Some Practical Questions - Exploring Ham Radio

[TheIrishJedi]

Greetings.

Ham Radio is something that I've always been interested in and now I think I'd like to take some steps to explore it.

- I live in an apartment and cannot be hoisting up big antennas on my balcony. Is the hobby still viable for me?

- I am a student and on a budget, but can make a $300 investment to start out with. Is the hobby still viable for me? Can you point me to a good online retailer and maybe make a suggestion or two?

- Will Ham Radio woo the ladies or will this hobby detract from my sex appeal?

Thanks.

- The Irish Jedi

 

[kd-5-bgt]

Hiya Jedi and welcome to the forum!!

Lets start with this

- I live in an apartment and cannot be hoisting up big antennas on my balcony. Is the hobby still viable for me?.....

Yes,there are a few antenna makers that offer small antennas that will clip onto a balcony rail for both HF and VHF/UHF bands,just have to look around a bit to find what you are looking for.Naturally the VHF/UHF antennas will be alot easier to get set up with limited space than a HF antenna but there are a few HF antennas out there that will work just fine

- I am a student and on a budget, but can make a $300 investment to start out with. Is the hobby still viable for me? Can you point me to a good online retailer and maybe make a suggestion or two?

Once again yes, there is alot of VHF/UHF equpiment out there that is inexpencive to get a hold of.Most all radio manufactures have VHF or UHF models that start well under 200$ out of the box and antennas that start around 50 to 75$...also you can make an antenna for VHF/UHF bands for under 25$ that does a good job ...the VHF antenna that I personally use for my home set up I made in a couple of hours and cost me under 20$

If you are looking at HF radios,getting started with the money you are looking to spend can be a challange but it can be done.

- Will Ham Radio woo the ladies or will this hobby detract from my sex appeal?

Welllll that I can not be sure of,that one is purely up to you

I cant say that ham radio will have the ladies falling at your feet but then again ham radio shouldnt have them running away screaming either


One ham radio dealer that I use is Associated Radio

link... http://www.associatedradio.com/

There are several others out there but this is the retailer that I prefer to use.
And dont forget this site has a store as well,I am sure there is more than one good deal to be found without even leaving this site

And last but not least there is always people that have good solid radios for sale that can get you into ham radio for usually a fair bit under retail,and I am willing to bet there is a few folks that hang out here that can set you up as well for what money you are willing to spend

and dont forget about getting that ham radio license,a must if you are going ham

This site has a bunch of good folks that will get you pointed in the right direction.. and a pre welcome to the world of ham radio !!

 

[Moleculo]

- I live in an apartment and cannot be hoisting up big antennas on my balcony. Is the hobby still viable for me?

Yes, no doubt about it. The VHF/UHF frequencies that you would use to talk to local people don't require large antennas. Many of the frequencies that you would use for this also employ repeaters which can often be hit with just a handheld radio. For HF, many people have a lot of fun by building indoor wire antennas. There are also small vertical type antennas that you could set up on a balcony temporarily and easily disassemble when not in use. Keep in mind that on HF, bigger antennas are generally better, but that doesn't mean you can't have a lot of fun.

- I am a student and on a budget, but can make a $300 investment to start out with. Is the hobby still viable for me? Can you point me to a good online retailer and maybe make a suggestion or two?

You will probably need to look at the used market, which is a great place to start. I wouldn't start making investments in equipment until you know what you want to do, though. This hobby has a vast array of activities and you need someone to point you in the right direction. What are the things that interest you about ham radio? Do you have some ideas on what types of things you want to do? For $300, you should be able to put together a VHF/UHF station with new equipment to get you started. Find out if there's a local ham club in your area; there are often guys selling good equipment at fair prices. We can also help give you ideas on the types of things that you should spend money on and where you can save some costs by building stuff yourself.

- Will Ham Radio woo the ladies or will this hobby detract from my sex appeal?

