Ham is it really worth it ? Not Really !!

[KKG]

And I would say you would be presumptuous to know what I'm "Waiting or Hoping" for!!! Thanks for your input though, but you don't know me.

And, Boy am I glad.

 

[Doublesunder]

And, Boy am I glad.

I'm sure you have plenty of friends
Moving on ...

 

[KKG]

I'm sure you have plenty of friends
Moving on ...

Your friends I wouldn't have any use for.

 

[TeacherSmurf]

Now I like bacon , but Ham is not really worth all the trouble and cost.

I started looking for a viable communication system for when things go South in an emergency. Yes I bought a nice portable to get familiar with.
Now I'll put on my flak jacket for this, here's my opinion!

1. A portable is basically worthless
2. It can not be used for anything work related, which means I had to purchase other commercial radios and licensing.
3. You need a license to operate , really ? We already have way too much government.
4. Very limited range to use when at the entry level portables.
5. Most of the time the air waves seem empty, do people actually use Ham ?
6. In a major emergency, is the information I'm getting going to be any better or different than on the local am ?
7. Are these frequencies going to be overridden and blocked during SHTF ?
8. My name and address is on another government list
9. More than likely repeaters will be down with everything else.
10. Glorified CB ?

11. Ham is a nice hobby.

I am answering, not as a HAM, but someone who has seen it in action constantly through out my life.

1) Through repeaters and relays my dad (northern most Oregon) can talk to my husband (Southern Oregon).

2) Using it for business would tie up the frequencies. AM and FM are for businesses to advertise, CB's are used for business communication.

3) See 2. The license is to make sure those that are using the designated frequencies are using it correctly. You have a license to drive or to conceal carry to make sure you know the rules. Same with amateur radio.

4) I have no idea what you mean here as we experimented when living in Eastern Oregon. We used CB to stay in contact with my parent's as they left. On open high planes, they got about 15 miles out of town before we lost contact. Again through handhelds, using repeaters and relays you can talk easily across the state. My dad was even using them to basically make "cell phone" calls in the 70's and 80's. My mom has contacted Japan on more "advanced" equipment.

5) Yes, but some areas only have a few HAMs. Go a Amateur Radio Club Meeting in your area and/or check in on the local NET. Last I heard, Hillsboro has a ton of HAMS, so make an "appointment" to link-up with a local Elmer. They will be happy to show you where the traffic is.

6) I don't understand, HAM is not for getting the information you would get on the AM radio it is for communicating. I will tell you that when any emergency happens in Clatsop County, HAMS are in the Emergency Operations Center and have received commendations for the work they have done. There was even a minor situation where the phone lines were partially out in a town. As in calling across town was not possible, but calling your neighbor was fine. HAMS were the ones that relayed messages and did welfare checks. Seriously, look up HAM radio use during emergencies and/or talk to one of the "old HAMS."

7) Frequencies would be used with HAM emergency traffic. It would be against the law for non-HAMS to use it That is the advantage of having the license. Also the government has their own frequencies. Amateur Radio got the frequencies they didn't want. My mom, in northern Oregon, talked to a person in California while they were having an earthquake.

8) So, what's another one. And to be honest, most people don't even know what HAMs are, let alone care who is "on the list."

9) Check out Amateur Radio Field Day. It is an event in June (23 & 24th this year) when HAM teams try to see who all and how far they can contact. There is a point system for contacts, distance, and radio type. These are ment to be not only regular interactions but also to simulate emergency situations. This means that clubs that participate know exactly how far they can communicate without a repeater. The other part is that repeaters are normally owned by individuals or a club. Therefore, you won't have to wait for the government or a company to get everything back on-line if they go down.

10) No, CBs are for the general population. They are a good tool, but Amateur Radio beats it in every category.

11) HAM radio is an excellent hobby, but as several mentioned, you only get out of it what you put into it.

So yes, it is worth it. Hope that helps.

P.S. If you don't want to deal with HAM stuff, look into GMRS. We have and found it beneficial.

 

[CountryGent]

P.S. If you don't want to deal with HAM stuff, look into GMRS.

I know our GMRS setup is a part of our "big one" preps. I so need to post a write up, tech specs, pics, etc., on this one. Lord knows that post is a long time coming. Alas, that day job is a bad mother.

 

[TeacherSmurf]

I like spiral cut ham with a nice glaze cooked into it. I don't know anyone I would talk to on a ham radio. If you don' personally know the operator you are talking to then you can' believe whats' being said. If I had family far from me then ham would be the answer but I don't have anyone that fits the need.

Just like the internet. However, I will say my dad has meet some very good people and whenever my dad has been deployed, whether it was Biloxi, Mississippi or South Korea, he always got treated to lunch by a fellow HAM.

