Ham Radio License Experience

[TRL EATR]

Ok, after joining the OB community at Off the Grid 2016 I realized I needed more than just a CB radio. There were multiple methods of comms going on that day and at least having a handheld ham radio, I could at least listen to the other half of the groups comms. I was able to relay some messages from ham to CB, but not back, as I do not have a ham license. I'm not sure what resources are out there from this community (should have pinged before I did what I did), but have found a couple of valuable ways to study for the amateur radio exam.

First, I ordered a book from Amazon, "The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual," but even for how quick Amazon delivers to the Bay Area, I couldn't wait. I found an online resource, www. hamtestonline.com, and have LOVED that study, practice tests and links they provide. It is pretty inexpensive as a study tool at ~$25. I'm feeling I'm pretty prepared for my exam next week (11/5). Will let you all know how I do.

The really interesting thing about learning about ham radio operators (Technician) is that there are so many details about using a radio that you just take for granted with the "walkie-talkie's" you buy from Amazon, Walmart or Costco. I really have enjoyed going through this process and learning all about all the "history" of radio operations.

 

[WJ - Firefly]

I got my first license when I was 14. My last upgrade, to Extra, I studied mainly on-line. I wasn't worried about any of the technical questions. I had been solving those most of my adult life. Rules and Regs were always my downfall on previous tests. These I found I could learn by taking the on-line tests, over and over, until I had a good understanding of the present regulations.

Good luck!

Remember, remember, the fifth of November...

Sorry, couldn't resist... 8>D

 

[Luis Merlo]

I'm still looking at other options....I ordered the book $25.00 (WIA-AUS)...my local Amateur Club wanted $200.00 upfront, $74.00 for the exam and $52.00 per year for the license !....so, you guys have it prety good ( and that's for the Foundation License- entry level)

 

[TreXTerra]

I have had my license for a while, but there are not many other rigs with hams in my area. I don't have a base station at home, so if I'm not in the car, I'm not on the air.

I'd like to get more into ham, the test is about the same as taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course. It's enough to get you past the test and riding around in a parking lot. That's about where I feel I am for ham operations.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Well, if you're going to get into serious ham, you're going to need some of these............

 

[Barton Fink]

.

 

[1Louder]

^^ I'm into tubes but for guitar amps & pedals.

I'd like to get my HAM license; maybe sometime after Christmas when I have time to study more. I'll watch your progress and see how things go. Right now it's all very overwhelming. I can do the electrical/technical side of things, but the rules & regs always cause me to fail the online practice tests.

The basics:
Don't curse
Don't talk politics or religion (I think that is an actual rule)
You need to check in every 10 min when on a frequency simplex or repeater (KG7XXX for ID)
Don't hog a frequency- find the person(s) you are trying to reach and then move on to a different frequency. Check band plans for your state.
Don't play music

You really don't need to complicate things more than that. Learn by listening to others. Ham Test Online is an excellent resource and worth the money IMHO.

 

[TreXTerra]

The regulations seem intimidating because of all the band limitations. When you take the test, it is actually pretty easy to recognize a frequency that you can use or not. It's a multiple-choice test, so you don't have to recall it exactly, just recognize it when you see it.

I've spent a lot of time doing professional licensing tests and school application tests, and this one doesn't have trick questions or traps that try to fool you. I think it is a very fair test.

 

[Obi-Juan]

I haven't taken my "Technician" exam yet, but I am hoping to do so soon. Here is a link to some great videos from the HAM WHISPERER, that came highly recommended to pass the test. Best of all this training is free! :)


Best of luck and enjoy!

 

[Sean S]

I passed the Ham Technician class exam in February of this year. The impetus for me to finally get down and start studying for it happened in the middle of December. I found myself with two weeks off work and some time on my hands. I had learned from my limited off-roading experience that relying on cell phones, CB radios and GMRS/FRS radios was not wise as they all lacked range and were very limited with respect to their band coverage. I was subscribed to a Youtube channel called Hoshnasi who had started a series on passing the Ham exam to get your license and why it is advantageous to do so. I followed his advice, which was to do do two things: (1) buy a book by Gordon West, which covers in interesting detail every question in the technician question pool of 426 questions, and (2) initially download a free app from the iTunes store on my Iphone called "Amateur Radio Exam Prep Free: Technician" by Patrick J Maloney LLC. This free version contains only 2 of the 10 subelements in the question pool but is enough to allow you to find out if this app is worth buying in its entirety. The idea behind the app is that you can take a few minutes every day or every break period to take a few sample tests. Over time, you find yourself remembering the answers as they become second nature to you. I ended up really liking the app and purchased the full version. It became my primary method of studying for the exam. It kept track of my progress and allowed me to concentrate on those questions I was constantly getting wrong. I have not studied in years but this method of learning worked for me as I could do it at my own pace. Funnily enough, I noticed that most of the people who showed up to do the test with me were also relying on the same app for some last-minute study.

