Wanting to get into HAM radio

[Bob]

ok, my wife just reminded me that i had a FCC vhf license for my marine station when we bought our boat in '96, would the FCC still have that info, or not

It's the federal government. Do you think they'd get rid of that info?
All transactions with the FCC are now done by your unique identifier, called an FRN. Your info SHOULD have been ported over and assigned an FRN. That information will be helpful when you go to do paperwork.

 

[fnfalguy]

I would suggest technician, but depending on your interests/concerns, looking at following up with the general license. The general license opens up high frequency which allows for information sharing from a much longer distance if “world circumstances” ever change. The level of effort isn’t much more. When you pass the technician license, you can immediately take the general exam immediately afterwards at no additional cost. Depending on your background, you may have enough knowledge to pass it at the first go. Otherwise, it really isn’t much more of a lift to prep to pass it. The extra exam is a different story and for my purposes, it wasn’t worth going onto the final exam.

 

[spat]

I would suggest technician, but depending on your interests/concerns, looking at following up with the general license. The general license opens up high frequency which allows for information sharing from a much longer distance if “world circumstances” ever change. The level of effort isn’t much more. When you pass the technician license, you can immediately take the general exam immediately afterwards at no additional cost. Depending on your background, you may have enough knowledge to pass it at the first go. Otherwise, it really isn’t much more of a lift to prep to pass it. The extra exam is a different story and for my purposes, it wasn’t worth going onto the final exam.

Doesn't everything past technician require code ?

That was always my sticking point on going past technician, I never did enough with code to get the practice necessary to be proficient.

 

[fnfalguy]

@spat no code required anymore. It’s the thing in the past that stopped me from seriously considering it.

 

[spat]

@spat no code required anymore. It’s the thing in the past that stopped me from seriously considering it.

For any of the classes ?

 

[cgrutt]

For any of the classes ?

Nope. Went through amateur extra few years ago no code required.

 

[spat]

Nope. Went through amateur extra few years ago no code required.

Wow, I really need to get back into it.

IIRC extra used to require something like 35wpm.

I was always solid on the theory but never practiced enough to get good at the code.

 

[Jmac00]

Doesn't everything past technician require code ?

That was always my sticking point on going past technician, I never did enough with code to get the practice necessary to be proficient.

I knew morse code and semaphore very well, 40-45 years ago. i can barely send a S.O.S. now

 

[cgrutt]

Wow, I really need to get back into it.

IIRC extra used to require something like 35wpm.

I was always solid on the theory but never practiced enough to get good at the code.

Never would have considered it if coding was requirement lol.

 

[Jmac00]

did you guy use a phone app. from ARRL to study for the test

 

[Bob]

did you guy use a phone app. from ARRL to study for the test

I took my test 20 years ago. Smartphone wasn’t even a thing then. I used one of the dozens of free websites to take practice tests and study that way.

 

[fnfalguy]

If you want to go the route of brute memorization, wife highly recommends Practice Amateur Radio Exams by QRZ Ham Radio

keep running through the pool of questions until you memorize enough to pass on a regular basis.

I went the route of watching youtube videos by w4eey to understand like it was a lecture and then took the practice exams. Just different learning methods.

 

[cgrutt]

Hamstudy.org

 

[Jmac00]

I found the ARRL "HRE Tech" its all the test questions, and it has section quiz, and its free

 

[penrod72]

There is a lot of crossover between knowledge for Tech and General tickets - and the general has a lot more privileges. You have to take and pass Tech before you can take general, but you can do them the same day. I suggest studying for both at the same time.

 

[Jsmegs77]

Hamstudy.org

Seconded. The same folks also make the Signal Stick antennas for handheld radios, which are miles better than anything you’d order off Amazon.

 

[FrankenCub]

Seconded. The same folks also make the Signal Stick antennas for handheld radios, which are miles better than anything you’d order off Amazon.

I have one of their antennas on my GT3tp. Best few bucks I've spent.

 

[pshift]

ARRL is a good deal. I just got into DMR radios after 20+ years being licensed and lovin' it.