Questions of Amateur Radio??

[HBARleatherneck]

Hello, I know little to nothing about amateur radio. Except, when I was in Desert Storm, I talked to my family via a MARS station, that was relayed via Ham operators in the states to my family.

So, Hoosier brought up the egypt thing. If they cut off the internet and phones, should we have amateur radio?

Cant the government cut that off too? Or how does it actually operate, that it could still be run independent of the governement?

I have looked at some HAM sites, and am thinking about it.

[jmg8550]

I don't think the government can shut down or jam a radio station that is broadcasting on its own. They would have to shut down the transmitter. I don't believe radio transmissions could just be blocked out.

[Wulf202]

Ham would be incredibly hard to jam the entire grid since there's a huge amount of regular channels and plenty of gray area, the entire ham grid is independent of any gov input other than the FCC policing them occasional. They could potentially jam a couple of hundred areas but short of JBT knocking doors it would be impossible to take the HAM out of the equation. HAM guys know their electronics better than most engineers. There's a thread on getoffthex about it and they're saying that it's been done to bounce a signal off the moon or meteors using sharks with friggin lasers on their heads or some such technical stuff.

It's on my list of future hobbies.

[Hoosier]

HBAR, there are free classes offered. I got the book and am reading it now. I have a friend who is an "Extra Class" ham, which means the most privileges available to amateur radio users. I'm going for Technician, which lets you use the little handheld radios. I'll find the info about the guy offering that free class and send it to you in a bit.

H.

[Hoosier]

I don't think the government can shut down or jam a radio station that is broadcasting on its own. They would have to shut down the transmitter. I don't believe radio transmissions could just be blocked out.

It's certainly possible to jam radio transmissions, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_jamming

H.

[ChunkyMonkey]

HBAR, there are free classes offered. I got the book and am reading it now. I have a friend who is an "Extra Class" ham, which means the most privileges available to amateur radio users. I'm going for Technician, which lets you use the little handheld radios. I'll find the info about the guy offering that free class and send it to you in a bit.

H.

Could you post it here as well please?

[gnihcraes]

Another expensive hobby. Just ask me. :) KB0xxx Ham since 1995. There are several radio operators on the forum. Thread: http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20020&highlight=amateur

[zteknik]

being a former commo sgt myself,i know there are ways of jamming signals
but to incapacitate the whole ham band is practicly impossible
theres just so many different repeaters and transmiters
sure you can block a few of them at a time but never realy turn it off
i keep saying to myself one of these days ill go for the liscense
lord knows i have enough gear and know how-just need to get off my duff and do it[Coffee]

[jerrymrc]

.
i keep saying to myself one of these days ill go for the liscense
lord knows i have enough gear and know how-just need to get off my duff and do it[Coffee]

Me too. I downloaded the study guides and in my case it should not be too hard. Just one of things on the list.[Rant1]

[mx'r]

I was thinking about picking up a handheld for my BOB. They use repeaters correct? If so, they wouldnt be worth shit if the towers are down would they? Not sure how they work, and no need to worry about illegal use if it's in a SHTF scenario.

[gnihcraes]

Figure 1 mile per watt transmission range on a ham radio, with no terrain in the way radio to radio. (simplex)

If you use repeaters, .25 or .5 watt will get you into the repeater fine with great potential output from the repeater. Depending on the repeater location, 100 miles output isn't out of the question, but the other side needs to talk into the repeater too. Location Location Location. Good equipment and antennas make a big difference.

A lot of the repeater sites are on generator, so they should be up and running for a while during SHTF. Also, the repeaters are usually on a different power grid, so if things are down here in the big city, the repeaters on the front range mountains are usually running. FYI, most ham repeaters are sharing locations with PD and Fire departments.

If SHTF, the repeaters will be loaded up with emergency communications and you're not going to be able to use it for your own purpose most likely. You'll be able to talk to the control station of that repeater and relay information possibly to whomever you need to speak, but it will be delayed with priority traffic for the emergency.

If you need emergency communication, it will be available and will take priority.

I rely on my Ham gear to listen as much as anything, you can pick up AM/FM/TV/News/Aviation/etc. If you can hear the ham stations talking about situations and news crews reporting situations, you'll know as much as anyone else without power and no tv or radio at home.

Echolink is Ham Radio Voice over IP. Its pretty cool, and you don't even need the ham gear to use it, normal PC with sound card and microphone. Connect through ham clubs and private users through the internet and talk to hams in another location on their radios. If the power is out, not much fun though.