 

[Colts4me]

Just like the internet. However, I will say my dad has meet some very good people and whenever my dad has been deployed, whether it was Biloxi, Mississippi or South Korea, he always got treated to lunch by a fellow HAM.

Free lunch, not a big fan of kimchi nor travel but free food sounds good. Really I make fun but it's because I have never seen it used by anyone I know. Once cell phones came out you could talk to anyone in the world that had one and if you had no cell service you could buy a sat phone. The guys contracting in Iraq used sat phones to call home.

If everything goes down I am going to be way to busy to get on a radio.

 

[Siglvr]

Doublesunder, thanks for the thoughts. It's certainly valid, maybe not the whole story though. Question: did you get licensed, or did you buy a Baofeng radio and say "whoh" WTF?

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

The OP's mind appears to be is made up; the conclusions were in the premise

So, my reply is for anyone else who may be considering a life-long learning experience with ham radio...

Send and receive voice, images, email, text, files, moris code, and other info to just about anywhere around the globe; without the phones or internet.

I talked with a guy near Atlanta, GA. on 20 meters today; I was conducting an experiment (watching usage) with my new solar-powered-power supply system. I'm also tweaking the antenna for 40 meters, while I wait for my next antenna; that should work on 7 bands...

I worked with FM comms and satcom for two decades in the military. It was essential learning; particularly with OPSEC, COMSEC, antennas, and encrypted systems...

The 4 "biggies" of ham radio are:
1. Power Supply (grid or no grid).
2. Antennas (propagation).
3. Radio (HF, 2m, H & L power).
4. Accessories (coax, tools, etc).

Each "biggie" offers an endless supply of learning.

Working distant stations near areas of strategic importance (to me) now; is giving me the opportunity to match callsigns, with voices, and credibility.

Remember the channel 3 project!

If (when) everything "falls through the cracks"; put whatever radio you have on channel 3 for local updates....every day at 0300 and 15:00 for 5 min. to conserve batteries.

 

[Doublesunder]

Firstly, Thank You
To most all of you for your constructive help, it is appreciated.

 

[Doublesunder]

​

More on my backstory if you would call it that.

My main interest with Ham was two fold.

1. Use for communication with family in an emergency when 50, 100 , and so miles from home. I travel a lot for work to various out of the way places.
2. Use to tie into existing customer radios while on the job site.

Ham really doesn't fit into these two categories very well , through no fault of the system.
I did buy a nice 2m Yaesu FT2d for the purpose. Awesome little radio.

What I found is that most of my customers are running on UHF, as well as learning ham cannot be used for commercial purposes.
While a nice radio, the little 5 watt radio doesn't really have the range I'm looking for in a small portable package.

So my solution was to buy commercial radios and the licensing to use them, you are given your own frequency. As well as the option to program more as needed.

So for me Ham is a very limited form of communication. And through my research, I feel is too restrictive as a useful tool.

I'm still working on the long distance communication. Probably looking more towards a Satellite phone.

 

[sdlsaginaw]

1. A portable is basically worthless
It depends on what you want to do with it. Assuming we're talking 2 meters, you can talk simplex for short distances, or use repeaters for longer distances. Some repeaters are even linked giving WAY longer distances.

2. It can not be used for anything work related, which means I had to purchase other commercial radios and licensing.
True, no commercial use. Commercial use would have taken over the bands by now if it were allowed.

3. You need a license to operate , really ? We already have way too much government.
Amateur Radio is allowed much higher power levels with more chance to cause interference to other services, including affecting services in other countries. Various licenses have increasing levels of technical knowledge that are tested. I suspect, especially involving HF bands, that licensing is required by international treaty but I'm not positive.

4. Very limited range to use when at the entry level portables.
See #1

5. Most of the time the air waves seem empty, do people actually use Ham ?
You've bought what I assume is a 2 meter radio and declare ham airwaves are empty? Ham airwaves encompass MANY frequencies over a WIDE spectrum. 2 meters is just one piece. I do agree usage appears lower than when I was into it pre-Internet.

6. In a major emergency, is the information I'm getting going to be any better or different than on the local am ?
In an emergency, it's not used to broadcast information to people. It's used to communicate between people. Assuming you're taking a hands-off approach what information you receive will be from listening in to conversations between people/sites. How useful that is depends on what you're listening in on.

7. Are these frequencies going to be overridden and blocked during SHTF ?
No

8. My name and address is on another government list
Like worrying about a spot of dust when you're standing in a mud bog

9. More than likely repeaters will be down with everything else.
Much of amateur radio doesn't involve repeaters, for those parts that do they are not absolutely required, and as they are owned by clubs/enthusiasts many are already set up to operate on backup power and be repaired ASAP if needed.

10. Glorified CB ?
It would be a very glorified one since amateur radio *legally* encompasses way more bands, way more power, and way more modes of operation over potentially way more distance.

