If you want to have reliable communication during an emergency, the only service that will be 100% is amateur radio/ham radio. Let me know if you have further questions.
Thank you for elaborating on the importance of range. For those who only want to receive transmissions, can you recommend any good shortwave or AM band radios since those waves travel further?
@@TheVoiceInYourHeadd This would be a great idea for another video. I'll pull together some ideas. Most of the amateur radios that cover the HF amateur frequencies also include a general coverage receive capability for all of HF. I could listen to the AM band and other shortwave frequencies. Let me make some notes and see what type of a video I can produce. If you have further ideas, let me know. Thanks for watching and commenting!!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm Certainly! and thanks for helping the community. I found a tecsun unit with the ferrite antenna. Gonna try that to get my feet wet then move up the ladder from there. I'd like to have something like your 100 watt Transceiver one day. I've learned a lot in one night! Cheeers
@@TheVoiceInYourHeadd If we can help further, let us know. Start simple and find something with HF and VHF. It's nice to have all frequencies available to you.
Also, I’m a new Ham operator in Idaho USA. I bought a Yaesu FT-991A and a piece of wire from Lowe’s. I made a dipole antenna for 20m and talked to a guy in North Carolina. Amazing and simple.
Ham radio is so much fun! You never know where you'll talk. Make a dipole for 15 meters and 10 meters. Aim them broadside to Europe (have the wires pointed SE/NW). With 100 watts, you should be good into Europe in the mornings! Enjoy!
Yeah try a fan dipole. I’ve been all over Europe and and even northwest Russia in the mornings. Central and South America most any time, but being in Tennessee I can’t seem to get past the west coast. Not yet anyway. Isn’t it amazing what a balun and some old speaker wire can do!
@@timothymorris1499 You're right! Some old wire and a balun and you can have a great antenna! Great idea on the fan dipole! With the sunspot cycle near a peak, it doesn't take much to talk around the world! Cheers!
Upgrade that Dipole to a Doublet. Make it as long as possible. You will have a multiband antenna that has gain on it's upper bands. The difference is how it is fed. A small investment in a remote tuner to place outside at the antenna brings huge returns.
I am a General ham liscense holder. You did an absolutely terrific job of explaining ham/amateur radio, its uses, and capabilities in the event of SHTF. Great video!
I hear what you are saying, but when the SHTF, sll rules are out. SHTF means survival. If you're not licensed and I hear you, I will.offer you help, not thret. HAM CRAM will get you licensed in one day, so prepare while there is still time.
@@glenpitts6813 I'll definitely offer to help, as I believe most hams will. No matter the method, I hope many folks will consider getting their ticket. Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment!
Noobie here. Learned more basics in the last 23 minutes than I've gleaned from most SW channels (NPI) in the last 23 weeks. Thanx. Am subbing right after I post this.
I'm glad this video was helpful! We appreciate you subbing and joining us! I've got another ham radio video hitting today. I hope it'll be helpful too! Cheers!
I am studying for my ham lics in a few weeks. I am only a low-level prepper but I enjoyed your presentation just for general knowledge. I think you did a great job. It was not disjointed at all. I visuals on the antennas along with the frequency info were great. THANKS!
Thanks for watching and commenting! I've got a couple more videos planned to show how far frequencies travel, etc. If you've got ideas for videos, let me know. Good luck on your license! 73!
Best basics ham video much more eloquent than what others put out, you kept it at the perfect level of depth without overwhelming the viewer, something others fail at miserably, these videos need to be explained like we’re five years old.
Now that we know that HF is the way to go, please make part two talking in slightly more detail, like do you use digital or analog, do you talk or do you Morse code, do you send digital messages, what kind of useful information would one gather if SHTF.
@@GamingAmbienceLive This is a great idea for a follow-up. Let me pull together some ideas and see how I can present this. If you've got other ideas, let me know! Thanks for the idea and thanks for watching! Cheers!
As I’ve told you Glen’s grandpa was a ham radio operator for decades. He was also a communication technician during WWII stationed on a north west location in Canada. Life long friendships were made world wide. So fun. This seems to be a hit for you Rich!
This video has touched a good nerve. I can see a series of videos based on this theme! It's so cool that Glen's Grandpa was a ham! The old-school hams were so cool and such innovators! Cheers Annette!
Just payed the fee to the FCC and waiting for my paperwork after passing my Tech&Gen. I appreciate your content. Looking forward to more HF & SHTF videos.
Congrats on passing two tests! That is awesome! I've currently got three other ham radio videos on here. I hope they will help you. If you have ideas for other topics regarding radio, let me know. I'd be happy to film other topics. Again, congrats on the new license!! 73!
Good job keeping it simple. I’ve noticed a big uptick of people on social media wanting radios for prepping reasons. Most have limited or no radio knowledge. The availability of cheap Chinese radios and their deceptive marketing is at least partially fueling this. The good thing is that at least some of them can be recruited into the hobby with some exposure to it. The more people we can get licensed , the bigger pool of resources we will have should an emergency occur or even just for the betterment of the hobby in general. Keep stressing that getting licensed and actually using the radio is how you will become better prepared should an emergency actually arise. There’s a mindset among some that they don’t need a license, since they will only operate under emergency rules. If you truly want to be prepared, you need to practice your skills and a license is how you get on the air when there’s no emergency and practice. For future videos you could show some simple ideas for very basic antennas and radios. Maybe a beginners set up that’s portable? Any way keep up the good work. 73’s!!!
I agree. Practice, practice, practice! I'm hoping more people will get their license and enjoy the fun of Amateur Radio while also learning skills. Thanks for watching and commenting! 73!
Most people who go into amateur radio don't do it for SHTF. They do it as a hobby, otherwise when I listen to aa net, someone would talk of preparation and they never do.
@@PatrickThreewit I think you're correct. Most come in as a hobby. I am betting that many are doing their preparation on their own. In an emergency, you find all the people that are prepared. I am sure there are many out there but they are not advertising their plans. Stay in touch!!
Great video. You hit all the points needed to explain this hobby. Not too deep but not shallow by any means. You also drove home the concept “Its too late to start reading the book on how to swim when the ship is going down.” Well done sir. 73 de KD3E
Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! I hope it'll get more amateurs in our ranks, but also get people who want to test their gear....and get on the air! 73! Rich
Yep. What you say. One of the first questions I had when working on getting my tickets was how are we really supposed to use this radio for real emergencies. How are we to know which frequencies and what time to be on the radio with friends, families and pertinent others. From the answers, or lack of I quickly realized we would suffer from our lack of preparedness. This is the time to practice and know how to utilize our resources. Thank you sir.
Practice is going to make all the difference. Also, having a plan, with others, and following it. I know what frequencies (and times) to look for friends, in case of an emergency. I don't want to leave it all to chance. Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment. Cheers!
I think we need to start with our closest group of licensed friends and set a time that we call out to each other on a local net, one a day or once a week and we have some way of saying when we will begin doing this daily, for example... In Kansas City, we have a daily net from 5'15 to 5:45 PM... anywhere from twenty to fifty people log in and have a chance to let each other know if they need to get in touch later on for example.
Find the networks in your area and participate regularly. A Web SDR near you will help you locate them. I live in San Francisco and check into the Chubasco Net every day on 7.192 at 7:45AM. There are people all up and down the coast on it and also Arizona etc. You need pre-arranged times and frequencies with people in your circle. Also you can just scan for signals.
I’ve learned more during this video than I have in watching 200 others. You’ve answered the questions I have had for a long time and generally not had them explained. BASIC stuff was what I needed. Many thanks.
Thanks for the kind words. Glad I could answer your questions. I watched a bunch of videos and they were either wrong or way over my head! Glad I hit the sweet spot! Thanks again!!
This is very important. I’m lacking in the equipment and knowledge despite the radios and antennas. Please do more training vids. Winter project will be to get the licence. Thank you.
Let me know what kind of training is needed. I've done it so long that I'm looking for direction from folks who don't have the experience. What topics to cover, etc. Thanks!
@@TheOldSwedesFarmMaybe start with the absolute basics like radio waves, what they are, the different types, where they are on the EM spectrum, how a radio works, transmitting & receiving, how an antenna works, other technicalities - for a start!!! THNX
Outstanding job! It amazes me the number of experienced Ham Radio operators trying to make an "introduction" video who start out talking about "making QSO's on the 20 meter band" (or some similar nonsense) while clueless to the fact the people they're talking to have no idea what a QSO or a 20 meter band are. So good job for recognizing that, and for not trying to explain a month's worth of learning in ten minutes. One thing I would like to add is that with the 991A radio you showed, it can also be programed to communicate on GMRS and Family Radio Service (FRS) frequencies/channels. FRS is the radio you might have played with as a kid. (I'm still new to this so don't know the capabilities of other base-station type radios and if they can be programmed like this also.) I live halfway down a street one mile long street that's several miles outside of town - and though I haven't done it yet, I plan to tell my neighbors that if they want to pick up a cheap FRS radio to have in case of emergency (like the "snowpocalypse" we had in Texas a couple of years ago) we can work out a system for checking in with each other at designated times. They might not be able to all talk with each other, but I'm sure they can all reach me via the antenna I have mounted on a 30 foot high pole.
I bet your neighbors would love you taking a leadership role in communication with everyone, in case of emergency. A snowstorm or tornado changes things in a hurry and communication is vital. This might lead to other things (who has a great first aid kit, etc.). I'll check into the 991 and the GMRS and FRS abilities. Thanks for the comments on this video. I really tried to keep it basic. I'm working on another video talking about how far the various frequencies will talk. I'm trying to keep that video basic too. It should be fun, informative and easy to understand. It's not easy to hit all those points. Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! Cheers!
Thank you for the feedback. I'm still new to Ham Radio - a member of the club did the programming for me so let me know if you want and I'll get some details from him. Cheers. @@TheOldSwedesFarm
The great thing about getting your HAM license and meeting other HAMs is that you'll learn how to use these radios and understand how they work. Many people think they will just buy one of these things, turn it on and it just works, are in for a big surprise.
