i know that you guys are probably tired of us newbies, but i am really interested in getting my technician license and getting started. im from wilmington, de. How much do i need to get a good rig once i were to get a technician license?

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Re: beginner
By: Ronald Reid to All on Tue May 15 2012 20:20:32

i know that you guys are probably tired of us newbies, but i am really interested in getting my technician license and getting started. im from wilmington, de. How much do i need to get a good rig once i were to get a technician license?

I just responded to a similar question from Corey, so see my previous post for my $0.02. Knowing exactly what you want to do as a ham (what bands you want to operate on, what modes you're interested in) will make all the difference in determining how much you're likely to spend. Do you know what areas of the hobby you wish to explore, at least at first? What about this stuff has
grabbed your interest?

echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230

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Re: beginner
By: echicken to Ronald Reid on Wed May 16 2012 10:00 am

Re: beginner
By: Ronald Reid to All on Tue May 15 2012 20:20:32

i know that you guys are probably tired of us newbies, but i am really interested in getting my technician license and getting started. im from wilmington, de. How much do i need to get a good rig once i were to get technician license?

I just responded to a similar question from Corey, so see my previous post f my $0.02. Knowing exactly what you want to do as a ham (what bands you want operate on, what modes you're interested in) will make all the difference in determining how much you're likely to spend. Do you know what areas of the hobby you wish to explore, at least at first? What about this stuff has grabbed your interest?

echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230

if I started up in germany would I be a black forest ham?


"Practise safe Lunch, Use a Condiment"


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Re: beginner
By: Ronald Reid to All on Tue May 15 2012 08:20 pm

i know that you guys are probably tired of us newbies, but i am really interested in getting my technician license and getting started. im from wilmington, de. How much do i need to get a good rig once i were to get a technician license?

Some folks may, but I'm not! The guys down here in Mississippi helped me
get licensed and I'm wanting to help anyone I can get licensed! I looked
up http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters/local-repeaters.asp?state=DELAWARE&city=W ILMINGTON
and it shows I beieve 12 repeaters in your area. Depending on what you
mean by "a good rig" and what you want to do. To get into HAM radio, you
can pick up a Baofeng or another cheap radio for $45-$60 and get 2meter
access to the repeater, or spring for $100-$200 and go mobile 2 meter
in your vehichle, but then you'd have to also pay a little more and get
an antennae for your vehiche. Also, you'd have to have an antennae for
pretty much each band you use... You have 4 repeaters with closed auto
patch and 1 that just says yes, so it may be open or not. With that
being said, I'd say try to get a 2 meter radio with a keypad and DTMF
capability. This will cost you a little more, but will allow you to
check the weather, time of day, call your house, etc. depending on the
repeater your connected to via auto-patch. A nice feature that's not
supported where I live and in most of the USA! ;-) That being said,
you'll want to visit:

http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Ham_Radio/Clubs/North_America/USA/Delaware/

and find a ham radio club near you. Most have a web presence and e-mail,
maybe even on facebook. Contact them and find out when they'll be giving
a ham license test near you. This lets you know how long you got to
study and how often they'll have it if you don't have enough time. Unfortiantly, around here they give test once a year so you learn it and
when they give it try your best... The next thing you need to do is
visit my web site http://www.roachguts.org/ and click on the left where
it says home and under it links... Hover over links and select cbham
for the CB Radio and Ham links... In there are a few links to study
guides and a few test taking links. Get the study guides and read
them all, then go to http://www.qrz.com/ and sign up for an account.
QRZ will track what questions you answered and your score, and let you
know when you passed and what you need to study on. It's awesome and
what helped me know I was READY! Once your licensed, you can then
have your account changed to your call sign, but it'll take up to 3 days
after it shows up. Any other ways I can help, you can e-mail me at
westlakegeek@yahoo.com or here....

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Re: beginner
By: Corey to echicken on Wed May 16 2012 10:58:26

if I started up in germany would I be a black forest ham?

I suppose that depends on what region you plan on starting up in.

echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230

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þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com

Re: beginner
By: echicken to Ronald Reid on Wed May 16 2012 10:00 am

I just responded to a similar question from Corey, so see my previous post f my $0.02. Knowing exactly what you want to do as a ham (what bands you want operate on, what modes you're interested in) will make all the difference in determining how much you're likely to spend. Do you know what areas of the hobby you wish to explore, at least at first? What about this stuff has grabbed your interest?

Yeah, as someone pointed out online, HAM radio has so many aspects that
there really is something in it for everyone. And, as PhantomRage pointed
out, you can really get into the hobby with ZERO expense! (well, the $15
you pay for the license test and the $1 you my spend on validating your
license on echo link...) But, if you use echo link, you don't have to buy
any hardware beyond a computer that's on the internet with a sound card,
speakers, and microphone! Depending on where you live will also play a
big part in it. If you don't have a 2 meter or 75cm repeater, you may not
have much fun on a 2 meter hand held... With that in mind, the next thing
is are you going to learn morse code any time soon? If so, you'll probaby
want a radio that can hook up a code key to it... Will you want to do
data modes by hooking up your computer to it? Now this is not AS important
as the morse code question, because there are tricks to modify the microphone to a sound card if you want to, but it is none the less a thought.
Heck, folks have modified the Baofeng UV-3R hand held 2 meter to allow for
packet radio, but its not the easiest to do... ;-) And wouldn't expect
to find many packet radio transmissions on 2 meter or 75cm ....
The next question would be do you want to talk to people in your town,
your state, your country, your planet, etc? Also if your wanting to go
world-wide, bear in mind its only legal if the country your communicating
with has not said they do not wish transmissions with the USA and I think
as long as we're not at war and a few other minor things... But as pointed
out on one hamfest page, since most folks don't know if it's legal or not
to talk to each country and all, it's best when starting out to limit to
the USA....

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þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ telnet://vert.synchro.net

Re: beginner
By: Ronald Reid to All on Tue May 15 2012 08:20 pm

i know that you guys are probably tired of us newbies, but i am really interested in getting my technician license and getting started. im from wilmington, de. How much do i need to get a good rig once i were to get a technician license?

From personal experience - get a cheap 2 meter or 2 meter / 440 MHz combo Handie Talkie (HT) and play on your local repeaters. I recommend the Wouxun KG-UV3D. That was my first rig. Costs $120 at Ham Radio Outlet or a little bit less at other on line places. It's a great little radio. I *highly* suggest you get the programming cable because programming the memories by hand is a pain in the ass.

I have since upgraded to a medium high end Yaesu FT-8800R for the car. Kinda expensive but it's a great radio.

Dave, KK4GBC

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þ Synchronet þ Diamond Mine Online - bbs.dmine.net - Fredericksburg, VA USA

Re: beginner
By: echicken to Ronald Reid on Wed May 16 2012 10:00 am

Re: beginner
By: Ronald Reid to All on Tue May 15 2012 20:20:32

i know that you guys are probably tired of us newbies, but i am really interested in getting my technician license and getting started. im from wilmington, de. How much do i need to get a good rig once i were to get technician license?

I just responded to a similar question from Corey, so see my previous post f my $0.02. Knowing exactly what you want to do as a ham (what bands you want operate on, what modes you're interested in) will make all the difference in determining how much you're likely to spend. Do you know what areas of the hobby you wish to explore, at least at first? What about this stuff has grabbed your interest?

echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230

Well honestly, its just something that interests me like this BBsing. I really want to start small, as i dont have much money, and see whos out there. I dont think ive ever listened to ham radio. its just a dream of mine i guess


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þ Synchronet þ The Wastelands BBS - wastelands-bbs.net - Keeping The Tradition Alive