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Generally speaking, most repeaters have a user base, you will often hear the same group going on and on all day/night long depending on where you're at. They frequently have BBQ's, dinners and other social events for "eyeball QSO's" you just need to hang out long enough to have someone let you know when one is coming up. I've been to more than a few of them since getting my ticket, yea, you get a pretty good cross section of people depending on where you are.

Yeah we got our tickets about 20 yrs ago and were pretty active on them.
I liked the nice clean comms with the 2m. Played with the 440, but too restrictive. I was sick of low band noise. 2m is versatile and even good on local simplex.
I was just curious how many on the forums would have some comm ability if ever needed.
A few mobiles can be set up as repeaters also.
 
Yeah we got our tickets about 20 yrs ago and were pretty active on them.
I liked the nice clean comms with the 2m. Played with the 440, but too restrictive. I was sick of low band noise. 2m is versatile and even good on local simplex.
I was just curious how many on the forums would have some comm ability if ever needed.
A few mobiles can be set up as repeaters also.

A lot has changed in the last 20 years... Software defined radios, lithium ion batteries, etc etc.

For mobiles that run as repeaters, you need a dual band handheld that can tolerate the wide offsets (300mhz), some older handhelds just don't work with this. I've got an IC2340 that lives in my jeep that's running as a crossband repeater.

70cm radios are now quite good, however amateurs are still secondary users on this band, a number of long range OTH radars take precidence, and also there are wattage and band limits close to the canadian border.

The thing I'm really interested to see is what the progression of the chinese SDR radios is going to be... will 6m and 220mhz radios become more common as a result? Would be really awesome as the 6m band is incredible, and despite the increase in this band being available on handheld radios from yaesu and icom, there are simply not enough mobiles.
 
I hope this post doesn't offend anyone, as that is certainly not my intention.

I am quite ignorant about ham radio in general, but it seems that if there were some sort of emergency ( much less a SHTF ), that it really wouldn't matter if I had an actual license.....

Does it take that much training to be able to use them or could someone figure it out enough to at least find it useful ??? Just asking...mike
 
I hope this post doesn't offend anyone, as that is certainly not my intention.

I am quite ignorant about ham radio in general, but it seems that if there were some sort of emergency ( much less a SHTF ), that it really wouldn't matter if I had an actual license.....

Does it take that much training to be able to use them or could someone figure it out enough to at least find it useful ??? Just asking...mike

At the very least learn the simplex operation. Ham transceivers are extremely programmable on the go.
Hams seem to like complicated and the more flexibility the better.
There are offsets for repeater operation and pl tones, dtmf tones transmit levels am, fm, sidebands, and the knowledge to build an antennae which could be vertical, horizontal, omni, or directional, and they need to be cut to the particular frequency you are using.
Whether it is quarter wave, half wave, 5/8 wave, full wave all have a bearing on its intended use.
Things like this are what you learn to get a license, then you can learn by using the transceiver as you go. You should learn those things before you need them. There are buttons and combinations of button that activate or change modes that, in some transceivers are ridiculously complicated.
If you want an on and off kind of tranceiver, get a cb. They are not as versatile as the ham rigs and mostly noise that is obnoxious and unreliable. In the 27mhz range, if conditions are not right, you may not even be able to reach the guy a mile away, but get a reply from Kansas or Australia......
VHF is clean and keeps it local.
Also RDF is almost instantaneous
With the technology out there now.
Be ready to move if you communicate if situations warrant it. There will be many on GMRS also. (the freq on the little handi talkies you buy at rei, or sporting goods stores) but my bet is they will be cluttered pretty badly.
Getting a simple tech lic will teach you a lot.
 
I just have Yaesu HTs right now. I had a 2m/440 setup in my vehicle setup for APRS with a GPS, but my vehicle was broken in to and I've never got around to replacing it.

I've been involved a bit with ham radio since high school decades ago, but didn't get a ticket until the code requirement dropped. I was taking electrical engineering classes in college and figured it would be very simple to pass the exam so I may as well finally get a license and my own equipment. With a little bit of studying anyone can pass. Get friends and family licensed as it sure beats trying to use FRS or cell phones when out in the mountains.

With APRS and packet radio there are so many things you can do other than talk that it is a bit sad that cell phones and the internet have killed off ham radio a bit. There is so much more to it than just a bunch of old guys drinking coffee and talking about life.
 
