Morse code requirement was removed some time ago. I got my license in June 2020, no Morse code…
Oh, I also bought a hand crank one recently.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08T1V7MQJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08T1V7MQJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'm planning on going the license route, took a couple Technician practice tests without going over any study guides and came close to passing if an actual test. Do the guides and getting licensed actually teach you how to use the radios? You mention the FAA channel, can you just listen (no broadcasting) without getting a visit from the FEDS?
Thanks for the info on Hamexam.org. I have not looked around at others for a while. I just took a look at it, not bad at all, especially with the free PDF download for the totally free to pass your Technician License package materials. I presume if you log in it will take you to where you left off last time you logged off.
General and Extra with having to purchase books start to get about the same price close to hamtestonline which has all the info needed available on one site and not have to look back and forth between the questions and the text to look things up might be easier, but this site seems pretty strait forward. Free is a good thing ya know.
I agree with this being a good idea, but when did he make this recommendation? I can’t find anything about it.
That’s a good question. I had to go look because it was in an email and I must have deleted it. It was a Todd Starnes email.
Listening is legal and OK if you have the right equipment to most everything except cell phone calls. There are many radio services that take more elaborate digital equipment than just a standard radio.
Unfortunately, passing the tests only gives you the basic concepts and a license to learn. Ha Ha Virtually every radio brand and model is different, some in small ways, many in large ways. Different bands (frequency ranges) different controls, different features. By the time you get your license you will have a conception of what is going on, then it is best to get with one or more "Elmers" (a person who is an experienced ham) to show you what he is using, why he has the set up he is using, what he might like something different, and then try to fit that with your budget, station capabilities, surrounding terrain, and what part of ham radio you are interested in. Then you can decide what works for you. I have stated many times if you get 4 ham radio guys together and ask a question, sometimes you can get 7 opinions of what works for them and they all will most likely work for you. Ha Ha
Not to sound demeaning in any way, but right now what you are asking is similar to someone saying "I want to go racing, what kind of car do I need and how do I set it up" Well, what kind of racing? Drag, off road, sprint car, Datona 500, etc. Ham radio is a little like that, there are many directions you can go. Do you want to talk just local? Do you want to depend on club repeaters for contacts? Do you want to talk around the world partially using the internet? Do you want to spew electrons off your antenna and someone in another country capture those electrons direct and talk back directly with you? Lots of possibilities for solutions only after you find out what you don't know.
That is where going to some radio club meetings helps tremendously, get to know a few people to talk with and you will eventually be talking on the radio with. You will find we are a bunch of friendly guys that will try to help you out with our opinions as much as we can.
+1…..HAM operators are a lot like gun people that way, love to talk about it, argue about it……..
Find someone who does it, ask a really basic question, and hang on!
Find someone who does it, ask a really basic question, and hang on!
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