Thinking of getting into ham radio but not really sure where to begin. I live in the woods here in Marshall so there aren't many clubs or so forth to ask.

Any of yall into this?

following as I'm at the same point

There's a club in Longview
https://www.letarc.org/

And Tyler if you want to make the drive
https://tylerarc.org/

I was nearly done with classes to sit for the exam through the Garland club when the world shut itself down in 2020. Haven't tried to go back to it.

Not sure I have any care to listen to ham chatter on the radio, much less engage in it. I might find it useful eventually for off-road trail comms, but I have GMRS and CB for that now and haven't needed the extra range/cost yet.

Geolocation sharing through APRS and homemade radar both seem interesting. You can ('have to'?) do the latter without transmitting (no need for a license) by using other broadcast sources as the active leg of your radar.

You can sit for exam online, I did that for my general ticket. But if you live in Marble Falls area, the club promotes silence. Do not talk for fun and enjoyment, that is strictly shunned. Most unenjoyable airwaves I've ever witnessed. Austin, Georgetown, San Antonio, Lampasas have fun active clubs. Marble sucks eggs, then wonders why they can't grow the club.

Grab the Ham Study app and start studying for the technician and general exams. The questions are a known quantity to get to memorizing. I passed both exams on the same day very easily. That lets you operate on almost all main UHF/VHF bands. You can get the amateur extra license if you feel compelled, but many find it unnecessary to get on the air.

Nagler said:

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Genuine question, what is the purpose of HAM "radioing"? Is it a bunch of old dudes sitting around talking?

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I was going to ask the same thing. What do you talk about out? What's the point? /not being critical, just curious

Well it's mostly for fun. My HAM club in Marble Falls is so hung up on its uses for public safety when comms go down or you can't reach a phone tower that they forgot the enjoyment of it. In today's cellular society it's not as important. I had a CB back in 70's when that was pretty reliable communications.

Queso1 said:

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Nagler said:

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Genuine question, what is the purpose of HAM "radioing"? Is it a bunch of old dudes sitting around talking?

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I was going to ask the same thing. What do you talk about out? What's the point? /not being critical, just curious

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It's a hobby dominated by old guys, so a lot of old guy talk. Aside from that people derive a lot of enjoyment from the technical pursuit of bending/bouncing radio waves around the ionosphere to contact literally every part of the globe and orbital humans/hardware, emergency communication backups/redundancy are a big deal, APRS position (and other information) sharing, hobbyist radar, long range mobile comms independent of other hardware networks, and the curmudgeonly thrill of chasing down unlicensed users because they can the list goes on.

I've been interested in doing the technician exam for a while. Maybe we can form an online study group.

You double E guys, if there are any, will have to be patient with me. To me, a "circuit" is several debate tournaments in Cal that we went to over Christmas break in HS/college!

Ham Radio Crash Course is very helpful. As someone else mentioned you can sit for the exams on line now via Zoom.

There are many subsets of ham radio. Technician level will get you on UHF/VHF. It's local from an RF perspective but many of the repeaters are linked via the internet now so you can communicate over a wide area. Think walkie talkie size radios and higher power mobile (vehicle or base) units with very manageable antennas. I have friends that play exclusively in UHF/VHF and its all they are interested in.

A General license will open up HF bands for you (Extra level opens it more). Depending on your power and how tall/sophisticated your antenna system is you can talk over oceans. Like most hobbies the sky is the limit on what you can spend or you can get by on a shoestring but be more limited in capability. You can do quite a bit with the basic "100 watts and a wire" set up. Radios are more expensive than a basic UHF/VHF radio and you generally will need some room to implement an effective antenna - I have a wire antenna that is over 100' long for example. I also have vertical "ham stick" antennas that screw into a mag mount for portable use. Some hams even have HF radios in their vehicle but bigger is typically better when it comes to HF antennas. I'm in the "100 watts and a wire" category and I can reliably talk to all of the states around Texas and well beyond if conditions are right.

Digital modes are a big thing now. FT8, winlink, etc. You can even talk to the space station with the right set up. Some folks like me are into boat anchors (old vacuum tube radios). I have radios from the early 40s through the 70s in my collection. There is a lot of old guys talking about the weather on HF. Some have been meeting on the air every day for years. Its the virtual small town coffee shop for them. CW (Morse Code) is also still alive and an active segment of ham radio.

You can also get into the emergency comms field. Texas Dept of Emergency Management has an organization of amatuer radio operators called RACES which prepare for and respond to the need for radio communications during disasters or special events. ARES is another org within ARRL

I'm licensed as a General class (took the Tech and General the same day). I got into it for alternative/emergency comms and because I like tinkering. I don't consider myself a prepper and I don't want to get too political, but the modern world is fragile and free speech is at risk. I like knowing I have options that are completely within my control. Vacuum tube radios are also pretty resilient to electromagnetic pulses in the atmosphere. I'm a Texas RACES member and play on HF primarily since I live in the sticks and there's not much UHF/VHF action around me.

