Decided to do HAM

[Midlander]

Hey everyone,

I've made up my mind. I have been running 11 meter for a while and running the illegal power and all that and was about to buy a new amp for like $1000.00+ and so I got thinking about it. I have decided that If I am going to spend that kind of money to talk skip and only be able to talk when conditions are around I would be better off writing a 30 questions exam and getting my HAM license and be able to talk almost any time on the different bands.

I've invested so much money into the 11 meter high power hobby that I think it's time to move onwards and do it legally by operating on HAM bands. I think I would have more fun doing it this way. When I look back and think about the reasons why I wanted to run high power on 11 meter in the first place the reason was that I wanted to talk DX long distance. I wasn't concerned about running mega watts and who had the best amp and all that.

So I talked with my friend and we ordered the book to study from. I bought a second book from the book store also. Together we are going to study and write the exam together.

So thats what I've decided to do. Any tips or pointers would be great.

Thanks for listening to me

[linx]

Hey everyone,

I've made up my mind. I have been running 11 meter for a while and running the illegal power and all that and was about to buy a new amp for like $1000.00+ and so I got thinking about it. I have decided that If I am going to spend that kind of money to talk skip and only be able to talk when conditions are around I would be better off writing a 30 questions exam and getting my HAM license and be able to talk almost any time on the different bands.

I've invested so much money into the 11 meter high power hobby that I think it's time to move onwards and do it legally by operating on HAM bands. I think I would have more fun doing it this way. When I look back and think about the reasons why I wanted to run high power on 11 meter in the first place the reason was that I wanted to talk DX long distance. I wasn't concerned about running mega watts and who had the best amp and all that.

So I talked with my friend and we ordered the book to study from. I bought a second book from the book store also. Together we are going to study and write the exam together.

So thats what I've decided to do. Any tips or pointers would be great.

Thanks for listening to me

Hey Midlander. If you go down to the thread Punkin Head started about getting your license I posted a little thing on free study guides/cheat sheets for the ham radio tests.

It's an exciting thing to be a ham radio operator, no doubt. Even if you're not going to use it, it's a right you have as an American citizen, so ya may as well do it. Kind of like having a hand gun carrying permit. I don't carry a hand gun, but since I have it as a right of a legal law abiding citizen, then I'm gonna have the license if ya know what I mean.

Congrats on taking the first step. The technician exam is simple. The General/Extra are bit tougher, but with a little research and studying, you can pass them too and really run some power. You can talk 10 meter on the technician license, but not run the full 1500w that the General/Extra can run.

If you have any questions, just ask. I'm sure someone can figure it out! Lots of intelligent hams on here.

[Jester]

Midlander,

I'd like to congratulate you on the decision to become a ham and join the world of amateur radio. You'll find it to be a LOT of fun and when you are on HF, you can even make worldwide DX contacts, providing you are a General Class op or higher...

So what is going to happen to your CB gear and that part of the hobby? Are you going to just let it go? You CAN do both, contrary to what many hams might say. I have been doing both for years and when I became a ham, I never dreamed of giving up 11 meters! Whatever you do, stay true to those roots, bro. CB is my old Kentucky home (if I lived in Kentucky..)

Being a ham for the last 5 years, I have had lots of fun on all the bands above 50 mHz. I've worked 6 meter DX on 52mhz SSB, worked 2 meter SSB, done UHF DX when the tropo ducting was hot, tried my hand at VHF DX, even tried some ATV on 70 cm. I still come back to CB, its like an old friend. And in my book, old friends are friends for life!

For tips and pointers, check out the HAM RADIO section of this forum and read some of my suggestions and posts. These are good for new hams and hams to be. A whole new world awaits you, just don't forget where you came from!

And finally, don't forget to HAVE FUN! You do whatever you feel like doing, and don't let some other hams tell you how it has to be. Its a wiiiide hobby, so you have a lot to try and see!

Good luck on your test!

[Midlander]

Hey every one, thanks for the encouraging words everyone. I am going to keep the 11 meter stuff and switch over to that when conditions come in. I can just use an antenna switch or something like that to bounce between the different antennas. I just think that before I spend a bunch more money on an amp, that money would be used towards HAM gear instead and I would get more fun out of it.

I will check out the information and will update you on the progress.

Thanks a bunch.

[80 meter man]

