Ham Radio Is It Worth It?

[Dwitherspoon]

All,

I have a Galaxy dx-94hp laying around and a cheap magnetic mount antenna.

I was/am trying to get back into CB, but it’s proving incredibly difficult as most people have left the medium in my area.

What difference could I expect with a technician license and a radio/antenna setup as described above? Hear a lot of people? Talk to a lot of people? I guess, is it better than CB at this point?

I’m aware it’s an incredibly vague question, but one I’m asking at this point. I understand ham numbers have been under pressure as well over the past 20 years. I guess you can do classes online now via video conference. Which is incredible. Maybe I’ll just get my license anyway.

Long story longer, any thoughts on everything would be appreciated.

P.S. I live in an apartment so antenna options are limited as is power. I don’t want my voice coming out of my neighbors TV speakers.

 

[ko6jw_2]

Of course it's worthwhile. Ham radio has many more possibilities than CB. The choice isn't binary either. Many hams are active on CB too.

 

[mmckenna]

10 meters might be of interest, but if you really want to make local contacts, you'd probably enjoy 2 meter and 70 centimeter bands more. Radios that will work on those frequencies are relatively inexpensive. Also, efficient antennas on 2/70 are small and easy to fit in to an urban environment.

 

[MDScanFan]

Do you have any radios that can be used to receive HF (ex: a shortwave radio) or VHF/UHF (ex a scanner)? If so, then my suggestion is to listen the various ham bands for a bit and see if you like what you hear and want to participate. As a first step have you tried listening with your Galaxy and antenna recently?

There are a lot of facets to ham radio including things like voice, digital, cw, satellites, etc. And the distances can range very local to across the country and beyond. I am sure you could fine something you would like.

 

[mass-man]

MDscanFan beat me to it. I've been a ham over 50 years and its always been worth it. I have dabbled in many facets, found a few I didn't care for, moved onto others that I totally enjoyed then moved on to something else so as not to let the hobby get stale. If you wanna just chat with others locally, then the Technician license and 2meter/70cm route might be for you. You can embrace the digital modes and never pick up a microphone but still communicate around the world. Or grab the radi.) o gear, head out to the woods and make contacts with minimal antennas and battery operated radios. Along the way local clubs and the public service aspect might interest you.
Order the WB6NOA Technician study guide.(I say that one cuz the first 20 pages are a good overview of what ham radio is all about.) Take the online practice exams and then find an online test site and give it a go.....

 

[Dwitherspoon]

Do you have any radios that can be used to receive HF (ex: a shortwave radio) or VHF/UHF (ex a scanner)? If so, then my suggestion is to listen the various ham bands for a bit and see if you like what you hear and want to participate. As a first step have you tried listening with your Galaxy and antenna recently?

There are a lot of facets to ham radio including things like voice, digital, cw, satellites, etc. And the distances can range very local to across the country and beyond. I am sure you could fine something you would like.

I haven’t since 2015. I studied for the test and all that jazz in preparation, but wasn’t too thrilled about what I heard. A lot of “hey, how are you” and what not. I guessed all the real characters are on CB. I heard quite a few pre madonnas as well which surprised me.

I’ve always been a fan of the informal, but formal approach to life and things. I digress.

I’ll get it out of storage and see what’s going on, but I don’t have too much hope living in the hipster capital of the world. The infamous Portland oregon. You might know us better as the lawless wasteland of nightly riots.

thanks for all the help and suggestions.

 

[GlobalNorth]

Before you commit, listen to the frequencies you are interested in. If the chatter interests you, then you can reasonably spend the cash for a station.

All I heard on 40 meters was politics, people complaining about their health ailments, and general misery. In my area, 2 meters was silent. 70 CM was hit and miss.

 

[Dwitherspoon]

Before you commit, listen to the frequencies you are interested in. If the chatter interests you, then you can reasonably spend the cash for a station.

All I heard on 40 meters was politics, people complaining about their health ailments, and general misery. In my area, 2 meters was silent. 70 CM was hit and miss.