The suggestion to get an SDR radio and listen is a good suggestion but you can even skip all of that and go to websdr.org to tune and listen to web-connected SDRs all over the world. If there's an HF net you want to listen to just pick an SDR from the list, tune to the frequency at the posted meeting time and listen. If that SDR isn't receiving well you can pick another one. The Belton Hamfest is also coming up the first weekend in October.

This is something I have thought about for a while. To be completely free of any dependence of IP based communications.

How portable or mobile can you be? What does that look like and how available is that equipment?

For the EE and Tech guys, is, or could, a Ham handset be possible or, with demand, produced fairly cheaply?

Also, using text via Ham is interesting to me as well.

Oh, and at what point does certification or licensing from the Fed become obsolete or ignored?

Thanks in advance.

_89

texag_89 said:

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This is something I have thought about for a while. To be completely free of any dependence of IP based communications.

How portable or mobile can you be? What does that look like and how available is that equipment?

For the EE and Tech guys, is, or could, a Ham handset be possible or, with demand, produced fairly cheaply?

Also, using text via Ham is interesting to me as well.

Oh, and at what point does certification or licensing from the Fed become obsolete or ignored?

Thanks in advance.

_89

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There are quite a few handhelds available but is limited to what kind of power output. There are a bunch of you tube guys that go mobile all of the time. They do competitions on how many contacts they make and keep a log of the call signs they connect to. I have couple of handhelds that I listen to during certain times when some of the clubs around me do a "net". It is pretty cool to listen to guys transmitting using the ISS repeater when it is flying over. I also have watched the Ham Crash course videos on Youtube that make the study / memorizing the answers easy. I just need to take the test

texag_89 said:

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This is something I have thought about for a while. To be completely free of any dependence of IP based communications.

How portable or mobile can you be? What does that look like and how available is that equipment?

For the EE and Tech guys, is, or could, a Ham handset be possible or, with demand, produced fairly cheaply?

Also, using text via Ham is interesting to me as well.

Oh, and at what point does certification or licensing from the Fed become obsolete or ignored?

Thanks in advance.

_89

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UHF/VHF radio is very portable but you are very reliant on repeaters. In some areas you can also use digital mode for some security. There are two competing digital modes out there so its best to see what the repeaters support in your area. I have a Yaesu FT-70D which is a mid-range digital capable handheld. There are a lot of Chinese radios that are pretty inexpensive as well.

On HF there are also various options for portability. To be ultra portable you are going to give up transmit power to extend battery life and reduce weight and size. These are called QRP radios in ham lingo. Parks on the Air (POTA) is a popular ham "sport". Summits on the Air (SOTA) is similar and almost exclusively QRP radios because it typically involves hiking up mountain trails. Google for more info. Lots of youtube videos on these activities and the equipment.

My modern HF radio is a Yaesu FT-710. I have a go box for it and have taken it on camping trips. It's a 100w, DC powered radio which is pretty standard for full-featured HF radios from Yaesu, ICOM, etc. While camping in Arkansas and Missouri I could reliably talk to contacts back in TX using basic hamstick antennas. A wire antenna would have been better but that's harder to deploy in the field. Note that there are several amatuer HF bands. They behave differently due to atmospheric conditions and some are more portable friendly due to antenna requirements.

Licensing should not be viewed as a gateway to an exclusive club. It's really intended to give prospective hams an education about amateur radio so you get the most out of the hobby and don't get injured or cause interference. You used to have to pass a morse code test to get licensed but that requirement was dropped years ago. Unlicensed users are becoming a problem in UHF/VHF due to all of the cheap Chinese radios available for $20 on Amazon. HF is more complicated and a higher expense threshold so there's a lot less of it. A call sign is also very integral to much of what you do in amatuer radio. You have to have a verifiable call sign to get a winlink account, for example or to register on ham sites like QRZ.com. The hobby is pretty much self regulated.

This seems timely. I recall seeing this thread. Just got my license. I did both tech and general in one sitting. Planning on doing the extra eventually. Guess I'm in the market for some equipment. I have a hand held but I'm just too far for it the grab the repeaters where I am. I think is settled on a ICOM 7300 or a Yaesu 991A…might try to find a noble uhf/vhf rig. Not sure what will pop up first. Most of my local
Club is very friendly and they e already offered some loaner equipment so I may try that too but I'd really like my own. I feel bad mooching.

Jason_Roofer said:

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This seems timely. I recall seeing this thread. Just got my license. I did both tech and general in one sitting. Planning on doing the extra eventually. Guess I'm in the market for some equipment. I have a hand held but I'm just too far for it the grab the repeaters where I am. I think is settled on a ICOM 7300 or a Yaesu 991A…might try to find a noble uhf/vhf rig. Not sure what will pop up first. Most of my local
Club is very friendly and they e already offered some loaner equipment so I may try that too but I'd really like my own. I feel bad mooching.

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Congrats on getting licensed! It is a great hobby where you can get out of it just about whatever you want to.

Don't feel bad borrowing equipment if it is offered. This is very common amongst the ham community.

Regarding hitting repeaters with the HT, if you can, get a decent 2M/440 antenna (or build a J-pole out of home depot stuff) you can stick up on your roof (height is key), run a feed line down to wherever at your house and you should be able to pull them out. VHF/UHF being line of sight will get attenuated real fast at ground level. You want to get your antenna to "see" over surrounding houses/trees/etc. The HT will have plenty of power to cover quite a distance.

