Yes Joe, judging by the things you've said, I think this would be an "upgrade" that you would appreciate. Then after you get your feet wet, I'm sure you'd find something else in HAM radio that would also appeal to you.
Good Luck...

 

I enjoyed reading this thread.
To all of the CB'ers that might be sitting on the Ham fence...go ahead and get your ticket and give it a try. It will cost you less than $10. Used low cost equipment is available to learn on. I am an old guy and we do not talk about aches and pains.

I too was had a CB back in the 70's. Enjoyed it. My handle was the Blue Bullet (Mustang like Steve McQueen except it was Blue).

Got my ham ticket in 1988. Since then I have talked to over 100 countries (DXCC on 10M), most all of the states, talked to Vladimir on the MIR space station and the Shuttle on my 2W handheld VHF. I put up a VHF repeater at the highest point in the county that has been in service continously since 1995. Have a VHF station at the top of the Lighthouse and have operated HF from there as well. HF is cool, APRS is cool, Echolink is cool, the upcoming sunspot cycle 24 is going to be great. I will put my B&W folded dipole and work the world with 100W.

VHF or UHF FM on the trail is much easier to listen to. FRS is a good alternative. My car club uses FRS on road trips with 20-30 cars in a caravan, spread out over a mile or two.

 

Well........I'm gettin up there too and don't talk about my aches and pains (much) either...hihi. But believe me, over the years I've heard plenty. Just depends on how old and healthy a HAM is I guess. For instance, yesterday I happened to hear a familiar JA voice on 20m. Sure nuff, we had made contact before, it was Minori north of Tokyo. He is 76 years "young" and never said a word about how bad, or good he was feelin'. Still speaks excellent english and sounded as spry as a 30 year old. He only messed up once and called me Barry, which was the guy that he had just been in qso with before me. So I had to give him a break....hihi. Just a neat OT (old timer)
73

 

Here are a few web sites that might peak your interest about mobile radio and Amateur Radio

http://www.k0bg.com/ all about mobile installations applies to CBs too!
http://www.smeter.net/ listen to ham radio and many related fields


BTW I received a QSL card today from Callsign TR0D, a Frenchman on vacation in Gabon (that is in Africa) I spoke to him on the way home from work a while back.

Jeff
N4XGI

 

a little off the main subject, but a radio question. at work i need a handheld radio for my security guys. one for the cage, and two for the officers that walks the property. i only need a range of 300 to 350 yards (apts. and small buildings in the way). we have some "talkabout" now. at first they worked but after two or three drops, they don't work. i don't have a big budget for what i really need and want, so any ideas? uhf or vhf? thanks!

 

For what you need, I still think just getting another set of the FRS radios would be the cheapest way to go. I think I even saw, maybe in Cabella's? that they have a set up for a base (for the cage) as well as the handhelds. Unless of course you want to actually get into something a little more heavy duty, like say some Motorolla commercial handhelds.

 

As a truck driver, I can say that CB's are a thing of the past for me while i am working, Unless the weather is bad, Then i am forced to listen to that annoying thing.

I drive with it off 90% of the time and listen to XM. Life is better that way!

 

Hi Bryan.......
As soon as you decide, or at least really want to look further into becoming a HAM Op, then you will need to find the nearest HAM club nearby and go to a meeting. Reason being, that will be where you will need to find a VE to give you the test. As soon as you attend a meeting, you will meet other HAMS in your area as well, and more likely than not, another guy with the same type of ideas you have as to what interests you starting out. Hopefully there will be at least one person there that will take "a little more of an interest" in you becoming a HAM that you too will like. That person could very well end up being your, what they call "Elmer". He will be the guy that shows you the ropes, so to speak. Btw....just because you go to a club meeting, or even go take the test, it doesn't mean you have to be a member, or go to anymore meetings if you don't want to. It's totally up to you as to how involved, if at all, you want to be in the club.

Your local HAM club is also a good way to find out where locals hang out, ie what freqs. they spend most of their time on. For the most part, in every city that has HAMS in it, there will be certain freqs somebody will usually always be monitoring. I'm pretty sure also, that every state has at least one "Net". This is a frequency that people check into every day, or night from all over the state, (as well as other states) mainly just for the reason to be able to contact a "Net Control". It's pretty much just a daily rutine that helps establish the rediness of HAMS in case of an emergency. This is also a good way to find out what HAMS live close to you too.

So you see, all it takes really is getting started, and the rest will come. Of course, like you said, if there is ever a real emergency, all you have to do is find somebody talking on any freq. and as soon as they pause, you jump in with a "MAYDAY MAYDAY THIS IS AN EMERGENCY".....and anybody that hears you will stop the conversation and do whatever they can to help. If it's not an emergency and you'd just like to say hi, all you do is, again, wait till there is a pause in the conversation, key up and say your callsign. Many still say "Break" but remember, this is not CB anymore, and most HAMS like you to start using HAM lingo. In fact, there are still a number of OMs (old men) that if they hear a "Break" trying to jump into "their" conversation, they will purposely not reply, just for the fact that it's not "proper" HAM etiquette. Not many HAMS will do this but there are still a few.
I hope this answers your question/s....??? If not...ask away.

 

BTW Bryan.....If there isn't a HAM club nearby, you don't actually have to take the test at a HAM club meeting. All you really have to do is find a licensed VE (examiner) that would be willing to to give you the test at his, or your home. If I recall, any Extra Class licensed HAM can give you the test. You may have one a couple blocks away for all you know. I'm not saying this to shy you away from going to a HAM club meeting, only that it would sure beat the heck out of driving 2 hours or more if you had to.
Good Luck, and let me know if you need more help.

 

Being a ham radio operator for 9 years I have had job offers just because I have a license. I originally got the license because my HS physics teacher gave us a grade boost if we passed the test. That led me into Electrical Engineering when I went to college. I still don't utilize the radio and frequencies but knowing that I can communicate in any situation, even when all power goes out and the only thing left is HAM, I gain a sence of pride.

The licence lasts for ten years at which time you just tell the FCC that you want to continue the licence then it lasts another ten years. I passed the test as a dumb HS student, its not hard.

We have a vehicle that can "go anywhere and do anything" why not have a way of communicating to people when you do go anywhere and do anything?

Just as a side note. Ham radio is the main form of communication in all national disasters, like katrina. The Ham operators are the first ones to be saved!

Charles - KD5HTU