Hahaha! Probably the latter. I was already into ham radio when I met my wife. She thought the antennas on the car and house were way bizarre. However, once she understood what I was doing, she thought I was pretty smart which added to the interest she had in me.

She still thinks this hobby has some wierd people in it and when she met Happy_Hamer a couple months go, that didn't do much to sway her opinion. :laugh:

 

[KI6NDA]

Greetings, and Welcome,

I'll toss out my opinion here (about 2 cents worth )

- I live in an apartment and cannot be hoisting up big antennas on my balcony. Is the hobby still viable for me?

Absolutely! It will limit what you can do, but many "make do" in apartments and such. 2 meter antennas are quite small. For HF, it can be done with Hamsticks, or Screwdriver antennas. They are quite a compromise, but will work. Some even string up wire antennas inside apartments. Lots of possibilities.

- I am a student and on a budget, but can make a $300 investment to start out with. Is the hobby still viable for me? Can you point me to a good online retailer and maybe make a suggestion or two?

I'm sure $300 would get you on 2 meters. Getting on HF (High Frequency) will probably take a bit more. Why don't you work on getting that Tech. ticket (license). In the process, you will start to learn about how BIG Ham radio is. Lot's of different directions you can go.

- Will Ham Radio woo the ladies or will this hobby detract from my sex appeal?

Woo the ladies? Probably not. Unless you happen to find a "like minded" lady. Why do I say this? Time spent on the radio is time you are not spending with her. And if you happen to find your interest in HF, you WILL want larger antennas someday. This will affect where you will pick your home. And women tend to find larger antennas to be ugly. However, you might find one that likes your hobby. Then you might have to share the rig with her!

Truly, your mileage may vary. This is only my 2 cents, and as such, that's all it's worth. You should get more responses from some of the more experience members. I'm a relatively new Ham myself. Here are a few places you can go look...

eHam.net Home - Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) Community Site , good place to look at reviews on rigs, and equipment. Also good forums. Lots of stuff here.

www.qrz.com , more forums and info, gear for sale. Lots of stuff here.

Ham Radio Home Page - QTH.COM by KA9FOX! Classified swap ads for amateur radio, ham radio and more , gear for sale in the free classifieds

GigaParts, Inc. , online vendor

HRO Ham Radio Outlet Worldwide Supplier of Amateur Radio Electronics Equipment , online vendor

AES Home page, online vendor

These are the big online vendors. There are many smaller ones.

That should get you started. Best Wishes! And good luck!

Edit: I see while I was typing this up, there have been 2 other responses to this thread. I see lots of good answers to your questions.
73, Jerry KI6NDA

 

[W5LZ]

I think you've gotten a fair answer to your questions so far. Only comment I'll make is about the ladies thing. I get 'flogged' constantly from that sort of woman. No, not the 'kinky' stuff, they just mob me everywhere I go. Not sure if that has anything to do with radios though.
And I got a question. Ah, "TheIrishJedi"?? This I gotta understand better. For some reason it just doesn't sound exactly normal. Is it?
- 'Doc

 

[KD8LWX]

Yes, you can do it, BUT..

In an apartment
At your price range

You are going to be limited.







As far as women, I have not gotten laid since I have become a HAM. Then again, I was not getting laid before I became a ham so...

 

[TheIrishJedi]

Hiya Jedi and welcome to the forum!!

Yes,there are a few antenna makers that offer small antennas that will clip onto a balcony rail for both HF and VHF/UHF bands,just have to look around a bit to find what you are looking for.Naturally the VHF/UHF antennas will be alot easier to get set up with limited space than a HF antenna but there are a few HF antennas out there that will work just fine

Excellent to hear.

Now this requires me to ask a follow-up question if you do not mind. What is the key difference between HF and VHF/UHF and why is it an important consideration when entering the hobby?

