Total newbie and looking to learn

[LaughingWolf]

As the subject says, I just got my own radios within the last week and am having to learn quickly as I go. So far this site has been a big help. Can anyone recommend some good beginning to mid-range resources to help expand my understanding of all the various terms and other topics I ought to know? Until I get my license I am only using my radios at work to avoid problems.

 

[w2lie]

Hey Wolf. Welcome to the hobby. If you are into podcasts, you can check out mine, Scanner School.

 

[vagrant]

Welcome to the Radio Reference.

1. What radios do you have?
2. What license are you looking to obtain, Amateur, GMRS, something else?
3. What terms and topics are you looking to know, amateur radio, scanning or something else?
4. What topics have you been looking at on this site? That might also provide insight for others to assist/guide you.

 

[LaughingWolf]

@w2lie Not big into podcasts but I will at least check it out and see.
@vagrant I have two radios currently: a Baofeng UV-82C and a BTech DMR-6X2.
I will be starting with the entry level license for ham radios, I forget the title at the moment.
I have mainly been looking to find out definitions of specific terms to know the general term for it (i.e. PL = CTCSS, etc...) but will be needing to get the rest of the basics too.
When it comes to browsing topics, I have only read those that have popped up in my search engine results so far, so not very many yet (see above)

 

[ka3jjz]

Welcome Wolf. You will find we have an extensive glossary in our wiki here (links are always in blue, whether in our forums or wiki)

Category:RR Glossary - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

We have several amateur radio forums; I would encourage you not to just look at new topics, since you won't see the other forums that way. Look around, pull up a chair, grab something tall and cold and start reading...Mike

 

[vagrant]

- The Technician license is first. The next two are General and Extra. There are books as well as online tests that are free in order to find out what you know, or what you need study, before you take your exam. (Hint: If you know the Technician license material well, you should study for the General license too. Most testing sessions will allow you to test for Tech, then General and even Extra at the same session.)

- As previously noted, the RadioReference Amateur Radio Wiki is a fine place to learn about different terms and acronyms.

- Your radios should work fine. I have the DMR-6X2 myself and it works. A much improved antenna for that radio would be a Diamond SRJ77CA $23. If the factory antenna works fine for you, then save your money.

- In order to use a repeater, you will need to program the radio. Analog repeaters are prolific and DMR repeaters are popular. BTech provides software to program the DMR-6X2. I recommend you focus on learning to program a few analog repeaters first. After that, focus on the DMR programming. A popular term used with DMR is "code plug". This is basically a pre-populated programming list of repeaters and possibly other settings, depending on what you use. Please note that a code plug oriented for the California area would not really help someone in Texas. What is nice about the BTech software is that they give you a couple of lines (basic code plug) in the software to see what you need to enter in order to create/fill in for your own code plug. (Contacting an Amateur radio club local to you for a code plug of the area may be helpful to start. Still, it may not contain all of the repeaters and is probably configured specifically for the person who created it. You may need to add/delete things or make modifications.)

That is a good start for now, but there are several more things you need to know:
- Just because you can clearly hear a repeater, does not mean it can receive your signal.
- A repeater may be transmitting 10, 20, 50, 100 watts or more. That is a lot of power compared to your 5 watt handheld radio.
- The repeater antenna may have some significant elevation. Even 30 feet (AGL) Above Ground Level is significant over a person holding a radio. Here in California there are repeater sites in the Sierras that are over 5000 feet (ASL) Above Sea Level. Fortunately, the repeaters improved height helps it to receive 5 watt hand held radios.

Have fun!

 

[wtp]

Until I get my license I am only using my radios at work to avoid problems.

if you are transmitting at all without a license, how would work keep you out of trouble ?

 

[LaughingWolf]

Until I get my license I am only using my radios at work to avoid problems.

if you are transmitting at all without a license, how would work keep you out of trouble ?

It is alongside their equipment on their frequencies to communicate with coworkers. Now that you bring it up, I don't quite know how its different but I am guessing that it is.

