waiting on the FCC database update on mine, but I've been listening over the UV-5R. I can pick up a couple repeaters in the area, hopefully I can talk to them also when the time comes. Mainly doing this for rocketry, but I always liked chatting on my CB long ago.
 
The FCC is about to publish an NPRM wherein they propose adding a $50 fee to get/renew an amateur radio license. This is the result of a law which died in committee but which was tossed into an appropriations bill in 2018. More here.
 
XRayLizard -
You'll find that Hams are about as varied as Rocketeers - some have the money and the willingness to spend thousands on their equipment, some have a good time with a $20 BaoFeng and a $10 membership to the local Repeater association. Painting them all with the same negative brush is a bit, well, unfriendly.
 
I agree with XRayLizard.

I can see a $50 fee having a real impact on getting the younger crowd involved in the hobby.

I could support a fee for hardcopy licenses and vanity calls. But I don't support charging for initial licensing and renewals.
 
I'm not into HAM radio. However, uncle recently died, stoke not Covid-19. I have three of his favorite radios: McKay Dymek two DR22s and one DR33.
 
hobie1dog said:
I wanted one that would not be easily forgotten, not a tongue twister or brain scrambler, and that spelled out an actual word.
Click to expand...
Assume it is a 'Vanity' call. I'm a bit surprised the FCC didn't red flag it.
 
Thanks to Off Grid Gekco for starting this thread and thanks to everyone that has posted. Great info!

So, I assume "HT" stands for Handheld Transceiver?

I am tinkering with the idea of getting a Ham license. I did not realize you could immediately upgrade to Technician level on your intial test day. I will have to look into online testing options.
 
Tobor said:
Thanks to Off Grid Gekco for starting this thread and thanks to everyone that has posted. Great info!

So, I assume "HT" stands for Handheld Transceiver?

I am tinkering with the idea of getting a Ham license. I did not realize you could immediately upgrade to Technician level on your intial test day. I will have to look into online testing options.
Click to expand...
HT can stand for "Handheld Transceiver" as you noted, but also "Handi-Talkie."

You start as a Technician and can take all the required tests to go from zero to Extra in one VE session, if you are so inclined and have studied hard.
 
John Kemker said:
HT can stand for "Handheld Transceiver" as you noted, but also "Handi-Talkie."

You start as a Technician and can take all the required tests to go from zero to Extra in one VE session, if you are so inclined and have studied hard.
Click to expand...
Thx. yeah, I meant to say upgrade to General class. Extra would be a big stretch for me.
 

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