You will probably need to look at the used market, which is a great place to start. I wouldn't start making investments in equipment until you know what you want to do, though. This hobby has a vast array of activities and you need someone to point you in the right direction. What are the things that interest you about ham radio? Do you have some ideas on what types of things you want to do?

This is a really good question. At first glance, I like the idea of having a big map and sticking pins in them. In other words, range! How far out can I reach?

My friend once showed me a card he got in the mail from someone he contacted. That was neat.

Maybe you can tell me of some other activities in the world of Ham Radio?

I am not huge on the idea of clubs per se.

And I got a question. Ah, "TheIrishJedi"?? This I gotta understand better. For some reason it just doesn't sound exactly normal. Is it?

This is best responded to with a quote from The Tick. "People say that I'm out of touch with reality. That I'm insane. Sometimes I forget things. Who I am. Where I am. Unimportant things. But I'm not insane. I am a tick."

As far as women, I have not gotten laid since I have become a HAM. Then again, I was not getting laid before I became a ham so...

Oh Crap! How long have you been a ham?

Thank you all for responding. I am enjoying this very much and am looking forward to building on this cornerstone.

 

[Robb]

What kind of radio are you using now?

 

[kd-5-bgt]

HF(high frequency) bands are where most all of the really long range talking happens...across the country or across the world depending on band (sometimes called DX or skip becaure the signal skips off of the ionosphere and back to earth ...sometimes several times) these band are located below 30 MHz(megahertz) and will require a longer antenna,and/or an antenna that is built to handle the HF frequencies

VHF(very high frequency) bands are located from 30 MHz to around 200 MHz and doesnt usually have any really long distance DX /skip,long distance for these bands is usually around 200 to 400 miles direct contact,but on rare occasions the distance can go alot farther ....the world record for a 2 meter contact was done by a guy named Gorden West...he contacted Hawaii from Southern California..a very rare contact to say the least .

These bands also use repeaters to extend the range (repeaters do just what their name implies,they recieve a signal and repeat it with a very small delay,usually well under one second...repeaters are usually located on tall towers,tall buildings or on mountain tops) also on these bands usually 2 meter (144 to 148 MHz) you can use amateur radio satalites to talk over a very long range sometimes just as far as you can talk on the HF bands but usually just for a very few minutes till the satalite comes over your location again.....also I have personally heard the international space station when it passes over head,I usually hear it for about 10 to 15 minutes till it is gone again


UHF (ultra high frequency) From about 200 MHz to around 500 MHz

DX is almost nothing,very very rarely will these bands get any long range contacts,also uses repeaters and satalites to extend range

The Tech class license is your entry class,you will get all vhf and uhf bands and just a small sliver of a few hf bands

General class you will get all Tech class goodies puls a nice chunk of all HF bands

Then there is the big guys..the Extra class, they get all HF,VHF,UHF bands



whew!! I am tired from the typing...just keep looking around this site,I am sure that most all your questions can be covered somewhere here,and keep asking the questions,just remember the only stupid question is the one that you havent asked yet

 

[KD8LWX]

Lazarid Anarion, you did a good job. As a new HAM I will add a few items only a new guy can.

VHF/HF
Depending on where you are located VHF, may not have any traffic or may have traffic only during drive time. I am not a club person, but in this case, with limited resources joining a club will allow the old guys to tell you where the traffic is.

VHF can be like using an appliance. I purchased a walkytalky sized radio, plugged in my local repeaters and it works.

HF requires a little more thought/prep. I think I know what I want to do, but.....? The Rig is larger than a walkytalky. The antenna is much larger. There is a potential of going long range. There is also the potential of not getting something to work, or not being in the right place at the right time and not finding anyone.


I also keep telling people that HAM radios are like golf clubs. To do everything you need more than one club/radio. As a new person in the field, this is expensive. Having talked to some club type people, and listened to them on the repeaters, many have multiple radios and will let you play with their toys.

 

[KI6NDA]

Round two!

TheIrishJedi, you are getting some really good coaching here. Some excellent answers being shared.

