New to Ham Radios...seeking Advice

I have used CBs in the past but have no experience with ham radios, nor do I fully understand the benefits or concept. I am hoping someone can give me some info about how they work, the benefits, licencing and anything else. Thanks in advance!

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Cjr777 said:

I have used CBs in the past but have no experience with ham radios, nor do I fully understand the benefits or concept. I am hoping someone can give me some info about how they work, the benefits, licencing and anything else. Thanks in advance!

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short answer ? Ham would open up more frquencies to use and more power . They work the same as a cb , just different frequencies . Getting a licensce is nothing more than studying for and taking a test. There are different levels of Licensing and as you go up it opens up different parts of the radio spectrum for your use . The FCC website will have all the info you need , what to study , where the tests are , how much $ etc. . You also get the use of repeaters . A repeater is used to capture your transmission and retransmit it further than your radio can on its own . There is also gmrs . Alot of people are going w it that dont want to have to study for a test. All you have to do to get a gmrs license is apply online. It is good for I believe five years and covers your whole immediate family . Gmrs has repeaters as well . Each has its advantages and disadvantages over the other . Gmrs would obviously be more crowded w only a few channels to operate on . Ham can open up hundreds of channels .

Cjr777 said:

I have used CBs in the past but have no experience with ham radios, nor do I fully understand the benefits or concept. I am hoping someone can give me some info about how they work, the benefits, licensing and anything else. Thanks in advance!

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I am a Ham and hold an Extra Class Licenses. I can tell you taking the test is really not difficult. In fact some will take all three tests in one day and go from nothing to extra class in 120 questions. As a ham you can push up to 1,500 watts legally.

A CB'er uses the 11 meter band Ham's, depending on their licenses level have in VHF/UHF 23 cm, 33 cm, 70 cm, 2m, 6m, and HF is 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m, 20m, 30m, 40m, 60m, 80m, and 160m. The most common used VHF/UHF frequencies are 2m and 70 cm. and many of those mobile radios will push 50 - 80 watts. the HF radios will generally push 100 watts.

I have talked to Aukland New Zealand from Southern California with 100 watts. I have spoken to European countries, Russia, Japan, Alaska, Hawaii and nearly every US state.

Ham radio has also stepped in to digital modes such as D-STAR, Fusion (C4FM), DMR.

Please let me know should you have any other questions. There is most likely a Ham Radio club in your area, and they will often perform the tests. You can also checkout the ARRL website.

Clyde said:

I am a Ham and hold an Extra Class Licenses. I can tell you taking the test is really not difficult. In fact some will take all three tests in one day and go from nothing to extra class in 120 questions. As a ham you can push up to 1,500 watts legally.

A CB'er uses the 11 meter band Ham's, depending on their licenses level have in VHF/UHF 23 cm, 33 cm, 70 cm, 2m, 6m, and HF is 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m, 20m, 30m, 40m, 60m, 80m, and 160m. The most common used VHF/UHF frequencies are 2m and 70 cm. and many of those mobile radios will push 50 - 80 watts. the HF radios will generally push 100 watts.

I have talked to Aukland New Zealand from Southern California with 100 watts. I have spoken to European countries, Russia, Japan, Alaska, Hawaii and nearly every US state.

Ham radio has also stepped in to digital modes such as D-STAR, Fusion (C4FM), DMR.

Please let me know should you have any other questions. There is most likely a Ham Radio club in your area, and they will often perform the tests. You can also checkout the ARRL website.

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Thank you for all of that info! A lot of it is greek to me, but i have been tinkering every day and trying to learn more.

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Cjr777 said:

Thank you for all of that info! A lot of it is greek to me, but i have been tinkering every day and trying to learn more.

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Have you watched any ham radio YouTube Channels? If not I can get you a list of some of the top ones. Might even tell you which one is mine.....

Clyde said:

Have you watched any ham radio YouTube Channels? If not I can get you a list of some of the top ones. Might even tell you which one is mine.....

