I just went and took the technician license, that’s the only one I studied for, they asked if I wanted to take the general, i did, but didn’t pass it, only passed the technician, but am going to read up on it for the next testing session.

anyway, I don’t know much at all about ham, had a cb pretty much in every vehicle I’ve had since i started driving, I guess my Question is for a mobile radio, are there any advantages of getting a higher class license or is a mobile more geared towards the basic license, still a lot to learn, and i am probably going to go to the radio club meeting to see more of what’s put there too.

I think i just opened the door on another expensive hobby

 

Ham is great if you are way in remote areas to get hold of people. Aviation radios are great too on the 243.00MHz Emerg Frequency. Pilots flying over always monitor the emergency channel.

 

Welcome to ham radio. I’ve been a ham since the late 90s, but just bought my first Jeep yesterday.

 

Enjoy the jeep
remember
Just Empty Every Pocket
there is always one more accessory you might want

 

Ok, now KI5TUT-AG
starting to study for extra, but anyway, have a line on an icom ic7100 at a decent price, what would be a good antenna for that on a two door

 

"I guess my Question is for a mobile radio, are there any advantages of getting a higher class license or is a mobile more geared towards the basic license"

With your technician license, you can operate mobile VHF / UHF radios, and have access to repeater systems if they're in the area(s) you're wheeling in. With a general license, you have options to operate HF radios (with the appropriate antennas), and have communication capabilities world wide. There's a lot more to the hobby than that, but I hope I've answered your question.

 

As far as mobile, technician probably can do everything i need, more of a want to now to finish up with extra, may never use the privileges, but want to get anyway, i know hf is pretty limited in a jeep/ mobile, even more so if driving. Still haven’t decided on which mobile radio yet, might set up the ic 7100 in my barn then decide on a more usable mobile

 

Had my tech since 1990 been in and out of the hobby over the years. I starting to study for my general interested in FT8 and JS8call digital HF. It's like text communication for HF radio can make world wide contacts with lower power radios some do it with under 10 watts I think 100W probably easier. You can wire up a simple dipole between two trees and make contacts with FT8 I only know little about it from some videos I have been watching lot of information online. I think it would be cool take the jeep down some trails camp at night setup long wire between two trees make world wide contacts.

 

Passed the extra test last night, my bride passed her technician test, so she’s on the path now

 

I combined two of my hobbies - my JK also serves as my ‘shack’.

’Slightly more work to make your radios work at their optimum on a mobile platform - but after a few years of tweaking - mine are second to none.

I run three radios (utilizing 2 control heads) in my truck:

1. Kenwood TM-D710A
2. Kenwood NX-5700
3. Kenwood NX-5800

With just these three radios I can seamlessly & simultaneously work:

i) The 70cm and 2m bands (VHF, UHF & Commercial)
ii) DMR (Local & World Wide)
iii) NXDN
iv) Track myself with APRS.
v) Scan Emergency, SAR, Marine, and some Police Frequencies

Your truck is in no way a limiting factor - whatever band you want to work, the corresponding equipment can be unobtrusively mounted in your your truck - so go for it !

Neville
’73
VA7MGY