New Ham Needing Advice

[KE9EGF]

Hey guys! Just took my Technician exam today and passed, no callsign yet, so I will keep you updated. I just wanted to introduce myself and know your thoughts on what I have and will have. Right now, I have a C. Crane Skywave SSB2, a Raddy Malahit DSP2 SDR receiver, and an RTL-SDR Blog V4 with the Dipole Antenna Kit. I plan on getting a Retevis RT3S to put OpenGD77 on it and participating in POTA once in a while. I am fairly new to radios with only a couple months of knowledge, but I want to learn more. What are some things to help me advance and what are some things that I should know?

73!
Gem

 

[chief21]

You will soon discover that a handheld radio can be very limiting. POTA work is typically HF/SSB rather than VHF/FM.

 

[AK9R]

POTA work is typically HF/SSB rather than VHF/FM.

Yes, POTA operations are typically on HF, but not limited to SSB. CW, FT8, and other data modes are often used.

 

[chief21]

Yes, POTA operations are typically on HF, but not limited to SSB. CW, FT8, and other data modes are often used.

I stand corrected. I was painting with a broad brush.

 

[AK9R]

I am fairly new to radios with only a couple months of knowledge, but I want to learn more.

Welcome to amateur radio!

Proceed carefully when buying equipment. Think about your near-term and long-term priorities and buy accordingly. The latest shiny new radio may not be the best purchase in the long run. With a Technician license, the VHF/UHF bands are wide open to you, but your HF possibilities are limited to a segment of the 10m band plus CW segments on 15m and 40m.

There's a hamfest coming up this Saturday in Brazil, Indiana. It's a small hamfest, but you never know what you might find. WVARA

 

[D31245]

Congratulations on getting your Technician's license! Enjoy your new radio and current privileges.

What things would you like to do with your new license and perhaps expand to in the future? There are so many facets to amateur radio. I am new myself - only been in the hobby a few years. Still learning. Still discovering.

For me, after delving a bit with HT's and the Technician's license glow wore off , I continued studying and moved on to General the next year (rewarded myself with an ICOM 705 and good antenna), then on to Amateur Extra the year after that.

I used HamStudy.org along with the Gordon West books. I found his teaching style more in line with how I learn.

Anyway, good luck and welcome to RR. I'm sure you'll get some good advice here.

 

[kk9h]

Congratulations and welcome to the hobby! I highly recommend that you look to see if you have a ham radio club near you where you can meet people that can share their knowledge and expertise with you. This is a hobby with many fascinating nitches to explore and it is also a very social hobby so meeting and getting to know others I feel is a very important part of it. I also agree with the comments made previously as well.

73, Don KK9H

 

[EAFrizzle]

This is probably the best advice a new ham can get.

Welcome to amateur radio!

Proceed carefully when buying equipment. Think about your near-term and long-term priorities and buy accordingly. The latest shiny new radio may not be the best purchase in the long run. With a Technician license, the VHF/UHF bands are wide open to you, but your HF possibilities are limited to a segment of the 10m band plus CW segments on 15m and 40m.

Knowing what kind of operating you want to wind up doing will help you enjoy your purchase more. The RT3S will let you get on local repeaters and close-in simplex, but isn't what's in use for POTA.

From your list of receivers, it looks like you enjoy HF, so upgrading your license is a must to fully enjoy what's avaliable there. Once you've got that done, there are a lot of good HF rigs that will work well for you at home, in the car, and in the parks. There are groups on Facecrook dedicated to POTA and QRP operation where you can find a lot of ideas and suggestions, for whatever they're worth.

Yaesu, Icom, Elecraft, and Xiegu have popular models in this segment. Deciding  how you want to POTA/QRP can help get you the best fit for your needs. Are you going to be day hiking or overnight camping? Are you camping in your vehicle or backpacking into the woods? (Yes, I know you said "participating in POTA once in a while". I know how these things go. "Wow, that was fun! I wish I had the stuff to do X." Trust me, it's a blast while enjoying the outdoors)

There's lots of stuff you can research on this while upgrading your license so you can get set with a rig you love. No matter what radio you buy, always remember: the antenna is the most important part.

Enjoy!

 

[KE9EGF]

I highly recommend that you look to see if you have a ham radio club near you where you can meet people that can share their knowledge and expertise with you.

There actually is! TARS in Evansville is pretty close to where I am. They are actually the people who I took the exam with, I was by far the youngest person there.

 

[KE9EGF]

You will soon discover that a handheld radio can be very limiting. POTA work is typically HF/SSB rather than VHF/FM.

Thanks for telling me! I plan on participating once I get my General and Extra licenses, rather than just with my Technician's license in VHF and UHF frequencies. I should have clarified that in my original post, as HF is far better for POTA.

 

[KC5AKB]

Congratulations on your General Class. Feel free to ask questions here lots of great knowledge folks willing to share knowledge. Read the old posts, drop a few pms here or qrz. Com or ask questions like your are doing. You will soon be the one helping folks learn new things and skills.
73,
KC5AKB

 

[K9KLC]

Yes, POTA operations are typically on HF, but not limited to SSB. CW, FT8, and other data modes are often used.

Two fellows here activated a park yesterday on VHF and UHF FM. There's a yearly event happing and a lot of guys (and gals) in my area participate so they took advantage of that event and then POTA at the same time. I think they did fairly well.

 

[AK9R]

Since you need 10 contacts to qualify is a legitimate POTA activation (their rules), if you have a large enough group of people, you could get your 10 contacts on VHF or UHF FM simplex simply by passing a handheld radio among the group.

 

[K9KLC]

Since you need 10 contacts to qualify is a legitimate POTA activation (their rules), if you have a large enough group of people, you could get your 10 contacts on VHF or UHF FM simplex simply by passing a handheld radio among the group.

Ya these guys were actually set up and making what I'll call "legitimate" contacts. I worked them and know they had no problem getting probably 3 times the amount or more to make the activation. We have some guys do that around here for different event and frankly I question the validity of that, but to each their own.

 

[KE9EGF]

VHF or UHF FM simplex simply by passing a handheld radio

Actually, I just got my General and an Icom IC-7300! Also, a question, is 40m used a lot on POTA?

 

[alcahuete]

Actually, I just got my General and an Icom IC-7300! Also, a question, is 40m used a lot on POTA?

HF is used way more than VHF/UHF. It's usually the upper bands, since the majority of POTA seems to take place during the daylight hours, but 40m is definitely used.

 

[KE9EGF]

I will now be UNWATCHING this thread, thank you for all the advice

 

[AK9R]

Also, a question, is 40m used a lot on POTA?

Yes. My gut feeling is that 40m and 20m are the most-used bands for POTA activations. There may be a way to mine the data on the POTA website to see which are the most popular bands.

 

[KC5AKB]

Actually, I just got my General and an Icom IC-7300! Also, a question, is 40m used a lot on POTA?

Yes on 40 20 and 10m along with other bands
Take a look at the website pota.app for rules and spots we were out with some pota folks Saturday two different clubs working together at the same park at different times same spot .

 

[KE9EGF]

Yes. My gut feeling is that 40m and 20m are the most-used bands for POTA activations. There may be a way to mine the data on the POTA website to see which are the most popular bands.

Hey, sorry to bug, but are you able to close this thread? Thank you!