Amen brother.

This might sound radical or stupid, but why on earth does the FCC not take a handful of frequency and offer people a once a year, week long, trial period with temporary ID. A credit card, photo copy of your ID and let people try it out with the express threat of your behind being in a sling if you screw the pooch.

I would imagine it would go over very well.

Just my two cents.

 

[bill4long]

DMR and Fusion using Internet hotspots is ideal for an apartment situation. Talk to people all over the world.

 

[prcguy]

I know things have changed on CB a bit since I played heavily there in the late 60s through about 1980 where I managed a CB store and did radio and antenna installations. I had a good time with it but eventually got an amateur license. I'm more into the technical aspects of things and making the equipment work and sing properly over making lots of contacts and I mostly talk with people I already knew on the air anyway.

For experimentation with radios, antennas and related equipment there is a night and day difference. CB is extremely limited and many if not most of the things I wanted to experiment with were illegal. But I did most everything possible and I wanted more. Amateur radio allows me to design and build my own equipment if I wish or run gobs of power up to 1,500 watts legally and design and use antennas that could never be used on CB. Plus if you get a General or above license you can talk all over the country or the world every day on different HF bands instead of waiting sometimes years for the skip to roll in on CB.

There are all kinds of people on CB from toothless inbreeds to some pretty decent and smart people that just like to use CB. But amateur radio requires a test with some knowledge and you have to deliberately want the license and pursue it over simply buying a CB radio at a truck stop and your on the air in minutes with nothing else to show for it. The licensing process for amateur radio seems to weed out some people and I won't outright say it raises the bar or quality of people on amateur radio, but in listening to the two groups on air you get the illusion of a higher IQ on amateur radio for some reason.

A side benefit of amateur radio, at least for me is I've met some brilliant people over the years who have helped me throughout my career to attain levels of technical knowledge and proficiency that I may not have reached without their help. I've had a fantastic and fulfilling career and am now retired and I don't think I could have retired at the age I did without some of the friends I met on amateur radio. That's not a reason to get an amateur radio license, but its a side benefit I'm sure many others have enjoyed.

So go for it, get an amateur radio license and have some fun! That's the bottom line, it gives you more avenues for fun and anything else you get out of it is icing on the cake.

 

[WB9YBM]

What difference could I expect with a technician license and a radio/antenna setup as described above? Hear a lot of people? Talk to a lot of people? I guess, is it better than CB at this point?

P.S. I live in an apartment so antenna options are limited as is power. I don’t want my voice coming out of my neighbors TV speakers.

I agree with previous posts that there are a lot more options to ham radio than CB, with the following addition: in the past ten years I've seen a decline in amateur operating especially on VHF & UHF for several reasons: cell 'phones have become so cheap & prolific a lot of communication has gone there, and; since almost everyone has a computer, it's easier to just send an e-mail than to spend the money & make the effort to get a ham license & assemble a station.

As for coming out on your neighbors' speakers: If you've got your antenna near a wall where the neighbors' speaker is just on the other side (i.e. inches apart), yeah, you might run into that--although what are the chances that your neighbor will coincidentially have his speaker at the right place.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

I know things have changed on CB a bit since I played heavily there in the late 60s through about 1980 where I managed a CB store and did radio and antenna installations. I had a good time with it but eventually got an amateur license. I'm more into the technical aspects of things and making the equipment work and sing properly over making lots of contacts and I mostly talk with people I already knew on the air anyway.

For experimentation with radios, antennas and related equipment there is a night and day difference. CB is extremely limited and many if not most of the things I wanted to experiment with were illegal. But I did most everything possible and I wanted more. Amateur radio allows me to design and build my own equipment if I wish or run gobs of power up to 1,500 watts legally and design and use antennas that could never be used on CB. Plus if you get a General or above license you can talk all over the country or the world every day on different HF bands instead of waiting sometimes years for the skip to roll in on CB.