Glad to hear it Midlander!!! Here is my advice to you. Keep your CB equipment. You will probably want to still keep in touch with your CB friends or might not like the ham world and want to return full time to CB. It might be a good idea to not let all the new hams you meet know that your are a big CB'er. I hate saying this but some hams don't take to kindly to CB'ers. We're looking to change this attitude here on the site by including a ham section on the site where no intolerance is allowed. You might want to feel out some of the hams before you tell them your a CB'er. Many hams will think it's great but many wont. I don't tolerate the attitude when I pick my ham friends. If they want to have a low opinion about Cb'ers then there not my friends. If you want to be a big time ham DX'er (ham speak for skip) you will have to get the General license. With a technicians license you wont have access to the best DX ham bands. The all time best DX ham band is 20 meters. This band is open most all the time. There wont be a week that goes by that you wont be able to skip on 20 meters. This band is open most every day and in the low sun cycles it tends to shut down at night. I've made 20 meter contacts to Russia Italy Serbia The UK etc... on 20 meters at the very bottom of the cycle and I have QSL cards to prove it!!(QSL card ham speak for skip confirmation card) You'll be opening yourself up to more frequencies than you could ever imagine!! Most hams never come close to using all the frequencies available to them. The big thing about Ham is regulations. There real big on those things. If your a new or careless operator you will get letters in the mail about improving your operating practices. Remember your call sign is public information. That means everybody and I mean everybody knows your name address zip code etc... There's no being anonymous in the ham world. The ham bands are self governing. That means they police themselves and they wont bat an eye about turning in a fellow ham. So in the ham world rules are the name of the game. Hams take part in many serious public service activities like storm watching, crime watch, public event communication, and many other important services. You can see why rules are important in the ham world. My favorite is giving reports to the National Weather Service!! I find this to be very rewarding. Especially when you hear some thing you reported in the news!! One time during an ice storm I made a report to the NWS and they asked me if I had any photos of ice damage in the area. I had just lost a big tree in my yard so I went out and photoed it and sent it to the email the NWS provided and my house ended up in the NWS final report on the storm!! I know it's not that much to some but when your in the house all the time it's big news. Ham radio opens up many opportunities to help the public and to talk world wide. Good luck to you in your testing. One more piece of advise. DON"T MEMORIZE the test answers!!!! This is very important!!! When you first get on the ham bands other ham operators are going to expect you to know basic radio operation and theory. If you memorize the answers you will be lost when other hams ask you questions. This will open you up to all kinds of reticule. Here on the CBRT we love basic questions because that means someone new is on the radio. Over in the ham world they expect new guys to know all the basics. If you have a license and ask a base line question you'll be getting some ribbing from other hams because they say you should already know that and it will be obvious that you memorized the test answers. Hams don't like it when people do that. I'm just trying to save you from some grief over there. I don't want to discourage you from becoming a Ham. Hey!! I'm an extra class ham and I enjoy it but I also enjoy my CB to. Some times more. Good luck to you and your friend!!!! Let us know when you guys get your licenses. We'll post an ataboy in the ham section!!

[Midlander]

Thanks for the information there. for the most part I have a really good idea about the basics. I've done so much stuff on 11meter I am actually ahead of the game a bit. playing around on 11 meter was good this way.

I know three HAM radio club members. One of the HAM operators was my Grade 4 teacher and he is still a friend to this day. The others have helped along with power supplies and stuff i borrowed from our club.

I plan on giving it all back once I start to move away from the 11meter band.

I wont leave that band though. i will leave my antenna up and stuff, I just wont be spening my money on that type of equipment any more is all. That extra cash will gointo my HAm radio gear.

Thanks again! I am really excited to be a HAM lol....

[greenhorn]

Wow man, great post! Thanks for the write up, that's answered a lot of my questions I have about HAM as well. I've been strongly considering it. I think it's time to start studying.
Don't you hate it how the politics can ruin something that's fun. It's like dirt bikes and quads, snow boards and skis, cb and ham. "Can't we all get along!?" lol lol

Glad to hear it Midlander!!! Here is my advice to you. Keep your CB equipment. You will probably want to still keep in touch with your CB friends or might not like the ham world and want to return full time to CB. It might be a good idea to not let all the new hams you meet know that your are a big CB'er. I hate saying this but some hams don't take to kindly to CB'ers. We're looking to change this attitude here on the site by including a ham section on the site where no intolerance is allowed. You might want to feel out some of the hams before you tell them your a CB'er. Many hams will think it's great but many wont. I don't tolerate the attitude when I pick my ham friends. If they want to have a low opinion about Cb'ers then there not my friends. If you want to be a big time ham DX'er (ham speak for skip) you will have to get the General license. With a technicians license you wont have access to the best DX ham bands. The all time best DX ham band is 20 meters. This band is open most all the time. There wont be a week that goes by that you wont be able to skip on 20 meters. This band is open most every day and in the low sun cycles it tends to shut down at night. I've made 20 meter contacts to Russia Italy Serbia The UK etc... on 20 meters at the very bottom of the cycle and I have QSL cards to prove it!!(QSL card ham speak for skip confirmation card) You'll be opening yourself up to more frequencies than you could ever imagine!! Most hams never come close to using all the frequencies available to them. The big thing about Ham is regulations. There real big on those things. If your a new or careless operator you will get letters in the mail about improving your operating practices. Remember your call sign is public information. That means everybody and I mean everybody knows your name address zip code etc... There's no being anonymous in the ham world. The ham bands are self governing. That means they police themselves and they wont bat an eye about turning in a fellow ham. So in the ham world rules are the name of the game. Hams take part in many serious public service activities like storm watching, crime watch, public event communication, and many other important services. You can see why rules are important in the ham world. My favorite is giving reports to the National Weather Service!! I find this to be very rewarding. Especially when you hear some thing you reported in the news!! One time during an ice storm I made a report to the NWS and they asked me if I had any photos of ice damage in the area. I had just lost a big tree in my yard so I went out and photoed it and sent it to the email the NWS provided and my house ended up in the NWS final report on the storm!! I know it's not that much to some but when your in the house all the time it's big news. Ham radio opens up many opportunities to help the public and to talk world wide. Good luck to you in your testing. One more piece of advise. DON"T MEMORIZE the test answers!!!! This is very important!!! When you first get on the ham bands other ham operators are going to expect you to know basic radio operation and theory. If you memorize the answers you will be lost when other hams ask you questions. This will open you up to all kinds of reticule. Here on the CBRT we love basic questions because that means someone new is on the radio. Over in the ham world they expect new guys to know all the basics. If you have a license and ask a base line question you'll be getting some ribbing from other hams because they say you should already know that and it will be obvious that you memorized the test answers. Hams don't like it when people do that. I'm just trying to save you from some grief over there. I don't want to discourage you from becoming a Ham. Hey!! I'm an extra class ham and I enjoy it but I also enjoy my CB to. Some times more. Good luck to you and your friend!!!! Let us know when you guys get your licenses. We'll post an ataboy in the ham section!!

[Midlander]

Hey LINX,

I found your information and went to the site. Awesome stuff I am starting to study tonight and go through the other material they have there.