You're correct. Just turning it on will be a huge surprise. It'll be a frustrating time trying to learn during the heat of the battle. Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers!
my buddy and i managed to get about 7 miles simplex here in northwest ohio. the landscape is patchy woods and cornfields and i was heading pretty much directly south from his location, but i used a ft60r with a diamond antenna inside the car and he was inside his house in the woods with a uv5r and stock antenna. not to shabby.
I would say that you did very well for two antennas that were indoors (I'll consider yours indoors since you were in the car). You can test again when the weather is better. Have your friend go up on his roof and you are allowed to get out of the car. I bet you could increase your range quite a bit. It would be interesting to test your results. Thanks for sharing! It's always good to test your rigs, antennas, locations, etc. Take care!
I have been a radio amateur (extra class) since 2015 as one of about a dozen hobbies, half of which include prepping of some sort. It is a great distraction that you can do in your home and has a lot of activities both on the air and with clubs and hamfests. After getting the 3 amateur exams out of the way, I took the 6 FCC Commercial (GROL, GMDSS, T, Radar) within 6 months just to see how deep the rabbit hole went. I started in CB and REACT in the 70's but now I enjoy HF the most since it is good for very long distance. It may have helped a bit that I was Comm/Nav in the USAF in the early 80's. 73 de KI1Y, Central Florida.
Wow! You've done it all (or most of it)! Amateur Radio sure can play a vital role in prepping. Hope we can run into each other on the air at some point. Cheers!
Wonderful video, as I got my General license and have 2 HF radios on the way. What's the brand name of that whip antenna setup that screws into the 3 magnetic mount and you put the appropriate whip in it? Thanks very much!
The antennas are simple Hamsticks from DXEngineering. Let me know if you can find them. They are simple but work great! I just put out a video from the Minnesota QSO Party. You can hear the hamsticks in action with the Yaesu 991A in a pile-up on 20 meters. Cheers!
Thank you for the video. Im an old school member back in the 80s. I have a President Washington radio with a silver eagle mic in excellent condition and have an Astro antenna. The question is, is the stuff I have outdated? I heard Galaxy radios are good...
I don't have knowledge of that radio and microphone. I had a brand new radio around 2000. Used it until last year, when it died. I thought it was a really good radio. I have a new radio and the technology has advanced really far. My new radio has filtering that makes the receiver incredible. My old rig wouldn't hear half the stuff I can now hear. I would bet your old radio is quite outdated. Maybe fun to use but the technology has moved forward in leaps & bounds. Find someone with a new rig and listen to them side-by-side.
Thanks for the kind words. I've got three other ham radio videos out now. Check them out. If you have ideas for other videos, let me know. Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers!
I just love the hobby and see how beneficial radio can be in an emergency. I've been told I'm a good cheerleader for ham radio! Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers!
Thumbs up and a new subscriber! Found your channel from this video. I’m a relatively new amateur technician and have been on the GMRS side for a while. Comfortable with what I can do, who I can reach, and nearby repeaters on 2 meter / 70cm.. now just looking more into HF. Would love additional videos. I’m also a homesteader, so I’ll watch some of your chicken and gardening videos as well.. we do both of those too. 73s!
Welcome to amateur radio Mike! It's a great step forward! Work on your General ticket and you can use a LOT more frequencies and get on HF. It's a whole new world! Good luck with the gardens, chickens and radio! Cheers!
Glad we could provide a useful video! It's a great hobby and you'll enjoy it! I've got several more ham radio videos so I hope you find others helpful. 73 Stephen!
Keep that license renewed. It's an important first step. Look to get things set up over the winter so you're ready, should things go bad. If not, it's a great hobby to enjoy! Let me know when you're on the air. Take care!
I thought your video was an excellent introduction to Amateur radio! Just the right level of detail and simplicity for people new to the topic. Just recently I became an annual member of The American Radio Relay League AARL which gives you year long privilages for educational videos to use in conjunction with the AARL books you mention to study for your HAM license. There are also educational videos on ARRL to learn more about electronics, antennas and many other subject areas beyond just getting licensed. I have the AARL Technicians study book, Fifth Edition now, will study, take the test and pass the Technician level licensing test. It is then needed to move on to the General book and licence to have High Frequency "HF" Shortwave Radio band privilages allowing for worldwide communication. I'm really looking forward to the human connections and friendships that can be made. Fantastic job with this video as an introduction to this wonderfull hobby!
Great video, Rich! I'm a General class operator, and I thought you did a very good job of making the hobby sound fun, interesting, important, and accessible! Since you asked for suggestions, how about going more in-depth on how to build and erect antennas, where to get the materials, setting up the tower, running the feed line, etc. I think they'd be very useful, and I feel like you'd do a great job at explaining it in easy-to-follow language. I've also considered the Yaesu FT-1000, and would love to know your thoughts on that radio as well. Thanks again!
Not sure why this took a month to show up. Thanks for your comments. I'll look at further videos on antennas, towers, etc. For an older rig, the FT1000 is a workhorse. I'd recommend it to anyone for a base station rig. I like the sound of the Yaesu rigs and they perform very well. You can probably find them fairly inexpensive too. Good luck looking for one. Keep me posted. 73!
I just renewed my license that was expired for a few months. And after about 20 years of inactivity I’m getting active again. I’m pretty excited and am amazed at how things have changed. I was very active and instrumental in building packet radio networks for my club and a few others so packet was my obsession. I don’t even know if that exists anymore. Thanks for a great video. Need to see if I can get my old icom 735 fired up and running. Going to be fun starting over again. 73.
Well done Sir! Very inspiring, I'm studying for my Technician license since retirement... purchased my first Wouxun HT, obtained my GMRS license and testing soon for my Technician license here in Washington state. Thanks again for the inspiring video for this rookie... WSAW777.....73
I've had a good comment from someone in a State Forest (MN) about my setup for POTA (Parks on the Air) for emergency communication. I use a small radio that can do about 5 watts on 3 or more HF bands and a portable vertical antenna or simply a wire in a tree. If one runs CW (Morse Code) then the radio can be even smaller. It is amazing the amount of information that can be shared. For POTA I typically make about 11 contacts all over the US in about 30 minutes. The last time for me included a station in a park in Poland.
CW will always get through. Those small POTA operations sure make a lot of QSO's in a short amount of time. Good to hear of another ham in Minnesota! Cheers!
This was awesome tutorial I wish I had you around when I was looking for my radio. I did get a Wouxun KG-UV7D and a Abbree 34in gooseneck antenna for it and I also have a pair of Midlands GMSR I would use more for close quarters. I was one of those ones who thought that all I had to do was get the radio I was set but I did know I had to get the license. Thanks for showing your set up and what each equipment is used for that was very helpful. Well done Rich! 👍🏾 I would love to see more ham videos thanks.
Thanks for watching and your comments. If you have specific ideas for videos, let me know. I'd like to do more. I've got a couple ideas but need more ideas. Now that you've got your license, we need to catch you on 10 meters some day! Take care!!!
My DH had us both get our call numbers and he wanted to put up a repeater. He was the driving force. I have 2 handhelds but I really havent done anything with them. Good info!
You've got your license, so that's the first step! Now you need to test your gear and make sure they work. Then make a plan to communicate with others, should things take a turn for the worse. Cheers Kathleen!
I have been thinking about investing in a mobile unit that I can take from the truck to the house. I know if the electric goes out i can use it in my truck.@@TheOldSwedesFarm
great video , i am green as the grass in your yard ,i was thinking i may get the license . you did a great job for me to understand about the types of radio and antenna . thanks....
I hope you'll go for your license. There is a link in the description of the video to get your study manual. I bet you could get your Technician and General license and enjoy a lot of fun! If I can help, don't hesitate to reach out. Cheers!
73's from the UK , Im just doing my foundation training and hope to be on the air soon , i had ssb lsb am fm back in the 80's and 90's and made some great contacts , Great hobby for the right people...Great Video sir i have subbed and i will check your other videos to aquire more info 👍73
I hold both a GMRS and amateur radio licenses. The GMRS license requires no testing, apply and pay the fee. The Baofeng UV5R HT is an excellent place to start for a ham radio, I have two of them. BTW, I am a Yeasu fan, I just picked up an FTM500 and love it! 73!
Great video. General license here for about 3 years and just getting rolling with things. A video on how you set up and grounded that nice antenna farm would be awesome.
I got my Tech Plus License in May of 1980, I missed the 13 WPM test by one question (missed the call area of one of the stations call off by one number). I went to the FCC in NYC. I went to general when they dropped to code requirements & my Extra Class in 2000
Congrats on the Extra! The code test used to throw off many. I worked Field Day in 1981 (all night on CW) and passed the code a couple days later! Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment!
There are usually individuals, or companies, in most areas that will erect towers or add antennas. I would ask around with local clubs. Since you're in CT, go ask the ARRL in Newington. Someone in a club, or at the ARRL, should know. 73!
I talked to a local Ham operator that upkeeps a local club’s repeater. It’s powered by solar panels and he said that if SHTF and everyone is using the repeater.. it won’t be able to keep up (battery won’t recharge fast enough) and it will shut off. So those won’t be reliable even though they are solar powered. :/
I hadn't thought about the demand on the batteries and charging. More reason to have a way to make contacts further than the repeater can provide. I think my simplex solution will work well. Great comment! Thanks Mike!
With 4 100 amp hour batteries and 3 or four hundred watts of Solar power a repeater will run 24 7. I have a small 2200 watt generator in standby mode also.
I just love the sound of the Yaesu receiving. It doesn't sound "tinny" like other rigs. Congrats on the new license! Work on your General so you can get more on HF. 73!
