Communications:

[Bigduane]

Hey Redtailed Hawk: You can also get on 10 meters with a Technician. I know it is not open now but when the sunspots come back look out. Also you can do cw on 10 15 40 and 80 meters with a tech. I am getting ready to get off my butt and clean off my radio desk and hook up my ten meter radio. 25 glorious watts.
 Bigduane  kf4eLj

[redtailhawk]

Hey Bigduane!

10m will work for a HF local net now, so jump in!  And if you're up for CW, I'm in and there's probably a couple more in this forum that may just need to knock the cobwebs off!  I could use some "dusting" myself!

If you're near Seniortech's location, we're going to try a link tomorrow(Sun) at 4pm your time, Lord willin' and the crick dont rise.

redtailhawk

[Seniortech]

Duane, Good post Son, glad to hear you in there.

I would be up for some cw.  I hear tell them cobwebs dust off pretty easy.

John

[Bigduane]

Time to break the straight key out of deep storage I had to work today, I hope you had a good net.
 Bigduane

[WIG19]

Bravo!!  And thanks wyprairielady for checking into the exams!  Believe me, if a radio club or VE (Volunteer Examiner) knows they've got a group of interested parties, they'll make it happen for you!

Some facts:
1.  Morse is no longer a requirement for any of the Amateur Licenses.
2.  The Technician License will get you legal for the VHF and UHF bands which are local areas and for some, this is as far as they want to go.  To get on the long distance bands, HF and LF, you need a General License or better.  The test for General isn't much different than the Technician just a little more on international laws, antennas and propagation, radio courtesies, and radios in "general".  A General License will get you on all the HF frequencies with some limitations reserved for the Extra Class License.

Thanks for your impressions of the General. Glad to find this old thread. My understanding doing current research into this says that, while Morse is no longer a tested requirement, it's more of a convenience because of the HF freq space opened up to those with just a Technician license. So a Tech licensee can have access to the lower freqs, but most are CW only; CW being something you use, vs. something you are required to be tested on.

Am getting ready to sit the Tech exam as soon as the gun-deer season here is over, working on my code at the same time (one still has to take the Tech first rather than just taking the Gen exam). The Gen gets more voice permissions in the lower frequency area from what I can discern. Having reviewed the study guide & practice exams that are publicly accessible (with all possible questions), the Tech is, to me, a combination of:

- common electrical/safety sense.
- yeah, I already knew that.
- rote reg/freq memorization (arghhh)
- Hmmm! Neat, I didn't know that.

Am not one to sit in the basement thru the winter with a big blasting base station. It seems to be trendy right now but my plans are totally mobile (think pull over, tailgate with a Buddistick in a field, truck-bed convenience outlet into an inverter & small power supply) and then portable - think rucksack with radio, baby antenna tuner, some insulators, wire, paracord and a gel cell also fed by a small solar panel if needed. The Yaesu FT-817 seems to be fitting the bill as I look. In a galaxy far away (some decades now) pretty good comms could be done if one was creative enough with some wire - less about the watts, more about the antenna. But it wasn't fun to carry.

As I get "there" I'll check back in and see about waves going westward to WY.
No, I don't worry about being licensed, anymore than all the other things like pilot's license, hunting license, PO box, whatever the hell else they already know. Thus far, Hams seem to be very outgoing in general and ready to help/pass on knowledge. If all goes north, the last thing G is going to hear is an actual callsign registered to me. But a directional & clear but low-power signal can be a good thing and can be frustrating to a certain extent if one is being pursued.

If anyone is looking for reviews on equip or how-to's, besides the ARRL.Org there is also:

http://www.eham.net/

Edit:  Seeing the warning that this thread hasn't been posted on for at least 4 months, have any users here continued along with creating a working, ongoing net? (Either HF or perhaps voice SSB.) Am also working on a possible trip your way this coming spring so would be interested in hearing of anything. Here in WI there are couple HF CW nets apparently for newbies at 5wpm apparently, along with another one for very raw/new CW folks to try at whatever they can cope with for speed. Uh, yeah; that would be me for now.

[SunDog]

I would be interested in an HF net too.

Oh yes - for the FT-817 I recommend the Elecraft T1 tuner. I've had lots of fun with that combination.

[WIG19]

I would be interested in an HF net too.

Oh yes - for the FT-817 I recommend the Elecraft T1 tuner. I've had lots of fun with that combination.

Thanks for that. Everyone seems to have their favorite, but you're not the first to mention success with that pairing so will check it out.  The list of what I don't know is a long one. Working on my code I had to hire a technical consultant to assist with acquiring an MP3 player; but as a grand-daughter she could be had for a cranberry muffin & a trip in the truck away from her sister.

[Terence]

A few 2012 updates on communications and amateur radio:

 - The increased focus on the web makes ham radio a more attractive option
      for communications, not less, IMO.

 - All-Mode/All-Band transceivers are better, cheaper and smaller than ever
     making even a mobile (Car?) installation more capable than a typical 'base station'
     in recent years past.  Check out the specs for the Yaesu 857 or Icom 7000.

