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Of course there's EE university courses, but generally, experimentation. You can get really far in electronics with learning by doing. If you don't know where

Of course there's EE university courses, but generally, experimentation. You can get really far in electronics with learning by doing. If you don't know where to start, ham radio is one traditional gateway. Whether or not you get the license is secondary (I think most interested people should get it; especially in the US where the lowest license class is ridiculously easy - if you know basic electronics already and cram today with https://hamstudy.org/ https://hamstudy.org/, you could probably have a Technician class license by end of tomorrow - and then you can legally build your own transmitters or buy some cheap radios and transmit with those. Transmitting is more fun than only receiving.). The real value is all the structure around it (e.g. 1. there are books that start from zero electronics knowledge and end at several types of complete transmitters/receivers. The ARRL publishes some; 2. the license is a tangible learning milestone to work towards; 3. all basic transmitters/receivers have been done thousands of times so you can find something online and copy it to learn from it. The ham community also has many DIY kits you can just buy and build and experiment with.) Eventually you'll find that you have enough background to use more "professional" resources (e.g. data sheets, real academic textbooks / professional books, etc.) (at least if you have some math background from another field, e.g. CS), build more complicated things etc.

nyanpasu64 4y ago
Note that getting a radio license requires publishing your legal name and a mailing (often home) address publicly in a government database under your callsign, and broadcasting your callsign with every transmission, effectively doxxing yourself to everyone within radio range. Additionally, some (generally older) ham radio users tend to exclude newcomers or are even racist (I once received a transmission without callsign (which is illegal) calling for killing n-words). In short, I do not consider getting or using a license to be safe for people in vulnerable situations.
- MandieD 4y ago
  To anyone considering getting a license: the address you use does NOT have to be your actual home address; just one you are able to get mail at. But yes, remember that the address will be publicly available, along with your name, so choose carefully. I've yet to actually have a verbal conversation on amateur radio; I've been having enough fun playing with WSPR. Those folks are generally pretty nice. I've received some signals here in Germany from US callsigns that, upon looking them up on qrz.com, turned out to be older men I would absolutely cross the street to avoid, but others from old guys I would happily buy a beer or coffee to get their stories, such as one long retired Chicago-area broadcaster who runs a website of Chicago TV history, including footage of a young, carefree-looking Obama. The former usually are transmitting with waaay too much power for Weak Signal Propagation Reporter; the latter are playing by the spirit of the thing and are doing cool nerd things into their 70s and 80s.

nyanpasu64 4y ago

Note that getting a radio license requires publishing your legal name and a mailing (often home) address publicly in a government database under your callsign, and broadcasting your callsign with every transmission, effectively doxxing yourself to everyone within radio range. Additionally, some (generally older) ham radio users tend to exclude newcomers or are even racist (I once received a transmission without callsign (which is illegal) calling for killing n-words). In short, I do not consider getting or using a license to be safe for people in vulnerable situations.

MandieD 4y ago
To anyone considering getting a license: the address you use does NOT have to be your actual home address; just one you are able to get mail at. But yes, remember that the address will be publicly available, along with your name, so choose carefully. I've yet to actually have a verbal conversation on amateur radio; I've been having enough fun playing with WSPR. Those folks are generally pretty nice. I've received some signals here in Germany from US callsigns that, upon looking them up on qrz.com, turned out to be older men I would absolutely cross the street to avoid, but others from old guys I would happily buy a beer or coffee to get their stories, such as one long retired Chicago-area broadcaster who runs a website of Chicago TV history, including footage of a young, carefree-looking Obama. The former usually are transmitting with waaay too much power for Weak Signal Propagation Reporter; the latter are playing by the spirit of the thing and are doing cool nerd things into their 70s and 80s.