Amateur Radio FAQ

fscwi · Jul 25, 2022

Mark75H said:
Starter ham equipment is like starter gun equipment, there are so many facets, but with just a Tech ticket most of the available bands are VHF and UHF. Are you looking for base, mobile or handheld? Analog or digital? Are you in the I-95 corridor or out in one of the corners of the state? Any plans to upgrade soon? (Really you should, a significant amount of the material on the General is redundant from the Tech test, its less than the whole Tech bite to upgrade for many people.)

When I registered for the online test it said I could only do Technician and General could not be added for the same test session. However when I finished the test admin asked me if I wanted to take the General test. I said I thought also taking the General wasn't allowed, he said it typically isn't but since I finished fast he would offer it. I said no since I hadn't studied but I probably should have taken a crack at it. I think I will go for the General now as well and then do the equipment search.

I'm on the 95 corridor in DC metro area. I also have a place in WI that is more rural, but I did a check and there is a repeater about 5 miles away. I'm thinking a digital base station, also maybe a handheld as I do some back country hiking typically in Shenandoah NP.

gamer_jim · Jul 25, 2022

fscwi said:
I took the an online technician test on Saturday and passed. Had some issues with Zoom not being able to recognize my laptop microphone so had to use my iPhone for the remote session. I have started to look into some starter type equipment and will probably look for a club to join, lots to learn.

Congrats!

My recommendation on equipment is to not skimp but rather get something nice. You don't want to buy a crappy radio to have it perform poorly and then you get frustrated and leave the hobby.

Mark75H · Jul 25, 2022

I agree on saving up and buying better equipment vs budget stuff. Plenty of repeaters in the DC area, Ashton is the strongest in the MoCo area, 2 in Greenbelt, one of which is run by a club of mostly NASA employees, so you know its no technical slacker. There are plenty of digital HT's if you are going to do one of the digital protocols, but make sure the one you buy is compatible with nearby repeaters. You can't go wrong with equipment from the big name Japanese manufacturers as long as the digital protocol of that maker is supported by repeaters near you. There are several 2m repeaters around Shenandoah NP, if you program them in in advance you may generally be within range of one of them all thru the park.

jc1240 · Jul 25, 2022

To the new hams:

Screen Shot 2022-07-25 at 4.19.59 PM.png

tourrider · Jul 25, 2022

fscwi said:
I took the an online technician test on Saturday and passed. Had some issues with Zoom not being able to recognize my laptop microphone so had to use my iPhone for the remote session. I have started to look into some starter type equipment and will probably look for a club to join, lots to learn.

Congratulations!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

fscwi · Jul 25, 2022

tourrider said:
Congratulations!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks, appreciate that and the other responses.

Bluemoon · Jul 25, 2022

Mark75H said:
Starter ham equipment is like starter gun equipment, there are so many facets, but with just a Tech ticket most of the available bands are VHF and UHF. Are you looking for base, mobile or handheld? Analog or digital? Are you in the I-95 corridor or out in one of the corners of the state? Any plans to upgrade soon? (Really you should, a significant amount of the material on the General is redundant from the Tech test, its less than the whole Tech bite to upgrade for many people.)

Excellent. Congratulations. Guns and radios are going to break me.

Antarctica · Jul 26, 2022

fscwi said:
Thanks, appreciate that and the other responses.

Get your general ASAP. When I got my tech 25+ years ago there were still code requirements and it kept me from getting a general for many years. As a result, I never really engaged in the hobby early on. I always felt that restricting HF privileges to technicians was one of the dumbest moves ever, because HF is where the fun is at. Not that VHF UHF/microwave can't be fun too - in many ways, more than HF (especially mountain topping VHF contests, roving, etc.), and lots to learn.

But while you're in 'learning mode, get your general ASAP and really, then just go get your extra. They aren't hard.

E.Shell · Jul 26, 2022

Ham Exams next week:

Tuesday, August 2, 2022
5:45 PM

American Legion Post 175,
832 Manhattan Beach Rd
Severna Park, MD

Walk-Ins are OK. Pre-registration is appreciated (saves ALL of us time when you get there), but is NOT required.

