Modern Vespa

So completely NSR but I thought there might be some info out there. Being retired I now have time to do things I have wanted to do but did not have the time. So my newest thought is Ham radio. I had wanted to do it many, many years ago but never did. So I was again thinking of getting licensed and trying it. But as our world has changed so much with computers and the internet is it worth going through the effort as the internet has opened up so much of the world to us? I am curious what people think and if they are any Ham operators out there, their thoughts.

thanks

larry

Look for the scooters sporting half a dozen antennae.

I have a General class license, but kept my Technician callsign. Picked it up on requirement since the shop I used to work in sold ham radio equipment as well as computers. Not sure of Yaesu or ICOM required it. Took my General before the code test was dropped.

Dabbled with 2M/440 and still have my handhelds (VX-150 and an FT-60R). Played with QRP a little as well, but I sold the FT-817 on to someone who would really leverage it.

If I remember correctly, hams had started leveraging the internet to compliment their hobby. There was a system called EchoLink that would allow you to communicate over VHF/UHF. You could call into a local Echolink repeater, connect to a remote Echolink repeater and chat with folks far beyond the normal range of your rig.

Try the tech license out, it's pretty easy to get. The best bit is that the exam is proctored by local radio clubs; in prepping for the exam, you'll learn the vernacular so you can talk shop with the locals and learn what's happening in the local scene. Might ask if they do foxhunts too. That's a good way to practice skills and meet folks.

LarryMK, I have a tech or general class ham license, or did at one time anyway, and a deep engineering background in virtually all forms of communication systems (radio, satellite, fiber, wireline, Internet, voice, data, video, ...). Decades ago, a guy I worked with had an Extra-class Ham license and offered a Ham class at work. The class was a lot of fun. I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the theory, class, anecdotes, and experience. I got a handheld 2 meter radio. I used it for a while but found the chatter on the radio just wasn't that interesting to me and I haven't used it in decades. Before the advent of cell phones and internet, a lot of the motivation (and justification by many) was to get free long distance communications. Yet others were interested in the theory, implementation, technology and expanding the envelope of what could be done (years ago, I met someone that was focused on providing communications by bouncing signals off the Moon!).

I know from the "Truckers' thread that you are a retired physician. What's your attraction to Ham radio?

Miguel

Not really sure what attracts me to it, I have fiddled with computers for many years getting my first one in 1984 and getting internet before most, but have always thought about Ham since I was a kid and now I have time to fiddle. Just curious if it might be fun? Still not sure but I think I will read a bit more about it.
Larry

I looked at buying a house that had a 75' tower and a room wired for equipment. I didn't buy, but for other reasons.

ND8K

I had a few weeks off work a couple of years ago and used the time to study and get my license. I am an electrician by trade so found the testing relatively easy. I took my technician and general test at the same time. Unfortunately I have used it very little.

From my little exposure through the local ham club, it seems many are combining radios and computers to digitally log contacts around the world. I enjoy the tech end of it and hope to get more active in a few years when I retire.

I'm not a ham, but two decades or more ago CB radio swept South Africa and I was a willing participant.
I lapsed my licence a long time ago but still have a Stalker SSB set wrapped in cllngwrap in a box somethere in the garage.

Oh the memories!

ZRAA6695

I'm an Extra Class. I used to run 2 meters @ 20watts motorcycle mobile on my Honda. I haven't set up anything on the Vespa yet. Echolink is still a possibility with a SENA headset.

It is a very rewarding hobby, especially when the weather is not conducive to riding.

You should do it, Larry.

Ham radios just don't sound kosher

Being retired I have been looking for things to do and this was one thing I thought of doing many years ago but never did. So I got a couple of books and I am studying for the test now. So will see.

Larry, By all means, if your are motivated, you should get the license. You can determine later if you find it interesting enough to stay with it. Let us know if we can answer any technical questions that come up too.
Miguel (N6UOR IIRC)

thanks so much my plan is to study for the technician license and then see if I like it. So a question if you have an answer for it, what would be a good starting transceiver for ham?

thanks

larry

I have no idea about specific radios in use at this juncture. 2 meter (2M) push-to-talk (PTT) handheld radios, essentially like a military walky-talky, were popular when I was active 20+ years ago. I' guessing they may still be tho it seemed like people were moving to 440 MHz radios when I last looked. Is there a local ham club near you? Find them if so. They will likely be helpful. I haven't used my HAM license in decades. Blame cell phones. Wish I could be more helpful.

But I have done a fair bit of radio engineering over the years so might be to help answer some questions on radios, technology and propagation if you find you need some technical help.

Enjoy the studying!! Miguel

I'd go for the Yaesu FT-60R. Great handheld with 2M/440 capabilities, rugged as heck and if you decide you're not a fan of amateur radio, very easy to resell.

You can also ask anyone at the testing site if anyone has a used one they'd sell. Might save a few bucks.

They're like the Yamaha TW200 of radio. Tough as heck and blessed with solid resale value

DE N0ZCB

Little late to this party. I'm an Extra Class ham, in several sense of the word.

You ask whether it "is it worth going through the effort" to get a license at this stage. It really depends what you want to do with it. Amateur radio is a big tent. If you want it to be practical, I would argue that it doesn't offer much anymore. People who are into emergency comms will argue strenuously on that point, and I have no investment in arguing back.

If you want to talk to strangers, it might be worth buying or borrowing a cheap scanner and tuning in to your local repeaters to see if there's anyone you would want to talk to on there. You don't need a license to listen.

If it's a question of being technically interesting, there is still lots of meat on ham radio. There are actually operating modes now that did not exist a few years ago and software defined radio opens a lot of territory for much less money than was required not long ago.