Great introduction to basic equipment. Once people have the hardware, (other than random experimentation) as far as SHTF situations go, whats next? Might you do a follow up describing / explaining...... 1. The usefulness of the various bands. (For example communicating in a 25, 50, 100, 500, 1k, 2k mile range. Friends/family 25 to 50 then reaching out across the US to hopefully gain access to information) 11m may be okay for very local (Not including skip, but no one at this level will have any understanding of that) but what is the best band for the approximate range you may be interested in and or accessing SHTF type information? 2. Is there any established protocols or preferred bands / frequencies that mat be more helpful in a SHTF situation? Lets say someone follows your advice and buys a decent ham radio, gets set up with an antenna and now has 1.8-54mhz, Should they just expect to endlessly scan or are there certain frequencies that can be /are used for SHTF events? Everyone talks about using ham radios for SHTF. They talk about getting set up with hardware but no one ever elaborates on how to best utilize the equipment afterwards. Unless everyone gets licensed, they wont have any foundation to operate under SHTF. I think its a great idea to get licensed but there are many people that really don't have any interest in being active in the hobby and "preppers" are interested in expanding their preparedness under extreme circumstances when utilizing ham radio without a license will not be of any consideration and probably will have little or no consequence. Its like handing a starving person a fishing rod and a tackle box (A person that has no idea what to do with the rod and sees the stuff in the tackle box looking similar to their bead bracelet collection) and expecting a positive outcome. If people are interested in going this route in the interest of preparedness, obviously the more homework they do, the better off they will be but again, it seems no one ever provides any advice beyond the hardware aspect. It would be great for someone to delve deeper into the topic. Thank you for all of your time and effort into this video.
Great ideas. I've got a video started about antennas to deploy in an emergency. I'll also go into different frequencies and how far they travel and what to expect for different times of the day. Hopefully those videos will help fill in the cracks and help people understand better. Watch for them and let me know what else I need to explain. Thanks for watching and your thoughtful comment!
I'm going to make a few more videos about deploying antennas, spectrum, etc. Thank you for watching and good luck studying for your license. Keep me posted how you do!
Thank you for this wonderful information.Just going through the learning process to get my license.You solved several questions i had.Thanks again and waiting for more.God bless.
I disagree. I know that anyone can turn on the radio and push the microphone during an emergency. Unlicensed folks won't know the correct frequency to go to or the etiquette to make the most contacts or gather information. If they just create bedlam, hams will move to digital or morse code and get information across. Having a license will definitely help. My humble opinion.
Lots of luck learning to be a radio operator who is able to communicate reliably to where you want to reach after the apocalypse. You'll need to understand electronics, antennas, atmospheric propagation and how your equipment works to do that. Unlike your cell or Capt Kirk's communicator, practice is critical to being able to use these. If you're lucky, you'll reach a random person in California and another in England when trying to reach Connecticut when you simply turn it on and hook up a wire to it. More likely, you'll reach no one.
Sorry, don't watch star trek. And who says that not having a license means that person doesn't study or practice? Don't automatically assume. You know what assumptions get you.
I'm a long time prepper since about 1990. I have bought a lot of radios... Yaseu, Icom, Beofeng and others (about 12) .Earlier this year I bit the bullet and got my Tech in March, General in May and Extra in June. I have yet to make a call on those radios. I am a good test taker but need experience now. Thank you for your presentation. Well done ! Do more of these ! I just subbed ....73's from KN6ZAQ
I am a trade qualified electronics engineer. I am also a prepper. Your video has convinced me to get my foundation licence in the UK. I had been watching bits on ham radio, but your summary was bang on the money. They have just raised this to 25 watts. With 25 watts I can reach other and probably get around the world at night. Went back and tried CB radio and have been disappointed with it. Last time I used it was in the 70s. CB seems dead in the UK. Just a great video simply put great job.
Thanks for watching and glad the video was helpful for you. With your engineering background, the exam should be easy. Get the foundation license and look to upgrade after you've been on the air. A higher license, and more power, will help you talk further. Amateur radio will add a whole new dimension to your preparations. Keep me posted on your license progress. Good luck!!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm we have hand held model,but don’t have a license. We were hoping to be able to at least be able to hear what’s going on if things were to go down
@@karen-z5r The range of a handheld is pretty small. If the repeaters go down, you won't hear a lot. If you're just thinking of listening, a small shortwave radio and a longwire would let you listen to stations, far & near.
I use the hamsticks from DX Engineering. They are single band antennas that work great. I have a video on portable antennas and I think I show them there. I have a Minnesota QSO Party video that shows what the 991A sounds like with the mag mount antennas. Hope this helps.
Very good information especially for those not yet licensed. The very first antenna that I built (actually while waiting for my new call sign) is a fan dipole. It is resonant on 80, 40, 20, and 17 and with a slight bit of assistance from my LDG/AT it tunes on 10m. You can see a picture of the choke balun on my QRZ page and the places i have talked mostly using the dipole. My hexbeam is not in the air yet. Only 10' off the ground and I am surrounded by 6 acres of huge Live Oak trees. I love HF and do have VHF/UHF radios, but rarely use them except after we recently took a direct hit from the eye of hurricane Idalia. Get licensed...it's not difficult. ** Have you ever had issues with QRN being so close to that utility transformer? Best Regards
I've had no issues with QRN at all. It is a great location for low band DX. I'll check out your QRZ profile. Use those oaks to get some antennas up high! Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment!
I did nearly the same thing while waiting on my license to arrive. I learned how to build a 2 meter ground plane and got it down to 1.1:1 for an SWR reading. I used it for nearly 2 years before I got my Ringo Ranger II. Cheers - TN
Wonderful job of explaining this in a very short time. I've been licensed for +20 years and get overwhelmed trying to explain to "preppers" the difference between ham radio and other services; especially with the recent explosion of the Baofeng radios everywhere.
I'm a simple man and it's easy to explain in simple terms. Not being a technical guy helps too! The Baofeng stuff is junk. If stuff does hit the fan, we'll see how well they work. I think there will be a lot of disappointed people! Thanks for stopping by to watch. I've got a VHF video coming out tomorrow! 73!
I agree. My point in the video is to get your license and practice using your rig, learn propagation, etc. If you don't have your license, and the first time you turn on your rig is during an emergency situation, I feel you'll be disappointed. Cheers!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm I agree with you. To anyone unsure, consider this; I got my tech license 13 years ago, recently got my general. I have been on the radio almost daily the whole time. The experience is far more valuable than anything else, you can't buy it. Side note: I also have primarily Yaesu radios, just recently got my ft-991a setup.
@@zachcagley I hope you'll get on the air this weekend for the CQWW DX Contest. I'll be on from Puerto Rico as part of the KP4AA multi-op. I'll be on the first four hours (plus many more). I'll be starting on 20 meters. It'd be fun to hear you in the first few hours on 20M....or later in the contest. I hope to hear you. Let me know your call and I'll listen for you. 73!
I'm excited to see the HAM community growing rapidly at the moment. The 'tactical' and 'prepping' communities are currently getting on board with licensing and learning, and encouraging people not to wait until something happens before learning what needs to be learned. Excellent video. I thank you for making it and encourage all to at least get their Technician level license and then actually begin using the information. Don't let it sit. A great place to get started is Parks on the Air (POTA). Cheers to all.
I agree about getting a license and then getting on the air to practice. I'm not a POTA guy but I've heard many. I'd love to find a way to work with the POTA groups to increase their efficiency in exchanging information. I'd love to introduce them to contesting to help them build their skills. If there is an emergency, we'll need to exchange info quickly back-and-forth and then (maybe) get off the air (to save power). I'd love to find a way to get the POTA guys to join us contesters. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! 73!
I'm glad the video struck a chord with you! There is a link in the description on how you can purchase a license study manual. I hope you'll get your license and enjoy the airwaves! It's a LOT of fun! Keep me posted on your progress to getting your license!
Great video. I'm a SWL for now. Don't think you mentioned your call sign at all during the video. Would be cool to come across you one day while listening in 😉
I try to keep very private despite having a public channel. Hope you understand this. Let me know if you get your license and we can work out a contact! 73!
Out of the videos on here your made more sense to me than 20 other ppl put together!!! I love learning about ham , but it's over my head at this point in time I'm learning slowly!!!!! I have the home protection down !!!! I just wanted to say u done a good job and I respect that !!!!! I can tell win a man knows what he's talking about !!!!
I've been a ham for so long, and I love it. Makes it easy to talk about. Plus, I'm not that technical of a guy! Makes it easy to speak in plain language! If you have other questions, let me know. Otherwise, order the study manual and start studying for your Technician license. You can do it! The link to the manual is in the description above. If I can help, don't hesitate to reach out. Take care!
Thanks for stopping by to watch, and for your kind words! If we can help in any way, or you have ideas for videos, please let me know. Enjoy the radio when it arrives. It's an incredible hobby! 73!
Great video!!! I just got my general on April 10 after being a tech for 20 years. I deployed a dipole on my front yard and used my tail gate on my truck for a table and BAM, I was on the air in about 15 minutes on 20 meters. Simple antenna are great!!!
Awesome! Congrats on the upgrade! 20M has been an incredible band, open day and night. Let me know another time when you'll be on 20M. I'll try to look you up! 73 & Congrats Mike!
An FTDX5000 and an antenna on a tower will be a killer combination! I bet you're excited! Get ready to enjoy!! Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! 73!
Excellent video thanks for making it I have been wanting a ham for along time now after watching this you sold me and I followed you I also have chickens and small garden on 5 acres in Michigan middle of the thumb area thanks again
I've got three acres. I'm jealous of your five acres. Gardening, chickens and ham radio. Perfect for a small plot of land! Get the study manuals and get your license! Let me know how you do and how I can help! 73!
Great video, I just subscribed. I am trying to work with others here in Hawaii who say they want to be prepared, but they only have their Baofeng radios, to try to teach them about how effective radio communications work and that their little HT just isn't going to cut it, lol.
Have a practice drill and have them bring their radios. You can see how far they would reach. That might open their eyes to the distance restrictions. Maybe they would go for ham radio then. You could have another ham to help demonstrate VHF radios and smaller HF rigs. They could see how easy it would be to talk around the various islands and back to the mainland. You just need one person to jump onboard with you. Good luck!!
