If you've attempted to tune into a local repeater, tried calling for others, and they aren't
able to hear you at all:
Your repeater might be expecting your radio to transmit a sub-audible tone,
but your radio might not be transmitting one
Your radio might not be transmitting a sub-audible tone of the specific frequency
that your repeater requires
Your radio might be set to transmit a tone of a particular frequency, but the tone might
not be enabled
Your radio might have a receive tone set, so that it will only allow the repeater
audio through, if the repeater sends your radio the receive tone (many repeaters do not
transmit a receive tone)
How can ham radio contribute to my emergency plan?
Your radio can be a lifeline to others, whether you're helping them, or you
are the one in need of help. This can apply to walkie-talkies, satellite phone,
CB radio, and broadcast
radio, as well as ham radio. Many of us hams, however, participate in periodic
'nets', in which we practice contacting each other by ham radio in an organized
and regulated manner. Through this and other training, we learn how to communicate
effectively and efficiently, to become familiar with how to jump into action
during a moment of crisis.
But I can do the same with a cell phone, a walkie-talkie,
or CB radio, right?
Yes, you can! When there's no emergency, all these methods work as well, and are as
useful, as ham radio. If a crisis arises, however, the value of ham radio becomes
more obvious.
Also, people who use ham radio are licensed, so there is a common level of basic
knowledge and discipline shared by hams. Many of us also participate in voluntary
training that teaches us how to quickly set up a communications network should an
emergency arise.
If there's a real problem, I'll just get out my cell phone,
so what's the difference?
The differences include availability, range, and organization. During an emergency,
cell phone coverage might be limited or unavailable if power is off in your area.
Cell towers can easily get overwhelmed during an emergency if many people are
trying to get hold of loved ones or are seeking information.
Why not just use regular (FRS/GMRS)
walkie-talkies in our neighborhood?
A walkie-talkie is a
wonderfully inexpensive and lightweight communications tool for both everyday
and recreational use, and can be easily used during emergencies. (There are
basically two types: FRS
and GMRS,
each of which has its advantages.) But if several people attempt to use the
same channel, or you are more than a mile from the other person, or are trying
to talk from within your car or home, it might not seem quite as useful. Also,
don't be fooled by "privacy codes" because those using the code of Ø (zero)
can hear communications from others using all other codes on the same channel.
Hey, good buddy! I can rely on my trusty CB
radio, right?
In most cases, CB radios
will work great for you! But like walkie-talkies, CB is also limited by the possibility
of multiple people who might attempt to use the same channel during an emergency. And
most CB radios are not very portable, so you'll probably have to be near a mounted unit
if you should need to talk. Also, CB communications are not regulated to the extent
that ham radio is, often resulting in random or chaotic interruptions, misunderstanding,
disorganization, and frustration during those critical moments.
Ok, so what kind of ham radio should I get?
If you have never used a ham radio, or you are not rich, I suggest you purchase a
handheld ham radio (abbreviated HT, for handheld transceiver or handy-talkie,)
such as a Baofeng UV-5RA or
Baofeng UV-82, which you
can easily carry around or take in case of an emergency. If you would like something
a lot more powerful and little more permanent, I recommend the
Yaesu FT-2900R
'mobile' radio, which is inexpensive, and can be used in your car or as a base
station in your home. All of these radios can transmit on the 2-meter band, which
is the most commonly used frequency band, and probably the most helpful in many
emergencies.
But isn't ham radio equipment expensive?
It can be! You can spend as little as $26 on a portable, handheld radio that looks
like a walkie-talkie, or many thousands on a large, powerful base station, plus
cabling, power supply, and antenna. It all depends on where the other person is
you want to talk with in relation to where you are, and on what frequency.
How is it that I can contact somebody several cities away with my little radio?
Most handheld ham radios are no more powerful than regular walkie-talkies, but with
it you can tune in to the frequency of a local repeater,
which will re-transmit your signal many times the distance that your little HT can,
reaching people many dozens, often hundreds, of miles away. And if your repeater
is linked to an intertie
or happens to support IRLP
or EchoLink, you can
communicate through similarly linked repeaters around the world.
