Ham Radio Thread

[locke_n_load]

Got into ham radio a few months ago, surprised there is not a single ham radio thread that I could find here. Looking forward to ham field day next weekend (June 23rd), anyone know how that generally works?

I have a baofeng UV-5R with Nagoya antenna, and a TYT TH9800 quad band base station with Tram 1480 in the attic.

KG5ZOO in Humble (Houston), TX.

 

[Charlie]

Good for you! Lots of fun stuff to do with ham radio. I've been a ham radio operator for over 45 years although I haven't been active for the last several years.
CQ N5ESJ

 

[Wildcat Diva]

My 14 year old kid is into ham radio. I take him to a meeting once a month and I bought him a handheld radio.
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
I don’t understand anything about it though.

We will probably move forward with pursuing his interest. Just stalled out on spending any money in that direction right now. He is into building computers too so that’s caught his attention (and our pocketbook).

 

[Charlie]

He'll be the better for that. There are lots of really nice, smart older folks that love to help newbies. It's the best group of folks I've met in a long time and it doesn't matter where they are.

 

[Wildcat Diva]

Oh they make a big deal over Jake, being a kid. The guy that leads the group is an old high school friend of my brother’s anyways, so he oooh and ahhhs over my son being there.

They have given him all kinds of goodies and refurbished equipment and stuff.

 

[Fosty]

I had a brief interest in this while looking for a new hobby.
Perhaps I will get into this.

 

[sucker76]

I got out of ham radio several years ago. Dad and grandpa were the ones that had the most interest in it. My call is KB5OTE. I'm one of the last true technicians before they made the testing requirements easier. I remember goi g to field day year after year. It has lost its appeal with me because of the cell phone. If independence day happens, I still have most of dad's gear.

 

[skfullgun]

I'd love, and have always wanted to get into ham radio. I was big into cb in the 70's. Is it still doable?

 

[PhulesAu]

Search ARRL site for a club/group in your area, there are a bunch here in the Houston area. If you aren't a joiner but do like to use repeaters around here, do consider helping out HAMS they operate and care for a lot of the open repeaters in this area. skfullen amature radio is easy to enjoy and with a little effort can be a great hobby. Just PLEASE Don't start with cheap / crap Beofung junk and get discouraged. Go for the General Class ticket at least, there a boat load of things to participate at that level and above. www.QRZ.com "the ZED" and www.eham.net are a couple of places to info over load on.

KE5PPH

 

[Brains]

Never did take the test, mainly because I wanted to do stuff on bands that required morse to get the appropriate license (HF, and some high band / microwave stuff). Way back when, I had a Yaesu FT101e but I never transmitted. Well, on 11m I did, but who's keeping track lol.

 

[locke_n_load]

I'd love, and have always wanted to get into ham radio. I was big into cb in the 70's. Is it still doable?

I have a baofeng radio and it's just fine. I'd go with an 8 watt model if I was starting over. You can literally get into the hobby with a 30 dollar radio, 20 dollars of cable, and a 50 dollar antenna. Gear that works (may not be the best, but it does the job, especially with chirp software) is not expensive these days. The test is literally memorizing like 400 multiple choice questions (way harder than it sounds with the study websites these days). And you will learn important stuff studying for the test. I could have passed if given a weekend to study. I have hit repeaters 30 miles to the north and 30 miles to the south using my 50 watt base unit.

Diva, its actually a really great/clean/honest hobby to have, and not expensive to get into in order to learn a lot. Nothing like hitting that PTT (push to talk) button and throwing that callsign out for the first time.

 

[Texan-in-Training]

Anyone that might be in the Rockdale area this weekend is more than welcome to drop into the Milam Amateur Radio Club's (KG5DUO) Field Day event.
We're on the north side of 79, across from the Ford dealer... look for the antennas.
Being as we're just a small club, we're making this more of a "social gathering", rather than getting into the competition thing.
The various members will be "working" whatever radios they enjoy the most... and even if you're not licensed, it's a chance for you to try your hand at it... under the license of our club.
I'll be doing digital... PSK-31 on 20 meters.
Officially, it runs from 1 PM on Saturday until 1 PM Sunday, but the thought is that we'll do it from around 1 PM on Saturday until early evening and then start back up late mid-morning Sunday until around 4 PM.

The Milam Amateur Radio Club also runs a couple of 2 meter repeaters... one in Davilla at 147.00 MHz / PL Tone 123 and the other in Rockdale where Field Day is being held... 146.76 MHz / PL Tone 123.

Hope to see you.

 

[Fosty]

Lots of fun stuff to do with ham radio.

Do you mind listing a few?

 

[Charlie]

Do you mind listing a few?

Talk to people around the world! Talk locally to the local amateur radio club members and guests. Build antennas, radios, towers, etc. Support events locally as well as the surrounding areas. Monitor weather (anywhere in the world). Provide communications in emergencies. Etc., etc.

 

[locke_n_load]

Do you mind listing a few?

Contact people in your area on vhf/uhf, hit linked repeaters and talk to people around the US.
Contact people hundreds or thousands of miles away on HF. Be prepared to help your community in the event of an emergency. Be prepared to maintain comms if SHTF.

 

[TheDan]

Anyone that might be in the Rockdale area this weekend is more than welcome to drop into the Milam Amateur Radio Club's (KG5DUO) Field Day event.
We're on the north side of 79, across from the Ford dealer... look for the antennas.
Being as we're just a small club, we're making this more of a "social gathering", rather than getting into the competition thing.
The various members will be "working" whatever radios they enjoy the most... and even if you're not licensed, it's a chance for you to try your hand at it... under the license of our club.
I'll be doing digital... PSK-31 on 20 meters.
Officially, it runs from 1 PM on Saturday until 1 PM Sunday, but the thought is that we'll do it from around 1 PM on Saturday until early evening and then start back up late mid-morning Sunday until around 4 PM.

The Milam Amateur Radio Club also runs a couple of 2 meter repeaters... one in Davilla at 147.00 MHz / PL Tone 123 and the other in Rockdale where Field Day is being held... 146.76 MHz / PL Tone 123.

Hope to see you.

Good possibility I'll be out that way Sat afternoon... How would I recognize you?

 

[Texan-in-Training]

How would I recognize you?

I'll be an old guy...

I'll try to remember to wear a "Gun Talk" or a "Gun Connection" tee shirt.
Hope you make it.

 

[TheDan]

Why do I have a feeling it'll be like 99% "old guys"

 

[Charlie]

Why do I have a feeling it'll be like 99% "old guys"

99% may be a low estimate!

 

[Texan-in-Training]

Why do I have a feeling it'll be like 99% "old guys"

I guess it's just the crowd I fit in with...