You couldn't just start with a Baofeng handheld, eh?
Official ONSC HAM Thread
- Thread starter GLTHFJ60
- Start date
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jfz80
Cruisin’
Cmon. How could he resist ?!? 
slceso
... pronounced "Jason"
anybody going?
19th Annual Catawba Valley Hamfest - April 18, 2015
The 19th Annual Catawba Valley Hamfest
Saturday - April 16th, 2016
8AM - Until
Burke County Fairgrounds
145 Bost Road
Morganton, NC
Phone: 828-437-2787
We Have VE Testing On Site
19th Annual Catawba Valley Hamfest - April 18, 2015
The 19th Annual Catawba Valley Hamfest
Saturday - April 16th, 2016
8AM - Until
Burke County Fairgrounds
145 Bost Road
Morganton, NC
Phone: 828-437-2787
We Have VE Testing On Site
- Thread starter
- #105
@jamesurq the reason there is a test and a license is because of the band. 70cm and 2m bands are very close to others and have drastically more range, not to mention the bands available to general and extra license holders (@Rice and @SeanLX ). I believe it's because of the range (power) specifically that there's a license.
To give you perspective, the CB transmitting power limit is 5watts, and even less for a handheld CB. For HAM, specifically 2m and 70cm, the handheld power limit is 5w and the mobile (vehicle-mounted) limit is 50w.
The excellent clarity of HAM radios is a tribute to the available TX power, but probably more so to the characteristics of the FM band. CB is old news on a band that has poor propagation and poor penetrating power.
To give you perspective, the CB transmitting power limit is 5watts, and even less for a handheld CB. For HAM, specifically 2m and 70cm, the handheld power limit is 5w and the mobile (vehicle-mounted) limit is 50w.
The excellent clarity of HAM radios is a tribute to the available TX power, but probably more so to the characteristics of the FM band. CB is old news on a band that has poor propagation and poor penetrating power.
The need for licensing has 3 roots ....
First is the HUGE amount of bandwidth available to HAM's (depending on license) compared with the very narrow portion of 27MHz CB's have in only 40 channels. This includes an international set of repeaters and even access to satellites.
Second is power .... CB's in the US are limited to 4Watts AM and 12 Watts Peak envelope power (Single Sideband). Depending on band HAM's are allowed up to 1500 Watts. 1500W goes a long way!
Third is equipment ... basically all other forms of radio are boxes you're not supposed to tinker with. HAM's are both allowed and encouraged to tinker with their equipment.
Together it becomes a big responsibility to not abuse the airwaves by bleeding outside your allowed bandwidth, overpowering other stations, and the fact that you can now communicate internationally.
First is the HUGE amount of bandwidth available to HAM's (depending on license) compared with the very narrow portion of 27MHz CB's have in only 40 channels. This includes an international set of repeaters and even access to satellites.
Second is power .... CB's in the US are limited to 4Watts AM and 12 Watts Peak envelope power (Single Sideband). Depending on band HAM's are allowed up to 1500 Watts. 1500W goes a long way!
Third is equipment ... basically all other forms of radio are boxes you're not supposed to tinker with. HAM's are both allowed and encouraged to tinker with their equipment.
Together it becomes a big responsibility to not abuse the airwaves by bleeding outside your allowed bandwidth, overpowering other stations, and the fact that you can now communicate internationally.
There are options with no license required. A lot of people won't use CB because it's gone crazy with language and attitudes. Nothing you'd want kids to hear. FRS and CB are limited in power and antenna because of potential interference exactly like Rice and Johnny explained.
There are a lot of old timers in the ham hobby who think the licences are being given away now. I got in after the morse code requirement was dropped but agree that the tests are getting easier.
Part of the argument for licensing is that if you invest something (time & money) you will respect and not want to loose it. As much as I hate government control I agree with this part and don't want to see ham radio go the way CB did. Kind of like buying a pass to go on off-road trails, open it up to the public with no control and we all know what happens.
There are a lot of people who take ham radio very seriously. There are people who listen and report to the FCC. The FCC and ARRL list how many people have been fined for malicious interference and not following the rules. Tens of thousands of dollars sometimes.
Amateur Radio Service Enforcement Actions
Buying a couple of cheap handhelds and using them without a license is not much different than buying a couple of dirt bikes and hitting the trails to race your buddy around Uwharrie without tags or passes. You'll probably get caught and it won't be pretty. Might ruin the hobby for the rest of us.
There are a lot of old timers in the ham hobby who think the licences are being given away now. I got in after the morse code requirement was dropped but agree that the tests are getting easier.
Part of the argument for licensing is that if you invest something (time & money) you will respect and not want to loose it. As much as I hate government control I agree with this part and don't want to see ham radio go the way CB did. Kind of like buying a pass to go on off-road trails, open it up to the public with no control and we all know what happens.
There are a lot of people who take ham radio very seriously. There are people who listen and report to the FCC. The FCC and ARRL list how many people have been fined for malicious interference and not following the rules. Tens of thousands of dollars sometimes.
Amateur Radio Service Enforcement Actions
Buying a couple of cheap handhelds and using them without a license is not much different than buying a couple of dirt bikes and hitting the trails to race your buddy around Uwharrie without tags or passes. You'll probably get caught and it won't be pretty. Might ruin the hobby for the rest of us.
I'm not going to Hamfest, but I heard this whole board is having a Sausagefest everyday online . . .
Grats! Time for a vanity call sign? 
- Thread starter
- #112
Congrats Rice!! Make sure to tell us how the guys and gals on the ISS are doing
Congrats Rice!! Make sure to tell us how the guys and gals on the ISS are doing
Not a privilege reserved for Extras. There is a 2-m radio on the ISS operating in split mode. Pretty cool that any kid with a tech license can talk with an astronaut!
Contact the ISS
This^ Rice! Every time I look at your callsign I see "sissy". Plus, they're free.Grats! Time for a vanity call sign?
By the way, congrats!
Thanks. Will try to avoid getting something worse.
BenMara
Asian Redneck
so when are we gona get a group of us on HF just to chew the Fat?
Turning the Hex Beam... looking for DX stations
Turning the Hex Beam... looking for DX stations
You see "sissy" but I see SASSY!
