Introducing Beginner Q&A

[Michael]

Hello everyone! Welcome to the community.

These forums are filled with some of the most experienced overland adventure travelers I've had the pleasure to know! The community supports one and other. We are focused on building a supportive, family friendly adventure community, and this forum is a chance for our more experienced members to support those just getting started.

The Overland Bound forums are a wealth of information, so search around a bit and see what sections and topics already exist. If you have a specific question about adventure travel and you would like some perspective, post your question here.

Keep in mind that there are often different perspectives and that views expressed will be those of the contributor, and not necessarily the best answer, or the answer that is best for you! Add it to your knowledge and venture forth!

For contributors: Please refer those just getting started to subject matter experts when there are questions about topics requiring professional advice. For example, I'd refer questions about medical to @El Solis who is a board certified General and Trauma Surgeon and his First Aid FAQ section. Questions about fire safety I'd refer to @Kent R , Retired Fire Chief Gold Ridge Fire District. There are many SMEs in our community glad to offer their expertise. Where safety is a concern, please substantiate claims.

Some question ideas:

• Should I do a shakedown trip before going too far?
• What are the wires going from the rack to the bumper on a lot of overland builds I see?
• Do I need a lift?
• How much water should I bring?
• How do I do XYZ in the Overland Bound OB1 app?
• Would you recommend a Roof top tent?

Please enjoy our community. I look forward to meeting you on the trail!

Michael

 

[El-Dracho]

Thank you @Michael for introducing the Beginner Q&A.

This is a really great idea! Super! Every one of us started overlanding once. One has been traveling all his life, others maybe since a few years and the next since yesterday or will do it tomorrow. Even we who have been traveling for a long time might have wished to have a possibility to ask experienced overlanders or even had this possibility to do so.

I was lucky to have grown up with automotive travel, camping and outdoor activities. So it was easier and I could learn a lot. Then later I learned from other experienced travelers and I am still learning, again and again. Great that there is this supportive forum, full of really good information. And thanks to ALL who contribute.

I'm always very happy when I can pass on my experience to beginners and that's a pleasure for me! I am curious what questions will come here in the next time in the new Beginner QA and I hope to be able to help one or the other! In this sense, enjoy life, go out and discover the world for you - whether on a day trip, a week trip, vacation trip or the big trip! And please do this well prepared, if you have questions, you know where to ask them, namely here.

 

[Contingency: Overland]

How does one obtain a HAM license? Ive searched the internet and many different options pop up. Wasn’t sure which is the best route to take (no pun)?

 

[genocache]

Hmmmm, I wonder if this will really help or if it will just be full of new members asking other new members for ideas? In other words will experienced members be checking this thread often? Surely, and I'm calling you Shirley, a question will get more views on that general topic thread? I dunno, just asking.

 

[M Rose]

How does one obtain a HAM license? Ive searched the internet and many different options pop up. Wasn’t sure which is the best route to take (no pun)?

Send me a DM... I have all the study guides for Tech-Extra class along with the most up to date testing locations for both online and in person testing

 

[Michael]

Hmmmm, I wonder if this will really help or if it will just be full of new members asking other new members for ideas? In other words will experienced members be checking this thread often? Surely, and I'm calling you Shirley, a question will get more views on that general topic thread? I dunno, just asking.

Time will tell. The goal is to provide information quickly for new folks. Through the app, the new user journey looks a bit different than web. It looks like this:



Hopefully, with a few taps, someone just getting started can find access to the community. We'll see!

M

 

[genocache]

Thanks Michael, I don't have any apps, Just got a smart phone last year during the CZU fire. I'm just on a few forums online.

 

[roots66]

Great idea. I will be watching to see how this progresses. For now, I see it working well. However, as more folks ask questions, and the pages get more numerous, we may need to sub-cat into different sections so an already answered question isn't buried and ends up being asked several times.

 

[Kent R]

Great idea. I will be watching to see how this progresses. For now, I see it working well. However, as more folks ask questions, and the pages get more numerous, we may need to sub-cat into different sections so an already answered question isn't buried and ends up being asked several times.

If someone does have an answer they should just do what Northwest Director Mike Rose did and send a PM or you can send the member asking the question a link to the appropriate part of the forum. Resource sharing is the key and making sure new members get the info they need.

