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  • don1911

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    I am not licensed for ham radio. I've heard there are smart phone apps that allow people like me to listen. Do any of you know of a free app like this I can try out? Any of you have any experience with apps like this? Thanks
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    Younggun

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    Probably works the same as the police scanner apps. Just need somebody listening and streaming it over the web.

    No personal experience, probably wouldn't be very exciting and in a time where it might actually be helpful cell towers will probably be overloaded or down.
     

    ROGER4314

    Been Called "Flash" Since I Was A Kid!
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    I used to listen to police and other service/emergency calls and had programmable scanners to cover a wide range of departments. I stopped doing that because every time I got all set up, the departments would change their frequencies, begin trunking or other mods. Then my scanners were obsolete, again.

    Since you said "Hams", I use a Grundig Satellit 750 to tune into amateur radio bands and to world wide broadcasts. Gotta warn you, though, Radio Amateurs drone on & on until I just wanna scream! It's a hoot to tune into Cuba, Romania, China to hear their version of our news. The ultra right wingers are on 4840KHZ if you choose to listen to a different slant on current events.

    A plus side to having a good short wave radio is if the SHTF, short wave radios may become the only reliable source of information.

    Here's the one that I use and recommend:
    http://www.frys.com/product/6084828?gclid=CIjp3uLO6s0CFQ4zaQodkwcHNQ

    Flash
     
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    don1911

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    So even without a license I can own and listen on radio capable of transmitting? Out of curiosity, How would they know if I've been transmitting?
     
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    ScorpionHunter

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    Yes, you can buy whatever transceiver you want. As far as transmitting without a license, people monitor for that. For example, there are requirements to announce your FCC call sign at certain times. If you don't, some licensed HAM might notice that and report that to the FCC. Do they know who you are and where you live? No, not yet. But if you keep doing it they can find where the signal is coming from and you get a cease and desist letter from the FCC, and hefty fines if you continue. As Roger said, HAMs can drone on and on and take this stuff seriously. That said, if it's an emergency, anyone can transmit. But if you think you might want to transmit at some point, the novice license is easy to get.
     

    Southpaw

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    I used to listen to police and other service/emergency calls and had programmable scanners to cover a wide range of departments. I stopped doing that because every time I got all set up, the departments would change their frequencies, begin trunking or other mods. Then my scanners were obsolete, again.

    Since you said "Hams", I use a Grundig Satellit 750 to tune into amateur radio bands and to world wide broadcasts. Gotta warn you, though, Radio Amateurs drone on & on until I just wanna scream! It's a hoot to tune into Cuba, Romania, China to hear their version of our news. The ultra right wingers are on 4840KHZ if you choose to listen to a different slant on current events.

    A plus side to having a good short wave radio is if the SHTF, short wave radios may become the only reliable source of information.

    Here's the one that I use and recommend:
    http://www.frys.com/product/6084828?gclid=CIjp3uLO6s0CFQ4zaQodkwcHNQ

    Flash

    What type of antenna do you need with something like that?
     

    jeepinbanditrider

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    So even without a license I can own and listen on radio capable of transmitting? Out of curiosity, How would they know if I've been transmitting?


    There's people that "Fox Hunt" using directional antennas and triangulation to find rogue transmitters. But usually these guys do it as a "sport" using a pre placed transmitter to find. A few do it to track down rogue stations or random interference. And when they do it's usually on HAM frequencies not others.

    If you happened to program the radio for GMRS/FRS/MURS then the chances of you ever getting "caught" using a non-certified radio on those bands is practically less than 0.

    The FCC has bigger fish to fry and for the most part HAM radio GMRS/FRS/MURS is barely even on their radars. It took them nearly a decade and 14 notice letters to do something about two well known licensed operators on the HF bands. The ARRL (lobbying organization for HAM radio) immediately took the presses to show everyone "look the FCC still cares guys". Some guy using a 4 or 8 watt radio isn't even going to register as a blip to them unless he starts transmitting on public safety freqs or HAMs start to really (and I mean really) take notice of him.

