Any radio guys out there?

[Flash]

I got my license about a year or two ago. Have a couple of handsets, need to join a club and get familiar with them. My buddy is pretty well versed in it and has been helping me.

I'm in the same boat. I passed the test and have been trying to do some reading and such online to learn more about radio, antennas, etc. It is really interesting stuff, but sometimes it would be nice to have a translator who could cut through the jargon a bit.

There are a bunch of licensed Hams on this board, so ask away. Someone will probably have the answer.

[High Standard]

I have always wanted to get my Amateur Radio License. Now that I’m retired I am ready to start studying and preparing for my test. Technician License first.

I live in Prescott Valley. Anyone here with a local club who can give me the info so I can join and start participating?

[h8pvmnt]

I have a General Amateur Radio License. I definitely recommend getting your Technician License to start with. Thats all you need for 2 meter and 440 CM radio use. The really knowledgeable people in radio circles will be less likely to help you if you are transmitting without a license. The Superstition Ham Club in Mesa normally holds monthly VE testing. I am not sure how that is working during the Covid BS. As to the Baofeng Radios, These are cheap 5 watt radios that have been proliferating the internet for several years. They are useful but if you get into this more there are better options for mobile radios. A yaesu FT2980 is a fantastic inexpensive 80 watt 2 meter mobile radio. There are many others. The power output is not really that important however the antenna is. There are adapters that allow a magnetic mount mobile antenna to be attached to the little HT. Adding this to your vehicle with a mag mount smack in the middle of that metal ground plane(roof of your car) will make that 5 watt radio more useful. For programming the Baofeng i suggest going to the CHIRP website and dowloading the software for the radio you have. Its a freeware that has regular updates. https://chirp.danplanet.com/ Download an image of the radio before you start so you can return to the beginning if something gets screwed up. There are lots of online resources for repeater lists. The Baofeng radios will transmit outside the ham bands as well. We use them on the commercial frequencies for offroad racing. The FCC controls all of this but there is a lot of disregard these days. Do your homework and tread carefully. I am willing to help out licensed hams with programming or just answer questions.

[Flash]

I've have an Extra Class Amateur Radio License since 1983. I'm one of the group that won 1st Place at Field day in 8A battery for over 20 years running, something that's never been done before or since.

I'm an ARRL Volunteer Examiner but haven't administered any tests in quite a while, but I'm still licensed for it.

I'll answer questions if I can for anyone who wants to ask.

[High Standard]

I’m signed up to take my Technician test next month. Going to start studying right away. Going to join the local club as well.

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions.

[impulse]

This is the best site I found when I wanted to study for my Tech. You can study for all the tests on there as well https://hamstudy.org/

[AZF350PSD]

These come to mind Prescott area. Could be more.

Mingus Mountain Repeater Group
http://k7mrg.org/

Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association
https://www.vvara.org/

Yavapai Amateur Radio Club
https://www.w7yrc.org/

[zold]

I got my license about a year or two ago. Have a couple of handsets, need to join a club and get familiar with them. My buddy is pretty well versed in it and has been helping me.

I'm in the same boat. I passed the test and have been trying to do some reading and such online to learn more about radio, antennas, etc. It is really interesting stuff, but sometimes it would be nice to have a translator who could cut through the jargon a bit.

There are a bunch of licensed Hams on this board, so ask away. Someone will probably have the answer.

Ok, so I'm still at the HT level, but would like to be able to have my radio going while I am working at my desk in the house. I was thinking that putting up a 2m/440 antenna like a DBJ-2 https://edsantennas.weebly.com/about.html would be an "easy fix" to the problem. I do need to keep things a bit low profile to keep the peace with the Mrs and HOA. Would something like this work if I just snuck it out the office window next to the house, or do I need to figure out a way to get something up on the roof?

[Flash]

It's 5 feet long and I strongly doubt that the HOA would have any interest in it, so give it a try.

I'm not sure if you're saying you want to stick it on the ground, but if you do, it won't work well at all.

It needs to be installed close to the roof like the picture on the link shows. There are a ton of Satellite TV dishes out there and if it were me, I'd place it close (behind) one of them.

[admin]

What I find a bit humorous is that there are a lot of people - especially lately - that are buying the UV-5R's and squirreling them away with the rest of their preps thinking that if the SHTF, they are ready for comm's. [insert crazy face emoticon here]

First off, if we're relegated to using radio as our only means of communication, we're screwed.
Second, in order to use them, you have to program them and learn how to use them. The learning curve isn't like buying that FRS radio blister pack at the store and being able to Rx and Tx.
Third, in order to really learn how to use them, you need to be licensed at least as a Technician. While that may mean nothing in SHTF situation, it does today - and if you want to learn to use them, you need to do that now.

To program them, use CHiRP. Free and easy.

Here are some videos to get you started:

How to program UV-5R with ChiRP (for those with ADHD):
Baofeng UV-5R complete setup and programming:

Uv-5R crash course pt1:

Pt2:

[High Standard]

What I find a bit humorous is that there are a lot of people - especially lately - that are buying the UV-5R's and squirreling them away with the rest of their preps thinking that if the SHTF, they are ready for comm's. [insert crazy face emoticon here]

First off, if we're relegated to using radio as our only means of communication, we're screwed.
Second, in order to use them, you have to program them and learn how to use them. The learning curve isn't like buying that FRS radio blister pack at the store and being able to Rx and Tx.
Third, in order to really learn how to use them, you need to be licensed at least as a Technician. While that may mean nothing in SHTF situation, it does today - and if you want to learn to use them, you need to do that now.

To program them, use CHiRP. Free and easy.

Here are some videos to get you started:

Thanks for the videos, I appreciate them. I was scheduled to take my technician license test in February, it was cancelled and now I am taking it in March. I have decided to hold off buying a radio. I want to get involved in the club a little bit to see where my interests lie. I want to make sure I am informed buyer before I go all in. I may want to go a little further and take my general test as well. I’m not in a hurry. I think learning what is all involved in the hobby will help me decide how deep I want to go.

[Flash]

In order to learn how to REALLY use them, you may have to be a lot more than a Technician.

I've mentioned that I was a member of the group that won the Field Day 8A battery title over 20 years straight.

What I didn't mention is that my part in the group was as a troubleshooter. If somebody couldn't get a radio on the air and make a lot of contacts, I was the one who went to their station and figured out what was wrong and fixed it.

Probably 1/4 of the people in that group were Extras, probably almost 3/4 Advanced or General and a couple of Technicians so there were a lot of people there who should be able to troubleshoot and fix radio/antenna problems but there weren't so I got to fix at least 2 or 3 every Field Day.

It takes a lot to make a station play no matter what the problem and how primitive the conditions (we were out in the woods) and the class of license you hold doesn't mean you have expertise. Only those who spend the extra time and effort to learn exactly how radios and antennas work have that expertise.

[admin]

In order to learn how to REALLY use them, you may have to be a lot more than a Technician.

I mostly agree with that, but technically speaking, passing the test isn't a fair assessment of ability. I bet there are a lot of people out there who have the licenses, but are surpassed in knowledge and expertise by others who deliberately avoid licensing for one reason or another. That's not unique to HAM - holds true for IT certifications, etc.

My point was simply that getting a technician license is fairly easy for anyone to do with minimal study and will let you legally use a ham radio to continue to learn.

[admin]

Here's another good video:

[High Standard]

My apologies to the OP for hijacking your thread.

I want to thank everyone here for your help. I really appreciate it.