Any recommendations on a Shortwave radio?

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SlugSlinger

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While listening might be of an advantage in a SHTF situation and entertaining inbetween, being able to talk back might be more useful and entertaining. I would suggest you think about doing a little studying to get your ham radio license. It is a great hobby for individuals and families alike. With doing that you will be very knowledgeable of equipment available, antennas, frequencies, and the overall aspect of radio communications to be able to not only listen but participate in what is going on locally and world wide.

Yes as Poke78 stated, April 8-9 will be the Green Country Hamfest at the Claremore Expo Center, you can find detailed info on line. This will be the biggest ham radio swap meet in this area. $10 at the door with all kinds of new and used equipment, ham radio, short wave receivers, computer equipment, anything electronic, etc. for sale and a test bench to check everything out before you buy it. Free door prize give aways with hourly drawings and some neat radio grand prizes at the end you do not have to be present to win with.

If you decide to attend, come by the Mayes County Ameture Radio Club (MCARC) tables and say hello and introduce yourself. I am Ken, the guy with the cigar. We are raffling off a Blackstone Griddle at 1PM Saturday also as a fundraiser. You are welcome to PM me if you would like also.

Where’s the best place to start finding resources for the licensing? I searched and there seems to be many sites about the licensing.
 

kingfish

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While listening might be of an advantage in a SHTF situation and entertaining inbetween, being able to talk back might be more useful and entertaining. I would suggest you think about doing a little studying to get your ham radio license. It is a great hobby for individuals and families alike. With doing that you will be very knowledgeable of equipment available, antennas, frequencies, and the overall aspect of radio communications to be able to not only listen but participate in what is going on locally and world wide.

Yes as Poke78 stated, April 8-9 will be the Green Country Hamfest at the Claremore Expo Center, you can find detailed info on line. This will be the biggest ham radio swap meet in this area. $10 at the door with all kinds of new and used equipment, ham radio, short wave receivers, computer equipment, anything electronic, etc. for sale and a test bench to check everything out before you buy it. Free door prize give aways with hourly drawings and some neat radio grand prizes at the end you do not have to be present to win with.

If you decide to attend, come by the Mayes County Ameture Radio Club (MCARC) tables and say hello and introduce yourself. I am Ken, the guy with the cigar. We are raffling off a Blackstone Griddle at 1PM Saturday also as a fundraiser. You are welcome to PM me if you would like also.
While I agree with what p238shooter says here, I am going to add something that might raise the ire of some hams here. I will state that I have my extra class ham license. That being said, if you are not particularly interested in getting a license and taking up the hobby the capability to talk in a SHTF situation could be valuable. Buying a used transceiver so you could communicate with others is valuable. If we get to that point where only amateur radio is the best mode of communication, we are a long way past the point where I would be concerned about violating FCC regs. of operating a transmitter without the appropriate license. It will be all about surviving and the rule of law is just a fond memory.
 

kingfish

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Where’s the best place to start finding resources for the licensing? I searched and there seems to be many sites about the licensing.
I would start with a ham radio club in your area. Don't know where you are, but most clubs teach license classes. At least they used to when I was active in the hobby. An internet search for local clubs will get you started.
 

kingfish

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I can't speak for the quality of the radio since I have never had one. It would be another tool in the toolbox, but it has limited applications. It does not receive shortwave band signals. It is designed for close range point to point or through a repeater system which would extend its range depending on terrain. If you lived in a community where several of you wanted to communicate and coordinate operations, it would be good for that. By itself it has limited use.
 

p238shooter

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While I agree with what p238shooter says here, I am going to add something that might raise the ire of some hams here. I will state that I have my extra class ham license. That being said, if you are not particularly interested in getting a license and taking up the hobby the capability to talk in a SHTF situation could be valuable. Buying a used transceiver so you could communicate with others is valuable. If we get to that point where only amateur radio is the best mode of communication, we are a long way past the point where I would be concerned about violating FCC regs. of operating a transmitter without the appropriate license. It will be all about surviving and the rule of law is just a fond memory.
While you are correct in some aspects, you might also think about the fact that we are a pretty close knit world wide family and many people would be surprised as to how many callsigns we know and voices we recognize across the Globe. Yes anyone can listen but we only talk or respond to who we choose.

I would start with a ham radio club in your area. Don't know where you are, but most clubs teach license classes. At least they used to when I was active in the hobby. An internet search for local clubs will get you started.

Mayes County Amateur Radio Club meets the last Friday of the month (Tomorrow) at the Pizza Hut in Pryor. 7PM actual meeting, but most of us show up about 6 for pizza and shooting the bull. You would be very welcome to join us. Claremore has the Rogers County Wireless Association, meets monthly, but I think this months meeting will be Sat. morning at hamfest.

There are many ways to study, three classes of licenses you have to take in succession at what ever speed you choose. Each class of license gives you more operating priviliges, friequencies and bands you can operate on from the local area to around the world and there are several digital modes also, many internet dependent. I have suggested to do a google search for "hamtestonline.com" to 30-40 people over the past 10-15 years. Study programs are usually about $20-25 each. Not a single one has failed passing a test the first time.

Right now there is a $15 fee for taking a test. I understand that is going to $35 in the next few months, not sure. Again you (or anyone interested in ham radio) are welcome to PM me and we could phone connect to talk more if you would like. Ken
 
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p238shooter

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My Personal opinion by someone who has been through a lot of radios and different digital modes. For someone new to jump into DMR radio with not much background experience, DMR could be a major challenge and likely a major disaster. It is much more complex than a standard HT on FM would be for simple ham repeater operations. I did not easily find a power output. Usually 5 watts is about max. I would suspect this unit is less.

This also is were studying for a ham license teaches you a lot. For example, in that Amazon advertisement they point out how to easily enter the frequency of 136.2375Mz. Apparently that someone does not know that is a Civil Aviation frequency which if you are not transmitting on it for aviation, it is it is illegal to use that frequency. This would now put you in a position of not only dealing with the FCC, but with the FAA also.

Yep, might not matter in a SHTF situation. Are you going to wait till then to learn all the stuff you need to know or get prepared now? Might be good to stay out of trouble now and know what you are doing for later, ya know?
 

ForsakenConservative

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Hamexam.org is where I started. Free “technician” class study guide you can download, and it has practice exams to sharpen on. The nice thing is that the practice exam references the study guide, so you can use them together. I purchased the “general” class book, used the website practice exam, and when I tested, I passed both tech and general in one sitting!
I bought an Icom IC-705…..quite pricey, but very capable. I also have Bofeng UV82HPs….cheapos, but they work. Someone made the comment that the FCC rules won’t matter when TSHTF, but the radios do you no good if you do not know how to program & operate them! To practice and be proficient BEFORE TSHTF, you must use them, and so you need to be licensed.
Regardless, it is kinda neat to build an HF antenna and contact someone on the other side of the planet-I got through to a station in Italy last summer!
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My go-kit…IC-705 in waterproof case and loop antenna for HF work.
 

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