Excellent video! Down to earth approach, attitude and explanations. Nice to get an overview by an 'old hand' who clearly is more interested in sharing knowledge than trying to impress others. As you indicated, this great hobby is simple yet complex, but very do-able. Sharing knowledge from your many years of experience is appreciated and will really benefit those of us who are just getting started. This is what the world needs. Subbed. Thanks. Edit: and by 'old hand', I meant no insult, only that you have some time-honored, valuable years of experience that I can put stock in- nothing to do with age! Just wanted to be clear on that!
Thanks for the kind words! Not sure I could impress most folks. I'm not a technological wizard! Just a guy who loves the ham radio and has a lot of fun! I realize I'm an Old Hand....or at least getting there! Thanks for stopping by. If you've got ideas for videos, let me know. Cheers!
Congrats on studying for your license. After that, keep working towards your General. You'll love the extra privileges on HF. Keep us posted on your progress. 73!
I'm glad you found it interesting! I'm working on a few more videos as an introduction to ham radio. If you've got ideas, let me know. Thanks again for watching and commenting! Cheers!
Rules do vary from community to community. Check with your local town (or County) to find out your rules. If you're in a HOA, you might have rules too. Keep me posted on your progress towards getting your license. Good luck!!
Your video is absolutely the best simplified explanation about radios, antennas, basic ideas of costs for radios you've shown. Thank you! Bo in Union county North Carolina....talk soon. I'm gonna get licensed and buy a radio, get it all figured out.
Your video has been quite helpful for me. I found it full of practical, understandable information. You did not ramble too much and the little you did was not objectionable. Thak you.
There is a lot to learn but it's fun and a great adventure! Love talking around the world on my radio! I hope you'll join us and have some fun too! Cheers!
Thank you thank you thank you. I'm studying for my technician license now, primarily for SHTF situation and secondly for HF communication as a hobby which I understand requires a general license. I have been watching a lot of videos on this subject and everyone is pushing the HT radios for SHTF and I just couldn't figure it out. Repeaters are great when everything is fine but that is not going to be the situation when it all breaks loose. I need to be able to reach all points of the country and VHF/UHF isn't gonna butter that bun. I also don't have the money to buy expensive radios and antennas. Your video was perfect. You didn't try and baffle us with techno jargon and I appreciate that. I have a much better understanding now that the different freqs require different antennas. I live in Washington state. Is there one band that would be a good overall choice for reaching the east coast and or Montana/Wyoming area? I can't really see putting up multiple antennas where I'm at but a dipole is very doable. Thanks again!
You could get a multi-band dipole that will get you on different frequencies. If you can get it up 30-40', you'll be in great shape. You do get 10 meter privileges as a Technician. This past weekend I talked to over 100 countries on 10 meters in a contest. It won't do that during the sunspot low, but it's great now! Work on your General and you'll be able to talk all over the country. Watch my video on the Minnesota QSO Party and you can see 20 meters in action. You'll hear all the states coming through on 20. Keep me posted on your progress!
Can I take the technician, general and extra class license in the same test day one after another if I am being successful? How long it could take and are all VE able to offer their service all the day along?
Usually the tests are administered by local radio clubs. I don't know the exact rules on this and it might vary from club to club. Check with the club and ask them what their rules are on this. It would be great for you to be able to knock-out all the tests in one day. Let me know what you find! Good luck on your tests!!!
I hope you'll get your license and join in the fun. There is a link in the description of this video to get you your license manual. Keep me updated as you progress. Cheers!
Stumbled across this video and had to watch it. You explained the basics very well. We have a very active club that covers five counties in central MS and are always looking for folks wanting to get a license. Our operations plan covers most of the standards we use in emergencies. Being in a hurricane zone we practice EmComm weekly via our VHF training net (all our repeaters have emergency power) as well as weekly digital training using NBEMS via our VHF repeaters and HF. We use the Wilderness Protocol as one of the standards if the grid goes completely down. VHF/UHF simplex is very iffy here because of the rolling hills and heavily wooded terrain so we suggest finding a high spot to use the Wilderness Protocol.
Height is King on VHF. I'm blessed with a great QTH for VHF work. I hope you don't have to activate your nets this year during the hurricane season. 73 Jack!
Well done.I have an extra class license. I went through all the tests including the novice and advanced which no longer exist.I use an ft857 yeasu in the car Thanks
Thank you Sir I'm currently studying for my Technician License You made my life much simpler by explaining everything you covered that I didn't know yet I'm mostly interested in the emergency aspect of becoming a Hammer out to at least 50miles from my home I live on the highest elevation in Laurens Co. Georgia Thank You Sir🙏 I have subscribed 👍
I will be pulling together a video about talking to various distances. 50 miles will be accomplished with no problem on 2 meter SSB. A small beam and 50 watts can make that distance easy. I have a small brick amplifier and 12 elements on 2 meters and can talk out to 250+ miles, with no problems, 99% of the time. 80M on HF will also be good for short distances. Keep me posted as you get your Tech license. 73 Jeffery!
Ha! I doubt I'd be a good college professor! Thanks for the kind words and thanks for stopping by to watch! If you've got any suggestions for ham radio videos, let me know. Cheers!
Thank you for the video and you didn't ramble at all. So the jump from 50 watt to 100 watt with no repeater and you can talk around the world. Why is that? Simplex communication is same for gmrs and ham at 50 watts but different at 100 watts? I just purchased a wouxun 50 watt gmrs radio, wondering if I should just have gotten a ham radio and worked towards a license. Am interested in the idea to transmit without a repeater in case of an emergency scenario with family. How is the frequency talking to NY different from Wisoncin?
At the frequencies used for GMRS, you won't see much difference going from 50 to 100 watts. I can talk around the world with 100 watts but it is on different frequencies than are available to GMRS. If you want to talk outside your immediate area, you will need something other than GMRS. Get your amateur license (I think I have a link to the manuals in the area just below the video). Get your license and a radio (even something simple like a Yaesu 991A) and you'll be able to communicate around the country and world. Check out my video regarding the Minnesota QSO Party and you can see the 991A in action (with a little mobile antenna). I hope this helps. Let me know if you have other questions.
@@TheOldSwedesFarm Thanks for the info! What is your opinion on the motorola xtl5000 vhf 100 watt ham radio. You can talk encrypted. Thats a big plus right?
@@hellapellanyc6465 I don't know anything about this radio. I've never talked encrypted. Everything I've done has been on voice or morse code. I've not heard about a lot of encrypted communication on the ham bands.
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If you want to have reliable communication during an emergency, the only service that will be 100% is amateur radio/ham radio. Let me know if you have further questions.
Thank you for elaborating on the importance of range. For those who only want to receive transmissions, can you recommend any good shortwave or AM band radios since those waves travel further?
@@TheVoiceInYourHeadd This would be a great idea for another video. I'll pull together some ideas. Most of the amateur radios that cover the HF amateur frequencies also include a general coverage receive capability for all of HF. I could listen to the AM band and other shortwave frequencies. Let me make some notes and see what type of a video I can produce. If you have further ideas, let me know. Thanks for watching and commenting!!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm Certainly! and thanks for helping the community. I found a tecsun unit with the ferrite antenna. Gonna try that to get my feet wet then move up the ladder from there. I'd like to have something like your 100 watt Transceiver one day. I've learned a lot in one night! Cheeers
@@TheVoiceInYourHeadd If we can help further, let us know. Start simple and find something with HF and VHF. It's nice to have all frequencies available to you.
On day six of no power. How's that radio doing?
Also, I’m a new Ham operator in Idaho USA.
I bought a Yaesu FT-991A and a piece of wire from Lowe’s. I made a dipole antenna for 20m and talked to a guy in North Carolina. Amazing and simple.
Ham radio is so much fun! You never know where you'll talk. Make a dipole for 15 meters and 10 meters. Aim them broadside to Europe (have the wires pointed SE/NW). With 100 watts, you should be good into Europe in the mornings! Enjoy!
Yeah try a fan dipole. I’ve been all over Europe and and even northwest Russia in the mornings. Central and South America most any time, but being in Tennessee I can’t seem to get past the west coast. Not yet anyway.
Isn’t it amazing what a balun and some old speaker wire can do!
@@timothymorris1499 You're right! Some old wire and a balun and you can have a great antenna! Great idea on the fan dipole! With the sunspot cycle near a peak, it doesn't take much to talk around the world! Cheers!
Upgrade that Dipole to a Doublet. Make it as long as possible. You will have a multiband antenna that has gain on it's upper bands. The difference is how it is fed. A small investment in a remote tuner to place outside at the antenna brings huge returns.
This was great. Thinking about getting my license given the state of the world in 10/23. Well done sir. Blessings.
I am a General ham liscense holder. You did an absolutely terrific job of explaining ham/amateur radio, its uses, and capabilities in the event of SHTF. Great video!
Thanks Jeff! I have a couple more ideas for videos to help folks who are preparing in case of issues. Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers!
I hear what you are saying, but when the SHTF, sll rules are out. SHTF means survival. If you're not licensed and I hear you, I will.offer you help, not thret. HAM CRAM will get you licensed in one day, so prepare while there is still time.
@@glenpitts6813 I'll definitely offer to help, as I believe most hams will. No matter the method, I hope many folks will consider getting their ticket. Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment!
Thank you, you did a very good job of explaining our hoppy, with passion but hitting all the high points. 73
@@mistermac4118 Thanks for watching and the kind words! We appreciate the support! 73!
Noobie here. Learned more basics in the last 23 minutes than I've gleaned from most SW channels (NPI) in the last 23 weeks. Thanx. Am subbing right after I post this.
I'm glad this video was helpful! We appreciate you subbing and joining us! I've got another ham radio video hitting today. I hope it'll be helpful too! Cheers!
Dave Casler has about 1000 videos on various topics that I highly recommend for new comers. This video was good, also.
@@darinhitchings7104 'preciate it. Thanx.
I am studying for my ham lics in a few weeks. I am only a low-level prepper but I enjoyed your presentation just for general knowledge. I think you did a great job. It was not disjointed at all. I visuals on the antennas along with the frequency info were great. THANKS!
Thanks for watching and commenting! I've got a couple more videos planned to show how far frequencies travel, etc. If you've got ideas for videos, let me know. Good luck on your license! 73!