I always thought ham radio was a kind of geeky, old man hobby.
What does it offer a normal person like me?
It's true that ham radio is currently dominated by men who make it their hobby and
even passion, but many recent events
have contributed to turning that domination
around, to involve a lot more women and youth. As the valuable role of ham radio
in a disaster or moment of crisis becomes more obvious, I believe more people
will come to see ham radio as an indispensible tool in their emergency plans.
Still, I'm not a very technical person; I don't know anything about
electronics, and I failed math in junior high. Am I really ready to be part of this
ham radio world?
While you are not required to know much about electronics or math to simply operate
a ham radio, the ham test does require you to learn some basic things about
electricity, using only the math you learned in elementary school. With the help of
some widely available study aids,
you can quickly pick up the skills you need to understand what you're doing and pass
the ham test without a PhD.
Then again, if I was a technical person,
would ham radio challenge me?
There are
three levels or classes of ham radio license
you can obtain, each one progressively more challenging and technically in-depth than
the previous. This website focuses on the Technician license because it's the
entry-level license that will get you on the air. If you feel you have more than just
a cursory knowledge, education, or experience in science, electronics, or even
electrical engineering, it might be worth your time to consider studying for the
General or Extra license. Note: to take the General class exam, you must have first
passed the Technician class exam, and to take the Extra class exam, you must have
passed both the Technician and General class exams.
What ham radio frequencies am I allowed to use?
That all depends on your license class and your location. And even then, your
transmissions are limited to a certain level of power and transmission
types.
You can see a graphical representation of all this on the
Band Allocation Chart.
As a licensed operator, you are allowed to transmit by voice on almost all of
the 2 meter, 6 meter, and 70 cm bands. Your transmission power level cannot
exceed 1500 watts on any band, and is restricted to much less on a few of them.
How much is this test going to cost me?
The ham radio license exams are free of charge; however, testing centers charge a
small fee for paper and equipment usage. If you take your exam at the
ham testing center
in Utah County, you will be charged $14 for the first exam, then no charge for
subsequent exam attempts on the same day each time you pass an exam. So, once
you pass your Technician class license exam, the examiner will offer to let
you take the General class license exam, free of charge. I recommend you take
the offer, since you have nothing to lose but a little time, and will at least
get a chance to see what's on the General exam.
So tell me about this first ham test...what do I need to know?
The Technician license examination requires you to know a little about some
FCC rules that govern ham radio,
some basic electrical principles, and a little about how radio waves behave.
There is probably a ham radio course being taught near you. If you live in Utah
County, ham instructors hold monthly ham classes you can take free-of-charge
on the third Saturdays of every month (except during summer) at 7:30 am in the
BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School
Hunter Library. Check the UCARES calendar
under Upcoming to be sure. You can sign up and reserve a spot
by email.
You might also be interested in viewing a PPT for the
four-day ham radio class
that I teach.
Where do I go to take the ham test?
Amateur radio examinations are held in many places throughout the country. If you
live in Utah County, an examination session is held on the third Wednesday of each
month starting at 7:00 pm, also in the BYU J. Reuben Clark Law School
Hunter Library. An examination session will also be held on the third Saturday of
each month starting at 1:00 pm at the same location, if a ham radio class is also
being taught that morning. When you come, you'll need to bring your
SSN, two forms of
government ID,
and $14 cash or check.
Where did the word 'ham' come from?
Ham was
originally used as slang in the 19th century, to indicate incompetence, as in
ham actor. Later the word was thrown so frequently at error-prone telegraphers
(who sometimes made embarrassing mistakes, as you can imagine) that they actually
came to identify with it. This carried over into the radio world when operators
communicated primarily by Morse Code.
Lid has also been
used similarly, but is still regarded as a slur or insult. Interesting notes on
both of these words, along with the term amateur, appeared in a
1919 article.
There are so many other ham radio words and acronyms I don't
know...where can I go to find out what they all mean?
Ham Radio Help and Troubleshooting Guide