There are all kinds of people on CB from toothless inbreeds to some pretty decent and smart people that just like to use CB. But amateur radio requires a test with some knowledge and you have to deliberately want the license and pursue it over simply buying a CB radio at a truck stop and your on the air in minutes with nothing else to show for it. The licensing process for amateur radio seems to weed out some people and I won't outright say it raises the bar or quality of people on amateur radio, but in listening to the two groups on air you get the illusion of a higher IQ on amateur radio for some reason.

A side benefit of amateur radio, at least for me is I've met some brilliant people over the years who have helped me throughout my career to attain levels of technical knowledge and proficiency that I may not have reached without their help. I've had a fantastic and fulfilling career and am now retired and I don't think I could have retired at the age I did without some of the friends I met on amateur radio. That's not a reason to get an amateur radio license, but its a side benefit I'm sure many others have enjoyed.

So go for it, get an amateur radio license and have some fun! That's the bottom line, it gives you more avenues for fun and anything else you get out of it is icing on the cake.

Do you remember CB City Out in Auburn MA where route 12 and 20 meet ? They had a Moonraker 6 on the garage.

Been a HAM since the 1980s...Its what you make of it...You can be a credit card ham or a build it yourself !

Peter N1EXA / KQX9282

 

[EricInUtah]

I have a CB and a ham radio in my Jeep. I use the CB on trail rides sometimes depending on who I am with, but it stays off most of the time other than that. It is generally quiet locally, but I will turn it on on the interstate occasionally and listen to trucker chatter, which can be quite odd and interesting. I probably spent 15 minutes traveling across Wyoming listening to a trucker sing old cowboy songs.

I think that ham on 2m/70cm (technician) depends on where you live. We get quite a bit of repeater traffic around me, but it may be different in your area. You could always pick up a Baofeng UV5R for very little money and then just program in your local repeaters and listen. You won't be able to talk without a license, but anyone can listen. It would at least give you an idea of what your local area is like for traffic.

Repeaterbook.com - Home

Worldwide Amateur Radio Repeater Directory

repeaterbook.com

As to your original question, "is it worth it?", the answer is yes. The study time is minimal and the cost is low. If for nothing else, it gives you a way to communicate that is independent of cell towers and the internet. You may never need it, but being familiar with it if you do need it is a good thing.

Eric
KJ7GIY

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

I haven’t since 2015. I studied for the test and all that jazz in preparation, but wasn’t too thrilled about what I heard. A lot of “hey, how are you” and what not. I guessed all the real characters are on CB. I heard quite a few pre madonnas as well which surprised me.

I’ve always been a fan of the informal, but formal approach to life and things. I digress.

I’ll get it out of storage and see what’s going on, but I don’t have too much hope living in the hipster capital of the world. The infamous Portland oregon. You might know us better as the lawless wasteland of nightly riots.

thanks for all the help and suggestions.

I just really think your approach to ham radio is wrong... But its up to you...

Ive been in Ham since the 80s and cb started with a walkie talkie ( Space Patrol) in the late 60s running a wire up the neighbors flag pole
to get more from 100 Milli watts....Cant wait for this spring and the Propagation to kick in on Ch38 LSB !

The latest for me has been listening to 438.7 Mhz and as soon as the ISS passes over I got my 5 watt 2 meter rig and portable Yagi ready to go !
Been on the NASA ISS Page to get the next long pass over at my QTH...But thats what I want to do...

Other guys run the Log jam on 20 meters every morning or Play with Thier DMR hand helds on the local Linking repeater...I listen to them with my
Uniden 996P2 there is just so much out there.

Your Ham Call is your Name your iD ...Hell you use it on every opening and closing of a sentence on the air ! Not once an hour ?

Peter N1EXA

 

[Dwitherspoon]

I just really think your approach to ham radio is wrong... But its up to you...

Ive been in Ham since the 80s and cb started with a walkie talkie ( Space Patrol) in the late 60s running a wire up the neighbors flag pole
to get more from 100 Milli watts....Cant wait for this spring and the Propagation to kick in on Ch38 LSB !