11. Ham is a nice hobby.
I enjoyed it back when I was more into it. I mainly loved CW on the HF bands. I talked to someone via CW on Tonga Island. To this day I still remember his callsign (and that he never sent me a QSL card!) B&W slow scan TV was new and fun back then too when it was 8-second analog on long persistence phosphor tubes. First picture received was someone in Australia showing his "ham shack" and a map of where he lived. Making calls pre-cellphone via 2 meters was handy, and I was also active in RACES "ray-sees" emergency communications. We did practice sessions and provided communications for events. T-hunts (transmitter hunts) were a blast, someone hides and transmits on a schedule while others compete to triangulate and find him. Best one was "the fox" set up inside an aqueduct and stuck his antenna through the grate in the center divider of the freeway.

 

[CoastRange57]

1. A portable is basically worthless

I have used a one watt portable to call for emergency services deep in the Wilson River canyon.

2. It can not be used for anything work related, which means I had to purchase other commercial radios and licensing.

I bought my commercial radio system back in the mid 80's, UHF, had to share the freq.

3. You need a license to operate , really ? We already have way too much government.

Agreed about the government, but sometimes not much you can do.

4. Very limited range to use when at the entry level portables.

My low end BaoFeng on 4 watts from Crooked River opens the Mt Hood repeater and I can talk over a 120 mile area.

5. Most of the time the air waves seem empty, do people actually use Ham ?

Lots of frequencies and lots of repeaters. Lots of people use it.

6. In a major emergency, is the information I'm getting going to be any better or different than on the local am ?

Since you will be getting it from somebody who is likely directly on the scene, and not some radio station who will be lucky to have one reporter in a given area, and the ham report will be real time.

7. Are these frequencies going to be overridden and blocked during SHTF ?

Possibly but that will take a huge amount of resources, and you would have to be real deep in a SHTF situation before that happens.

8. My name and address is on another government list

Being on the internet is good enough for that.

9. More than likely repeaters will be down with everything else.

The ham repeaters are usually at the same sites as emergency services repeaters are, they are set up to run on alternative power set ups and are a high priority to make sure they stay working.

10. Glorified CB ?

Cb has its place. I have a unit I stick in my pickup when travelling so I can talk to truckers. Hold over habit from my construction business days.

11. Ham is a nice hobby.

Just like any other hobby. I know some hard core dudes where it is their entire life. I don't consider it a hobby, it is something that has a place and purpose in my life, I talk on it several times a week. I like doing a lot of different things, ham radio is one of them.

One big advantage of ham radio is that if you ask for help or assistance you are going to get it. Pretty much every ham I know is a CC too.

 

[Doublesunder]

Definitely some well thought out and sensible answers. I agree with many Thank You.

 

[CountryGent]

@CoastRange57 .

 

[SUPER X]

Now I like bacon , but Ham is not really worth all the trouble and cost.

I started looking for a viable communication system for when things go South in an emergency. Yes I bought a nice portable to get familiar with.
Now I'll put on my flak jacket for this, here's my opinion!

1. A portable is basically worthless
2. It can not be used for anything work related, which means I had to purchase other commercial radios and licensing.
3. You need a license to operate , really ? We already have way too much government.
4. Very limited range to use when at the entry level portables.
5. Most of the time the air waves seem empty, do people actually use Ham ?
6. In a major emergency, is the information I'm getting going to be any better or different than on the local am ?
7. Are these frequencies going to be overridden and blocked during SHTF ?
8. My name and address is on another government list
9. More than likely repeaters will be down with everything else.
10. Glorified CB ?

11. Ham is a nice hobby.

A healty cb base station might be good with some portables for family. Used to have to licence cb radios i dont think it is required now .

 

[SUPER X]

Sounds good BUT it does take a little time to understand operating protocol so it doesn't mess up communications. Understanding frequencies/tones/offset and etc. does require a little time.
A good ham set up will cost you more then a good gun set up and both will be important in times of SHTF

Hams must have went down in price I knew a guy in the 70s that had over 10 grand in his .

 

[medicmike63]

Hams must have went down in price I knew a guy in the 70s that had over 10 grand in his .

One can still easily spend many 10s of thousands on ham radio if you like. But one can also get a decent HF station on the air for under a grand, especially if one finds decent used gear.

 

[Hayshaker]

YES!! there are plenty HF rigs that will cover all/most of the ham frequencies for under $500 and a dipole antenna for @ 100 ~~ only leaves you the cost of the wiring and etc. 10 thru 80 meters being the most popular and versatile. Most rigs will operate on 12 volts .
If you have the $$$ and want to spend thousands you can go that route also. But you won't talk any farther ~~ just louder with a amp .

 

[John Brown]

Isn't ham radio like the internet? Lots going on, but is it a reliable source of information? Verification of facts limited, just like the internet? Could be used for evil purposes as well as good?