The simple and nice truth is that there are many ways of preparing to pass the technician class exam. My friends ( five of them) passed it in May of this year by attending a one day study session, which is held four times a year by the Bay Area Educational Amateur Radio Society. Between 75-100 people attend each session and from what my friends told me, most pass!

We now all have VHF/UHF Ham radios in our rigs, which is handy for communicating with each other while driving in an off-road convoy and I also hike with a handheld Yaesu FT-60. I like to listen to the local traffic on the nearby repeaters while I am hiking in an area, which is out of cell coverage range. For me, it also gives me peace of mind in case of an unexpected emergency.

 

[Obi-Juan]

I passed the Ham Technician class exam in February of this year. The impetus for me to finally get down and start studying for it happened in the middle of December. I found myself with two weeks off work and some time on my hands. I had learned from my limited off-roading experience that relying on cell phones, CB radios and GMRS/FRS radios was not wise as they all lacked range and were very limited with respect to their band coverage. I was subscribed to a Youtube channel called Hoshnasi who had started a series on passing the Ham exam to get your license and why it is advantageous to do so. I followed his advice, which was to do do two things: (1) buy a book by Gordon West, which covers in interesting detail every question in the technician question pool of 426 questions, and (2) initially download a free app from the iTunes store on my Iphone called "Amateur Radio Exam Prep Free: Technician" by Patrick J Maloney LLC. This free version contains only 2 of the 10 subelements in the question pool but is enough to allow you to find out if this app is worth buying in its entirety. The idea behind the app is that you can take a few minutes every day or every break period to take a few sample tests. Over time, you find yourself remembering the answers as they become second nature to you. I ended up really liking the app and purchased the full version. It became my primary method of studying for the exam. It kept track of my progress and allowed me to concentrate on those questions I was constantly getting wrong. I have not studied in years but this method of learning worked for me as I could do it at my own pace. Funnily enough, I noticed that most of the people who showed up to do the test with me were also relying on the same app for some last-minute study.

The simple and nice truth is that there are many ways of preparing to pass the technician class exam. My friends ( five of them) passed it in May of this year by attending a one day study session, which is held four times a year by the Bay Area Educational Amateur Radio Society. Between 75-100 people attend each session and from what my friends told me, most pass!

We now all have VHF/UHF Ham radios in our rigs, which is handy for communicating with each other while driving in an off-road convoy and I also hike with a handheld Yaesu FT-60. I like to listen to the local traffic on the nearby repeaters while I am hiking in an area, which is out of cell coverage range. For me, it also gives me peace of mind in case of an unexpected emergency.

Awesome tips Sean! I'm definitely going to add the app and book you recommended to my studying arsenal. I like the idea of having a simple to follow app in hand for testing myself during my free time here and there. Do you still carry CB and FRS radios in your rig to communicate with other NON-HAM equipped rigs?

 

[Sean S]

Awesome tips Sean! I'm definitely going to add the app and book you recommended to my studying arsenal. I like the idea of having a simple to follow app in hand for testing myself during my free time here and there. Do you still carry CB and FRS radios in your rig to communicate with other NON-HAM equipped rigs?

You are very welcome! Yes, I still carry a handheld CB and two FRS radios in my rig. I have handed them out to other non-Ham equipped rigs during events or to spotters who can assist rig drivers in getting over difficult obstacles on a trail. The first radio I ever installed in my rig was a Cobra 29LX BT CB radio. It's an absolutely beautiful radio but after I turned it on for the first time and calibrated the SWR, I realized that CB chatter in the Bay Area is practically non-existent. In hindsight, I should have perhaps bought a smaller form factor CB radio such as a Uniden Pro 510 XL. I then bought a handheld Midland 75-822 to compliment the Cobra 29LX BT as I could easily hand this out to a non-CB radio equipped person on a trail. Range between the Cobra (connected to a four foot Firestik antenna) and the Midland is only about 0.7 miles before it gets too noisy to be useful but that is plenty for someone who might be spotting for you.

 

[Counterpoise]

If time permits, the ARRL study guides are very good. I've never been a big fan of the online exam sites except when you think you are ready and want a test run. Alot of people use these sites to memorize the answers not really learning the content. Purchase a radio or use a scanner and monitor for a good while as you are studying. If you hear people using CB lingo, 10 codes, radio check, top shelf, better haff, You will know they were the ones that only used the online sites and didn't monitor long enough. I fully understand the need for comms during travel. That being said, I only recommend amateur radio to persons genuinely interested in the hobby not just friends and family. As the ARRL has said many times over, everyone doesn't need to be an amateur operator and for good reason. Everyone wishing to become a Ham I wish you the best of luck. It can be a very enjoyable and rewarding hobby. I have been a Ham for over 25 years and fall in and out of activity but always come back as Ham radio offers many different facets to explore and enjoy. 73.

