Thinking about Ham

[darticus]

Does age have anything to do with Ham as I'm getting up there and retired. I heard a commercial for Emergency ham operators that can be useful in an emergency weather etc conditions. Is it a real problem to get started. What do you need first and what has to be done to get started. I know CB is another animal but I do have experience with CB. Ron

 

[comp2x2]

Hams can be any age at all. There are some very young hams as well as some pretty old hams too. Quite a decent amount of hams are retired, and that's no problem at all.

Passing the test is a good place to start - all of the questions and answers are available online, which I recommend you study from. It's an excellent idea to find other hams in your area - join your local ham club if you can and you'll learn a lot through them (such as what radio you might want for your first purchase).

 

[zz0468]

It's never too late to get started, and ham radio has been a natural progression of things for people who've used CB before. Go to arrl.org and poke around there. they have books and things that will be quite useful for getting started. The on-line tests are ok, but you really need to know more than that to get a proper start. Invest in a few ARRL books, take the on-line practice tests, and when you feel you're ready, the ARRL can put you in contact with an examiner.

 

[darticus]

What is the first beginners test you take? Can you take the real test online. Ron

 

[comp2x2]

There are currently three classes of licenses. Going from the first license, to the most advanced, the three are: technician, general, amateur extra. So you'll start out with a technician class license and the limited permissions of that class.

You cannot take the real test online - you must find a test session, where three VE's (volunteer examiners) will administer and grade exames, and they'll let you know then and there if you passed or not.

 

[darticus]

I downloaded the tech flashcards. Do you know if this is a good study tool? Ron
Technician Flashcards - Folder Shared from Box.net

 

[comp2x2]

That's probably a good study tool. You can also look at the actual question and answers of the test:
Question Pools

Click on "Technician Class Question Pool" and then "Technician Pool". There are several hundred possible questions, but the test is much shorter - 35 questions in total.

 

[JeremyB]

There are currently three classes of licenses. Going from the first license, to the most advanced, the three are: technician, general, amateur extra. So you'll start out with a technician class license and the limited permissions of that class.

You cannot take the real test online - you must find a test session, where three VE's (volunteer examiners) will administer and grade exames, and they'll let you know then and there if you passed or not.

Not exactly true, you can pass all three tests at one session, it is possible to go from no license to an Amateur Extra in one day but its only possible if you pass the three tests, and there has to be three VE's that have Amateur Extra licenses present.

 

[darticus]

Thanks all I am also looking at the hamtestonline and taking some practice tests. Is there enough stuff online to study for the tech test and really pass it? Ron

 

[IowaGuy1603]

Does age have anything to do with Ham as I'm getting up there and retired. I heard a commercial for Emergency ham operators that can be useful in an emergency weather etc conditions. Is it a real problem to get started. What do you need first and what has to be done to get started. I know CB is another animal but I do have experience with CB. Ron

Most of the hams in our club are retired.


We have a 90 yr old in the club.................Several in the 80 and a bunch in their 70's

 

[KG4INW]

Thanks all I am also looking at the hamtestonline and taking some practice tests. Is there enough stuff online to study for the tech test and really pass it? Ron

Yes, but it may be fairly scattered. You could just memorize answers but that's not recommended because the point is to test you on how well you actually know the material. The FCC gives us many privileges and they expect us to be competent with radios.

That being said, it's really not that hard and I highly encourage you to pursue it!

 

[PeterGV]

I was "older" (late 40's) when I decided, just out of the blue, to finally get my ham license.

I used HamTestsOnline to learn and study.

I learned EVERYTHING I needed to know to get both my tech and my general (passed both tests in one sitting... it was EASY... I think I got one wrong).

After passing both tech and general, I had to go home and learn my morse code... Note that the code test is no longer required.

Do it! Learn some stuff, look up a local testing session (you'll find the guys there running it very pleasant and reasonably welcoming... think about it, the only reason they're RUNNING the session is to have people come and take the test. They don't make any money at it).

Go on... get your license. Then get on the air and give me a call! We can talk about why it took us each so long to get our licenses!

Peter
K1PGV

 

[darticus]

Still wondering if I should do it. How and what did you do to study. Is there a special page with material and method to study? They do give the test locally, I checked. Thanks Ron

I was "older" (late 40's) when I decided, just out of the blue, to finally get my ham license.

I used HamTestOnline to learn and study.

I learned EVERYTHING I needed to know to get both my tech and my general (passed both tests in one sitting... it was EASY... I think I got one wrong).

After passing both tech and general, I had to go home and learn my morse code... Note that the code test is no longer required.

Do it! Learn some stuff, look up a local testing session (you'll find the guys there running it very pleasant and reasonably welcoming... think about it, the only reason they're RUNNING the session is to have people come and take the test. They don't make any money at it).

Go on... get your license. Then get on the air and give me a call! We can talk about why it took us each so long to get our licenses!

Peter
K1PGV

 

[KC5AKB]

New Jersey - 'Ready to assist’: Amateur radio club prepares for emergencies - Straus Newspapers This might help

 

[gewecke]

Does age have anything to do with Ham as I'm getting up there and retired. I heard a commercial for Emergency ham operators that can be useful in an emergency weather etc conditions. Is it a real problem to get started. What do you need first and what has to be done to get started. I know CB is another animal but I do have experience with CB. Ron

Don't think about it, just DO IT!


73,
n9zas

 

[KC5AKB]

Home you might try this club they may know some ve's and a club close to you
. PM SENT

 

[darticus]

Thanks for the info. I just came back from the store and had the CB on in the car. Ready to throw it out the window. Checked out HamTestOnline and did some of the sample tests. They want 20 dollars to get the questions used for the Tech exam for study. I don't know if its worth it. Need some input. Also have to check out when the exam will be given in McDonalds on rt 15 in Jefferson township.
Looks like July, August and September. Ron

 

[darticus]

PeterGV

Did you pay for the two test question sets for Tech and General 20.00 and 29.95? Is there an advantage to have the general test done at the same time? Does it allow you to do more? Ron

 

[DannB]

ham

RON Sent ya a PM

 

[pjtnascar]

I just took and passed my Tech level exam on june 13th. I used this free site to study and it was great.

The Fastest Way To Become A Ham - Free Amateur Radio Practice Tests - HamTesting.com

You can take the exam at the McDonalds in Jefferson. If you pass the tech exam, they will give the option of taking the next level exam that night for free.

The exam is run by the ARRL. Visit the ARRLsite and they will give you the exam schedules. I have been chatting a bit on the Splitrock Amateur Club repeater, and I checked out the field day in Horseshoe Lake PArk in succasunna today.