Sun Spot cycle should be getting better in a few years, right now its low and long distance communications is limited.

[zteknik]

Me too. I downloaded the study guides and in my case it should not be too hard. Just one of things on the list.[Rant1]
years ago when i started in commo school they taught code over the an grc 106
i swear i kept hearing code for months after i finished AIT and now i can hardly remember it :(
its a good thing its not a requirement on the general test
id still like to brush up on it though that and on my ratt skills
i downloaded the practice program a few years ago, but cant seem to find it?im sure the arrl site can point me to one

[ChadAmberg]

I was just down in the basement letting the dog play, so I fired up my radios.

On one radio which is UHF and VHF, I heard a few locals chatting on one repeater, and a net on another. A net is a scheduled meeting of hams all on the same "channel" for the purpose of... whatever they want. Sometimes it's emergency communications practice, other times it's people talking about their latest surgery. UHF and VHF is basically what you get with a Technician license, which is pretty easy to get. For that, you can either use the handheld walkie talkie style radios, or your typical ham radio that looks like a CB in the car. Here's a few pics of my car install: http://chadamberg.com/drupal/MobileRadio

Then on my HF radio, I used digital modes to chat with folks in Michigan, Canada, and Idaho. A few weeks ago chatted with a young lady in Japan for a bit. The HF radios are usually bigger and more expensive, and you have to put thought into your antenna. Although for me, I picked up a box called a tuner, mounted it in a waterproof box, connected one end to a copper pipe for my sprinkler system for a ground, and hooked up the "hot" lead right to my downspout on my gutter. The tuner box makes whatever its connected to "look like" the right size antenna for what frequency you're on. This is good news for folks in HOA environments who can't put up a tower, or anything. I actually get really good performance out of it. For HF you need to upgrade to the General class license, which isn't that tough either.

The study guides make it easy, but finding someone local to give you a quick run through really puts things into perspective.

[gnihcraes]

Walter Cronkite on Ham Radio and the Hayman Fire. I know several of the people in the video, very good and smart people.
5Z9136_Nhh4

Interesting how this video is shown stopped above. WG0N Dave Basinger in that truck, extremely smart person and great guy. Does work for Channel 4 news if I remember correctly.

[zteknik]

nice setup chad!!
how do you like the kenwoods?
i remember the older rigs use to run hot and burn out the finals-or was that just on there hts?

[gnihcraes]

For those interested, here is the most recent list of Ham Swapfests. (Like a Gunshow for Ham Radio Operators) Usually a couple dollars to get in the door. Lots of weird people walking around, every car on the premise has 5 antennas on top.

There are presentations about various topics usually and testing if you have studied to get the license.

These are usually small shows anymore, the Ham Hobby has been slowly shrinking over the years. People just aren't interested in two-way communications via radio waves.

February 13 – ARA Swapfest, Adams County Fairgrounds, Brighton, CO


April 2 – Longmont ARC, LarcFest, Boulder County Fairgrounds Longmont, CO


July 16 – PPRAA Megafest, Lewis Palmer High School, Colorado Springs


June 25-26 – ARRL Field Day More info later


August 21 – DRC HAMfest, Jefferson County Fair Grounds


September 25 – Boulder Amateur Radio Club, BARCfest, Boulder County Fair Grounds, Longmont, CO

[zteknik]

hamfests are great!!kinda like a big swap meet
another good thing is when the local ham clubs have feild days
the one by me has them quite frequently-pearl-putnam emergency and amature repeater league
you get to see how they set up and run things and learn from some of the pros

[nontactical]

The biggest problem with HAM radio is that you have to be a huge geek to get into it.... unlike me, sitting in my basement pouring over ballistics manuals and reloading charts, surrounded by stacks of ammo cans, hoards of survival equipment and magazines, two gun safes and god knows how much gunpowder, with my wife yelling at me to come upstairs because we are hosting a dinner party.

Or yelling at the TV on election night and using the instant replay button while looking up candidates who I don't know enough about on my laptop... but going to the sporting clays range on Superbowl Sunday.

I practically have to beat the women off with a stick. Unlike those dorky HAM radio guys.

[gnihcraes]

The biggest problem with HAM radio is that you have to be a huge geek to get into it.... unlike me, sitting in my basement pouring over ballistics manuals and reloading charts, surrounded by stacks of ammo cans, hoards of survival equipment and magazines, two gun safes and god knows how much gunpowder, with my wife yelling at me to come upstairs because we are hosting a dinner party.

