Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Hi,

What license would I need for

$18 Baofeng UV5R BAOFENG UV-5R VHF/UHF Dual Band Radio 144-148MHz 420-450MHz Transceiver

Baofeng UV5R 5 watt radio? Is there a test to listen to GMRS and how much is the license and if I need HAM license how much is it and how do I take the test?

 

You do need a license to legally transmit on GMRS, though technically not to just listen. There's no test involved, just go to the FCC Universal License System and fill it out: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/suppor...rces/applying-new-license-universal-licensing

 

How hard is the HAM test, how much is it? Is it worth the Hassle for a 5W mobile radio? Or GMRS

 

It gets pretty technical, so if you're not already familiar with electronics, components, schematics, and formulas, you'll definitely want to do some reading/learning before diving in. There are practice exams all over the place that would be good to help guide you.
Here's one: https://hamexam.org/exam/16-General

 

That’s a handheld VHF/UHF ham radio that also transmits on GRMS frequencies. A technician ham license gets you mainly VHF/UHF frequencies. Is it hard to pass the test? Not really. There are several free apps and websites that run through the material and then have the practice tests that are the actual test. For a tech license, memorize the answers. Also, there are better handhelds than the Baofeng brand. I started out with that handheld and liked the hobby enough to continue and upgrade to a General and then Amateur Extra license.

 

Recommendations for an inexpensive dual band with a removable face plate? Saw the Icon

$346 IC-2730A Dual Band VHF/UHF 50W Mobile Radio

IC-2730A but heard it has no mounting hardware or cable for the face plate which seems silly. Or maybe a Yaesu FTM-6000R?

 

I have the ft7900r, just make sure it has the separation kit.
The bank system is excellent, I have all the channels separated by region. If I'm in nor cal I turn the radio on and press 1 and I have all the repeaters for my area, so cal just press 2 and so on.

This also makes it easy for people to use it in an emergency if I'm not around. Just turn it on and press one button and it's ready to go.

I've found RT systems is the best software for this radio, I'm able to use chirp for my other radios and the special motorola CPS for my handhelds.

 

I just saw you are local, if you get the same radio I can help with programming. Just copy my file and tweak it a little. I also have an antenna tuner if you want to go all out.

 

It's illegal to use that radio without a license. There are two ways to approach a ham radio license.

1) If you want to learn electronics and adopt a new hobby, buy the ARRL manual and read it until you understand the concepts. Feel free to post questions if you need clarification. If you do well learning from YouTube, search for ke0og. Dave Cassler has some excellent videos for learning the material.

2) if you just want a call sign so you can legally talk, use hamstudy.org to memorize the test. It's 35 questions from a pool that's published with answers. My wife is not technical at all. She started studying on a Sunday afternoon and passed on Tuesday. She doesn't know PL tone from FM deviation, but she has a call sign and understands basic operating protocols.

I highly recommend you get licensed and please don't operate pirate. If you don't understand what you're doing, a 5w radio can definitely cause interference to police and fire and unintionally jam their repeaters.

 

I should add: If you opt for #2, make sure to seek out help getting started. If you're licensed, then many hams are happy to be very helpful.

The boafengs are interesting animals. I believe they are terrible radios for beginners. As they lack some of the automated features of the regular ham radios. One item in particular is the repeater offset. When you set up the radio to work with repeaters, the radio is transmitting and receiving on two different frequencies. The difference between these two frequencies is called the repeater offset. In the 70cm band (44x.xxx) the repeater offsets are usually +5 MHz. So if you're listening to a repeater at 443.500, then you transmit on 448.500 to uplink to the repeater. Repeaters in the 2m band (14x.xxx) have a 0.6 MHz offset. So if you're listening to a repeater at 147.100, you transmit on 147.700 to get into the repeater. I have seen experienced hams mess this up using Baofengs. If you have the 5 MHz offset configured for 70cm and then switch to a 2m repeater, you need to re-configure the offset. A 5 MHz offset at 147.100 will put transmit at 152.100. Well outside the amateur allocation. This is possibly causing interference for public safety (police & fire). The federal government is also a big VHF user, so you can potentially be causing interference to FBI, ATF, Fish & Wildlife, National Park Service, etc, etc. This is not just limited to new users, it's as easy for an experienced ham as it is for someone new.

The regular ham radios from Yaesu, Icom, and Kenwood come locked to the amateur allocation. While they don't prevent all mistakes, at least they will keep your mistakes inside the amateur frequency allocations. They also generally have automatic repeater shift. So the correct repeater shift is automatically applied when 2m or 70cm is chosen. I'm not trying to hate on Baofengs. I'm just explaining that they are more difficult to use and have a higher probability to making a mistake and transmitting out of band. I believe it's possible to use CHIRP to lock a baofeng to the amateur frequency allocation. Many new models are arriving that way. Which I think it's a good thing.

 

One of the goals this year is to get licensed either GMRS or Technical HAM license. I have no illusions that the Baofeng radio I have is complicated but learning how to use this radio legally will be one of the goals for 2022. Once, licensed then I can get a better radio for the truck.

 

Yes. Download the hamstudy app, there's a explanation for every question. Take practice tests and review. Understand or memorize questions until you are passing. I paid the 3.99 so I could pick up on where I left off on my laptop and phone, was worth it.

Buy an old ARRL handbook used, the physics of radio propagation and antennas doesn't change.

 

And if you're only planning on using a laptop/desktop, you can create an account for free. If you want the app, it will cost $3.99.

 

Yes I should have been clear it is free and will only cost 3.99 if you want to track progress between devices.

 

No worries, and I didn't intend to nitpick.

 

Hate to say this but that sounds like a CB operator, the ones that you may want to talk to went to the effort to learn it.

 

Once you do get it the technician Squawk is the same garbage(at least in my area) but more "sophisticated". Best study to upgrade your license to HF, Apparently that's where the real Hams are.

 

LOL.

And everyone has at least one CW Sweepstakes plaque.

 

Got to admit I have heard more trash on HF! There was a group on 80 meters (NE area) that were politically extreme and I think the FCC pulled a few licenses lot quieter now. If you really have a serious interest find a local repeater listen, and see what it's all about most active clubs do classes, licensing etc. The club repeater has to have a call sign look it up and see if they have a web site. My license is up for renewal this year so that will make it 30 years on the air.