Anyone out there an An Amature Radio Operator? Is this kind of activity good to get involved in? How expensive are HAM Radio Antennas?
Amature Radio License
- Thread starter piasabird
- Start date
my dad is. 4 digit call sign extra class.
Q: Is this kind of activity good to get involved in?
A: Only if you are amused by re-inventing the wheel of modern technology. IRC is more interesting to me.
Q: How expensive are HAM Radio Antennas?
A: Premade antennas can range in price. You can always make your own if your desperate. Tons of basic electrical and physics knowledge is a huge plus.
Q: Is this kind of activity good to get involved in?
A: Only if you are amused by re-inventing the wheel of modern technology. IRC is more interesting to me.
Q: How expensive are HAM Radio Antennas?
A: Premade antennas can range in price. You can always make your own if your desperate. Tons of basic electrical and physics knowledge is a huge plus.
radioouman
Diamond Member
- Nov 4, 2002
- 8,632
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Amateur radio can still be a lot of fun and have some utility.
For example, with the Tech license (two written tests, both simple), you can use a handy-talkie with the local repeater systems.... basically, take FRS-like radios and make 'em good for anywhere from one city to (in the case of Texas) all the way across the state to (in the case of the BEARS repeater in Washington state) good for several states (on a handy talkie ...).
As a toss-in, if you are a member of the repeater club (usually $25-35.00 / year) you can make phone calls through the radio (through the "autopatch" system on the repeater).
You can also use the satellites (amateur radio satellites), talk to the space station via packet radio (one of the older forms of "wireless networking") , or (when the sunspots come back up a little) talk around the world on a few watts from your car, campsite, wherever.
Other associated areas of interest in Ham radio include MARS - become a link for the military to make calls "from the field" to their home, working with disaster teams, become part of the infrastructure (set up a digipeater in the packet radio system and / or become a gateway link to the Internet for packet radio). Some folks like to do moonbounce, some like to do microwave ...
Depending on your license, you get spectrum from DC to light..some licenses just get more than others (Tech class is pretty much everything above 50Mhz, last time I checked. general and Extra add more spectrum in the low bands).
It can be fun, it can be pretty handy sometimes. the licenses are good for ten years at a stretch.
Cost-wise, getting the license is free or close to free. The equipment can also be cheap (check out Ebay, or www.aesham.com used equipment) to many thousands of dollars. There are lots of books on how-to's for making antennas of all kinds. Purchasing antennas, depending on the band and the type of antenna, can be a few bucks to a few thousand.
Give it a shot.
Good Luck
Scott
WV9A (one of those "Four Digit Extra Class" people)
For example, with the Tech license (two written tests, both simple), you can use a handy-talkie with the local repeater systems.... basically, take FRS-like radios and make 'em good for anywhere from one city to (in the case of Texas) all the way across the state to (in the case of the BEARS repeater in Washington state) good for several states (on a handy talkie ...).
As a toss-in, if you are a member of the repeater club (usually $25-35.00 / year) you can make phone calls through the radio (through the "autopatch" system on the repeater).
You can also use the satellites (amateur radio satellites), talk to the space station via packet radio (one of the older forms of "wireless networking") , or (when the sunspots come back up a little) talk around the world on a few watts from your car, campsite, wherever.
Other associated areas of interest in Ham radio include MARS - become a link for the military to make calls "from the field" to their home, working with disaster teams, become part of the infrastructure (set up a digipeater in the packet radio system and / or become a gateway link to the Internet for packet radio). Some folks like to do moonbounce, some like to do microwave ...
Depending on your license, you get spectrum from DC to light..some licenses just get more than others (Tech class is pretty much everything above 50Mhz, last time I checked. general and Extra add more spectrum in the low bands).
It can be fun, it can be pretty handy sometimes. the licenses are good for ten years at a stretch.
Cost-wise, getting the license is free or close to free. The equipment can also be cheap (check out Ebay, or www.aesham.com used equipment) to many thousands of dollars. There are lots of books on how-to's for making antennas of all kinds. Purchasing antennas, depending on the band and the type of antenna, can be a few bucks to a few thousand.
Give it a shot.
Good Luck
Scott
WV9A (one of those "Four Digit Extra Class" people)
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