Pre-registration info:
https://sites.google.com/view/mmarcveteam/pre-registration

Note that the FCC is now charging a $35.00 license fee. We do NOT collect the fee at the exam, we will send successful exam results to the FCC for the candidate and they will have 10 days to pay through the FCC site. This fee does not apply to upgrades (Tech-to-Gen, Gen-to-AE).

gamer_jim · Jul 27, 2022

I found this website to help learn CW using the Koch method. So far I'm on level 2:

Koch method to learn Morse

stendec.io

K31 · Jul 27, 2022

gamer_jim said:
I found this website to help learn CW using the Koch method. So far I'm on level 2:

Koch method to learn Morse

stendec.io

"STENDEC" we have an aviation/mystery enthusiast.

Bigfoot21075 · Jul 27, 2022

gamer_jim said:
I found this website to help learn CW using the Koch method. So far I'm on level 2:

Koch method to learn Morse

stendec.io

I second this method. It helped me immensely!

jc1240 · Jul 28, 2022

Carroll County Amateur Radio Club fox hunt:

When: Sat 20 Aug starting at 10:00 AM
Where: well, somewhere in Carroll County

We do "coordinated" hunts using the club repeaters, but you certainly don't have to give your findings. I think this is a fun way to get younglings involved in radio. It's my favorite radio activity without a doubt.

You don't need a license to hunt as anyone is allowed to listen, but of course you do need one to transmit.

K31 · Jul 28, 2022

jc1240 said:
Carroll County Amateur Radio Club fox hunt:

When: Sat 20 Aug starting at 10:00 AM
Where: well, somewhere in Carroll County

We do "coordinated" hunts using the club repeaters, but you certainly don't have to give your findings. I think this is a fun way to get younglings involved in radio. It's my favorite radio activity without a doubt.

You don't need a license to hunt as anyone is allowed to listen, but of course you do need one to transmit.

I see that the flyer says "somewhere in Carroll County" but the map appears just to show the southern portion. Is the fox going to be inside the area indicated by the map?

Also, is there a designated starting point and/or check in?

Thanks.

md_rick_o · Jul 28, 2022

fscwi said:
I took the an online technician test on Saturday and passed. Had some issues with Zoom not being able to recognize my laptop microphone so had to use my iPhone for the remote session. I have started to look into some starter type equipment and will probably look for a club to join, lots to learn.

Congrats, i am looking to go for my General soooooon, i did the tech beginning of the month.

md_rick_o · Jul 28, 2022

E.Shell said:
Ham Exams next week:

Tuesday, August 2, 2022
5:45 PM

American Legion Post 175,
832 Manhattan Beach Rd
Severna Park, MD

Walk-Ins are OK. Pre-registration is appreciated (saves ALL of us time when you get there), but is NOT required.

Pre-registration info:
https://sites.google.com/view/mmarcveteam/pre-registration

Note that the FCC is now charging a $35.00 license fee. We do NOT collect the fee at the exam, we will send successful exam results to the FCC for the candidate and they will have 10 days to pay through the FCC site. This fee does not apply to upgrades (Tech-to-Gen, Gen-to-AE).

I'm trying to verify i can make this one before i Pre-reg (i have a draft email ready to go).

RIck

E.Shell · Jul 28, 2022

md_rick_o said:
I'm trying to verify i can make this one before i Pre-reg (i have a draft email ready to go).

RIck

I hope you can make it! We don't mind walk-ins, but pre-registration does speed up your experience.

jc1240 · Jul 29, 2022

K31 said:
I see that the flyer says "somewhere in Carroll County" but the map appears just to show the southern portion. Is the fox going to be inside the area indicated by the map?

Also, is there a designated starting point and/or check in?

Thanks.

Yes, the fox will be within the map. There is no set start point and check-ins will be done via the repeaters. I'll see about getting the flyer updated with that info.

EDIT: flyer updated in previous post

K31 · Jul 29, 2022

jc1240 said:
Yes, the fox will be within the map. There is no set start point and check-ins will be done via the repeaters. I'll see about getting the flyer updated with that info.

EDIT: flyer updated in previous post

Thanks, mind if I distribute to another club?

jc1240 · Jul 29, 2022

K31 said:
Thanks, mind if I distribute to another club?

I figure the more the merrier. Our tradition (which I think is typical) is the first person to find it runs the next one. Not sure how that would work...might have to be the first club member to find it runs it.

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