Last week, I pondered, to HAM or not to HAM. Here is my answer.

I am writing this as a complete newbie. I do NOT have my license at the time I am writing this, however, I am planning on taking my test in less than two weeks. All of my information and viewpoints are from the standpoint of those of us not yet licensed.

And if you already have your HAM license, feel free to correct me on anything I’ve gotten wrong. Just be gentle, I’m doing the best I can!

First, what is HAM?

HAM is actually a nickname for “Amateur Radio”, and is a popular hobby and service in which licensed Amateur Radio operators, or”hams” operate communications equipment over restricted frequencies.

Why not one of the other radio bands?

There are several radio communication options that do not require a license (FRS, CB, MURS), all are limited on range and capability. Please note that while you are able to purchase GMRS radios without a license, by law you cannot operate them without the proper credentials, though many people are unaware of this, and do it anyway.

Each of the options listed are a limited-range communication device, most not reaching more than 2 miles at best, though with some tweaking, as much as 20 miles – with optimal scenarios usually involving very high points. From my experiences, 2 miles is pushing it most times.

Before you blow up screaming “CB!”, I know with a large antenna, you can push out anywhere from 15 to 50 miles, but that is only with super tall antennas and, let’s face it, I don’t want to draw THAT much attention to what my communication capabilities are.

So as to why these options won’t work, simply put, a maximum range out of a portable radio of 2 miles is simply not good enough for my needs.

HAM offers range AND portability…

But that test…

Testing for your Technician’s License

Let me open with this – knowledge of Morse Code is no longer a part of the testing!

The first level for your HAM license is the Technician’sClass.  The Technician’s Class license gives you access to all VHF/UHF Amateur bands (frequencies above 30 MHz), as well as limited operations in certain High Frequency (HF) bands.

The test consists of 35 questions from a pool of 396 questions…that all have been posted online to study! Yes, the questions to the test have been posted online…by the officials that wrote the test. This is not a backdoor way to get the answers, they are there, free of charge, with no strings attached!

Why, you may ask? It is my opinion that the powers that regulate the HAM radio frequencies WANT people to get licensed. The simple fact that you are interested enough to study for the test will eventually pull you down the path of learning and advancing your skill set, thus improving the hobby!

That was the part that clinched it for me. The cost to take the test was only $15, the material was familiar to me, and now I’ve found that the practice tests available online are actually drawn from the questions that will be on the test itself!

But I need a radio of some sort, won’t that be expensive?

While there ARE some very expensive options out there,  in order to get started, you can get a setup for under $50. I recently mentioned a radio I was looking at purchasing, and since have done so.

The radio I chose to go with offers everything I could ask for, since I don’t have a clue. I’ve owned it for a couple of weeks, and have been able to listen in to a multitude of HAM conversations, one of them was a “net”, or organized online meeting of local HAMs, where they spoke about me listening in. (I had contacted a local HAM regarding local club information, so they knew I was listening.)

My current radio of choice is the BaoFeng UV-5R+, and can be found at Amazon for $37.86.

The “+” adds about $8 to the price, but provides you with the latest firmware. The UV-5R is available for $29.76 at the time I am writing this. I opted for the latest firmware, *ahem*, just in case.

The only other thing I would recommend, is a BoaFeng UV-5R+ programming cable ($12), since the UV-5R radios are a pain in the rump to program manually. Be sure to get an OEM one, apparently, there are some counterfeit chip sets out there that are junk.

And since you are reading this, if you are local to me, I’d be more than happy to loan you my cable to program your radio. In fact, if we can get together, I’ll just do it for you!

Is this the perfect radio? Probably not…but since I am all about frugality, this fits my current needs. And since it has such a large online following, I found this particular radio to be the “Toyota Corolla” of handhelds, so I went for it.

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In closing, I want to point you towards the ARRL.com website. They offer a huge amount of information for aspiring HAMs. If you get lost, don’t hesitate to drop me a line, and I’ll be more than happy to help you out.

Peace,
db

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