HAM radio nube questions

[knorrena]

I live in Canada, so the questions I have are perhaps Canadian specific; however, I just don't know if they are Canadian specific or not. Here are my questions.

Do I need an amateur radio operators license to buy a HAM radio?

If I do need a license, which one do I need, just the basic license which grants me privilege to operate on select amateur bands? Some folks here have reported that 7 and 9 year old kids have operator licenses. How is that possible? Do kids that old really know about inductance and resonance and properties of EMF?

Not that I would attempt to operate without a license, but how would anyone know if I did?

Cheers,

Karl

[bj70_guy]

Technically, yes, I believe you're supposed to be licensed to buy a ham radio. I know some folks that bought theirs before getting licensed though.
Once you have your Basic license you can buy pretty much anything, though without Basic+ you can't operate on the High frequencies (HF).
You need to score 70/100 on your test to get VHF/UHF privileges, and 80/100 gets you HF as well.

People could figure out you don't have a license by the lack of a call sign. There's a lot of info you need to make sure you're not operating on the wrong frequencies, etc, so without the license ~(or having done a lot of the studying you'd need to GET the license) it's easy to make some pretty obvious mistakes.

The Canadian test is quite a bit more difficult than the US test, so there may be more very young hams in the States than in Canada. I'm sure we have some smart young licensed hams up North as well - they just had to work harder.

There's a wealth of Canadian-specific info at Radio Amateurs of Canada

[brownbear]

You can buy a VHF radio with out a licence. BUT it will be programmed and locked.

You can get a permit to carry it in your trucks with logging roads etc on it. Having a ham licence is only needed for the frequencies they operate in. But for example you pluu up to a logging road and it is 159.xxx your ham licence and radio won't make you legal.

By the way there is no law about listening, you only need to licenced for transmitting on the ham frequencies.

I have a Vertex 600 channel radio, it covers 136-174 MHZ. If you buy one from a store you can request to have it loaded with all the logging roads etc. Once you have a ham you can load the ham channels in their spectrum.

[brownbear]

Also to note; I will be writing my ham licence as soon as I can. I want to be able to talk on those frequencies, wherre now I am limited to private channels.

[knorrena]

Thanks Gents. Incidentally, I have the book that the RAC sells. Its quite good. I am nearly done reading it for the first pass.

Karl

[e9999]

don't know about Canada, but I'm pretty sure there is no need for a license to buy a radio on the US. Nor for listening with it. Just for transmitting. And probably not even transmitting if there is a life threatening emergency.
And here at least the radio you buy without a license is not blocked in any way.

So does that mean that you can't order a radio from the US and have it shipped to Canada?


and what are these logging roads that you guys up there always talk about? are these single lane tracks that huge truck careen down on at 100 mph, and that you need a radio to know if a truck is coming?

[bj70_guy]

I'll throw another plug out for HAMSTUDY.COM - BASIC AND ADVANCED AMATEUR RADIO COURSES
I found it REALLY helpful when studying for the test. It was $20 well spent for sure.

[knorrena]

So how many of you have your advanced license? Do you feel it was worth while?

Karl

[Flyingdog5000]

I have my Amateur Extra class license, which in the US is as high as you can go in the amateur rankings. It allows me to work all the HF bands, but I chose to study for it just to learn more basic radio theory. The basic technician license allows VHF and UHF operation in the US, whereas the General and Extra licenses allow for HF priveleges with Extra giving you a bit more. Good luck with your studying and have fun on the air.

Doug

[brownbear]

Originally Posted by e9999

and what are these logging roads that you guys up there always talk about? are these single lane tracks that huge truck careen down on at 100 mph, and that you need a radio to know if a truck is coming?

Yah we have lots of narrow commercial roads that are on crown land that we have access to. Which are used by commercial trucks. They do drive the whole road. The KM's are on signs for empty and loaded. You have to call out your KM's. There are pull outs along the road. Loaded trucks have right of way. Also do the large trucks regardless. SO you have to pull off the road at designated KMs.

The road head or start of the road has a sign that says the frequency of the road. You are not supposed to drive the road with out a radio. Also the trucks do travel at 80-90 mph on the dirt, on a single lane. All of it is twisty and you have no advance warning of the trucks.

Most logging roads will take you into amazing areas. Also many of the roads are de-activated in certain areas, so they make great wheeling. If it was not for logging roads many of our bush areas would not be accessible.

I try to stay off roads during hauling times. It's just too dangerous. Weekends are quite a bit safer.

[e9999]

Originally Posted by brownbear

Yah we have lots of narrow commercial roads that are on crown land that we have access to. Which are used by commercial trucks. They do drive the whole road. The KM's are on signs for empty and loaded. You have to call out your KM's. There are pull outs along the road. Loaded trucks have right of way. Also do the large trucks regardless. SO you have to pull off the road at designated KMs.

The road head or start of the road has a sign that says the frequency of the road. You are not supposed to drive the road with out a radio. Also the trucks do travel at 80-90 mph on the dirt, on a single lane. All of it is twisty and you have no advance warning of the trucks.

Most logging roads will take you into amazing areas. Also many of the roads are de-activated in certain areas, so they make great wheeling. If it was not for logging roads many of our bush areas would not be accessible.

I try to stay off roads during hauling times. It's just too dangerous. Weekends are quite a bit safer.

interesting, thanks

[blinkinlights]

You do need a ham license to purchase a ham radio in Canada but they can ignore it and sell it to you anyway. You also need a license to transmit and it's not that difficult. The problem with these, and any rules for that matter, is that there is really no enforcement of these rules other than some high and mighty ham operators that might raise a shit if they catch you. To put it into perspective, in Edmonton, I've been told that there is one guy to enforce these usage rules and they don't provide him with a vehicle.

The other problem with ham radios is that these courses include a bunch of stuff that the average radio operator will never use. You've heard the story about the guy who, when you ask him the time, tells you how to build a watch...that's what these guys are like. I took the course and got over 80 and got my extended license but all I want it for is to talk to my buddies while wheeling. Frankly, I find the regular everyday chatter on the ham frequencies boring and full of guys who only use it to hear themselves talk. Don't get me wrong, there are many exceptional ham radio operators and it plays a great role in times of emergency but I feel that it will eventually become like CB's and everyone and their dog will be able to use them...it's just that no one will choose them over their cell phones.

Greg

[Corbet]

Originally Posted by knorrena

So how many of you have your advanced license? Do you feel it was worth while?

Karl

About 1/3 of the Rising Sun Club are now licensed. I just got done doing my radio install last weekend. After loosing contact with our whole group on a couple of runs last summer with my CB, I made getting licensed my new years resolution. Yes I think its worth while.

The test was easy anyway.