Kinda interested as well if only for the emergency training aspect
I downloaded a ham cram app and was fucking overwhelmed by all the tech jargon. I'm still plugging away at it but I'm a long ways away from trying to take that test.
Wife's grandfather is huge into HAM radio. Been doing it for decades. She told me he's responsible for a weekly call or something. Not sure what it means.
It's always intrigued me too. It's not secure though right? Meaning anyone can tap into channels?
I downloaded a ham cram app and was fucking overwhelmed by all the tech jargon. I'm still plugging away at it but I'm a long ways away from trying to take that test.
What the fuck. Civil defense is a thing.
I have my license. It's fun, but a lot of info and weak results if you are in an area that doesn't have much to connect with. I've gotten on the local repeaters a bit, but ended up getting a D-Star radio and a home hotspot and spend most of my time on there. It's fun and easy to talk to people on the other side of the pond.
I am showing up for a training at 9am tomorrow, the test is at 1pm. Seriously, it is not rocket science to pass. Mainly they just study the exam answers.
Not trying to get political, so leave it there, but in the riot burdened State where they keep trying to pass bills to outlaw civilian body armor and they clearly have every intention of disarming the civilians at their first legal opportunity, are you surprised they want to deny civi communications systems that they can't shut off? :dunno
I have some local family and a local buddy I am trying to stay in contact with in the case of another black out, so that is my main driver, but my volunteer work with the FD and PD is also a thing.
The international communication deal seems fun, but I am much more excited about what I hear about modern ham operators transmitting images and data files to computers without being connected to the internet.
I'm going to start with a portable, but the idea of a rig where I could send data packets to and from other parties with a similar rig is very interesting in an all dark scenario.
Get into it and have fun. But remember....it can be addictive. You will always crave that next-best radio or antenna. It can be a sickness.
I am showing up for a training at 9am tomorrow, the test is at 1pm. Seriously, it is not rocket science to pass. Mainly they just study the exam answers.
Not trying to get political, so leave it there, but in the riot burdened State where they keep trying to pass bills to outlaw civilian body armor and they clearly have every intention of disarming the civilians at their first legal opportunity, are you surprised they want to deny civi communications systems that they can't shut off? :dunno
I have some local family and a local buddy I am trying to stay in contact with in the case of another black out, so that is my main driver, but my volunteer work with the FD and PD is also a thing.
The international communication deal seems fun, but I am much more excited about what I hear about modern ham operators transmitting images and data files to computers without being connected to the internet.
I'm going to start with a portable, but the idea of a rig where I could send data packets to and from other parties with a similar rig is very interesting in an all dark scenario.
Pretty sure freddo is
Yes, I am.
The cram sessions they have every few months make getting your ticket easy:
http://www.baears.com/
Radios are cheap and plentiful online and repeaters are all over the Bay Area
KK6AYM
Haven't used it in a while.
The thing about CA "outlawing" ham radios is complete scaremongering clickbait. ARRL link discussing what's actually happening: http://www.arrl.org/news/report-causes-concern-and-confusion-in-california-s-amateur-radio-ranks