Best basics ham video much more eloquent than what others put out, you kept it at the perfect level of depth without overwhelming the viewer, something others fail at miserably, these videos need to be explained like we’re five years old.
Now that we know that HF is the way to go, please make part two talking in slightly more detail, like do you use digital or analog, do you talk or do you Morse code, do you send digital messages, what kind of useful information would one gather if SHTF.
@@GamingAmbienceLive This is a great idea for a follow-up. Let me pull together some ideas and see how I can present this. If you've got other ideas, let me know! Thanks for the idea and thanks for watching! Cheers!
As I’ve told you Glen’s grandpa was a ham radio operator for decades. He was also a communication technician during WWII stationed on a north west location in Canada. Life long friendships were made world wide.
So fun. This seems to be a hit for you Rich!
This video has touched a good nerve. I can see a series of videos based on this theme! It's so cool that Glen's Grandpa was a ham! The old-school hams were so cool and such innovators! Cheers Annette!
Just payed the fee to the FCC and waiting for my paperwork after passing my Tech&Gen. I appreciate your content. Looking forward to more HF & SHTF videos.
Congrats on passing two tests! That is awesome! I've currently got three other ham radio videos on here. I hope they will help you. If you have ideas for other topics regarding radio, let me know. I'd be happy to film other topics. Again, congrats on the new license!! 73!
Good job keeping it simple. I’ve noticed a big uptick of people on social media wanting radios for prepping reasons. Most have limited or no radio knowledge. The availability of cheap Chinese radios and their deceptive marketing is at least partially fueling this. The good thing is that at least some of them can be recruited into the hobby with some exposure to it. The more people we can get licensed , the bigger pool of resources we will have should an emergency occur or even just for the betterment of the hobby in general. Keep stressing that getting licensed and actually using the radio is how you will become better prepared should an emergency actually arise. There’s a mindset among some that they don’t need a license, since they will only operate under emergency rules. If you truly want to be prepared, you need to practice your skills and a license is how you get on the air when there’s no emergency and practice. For future videos you could show some simple ideas for very basic antennas and radios. Maybe a beginners set up that’s portable? Any way keep up the good work. 73’s!!!
I agree. Practice, practice, practice! I'm hoping more people will get their license and enjoy the fun of Amateur Radio while also learning skills. Thanks for watching and commenting! 73!
Most people who go into amateur radio don't do it for SHTF. They do it as a hobby, otherwise when I listen to aa net, someone would talk of preparation and they never do.
@@PatrickThreewit I think you're correct. Most come in as a hobby. I am betting that many are doing their preparation on their own. In an emergency, you find all the people that are prepared. I am sure there are many out there but they are not advertising their plans. Stay in touch!!
Great video. You hit all the points needed to explain this hobby. Not too deep but not shallow by any means. You also drove home the concept “Its too late to start reading the book on how to swim when the ship is going down.”
Well done sir.
73 de KD3E
Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! I hope it'll get more amateurs in our ranks, but also get people who want to test their gear....and get on the air! 73! Rich
Yep. What you say. One of the first questions I had when working on getting my tickets was how are we really supposed to use this radio for real emergencies. How are we to know which frequencies and what time to be on the radio with friends, families and pertinent others. From the answers, or lack of I quickly realized we would suffer from our lack of preparedness. This is the time to practice and know how to utilize our resources. Thank you sir.
Practice is going to make all the difference. Also, having a plan, with others, and following it. I know what frequencies (and times) to look for friends, in case of an emergency. I don't want to leave it all to chance. Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment. Cheers!
I think we need to start with our closest group of licensed friends and set a time that we call out to each other on a local net, one a day or once a week and we have some way of saying when we will begin doing this daily, for example...
In Kansas City, we have a daily net from 5'15 to 5:45 PM... anywhere from twenty to fifty people log in and have a chance to let each other know if they need to get in touch later on for example.
Find the networks in your area and participate regularly. A Web SDR near you will help you locate them. I live in San Francisco and check into the Chubasco Net every day on 7.192 at 7:45AM. There are people all up and down the coast on it and also Arizona etc. You need pre-arranged times and frequencies with people in your circle. Also you can just scan for signals.
I’ve learned more during this video than I have in watching 200 others. You’ve answered the questions I have had for a long time and generally not had them explained. BASIC stuff was what I needed. Many thanks.
Thanks for the kind words. Glad I could answer your questions. I watched a bunch of videos and they were either wrong or way over my head! Glad I hit the sweet spot! Thanks again!!
This is very important. I’m lacking in the equipment and knowledge despite the radios and antennas. Please do more training vids. Winter project will be to get the licence. Thank you.
Let me know what kind of training is needed. I've done it so long that I'm looking for direction from folks who don't have the experience. What topics to cover, etc. Thanks!
@@TheOldSwedesFarmMaybe start with the absolute basics like radio waves, what they are, the different types, where they are on the EM spectrum, how a radio works, transmitting & receiving, how an antenna works, other technicalities - for a start!!! THNX
@@rezzer7918 Great ideas! I'll try to work up something on radio basics and radio waves. Thanks for the ideas.
My unlocked FT 70D is excellent.
I've heard it is a nice handheld.
Outstanding job! It amazes me the number of experienced Ham Radio operators trying to make an "introduction" video who start out talking about "making QSO's on the 20 meter band" (or some similar nonsense) while clueless to the fact the people they're talking to have no idea what a QSO or a 20 meter band are. So good job for recognizing that, and for not trying to explain a month's worth of learning in ten minutes.
One thing I would like to add is that with the 991A radio you showed, it can also be programed to communicate on GMRS and Family Radio Service (FRS) frequencies/channels. FRS is the radio you might have played with as a kid. (I'm still new to this so don't know the capabilities of other base-station type radios and if they can be programmed like this also.)
I live halfway down a street one mile long street that's several miles outside of town - and though I haven't done it yet, I plan to tell my neighbors that if they want to pick up a cheap FRS radio to have in case of emergency (like the "snowpocalypse" we had in Texas a couple of years ago) we can work out a system for checking in with each other at designated times. They might not be able to all talk with each other, but I'm sure they can all reach me via the antenna I have mounted on a 30 foot high pole.
I bet your neighbors would love you taking a leadership role in communication with everyone, in case of emergency. A snowstorm or tornado changes things in a hurry and communication is vital. This might lead to other things (who has a great first aid kit, etc.).
I'll check into the 991 and the GMRS and FRS abilities.
Thanks for the comments on this video. I really tried to keep it basic. I'm working on another video talking about how far the various frequencies will talk. I'm trying to keep that video basic too. It should be fun, informative and easy to understand. It's not easy to hit all those points.
Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! Cheers!
Thank you for the feedback. I'm still new to Ham Radio - a member of the club did the programming for me so let me know if you want and I'll get some details from him.
Cheers. @@TheOldSwedesFarm
The great thing about getting your HAM license and meeting other HAMs is that you'll learn how to use these radios and understand how they work. Many people think they will just buy one of these things, turn it on and it just works, are in for a big surprise.
You're correct. Just turning it on will be a huge surprise. It'll be a frustrating time trying to learn during the heat of the battle. Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers!
my buddy and i managed to get about 7 miles simplex here in northwest ohio. the landscape is patchy woods and cornfields and i was heading pretty much directly south from his location, but i used a ft60r with a diamond antenna inside the car and he was inside his house in the woods with a uv5r and stock antenna. not to shabby.
I would say that you did very well for two antennas that were indoors (I'll consider yours indoors since you were in the car). You can test again when the weather is better. Have your friend go up on his roof and you are allowed to get out of the car. I bet you could increase your range quite a bit. It would be interesting to test your results. Thanks for sharing! It's always good to test your rigs, antennas, locations, etc. Take care!
You really need to try a J-pole or at least an external mag mount antenna if you're mobile. It'll be 5x the range or more
I have been a radio amateur (extra class) since 2015 as one of about a dozen hobbies, half of which include prepping of some sort. It is a great distraction that you can do in your home and has a lot of activities both on the air and with clubs and hamfests. After getting the 3 amateur exams out of the way, I took the 6 FCC Commercial (GROL, GMDSS, T, Radar) within 6 months just to see how deep the rabbit hole went. I started in CB and REACT in the 70's but now I enjoy HF the most since it is good for very long distance. It may have helped a bit that I was Comm/Nav in the USAF in the early 80's. 73 de KI1Y, Central Florida.
Wow! You've done it all (or most of it)! Amateur Radio sure can play a vital role in prepping. Hope we can run into each other on the air at some point. Cheers!
Does REACT still exist?
Wonderful video, as I got my General license and have 2 HF radios on the way. What's the brand name of that whip antenna setup that screws into the 3 magnetic mount and you put the appropriate whip in it?
Thanks very much!
The antennas are simple Hamsticks from DXEngineering. Let me know if you can find them. They are simple but work great! I just put out a video from the Minnesota QSO Party. You can hear the hamsticks in action with the Yaesu 991A in a pile-up on 20 meters. Cheers!
You did a very good job. That gives anyone a general understanding of how amateur radio works and what you need to do. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate the support! Cheers!
Thank you for the video. Im an old school member back in the 80s. I have a President Washington radio with a silver eagle mic in excellent condition and have an Astro antenna. The question is, is the stuff I have outdated? I heard Galaxy radios are good...
I don't have knowledge of that radio and microphone. I had a brand new radio around 2000. Used it until last year, when it died. I thought it was a really good radio. I have a new radio and the technology has advanced really far. My new radio has filtering that makes the receiver incredible. My old rig wouldn't hear half the stuff I can now hear. I would bet your old radio is quite outdated. Maybe fun to use but the technology has moved forward in leaps & bounds. Find someone with a new rig and listen to them side-by-side.
The detail here was wonderful. I now know the basic differences between radios and antenna options. Please make more videos on ham radio 😊
Thanks for the kind words. I've got three other ham radio videos out now. Check them out. If you have ideas for other videos, let me know. Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers!
Excellent! You introduced amateur radio in a non-threatening and not overly techie manner. Bet you're an amazing Elmer.
