Ham radio questions please help

[CumminsPusher]

Ok so I'm dumb in ham radio. Used cb's some but looking max distance/value and know nothing on this matter. From what I'm seeing on line CB doesn't make sense for the price. Looking for probably 50w base unit to install inside the pioneer and a good handheld 8w. Looking at baofeng so far the reviews for the price look great. We have a 200$ cap as my wife received a gift card late for her bday and it's time to have better communications. Please help

 

[Admin]

 

[Plumber32]

Isn't that what you use to talk to the dead with? Or the past ,I've seen movies and that's what they used. Too spooky for me. I think that's what Peter griffin used to talk to Ronald Reagan.

 

[CumminsPusher]

Hey Plummer that's not helping

 

[CumminsPusher]

Anyone?

 

[joeymt33]

Sorry bud, I also know nothing.

 

[CumminsPusher]

Sorry bud, I also know nothing.

Do you run a CB?


Sent from iPhone

 

[joeymt33]

I used to use a CB in my Ford Ranger but that's been years ago. I've never touched a HAM...radio that is

 

[CumminsPusher]

I used to use a CB in my Ford Ranger but that's been years ago. I've never touched a HAM...radio that is

I figured I'd get a lot of that really thought there would be lots of people on here especially out your direction. Dammit.

 

[Dasmoeturhead]

CP, legal CB radio power is only 4 watts. Anything more than that is illegal. I have a CB in my P1k, but I here anybody on it in the woods, so it probably isn't doing me any good in case of an emergency. I am a Ham operator, and I also take my 2 met

 

[Dasmoeturhead]

I wasn't finished. Dang phone. Anyway I take my 2 meter Baufeng with me now, and it is a pretty reliable way to keep in touch. With 2 meter, you use it either like a regular radio, or you use repeaters. With any Ham radio you need a license. Cb''s you dont, but your limited to a max legal power of only 4 watts. Some 2 meter radios have 75 watts. More people monitor ham radios, and it's pretty easy to get a hold of someone in case of an emergency. I like my Cb for shooting skip when the conditions are good, but ham radio is much more reliable in most case's.
By the way, those Baufeng radios, are a killer little radio. I have 2 uv5r's, and use them daily.

 

[sharp]

I wasn't finished. Dang phone. Anyway I take my 2 meter Baufeng with me now, and it is a pretty reliable way to keep in touch. With 2 meter, you use it either like a regular radio, or you use repeaters. With any Ham radio you need a license. Cb''s you dont, but your limited to a max legal power of only 4 watts. Some 2 meter radios have 75 watts. More people monitor ham radios, and it's pretty easy to get a hold of someone in case of an emergency. I like my Cb for shooting skip when the conditions are good, but ham radio is much more reliable in most case's.
By the way, those Baufeng radios, are a killer little radio. I have 2 uv5r's, and use them daily.

How long does it take to get a ham radio license? And what all is involved?

 

[Dasmoeturhead]

How long does it take to get a ham radio license? And what all is involved?

You can buy a study guide book, and take all the practice exams, you can also use online study guides, or if your lucky you can take a class that your local ham operators put on (that's what I did). The exam is pretty easy for the entry level Technician license. It will probably take a couple of months or less . The technician licence will allow you to operate 2 meter/70 cm, 10 meter,and others. 2 meter is pretty popular, and almost all Hams use this band. 2 meter radios are fairly cheap also.
The test cost like $15.00, and is good for 10 years. No retest is required, as long as you don't let your license expire. No age limit either. Look up ARRL, and get all the latest info for ham licensing, test material, and news.
As for the Baufeng radio, they can be programed to the same frequencies that the family radio serice radios use, and no license is required for that. Just a thought.

 

[educ8tedguess]

I too have been considering getting my technicians license and trying out HAM radio. I've run CB's in my trucks just for fun but really doubt their ability to help me in an emergency situation. Unless, of course, that emergency takes place on the highway.

CP, I think the first step is to order the study guides for the tech license. From what I understand, the test isn't difficult if you study a bit. And they did away with the morse code requirement so that makes it even easier.
Finally, after reading a lot of HAM forums, it is easy to be disenfranchised as there is a TON to learn and at first glance, it is extremely overwhelming. If you do read those forums, keep in mind that many of those folks are as passionate about their radios as we are about our Hondas. They know a lot about them and it will sound intimidating when they get into the technical side of things.

So I say go for it. I plan to in the very near future. I think the best bet is to start simple and build from there. Once we have the tool and the understanding of how it all works, the uses for it will grow thus increasing our knowledge of yet another hobby

 

[CumminsPusher]

I wasn't finished. Dang phone. Anyway I take my 2 meter Baufeng with me now, and it is a pretty reliable way to keep in touch. With 2 meter, you use it either like a regular radio, or you use repeaters. With any Ham radio you need a license. Cb''s you dont, but your limited to a max legal power of only 4 watts. Some 2 meter radios have 75 watts. More people monitor ham radios, and it's pretty easy to get a hold of someone in case of an emergency. I like my Cb for shooting skip when the conditions are good, but ham radio is much more reliable in most case's.
By the way, those Baufeng radios, are a killer little radio. I have 2 uv5r's, and use them daily.

