Radio Comms- A Basic Primer

[jdonovan]

Don't know how people feel about online exams?

you can't do it online... you can study online, but you have to go to an in-person test session to take the real exam.

Depends if you want to learn the material vs pass the test. If you want to REALLY learn the material find a local club that is offering a 'technician' class. This will give you the knowledge, and theory behind the material so you both know it, and can pass a test on it. A reasonable option B is to get the ARRL book, and self-study.

If you just want to pass the test use any of the online practice tests.. they will teach you the answers but you'll have no idea on the theory behind the questions. If you've got some basic electronics knowledge, and can read a basic schematic, then really most of what you're learning is FCC rules, and operating procedures... and there isn't much theory behind that... they are just rules.

For the Tech exam, you can reasonably get by with the online study. As you get into the General/Extra, you really need the theory.... there is just FAR too much material to memorize just the answers to the questions.

I self-studied the Tech, took a class on the General (combined tech/general) it filled in a bit of tech theory I missed and am self-studying for my Extra right now.

[SpanishInquisition]

Well, you can do *practice* tests online. No tthe real deal though.

[Viper21]

I have considered getting a mobile & handheld vhf raidos for communicating with buddys & family when out in the woods. Lots of the hunters use em for bear specifically.

It's a bit of a daunting task for the uninformed, diving into the comms world Im looking at a radio like this for vehicle http://www.ebay.com/itm/ICOM-IC-V8000-V ... 540656b2fa

Not sure what direction to go for a couple handhelds yet. I have to be honest, I was shocked to find out that a license was needed to transmit on these type of radios. Although, they seem like the ticket in the rural areas, over several miles. There are lots of places I frequent different times of the year that do not have cell signals. Im preferring to have a radio while out cutting firewood, or in non cell areas hunting, etc. I don't have any interest in making ham buddies across the country, etc... I just want a reliable way to communicate in the woods.

[jdonovan]

if you want to go licence-less, look into MURS radios. 152Mhz, close enough to the 2m ham band that propagation is very similar.

Don't know what your rural area looks like ,but at VHF frequencies you roughly need line of sight. I.e. VHF isn't going over/around hills. It will a _little_ bit, but not much.

if you want car-to-car, car-to-camp don't discount the good old CB. If you can get a camp antenna up high, the CB can have very good reach.

[Viper21]

if you want to go licence-less, look into MURS radios. 152Mhz, close enough to the 2m ham band that propagation is very similar.

Don't know what your rural area looks like ,but at VHF frequencies you roughly need line of sight. I.e. VHF isn't going over/around hills. It will a _little_ bit, but not much.

if you want car-to-car, car-to-camp don't discount the good old CB. If you can get a camp antenna up high, the CB can have very good reach.

I want to get what's compatible with the handfull of people I know. A couple buddys have the very radio I listed. A couple more have different radios but same frequency range, etc. Im not worried about the fact that a license is required, moreso.. I was just surprised that it was. Especially with the tx band being so narrow...

[SpanishInquisition]

Actually, using that radio unlicensed is a great way to have a white van and some guys in suits show up with a letter of enforcement.

Yah, they still do that.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[jdonovan]

Yah, they still do that.

And there are a number of ham's who have make it their 'hobby' to find unlicensed operators.

[Viper21]

Actually, using that radio unlicensed is a great way to have a white van and some guys in suits show up with a letter of enforcement.

Yah, they still do that.

And there are a number of ham's who have make it their 'hobby' to find unlicensed operators.

I wasn't saying that Im going to operate without a license. I was just commenting that, I was surprised to find out that it was required. Admittedly being ignorant to comms, I had just always assumed that, Ham radio was more the, giant antennas with people talking state to state, or to people in other countries, etc. I had no idea that people using vhf radios for clear, reliable comms while running dogs in the mountains after bear required a license. These radios are much more reliable than cb's, & have much better quality of signal than lots of the cheaper alternatives, in my ignorant opinon Again, I don't plan on skirting the license requirements, I just despise the licensing requirement, much like other gov regulation, licensing, etc.

[SpanishInquisition]

Actually, there's *lots* of different aspects to ham radio that are somewhat outside the scope I had originally intended for this thread, but since the subject is upon us...

Most emergency responses that hams participate in are within the band your buddies operate. Joplin Tornado? San Francisco or Philippines earthquake? Colorado forest fires? 2m ham nets were set up for disaster relief, passing crucial traffic regarding relief and rescue efforts. Many groups and clubs have practice networks weekly or monthly to keep their skills sharp and ready, come what may.

2m/440 mhz handhelds with an antenna not much bigger than a golf club can be used to talk to astronauts in the International Space Station. A little more equipment will allow digital text messages to be bounced off it and back to other earthbound users.

