There are no dumb questions Rat-Fink, just dumb answers. Your questions are fine- never feel that asking is stupid.
You can "talk" -and I am assuming you want to use voice as a Technican Class ham---- on the following:
10 metre's 28.300 to 28.500 MHz,
Sideband only
6 metre's 50.100 to 54 Mhz, any form of phone permitted to any amateur license class
2 metre's 144.100 to 148 MHz, same as 6 metre's
And for everything above 2 metre's you can talk as you please, anywhere. That is said with a caveat, for these bands are subdivided into special areas that may not tolerate free-lance frequency selection-- ie: all the repeater 'channels', etc.
Tech's can use Morse code on several HF bands like 80 metre's, but you need to check the specifics out if you want to go there. 28.0-28.3, 50.0-50.1 and 144.0-144.1 are 'code' sub bands also.
My guess is you are being drawn to 'talking' in the traditional ham radio sense of the word- that is; a station you can sit down at a microphone, twirl a knob and tune in the world. As a Tech that would be 10 metre's. And you are in luck there- the sunspots are returning and that 'band' will be opening world-wide soon, if not sporadically right now. You will have tonne's of stations to talk to everywhere.
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I agree with you- the amateur exams get very esoteric with what they want to test you on. I am mentoring a couple of hams for their Extra Class test and I get the
".........what the hell does
That have to do with anything I need to know to operate my station ??"
(Smith Charts rate high on that comment's list)
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Hang in there Cowboy---think of those exams as fraternity/sorority initiations --- at least that is what I tell these prospects.
When in doubt I tell them to----
"Just memorize the answer"
If this hobby catch's your interest, move on to your General Class license quickly- there is a lot more "talking" available as a General for just a little extra effort.
Lauri
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