Am I missing something about Ham Radio?

[EUGENE the REALTOR]

I just bought an iCom hand held from the classifieds here for a great deal. The seller was nice enough to program several local channels for me. I know nothing about Ham Radio but have been a little interested in having one for emergencies.

I've been watching beginner videos and reading threads on forums the last couple days, but I still don't "get" the hobby side of it. I'm don't think I'll be geeking out on the technology site of things and wanting to build systems. I'm not interested in meeting people across the world. If I was, I'd do it on technology that's 100 years newer (internet).

I've been listening to the local channels, but I'm often wondering why the hell I'm listening to it. I heard old guys talking about a raffle today. Yesterday it was old guys talking about anti-virus programs. The day before it was old guys talking about fishing (at least that was somewhat interesting. Is this what you guys are listening to? Thought i might at least hear cops and firefighters but nothing. I keep thinking I must be missing something. I'm fine throwing this thing into the glove box until I see zombies, but I figured I'd ask here.

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[Nosferatu]

You're onto it; they're useless unless you like listening to 70 year old radio geeks bubbleguming about...everything to anyone who will listen.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Still waiting for the day someone makes a walkie talkie that sends nothing but text messages and maybe sometimes locations.. instead of audibles/voice being the default mode

Pretty sure thats a bit more.. stealthy than something squealing and squawking as one changes channels and try to voice/hear things.

 

[TTSX]

You're onto it; they're useless unless you like listening to 70 year old radio geeks bubbleguming about...everything to anyone who will listen.

There are a few guys who like to do that around work. We can pick them up on the CB radios. Every single day.

 

[2nd Amendment]

I think ham was bigger before cell phones. If you go into off-road areas or wilderness areas, a ham radio may give you the ability to communicate where there is no cell signal. Some pilots carry a handheld aviation radio for emergency communication when they go into the big woods. Not sure if that's legal but if it saves a life it is probably worth the spanking from the government. You can also use a satellite phone, but they may be more expensive.

 

[Koda]

Still waiting for the day someone makes a walkie talkie that sends nothing but text messages and maybe sometimes locations.. instead of audibles/voice being the default mode

Pretty sure thats a bit more.. stealthy than something squealing and squawking as one changes channels and try to voice/hear things.

Garmin Inreach, Zoleo... satellite text/location comms. Not stealthy at all. Hamm would be true stealthy as you choose your channel and the airwaves are not owned by a provider.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Garmin Inreach, Zoleo... satellite text/location comms. Not stealthy at all. Hamm would be true stealthy as you choose your channel and the airwaves are not owned by a provider.

Just saying, a ham radio that can do only texts would be a way handier tool for me than one that does only voice. edit, there gotta be a market for those.

 

[Joe13]

The guy I know that geeks out about the tech like to say stuff like, "this is coming from 500 miles away in wherever, etc".

Not my thing.

 

[Koda]

I think ham was bigger before cell phones. If you go into off-road areas or wilderness areas, a ham radio may give you the ability to communicate where there is no cell signal. Some pilots carry a handheld aviation radio for emergency communication when they go into the big woods. Not sure if that's legal but if it saves a life it is probably worth the spanking from the government. You can also use a satellite phone, but they may be more expensive.

Ive been on one mountaineering trip where a sat phone was used for a medical emergency. They are affordable compared to Hamm radios. Now I use a Garmin inreach. I used to want a Hamm for wilderness comms but I only have 1 friend who is into Hamm.

 

[Koda]

Just saying, a ham radio that can do only texts would be a way handier tool for me than one that does only voice. edit, there gotta be a market for those.

My friend thats into Hamm tells me they can send emails, not sure about texts. I think you have to learn some kind of voice to text coding though... I cant really say.

 

[Joe13]

Still waiting for the day someone makes a walkie talkie that sends nothing but text messages and maybe sometimes locations.. instead of audibles/voice being the default mode

Pretty sure thats a bit more.. stealthy than something squealing and squawking as one changes channels and try to voice/hear things.