The latest for me has been listening to 438.7 Mhz and as soon as the ISS passes over I got my 5 watt 2 meter rig and portable Yagi ready to go !
Been on the NASA ISS Page to get the next long pass over at my QTH...

Peter N1EXA

Well, I’m very unorthodox, but I mean well. I guess at the heart of it I just love most everything old. Old TV’s, game consoles, radio’s. I have a rather large collection of VHS tapes and laserdisc. If it’s old and cool, I’m all about it. I guess that’s why my wife’s millennial coworkers love to hang out here. I’m only 36 by the way. My wife is very accommodating of my collecting as long as it’s reasonable. Once again, I’ll be a great ham citizen.

 

[Dwitherspoon]

I also collect old playsets if any of you old timers remember MARX.

 

[dlwtrunked]

Amen brother.

This might sound radical or stupid, but why on earth does the FCC not take a handful of frequency and offer people a once a year, week long, trial period with temporary ID. A credit card, photo copy of your ID and let people try it out with the express threat of your behind being in a sling if you screw the pooch.

I would imagine it would go over very well.

Just my two cents.

Although at first the idea might sound interesting, it is definitely not a good idea. What radios with they use? If they do not get a license, will they then illegally operate with those radios? What guarantee is there that they know the rules? Getting a license is easy, so why do the above.
Besides, they can operate with an already licensed ham at their side. They can go to field day and see what that is like.

No, it would not go over well.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

Well, I’m very unorthodox, but I mean well. I guess at the heart of it I just love most everything old. Old TV’s, game consoles, radio’s. I have a rather large collection of VHS tapes and laserdisc. If it’s old and cool, I’m all about it. I guess that’s why my wife’s millennial coworkers love to hang out here. I’m only 36 by the way. My wife is very accommodating of my collecting as long as it’s reasonable. Once again, I’ll be a great ham citizen.

Take the test and Pass it first...When you get your Ham call you will like it to want to change it when you upgrade...
Ill show my age..Way back when you had to go to the FCC in Boston and take the test on Paper and the Official with the Bow tie
would bang out the code on a Straight key....Talk about being nervous...
When I went for my Advanced Licsense at 13 words a Minute it was a W5YI exam where the Code questions were multiple Guess
by I Was happy to get through that...Now there is no Code just some questions...no advanced Liscense no Novice...Things change.

Ive seen in the last few weeks CB was a Dud for you but I use it for propagation Purposes...We have the locals on CB but its there gig.
If Ch38 LSB kicks in I check for the Beacons on 10 Meters. Instead of a Radio I look at the whole band with An SDR and Software.
Making antenna's and Regenerative radios or even Crystal radios...check out the 2 meter and 70Cm activity with a scanner and see if
there are locals out there Before stacking the radios up and finding nobody around.

Your going to have to find your own road with Ham radio...You cant explain it because its Ham Radio to others.

Peter N1EXA

 

[Dwitherspoon]

Although at first the idea might sound interesting, it is definitely not a good idea. What radios with they use? If they do not get a license, will they then illegally operate with those radios? What guarantee is there that they know the rules? Getting a license is easy, so why do the above.
Besides, they can operate with an already licensed ham at their side. They can go to field day and see what that is like.

No, it would not go over well.

The whole point is the FCC would know where you live, have an address and ID for you. Up to, and including a credit card number. On the radio front you could be liberal and say any FCC licensed radio will suffice. With the explicit warning that messing around on other bands that aren’t in the trial period will result in a fine to your CC.

I get why you’re reluctant, but honestly, I would imagine a lot of old timers would venture into these trial period bands and mentor possible members.

It seems like a win, win.

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

Although at first the idea might sound interesting, it is definitely not a good idea. What radios with they use? If they do not get a license, will they then illegally operate with those radios? What guarantee is there that they know the rules? Getting a license is easy, so why do the above.
Besides, they can operate with an already licensed ham at their side. They can go to field day and see what that is like.

No, it would not go over well.

It called MURS and FRS...Bubble pack Wal Mart radio's...That claim they have range of 20Miles says it right on the Cardboard so it must be true !