Or yelling at the TV on election night and using the instant replay button while looking up candidates who I don't know enough about on my laptop... but going to the sporting clays range on Superbowl Sunday.

I practically have to beat the women off with a stick. Unlike those dorky HAM radio guys.

Being in both hobbies Ham Radio and Guns among others things, I'm not sure which crowd of people look worse. I see way more hot women at the gunshow, but not many women of any beauty at the ham swapfests.

[nontactical]

Being in both hobbies Ham Radio and Guns among others things, I'm not sure which crowd of people look worse. I see way more hot women at the gunshow, but not many women of any beauty at the ham swapfests.

I hope it was clear that I was making fun only of myself... neither is exactly a chick magnet hobby.

[gnihcraes]

I hope it was clear that I was making fun only of myself... neither is exactly a chick magnet hobby.

yep, figured, but after thinking about it, gunshows have more chicks. Hamfest, questionable bunch sometimes. :)

[Irving]

I once tried to sell a minivan to a Ham radio guy. He cut his own hair. I'll never forget him.

[zteknik]

I once tried to sell a minivan to a Ham radio guy. He cut his own hair. I'll never forget him.
some of them ar characters-must be from sitting in front of the radios in the hamshack suckin up rf frquency waves!!kinda like low level radiation!![Help]

[nontactical]

I once tried to sell a minivan to a Ham radio guy. He cut his own hair. I'll never forget him.

Hell, Ill never forget that sentence.

[Busta Prima]

I've been a Ham since the late 70's. Fun hobby but I never got too deep into it. Some of the antennas can get kind of big and with the stupid covenants and deed restrictions all over the place, it can be difficult.

In a SHTF scenario, cell phones and the Internet would be gone first. Landline phones could last longer but would probably be jammed up with traffic . . . but I wouldn't recommend becomming a Ham just to check a box on your SHTF preparedness list. However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get to know one that lives near you. It very well could become the ONLY long distance communication available in a worst case scenario. Some Hams actually practice of these types of communications on a weekly basis.

[gnihcraes]

Hell, Ill never forget that sentence.

Go to a ham swapfest and you'll see some other fellas you won't forget either.

[ROFL1]

[rockhound]

why not just buy the equipment if you want it.

if the SHTF, really hits the fan, there won't be anyone out there who will give a crap if you have a license to operate it.

[gnihcraes]

why not just buy the equipment if you want it.

if the SHTF, really hits the fan, there won't be anyone out there who will give a crap if you have a license to operate it.

Except for a lot of licensed hams who might not come after you, but will know where you are by triangulation and your mode of operation (rules and such).

But you are correct, in shtf, not much would happen to you for using it.

Go buy a marine radio at bass pro shops for a few bucks, nearly water proof, VHF, several watts of power easy. I don't know that they are regulated at all.

[ChadAmberg]

In SHTF, lots of folks who bought the gear just to have in case of TEOTWAWKI will be scratching their heads wondering how to hook it up and actually talk with someone.
So if you want to get something more than a couple handheld blister pack Motorolas from Costco, might as well get a license since its easy and cheap and then spend a little bit of time using the gear regularly.

[Busta Prima]

I've got a suggestion for you guys who are considering this. Every June, on the 4th full weekend (this year it's 25-26) there is "Field Day." It's where Hams set up camp and make as many contacts as possible for contest points. These events can be a single person at home but are generally sponsored by clubs. Some clubs like going "hard core" with no commercial power because you get a lot more points. They'll pick a field somewhere, set up generators, food, tents and such, and when the timer starts, away they go. You would learn a lot just by watching and they wouldn't mind you hanging around at all. Maybe you can even help them set up (I suggest helping with the antennas).

Just do a search. I would bet there will be a field day within 50 miles of virtually everyone reading this, even nationwide.

I still stick to my suggestion that if you're only interested in this for SHTF or TEOTWAWKI then just get to know a Ham operator near you (that uses LOW BAND gear, 10-80 meters - that's important) and you'll be set. All you're going to need this for is information on what's happening to the rest of the country/world and that's where you'll get it. They'll even forward messages for you to other non-Hams.

You're going to be better off in this scenario rather than trying to go it alone. The antennas alone will drive you batty. High frequencies (VHF, UHF) are only good for line of site. You need the 10 to 80 meter HF band, which requires several, massive antennas, to reach distances. You'd be better off with a CB radio (11 meters) if you want to go it alone.