    But yes you can buy a 100 radios capable of transmitting. As long as you don't key up you're legal. By the letter of the law when you key up your illegal.

    If you're interested in transmitting on HAM bands it's really cheap/easy. I paid 5 dollars to the local Amatuer Radio Club spent 20 mins taking a test and having it graded.
     
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    Charlie

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    I've been a ham for 39 years and would suggest a "long wire" antenna for listening only as they are easy to deal with and do not have to be straight for the whole length. The longer the better as in 60', 100', and up. An antenna used for transmitting needs to be "tuned" for the frequency pretty close but for receiving only it's not that critical as long as the wire is at least 1/4 wavelength of the frequency you're listening to. You can find much more information than you want on the internet. Very important to have a good ground.

    Lots of folks that just listen lay their antenna wire (can be insulated or not, doesn't matter) on the roof of their house and feed it in a window somewhere.

    Check out the ARRL, Amateur Radio Relay League for great information.
    http://www.arrl.org/
     
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    ROGER4314

    Been Called "Flash" Since I Was A Kid!
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    What type of antenna do you need with something like that?

    I use 16 feet of wire that is strung inside to my curtain rod then looped across my reloading room to a rack of RL550B tooling sets. A clip attaches the wire to the shortwave built in antenna. That's it! I'm sure that a high quality antenna, properly rigged would perform better, but I strung that wire up just to see how it worked and never saw the need to change it!

    I get lots of English speaking broadcasts from around the world and I'm almost a nightly listener of the Right wingers on 4840KHZ. Alex Jones makes me weary but the guests he has on every night are experts in their fields. It's worth listening to!

    Cuba and China come in so well, you'd think they were local stations!

    Flash
     
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    don1911

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    Yes, you can buy whatever transceiver you want. As far as transmitting without a license, people monitor for that. For example, there are requirements to announce your FCC call sign at certain times. If you don't, some licensed HAM might notice that and report that to the FCC. Do they know who you are and where you live? No, not yet. But if you keep doing it they can find where the signal is coming from and you get a cease and desist letter from the FCC, and hefty fines if you continue. As Roger said, HAMs can drone on and on and take this stuff seriously. That said, if it's an emergency, anyone can transmit. But if you think you might want to transmit at some point, the novice license is easy to get.

    Interesting. Thanks.
     

    Tnhawk

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    Yes, you can buy whatever transceiver you want. As far as transmitting without a license, people monitor for that. For example, there are requirements to announce your FCC call sign at certain times. If you don't, some licensed HAM might notice that and report that to the FCC.... That said, if it's an emergency, anyone can transmit. But if you think you might want to transmit at some point, the novice license is easy to get.
    A Technician License, covering VHF frequencies, requires little study time, no morse code and a quick exam.
    A General License, covering HF frequencies, doesn't require code and can be be prepared for in a few hours of study.
    Find a Ham club near you as they usually provide classes and exams for the FCC.

    AK4SZ
     

    no2gates

    These are not the droids you're looking for.
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    To get your feet wet, you can get an SDR radio that hooks up to your computer and you'll be able to listen to LOT of different frequencies.
    It won't have as good a receiver as a regular transceiver, but it's a good cheap place to start.

    Something like this for $42 hooked to a computer and you're good to go: Amazon product ASIN B079C4S2BT
     

    kbaxter60

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    Out of curiosity, How would they know if I've been transmitting?
    This article will give you the basics. Hams make a sport out of it:
     

    no2gates

    These are not the droids you're looking for.
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    I would think it "impossible" in the US since that license class doesn't really exist anymore. Perhaps the technician class license would be easier to get.

    Technically there are still some older hams with Novice licenses and haven't upgraded, and have their license class grandfathered
    I think they removed the Novice around 25 years ago.
     
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