You can get stuff like ear pieces and that cuts down on a lot of noise while hunting with 2 way radios but I get where your going.

 

[2nd Amendment]

I just bought an iCom hand held from the classifieds here for a great deal. The seller was nice enough to program several local channels for me. I know nothing about Ham Radio but have been a little interested in having one for emergencies.

I've been watching beginner videos and reading threads on forums the last couple days, but I still don't "get" the hobby side of it. I'm don't think I'll be geeking out on the technology site of things and wanting to build systems. I'm not interested in meeting people across the world. If I was, I'd do it on technology that's 100 years newer (internet).

I've been listening to the local channels, but I'm often wondering why the hell I'm listening to it. I heard old guys talking about a raffle today. Yesterday it was old guys talking about anti-virus programs. The day before it was old guys talking about fishing (at least that was somewhat interesting. Is this what you guys are listening to? Thought i might at least hear cops and firefighters but nothing. I keep thinking I must be missing something. I'm fine throwing this thing into the glove box until I see zombies, but I figured I'd ask here.

Also, ham may work when the SHTF and other communication methods fail. Will be too late at that point to get the needed equipment and learn how to use it.

 

[CamoDeafie]

You can get stuff like ear pieces and that cuts down on a lot of noise while hunting with 2 way radios but I get where your going.

I'm deaf i get that there are ways to cut down the noisiness of some radios, but my big thing is that so far, even on consumer grade 2 way radio walkie talkies.. there's still no real texting capabilities like a cell phone or sat phone have.

 

[Koda]

Just saying, a ham radio that can do only texts would be a way handier tool for me than one that does only voice. edit, there gotta be a market for those.

Its not a Hamm but Motorola makes a 2 way gmrs radio that sends text messages to other Motorola Talkabout radios, bluetooth needed to send/read text messagage on their app.

Hunting buddy and I tried these when they first came out and they sucked. The irony was that was the year a new cell tower was installed way out near that area so we just started texting from cellular. More and more remote places are getting cell signals now.

TALKABOUT Consumer Walkie Talkies - Motorola Solutions

Motorola walkie talkie radios are designed to provide affordable and dependable communication. Learn more about the latest consumer two-way radios.

www.motorolasolutions.com

 

[Koda]

Also, ham may work when the SHTF and other communication methods fail. Will be too late at that point to get the needed equipment and learn how to use it.

Years ago I got a cheap Baofegn handheld Hamm radio for SHTF preps and just cannot for the life of me care to take interest in learning all the stuff to get a license. They all say it super easy, its not. The test rotates questions so you really have to actually study for it. Your correct if you dont use them then it will be too late if you need to.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Just bugs me, we have had the ability to convert radio signals into text for a long time...

Interesting article here

Hacking Ham Radio for Texting

The Ham Messenger is an Arduino shield with a keyboard, display, and GPS that connects to a handheld ham radio and lets you easily exchange texts

spectrum.ieee.org

 

[MikeInOr]

Back when I was young my shooting / wheeling buddies talked me into getting my amateur radio license. It was a little useful exploring logging trails south of Eugene. But I never got into it as a hobby. I don't really enjoy talking to many people. Maybe women would enjoy the hobby side more due to their natural tendency to jabber on endlessly?

 

[EUGENE the REALTOR]

Ok, sounds like I'm not missing anything. It's like podcasts before podcasts, but with way worse content.

 

[Koda]

As far as SHTF goes Hamm operators have been used a few times to save the day and are predicted to save the day in future events when comms go down, anyone with their own power supply nothing can stop them from transmitting.

In the Falklands war Argentine forces commandeered their phones and radio comms but a Hamm operator was able to communicate enemy plans to the British. Hamm operators were used in a few natural disasters like Hurricain Katrina.

Im not smart I just read that on Wikipedia

History of amateur radio - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[albin25]

There's a AP for your phone called "Rattlegram" that I heard can be used to send/receive texts over GMRS and other forms of radio comms.
I haven't tried it, but I did download it to someday give it a try. It doesn't rely on cell service, but each user needs to have it.

You may want to try it