Ham Radio Is It Worth It?

[merlin]

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.

The largest reason for 11 meter not being so active is the low in solar activity and no sky wave to speak of.
11 meter is all but DOA here short of some periodic truck chatter on the interstate. That solar cycle is just starting an upswing, so hang on to your hats. I am gearing up for the skip on 50 Mhz. That likewise is dead right now.
Maybe try a little meteor scatter up on 900 and 1296.

 

[Boombox]

Long time non-ham, SWL and monitor of ham bands here. I also used to be active on sideband CB in the late 1980's / early 1990's. I can't answer the OPs question about whether ham radio is "worth it" (whatever "it" is to any particular individual). But I'd monitor first, and then decide. Chances are high you wouldn't be talking to anyone you couldn't hear -- unless you were doing the digital ham thing, JT-65 and the like -- so taking a listen around the HF and VHF ham bands will probably give you just as good an answer as anyone here -- myself included -- could give you.

Good luck.

 

[SuperG900]

I guess many here find the topic of this thread a bit controversial. (A troll perhaps?)

So, to state the obvious: if you find yourself having to ask (such a question) then no, not for you, because you lack the curiosity to find out for yourself.

 

[reedeb]

Ham radio IS worth what ever you want to make of it. Friendly neighborhood chit chat, county wide, state wide country wide to international chit chat to even talking to the ISS [ International Space Station] You can use it during disasters or even during a marathon. Whatever you want to use it for as long as it is legal.

 

[CCHLLM]

Just an observation, but the OP's side of this thread solidly affirms that the OSQ (Omnes Scitote Quia) gene is always coupled with the Arrogancia Maximus gene. Typically, the only reason folks of this ilk ever ask a question is because they are merely seeking your affirmation and praise of what they have already done or have decided to do. Any conflicting guidance or opinion on your part counts for naught and mostly upsets them because you are not complying with their wishes for affirmation.

 

[fxdscon]

Just an observation, but the OP's side of this thread solidly affirms that the OSQ (Omnes Scitote Quia) gene is always coupled with the Arrogancia Maximus gene.

Omnino consentiunt.

 

[N4KVE]

Not looking at it from the technical aspect, I’ve made many lifelong friends that I met through ham radio. So to me, it was definitely worth it.

 

[russbrill]

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.

Most people are now "Phone Zombies".. There is activity on the VHF/UHF Amateur bands in most Cities.. A mobile magnet mount VHF/UHF antenna on your balcony and a nice dual-band mobile will reach a lot of repeaters/people...

 

[WB9YBM]

Most people are now "Phone Zombies".. There is activity on the VHF/UHF Amateur bands in most Cities.. A mobile magnet mount VHF/UHF antenna on your balcony and a nice dual-band mobile will reach a lot of repeaters/people...

To the list we can add "E-mail Zombies", too! And a lot of the ham VHF /UHF Activities least here in the Chicago area are subject to the same Zombies...

 

[jaspence]

DMR, D-Star, and other digital modes have generated a fair amount of new ham radio interest. For less than $200, you can have a DMR setup that will talk almost anywhere in the world with assistance from the internet. A local repeater is not necessary as a hotspot turns any DMR radio into a world wide connection as part of that $200 price.

 

[RockyBennett]

Folks, I think that the OP has already determined that amateur radio is not for him. He has not visited this site for a while.

 

[KB4MSZ]

I guess he gave in to second thoughts.

 

[WB9YBM]

DMR, D-Star, and other digital modes have generated a fair amount of new ham radio interest. For less than $200, you can have a DMR setup that will talk almost anywhere in the world with assistance from the internet. A local repeater is not necessary as a hotspot turns any DMR radio into a world wide connection as part of that $200 price.

Yeah, especially since computer prices have dropped over the years getting into computer modes has gotten easier--not like back in the '70s when computers were so pricey I heard hams had to give up radios in order to afford computers (their wives wouldn't let them buy both!)...

 

[KX1B]

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.

Licensed ham numbers have been going up each year and are the highest they've ever been. Currently there are over 778K licensed hams in the United States. Being an apartment dweller you can easily get onto one of the digital modes with a 2 meter or 70 centimeter HT and a hotspot and talk to other hams all over the world. DMR, Yaesu System Fusion and D-STAR are very popular now.

 

[WB9YBM]

Licensed ham numbers have been going up each year and are the highest they've ever been. Currently there are over 778K licensed hams in the United States.

That doesn't necessarily mean that they're active. I've seen a drop in VHF / UHF activity at least in the Chicago area since cell 'phones & e-mail have become cheap & prolific...

 

[bobruzzo]

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

Wow thats some cool stuff you have! A ton of movies.

 

[KC5CSG]

CB is much more fun than ham radio. The local group over here gets on channel 19 and laugh and joke all night. You will not find that on amateur radio. Most hams, not all, but most are pretty stuffy and act like total jerks. Most think they're amateur cops, firemen, or EMTs.

Since anyone can go to qrz dot com and take all of the published tests over and over again and memorize the answers (this one is C, oh! This one is B, and this one is D) most have absolutely no knowledge of radio at all. Get a scanner and monitor your local repeaters. You'll soon see I'm right.

My little brother has it right. He claims he'd love to get a ham license, but the problem is the only people he could talk to is hams.

 

[KB4MSZ]

(this one is C, oh! This one is B, and this one is D)

You have B and D reversed.

 

[KevinC]

Just when you thought this thread was going to die off...

 

[KC5CSG]

Now that I've had a little more time to think on this subject, I would have to say no. Amateur radio really isn't worth the effort of MEMORIZING the tests and the expense of the equipment. Well, I guess if you are old (speaking of in your 80s and waiting to die old) and in need of occupying your time talking to other old farts racing you to the grave it may be worth it. If you have a life, CB is cheaper and the people on those bands are more social. Amateur radio seems to attract the most anti-social people.

There are many facets to CB as well. It's not just the 40 channels anymore, even though 38 LSB during peak sunspot cycle is the bomb. You have MURS as well. Five channels in the VHF region which appears to be quite active around here. I even hear packet radio on channel five every now and then and will dig out my old MFJ-1270 and give that a shot there. It's actually legal on MURS.