i've been tossing around the idea of becoming a ham. When I was in boy scouts, we went to the home of a ham operator and it was pretty cool...thought about it long and hard then but didn't have the $$ to get my own equipment. Things have changed in the 10+ years since then and I'm thinking about it again. Anyone else here a ham?

Jason I am not but my father is. He is KB8IEX in Michigan. He has been at it for a long time and is part of the civil weather defense and all that good stuff. I think he said it is a lot easier to get a license than before. No morris code anymore which is what heald most people back before.

If you ever get him on the line you will laugh your ars off. He is a funny old guy.

KB3KHC

Lets you have a "real" radio in the truck

There are online test sites.
The test is not that hard for the "technician" class.
That lets you use most of the more common "voice" freqs...

<--- User Name

I've always found the amature bands give you so many more options. That and the dual, tripple and quad band radios will get you pretty much anywhere you need to be. Add a MARS/CAPP mod and the sky's the limit.

I do have a hand held CB I use just in case I need to talk to 4x'rs on the trail but I think I've only used it a couple of times.

I think I'm going to try and find a copy of the AARL Technician class license manual at the local book stores this weekend.

try marvac electronics in pasadena
they should have everything needed.

im not, but i used to work at marvac (SB)

Not knocking your source but I've always had great service from HRO (Ham Radio Outlet) I've purchased almost all my radios from them and they have a store in San Deigo.

In fact I've called them up, told them what I had in mind and they did all the leg work to get me what I needed to make it work and always with the "of course we can do that" attitude.

yeah, probably wont get to much in the way of CS, but glendale and pasadena are next to each other

{pet peeve mode}{/pet peeve mode}

Going to EE school sure made the test easy

There's a few of us locally that have HAM in our rigs for those Desert runs, where we get spaced out quite far. Last year Lance (Goodtimes) and I used it during the Death Valley trip when we had our group divided up.....

Easy does it.

I did not trash anybody. I did however prove that I cannot spell.

I am responsible for lots of stuff and people spell my name wrong all the time.

KG6FOJ been a ham for a few years mostly local repeater stuff but for a while I was using packet and APRS through the International Space Station. http://www.ariss.net for more info...

It is nice having a 50 watt 2 meter in the rig when you're out in the hills, I can always hit the local phone patch off the repeater if there is an emergency.

KD7CGL here. get your study materials from www.arrl.com free...
By the time you get studied and and ready to test the rules will have undergone some serious significant changes.

Then I think you'll love it! as the fella up a few post said you get a "real" radio in the truck with ya.

CB's / FRS ect have there place but not even the best/modified of them can compete with with what you cabilities will be.

hope to hear you on the air soon....

KE7EXT here.. I practiced alot with qrz's quizzes before I got my ticket. It is definitely nice to have a "real" radio in the truck.

73

I didn't have time over the weekend to find a license manual...maybe one night after work. I did check and there is an exam on January 27 in my area that I might try to take once I see what the material for the technician class license looks like.

cool link....i just went though one of the technician class quizes and got 27/35 without seeing any study material (I come from an electrical engineering background).

Thanks for the link!!!

Aloooooha!

KH7P here. I used to be into CB's-n-stuff till the airwaves got trashier & no respect but to step on each other, etc. Fun shootin' skips & back channels but later fizzed out since things got bad. So I got into Amateur radio back in the 90's when my friend whom I was working with introduced me to the Ham world. Great to know you're the only ones up when ever a disaster hits. I agree, it's much easier to get your license & be on the air in no time.

73's

Craig

I got my ticket (KD7ZKB) a couple of years ago and promptly purchased a Icom v8000 2 meter rig (75 watts) and mounted it in my truck. I havent used it on the trail yet but it has come in handy

got my tech license for work since i am volunteer safety guy.

the no MORRIS ( )code requirement was the selling point for me...