Where does the newbie begin?

[KK7RKO]

I recently got my Technician license and am now working on the General, which I hope to pass this summer.

I’m currently using a Baofeng handheld but I'm interested in proceeding to getting a base station so I can operate on the longer waves. Looking at various blogs and websites, it’s obvious there are all kinds of manufacturers and components available for putting together a rig. I would like to proceed with designing and assembling a base station, but I don’t want to go down a blind alley that would entail figuring out how every piece fits together, only to find that the components I purchased are not compatible or are not even essential.

Is there a place on RadioReference or elsewhere that can help me understand how to develop a station that I can use for communications with other hams without unnecessary expense and complexity? I want to start with a transceiver and antenna, maybe an antenna tuner, balancing cost and capability and not boxing myself into a path that requires that I go back to the drawing board because I went down the wrong path from the beginning.

 

[AK9R]

Since you have a Technician license, there's not much you can do on the "longer waves". With a Technician license, you can operate CW in parts of the 80m, 40m, and 15m bands. You can also operate in the 10m band using CW, RTTY, and data on 28.0 to 28.3 MHz and SSB on 28.3 to 28.5 MHz.

If you plan to upgrade to General, I encourage you to think about your antenna as the first step in your station planning. The physical characteristics of your property may steer you towards a vertical antenna. Just understand that most verticals require a system of radials laying on the ground (if you have grass, it will grow over the radials in time) in order to be effective. Even with radials, the take-off angle, the angle above the horizon where the bulk of the RF energy goes, may more conducive to long-range communications instead of short- or medium-range comms. Horizontal antennas may be more effective for your purposes than a vertical antenna. But, horizontal antennas need 1 or more supports to get them off the ground.

If you land on a resonant antenna, an external antenna matching unit, aka "tuner", may not be necessary. If your antenna is close to being resonant, the internal tuner that many radios have these days may be sufficient to touch up the tuning of your antenna.

The best bang for the buck in my opinion and the opinion of many others is the Icom IC-7300. It's currently on sale at most amateur radio dealers for around $1100. If you wait until the weekend of Dayton Hamvention (May 17-19, 2024), you may find slightly better deals as the major amateur radio dealers pass on "Hamvention special" prices to online customers.

But, let's work out your antenna possibilities first. How much land do you have to work with? Do you have any HOA constraints? Do you have any trees or other structures to use for antenna supports? Do you have a spouse who may not be crazy about you putting up antennas in "her" yard?

I guess, though, we should talk about what you want to do first. Who do you think you want to talk to? How far away are they? What mode do you think you'll be using?

 

[KK7RKO]

Thanks for your detailed response. I have been struggling with the antenna question, and agree it would be a good place to start. My property is one acre on the shore of a very large lake. The land behind my house is National Forest land with very tall maples, which lose all their leaves come October. My property itself has many tall maples as well, so i could hang a wire in those. The neighbors are seasonal, meaning they're very seldom around, so I don't think they'll care about an antenna, as long as it doesn't disrupt their wifi and security systems. I doubt that I would be putting a vertical to try to get above the trees, as they're 45-50 ft tall. The lake is to the front of the house, with clear views of the sky starting from 30 degrees to 150 degrees on the compass. The nearest repeater is 20 miles away, through the forest. My desire is to be able to hit satellites to communicate over long distances and to have something of a range so I can talk to local operators within a 20 mile radius.

If a fixed setup isn't going to work in this property, an alternative might be to do something more mobile, which I would be able to set up on my pontoon boat and go out into the lake to get away from the trees, at least during the summer, perhaps using something directional like a yagi.

Again, thank you for your informative response. Any advice is certainly welcome.

 

[alcahuete]

There's some slight confusion here. Satellites and local repeaters are not longer waves. Longer waves would be HF and the like. That will enable longer distances much easier and much more reliably than satellites. Satellites are very likely not what you are looking for. AK9R's advice on HF is solid.

For closer range, you need to use repeaters, or put up an antenna for simplex use. A simple vertical antenna would be fine for the local stuff.

 

[merlin]

If you don't already have, get your hands on the latest edition of the "Radio Amateures Hand book" AND the ARRL antenna book.
The handbook is 6 volumes
Those will give you ideas and keep you busy for years.
Enough info in those to get up to amateur extra class.

 

[KK7RKO]

Thanks again for your responses. They're very helpful.

I was hoping there was a shortcut to getting set up but that would have been too good to be true, I suppose. I got into this with my grandson and my daughter, we all took the technician test together and now we're asking each other how we proceed to a level beyond the hand helds. I like the recommendation to check out the ARRL and the other resources and to start with the antenna and perhaps the Icon. At age 73 I doubt if I will want to embark on a self study program to learn everything there is to know about amateur radio. The three of us will test for the General license this summer, but I'm concerned that if we can't come up with something more interesting than fighting with these Baofeng handhelds, the interest level to move further into ham radio is going to dissipate.

 

[chief21]

The three of us will test for the General license this summer, but I'm concerned that if we can't come up with something more interesting than fighting with these Baofeng handhelds, the interest level to move further into ham radio is going to dissipate.