I just love the hobby and see how beneficial radio can be in an emergency. I've been told I'm a good cheerleader for ham radio! Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers!
One of my big problems is that we have no Elmers in our region and so the club never grows.
Thumbs up and a new subscriber! Found your channel from this video. I’m a relatively new amateur technician and have been on the GMRS side for a while. Comfortable with what I can do, who I can reach, and nearby repeaters on 2 meter / 70cm.. now just looking more into HF. Would love additional videos. I’m also a homesteader, so I’ll watch some of your chicken and gardening videos as well.. we do both of those too. 73s!
Welcome to amateur radio Mike! It's a great step forward! Work on your General ticket and you can use a LOT more frequencies and get on HF. It's a whole new world! Good luck with the gardens, chickens and radio! Cheers!
This is fantastic Rich! Yes sharing out!
Thanks for sharing!!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm welcome. Please return the favour for the lobsters… might help people to forage 🍄. Easy one. Have a great weekend! Fishing time!
Well done. You should do a series on this topic.
Let me know what topics you'd like me to cover. I'd love to talk about ham radio more but want to make sure I cover useful topics. Thanks!
Just getting into HAM and this is the video I couldn’t find anywhere. Thanks so much!
Glad we could provide a useful video! It's a great hobby and you'll enjoy it! I've got several more ham radio videos so I hope you find others helpful. 73 Stephen!
Thanks for the reminder, I need to renew my license (general class). I moved a couple of years ago and I haven't set up anything yet. 73!
Keep that license renewed. It's an important first step. Look to get things set up over the winter so you're ready, should things go bad. If not, it's a great hobby to enjoy! Let me know when you're on the air. Take care!
I thought your video was an excellent introduction to Amateur radio! Just the right level of detail and simplicity for people new to the topic. Just recently I became an annual member of The American Radio Relay League AARL which gives you year long privilages for educational videos to use in conjunction with the AARL books you mention to study for your HAM license. There are also educational videos on ARRL to learn more about electronics, antennas and many other subject areas beyond just getting licensed. I have the AARL Technicians study book, Fifth Edition now, will study, take the test and pass the Technician level licensing test. It is then needed to move on to the General book and licence to have High Frequency "HF" Shortwave Radio band privilages allowing for worldwide communication. I'm really looking forward to the human connections and friendships that can be made. Fantastic job with this video as an introduction to this wonderfull hobby!
Glad you liked the video. Good luck on your Tech and General licenses. You'll do it with no problems! Keep me updated on your progress! 73!
Great video, Rich! I'm a General class operator, and I thought you did a very good job of making the hobby sound fun, interesting, important, and accessible! Since you asked for suggestions, how about going more in-depth on how to build and erect antennas, where to get the materials, setting up the tower, running the feed line, etc. I think they'd be very useful, and I feel like you'd do a great job at explaining it in easy-to-follow language. I've also considered the Yaesu FT-1000, and would love to know your thoughts on that radio as well. Thanks again!
Not sure why this took a month to show up. Thanks for your comments. I'll look at further videos on antennas, towers, etc. For an older rig, the FT1000 is a workhorse. I'd recommend it to anyone for a base station rig. I like the sound of the Yaesu rigs and they perform very well. You can probably find them fairly inexpensive too. Good luck looking for one. Keep me posted. 73!
I just renewed my license that was expired for a few months. And after about 20 years of inactivity I’m getting active again. I’m pretty excited and am amazed at how things have changed. I was very active and instrumental in building packet radio networks for my club and a few others so packet was my obsession. I don’t even know if that exists anymore. Thanks for a great video. Need to see if I can get my old icom 735 fired up and running. Going to be fun starting over again. 73.
Get that 735 fired up! There is a LOT to do on the bands these days! Hope to hear you on the air! 73!
Well done Sir! Very inspiring, I'm studying for my Technician license since retirement... purchased my first Wouxun HT, obtained my GMRS license and testing soon for my Technician license here in Washington state. Thanks again for the inspiring video for this rookie... WSAW777.....73
Good luck on your test! Keep me posted on how you do. Let's get you licensed and on the air! 10 meters has been incredible! 73!
Thank you for the great information, I have my general license and looking into learning more. Hope to see more Ham related content.
I've got a whole playlist of Amateur Radio videos. If you have an idea for a video you'd like to see, please let me know. 73!
I've had a good comment from someone in a State Forest (MN) about my setup for POTA (Parks on the Air) for emergency communication. I use a small radio that can do about 5 watts on 3 or more HF bands and a portable vertical antenna or simply a wire in a tree. If one runs CW (Morse Code) then the radio can be even smaller. It is amazing the amount of information that can be shared. For POTA I typically make about 11 contacts all over the US in about 30 minutes. The last time for me included a station in a park in Poland.
CW will always get through. Those small POTA operations sure make a lot of QSO's in a short amount of time. Good to hear of another ham in Minnesota! Cheers!
This was awesome tutorial I wish I had you around when I was looking for my radio. I did get a Wouxun KG-UV7D and a Abbree 34in gooseneck antenna for it and I also have a pair of Midlands GMSR I would use more for close quarters. I was one of those ones who thought that all I had to do was get the radio I was set but I did know I had to get the license. Thanks for showing your set up and what each equipment is used for that was very helpful. Well done Rich! 👍🏾 I would love to see more ham videos thanks.
Thanks for watching and your comments. If you have specific ideas for videos, let me know. I'd like to do more. I've got a couple ideas but need more ideas. Now that you've got your license, we need to catch you on 10 meters some day! Take care!!!
My DH had us both get our call numbers and he wanted to put up a repeater. He was the driving force. I have 2 handhelds but I really havent done anything with them. Good info!
You've got your license, so that's the first step! Now you need to test your gear and make sure they work. Then make a plan to communicate with others, should things take a turn for the worse. Cheers Kathleen!
I have been thinking about investing in a mobile unit that I can take from the truck to the house. I know if the electric goes out i can use it in my truck.@@TheOldSwedesFarm
great video , i am green as the grass in your yard ,i was thinking i may get the license . you did a great job for me to understand about the types of radio and antenna . thanks....
I hope you'll go for your license. There is a link in the description of the video to get your study manual. I bet you could get your Technician and General license and enjoy a lot of fun! If I can help, don't hesitate to reach out. Cheers!
73's from the UK , Im just doing my foundation training and hope to be on the air soon , i had ssb lsb am fm back in the 80's and 90's and made some great contacts , Great hobby for the right people...Great Video sir i have subbed and i will check your other videos to aquire more info 👍73
Hope to hear you on the air soon. With the upswing in the solar cycle, the bands are hot! 10M and 15M are really good for worldwide communication! 73!
I hold both a GMRS and amateur radio licenses. The GMRS license requires no testing, apply and pay the fee. The Baofeng UV5R HT is an excellent place to start for a ham radio, I have two of them. BTW, I am a Yeasu fan, I just picked up an FTM500 and love it! 73!
I've heard good things about the FTM500. Thanks for stopping by! 73!
Great video. General license here for about 3 years and just getting rolling with things. A video on how you set up and grounded that nice antenna farm would be awesome.
I'm in transition but could walk through grounding and antenna connections. Great ideas! Thanks & 73!
I just passed my technician test yesterday and just started studying for general. Should be licensed in a couple days.
Congrats on your license! That is awesome! Keep me posted when you pass the General! Again, congrats!! 73!
Rich! Totally off topic, but you asked me to follow up with you about peppergate... how and where would you like me to do that?
I was just looking to see how it was affecting everyone. You can follow up with your experiences on the Peppergate video. Cheers!
I got my Tech Plus License in May of 1980, I missed the 13 WPM test by one question (missed the call area of one of the stations call off by one number). I went to the FCC in NYC. I went to general when they dropped to code requirements & my Extra Class in 2000
Congrats on the Extra! The code test used to throw off many. I worked Field Day in 1981 (all night on CW) and passed the code a couple days later! Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment!
Nice beam setup. I wonder if there are companies that install towers and beams here in northeast, Connecticut?
There are usually individuals, or companies, in most areas that will erect towers or add antennas. I would ask around with local clubs. Since you're in CT, go ask the ARRL in Newington. Someone in a club, or at the ARRL, should know. 73!
I talked to a local Ham operator that upkeeps a local club’s repeater. It’s powered by solar panels and he said that if SHTF and everyone is using the repeater.. it won’t be able to keep up (battery won’t recharge fast enough) and it will shut off. So those won’t be reliable even though they are solar powered. :/
I hadn't thought about the demand on the batteries and charging. More reason to have a way to make contacts further than the repeater can provide. I think my simplex solution will work well. Great comment! Thanks Mike!
With 4 100 amp hour batteries and 3 or four hundred watts of Solar power a repeater will run 24 7. I have a small 2200 watt generator in standby mode also.
Thanks for the video! I’m a newb to amateur radio technician and I enjoyed your summary. Been thinking about the next step and I also like yaesu
I just love the sound of the Yaesu receiving. It doesn't sound "tinny" like other rigs. Congrats on the new license! Work on your General so you can get more on HF. 73!
Great introduction to basic equipment. Once people have the hardware, (other than random experimentation) as far as SHTF situations go, whats next?
Might you do a follow up describing / explaining......
1. The usefulness of the various bands. (For example communicating in a 25, 50, 100, 500, 1k, 2k mile range. Friends/family 25 to 50 then reaching out across the US to hopefully gain access to information) 11m may be okay for very local (Not including skip, but no one at this level will have any understanding of that) but what is the best band for the approximate range you may be interested in and or accessing SHTF type information?
2. Is there any established protocols or preferred bands / frequencies that mat be more helpful in a SHTF situation?
Lets say someone follows your advice and buys a decent ham radio, gets set up with an antenna and now has 1.8-54mhz, Should they just expect to endlessly scan or are there certain frequencies that can be /are used for SHTF events?
Everyone talks about using ham radios for SHTF. They talk about getting set up with hardware but no one ever elaborates on how to best utilize the equipment afterwards.
