Amateur radio - please read all :)

[Bonez]

So how many of you scanner enthusiasts are interested in taking on a new hobby and learning a whole lot more about radio that you have never learnt before?

Do you have $15 to buy the book, a small fee for the examination and a spare Sunday? Have you thought of getting your foundation amateur radio license and being able to talk world wide with an inexpensive transceiver?

What about all the extra stuff you will learn along the way that will make your scanner days much more fun, building your own antennas and understanding those technical things you've never really been able to get your head around?

There was a few announcements made in this forum about the new entry level license a while back, with extremely little interest from other forum users. So how bout' it?

Please ask away if you are interested and there's a few of us on here who will most certainly be able to point you in the right direction. It's a great hobby and is really a whole lot of fun!

Cheers,
Bonez
VK6FBNZ

[Zebedee]

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes!

I'm very interested and it's been on my "to do list" now for an embarrassing length of time. (At this point, Gavin will be nodding his head...)

The only reason I haven't done it yet is down to one simple reason - too bloody slack to get myself organised! I got as far as getting the book almost as soon as it came out... and then things stalled again...

[VK6ARA]

Hey Bonez,

Good to see you putting the good word in for potential new hams! Im sure many of the users in this group would love the chance to get a foundation callsign.

I have just joined this group myself but have been a "ham" for years.

Catch you on the bands bones!

Andrew
VK6ARA

[d0t-bat]

Im interested..

*What is equipment is needed?
*Where can it be obtained?
*What is the setup costs involved?
*Where can you get the license/books?
*Where can you take the exam?
*What is involved in the exam?

d0t

[WPXZBP]

If you're interested the first port of call would be the Wireless Institute of Australia. They will let you know what to study, where to get info and where to take the exam.

Gear? A handheld will get you going on 2m - they're pretty cheap, comparable to a UHF CB.

[vk6hgr]

Gear? A handheld will get you going on 2m - they're pretty cheap, comparable to a UHF CB.

Get one of the Chinese Quansheng handhelds for $99. 2m or 70cm (UHF) models available

[Nick]

Already have it .VK6YNE
ps how do you vote

[WPXZBP]

Poll has closed.

[spartacus]

but i just added my opinion!!!

[munchkin1981]

i went to mine then i got lost and forgot must do it again

[Tyranus]

Alright I suppose this thread'd be the best one to ask in rather than starting a new one.
I'm interested in doing the standard license for the technical aspects, but which of the bands are most popular generally that you've found. In particular ones that don't sound like Ch8 CB, and then what license does it actually come under, insterested in all bands under all 3 classes.
Once I've decided there I understand from previous readings that Yagi aerials are the way to go (1 going up and then 3 going downwards on an angle??), but there's a number of different radio's out there. For a n00b what should I be looking at considering that initially I'll just be doing basic stuff but if things go well may get a little bit more into it.

Thanks guys I know you'll give me some good honest answers (hopefully )

[WPXZBP]

If you want to chat like on UHF CB then 70cm (430-440MHz) is what you want. 2m (144-148MHz) is also a good band.

If you want something like 27MHz CB and to chat very long distance then go with the HF bands. (ie 160-10m, maybe 6m for added challenge)

Yagi antennas are what most tv antennas look like (ie view from top down is |-|-|-| ) There's many types of antenna useable from the venerable vertical, to the dipole, quad, delta loop, log periodic to the spiderbeam, just to name a few.

Hope that helps.

[Tyranus]

If you want to chat like on UHF CB then 70cm (430-440MHz) is what you want. 2m (144-148MHz) is also a good band.

If you want something like 27MHz CB and to chat very long distance then go with the HF bands. (ie 160-10m, maybe 6m for added challenge)

Yagi antennas are what most tv antennas look like (ie view from top down is |-|-|-| ) There's many types of antenna useable from the venerable vertical, to the dipole, quad, delta loop, log periodic to the spiderbeam, just to name a few.

Hope that helps.

Cool thanks mate, been looking at some equipment and most radios that i've seen have been aimed at 6m, 2m, 70cm range but then some say HF, I presume that means all available bands under HF?

[vk6hgr]

but then some say HF, I presume that means all available bands under HF?

Yep. HF refers to everything allocated to amateurs from the 3.5MHz to the 29MHz bands. Foundation, Standard and Advanced all increasingly higher access to amateur HF bands.

[Tyranus]

but then some say HF, I presume that means all available bands under HF?

Yep. HF refers to everything allocated to amateurs from the 3.5MHz to the 29MHz bands. Foundation, Standard and Advanced all increasingly higher access to amateur HF bands.

Awesome...actually wait there goes more of my time, more stuff to study and more money to spend...typical really how I pick the expensive hobbies! Thanks to the 2 of you, I had a feeling you 2 would be the most likely to respond!