What to buy HAM, Scanner or ??? for cross country trips?
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
It sounds like you and your wife are looking for constant chatter, entertainment if you will, while on the road, while being able to eves-drop in on the "locals" as you drive down the road. HAM radio isn't going to provide you with that option as a casual listener. In the past two years I have driven from San Diego to Arch Canyon, UT (just a little south of Moab) and to Ouray, CO. During both trips I had both my CB and HAM radio (2 meter) on. On major roads like RT 15 or 40, you will have constant truck chatter on CB channel 19, but with closing speeds approaching 160 MPH, the window of opportunity to listen or talk on your CB is just a minute or two, if that. And once you get off the main road and start heading into the back country the CB will go silent. To prepare your HAM radio for a trip you have to (1) Buy or borrow a Repeater Directory (2) Program in the input, output frequencies and the repeater PL number for every repeater you intend to listen to. (3) Program in the simplex frequencies for the areas you will be driving through. Some of the HAM clubs in southern Utah provide all of the data on their web sites for their local area. If you don't have a HAM license and are just driving through, you won't hear much from 8AM - 5PM Monday through Friday. But when folks get home after work on week days and on Saturdays and Sundays you the frequencies are usually busy. On the other hand, if you are a licensed HAM, you can send an email to the HAM clubs along your route, telling them when you think you will be in their area, and they will listen for you and provide you will local road and weather conditions plus where to find good food, motels etc, etc. Bottom line. If you are a licensed HAM, using a 2 meter radio on your trips can be a very useful tool. But as a casual listener, you are not going to hear too much and what you do hear may not be very useful. That alone is a good incentive to do a little studying and pass your Technician Class license. Good luck on your next trip.
Are we forgetting something??? Why are you only thinking VHF/UHF???. Let's not forget....if he just wants to receive, then if he was to have a general coverage HF radio in his rig, he would NEVER run out of people to listen to.....ESPECIALLY at this time in the solar cycle. HF is pretty much open 24/7. Also, you don't have to have a HAM license to "listen". You only need a license to transmit. People spend thousands on just plain receivers and they don't even HAVE the capability to transmit. If he wanted one of these he could probably pick up an older used one for pretty cheap. I know he said "low cost" but price is relative. It would just depend on how much he wants this as to how much he is willing to spend. There are dedicated shortwave (which some include the HAM bands) listeners clubs all over the world, and all they do is listen. I have received cards from people in Europe that heard me, here in AK. talking to somebody in Brazil. The point is, if it's chatter he wants to listen to, well I should say communications as a whole, then HF is totally the way to go. Then, if he was to actually hear what is possible, he might even become intrigued enough to think about getting his license....
Fact is, NOBODY really knows what HF is like until they actually sit down in front of a radio and listen for awhile. Believe me, depending on the band and time of day, he would probably get tired of listening to one qso after another....morning, noon, and night....
Last edited by AK4Dave; Aug 12, 2010 at 07:48 PM.
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
That would totally depend on the band/s you want to listen to. Some use what is called a screwdriver antenna. This type of antenna automatically tunes, lengthen or shortens, the antenna (via little motor) to the frequency you want to transmit on. Other than that you need separate antennas for each band you want to talk on. A company called HAM Sticks Antennas is very popular. It sounds like for what you want, just listening to dx, if you bought a 20 meter antenna, which is the most popular band, you could listen in pretty much all day long. You also mentioned night time. If you were to also have a 40m or 80m antenna, then you could listen to dx during the night. Although these antennas are called mono band antennas (designed for use on one band only), either of these will also "RECEIVE" (not transmit) on other bands, meaning you could hear, but would be weaker because they are not tuned for the other bands. Also be aware though that although you can find some HAMs using AM, (I do every once in awhile) but mostly all HAM voice coms on HF are via upper or lower side band (USB/LSB).
JK Super Freak
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,605
Likes: 0
From: 54° 4.5' N 123° 7' W
Thanks AK4Dave:
I was actually asking on behalf of the OP. I have the Canadian equivalent of General class and have built a few antennas, but wasn't sure if there were any DX listening specific antennas that would be less obtrusive than a screwdriver. A hamstick would be a good option.
My next project will be the multi-band "mystery" antenna.
I was actually asking on behalf of the OP. I have the Canadian equivalent of General class and have built a few antennas, but wasn't sure if there were any DX listening specific antennas that would be less obtrusive than a screwdriver. A hamstick would be a good option.
My next project will be the multi-band "mystery" antenna.
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Thanks AK4Dave:
I was actually asking on behalf of the OP. I have the Canadian equivalent of General class and have built a few antennas, but wasn't sure if there were any DX listening specific antennas that would be less obtrusive than a screwdriver. A hamstick would be a good option.
My next project will be the multi-band "mystery" antenna.
I was actually asking on behalf of the OP. I have the Canadian equivalent of General class and have built a few antennas, but wasn't sure if there were any DX listening specific antennas that would be less obtrusive than a screwdriver. A hamstick would be a good option.
My next project will be the multi-band "mystery" antenna.
Oh.....and they are all "mystery" antennas till you get them up and working. Meaning they all look good on paper, but with all the variables you just never know how they'll play till you hook one up....
73 & Good DX....