Is Ham Radio Dead?

[bruceb]

LEVEL 1: Technician Class License

Your introduction to Amateur Radio.

• Exam Requirement: 35-question Technician Written Exam (Element 2).
• Privileges: All VHF/UHF Amateur bands (frequencies above 30 MHz).
  Limited operations in certain HF bands.
  

The FCC Technician License exam covers basic regulations, operating practices and electronics theory, with a focus on VHF and UHF applications. Morse code is not required for this license. With a Technician Class license, you will have all ham radio privileges above 30 MHz. These privileges include the very popular 2-meter band. Many Technician licensees enjoy using small (2 meter) hand-held radios to stay in touch with other hams in their area. Technicians may operate FM voice, digital packet (computers), television, single-sideband voice and several other interesting modes. You can even make international radio contacts via satellites, using relatively simple station equipment. Technician licensees now also have additional privileges on certain HF frequencies. Technicians may also operate on the 80, 40 and 15 meter bands using CW, and on the 10 meter band using CW, voice and digital modes.
Changes to the Technician Class rules as a result of the recent FCC rule changes are provided in a separate supplement.LEVEL 2: General Class License

Upgrade from the Technician Class License.

• Exam Requirements: 35-question General written exam (Element 3).
• License Privileges: All VHF/UHF Amateur bands and most
  HF privileges (10 through 160 meters).

Technicians may upgrade to General Class by passing a 35-question
multiple-choice written examination. The written exam covers intermediate
regulations, operating practices and electronics theory, with a focus on HF
applications. Non-licensed individuals must pass Element 2 and Element 3
written exams to earn a General License. The FCC grants exam Element 3
credit to individuals that previously held certain older types of licenses.
Find valid forms of Examination Element Credit.
The General Class is a giant step up in operating privileges. The high-power
HF privileges granted to General licensees allow for cross-country and
worldwide communication. In addition to the Technician privileges, General
Class operators are authorized to operate on any frequency in the 160, 30,
17, 12 and 10 meter bands. They may also use significant segments of the
80, 40, 20 and 15 meter bands.

Note: When I did my upgrade from Tech to General, it was just paperwork
with no additional test required. That has since changed, but the questions
are not that hard and reasonable study will get you past them. Just watch
out for the rules questions. They can be tricky.

 

[Nemesis 1]

Don't worry about the license guys. My wifes brother inlaw did . I don't have license. No one has bothered me . But I have rather large property also . The antennea is were the real skill comes in

 

[Modelworks]

The biggest change in licensing was when they dropped the morse code requirement from the lowest license. A lot of people couldn't be bothered to learn morse code. It is fun to use though even if you never use it on the radio. They have a competition each year for who can decode and send morse code the fastest . The good guys can do 60 words per minute. I am at about 15

 

[Nemesis 1]

Your faster than I am . I still need the book

 

[dmcowen674]

This makes me want to watch Frequency again.

:thumbsup:

 

[drum]

My boss and his dad go to Hamvention in dayton OH every year. He loves it

 

[bobdole369]

Kind of sad, there was something exciting about people able to talk to strangers far away in another medium before the internet.

This. The Internet happened, now its all old guys for the most part. Same thing happened to CB radio. Its literally nothing but truckers.

Well unless you get into a niche thing. CW is and always will be around, but there are a number of comm modes up and coming. Digital modes on HF is very big now, mostly because you don't even need to hear the other station, your computer picks it out of the noise. You get keyboard-to-keyboard QSO's.

As for SSB voice on HF - its almost all old dudes ragchewing. Every so often some dx shows up and they all scramble for it. People still do cq here on hf - and the band IS opening back up after 5+ years of only 40m and down.

You probably remember 2m or 440 FM repeaters. They are literally the playground of your local ham clubs. Average age is 85. There IS a traffic net, there IS a skywarn net, and each club has its own, but they literally remain silent 90% of the time. If anybody does pop on its to call someone, not to call CQ.

On VHF - APRS has replaced packet radio. Lots of weather stations, and lots of position reporting. We use it during the boat parade and thats about it.

 

[Arkaign]

it still exists, not quite like it was in the 50's popularity wise, but there are a lot of hams out there still.

Yes, I know a couple myself.

 

[dmcowen674]

A lot of people will wish they had HAM at 2pm Wednesday.