 

[wtp]

ok, i thought you were using ham frequencies at work.

 

[LaughingWolf]

Lol, now I need to look that up and see if commercial entities have exemptions or something like that. Probably because they use commercial radios (FCC part 90?) maybe.

 

[W5lz]

No, there are no exemptions for commercial services in amateur radio. There are commercial service radios though, and Part-90 will cover -some- of them, not all. You can use 'commercial' radios in the amateur service but not the other way around. Very basically, it depends on the frequency of use for you. If that Baeophang or BTech can be used in the commercial services, and if your employer will cover your use of them under their license, you ought'a be fine. I'd ask the boss and see what he/she says. I'd also make it a "what if" sort of question...

 

[LaughingWolf]

I've been looking into it and hit a bit of a brick wall on my end. The radios they use are the motorola cp 200 series but most sites have taken down their information about them as they've been replaced twice by Motorola (they're discontinued and their replacements have been discontinued too) but I do know the Baofeng meets FCC part 90 compliance. The frequencies they use fall outside the range I have found to NOT require a license for use. I will ask on Monday when the personnel will be on site those questions you brought up @W5lz

 

[LaughingWolf]

Addendum (Since it was too late to edit) I found how to search the FCC licenses and DID find a license for the company I work for and it is still valid. I assume since I had to obtain permission to buy my own radio (face to face with the top boss on location) and program it for work that they will cover me for usage on site on their frequencies. Still going to get my license to cover myself though.

 

[vagrant]

Hopefully this clears things up for you.

A. When using the assigned commercial frequency at your work place that your company is licensed for you're fine, for that specific freq or frequencies at the designated power, etc.

B. You need a valid amateur radio license to use the amateur bands/frequencies that your licensed privilege allows.

* Please note that a license for A is not valid for B and vice versa. The frequencies will be different between commercial and amateur. Just because a radio can transmit on a wide range of frequencies does not make it legal to do so.

Basically, if you're only going to talk on the radio while at work, you do not need to get your own commercial license. An amateur license is only good for non-business frequencies.

To me, you purchasing your own radio for work is bizarre. A company always provided that to me. This ensured the radios were compliant and programed properly.

 

[LaughingWolf]

It does help a little, and having read up on the whole "chinese radio decree" by the FCC helped a bit as well. The local club I contacted offers testing in a few weeks and I will take my Technician test then. As for buying my own for work, I get stubborn sometimes and this is the end result of four years of frustration lol. They offered to get me a radio a few weeks ago but it was too late by that point as mine already arrived.

Edit: Not to mention purchasing my own has really opened me up to a whole new world and the people in it. Now I don't have as much excuse to be a hermit anymore lol

 

[vagrant]

Edit: Not to mention purchasing my own has really opened me up to a whole new world and the people in it. Now I don't have as much excuse to be a hermit anymore lol

You have realized a few of the many valuable points that amateur radio offers. Learning new skills and camaraderie can be fun. You might come across a bad egg or two, but don’t let that bother you. The good ones outnumber the bad by a wide margin.

Remember, people make equipment recommendations based on what works well for them and it may not be best for you. They’re trying to be helpful but hey, we’re all different. Have fun!

 

[LaughingWolf]

@w2lie I remembered to go check out your podcasts (had to find an app for it) and you now have a new subscriber. They have been quite helpful and I enjoyed the few I listened to before I went to bed.

@vagrant You're totally right and thanks for reminding me about that. One of the senior members of the local radio club not only provided me with a study guide for the test, but helped me with reviewing the material and further suggestions to help out with studying.

 

[LaughingWolf]

Totally passed my Technician and General tests today. Looking forward to joining the radiowaves once my license posts

 

[TailGator911]

Congrats and welcome to the amateur radio hobby, where the fun begins and the spending never ends haha

JD
kf4anc

 

[Paysonscanner]

Congrats and welcome to the amateur radio hobby, where the fun begins and the spending never ends haha

JD
kf4anc

Ham = Has adequate money!