Unless everyone gets licensed, they wont have any foundation to operate under SHTF. I think its a great idea to get licensed but there are many people that really don't have any interest in being active in the hobby and "preppers" are interested in expanding their preparedness under extreme circumstances when utilizing ham radio without a license will not be of any consideration and probably will have little or no consequence. Its like handing a starving person a fishing rod and a tackle box (A person that has no idea what to do with the rod and sees the stuff in the tackle box looking similar to their bead bracelet collection) and expecting a positive outcome.
If people are interested in going this route in the interest of preparedness, obviously the more homework they do, the better off they will be but again, it seems no one ever provides any advice beyond the hardware aspect. It would be great for someone to delve deeper into the topic.
Thank you for all of your time and effort into this video.
Great ideas. I've got a video started about antennas to deploy in an emergency. I'll also go into different frequencies and how far they travel and what to expect for different times of the day. Hopefully those videos will help fill in the cracks and help people understand better. Watch for them and let me know what else I need to explain. Thanks for watching and your thoughtful comment!
I like these ideas.
@@janetjensen1574 I'll try following up on this idea Janet!
That's great, looking forward to your next video. Thank you!@@TheOldSwedesFarm
Going for my ham. Love this video, learned mo more in this video then the the last 20 ham vids I've watched. Please make more thank you.
I'm going to make a few more videos about deploying antennas, spectrum, etc. Thank you for watching and good luck studying for your license. Keep me posted how you do!
Wow that's very informative and interesting 👏
Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment Rhonda! Have a great weekend!
Thank you for this wonderful information.Just going through the learning process to get my license.You solved several questions i had.Thanks again and waiting for more.God bless.
If I can be of any more assistance, don't hesitate to reach out. Keep me posted on when you get your license. 73!
Thanks for the video. If the SHTF having a license (or not) won’t matter . . .
I disagree. I know that anyone can turn on the radio and push the microphone during an emergency. Unlicensed folks won't know the correct frequency to go to or the etiquette to make the most contacts or gather information. If they just create bedlam, hams will move to digital or morse code and get information across. Having a license will definitely help. My humble opinion.
Yes, the license gives you instant knowledge. 🤦
Lots of luck learning to be a radio operator who is able to communicate reliably to where you want to reach after the apocalypse. You'll need to understand electronics, antennas, atmospheric propagation and how your equipment works to do that. Unlike your cell or Capt Kirk's communicator, practice is critical to being able to use these. If you're lucky, you'll reach a random person in California and another in England when trying to reach Connecticut when you simply turn it on and hook up a wire to it. More likely, you'll reach no one.
Sorry, don't watch star trek. And who says that not having a license means that person doesn't study or practice? Don't automatically assume. You know what assumptions get you.
I'm a long time prepper since about 1990. I have bought a lot of radios... Yaseu, Icom, Beofeng and others (about 12) .Earlier this year I bit the bullet and got my Tech in March, General in May and Extra in June. I have yet to make a call on those radios. I am a good test taker but need experience now. Thank you for your presentation. Well done ! Do more of these ! I just subbed ....73's from KN6ZAQ
Thanks for checking out the channel and subbing! Now we need to get you on the air!! Get an antenna in the air and turn on the rig!! Take care & 73!
Dude, you need to get on the airwaves. Practice all the voice and digital modes, JS8.FT8 and Winlink for hf to internet email.
Thank you- most information to get someone going!!!
I hope this was helpful. If you've got further questions, let me know. Cheers!
I am a trade qualified electronics engineer. I am also a prepper. Your video has convinced me to get my foundation licence in the UK. I had been watching bits on ham radio, but your summary was bang on the money.
They have just raised this to 25 watts. With 25 watts I can reach other and probably get around the world at night. Went back and tried CB radio and have been disappointed with it. Last time I used it was in the 70s. CB seems dead in the UK. Just a great video simply put great job.
Thanks for watching and glad the video was helpful for you. With your engineering background, the exam should be easy. Get the foundation license and look to upgrade after you've been on the air. A higher license, and more power, will help you talk further. Amateur radio will add a whole new dimension to your preparations. Keep me posted on your license progress. Good luck!!
Great subject I would like to hear more.
Let me know what you'd like to hear about and I can create a video to meet your interests. Thanks for watching Karen!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm we have hand held model,but don’t have a license. We were hoping to be able to at least be able to hear what’s going on if things were to go down
@@karen-z5r The range of a handheld is pretty small. If the repeaters go down, you won't hear a lot. If you're just thinking of listening, a small shortwave radio and a longwire would let you listen to stations, far & near.
What antennas do you use with the 991A on your mag mounts for the vehicle?
I use the hamsticks from DX Engineering. They are single band antennas that work great. I have a video on portable antennas and I think I show them there. I have a Minnesota QSO Party video that shows what the 991A sounds like with the mag mount antennas. Hope this helps.
@@TheOldSwedesFarm Much obliged for the info. Will be sure to watch the other videos.
Very good information especially for those not yet licensed.
The very first antenna that I built (actually while waiting for my new call sign) is a fan dipole. It is resonant on 80, 40, 20, and 17 and with a slight bit of assistance from my LDG/AT it tunes on 10m. You can see a picture of the choke balun on my QRZ page and the places i have talked mostly using the dipole. My hexbeam is not in the air yet. Only 10' off the ground and I am surrounded by 6 acres of huge Live Oak trees.
I love HF and do have VHF/UHF radios, but rarely use them except after we recently took a direct hit from the eye of hurricane Idalia.
Get licensed...it's not difficult.
** Have you ever had issues with QRN being so close to that utility transformer?
Best Regards
I've had no issues with QRN at all. It is a great location for low band DX. I'll check out your QRZ profile. Use those oaks to get some antennas up high! Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment!
I did nearly the same thing while waiting on my license to arrive. I learned how to build a 2 meter ground plane and got it down to 1.1:1 for an SWR reading. I used it for nearly 2 years before I got my Ringo Ranger II. Cheers - TN
Wonderful job of explaining this in a very short time. I've been licensed for +20 years and get overwhelmed trying to explain to "preppers" the difference between ham radio and other services; especially with the recent explosion of the Baofeng radios everywhere.
I'm a simple man and it's easy to explain in simple terms. Not being a technical guy helps too! The Baofeng stuff is junk. If stuff does hit the fan, we'll see how well they work. I think there will be a lot of disappointed people! Thanks for stopping by to watch. I've got a VHF video coming out tomorrow! 73!
When SHTF your last problem is whether or not you have a licence.
I agree. My point in the video is to get your license and practice using your rig, learn propagation, etc. If you don't have your license, and the first time you turn on your rig is during an emergency situation, I feel you'll be disappointed. Cheers!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm I agree with you. To anyone unsure, consider this; I got my tech license 13 years ago, recently got my general. I have been on the radio almost daily the whole time. The experience is far more valuable than anything else, you can't buy it. Side note: I also have primarily Yaesu radios, just recently got my ft-991a setup.
@@zachcagley I hope you'll get on the air this weekend for the CQWW DX Contest. I'll be on from Puerto Rico as part of the KP4AA multi-op. I'll be on the first four hours (plus many more). I'll be starting on 20 meters. It'd be fun to hear you in the first few hours on 20M....or later in the contest. I hope to hear you. Let me know your call and I'll listen for you. 73!
I'm excited to see the HAM community growing rapidly at the moment. The 'tactical' and 'prepping' communities are currently getting on board with licensing and learning, and encouraging people not to wait until something happens before learning what needs to be learned. Excellent video. I thank you for making it and encourage all to at least get their Technician level license and then actually begin using the information. Don't let it sit. A great place to get started is Parks on the Air (POTA). Cheers to all.
I agree about getting a license and then getting on the air to practice. I'm not a POTA guy but I've heard many. I'd love to find a way to work with the POTA groups to increase their efficiency in exchanging information. I'd love to introduce them to contesting to help them build their skills. If there is an emergency, we'll need to exchange info quickly back-and-forth and then (maybe) get off the air (to save power). I'd love to find a way to get the POTA guys to join us contesters. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! 73!
That was interesting
Thank you for stopping by to watch and comment! We appreciate the support! Have a great weekend!
Great video. It was enough to make me both subscribe and start looking into getting my license.
I'm glad the video struck a chord with you! There is a link in the description on how you can purchase a license study manual. I hope you'll get your license and enjoy the airwaves! It's a LOT of fun! Keep me posted on your progress to getting your license!
Pronounced bay-o-fang have 2 of them
Thanks. I see them out there but I'm leery of the quality. At least I can pronounce them now!
Great video. I'm a SWL for now. Don't think you mentioned your call sign at all during the video. Would be cool to come across you one day while listening in 😉
I try to keep very private despite having a public channel. Hope you understand this. Let me know if you get your license and we can work out a contact! 73!
Shit hits fan today?
Good catch! I guess I was dyslexic while I was typing the title!!
What a great video! You answered a lot of questions that I had about ham radio!
Thanks Matt! If you've got other questions, or other ideas for videos, please let me know. I'd love to help you get your ticket! Happy New Year!
I'm a brand new ham, love getting into the hobby, and this is yet another reason to get into the hobby! 73 from KF8AGU!
Amateur radio is a lot of fun. The emergency use is a real bonus. Congrats on your new license! See you on the air! 73!
Out of the videos on here your made more sense to me than 20 other ppl put together!!! I love learning about ham , but it's over my head at this point in time I'm learning slowly!!!!! I have the home protection down !!!! I just wanted to say u done a good job and I respect that !!!!! I can tell win a man knows what he's talking about !!!!
I've been a ham for so long, and I love it. Makes it easy to talk about. Plus, I'm not that technical of a guy! Makes it easy to speak in plain language! If you have other questions, let me know. Otherwise, order the study manual and start studying for your Technician license. You can do it! The link to the manual is in the description above. If I can help, don't hesitate to reach out. Take care!
just got my tech license, studying for general - working on plan for HF rig - appreciate your no nonsense overview .
Congrats on the new license! Keep me updated when you get your General! You'll love the new privileges! Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!
Nice explanation Rich! You’ve been a great resource for me on this subject! 73
Glad you liked it. I've got a few more videos in the works. Cheers Thor!