Many new hams quickly realize that their inexpensive Chinese handhelds are not the answer to a rewarding amateur radio experience. Limiting your future purchases to mainstream amateur radio brands (Alinco, Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu) will allow for easier programming and better performance.
Rather than limiting your self to handheld radios, many new hams quickly transition to a base and/or mobile station for the improved range and ability to reach more distant repeaters. For maximum flexibility, I would recommend a dual-band (VHF/UHF) FM rig, connected to a rooftop antenna (for a base station rig) or a mobile-type antenna (for a mobile rig). There are lots of YouTube videos that demonstrate how to install either type of station. You could also seek out a nearby ham club where you would be likely to find help in setting up your FM equipment.
Once you have gained some operating experience with the FM equipment, you might then wish to consider creating your own HF ham station for potential worldwide communication. Other options might include DMR or other digital modes for VHF/UHF, amateur satellite communications, CW (morse code)... the list goes on. There are many faces of the amateur radio hobby.

 

[kc4mhh]

I recently got my Technician license and am now working on the General, which I hope to pass this summer.

I’m currently using a Baofeng handheld but I'm interested in proceeding to getting a base station so I can operate on the longer waves. Looking at various blogs and websites, it’s obvious there are all kinds of manufacturers and components available for putting together a rig. I would like to proceed with designing and assembling a base station, but I don’t want to go down a blind alley that would entail figuring out how every piece fits together, only to find that the components I purchased are not compatible or are not even essential.

Is there a place on RadioReference or elsewhere that can help me understand how to develop a station that I can use for communications with other hams without unnecessary expense and complexity? I want to start with a transceiver and antenna, maybe an antenna tuner, balancing cost and capability and not boxing myself into a path that requires that I go back to the drawing board because I went down the wrong path from the beginning.

You might check the local repeaters in your area to see if any of the analog repeaters are using AllStar. For example, two of the repeaters in our area are connected using AllStar (a small interface board connected to the internet) to link to many other repeaters throughout the nation. In the case of one of ours, which is connected to the East Coast Reflector network (Home - East Coast Reflector), there are hundreds of connected repeaters and nodes (home connections) allowing us to talk to other amateurs throughout the US and even other countries. If you are in range of one of these (or wish to construct your own node - see https://www.eham.net/article/48983 or How to build your own radioless allstar node - allstar setup.com ), then try it out. It will amaze you who you can talk to with a 5 watt HT.

Welcome to amateur radio...... land of a million hobbies all rolled up into one!

Jim, KC4MHH

 

[AK9R]

In addition to the AllStar network of linked repeaters, there are many EchoLink and IRLP linked repeaters around.

 

[GlobalNorth]

Spend some time listening to HF and see if you like HF. Web SDRs are generally free and allow you to listen to various bands without buying a $1,000 to $10,000 radio, not including antennae, cabling, power supplies, furniture, and all the ancillary gear and tools that consist of a working station. Network with others and ask any questions you may have. Read up here and on respected Ham websites.

You may find that experimenting is your forté or that 10 meters allows property restricted amateurs to have some HF capacity and DX fun. QRP on HF from remote sites promote travel and enjoying HF on a budget. Some get excited about FT-8 and someone out there still has to be into SSTV.

Take your time to be certain that you enjoy your choices - an error can be expensive.

Buy new gear. Used gear can be more expensive than new gear and usually there is no warranty with used gear.

 

[K7MEM]

Spend some time listening to HF and see if you like HF. Web SDRs are generally free and allow you to listen to various bands without buying a $1,000 to $10,000 radio, not including antennae, cabling, power supplies, furniture, and all the ancillary gear and tools that consist of a working station. Network with others and ask any questions you may have. Read up here and on respected Ham websites.

I can agree with this. I use the NA5B WebSDR Receiving System several times a week, just to see current band conditions. Why, right now, on channel 19 on the Citizen Band, there is a guy burping into his microphone. But there is other quality things to listen to.

At age 73 I doubt if I will want to embark on a self study program to learn everything there is to know about amateur radio.

It is not required that you know everything about amateur radio. You only need to take it one step at a time. Passing the test is only the start of the learning process. There are sample tests on many web sites. I used the tests on QRZ.com when I was upgrading from Novice to Extra, in 1999. The tests on QRZ.com contain questions from the actual test and they keep track of your progress. When your scoring 85% to 90% regularly, your ready to take the real test. Anything you get wrong, you can look up to get a clarification. A passing score is 26 correct, out of 35, for General, and 37 correct, out of 50, for Extra.

When I tested, I took the Tech and General in a single sitting. Then came back in 2 or 3 months and took the Advanced and Extra in a single sitting. At 75, I could still pass them all. I split them up like that because of the Morse Code tests. While you don't have to worry about the Morse Code tests any more, you might find learning Morse Code and operating CW much more interesting then handhelds. There are a dozen different web sites dedicated to teaching Morse Code.

 

[KC5AKB]

Welcome to the world of ham radio. If you have questions there are lots of good folks here that have years of expierence.

 

[Golay]

KK7RKO Step one in my opinion. Find a club near you. Yeah you'll get some good advice here, but nothing beats face to face Elmering.

