HAM Radio Starter Kit - Information for Beginners

[BlindedByScience]

Michael, I'm NY7D. I have a CHIRP file that has most of the local and Eugene repeaters in it. Should get you off to a decent start, anyway. I also have a Baofeng UV5R so this should work fine for you.

Happy to forward it but no guarantees, etc. If you brick your set, not my fault...!!...;-)

 

[BlindedByScience]

Good resource:

Portland amateur radio repeaters (https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/location_search.php?state_id=41&type=city&loc=Portland)

 

[DigitalPanther]

Michael, I'm NY7D. I have a CHIRP file that has most of the local and Eugene repeaters in it. Should get you off to a decent start, anyway. I also have a Baofeng UV5R so this should work fine for you.

Happy to forward it but no guarantees, etc. If you brick your set, not my fault...!!...;-)

LOL If I Brick it its only a $25 replacement fee.
Plus my UV82 shows up Wednesday so if I brick it it won't kill me.

ANy assistance is appreciated.
Till anon,
-DP

 

[BlindedByScience]

PM me a mail address, I'll send you the file.

 

[partsed]

My dad was a HAM radio operator W7PJN out of Oregon City/Gladstone. I always wanted to get into it but knew I could never pass the code test. My dad would hear the reaper go off from someplace and could tell us where it was from, the dits and dots went way too fast for me.....

 

[AMProducts]

Michael, I'm NY7D. I have a CHIRP file that has most of the local and Eugene repeaters in it. Should get you off to a decent start, anyway. I also have a Baofeng UV5R so this should work fine for you.

Happy to forward it but no guarantees, etc. If you brick your set, not my fault...!!...;-)

CHIRP is actually pretty good about detecting firmware mismatches... just export the chirp file as a CSV, and then re-import it into chirp.

 

[AMProducts]

My dad was a HAM radio operator W7PJN out of Oregon City/Gladstone. I always wanted to get into it but knew I could never pass the code test. My dad would hear the reaper go off from someplace and could tell us where it was from, the dits and dots went way too fast for me.....

Code test went out 15+ years ago. Now the Tech test is pretty much a learners permit for ham radio. It doesn't get hard until you get to general or extra.

 

[partsed]

I knew there were different classes, (you refreshed my memory on that) are there certain frequencies you can only use if a beginner?? My dad had a small 2 meter radio in our Suburban and a larger base unit in his cabinet downstairs.

 

[smurf hunter]

I passed tech and general in the same day. Most exam sessions will automatically hand you the higher level exam if you pass the lower one.

All 3 exam levels have a fixed question pool that gets refreshed every 4 years (July?).
They are staggered so tech rolls over into a new question pool, general the next year, etc.

Back in Spring 2014 I desperately wanted to pass my technician class before the pool changed over. So I crammed using free smart phone apps on my bus ride to work. About 3 weeks before my scheduled exam, I was getting 95%, so for amusement I started studying for my general.

I don't know how much I passed the general exam by, but I did with only about 10 hours of total study time.

General is not twice as hard, maybe 20-30% more difficult than tech.

 

[AMProducts]

General is not twice as hard, maybe 20-30% more difficult than tech.

Agreed... But it's a totally different set of questions. Now that I think about it, I'm kinda curious if the different VE's use different question pools. (W5YI, ARRL, and there's one other one)

When I took my tech, I was not offered the higher level exams, it's worth noting, that unless all the VE's are Extra-class examiners you may not be able to take the higher level exams (Generals can administer the Tech, but only Extras can administer General and Extra class exams. I think if you have an Advanced class, they can administer General class, but not Extra) Confusing eh?

When I took my general, I went on to take Extra, I took it twice, and missed by two then one question, and one question I missed was such a wobbler even the VE's had to look it up. I still havn't upgraded to Extra, maybe one of these days, just not really feeling motivated.

 

[vvt4me]

Hey all. Ive got a Baofeng, but not a suitable computer to link up and program the radio. Would anyone be willing to program it with the local repeaters and stations of interest for me for a nominal fee, or case of beer, etc? Not getting my license for a while, but want to monitor and listen.

 

[Joe Link]

I was given a Yaesu FT-60R for Christmas back in 2010. I moved right after and thought I had lost it, but I found it just this week. Turned it on for the first time last night and thumbed through the (outdated) ARRL book that I also got with it. Managed to get the Washington County something or other (LE of some sort) and listen for a bit last night. Looking forward to learning more

 

[John Gault]

Hey all. Ive got a Baofeng, but not a suitable computer to link up and program the radio. Would anyone be willing to program it with the local repeaters and stations of interest for me for a nominal fee, or case of beer, etc? Not getting my license for a while, but want to monitor and listen.

Where are you located?

 

[uscsoldier]

I was given a Yaesu FT-60R for Christmas back in 2010. I moved right after and thought I had lost it, but I found it just this week. Turned it on for the first time last night and thumbed through the (outdated) ARRL book that I also got with it. Managed to get the Washington County something or other (LE of some sort) and listen for a bit last night. Looking forward to learning more

I love my FT-60R, do you have a patch cable? They are cheap and a must
USB Programming Cable for YAESU Radio CT-42 FT-60R VX3R VX132 VX152 VX180 A137 | eBay

Also here is the software I use, super easy and the price is great
FT-60 Commander

 

[Joe Link]

I love my FT-60R, do you have a patch cable? They are cheap and a must
USB Programming Cable for YAESU Radio CT-42 FT-60R VX3R VX132 VX152 VX180 A137 | eBay

Also here is the software I use, super easy and the price is great
FT-60 Commander

Not yet, but I was looking at getting one, so thanks for the link!

I was also wondering about Chirp vs RT Systems, but I'll give this a shot first

 

[uscsoldier]

Not yet, but I was looking at getting one, so thanks for the link!

I was also wondering about Chirp vs RT Systems, but I'll give this a shot first

For the casual user like most of us I think the free one I posted will do more than most of us need. It's stupid easy to use, but off course someone who's a pro and spends hrs a day on their radios will be along soon to tell me why I'm wrong and need to spend the $50 on RT system

 

[Joe Link]

No sense in spending the money at this point

 

[uscsoldier]

No sense in spending the money at this point

I participate in swap nets occasionally, We have a local lunch net that I try and hit a few times a week to test com's. It's good to purchase At least one extra set of batteries. The stock antenna has done fine by me but I keep meaning to upgrade it.

 

[vvt4me]

Where are you located?

I'm in Milwaukie, Oak Grove area

 

[ChiefStealth]

I have a Baofeng radio. I have the cable. I have the computer. I have the software. I have 27 repeaters, in western Wash. already programmed in to the software and the radio. I could do the programming for the OP. Just have to figure out how to hand off the radio. I'm near Tacoma.