...Hams seem to like complicated and the more flexibility the better...There are buttons and combinations of button that activate or change modes that, in some transceivers are ridiculously complicated...

I wish to g*d those units were simpler. We got licenses, and some portable equipment (for emergencies only, not for hobby), and quickly learned you would have to spend a LOT of time with them to even have the basics down well enough to be able to use them properly. Great if you want it as a hobby - not so great (understatement) if you only want it for emergency situations.

So here is a question for you radio folks: Is it even worth considering CB units for vehicles, and maybe a home unit (instead of HAM for those who don't want HAM as a hobby)? I know the range is relatively short, but I'm wondering if there are enough users around that in an emergency situation the CB channels would be a reasonably decent form of communication and information?
 
Ham radio is as much as you make it. I do not consider it my hobby, I have lots of different things I like to do. I have had my tech ticket for a couple years, now, and my son recently got his. Some very quick research on your own, will show you that ham radio is a very good asset and the ability to use one is certainly something that I feel that any person who wants to be or considered to be reasonably prepared should have the skills to use.

It will provide solid communications on a local level, and repeater based, and then if you can access IRLP, even more than that. Having one person in a group have HF experience would be good as well. It is affordable, and as expensive as you make it.

I still have one CB around, I do not use it, but if SHTF, I would have that level on comms as well, but NOT as my primary radio communications platform. Ham radio operators tend to be pretty well prepared. It was mentioned if there was an emergency, much less SHTF, that you really would not need a license. Maybe not, but HAM radio plays a huge part in most counties Search and Rescue plans as well. Clackamas County's awesome mobile communications truck has a stack of 8 ham radios in it. Net controlled emergency traffic during local disasters gives comms in some areas where LE 800 mghz radios can cut it.

SHTF, Ham radio is going to be huge. My advice to you guys who are thinking about CB, go to qrz.com, set up a free account and start playing around with the practice Tech questions. If you are thinking of some kind of radio comms as part of your preps, then you are thinking the right way. I think once you checked out ham that a Tech level license would really open you options, and give you a good skill set to have.
 
Ordered the Baofeng UV5R from Amazon, $31 plus $7 and free shipping, are you serious! :s0155:

This may be the push I needed to finally get my ticket.

I've had the Icom W32a for years for listening and scanning, always felt like I needed to take a class to program it.

For $31 I'll just keep the Baofeng in my truck.

Thanks AMProducts for that info :banana:
 
Ordered the Baofeng UV5R from Amazon, $31 plus $7 and free shipping, are you serious! :s0155:

This may be the push I needed to finally get my ticket.

I've had the Icom W32a for years for listening and scanning, always felt like I needed to take a class to program it.

For $31 I'll just keep the Baofeng in my truck.

Thanks AMProducts for that info :banana:

Great radio. I have one, my son has one, and several friends do now after seeing mine. I added a few things that pushed mine up to the grand total of $ 96.00.

2- 14 inch antennas.
1- speaker / mike
1- Antenna connector to PL 259 fitting to connect to my J pole base antenna.
1- Programming cable

It works great on a $ 31 J Pole antenna ( E bay) mounted on a pole 25 feet up. Your simplex operation is limited by the 4 watts power range, but get some elevation and that is even extended quite a bit. I still like my HTX 212 with 55 watts for straight simplex operation, but for a starter unit the Baofeng is a great radio.
 
Glad to hear CoastRange!

I took a few online tests today at eham just for the heck of it, damn, I'm getting more stupid with age, suprised at what I forgot or never knew coming in around 71%

Cracked the ol "look who's talking" or whatever it's called, is this the best way to learn this via the book?
 
Glad to hear CoastRange!

I took a few online tests today at eham just for the heck of it, damn, I'm getting more stupid with age, suprised at what I forgot or never knew coming in around 71%

Cracked the ol "look who's talking" or whatever it's called, is this the best way to learn this via the book?

There are some publications on there that are pretty much the standard for studying. Pretty common name, just cannot remember it right now. I know my son has the book for General.

If you are at 71% right now, 2 to 3 weeks, maybe less studying and taking the online exams for a half to an hour a day should get you a Tech ticket easy.

That Baofeng of mine on 4 watts opens the Mt Hood repeater 7o miles away, albeit at 7,600 MSL just fine. Same for the 147.320 South Saddle Mt repeater, even in the Wilson River Canyon. I opened the Redmond repeater from Bend with it and got in to the state interlink system.
 
