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  #16  
Old 08-13-2020, 04:52 PM
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J.R. Rogers J.R. Rogers is offline
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I’ve been an FCC certified ham since the early 90’s. My call sign is KC5CBP. I don’t participate much anymore but learning about communications, RF spectrum antenna design and even Morse code was really interesting to me. I recommend it. Also a great community of people.

JR
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  #17  
Old 08-13-2020, 05:40 PM
Richgj3 Richgj3 is offline
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Originally Posted by Steve-arino View Post
Actually I was a ham radio operator (WA2IFV) in my early teens back in the late 60's. Back then we had to know morse code as well as learn a good deal of electronic theory to get a license.

It was a blast at 13 years old to reach out to people from all over the world in the middle of the night while my parents were sleeping. We had conversations in morse code and SSB voice (Single Side Band). We exchanged "QSL" cards - postcards with our call letters. Part of the fun of the hobby was collecting these QSL cards from as many places in the world as we could, and putting them up on the wall.

I will never forget putting a "quad" ham radio antenna (a huge rectangular framed metal thing) on top of a radio tower that my father had installed on top of our house. He called the local fire department and they brought over a fire-truck with a ladder to help me put it up. The installation went ok but as soon as they left, a wind came and blew the antenna down :-(. Ahhh memories.

At about age 16 I ditched the ham radio, put leopard wallpaper on the walls in my bedroom, put up black lights and the requisite velvet based posters, began to blast the Doors and Iron Butterfly on my KLH stereo and found girls. I was never the same....

But it was a lot of fun and I've been thinking about doing it again as well. Try this site for more up to date information... http://www.arrl.org/
Almost the same story here! WA2NJC. General Class when I was in 9th grade. Sort of lost interest when I went to college.

Rich
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  #18  
Old 08-13-2020, 07:15 PM
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  #19  
Old 08-14-2020, 05:23 AM
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I didn’t know that form of communication still existed.
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  #20  
Old 08-14-2020, 08:27 AM
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Back in the day, Great Lake's ship traffic was directed via radio in morse code. I asked my friend who was a radio operator why, verbally was too easy to not understand and to make mistakes with foreign vessels or even some domestic traffic.

Along with morse code are hand signals. 1 finger up, key of G, 2-D, 3-A, 4-E, 1 down(Bflat) Key of F. No fingers, just a fist, Key of C. Verbally some of these these keys sound too much alike in a noisy environment.

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  #21  
Old 08-14-2020, 08:41 AM
RustyAxe RustyAxe is offline
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KD1JT, Extra Class since 1992. I'm a 100% CW (morse code) operator, and do a lot of portable operating. Check out http://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training ... and Google "ham radio emcomm" (emergency communication).

While the "party line" is to promote ham radio as an emergency communications service, I'm not sure it would adequately fulfill that role. Most hams just enjoy the hobby ... building your own radios and gear, modeling/building antennas, optimizing for a band, or a direction, collecting certificates for on-air operating (foreign counties, US States, and just about anything else you can think of!).

For me, it gets me out of the house one day a week. I go to a state park, set up my radio and antennas, and get on the air. A few hours of immersion in the "now" ... good therapy!
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Old 08-14-2020, 09:21 AM
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Originally Posted by unimogbert View Post
Nope. Search on "invisible antenna"

HOAs are the usual problem and there are ways of getting antennas up that the HOA won't recognize (such as flagpoles, antennas in attics, thin wires going to trees, etc)
That's good news! No HOA here, just don't like the look of a big antenna on the house.
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  #23  
Old 08-14-2020, 09:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Cincy2 View Post
I am not a Ham but this thread brought back some great memories of my Dad who was (K1CFW). I spent a lot of weekends as a kid holding ladders while he put a new Yagi or dipole antenna up around the house. I listened with him to the irate phone calls from neighbors who were mad about interference with their TV reception. Every summer, the local club held a "Field Day" where all the Hams went somewhere in a field and set up a net to simulate the aftermath of a nuclear war. He also was great at tracking down the "rabbit" - an exercise where one guy hid somewhere and transmitted. The mobile users like my Dad who had directional antennae and car radio's used triangulation to find him.