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Just one very basic one that explained what they are, and one in how to use the cheap on I got ..... I would love the list lol

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Cjr777 said:

Just one very basic one that explained what they are, and one in how to use the cheap on I got ..... I would love the list lol

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Here are links to some of the top Ham Channels on YouTube and mine.

WJ6F
K8MRD Radio Stuff
David Casler
Ham Radio Concepts
Ham Radio 2.0
Ham Radio Crash Course
K6UDA

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about ham radio.

Clyde said:

Here are links to some of the top Ham Channels on YouTube and mine.

WJ6F
K8MRD Radio Stuff
David Casler
Ham Radio Concepts
Ham Radio 2.0
Ham Radio Crash Course
K6UDA

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about ham radio.

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Thank you!

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Cjr777 said:

Thank you!

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No problem!

Getting your general class license is like getting your cat drivers license, an entire new world open up to you. I have been an amateur radio operator for over 36 years and for the most part hams are truly fantastic people. Yes, you might end up running into the perfect asshole, but 99.99% are great people.

Captjim_NM said:

Getting your general class license is like getting your cat drivers license, an entire new world open up to you. I have been an amateur radio operator for over 36 years and for the most part hams are truly fantastic people. Yes, you might end up running into the perfect asshole, but 99.99% are great people.

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You are right skipper but again I respectfully point out the opsec issue preppers must consider compared to ordinary folk. I'm not saying dont get a ham licence, I'm saying consider the physical issues in your adoption of ham gear, Concealed antenna, no static base stations etc.

Bill, opsec is a factor. When I wrote the "Communications Plan" I figured for 10 to 20 people and about 20 acres of land. That set-up may or may not be considered a compound. To staff a communications station 16 hours a day and carry on with daily functions, find food, grow food and provide security, this would require 2 shifts and about 20 people. About the only group that has the ability to track a receiver signal is the US military. Tracking a transmitted signal is much easier. The newer HF ham gear is not much larger than the CB's of the 1970's. Yes, static antennas are an issue, but if you have a tree canopy, wire antennas are nearly invisible and can be erected using a slingshot. If you are talking a mobile station, the HAMSTICK antennas look like the basic CB fiberglass whip and only the trained eye can tell the difference. A lone wolf, backpacking person only has the space and weight capacity to carry a VHF/UHF HT. Every person or group's requirements will be different. What I am trying to do is open a dialog and get people thinking about what would work for them. Thank you for your input.

The easiest form of Sigint or Comint I would go for is say to arranged SET TIMES with those in your comms chain, either each day or every other day or whatever. And at that Send Recieve time the mobile base station is taken away from the BOL and set up at a remote location. Using a different location each time. But Never broadcasting from the BOL. That is for TWO WAY Comms.

But of course MONITORING Ham / CB / Marine / Aviation and vehicular frequencies round the clock is fine as there is no broadcast signals to triangulate in on. That only requires a concealled antenna and someone to listen in.

Years ago a group in Colorado had both a backpack loaded mobile base station and a vehicle equipped base station they used to use for Scheds ( Scheduled comms times)

Just my $0.02 since there is nobody alive who knows what sort of SHTF we may encounter, or what things WILL be like in any of the given situations. My group study using paper maps because they can't fall out of orbit, but we'll use GPS whenever we can because doing otherwise gives an opponent who is using GPS an advantage. Similarly, having the equipment and the hands-on experience of knowing how to use it doesn't mean we'll be establishing a homing beacon for every lunatic.

Well said CaptJim. Communications are going to be essential in an active defensive situation. Just about every military strike unit carries communications equipment that can be tracked by a well equipped enemy. Personally I doubt there will be many of those enemies who are capable of airwave sniffing and are still hungry enough to need what others have badly enough to deliberately target a well-organized group.

As things settle out, communities such as the one you describe are going to find it very handy to have the ability to communicate with nearby communities for mutual defense, trading, etc.