In Beachbum
wrote:

At the risk of exposing my newbness...

I am considering a tech license and note references to "permission"
levels for various bands, as well as indications of certain operating
modes for particular freqs/bands (I have not bought a manual yet,
still trying to determine what level of total investment will be
necessary for my desired use). Based on admittedly cursory review
thusfar, it appears voice comms have limited availability for a tech
ticket. IF that is the case, my primary interest is in emergency voice
comms during regional events...will I need to upgrade to a general
license for effective use?

Take a look at the chart at

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...ands_color.pdf

which will show you what modes the classes of licensees can use on the
various bands.

I think you'll find that a Technician class license will give you full
permission on all bands 50MHz and up, which is where is where you'll
find almost all local event communications taking place.

--
Bert Hyman W0RSB St. Paul, MN

Bert Hyman wrote:
In Beachbum
wrote:

At the risk of exposing my newbness...

I am considering a tech license and note references to "permission"
levels for various bands, as well as indications of certain operating
modes for particular freqs/bands (I have not bought a manual yet,
still trying to determine what level of total investment will be
necessary for my desired use). Based on admittedly cursory review
thusfar, it appears voice comms have limited availability for a tech
ticket. IF that is the case, my primary interest is in emergency voice
comms during regional events...will I need to upgrade to a general
license for effective use?

Take a look at the chart at

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...ands_color.pdf

which will show you what modes the classes of licensees can use on the
various bands.

I think you'll find that a Technician class license will give you full
permission on all bands 50MHz and up, which is where is where you'll
find almost all local event communications taking place.


OK, Great! And thanks to all who responded.

As I am located about 2/3rds the way up the side of Punchbowl Crater,
my "line of sight" should easily cover most of my operating area in the
Honolulu area, including several mil bases, multiple airports and
seaports, as well as State and County HQ's. If repeaters remain
operational, the rest of the island should be accessible as well, to
some extent. Aside from that, I've had a scanner for over 40 years at
this point, and pick up a lot, but two-way comms would become critical
in a Hurricane or Earthquake scenario.

Now to order the manual and start studying...

Beachbum wrote:
Bert Hyman wrote:
In Beachbum
wrote:
At the risk of exposing my newbness...

I am considering a tech license and note references to "permission"
levels for various bands, as well as indications of certain operating
modes for particular freqs/bands (I have not bought a manual yet,
still trying to determine what level of total investment will be
necessary for my desired use). Based on admittedly cursory review
thusfar, it appears voice comms have limited availability for a tech
ticket. IF that is the case, my primary interest is in emergency voice
comms during regional events...will I need to upgrade to a general
license for effective use?

Take a look at the chart at

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...ands_color.pdf

which will show you what modes the classes of licensees can use on the
various bands.
I think you'll find that a Technician class license will give you full
permission on all bands 50MHz and up, which is where is where you'll
find almost all local event communications taking place.

OK, Great! And thanks to all who responded.

As I am located about 2/3rds the way up the side of Punchbowl Crater,
my "line of sight" should easily cover most of my operating area in the
Honolulu area, including several mil bases, multiple airports and
seaports, as well as State and County HQ's. If repeaters remain
operational, the rest of the island should be accessible as well, to
some extent. Aside from that, I've had a scanner for over 40 years at
this point, and pick up a lot, but two-way comms would become critical
in a Hurricane or Earthquake scenario.

Now to order the manual and start studying...


Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and
I passed! I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater nets,
getting a feel for local practices and personalities. Now comes decision
time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band HT's right now.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?

"Beachbum" wrote

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and I
passed!

Congratulations! Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? ;-)

I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater nets, getting a
feel for local practices and personalities.

Very smart: listen first, talk later.

Now comes decision time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band
HT's right now.

Everyone has an opinion.... and of course there are multiple models from
each. Others with experience with them might chime in.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?

Either should work well, though the corrugated metal might not give enough
of a mechanical grip or enough capacitance for a good RF ground (have I got
that right?) ;-) There are three common antenna lengths (that I know of)
for mobile antennas: 1/4 wave, 1/2 wave, and 5/8 wave. The 1/2 wave and 5/8
wave antennas will give you a lower angle of radiation (i.e., gain over a
1/4 wave). Your QTH sounds like it's well above Honolulu proper, and you
could probably take good advantage of the longer antennas. And if you can
see other islands, you shouldn't have any trouble working stations on them,
too.

Howard N7SO

Beachbum wrote:
Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and

I passed! I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater nets
,
getting a feel for local practices and personalities. Now comes decisio
n
time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band HT's right now.

Congratulations.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?

Put a cookie tin under the mag mount on the roof, it will stabilize
things.

Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi

--
“Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.”
Frank Leahy, Head coach, Notre Dame 1941-1954

http://www.stay-connect.com

On 3/13/2010 3:51 PM, Beachbum wrote:

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and
I passed! I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater nets,
getting a feel for local practices and personalities. Now comes decision
time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band HT's right now.

Both companies make good products, but I suggest you wait a few weeks.
Attend a ham club meeting, and tell the members you're looking for a
rig: someone may have a loaner you can try out, or even one that
they'll part with for a good price to get you started.

If not, there are a lot of used rigs out there, that can be had for
reasonable money. Frankly, the trick is to go slowly and build your
"dream" station a little at a time, so that you don't spend your whole
slush fund on one mode or one rig and then find you don't want to keep
using it. Field Day and Emergency Communicaitons drills (EMCOM) are an
excellent way to see various modes and rigs in action. If possible, try
out all the modes your license covers, and find out if you'd be more
comfortable with hilltopping, or packet, or EmCom, or even microwave,
or whatever: try _before_ you buy.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?

The only way to know is to try it, so buy an antenna that will work
with your car and then give it a chance on the roof. Repeaters make up
for most of the antenna issues that used to plague VHF operators, and
so long as you're "Full quieting" into the machines you want to use,
you win.

If not, tell your XYL that the new DTV standard requires a tower, and
go from there. ;-)

73,

Bill, W1AC

--

(Filter QRM for direct replies)

"Where the search for the truth is conducted with a wink and a nod
Where power and position are equated with the will of God"
- Jackson Browne

Beachbum wrote:

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and I
passed! I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater nets,
getting a feel for local practices and personalities. Now comes decision
time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band HT's right now.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?


I would also suggest looking at mobile VHF radios. While larger than a
handheld, they are also more powerful. You can run them off battery power
in the house for an emergency fixed station or off your car batter for a
mobile station.

Eventually you will probably want one of each if you want to get seriously
involved in emergency communications.

If you used the ARRL study guide (not the shorter question/answer book), I
believe that it contains instructions for a 2 meter J-pole. This is a very
useful antenna for fixed station use as it doesn't need the ground plane
like a standard vertical does. So basically you can connect where you like
(although you might want to get it away from other metal objects for best
results).

Dee, N8UZE

Dee Flint wrote:


Beachbum wrote:

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM,
and I passed! I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater
nets, getting a feel for local practices and personalities. Now comes
decision time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band HT's
right now.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?


I would also suggest looking at mobile VHF radios. While larger than a
handheld, they are also more powerful. You can run them off battery
power in the house for an emergency fixed station or off your car batter
for a mobile station.

Eventually you will probably want one of each if you want to get
seriously involved in emergency communications.

If you used the ARRL study guide (not the shorter question/answer book),
I believe that it contains instructions for a 2 meter J-pole. This is a
very useful antenna for fixed station use as it doesn't need the ground
plane like a standard vertical does. So basically you can connect where
you like (although you might want to get it away from other metal
objects for best results).

Dee, N8UZE

Mahalo, I'll look into that antenna. I do have the ARRL Level 1 Ham
Manual. I've got a couple of options on where/how to set up antennas.

I have definitely checked out the mobiles, but have decided to start
with the HT. When I get a better feel for various bells/whistles, and
limitations (or not) of my QTH, I will no doubt get a bigger rig. I also
anticipate upgrading to general within a short time, and will need to
consider HF.

Beachbum wrote:

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and
I passed!

Well.. Congrats on Passing... I kind of recall how you feel..

You see,, I got my first license (novice) back about 1968, Then my
second (Fall same year Tech class, and remained stuck there for what, 38
years... Finally I broke tradition and visited Dayton, walked into the
testing session and did the paper upgrade to General, bought a TS-2000
and quickly found that unlike the hand held I used as a Tech.. It was
able to transmit on frequencies not allowed a General class licensee.

So.. I took a class, well 2/3 of it as I was leaving town, and the
Saturday before thanksgiving.. I fixed that TS-2000 so it would not
transmit out of band.. I fixed it using a #2 lead pencil and a dollar
store calculator.... (I got 2 wrong on the Extra Class Test)

Congrats on joining the ranks of the licensed.. May good fortune follow
you all of your days.

--
John in Detroit E-Dress is smoked, Invalid equals NET.

On 3/20/2010 12:02 PM, John from Detroit wrote:


So.. I took a class, well 2/3 of it as I was leaving town, and the
Saturday before thanksgiving.. I fixed that TS-2000 so it would not
transmit out of band.. I fixed it using a #2 lead pencil and a dollar
store calculator.... (I got 2 wrong on the Extra Class Test)

Congratulations!

I still remember how nice it felt to say "Temporary AE" for the first
time.

W1AC