Awesome thank you. Right now looking at a 50w quad band unit for the pioneer and maybe a couple hand held 8w. Maybe a base unit for the motorhome down the road. Apparently the quad band has got CB range as well? For the money ham seems way to go it's cheaper then just CB. I understand license but that appears easy and cheap is that true? Reason for the urgency we got split up in unfamiliar ground last weekend and our quad broke down. Some places we go has cell but weren't so lucky this time. I refuse to leave people behind again it took 2hrs to rescue. It's only happened a few times but not good feeling. My wife is using her bday gift so we can fix this money goes quick I'd love to order something before...


Sent from iPhone

 

[CumminsPusher]

I too have been considering getting my technicians license and trying out HAM radio. I've run CB's in my trucks just for fun but really doubt their ability to help me in an emergency situation. Unless, of course, that emergency takes place on the highway.

CP, I think the first step is to order the study guides for the tech license. From what I understand, the test isn't difficult if you study a bit. And they did away with the morse code requirement so that makes it even easier.
Finally, after reading a lot of HAM forums, it is easy to be disenfranchised as there is a TON to learn and at first glance, it is extremely overwhelming. If you do read those forums, keep in mind that many of those folks are as passionate about their radios as we are about our Hondas. They know a lot about them and it will sound intimidating when they get into the technical side of things.

So I say go for it. I plan to in the very near future. I think the best bet is to start simple and build from there. Once we have the tool and the understanding of how it all works, the uses for it will grow thus increasing our knowledge of yet another hobby

Educatedguess, thank you as well. It's honestly not too often I look into something and get totally confused. Here it is for me. I love the idea of ham and not only do I think it's imperative for our situation I do think down the road if anything happens it'll be a blessing. I'm usually a quick study but omg. I just want it to work. I've seen prices on eBay and local used prices and we won't lose anything if it doesn't work for us so I'm pulling the trigger. There are 4 of us that are committed to getting licenses but in emergency situations I need it to work for anyone. We will not strand someone again that's a bad deal! Communications has just went to level 1. I know nothing other then brand. I suspect with the 50w on the p1k and an 8w handheld there should be plenty of range for us. It's looking like line of sight is up to 150 miles and heavily wooded could be as much as 25-30. That should be fine. I definitely would say this isn't going to go to be a hobby as it could get expensive but CB won't cut it for us.


Sent from iPhone

 

[Dasmoeturhead]

CP, Yea it's not hard to get a license. Just takes a bit of study time. I totally understand your need for comms. Not sure if a quad band has the cb and. Most quad band ham radios will have 2meter,440/70 cm, 10 meters. Cb is in the 11 meter band. My cheap little Baufengs work great. $200.00 budget, to get started you could get 3 Baufeng UV5R's, and a mobile mount antenna, for your RV,and the Pioneer, and then the other radio, with just a better rubber duck antenna than what they come with. The radios come with a charger and a battery. I would have at least 2 batteries per radio. These radios don't use much power and the battery level stays good all day. The uv5r I have in my shop is attached to a magnetic mobile antenna, that's mounted on the metal roof of my house, and though a repeater I talk with other hams every single day 40 miles or more away. It's awesome that you can talk that far with only 4 watts. I bet you have repeaters in your area. Download repeater book, and you will see if you habe any in your area. Let me know if you have any questions about Ham radio, and I will try and help you out.

KK6MOE 73

 

[GlockMeister]

This is getting away from the ham radio question but a lot of guys in my area are running two way marine radios . Good distance and no license required. We have a lot of hills and hollers and they all seem to be able to talk back and forth from long distances

 

[CumminsPusher]

Why are they so cheap ok so are they easy to use? Big question. I'm looking at a total of 4 soon but I need to be able to teach quickly. People have to be able to use them.

 

[CumminsPusher]

This is getting away from the ham radio question but a lot of guys in my area are running two way marine radios . Good distance and no license required. We have a lot of hills and hollers and they all seem to be able to talk back and forth from long distances

From what I've recently read (understand it's only been a week of research and I'm still confused) ham is the only way for distance. It's easy to get 25 miles in heavy trees which is us. I started looking at CB then two way now this.

 

[GlockMeister]

From what I've recently read (understand it's only been a week of research and I'm still confused) ham is the only way for distance. It's easy to get 25 miles in heavy trees which is us. I started looking at CB then two way now this.

Got ya just didn't know if you had explored that option