Ham Radio Operators
- Thread starter Eldritch
- Start date
NorCalAthlete
O_o
Kinda interested as well if only for the emergency training aspect
littlebeast
get it while it's easy
one of my best friends recently got her license. a world she knew nothing about until her husband turned her on to it. having been exposed, she’s totally stoked to be involved.
Mike95060
Work In Progress
Pretty sure freddo is
Eldritch
is insensitive
I'm a trained volunteer with the auxiliary SFFD and SFPD both. They are always encouraging folks to get HAM certification to help coordinate auxiliary teams with dispatch in the event of a crisis.
During the recent PG&E outages, I spent about 2 days with no land line or cell phone power. Totally cut off.
I have some vulnerable family members that live within 2 miles of my place, so I reckon between my volunteer work and concerns for looking after my people, getting a couple of radios is probably a good idea.
ScorpioVI
كافر ლ(ಠ&
Mike95060
Work In Progress
What the fuck. Civil defense is a thing.
danate
#hot4beks
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.
Dubbington
Slamdunk Champion
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?
It's always intrigued me too. It's not secure though right? Meaning anyone can tap into channels?
RightCoastBias
F8TRED
KM6YZD here.
Go to one of the HAM Cram events. The goal is to pass the test, not learn the technical part of it all.
They have you read through all the possible questions on the test, only highlighting the correct answers. When you take the actual test, you've read every possible question and will recognize only the correct answers.
HAM bands are open to the public and it is illegal to send encrypted messages over them, unless the cipher is publicly available.
Anything you say on the air, can be listened to. But for the average person who picks up a Baofeng, you can easily set a squelch tone and have a conversation most folks won't be listening in on.
Go to one of the HAM Cram events. The goal is to pass the test, not learn the technical part of it all.
They have you read through all the possible questions on the test, only highlighting the correct answers. When you take the actual test, you've read every possible question and will recognize only the correct answers.
HAM bands are open to the public and it is illegal to send encrypted messages over them, unless the cipher is publicly available.
Anything you say on the air, can be listened to. But for the average person who picks up a Baofeng, you can easily set a squelch tone and have a conversation most folks won't be listening in on.
Eldritch
is insensitive
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.
Randy B
Well-known member
I have had my licence for 23 years and I have been into radio (CB) since I was 15. The two worlds have a lot in common, bet yet at the same time are very different. Some people do run in both worlds, but you will have detractors of the other on both sides of the fence.
You can go as far as you like and go full on general, or just stay a technician if that's what you want. I have made contacts all over the world, and across the street. I can be very enjoyable, and also very frustrating at times.
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.
Eldritch
is insensitive
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.
Sounds like most my hobbies, lol. :laughing
danate
#hot4beks
I have a Kenwood D74A. It's a LOT of radio and does more than I can figure out so far. I know it can send packets over airwaves as well as APRS and GPS. I use it mostly for the D-Star features. I also set up a PiStar hotspot for that purpose.
As for volunteer services, I don't participate because I already work in that field. On that note though, most public services use private digital networks now, so no longer are the days you can just buy a radio and listen to the police and fire bands. There are always the supplemental HAM side of things, which is what it sounds like you want to get into (like ARES, CERT, and RACES).
wazzuFreddo
WuTang is 4 the children
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
Cycle61
What the shit is this...
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
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
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Eldritch
is insensitive
Sonoma and Marin counties have them monthly.
Your link essentially provides the same information as the, "scaremongering," link. The only real difference is the matter of outrage you choose to supply over the civilian use of the public space or the denial thereof.