My Dad wanted me to qualify but I was a shy young person and had difficulty thinking of anything to say when he thrust the mike in front of me. After he passed away my brother and I made a lot of young Hams happy by giving away his gear as a tribute.

Thanks for the memories.

Cincy
Great story thanks so much for sharing. I guess it's a real blast from the past. My dad wasn't into ham radio but I'll never forget the Panasonic transistor radios w/ earplug that he bought us way back when.
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  #24  
Old 08-14-2020, 09:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Walterc View Post
Blueser100, I got my radio license in 1957-58. I let it lapse for a while, but got licensed again 17 years ago. It can be great fun. Poking around arrl.org is a good way to learn more. However, a better way is to find a local amateur radio club; put in your zip code on this page to find some in your area: http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club

You certainly do not need a huge or expensive antenna. Equipment can range from expensive to less than $100, depending on what your interests are.

Cincy2, judging by our call letters, your father and I probably got our licenses around the same time; I am K1CMF.
That is so cool! Thanks for the tips, and I did poke around that site though it's a bit overwhelming. There are lots of clubs in my area though many of their meetings have been postponed or gone online due to COVID.

I'm not really sure how to proceed—read up on the subject, study for the test, research radios and antennas, look for a club and make contact, etc.
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  #25  
Old 08-14-2020, 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by BradleyS View Post
I am not an operator, but have had an interest when I was much younger.
When I was a teenager, CB radios were the big item and ham radio was out of reach financially.
My interest has been renewed after reading this post and I think I just may pursue the hobby.
Thanks for posting.
Hey Bradley, that is awesome. Perhaps we could share what we find out, help each other get started...

I remember the CB craze - we didn't have one, but I loved seeing CB radio depicted in popular culture movies and songs.
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  #26  
Old 08-15-2020, 04:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RustyAxe View Post
For me, it gets me out of the house one day a week. I go to a state park, set up my radio and antennas, and get on the air. A few hours of immersion in the "now" ... good therapy!
A rusty axe and a rusty key... huh. What more could a guy want?

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Old 08-15-2020, 07:26 PM
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  #28  
Old 08-15-2020, 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Blueser100 View Post
Hey Bradley, that is awesome. Perhaps we could share what we find out, help each other get started...

I remember the CB craze - we didn't have one, but I loved seeing CB radio depicted in popular culture movies and songs.
That sounds like a great idea.
For starters check out "Ham Radio Crash Course" channel on You Tube. He seems to have a wealth of information.
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  #29  
Old 08-19-2020, 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by BradleyS View Post
That sounds like a great idea.
For starters check out "Ham Radio Crash Course" channel on You Tube. He seems to have a wealth of information.
I will check that out. I saw a video of a guy with a handheld radio, and about a 4 foot antenna that he disguised in a flowerpot on his mother's condo balcony. He could get receipt to about 9 miles out.

I guess I need to think about what I am wanting to do with the radio, e.g., mostly learn how to communicate with other hams in the event of an emergency to get info, help get info to other people, etc.
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  #30  
Old 08-19-2020, 05:02 PM
hackathorn hackathorn is offline
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To your original question... yes ham radio communication will continue to provide a communication link regardless of the operation of the private commercial "cell phone" communication we now all rely on. I got my ham license many years ago at the urging of a co-worker who was active with local repeaters etc. I have an EE degree and basically only spent a couple of weeks learning the "regulations" to pass the test. Subsequently, I have not paid my dues to keep the license active but have a couple of radios and will not hesitate to use them if that becomes a primary way of communication. If communication deteriorates to that point, breaking "FCC" rules will be the least of my worries. For that matter, if emergency is your goal - do your research, buy a radio or two, learn the lingo, and don't worry about getting licensed. Not to be negative, but most all of the ham radio chatter not related to emergency services is about personal matters and ham equipment.
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