8 ms·

The importance of ham radio is that it's infrastructure-less. People are completely used to the Internet and mobile telephones working without thinking about th

The importance of ham radio is that it's infrastructure-less. People are completely used to the Internet and mobile telephones working without thinking about the infrastructure and its maintenance. With my radios I can talk to people all over the place point to point without any infrastructure at all.

giancarlostoro 9y ago
After an article about the judge who did the case for Oracle vs Google and how he was a ham I got more and more interested in ham radios. The only downside is the cost of some of the equipment, but if you can reach a main city there's usually repeaters up on those buildings from what I've been told. There's so much to learn I feel and I don't know where to start truly, I've just watched a couple of videos and read a few articles. I know I need to get my license first for sure.
- tomfanning 9y ago
  Honestly, the best route in is to find a local club. For the US: http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club For the UK: http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/first-steps/ http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/first-step... Most nations have a national society that can help signpost you in the same way. Also, come join /r/amateurradio, there's a pretty friendly, if small, community there, with a weekly "ask anything" thread and an alright "getting started" wiki.
- jgrahamc 9y ago
  Do the basic license (whatever that is in your country) and then you can talk to people. Yes, the equipment can be initially expensive, but you don't need to spend a fortune on the latest crazy HF radio.
- Ao7bei3s 9y ago
  Ham radio does not necessarily mean expensive equipment. It tends to get expensive, but with some knowledge about electronics, you can build transceivers and antennas very cheaply too - and after all, being allowed to do that is the main, unique perk of a ham radio license. And yes, you can still do long-distance connections that's your goal. Yes, while using repeaters is one of the less interesting aspects of the hobby, I do strongly recommend (licensed) beginners to get a $35 Baofeng 2m/70cm handheld radio precisely because it gets you some gratification very cheaply and very quickly. If you're from the US, you would start at http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed, either with online material or the book. If you're from Germany, I can highly recommend http://amateurfunkpruefung.de/ http://amateurfunkpruefung.de/. Additionally, you should check if there's a group nearby: with a licensed instructor present, you can transmit even before getting your own license, which is also very motivating. And a ham radio club will typically give you access to very expensive tools and knowledgeable people who want to help you succeed.
  - AmVess 9y ago
    Baofeng radios are only marginally useful on the receive end, and generally terrible on the transmit end. A decent Yaesu is $165+, but will last for many years and actually fulfill its role if you need it to. Look up tests of Baofeng radios and you'll see how poorly they carry out their intended function.
    - Ao7bei3s 9y ago
      Look, a decent Yaesu costs 5x as much, and the Baofeng fully fulfills the role I recommended it for - which is to get a beginner started quickly. The entire point was that you don't need to take part in the pay to win game. Noone said Baofengs are high-quality devices. But that's kind of the point, and it is easily good enough to get onto a local relay to get some easy satisfaction and practice the non-technical aspects (like: err, what did he say? and what am I supposed to say now?). Since it's only $35, I own one and have have used a couple of different models. I've done QSO's (connections) over repeaters around 25km away with these from rural but non-elevated positions without any problems. (Ok, I probably used an antenna that costs $10 extra.) Besides, what's so interesting about 70cm/2m handhelds that makes getting an expensive one worth it anyway? Spending the money on a HF (around 3MHz-30MHz, often a bit more) transceiver seems like a much more interesting choice (long distance, antenna building, atmospheric conditions etc.). (This does not mean there are no interesting things to do on 70cm/2m. But even with a Baofeng you can e.g. work a satellite with the right antenna.) Yes, you're relying on the superior equipment and position on the other end, but so what, if it works? Noone tells the QRP (low power) crowd to get an amplifier either, and certainly noone complains about the very crude DIY designs most people build. It's ok.
      - AmVess 9y ago
        I have a drawer full of new ones so I can show newbies how bad they are. The three that I have all perform differently; they are the same model. You got one that may perform closely to specification, but frustration for the newbie arrives when they get one that performs poorly....if at all. This is the norm for Baofeng equipment. So you might spend $35 a few times until you get one that works well, and then another $25 for an actual quality antennae ($10 one you have is 100% a counterfeit). Already, the newbie is down $95 and at this point probably not happy with their new hobby. If they do graduate to more interest, that pile of Baofeng gear will be wasted money in a drawer somewhere. Also, Yaesu and they like are hardly Pay To Win as you say (whatever that means). $165 is small amount of money for something that will last many years and will function as designed and when needed. Further, the point of radio gear is to communicate. Try using a Baofeng for anything anywhere important for any length of time, and you'll realize they are nothing more than toys and not suitable for the task.
- mehrdadn 9y ago
  > The only downside is the cost of some of the equipment What about the fact that everyone in the world who can receive your signal will hear and understand what you're saying?
  - Filligree 9y ago
    That's the desired outcome, not a downside.
    - mehrdadn 9y ago
      Desired by... the same people as the ones communicating? In the majority of cases or in the minority?
      - Johnythree 9y ago
        Desired by the informed majority of the general population. Ham Radio's "Self Policing" aspect is a huge asset to both the Users and the Regulatory authorities. It's what makes Ham Radio work. However Self Policing relies totally on user self-identification. If we allowed anonymity, Ham Radio would become as unusable as CB radio has. To put it another way, if you want anonymity, use CB radio.
  - TallGuyShort 9y ago
    That's pretty much the way an awful lot of communication happens on the Internet, too.
    - mehrdadn 9y ago
      ...no? I can't read your HTTP communication merely by being with propagation distance. I have to actually have control over the communication channel. Which I don't.
      - vvanders 9y ago
        In many cases that propagation is just the distance to the nearest Starbucks WiFi.
- GaiusAurus 9y ago
  Most people are talking about Baofengs and similar Chinese-brand radios for inexpensive radios, which are mostly VHF/UHF range. There's also HF rigs that are inexpensive, like the uBitX (http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/ http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/), which you buy as an easy-to-assemble kit. It can do 10W on HF, and it's only 109$.
mtgx 9y ago
I wish the Wi-Fi Alliance would develop a (really) long-range unlicensed wireless standard, too, and then have it built into all Wi-Fi chips. That's what would finally enable the meshnet.