I will say that the only scooters I generally associate with amateur radio are mobility scooters.

My uncle was an electrician and had quite the HAM setup. I used to climb the tower when I was a kid, which was very cool! I contemplated getting a license back in the 80s, but when the internet came along, I lost interest.

Now you've give me the idea to suction cup an external antenna on my top case for a handheld.

73s

KC0NBT clear

I was into CB back in the '70s, with not quite legal home setup and mobile in the car. Fun, and convenient, with no cellular and long distance phone charges from many places within CB range. I was "Bojangles"

I had a mild interest in HAM back then, too, and when we started travelling cross country more frequently in 2014, I looked into it again. Meanwhile, I got a couple of cheap CB radios for car to car conversations. Wow, had CB changed in 40 years! Gigantic amps that kill any chance of communication, and more swearing than I could imagine. Nope!

So, after a bit of investigation, I got my GMRS license and some 15W radios. Much clearer than CB, and less complicated than HAM. Still, cellular and text are what we use most, unless out of coverage areas (which is where we try to travel.)


Only mildly related: When I retired in 2010, I had a mild interest in weather statistics and we had some nice flower and vegetable gardens. So I dove deeply into a quality home weather station, figured how to access it on my Mac, and ended up reporting current conditions to the various data collection services and creating a community web page. I joined the local American Meteorologist Association chapter, and met some wonderful people and learned a lot.

All this too say, it is easy to fill your time with new interests when you retire. Meanwhile, I just sold 30 years of Nikon film and digital cameras and dove into the Fujifilm mirrorless camera world. I'm having fun with photography like never before!

Have fun!

being retired I have much more time for whimsical things and i guess Ham radio is one of them I am thinking about trying. For now I am reading a bit about it and will likely at least get the first license and then see where it takes me.

Larry,
go for it!

I am a very amateurish radio ham with a technician license.
One thing that I can suggest you to do before purchasing a radio is also to check the repeaters that are around your area. Some of them have digital systems (DMR, fusion, D-star...) and you may be interested in enjoying that mode of transmission and requires specific radios.
By the way you can access to the DMR world and to Echolink (which is a system for creating repeaters' networks, they both allow you to talk to people around the world very easily) also via software on compute or smartphone. Software and apps require anyway for you to register (for free) and prove you have a radio license.
Also reaching out to local ham club for guidance, training material, classes etc. may be interesting.
Let me know if you have any question!

thanks I appreciate that

With all that is going on in the world buy a cb.

its the process not the device in my opinion

A great thread Larry. Here in the UK and perhaps to some extent in the US, what caught the Ham zeitgeist was the 1978 film 'Convoy'. After that was released the sale of (unlicensed) CB radios over here exploded and all the guys dreamt of being Kris Kristofferson. At school, even though we didn't own a CB radio we had fun imaging what 'handle' we would call ourselves.

Expect CBs to become increasingly overwhelmed by static over the next couple of years due to the sunspot cycle. On the other hand, this helps with long range ionospheric skip transmissions for 2m and CB frequencies (signals reflecting off the ionosphere) -- it's the same thing, pretty much.

so a question. In the posts I have seen and in my reading while studying for the test, it seems that many people put ham radios in their vehicles. Is that true and if so to me that would even more distracting to driving than cellphones. So what is the story?

thanks

Yes, many people have mobile rigs in their car. I agree that it would be a big distraction and is not for me.

I don't have a Ham but I do use GMRS in my vehicle. It's a 4x4 and only really for offroad ventures with little to no cell signal, used to communicate with my group.

We had a small earthquake a few years ago. I ended up getting gmrs for the family/house for emergencies. Range is great. I thought about ham but my fam has no interest in getting licensed. Gmrs is easy.

That was part of my reasoning for going GMRS, as well. In addition to car-to-car communication (or car to spotter off road) GMRS is just easier for non-technical people to use. A 10-year license covers your entire family, where HAM requires any user to be licensed.

that GMRS does look cool, but where I live I have great cell service so for me I am doing this more to learn about it, I am retired now and have the time for things such as this. Work had consumed so much of my life, it is great now having the time to do other things.

A Baofeng UV5R or variation thereof. It's under $30 and capable of hitting repeaters 20-30 miles away.

1. Frequency Range: 144-148 / 420- 450 MHz
2. Dual-Band Display, Dual Freq. Display, Dual-Standby
3. Output Power: 5 /1Watts
4. 128 Channels 50 CTCSS and 104 DCS
5. Built-in VOX Function
6. 1750Hz Burst Tone
8. LED Flashlight
9. Large LCD Display
10. High / Low RF Power Settings
11. 25KHz/12.5KHz Channel Spacings
12. Emergency Alert
13. Low Battery Alert
14. Battery Saver
15. Time-out Timer
16. Keypad Lock
17. Monitor Channel

I will second the suggestion for a Baofeng. They're dirt cheap and will let you hit some local repeaters. It is the advice I was given and I don't regret buying one. I spent an extra $15 and got a better whip antenna for it. It lets you try Ham radio at a very low entry price point.
When I have more free time and pick up the interest again, I will probably spend the money for a Yaesu or Icom.

thanks I will look in to that

ok so have been reading about the Ham radio test and studying a bit and I have a few comments. if you are not an electrician or radio person, this is not just a walk in the park and I am pretty smart. Second what radio to get to start with, is quite confusing. Do I want to go less expensive or more expensive? Very confusing. Lastly still find it interesting though.

Larry, once again, don't hesitate to ask technical questions if you need help. Keep studying!!
Miguel

So my CB Sucks and i need something beter so what should i get? That I can install that is cheap?

thanks I may have to contact you


larry