HAM Radio Starter Kit - Information for Beginners

[ATCclears]

Archive of the former 73 Magazine. Nifty.

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine

archive.org

 

[ATCclears]

A good read on CHIRP.

How to program Ham radios with CHIRP software

Program your ham radio's address book and settings with this free software.

theprepared.com

 

[ATCclears]

Discussing Vertical And Wire Antennas. - Off Grid Ham

Since off grid amateurs tend to be practical, do-it-yourself types, some vertical and wire antennas are more more appealing than others

offgridham.com

 

[ATCclears]

Wire_Antennas_for_Ham_Radio

 

[elitejake]

I went threw the ham lic class when I was in high school many years ago. Missed a passing grade bc of ... who knows.
Now I find myself more then twice as old and wanting to get back into it. I told my wife after getting home from hunting camp about it. I said I want to accomplish two things for our household. Communication and water supply and sanitation.
This thread is the best I've found yet.
Thanks for putting it together. The excessive amount of info will be a bit to digest but I'll get there.
Thanks Jake

 

[cigars]

I went threw the ham lic class when I was in high school many years ago. Missed a passing grade bc of ... who knows.
Now I find myself more then twice as old and wanting to get back into it. I told my wife after getting home from hunting camp about it. I said I want to accomplish two things for our household. Communication and water supply and sanitation.
This thread is the best I've found yet.
Thanks for putting it together. The excessive amount of info will be a bit to digest but I'll get there.
Thanks Jake

It's pretty easy to get the Technician's license these days. The question pools and practice exams are free online at hamexam.org. If you go through the material casually it should take about two weeks to be ready to take the test. The test is the exact same format as the practice exams and they use the current question pool.

 

[AshWilliams]

I would add that the exams are done online now via webcam. Once you pass the exam you should have your license in a few days. That's a lot faster than my experience.

@kbf64 just went through this.

 

[The Heretic]

 

[The Heretic]

Has anybody done an ultra-portable 2M packet radio system with a smartphone and a handheld?

Not APRS, but old school packet radio.

I more or less understand packet radio and vaguely understand APRS. It seems to me the benefit of old-school packet radio is that in a severe SHTF situation (e.g., EMP/CME) that APRS digipeaters, which seem like a "server", could be non-functional, and therefore the whole APRS system would/could be not working in a given locale?

Whereas packet radio is more of a "mesh" serverless network, so could be more easily setup ad-hoc to share digital info, albeit more free form and slower than APRS?

 

[ATCclears]

Amateur Radio License Map | Ham Info

haminfo.tetranz.com

 

[CoastRange57]

Has anybody done an ultra-portable 2M packet radio system with a smartphone and a handheld?

Not APRS, but old school packet radio.

I more or less understand packet radio and vaguely understand APRS. It seems to me the benefit of old-school packet radio is that in a severe SHTF situation (e.g., EMP/CME) that APRS digipeaters, which seem like a "server", could be non-functional, and therefore the whole APRS system would/could be not working in a given locale?

Whereas packet radio is more of a "mesh" serverless network, so could be more easily setup ad-hoc to share digital info, albeit more free form and slower than APRS?

I can see being able to send packet radio, but how many on the receiving end would be able to receive and then do anything with it

I am more intrigued with getting set up to do Morse code on HF with very low power.

 

[The Heretic]

I can see being able to send packet radio, but how many on the receiving end would be able to receive and then do anything with it

I am more intrigued with getting set up to do Morse code on HF with very low power.

For a local mesh network, you wouldn't need everybody to be able to be able to use it to be able to pass around and receive useful info - just nodes in each community/area. E.G., I could be the node for my neighborhood of about 10 families.

Also, one could setup a more local mesh WiFi network to disseminate info, maybe even connect it to the packet radio network (although it would probably be best to have a BBS that is read only by the WiFi and have the packet radio node be controlled by one person so that the packet radio wouldn't be overloaded with redundant and unnecessary transmissions).

On a related note: it turns out that the Starlink satellite network is being used by emergency responders - specifically wildfire fighting crews - to give them internet access in remote locations, apparently to their benefit for fighting the fires. Also, the military is interested in Starlink for several purposes, especially for using it as a much more accurate and precise GPS system - one which would be much harder to jam/spoof.

Once Starlink is available to me, I intend to get a node. For SHTF purposes it would probably be a really good thing to have.

 

[Lesliet]

@CoastRange57 , just a thought, but I know in my area, there is a large community of retired people who are hams. They have regular get togethers, and run simulations of various shtf scenarios where they provide comms for emergency responders. If you're so inclined, it might be useful to make the social connections and be part of that network in your area. You can search for "ARES", along with "ham radio emergency services" and your local area, might meet some pretty cool people.

 

[RaceFan]

HAM newbie here.

Just picked up a Baofeng UV5R to put in my bag to monitor weather, emergency responder frequencies, etc.

Long thread and I didn't read all, but will eventually.