giancarlostoro 9y ago

After an article about the judge who did the case for Oracle vs Google and how he was a ham I got more and more interested in ham radios. The only downside is the cost of some of the equipment, but if you can reach a main city there's usually repeaters up on those buildings from what I've been told. There's so much to learn I feel and I don't know where to start truly, I've just watched a couple of videos and read a few articles. I know I need to get my license first for sure.

tomfanning 9y ago
Honestly, the best route in is to find a local club. For the US: http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club For the UK: http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/first-steps/ http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/first-step... Most nations have a national society that can help signpost you in the same way. Also, come join /r/amateurradio, there's a pretty friendly, if small, community there, with a weekly "ask anything" thread and an alright "getting started" wiki.
jgrahamc 9y ago
Do the basic license (whatever that is in your country) and then you can talk to people. Yes, the equipment can be initially expensive, but you don't need to spend a fortune on the latest crazy HF radio.
Ao7bei3s 9y ago
Ham radio does not necessarily mean expensive equipment. It tends to get expensive, but with some knowledge about electronics, you can build transceivers and antennas very cheaply too - and after all, being allowed to do that is the main, unique perk of a ham radio license. And yes, you can still do long-distance connections that's your goal. Yes, while using repeaters is one of the less interesting aspects of the hobby, I do strongly recommend (licensed) beginners to get a $35 Baofeng 2m/70cm handheld radio precisely because it gets you some gratification very cheaply and very quickly. If you're from the US, you would start at http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed, either with online material or the book. If you're from Germany, I can highly recommend http://amateurfunkpruefung.de/ http://amateurfunkpruefung.de/. Additionally, you should check if there's a group nearby: with a licensed instructor present, you can transmit even before getting your own license, which is also very motivating. And a ham radio club will typically give you access to very expensive tools and knowledgeable people who want to help you succeed.
- AmVess 9y ago
  Baofeng radios are only marginally useful on the receive end, and generally terrible on the transmit end. A decent Yaesu is $165+, but will last for many years and actually fulfill its role if you need it to. Look up tests of Baofeng radios and you'll see how poorly they carry out their intended function.
  - Ao7bei3s 9y ago
    Look, a decent Yaesu costs 5x as much, and the Baofeng fully fulfills the role I recommended it for - which is to get a beginner started quickly. The entire point was that you don't need to take part in the pay to win game. Noone said Baofengs are high-quality devices. But that's kind of the point, and it is easily good enough to get onto a local relay to get some easy satisfaction and practice the non-technical aspects (like: err, what did he say? and what am I supposed to say now?). Since it's only $35, I own one and have have used a couple of different models. I've done QSO's (connections) over repeaters around 25km away with these from rural but non-elevated positions without any problems. (Ok, I probably used an antenna that costs $10 extra.) Besides, what's so interesting about 70cm/2m handhelds that makes getting an expensive one worth it anyway? Spending the money on a HF (around 3MHz-30MHz, often a bit more) transceiver seems like a much more interesting choice (long distance, antenna building, atmospheric conditions etc.). (This does not mean there are no interesting things to do on 70cm/2m. But even with a Baofeng you can e.g. work a satellite with the right antenna.) Yes, you're relying on the superior equipment and position on the other end, but so what, if it works? Noone tells the QRP (low power) crowd to get an amplifier either, and certainly noone complains about the very crude DIY designs most people build. It's ok.
    - AmVess 9y ago
      I have a drawer full of new ones so I can show newbies how bad they are. The three that I have all perform differently; they are the same model. You got one that may perform closely to specification, but frustration for the newbie arrives when they get one that performs poorly....if at all. This is the norm for Baofeng equipment. So you might spend $35 a few times until you get one that works well, and then another $25 for an actual quality antennae ($10 one you have is 100% a counterfeit). Already, the newbie is down $95 and at this point probably not happy with their new hobby. If they do graduate to more interest, that pile of Baofeng gear will be wasted money in a drawer somewhere. Also, Yaesu and they like are hardly Pay To Win as you say (whatever that means). $165 is small amount of money for something that will last many years and will function as designed and when needed. Further, the point of radio gear is to communicate. Try using a Baofeng for anything anywhere important for any length of time, and you'll realize they are nothing more than toys and not suitable for the task.
mehrdadn 9y ago
> The only downside is the cost of some of the equipment What about the fact that everyone in the world who can receive your signal will hear and understand what you're saying?
- Filligree 9y ago
  That's the desired outcome, not a downside.
  - mehrdadn 9y ago
    Desired by... the same people as the ones communicating? In the majority of cases or in the minority?
    - Johnythree 9y ago
      Desired by the informed majority of the general population. Ham Radio's "Self Policing" aspect is a huge asset to both the Users and the Regulatory authorities. It's what makes Ham Radio work. However Self Policing relies totally on user self-identification. If we allowed anonymity, Ham Radio would become as unusable as CB radio has. To put it another way, if you want anonymity, use CB radio.
- TallGuyShort 9y ago
  That's pretty much the way an awful lot of communication happens on the Internet, too.
  - mehrdadn 9y ago
    ...no? I can't read your HTTP communication merely by being with propagation distance. I have to actually have control over the communication channel. Which I don't.
    - vvanders 9y ago
      In many cases that propagation is just the distance to the nearest Starbucks WiFi.
GaiusAurus 9y ago
Most people are talking about Baofengs and similar Chinese-brand radios for inexpensive radios, which are mostly VHF/UHF range. There's also HF rigs that are inexpensive, like the uBitX (http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/ http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/), which you buy as an easy-to-assemble kit. It can do 10W on HF, and it's only 109$.

mtgx 9y ago

I wish the Wi-Fi Alliance would develop a (really) long-range unlicensed wireless standard, too, and then have it built into all Wi-Fi chips. That's what would finally enable the meshnet.