To be sure, there's still plenty of HF activity as well. Some traditionalists still hand key their morse code and span the globe with transmit power over 1000 watts, or if they're trying for a real challenge, less than a watt. Hams use HF to talk to friends, and again practice network skills in the event a comm network is needed for regional or even global traffic. HF users also use many digital modes to pass text, images or even slow frame rate video.

There are even hams that use the moon and directional antennas to set up lines of communication.

[Viper21]

Pretty interesting SI.

[bryanrheem]

SI, Jd, THANK YOU for your sharing your knowledge.

I'm going to find a local chapter as I want to learn and be mentored. This is an area where I'm a complete newbie but willing to put in the time and effort to master.

[SpanishInquisition]

Those considering testing for their ham license may be interested in the Timonium Hamfest going on this weekend-

http://www.gbhc.org/

Hamfests don't usually have much that caters to casual onlookers, although the last time we went, #1 GF's favorite booth sold... are you ready? Socks! It is possible that the host club may have a demo area, but that is entirely supposition on my part.

The web site does mention emergency preparedness as well, so it looks like they are catering to prep vendors in addition to ham gear, computer stuff, socks, etc.



I guess you gotta diversify these days. *shrug*

[DW44VH]

For those who want to learn morse code
http://www.hamwhisperer.com/p/morse-code-course.html

For those who want free Technician and General class study material
http://www.kb6nu.com/tech-manual/

73's - K1RQS

[vaeevictiss]

Ya HF is a weird animal. I typically don't like the ham guys cause they always act like know it alls lol. I work for the department of state on their radio networks at all the embassies and consulates. Often joke with the HF nuts when they ask why we don't do more HF and we tell them "because this is professional radio" lol.

Anyway on the HF thing, perfect example. I just got back from Australia and New Zealand last week. While in Sydney, they complained they could never reach Canberra on the HF and they are only a few hundred miles away. But they were able to reach Perth clear as day which is on the other side of the continent. Thats just how HF works.

As for a radio for camping, you really don't need much. A 5w handheld would be fine. I'm not sure what radios like the old Moto HT750 and HT1250s go for on ebay but they can't be that much. Look into vertex also. It's like a sister company of Moto. Kenwood is nice to. Stay away from Relm. They are real dirtbags and lie about their equipments capabilities. They also like to claim their radios are fully made in the US when in fact just the chassis are made here and they are assembled here but the boards are all from japan like everyone else.

They are also sore loosers. The vice president of relm publicly lambasted Kenwood (forgot the website that has the letter he sent) and even worse made completely false statements about their products and the company. Last I heard kenwood got their lawyers on it almost immediately after.

Edit: here it is http://www.nextgov.com/media/gbc/docs/p ... 713bb1.pdf

Remember this is the vp of a professional company that's acting like a child that just had his toy taken away.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[vaeevictiss]

*President not VP

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[VACoastie]

Had an instance on our last patrol where we had 2 other Naval vessels near us. One 50 miles out the other ~200 miles out. HF Comms checks were being done. The command couldn't wrap their heads around why we could talk to the guys far away but got garbled xmission a from the guys 50 miles out.

I tried explaining propagation, weather anomalies, the ionosphere, how clouds affect skips, blah blah, but they still couldn't get it. HF is just plain ass finicky and truly outdated. Something good to use when in a bind though I S'pose, but you gotta know what you're doing somewhat to get it working well enough to make a difference.

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[bryanrheem]

Just passed my Tech Exam tonight. I decided just to go for the Tech and didn't study for the General, although the Alexandria Chapter 'made' me take the General test after I passed the Tech exam.

I look forward to continuing to learn and grow, and will actually shoot to get my General soon.

[MarcSpaz]

I should really get my General... but I never did. I talk to Texas on 2m with a beam and 200w from the top of Flag Pole Knob... talked to CA and Alberta on 6m with 10w and to folks in the UK, DR, ships in the Gulf and Atlantic on 10m using 5w. I figured I likely wouldn't need to do any more than that.

In most real world emergencies I have been in, I have been standing up portable 2m or 2m/44o cross-band repeater sites for area nets for the guys on handhelds or actually using 1-5 watt handhelds while on the ground. I figured I would leave the regional and global nets for the stationary guys. Well, now I am more of a stationary guy. LOL

[DCJon]

Mobile HF is easy with a radio and long wire antenna. 2M is good for talking with your buddies or getting county level information. If you want regional or national info, tap into HF. No ticket needed to listen via SW radio but you'll need General to transmit. PM me if you want to know more.

[bryanrheem]

DCJon,

Thanks for the offer! I will definitely take you up on it when it's time. Right now I'm trying to get plugged in with a local group and get my mobile VHF/UHF setup going, while also looking into CB.

Drinking out of a fire hose really...