There are some publications on there that are pretty much the standard for studying. Pretty common name, just cannot remember it right now. I know my son has the book for General.

If you are at 71% right now, 2 to 3 weeks, maybe less studying and taking the online exams for a half to an hour a day should get you a Tech ticket easy.

That Baofeng of mine on 4 watts opens the Mt Hood repeater 7o miles away, albeit at 7,600 MSL just fine. Same for the 147.320 South Saddle Mt repeater, even in the Wilson River Canyon. I opened the Redmond repeater from Bend with it and got in to the state interlink system.

It doesn't take a lot of power to communicate on 2m if you have a clear shot and there is a good receiver on the other end.
With a beamand even a vertical on a tower, From the Wilsonville area, I could talk with the Cabbage Hill repeater in Pendelton, Bend and K falls.
Many times on 1 to 5 watts, and all the time with 25 watts and up. Signals will also knife edge around things like Mt Hood.
That was dead in line with my shot to Cabbage hill. Don't underestimate 2m.
 
There are three big impediments to how far you can talk with any radio, first is ground clutter, much bigger deal in the cities, the third is elevation, another big issue for the cities, but can also be important in the woods. The final one is how busy is the surrounding RF environment... in busy places with lots of background and multi-path interference 70cm band is better as multipath tends to fade faster on this band. I know doing some of the long shots with 802.11 signal would improve as the noise floor dropped when it rained. 2m is a great band, I've talked on one way shots nearly 200 miles where one of us was elevated.
 
I wish to g*d those units were simpler. We got licenses, and some portable equipment (for emergencies only, not for hobby), and quickly learned you would have to spend a LOT of time with them to even have the basics down well enough to be able to use them properly. Great if you want it as a hobby - not so great (understatement) if you only want it for emergency situations.

So here is a question for you radio folks: Is it even worth considering CB units for vehicles, and maybe a home unit (instead of HAM for those who don't want HAM as a hobby)? I know the range is relatively short, but I'm wondering if there are enough users around that in an emergency situation the CB channels would be a reasonably decent form of communication and information?

My advise would be a marine VHF. Let me preface by saying They are flat out illegal to use on land. But if you're not a jerk about it stepping on other conversations around water areas like PDX nobody's gonna mess with you. Some of them can also scramble communications so that might be nice. Easy to use, pick a numbered channel. Handhelds up to 6 watts and mounted are 25.
 
My advise would be a marine VHF. Let me preface by saying They are flat out illegal to use on land. But if you're not a jerk about it stepping on other conversations around water areas like PDX nobody's gonna mess with you. Some of them can also scramble communications so that might be nice. Easy to use, pick a numbered channel. Handhelds up to 6 watts and mounted are 25.

Don't use them out of intended use except for a shtf situation. They are primarily emergency and maritime comms and triangulation can be done in seconds. But yes they are good comms too. 160 mhz range.
 
Interesting (marine radio idea). Life would be whole lot simpler if CBs had better power! (Ya, I know... "learn to use my handheld ham radio and the problem is solved.")
 
Interesting (marine radio idea). Life would be whole lot simpler if CBs had better power! (Ya, I know... "learn to use my handheld ham radio and the problem is solved.")

The problem with the 27mhz is you can sometimes key up and not be able to talk to someone a mile away, but end up talking to someone in Australia or out in Kansas somewhere. Not reliable local comms. That can be changed with very directional antennas but cumbersome to move with you.
Also the noise will drive you nuts.
 
Are the mobile ham radios (inexpensive ones if there is such a thing) more user-friendly than the portables? By "user-friendly" I mean easier to operate, or more intuitive for inexperienced users, than the handhelds?

What I'm thinking about is the value of setting up a mobile unit to act as a base station in my home office, so I could listen in and get the basics down? Then, the mobile could be moved to the truck as needed, with the portables we have set aside for back-up if needed. Any thoughts?
 
I have a Technician license and I convinced my wife and daughter to at least get their General license several years ago. My daughter was 13 when she and my wife took the test for their General license and both passed on the 1st test attempt. Yeah, I am a proud dad and proud husband and it is nice to have everyone legal and capable of using Ham radios. I have 3 Yaesu VX-8DR HT's, I do not have base or any mobile units at this time.
 

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