Question: Can I use the radio in "walkie talkie" mode for comms with another radio (say while hiking)? If yes, what frequency so I'm not violating FCC rules?

Thank you!

 

[ATCclears]

@RaceFan nice. Yes, you could use the Baofeng for GMRS frequencies.

Do you use CHIRP for programming? If yes, I can send you a .CSV file that includes pre-programmed memory channels for FRS, GMRS, MURS, NOAA.

 

[RaceFan]

@RaceFan nice. Yes, you could use the Baofeng for GMRS frequencies.

Do you use CHIRP for programming? If yes, I can send you a .CSV file that includes pre-programmed memory channels for FRS, GMRS, MURS, NOAA.

Yes, I just downloaded CHIRP onto my desktop.

Thank you very much!

 

[ATCclears]

Folks, if anyone else wants the .CSV file for CHIRP please send me a private message with your email address.

The .CSV file is an export from CHIRP for the programmed memory channels I setup on my radios. You likely have different needs for repeaters based on your geographic location, but FRS, GMRS, MURS, and NOAA are a nice, common baseline.

 

[AshWilliams]

Folks, if anyone else wants the .CSV file for CHIRP please send me a private message with your email address.

The .CSV file is an export from CHIRP for the programmed memory channels I setup on my radios. You likely have different needs for repeaters based on your geographic location, but FRS, GMRS, MURS, and NOAA are a nice, common baseline.

I base my CHIRP file off of this and add local repeaters that I frequent:

SHTF Survivalist Radio Frequency Lists

Frequency List for SHTF Survivalist Radio Communications and Preppers Information about common frequencies and channels for tactical, emergency, and survival for HAM, CB, MURS, GMRS, PMR, Marine, a…

radiofreeq.wordpress.com

 

[etrain16]

@RaceFan nice. Yes, you could use the Baofeng for GMRS frequencies.

Do you use CHIRP for programming? If yes, I can send you a .CSV file that includes pre-programmed memory channels for FRS, GMRS, MURS, NOAA.

I've understood it's not legal to use the UV-5R for GMRS or FRS as it's not type approved for those frequencies. Of course, if it were an emergency, I'd not hesitate to do it.

It's up to each person what risk they want to take, just be aware this may be a grey area.

 

[RaceFan]

Family Radio Service (FRS)

The Family Radio Service (FRS) is a private, two-way, very short-distance voice and data communications service for facilitating family and group activities. The most common use for FRS channels is short-distance, two-way voice communications using small hand-held radios that are similar to...

www.fcc.gov

The frequencies shared by @ATCclears in his .CSV file comply with FCC rules for FRS in the above link. I've copied and pasted the FCC info below.

The Family Radio Service (FRS) is a private, two-way, short-distance voice and data communications service for facilitating family and group activities. The most common use for FRS channels is short-distance, two-way voice communications using small hand-held radios that are similar to walkie-talkies.

Other services that allow similar communications include the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS).

The FRS is authorized 22 channels in the 462 MHz and 467 MHz range, all of which are shared with GMRS.

FRS is licensed by rule. This means an individual license is not required to operate an FRS radio provided you comply with the rules. You may operate an FRS radio regardless of your age, and for personal or for business use if you are not a representative of a foreign government.

Channels

There are 22 FRS channels. Each channel has a bandwidth of 12.5 kHz, but the power of each channel may vary as indicated below. All channels are shared with GMRS, so you may hear communications from licensed GMRS stations on these channels.



Operating a Family Radio Service (FRS) Unit

You can operate a FRS transmitter at any place where the FCC regulates radio communications, subject to certain limitations. A FRS transmitter may not be modified and must be certified by the FCC.

None of the FRS channels are assigned for the exclusive use of any user. You must cooperate in the selection and use of the channels in order to make the most effective use of them and to reduce the possibility of interference.

The usual range of an FRS device on channels 8-14 is less than one-half mile, but longer range communications can be achieve on channels 1-7 and 15-22 depending on conditions. You may not interconnect FRS transmitters and radios with the telephone system.

GMRS FRS Dual-service radios

Some manufacturers received approval to market radios that were certified under both FRS and GMRS, which allowed users to use one device to operate on FRS channels, which does not require a license, and GMRS, which requires an FCC license. In 2017, the FCC changed its rules to stop equipment authorization of FRS dual-service radios and it changed the rules for both FRS and GMRS such that existing radios would be reclassified as either FRS or GMRS to remove the confusion of whether a license was needed for legal operation.

Specifically, if you have a radio that was sold as a dual-service FRS/GMRS radio and it is limited to the channels and power limits provided under the "Data" tab on this page, then that device can be operated as an FRS device without a licensing requirement. However, if the device exceeds the limits under the "Data" tab or includes any of the following channels (467.5500, 467.5750, 467.6000, 467.6250, 467.6500, 467.6750, 467.7000, and 467.7250 MHz), then it is a GMRS device and an individual FCC license is needed to operate the device other than on the channels and with the bandwidth and power limits shown under the "Data" tab.