Think of this page as a gateway to the forum, there will be no need for sub categories because the forum itself is has all the sub categories.

 

[roots66]

If someone does have an answer they should just do what Northwest Director Mike Rose did and send a PM or you can send the member asking the question a link to the appropriate part of the forum. Resource sharing is the key and making sure new members get the info they need.

Think of this page as a gateway to the forum, there will be no need for sub categories because the forum itself is has all the sub categories.

Ahh, that makes sense. I was thinking along the lines of an FAQ. But, I like the gateway idea better.

 

[MegaBug]

I suspect new overlanders will often have similar questions when just starting out. This means we may get the same questions repeatedly as new members join. Something I've seen frequently on other forums, but not as much on OB, is the use of ”sticky” posts for common topics. Perhaps as ”favourite” topics present themselves the forum moderators could accumulate them in stickies for easy reference by new members.

 

[Kent R]

I suspect new overlanders will often have similar questions when just starting out. This means we may get the same questions repeatedly as new members join. Something I've seen frequently on other forums, but not as much on OB, is the use of ”sticky” posts for common topics. Perhaps as ”favourite” topics present themselves the forum moderators could accumulate them in stickies for easy reference by new members.

Could be, I will think about that. We are currently working to eliminate the stickies that have been around to long. Its a never ending process to keep the forum fresh.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

But if those stickies are of frequent asked questions and if they are properly addressed, should they be gotten rid of, or should newer people be trying to search more?

By the way, the app look good there

 

[El-Dracho]

Great idea. I will be watching to see how this progresses. For now, I see it working well. However, as more folks ask questions, and the pages get more numerous, we may need to sub-cat into different sections so an already answered question isn't buried and ends up being asked several times.

If someone does have an answer they should just do what Northwest Director Mike Rose did and send a PM or you can send the member asking the question a link to the appropriate part of the forum. Resource sharing is the key and making sure new members get the info they need.

Think of this page as a gateway to the forum, there will be no need for sub categories because the forum itself is has all the sub categories.

I like that gateway idea! I could imagine that it is not easy for many new members at the beginning to find everything they are looking for right here. So they can ask a question here in the new and (especially in the OB App) easy to find section and experienced members simply direct them to the right place or contact person, etc.

 

[Schnee91]

How does one obtain a HAM license? Ive searched the internet and many different options pop up. Wasn’t sure which is the best route to take (no pun)?

Send me a DM... I have all the study guides for Tech-Extra class along with the most up to date testing locations for both online and in person testing

Are the study guides digital? If so where can I find them? I’m interested in my HAM license as well.

 

[M Rose]

Are the study guides digital? If so where can I find them? I’m interested in my HAM license as well.

DM incoming

 

[Abjamejd]

How does one obtain a HAM license? Ive searched the internet and many different options pop up. Wasn’t sure which is the best route to take (no pun)?

The way I did it was pretty straight forward. I found a book I was comfortable with "The Fast Track series" and read through that. Once I finished that, I used HamStudy.org (free) for online study and practice test. In order to take the FCC test for the element 2 (first level exam) I searched on ARRL.org and found an online testing service. The cost was $15.00. I have recently taken the element 3 test . I did that in person again using Arrl.org to find a location near me. I think in person is a better way to go. so you know FCC is changing the price from free to $35.00 for the license, the $15.00 was for the registration and testing. I hope this helps.

 

[Randy503rdOverland]

How does one obtain a HAM license? Ive searched the internet and many different options pop up. Wasn’t sure which is the best route to take (no pun)?

This is where some of my crew got their HAM licenses…

How to Get Your Ham Radio License in 3 Simple Steps

How can you get your ham radio license? It's easier than you think. You just have to follow these 3 steps to finally get yours!

hamradioprep.com

 

[DaPyrate]

How does one obtain a HAM license? Ive searched the internet and many different options pop up. Wasn’t sure which is the best route to take (no pun)?

hamstudy.org will let you view study material and take practice exams. You can also find online testing when you are ready to take the test.

 

[Contingency: Overland]

How does one obtain a HAM license? Ive searched the internet and many different options pop up. Wasn’t sure which is the best route to take (no pun)?

hamstudy.org will let you view study material and take practice exams. You can also find online testing when you are ready to take the test.

Thank you