Search for ARRL Affiliated Clubs

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.

www.arrl.org

 

[CanesFan95]

Avoid Cheap Chinese Radios (CCRs) like Baofeng which are resented by many. They are poor quality and may cause interference. Stick with the more established brands (Alinco, Kenwood, Yaesu, Icom).

 

[krokus]

Please do not take your experience with those handheld radios as typical of decent equipment. Connecting with a club is a great idea, as they might have a club station, or at least various members have nice stations, that you can check out.

 

[Boombox]

Thanks again for your responses. They're very helpful.

I was hoping there was a shortcut to getting set up but that would have been too good to be true, I suppose. I got into this with my grandson and my daughter, we all took the technician test together and now we're asking each other how we proceed to a level beyond the hand helds. I like the recommendation to check out the ARRL and the other resources and to start with the antenna and perhaps the Icon. At age 73 I doubt if I will want to embark on a self study program to learn everything there is to know about amateur radio. The three of us will test for the General license this summer, but I'm concerned that if we can't come up with something more interesting than fighting with these Baofeng handhelds, the interest level to move further into ham radio is going to dissipate.

Non ham here, but I've monitored the HF ham bands for decades. My suggestion is to get on 10 meters, if you can get the radio capable of doing so. If you're interested in HF start there, then work towards other HF bands, because a tech on 10 can do more things than on the lower HF bands.

The antenna for 10 meters would also be a manageable size (compared to, say, a 40 meter sloper), as it's fairly easy to build a 10 meter dipole. Get on the air and take advantage of the uptick in the solar cycle. Then try to learn some CW so you can get on the lower bands, before you get your general. There are some slow-CW nets that get together on certain frequencies. Some CW ops seem to ignore the slower CW senders but a lot of them love the art so much they have little problem in slowing down for a newbie.

The Icom 7300 sounds like a good rig -- there are thousands of them out there for a reason.

And before you buy an HF rig you can always buy a fairly inexpensive HF SSB receiver and listen around on the bands, to see what part of hamming on the HF you'd really want to get into. Some guys are really into the FT8 thing, and swear by it. If I were to get into the hobby, I'd do the tech class / CW route. What's keeping me personally from it is money and the desire to go through with it all... I get enough fun just listening and monitoring. But that's just me. I may change my mind, though.

 

[K7MEM]

And before you buy an HF rig you can always buy a fairly inexpensive HF SSB receiver and listen around on the bands, to see what part of hamming on the HF you'd really want to get into.

If you already have a PC, and your just listening around, you really don't need to buy anything. I do a lot of listening using the on-line SDRs. Specifically, I like the NA5B WebSDR Receiver, but there are lots of them on-line.. Right now (8:00 AM EST) I'm listening to 7218.18 KHz and there are dozens of active stations. However, 10 Meters and 11 Meters (CB) is pretty dead. The WebSDR gives you a choice of listening where the activity is, without the need for a radio and antenna.

 

[alcahuete]

However, 10 Meters and 11 Meters (CB) is pretty dead.

Say what? This is the busiest both have been in a decade, due to the sunspot cycle. Just in the last couple days, worked Liberia, Puerto Rico, Falkland Islands, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Algeria, and a ton of domestic stations.

 

[krokus]

If you already have a PC, and your just listening around, you really don't need to buy anything. I do a lot of listening using the on-line SDRs. Specifically, I like the NA5B WebSDR Receiver, but there are lots of them on-line.. Right now (8:00 AM EST) I'm listening to 7218.18 KHz and there are dozens of active stations. However, 10 Meters and 11 Meters (CB) is pretty dead. The WebSDR gives you a choice of listening where the activity is, without the need for a radio and antenna.

10, 11 & 12 meter bands have been booming in, lately.

 

[K7MEM]

Maybe I am not saying it correctly or you guys are not reading it correctly.

What I was trying to indicate is that, I was listening at 8 AM EST, from Washington, DC (that is where the SDR is located). At that time, 10 and 11 Meters was dead. And so was 12 Meters. There wasn't a single signal from 24 MHz to 30 MHz. There wasn't even that usual goober on CB Channel 21, burping into the microphone. Whether there is any propagation helping all the signals, it wasn't helping anyone at 8 AM in Washington, DC.

But, at that time of the morning, 40 Meters was hopping. There were at least 2 dozen SSB stations and a dozen CW stations. All booming in. There was probably lots of digital (PSK, FT8, etc.), but I didn't specifically look. Probably some RTTY and SSTV too. 10 Meters is great to listen to, but not at that time of day. Afternoon or Early evening has always been best for me. When I lived in Germany (early 80s), and operating as DA2EU (CW only), my favorite band was 15 Meters. I liked it because it fit my favorite operating time. Which was early evening. Morning, mid afternoon, or late at night, the band was dead. But at 5 or 6 PM (local) there were dozens of stations to talk too.

When you say that 10 Meters is hopping, you need to specify the time and location. It isn't hopping all the time, everywhere. So, when you are listening, pick the band that best suites you. It's pointless to listen to a dead band.