Congrats again!

73,
W5XL

Getting your technician is really no big deal. A little dedication and you're home free.

I'm Amateur Extra, and am teaching a homeschool co-op radio course. The 12-18 year-olds are killing it in their study and will be licensed before Halloween with this method:

1) Create an account on Hamstudy.org. Hamstudy allows you to study the test - a static question pool - with flashcards by test subelement. It reviews you on what you need support with, and is totally free.

2) As mentioned previously, watch the Ham Radio Crash Course Videos. Watch a video for subelement 1, and then study it on Hamstudy. Then do subelement 2, etc...

3) If you get each subelement to >90%, you are bulletproof for the test. Hamstudy will also generate representative tests for you so you can track that progress. You need 75% on a 35 question test.

4) Just learn the questions and answers. Don't get hung up trying to understand everything first. You have your whole life to determine which aspect of radio to focus on, and to clear up fuzzy topics. Getting licensed is the first step in a hobby that is largely learning by doing.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I bought an ICOM-7300 off of a person in my club as my first HF rig and it has been great. Excellent documentation, videos, user-interface, clarity, etc...

The IC-705 is a pretty cool low-power (10W) system if you are starting into portable HF.

I couldnt resist. Simpsons...

Thanks! I think I can build a j pole but N9TAX sells a nice roll up that has great reviews. Might be nice to have for portability. But I'd also like a semi permanent setup to hear and use my local repeater. It's about 5 miles away and I'm
On a hill but still not much juice to get to it. I can receive fine.

KJ5MWQ

Once Morse code was removed from the requirements I got my license.
The technician test for me was easy with a bit of study. Basically junior high science.
I wanted to be able to communicate in a shtf scenario.
I became competent with it and got bored quickly.
All of my equipment is stored in a protective manner and can be up and operational in short order.

I'm a ham. I'm at a point in my life where I'm not putting a lot of time or money into hobbies, so I'm not into it whole hog. But it's fun. Hope to do more soon. I encourage you to get licensed. 73 DE W5HII.

Another good reason to have a Ham radio setup.
The facts are unfolding but apparent terrorist attack planned against our President in NYC includes shutting down cellular communications.

I don't know enough if VOIP would have been affected.


https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2025/09/us-secret-service-dismantles-imminent-telecommunications-threat-new-york?fbclid=IwdGRleAM_iAxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHs5ARStLsMGNZHWjGhq9v61du2wMPD_BV-zHpxTvBtAfi7TKFvCWTyHbsvL-_aem_gFFCg1yRBXB4gQxdMlLN4A

hopeandrealchange said:

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Once Morse code was removed from the requirements I got my license.
The technician test for me was easy with a bit of study. Basically junior high science.
I wanted to be able to communicate in a shtf scenario.
I became competent with it and got bored quickly.
All of my equipment is stored in a protective manner and can be up and operational in short order.

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This is part of what got me into boat anchors. I enjoy fixing them. You also have to actually operate the old radios. A lot more engaging experience.

We have a SSB boat anchor net every Wed night at 7:30 central on 3870. You don't have to be on a boat anchor radio to check in. In fact we like having a modern radio or two check in so we can use them as a frequency standard. Old radios tend to drift around.

I'm typically checking in with a 1964/65 era Drake TR3 that I modified to use later TR4 sideband filters. I also have a set of Drake B-line twins and a Swan 260 in the rotation, also 1960s radios. I'm hoping to check in this week with a mid-50s Central Electronics 20A exciter, homebrew amp, and a early 1940s Hammarlund SuperPro 200 receiver. The whole kit weights more than I do and none of it was working when I got it. We'll see how it goes. A lot can go wrong with that much 70+ year old gear.

Howdy y'all.

I have been an active ham for several years here in BCS. For local folks, I encourage you to check out the local Bryan Amateur Radio Club W5BCS https://w5bcs.radio/. They have biweekly meetings, trainings, radio events, opportunities for hands on learning and lots of folks willing to help or what is called "elmer" new hams.

We have a lot of active hams here in BCS area.

There are clubs in Grimes County and several surrounding counties as well if you live further out.

TAMU has a club as well, W5AC https://w5ac.tamu.edu/ that is pretty active.

We have plenty of VHF/UHF repeaters in the area, so its quite easy to get involved and talking to people.

Travis

Do you guys ever have swap meets or gear for sale? I don't have a radio yet so I've been building EFHW and transformers in the shop for fun and learning. Casually looking for radio/PS/ATU/etc.

Last month there was a huge estate sale that W5BCS hosted with lots of radios etc. Every Tuesday night there is a net (a time when the group gets on the repeaters and has an unofficial meeting on the airwaves) and there is a buy/sell segment. Great place to inquire for items folks are looking to sell locally.

There are some large ham swaps a few times a year, one in Temple and one in Houston, those are the best places for deals.

More info:
https://w5bcs.radio/minutes/events/net-w5bcs/
https://w5bcs.radio/minutes/events/

Thanks!!