Official ONSC HAM Thread

[cboyd]

Bump. Moving sale! I'm moving and it needs a new home.

$750 takes it.

Not sure if this the right spot, but I'll put the feeler out here...

Looking to sell my Icom 746Pro Rig from my home setup. It's been lightly used and in excellent condition. I just don't have that much time to do UHF/VHF/HF from home, and have another rig I can use home or "tactical" (Yaseu 897d). So it's just sitting here and could be better used by someone looking to have a great home rig!

Comes with the Match Icom AC Power Supply. I'll throw in a SignalLink USB digital for doing digital modes.

Asking $950.

I'll be happy to show it here at the QTH for club folks.

 

[Phares]

I'd rather have your 897D

 

[GLTHFJ60]

@CharlestonG8R

 

[mtweller]

Everytime I click on this, I want to see:

 

[CharlestonG8R]

So I was hoping to program the frequencies that the club uses in to my Bao Feng handheld. I've had it for over a year, but Keefer is the only person that has ever transmitted on it (CCLR 2014). I made an ill-advised joke to the effect of "Who really cares what the FCC says? It's my radio, I will transmit if I want to!". It was my first time meeting Keefer. He hasn't spoken to me since.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Programming!!!

HAM hasn't propogated enough in this club to have a club frequency list (yet). What I have is a list of the local repeaters for the region I'm going to. In this case, it's NC, so here's the full NC list:

North Carolina Amateur and GMRS radio repeaters

We're going to use 146.460 on the 2M band and then have another frequency allocated for the 70cm band, then the local repeaters. It'll be printed and handed out with the laminated trail maps.

EDIT:
Frequencies for the repeaters will be printed with their offsets.

 

[weejub]

^^nice. Thanks for the head's up, Johnny.


For those still working on HAM license or looking for a mobile device, I have had good luck with the BaoFeng UV5R. Currently there is one for sale on Amazon for $25

For $8 more you can get a full 5W version - -comes in different colors - probably worth the extra $$: UV5R5


I used my UV5R at last year's SMORR event in SW MO and I was never out of contact all over the park. It's terrain is similar to Uwharrie. We only used the 146.520 freq on 2M without repeaters last year. Seemed to do well for all ~15 miles approx distance of the park.



Not sure if BaoFeng just came out with this or if I missed it when I was buying my first 2M radio, but I picked up this 8W one in addition to my UV5R:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAULSOK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00


Looking forward to talking more about HAM with you guys this weekend - - I passed the test, used my 2M at our TAC event last year a little, but that is about my effort with HAM to date outside of listening to my friend in Scouts teach the boys about HAM

 

[RedHeadedStepChild]

Everytime I click on this, I want to see:

Ha! - The first exchange I ever had with the group was with Johnny, a few years before I officially joined. He was talking about the possibility smoking a pig on Carolina Beach. When I first saw this thread I seriously did think ham, not HAM. Started reading and thought, "Holy, Sh*t! I know NC takes their pig seriously, but licenses and test? Man, these guys are serious."

 

[GarnerFJ40]

So I was hoping to program the frequencies that the club uses in to my Bao Feng handheld. I've had it for over a year, but Keefer is the only person that has ever transmitted on it (CCLR 2014). I made an ill-advised joke to the effect of "Who really cares what the FCC says? It's my radio, I will transmit if I want to!". It was my first time meeting Keefer. He hasn't spoken to me since.

That's a lie! I just wanted plausible deniability!

 

[GLTHFJ60]

^^nice. Thanks for the head's up, Johnny.


For those still working on HAM license or looking for a mobile device, I have had good luck with the BaoFeng UV5R. Currently there is one for sale on Amazon for $25

For $8 more you can get a full 5W version - -comes in different colors - probably worth the extra $$: UV5R5


I used my UV5R at last year's SMORR event in SW MO and I was never out of contact all over the park. It's terrain is similar to Uwharrie. We only used the 146.520 freq on 2M without repeaters last year. Seemed to do well for all ~15 miles approx distance of the park.



Not sure if BaoFeng just came out with this or if I missed it when I was buying my first 2M radio, but I picked up this 8W one in addition to my UV5R:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAULSOK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00


Looking forward to talking more about HAM with you guys this weekend - - I passed the test, used my 2M at our TAC event last year a little, but that is about my effort with HAM to date outside of listening to my friend in Scouts teach the boys about HAM

Excellent info right here!

A few of us in the club already have the UV5R, including myself. It's charging right now

What a your call sign?

 

[weejub]

^^Thanks,

I am KE0BGM. I will have 146.460 up and going otw out to Uwharrie.

 

[Rice]

The last trip to URE and chat time with several HAM operators re-energized my desire to go ahead and get my Tech license. I learn best by reading the entire spectrum of what I should know rather than "here are a bunch of sample questions". Is hardback the only real source for such material, because my online search brought back limited results.

This one seems the most comprehensive:

http://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2014-no-nonsense-tech-study-guide-v20.pdf

I'm not really concerned about passing the thing but it would be cool to nail a 100 just for the hell of it.

Thoughts and feedback regarding solid information sources requested. Thanks!

Rice

 

[jfz80]

That's the resource I keep finding suggested and the one I've been reading through. Im not really concerned about acing the thing but it would be cool to pass also thought studying by sample questions was a rough method. His at least puts the answers into context but I'm all ears to other guides.

 

[Rice]

That's the resource I keep finding suggested and the one I've been reading through. Im not really concerned about acing the thing but it would be cool to pass also thought studying by sample questions was a rough method. His at least puts the answers into context but I'm all ears to other guides.

I printed an extra copy for you.

 

[weejub]

Given I am relatively dumb compared to you guys AND I studied almost not at all, and I missed like 2 questions on the exam, I think you will be fine.



If you REALLY want to study and learn, I think the best way is to get with other HAM people and do field days etc. But we are talking about going for General license + at that point.



If you are just wanting the Tech license, then I would recommend taking practice exams from some place like here: HamExam.org: Free Amateur Radio Practice Tests with Flash Cards

Everyone needs to know the spectrums - just no two ways about it:

ARRL USA Amateur Radio Bands for Ham Radio Operators | FCC Frequency Allocation Chart
Amateur Radio Bands



I am "that guy" who knows VERY LITTLE about HAM and look forward to getting into it more so "buyer beware" and you get what you pay for w/ my advice!

 

[weejub]

Ohh . .and I think you can take all three exams in the same day if you want to - you don't have to stop at Tech.

General is a lot harder from what I can tell and from when we took it as a group of 4 of us in TAC and @2fpower attempted it.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I attempted the General when I got my tech and failed miserably

 

[2fpower]

I may have done worse.....

 

[mtweller]

I just blindly took the sample test online, and outside of a few easily memorized HAM Regulation questions, it seemed quite easy. Like, if you know some basics like Ohms Law, basic LCR circuits, and some very basic RF stuff - it's a piece of cake. I may take it for s***s and giggles.

 

[Rice]

Well, for s***s and giggles I went ahead and ordered the manuals for Tech and General and have March 26 as target test date. If anything at least I will find out on that day if early onset Alzheimers is kicking in.