Since you have some interest in "going long distance", I'll throw out how it went for me. I have yet to get on VHF/UHF. When I studied, I went for both the Tech and General tickets at the same time. I passed both, and met a wonderful gent (Ed) at the Testing Session. Since I had the General ticket, I could jump straight to HF, and start going for the long distance stuff. And that is what Ed suggested I do. He could tell I really wanted to work those DX stations. He introduced me to another Ham who would eventually loan me a small auto tuner and power / SWR meter. Things I needed. I managed to score a few deals on e-bay for an older rig and 12 power supply. Then I built my own antenna with some wire, and insulators. Very cheap. In about two months time, and about $500, I was on the air working stations.

Now, I know you are limited. Space and money. But this can be done.

A few words about ebay, and clubs.
Clubs are a great place to find others that will help you out. And it will be a local club that will be offering the VE session where you will take your test. Some of the older guys will have rigs and equipment that they don't use anymore, and may sell or loan some of it to get you going. But don't be surprised if it takes a few meetings before someone reaches out. Heck, some clubs have classes to help you pass your tests. They want you to succeed! It really can be a spring board to your long term success.

Ebay is full of both good stuff, and ripoffs. Do lots of research before jumping in! It is USUALLY safer (but not always) to buy from another Ham in the Ham Classifieds on various forums. This is where it's nice to have an experienced local Ham to guide you through.

Now, get to studying and get a ticket! A Tech ticket (for VHF/UHF) is a fine place to start!

Again, good luck!

Jerry

 

[W5LZ]

"A Tech ticket (for VHF/UHF) is a fine place to start!"

Yes, it is. But the key word in that is 'start'. Don't deprive yourself by not getting at least that General license. There would be just soooo much you'd miss out on.
- 'Doc

 

[TheIrishJedi]

VHF/UHF sounds like a good place to start and a 200-400 mile range sounds fine to me at the moment.

I popped on over to Amazon and found two books that I am considering:

The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual

&

The ARRL Operating Manual For License Beginners

I am probably going to go the self-education route. I cannot do the club scene as, being a student, I have some serious transportation issues for the time being BUT there is a fellow I met at my friend's church who has been doing ham radio for decades. I might contact him again for some advice.

But now I need to start planning the construction of my "Ham Shack" as I am learning they are called. I need to see what the damage to my wallet is going to be. What are the essential pieces of equipment I will need? If you had $250 to spend and were going to start off with UHF/VHF, what would you get yourself knowing what you know now? I'm trying to avoid buying absolute crap and getting the most out of my investment.

My firearm collection is becoming jealous. I can hear my guns crying out to me: "We're starving.... feed us ammunition.... fondle us...." It breaks my heart. It really does. :wub:

 

[KD8LWX]

Get ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. It is what you need to study to get the first license. Don't forget you can do practice tests online FOR FREE.


As far as a radio, in your price range, I would suggest waiting until you have a license. Then come back and post when and how you plan on using the radio.

I see a VX-6rb tri-band (2m/220/440) for sale on QRZ for $200. By the time you have your license there will probably be another for sale for generally the same price.

 

[KI6NDA]

TheIrishJedi,

Doc is so right. It is just a start!

I also agree with KD8WLX. For now, just get the Tech license study guide.

Here is a link to one of the online test sites. YOU DO NOT need to pay money to take the tests. They are free. You can even register, and it will track your progress. That's free too. I aced both of my tests using this site, and the ARRL study guides. And to be fair, this is just one place you can take the free tests.
HamTestOnline™

I am probably going to go the self-education route. I cannot do the club scene as, being a student, I have some serious transportation issues for the time being BUT there is a fellow I met at my friend's church who has been doing ham radio for decades. I might contact him again for some advice.

I think that is a GREAT idea. Why don't you talk with that friend. You may just find your first "Elmer" (what we call a Ham mentor).

Have fun, that is what it's all about.

Jerry