 - It's possible to use a TIN# when obtaining an FRN# from CORES for
     use in taking the tests and obtaining the FCC license. I've only read about this
     and cannot yet advise. Meticulous compliance with the law should involve
     a complete understanding of what one is complying with, of course.

 - When the morse code requirement was dropped it caused a dramatic
     increase in interest.  In a recent interview Gordon West says
     he was amazed at the ironic increase in demand for his morse materials.

 - There's been a dramatic increase in digital modes (PSK31, Echo Link, Winlink, etc.)
     integrating web, phone and radio capabilities. One can use Echo Link from their
     smart phone, for instance, to speak with other hams around the world on VHF/UHF.

To chime in, here, as others have already: I was ready to take the General exam
in 1994 but was only at 8 wpm on the morse code before it was time to get employed, again.
I'll probably opt for getting the FCC license for the sake of setting up and testing backup communications
for my family, in advance.

Terence

[manfromnevada]

Just FYI,
I passed the Extra Class license exam last month and am now a licensed ham.
My main interest was emergency communications since one cell tower stands between my cell phone and internet service and total isolation.

I purchased a Yaesu 897D (and accessories). It's a great radio with optional dual built in battery packs. 160M-70cm range. It covers EVERYTHING. All the digital modes too (with the external computer of course). Very compact and portable, but I'm using it as my base station. Already contacted some FSW folks on the air.
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/catalog/pdf/ft-897_brochure.pdf
Cost just under a KFRN (kilo-buck) with shipping!

And even though all communications are open to the public (encryption is not allowed) there is NO RECORD kept of any communication, unlike all cell phones and email, or even forums like this one. If the conversation is not monitored in real time then it is lost forever (unless you traveled faster than the speed of light to a distant planet and then waited for the signal to reach you once again, I guess we can discount that scenario . . . .

73

Mac

[Terence]

Just FYI,
I passed the Extra Class license exam last month and am now a licensed ham.
My main interest was emergency communications since one cell tower stands between my cell phone and internet service and total isolation.

I purchased a Yaesu 897D (and accessories). It's a great radio with optional dual built in battery packs. 160M-70cm range. It covers EVERYTHING. All the digital modes too (with the external computer of course). Very compact and portable, but I'm using it as my base station. Already contacted some FSW folks on the air.
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/catalog/pdf/ft-897_brochure.pdf
Cost just under a KFRN (kilo-buck) with shipping!

And even though all communications are open to the public (encryption is not allowed) there is NO RECORD kept of any communication, unlike all cell phones and email, or even forums like this one. If the conversation is not monitored in real time then it is lost forever (unless you traveled faster than the speed of light to a distant planet and then waited for the signal to reach you once again, I guess we can discount that scenario . . . .

73

Mac

My #2 ham role model speaks!

#1 is Big John Seniortech who took me to task in his living room, last year, also
helping to breakdown and clean an M1 Garand on the same visit.

Mac says it well on the 897D. Now that he's spoken up it's ok to say we have
an agreement to compare his 897D with the ICOM 7000.  Hopefully, we'll all
benefit in the comparison.

BTW, gentleman: I'm going mobile right off the bat, so, the scorpion 680 (Screwdriver) and
a certain 2m antenna is on the chopping block for our investigation.

Quite bold comments for someone with no kudos from the FCC, yet. Then again, my
#2 role model was much like myself in the not to distant past.

Terence

[Crappiewy]

I have a 200 watt Tube type transmitter I built in the 1980's
Never got a license thou so I never used it.

[rhodges]

I have a 200 watt Tube type transmitter I built in the 1980's
Never got a license thou so I never used it.

Grief-kit? Does it also have the receiver?

[Don Wills]

I got my General license a couple of years ago, bought a handheld, made a couple of contacts with a Net when I lived in Jackson, and have done nothing since.  I am looking forward to reading the comparison of the ICOM 7000 with Mac's rig.

[Terence]

I got my General license a couple of years ago, bought a handheld, made a couple of contacts with a Net when I lived in Jackson, and have done nothing since.  I am looking forward to reading the comparison of the ICOM 7000 with Mac's rig.

Belated congrats on your General, Don. The electrical and circuit theory is
nothing to sneeze at having read it over a second time, now.

We'll do a thorough job of the comparison as the results may determine who
buys what next....

Terence

CrappieWY, I suspect your actual knowledge exceeds the pursuit of the
curriculum. If you need a licensed 'stooge' perhaps I'll be eligible, soon.

[BAR BAR 2]

Not sure if I am allowed to plug another site, if not then please delete.

A friend of mine who is in Pheonix started a new HAM site a while back specifically geared toward new HAMs and those wanting to get their ticket. There are several experienced HAMs there to answer any and all questions. There is also a guy there that retired from the FCC. He can answer any questions regarding rules and regs. You wont find the negative attitude towards newbies or rank ametures like you see on other sites.

Check out
www.preparedham.com


Tex