The Government will be testing the new total take over system CMAS

They will shut down and takeover all TV, Radio and Cellular communications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Mobile_Alert_System

 

[irishScott]

Well you can talk to the ISS if you want to go hardcore: http://www.youtube.com/user/USNERDOC#p/search/4/mSIAi-t0OQI

 

[olds]

A lot of people will wish they had HAM at 2pm Wednesday.

The Government will be testing the new total take over system CMAS

They will shut down and takeover all TV, Radio and Cellular communications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Mobile_Alert_System

I've been seeing these ads on TV. The first thing I said to my wife was, "What a perfect time for a terrorist attack."

 

[iGas]

LOL...American, don't forget the fall out bunker and mustard gas masks to go with your ham radio.

 

[olds]

LOL...American, don't forget the fall out bunker and mustard gas masks to go with your ham radio.

Got all that. Next to my generator, MREs, water, medicine and guns.

 

[Joseph F]

Where does one go to study-up for a license?
Also, this may be a really dumb question, but is there a way of transmitting/receiving PCM signals over it?

 

[CallMeJoe]

...As for SSB voice on HF - its almost all old dudes ragchewing...

HF voice is also used for aviation communications out of range for VHF comm. IIRC, USB and A3A (reduced carrier AM) can be used on an aircraft station license while AM or LSB require an amateur license.

edit: also marine communication, which is the primary use for A3A.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Where does one go to study-up for a license?

Study guides and practice tests are readily available on-line. Check with the ARRL.

 

[Schadenfroh]

LOL...American, don't forget the fall out bunker and mustard gas masks to go with your ham radio.

Natural disasters that result in a demand for hobbyist HAMS are not uncommon. During major hurricanes, for example, local governments tend to call upon them to communicate over long distances when the telecom infrastructure is severely damaged.

Most HAMs are not survivalists, they do it because they love tinkering with radios and talking with others that they might not otherwise meet, similar to the CB radio craze of years ago.

 

[olds]

What's the frequency Kenneth?

 

[cardiac]

I've been a ham for almost 20 years and hold an Extra class license. I volunteer as an examiner (VE) and still enjoy the hobby. If you google up amateur radio and Katrina together, you'll find a bunch of articles on it. Hams dispatched police and fire over their radios for weeks as the public safety repeater systems collapsed, as did the cellular world down there. Nothing but ham radio after Katrina for a few weeks.

 

[olds]

...Nothing but ham radio after Katrina for a few weeks.

It's shocking that all people don't realize that this is the reality.

 

[Bateluer]

A lot of people will wish they had HAM at 2pm Wednesday.

The Government will be testing the new total take over system CMAS

They will shut down and takeover all TV, Radio and Cellular communications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Mobile_Alert_System

Customers will be automatically signed up to receive PLAN alerts. If they do not want to participate they may opt to block most PLAN messages, however messages issued by the president cannot be blocked under any circumstances.

I don't want to receive messages from that asshat. :/ Must find way to block . . . or generate massive spam to their system.

Also, anything thats big enough to require an alert system like that won't need an alert system.

 

[olds]

I don't want to receive messages from that asshat. :/ Must find way to block . . . or generate massive spam to their system.

Also, anything thats big enough to require an alert system like that won't need an alert system.

I wonder which list you just got on.

 

[bobdole369]

What would you need to say to folks living at vast distances under those circumstances?

"Come here and I'll shoot"?
"Nope, down to yellow mustard"?

Hello, what radio do you have?

Howdy, Name is Dole, how is the weather?

What performance are you seeing out of that specific antenna?

How are you, and how is the family?

You are in a country or island that I have not made contact yet?

DX is gud - check 14.230 for sstv from Romania?

 

[bobdole369]

It's shocking that all people don't realize that this is the reality.

Except that isn't true. Deployed were mobile sites with generator cell stations and wireless uplinks into most of the city within a day or so for emergency responders, and within a week nearly the whole area had basic functionality back. Ham radio ops played a huge part in the first 72 hours for sure (I know I passed some health and welfare traffic out), but its not like it was completely screwed for months (as far as communications goes)

http://www.scienceofopportunity.com/cms/zalaczone_pliki/CA_south%20florida business journal.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_on_wheels

https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/akwasins/www/Intelec06_Katrina.pdf

 

[bobdole369]

Where does one go to study-up for a license?
Also, this may be a really dumb question, but is there a way of transmitting/receiving PCM signals over it?

You mean data? Lots of that around. There are a lot of different operating modes.

You need to have a communcation between 2 stations, one of which cannot be controlled by you. You cannot "broadcast" and you cannot use ham radio for anything in which you have a pecuniary interest.