 

[Obi-Juan]

You are very welcome! Yes, I still carry a handheld CB and two FRS radios in my rig. I have handed them out to other non-Ham equipped rigs during events or to spotters who can assist rig drivers in getting over difficult obstacles on a trail. The first radio I ever installed in my rig was a Cobra 29LX BT CB radio. It's an absolutely beautiful radio but after I turned it on for the first time and calibrated the SWR, I realized that CB chatter in the Bay Area is practically non-existent. In hindsight, I should have perhaps bought a smaller form factor CB radio such as a Uniden Pro 510 XL. I then bought a handheld Midland 75-822 to compliment the Cobra 29LX BT as I could easily hand this out to a non-CB radio equipped person on a trail. Range between the Cobra (connected to a four foot Firestik antenna) and the Midland is only about 0.7 miles before it gets too noisy to be useful but that is plenty for someone who might be spotting for you.

Sounds like we are running similar setups. I'm actually going to install a Cobra 75 WXST with a Firestik antenna on my current rig to accompany my FRS radios for now. Once I get my amateur license I'll add another radio into the mix. I agree with you on the limit of CB range, but it's nice to have during a group event or even just as a backup.

 

[Sean S]

If time permits, the ARRL study guides are very good. I've never been a big fan of the online exam sites except when you think you are ready and want a test run. Alot of people use these sites to memorize the answers not really learning the content. Purchase a radio or use a scanner and monitor for a good while as you are studying. If you hear people using CB lingo, 10 codes, radio check, top shelf, better haff, You will know they were the ones that only used the online sites and didn't monitor long enough. I fully understand the need for comms during travel. That being said, I only recommend amateur radio to persons genuinely interested in the hobby not just friends and family. As the ARRL has said many times over, everyone doesn't need to be an amateur operator and for good reason. Everyone wishing to become a Ham I wish you the best of luck. It can be a very enjoyable and rewarding hobby. I have been a Ham for over 25 years and fall in and out of activity but always come back as Ham radio offers many different facets to explore and enjoy. 73.

You make some very good points. I did purchase the ARRL manual at the time that I was becoming interested in studying to pass the technician class exam. I found it to be an excellent reference manual but very meaty and a bit daunting for a newbie. I was doing this study on my own. Now having obtained my license, I am now constantly referring to it for information about different aspects of Ham radio.

I took a step-by-step approach to studying to pass the exam. I did not want to invest in a Ham radio until after I had passed the exam. I needed the motivation and saw my first Ham radio as a reward to myself. After I bought my radio, I studied the instruction manual, which came with it and asked for assistance regarding some of the more advanced functions of the radio. I still do not know everything about it but I am slowly learning a bit at a time and am quite comfortable to manually program it in the field or while on the trail. The Ham Radio Outlet in Sunnyvale is my new second home. The staff there are always super-friendly and helpful and know everything about Ham. Even now, I am more of a listener than a talker on Ham. I really like the community and am delighted to be a part of it. My friends and I now have a very cool way of keeping in touch while on the trail even if we become separated by many miles of terrain. We have all accessed repeaters in the past to extend the range of our Ham radios. It really is a wonderful system that we are all able to now access.

I guess that you could say that I am still outfitting and exploring!

 

[TRL EATR]

Thanks for all the references and study tips. I passed my Technician exam yesterday! Met a guy there who also passed his Tech exam. After we were finished we went to the parking lots and shared rig stories! He's headed with a group to Death Valley this coming week and after seeing both emblems on my JK (my membership and my son's membership) he was going to join Overland Bound! Another new member we can all welcome to the community @aldalto_n on Instagram!

 

[WJ - Firefly]

Thanks for all the references and study tips. I passed my Technician exam yesterday! Met a guy there who also passed his Tech exam. After we were finished we went to the parking lots and shared rig stories! He's headed with a group to Death Valley this coming week and after seeing both emblems on my JK (my membership and my son's membership) he was going to join Overland Bound! Another new member we can all welcome to the community @aldalto_n on Instagram!

That's Great! Congratulations!!

 

[Sean S]

Thanks for all the references and study tips. I passed my Technician exam yesterday! Met a guy there who also passed his Tech exam. After we were finished we went to the parking lots and shared rig stories! He's headed with a group to Death Valley this coming week and after seeing both emblems on my JK (my membership and my son's membership) he was going to join Overland Bound! Another new member we can all welcome to the community @aldalto_n on Instagram!

Congratulations on passing your Technician exam! You should find out what your callsign is in about two weeks, I think. 73!

 

[expeditionnorth]

Congrats !

 

[Njtraveler]

Congrats. Welcome to the club. KD2LHI.