I am a beginner. In fact, my ham radio has not arrived yet. I watched a couple of videos, but this one is the best. Thank you.
Thanks for stopping by to watch, and for your kind words! If we can help in any way, or you have ideas for videos, please let me know. Enjoy the radio when it arrives. It's an incredible hobby! 73!
Great video!!! I just got my general on April 10 after being a tech for 20 years. I deployed a dipole on my front yard and used my tail gate on my truck for a table and BAM, I was on the air in about 15 minutes on 20 meters. Simple antenna are great!!!
Awesome! Congrats on the upgrade! 20M has been an incredible band, open day and night. Let me know another time when you'll be on 20M. I'll try to look you up! 73 & Congrats Mike!
Great job for newbies to get it... I have the crushcraft ma5b can't wait to put up my tower summer 24 with ftdx5000.
An FTDX5000 and an antenna on a tower will be a killer combination! I bet you're excited! Get ready to enjoy!! Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! 73!
Excellent video thanks for making it I have been wanting a ham for along time now after watching this you sold me and I followed you I also have chickens and small garden on 5 acres in Michigan middle of the thumb area thanks again
I've got three acres. I'm jealous of your five acres. Gardening, chickens and ham radio. Perfect for a small plot of land! Get the study manuals and get your license! Let me know how you do and how I can help! 73!
Great video, I just subscribed. I am trying to work with others here in Hawaii who say they want to be prepared, but they only have their Baofeng radios, to try to teach them about how effective radio communications work and that their little HT just isn't going to cut it, lol.
Have a practice drill and have them bring their radios. You can see how far they would reach. That might open their eyes to the distance restrictions. Maybe they would go for ham radio then. You could have another ham to help demonstrate VHF radios and smaller HF rigs. They could see how easy it would be to talk around the various islands and back to the mainland. You just need one person to jump onboard with you. Good luck!!
Excellent video! Down to earth approach, attitude and explanations. Nice to get an overview by an 'old hand' who clearly is more interested in sharing knowledge than trying to impress others. As you indicated, this great hobby is simple yet complex, but very do-able. Sharing knowledge from your many years of experience is appreciated and will really benefit those of us who are just getting started. This is what the world needs. Subbed. Thanks. Edit: and by 'old hand', I meant no insult, only that you have some time-honored, valuable years of experience that I can put stock in- nothing to do with age! Just wanted to be clear on that!
Thanks for the kind words! Not sure I could impress most folks. I'm not a technological wizard! Just a guy who loves the ham radio and has a lot of fun! I realize I'm an Old Hand....or at least getting there! Thanks for stopping by. If you've got ideas for videos, let me know. Cheers!
You did a great job! Getting ready to take my technician license soon. Thanks
Congrats on studying for your license. After that, keep working towards your General. You'll love the extra privileges on HF. Keep us posted on your progress. 73!
So did you get your license?!?!?!?
Thank you for the introduction to ham radio. I may have to watch again (and again).
I'm glad you found it interesting! I'm working on a few more videos as an introduction to ham radio. If you've got ideas, let me know. Thanks again for watching and commenting! Cheers!
Not a HAM yet. I guess it varies from state to state or locality, but do you need permit to set up a 30ft antenna on your property?
Rules do vary from community to community. Check with your local town (or County) to find out your rules. If you're in a HOA, you might have rules too. Keep me posted on your progress towards getting your license. Good luck!!
Thank you, by the way you have a great location for this hobby , greetings from the Netherlands !
Thanks for watching and commenting. I love my location...great for radio!! Cheers from Minnesota to the Netherlands!
I want one of these! No idea how to use them or even what to buy. Love that you’re sharing this info! 😊👍❤️
If you have any questions, let me know. If you're preparing a strategy to take care of the family, ham radio should be a part of it. Cheers Tammy!
Your video is absolutely the best simplified explanation about radios, antennas, basic ideas of costs for radios you've shown. Thank you! Bo in Union county North Carolina....talk soon. I'm gonna get licensed and buy a radio, get it all figured out.
Thanks for the kind words! Get that license!!! Once you're licensed, let me know. We'll hook up on 20 meters! Good luck Bo! 73!
I just got my technician license. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.
Congrats on your new license! If we can be of help, let us know. 73!
Good video. I'm a GMRS user, looking to possibly get into ham. I'm going to 2024 Hamvention in Dayton this year for the first time.
I've never been to Dayton but I've heard it is incredible. Enjoy yourself! If I can be of help to you becoming a ham, don't hesitate to reach out. 73!
Rich, the only thing I know about ham radio is how to spell it. Your presentation helped me a lot. Thank you...
Thanks for making me laugh! I'm glad I could help you! Cheers!
Your video has been quite helpful for me. I found it full of practical, understandable information. You did not ramble too much and the little you did was not objectionable. Thak you.
Glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words! Cheers!
Well done! The gear AND at least some experience running it. Have to learn how it works, and the trickery of nature too. :D
There is a lot to learn but it's fun and a great adventure! Love talking around the world on my radio! I hope you'll join us and have some fun too! Cheers!
Thank you thank you thank you. I'm studying for my technician license now, primarily for SHTF situation and secondly for HF communication as a hobby which I understand requires a general license. I have been watching a lot of videos on this subject and everyone is pushing the HT radios for SHTF and I just couldn't figure it out. Repeaters are great when everything is fine but that is not going to be the situation when it all breaks loose. I need to be able to reach all points of the country and VHF/UHF isn't gonna butter that bun. I also don't have the money to buy expensive radios and antennas. Your video was perfect. You didn't try and baffle us with techno jargon and I appreciate that. I have a much better understanding now that the different freqs require different antennas. I live in Washington state. Is there one band that would be a good overall choice for reaching the east coast and or Montana/Wyoming area? I can't really see putting up multiple antennas where I'm at but a dipole is very doable. Thanks again!
You could get a multi-band dipole that will get you on different frequencies. If you can get it up 30-40', you'll be in great shape. You do get 10 meter privileges as a Technician. This past weekend I talked to over 100 countries on 10 meters in a contest. It won't do that during the sunspot low, but it's great now! Work on your General and you'll be able to talk all over the country. Watch my video on the Minnesota QSO Party and you can see 20 meters in action. You'll hear all the states coming through on 20. Keep me posted on your progress!
Can I take the technician, general and extra class license in the same test day one after another if I am being successful? How long it could take and are all VE able to offer their service all the day along?
Usually the tests are administered by local radio clubs. I don't know the exact rules on this and it might vary from club to club. Check with the club and ask them what their rules are on this. It would be great for you to be able to knock-out all the tests in one day. Let me know what you find! Good luck on your tests!!!
Very informative, and explained everything well. I've been really thinking about getting into ham / ameture radio.
I hope you'll get your license and join in the fun. There is a link in the description of this video to get you your license manual. Keep me updated as you progress. Cheers!
Stumbled across this video and had to watch it. You explained the basics very well. We have a very active club that covers five counties in central MS and are always looking for folks wanting to get a license. Our operations plan covers most of the standards we use in emergencies. Being in a hurricane zone we practice EmComm weekly via our VHF training net (all our repeaters have emergency power) as well as weekly digital training using NBEMS via our VHF repeaters and HF. We use the Wilderness Protocol as one of the standards if the grid goes completely down. VHF/UHF simplex is very iffy here because of the rolling hills and heavily wooded terrain so we suggest finding a high spot to use the Wilderness Protocol.
Height is King on VHF. I'm blessed with a great QTH for VHF work. I hope you don't have to activate your nets this year during the hurricane season. 73 Jack!
You’re absolutely a great job describing and appreciating your words s h t f ! Thanks looking for more videos 🦿🇺🇸
Ka9imy
Thanks for stopping by to watch and comment! If you've got ideas for other videos, let me know. 73!
Thank you for this info!!! I am currently exploring the world of ham and possible int'l TX options, and yes the licensing to accompany
Great! Get your license and enjoy the fun!! Cheers!
Thank you so much for this video, direct. and to the point!
Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate you stopping by! 73!
Well done.I have an extra class license. I went through all the tests including the novice and advanced which no longer exist.I use an ft857 yeasu in the car Thanks
The 857 is a great mobile rig and easy to use. I had one at one point and was really happy with it! Cheers John!
Thank you Sir I'm currently studying for my Technician License You made my life much simpler by explaining everything you covered that I didn't know yet I'm mostly interested in the emergency aspect of becoming a Hammer out to at least 50miles from my home I live on the highest elevation in Laurens Co. Georgia Thank You Sir🙏 I have subscribed 👍
I will be pulling together a video about talking to various distances. 50 miles will be accomplished with no problem on 2 meter SSB. A small beam and 50 watts can make that distance easy. I have a small brick amplifier and 12 elements on 2 meters and can talk out to 250+ miles, with no problems, 99% of the time. 80M on HF will also be good for short distances. Keep me posted as you get your Tech license. 73 Jeffery!
I could listen to him explain anything. Very well presented, your the guy we all wished for in college.
Ha! I doubt I'd be a good college professor! Thanks for the kind words and thanks for stopping by to watch! If you've got any suggestions for ham radio videos, let me know. Cheers!
General here. Great vid!
Thanks for stopping by to watch. Glad you liked the video! 73!
Thank you for the video and you didn't ramble at all. So the jump from 50 watt to 100 watt with no repeater and you can talk around the world. Why is that? Simplex communication is same for gmrs and ham at 50 watts but different at 100 watts? I just purchased a wouxun 50 watt gmrs radio, wondering if I should just have gotten a ham radio and worked towards a license. Am interested in the idea to transmit without a repeater in case of an emergency scenario with family. How is the frequency talking to NY different from Wisoncin?
At the frequencies used for GMRS, you won't see much difference going from 50 to 100 watts. I can talk around the world with 100 watts but it is on different frequencies than are available to GMRS. If you want to talk outside your immediate area, you will need something other than GMRS. Get your amateur license (I think I have a link to the manuals in the area just below the video). Get your license and a radio (even something simple like a Yaesu 991A) and you'll be able to communicate around the country and world. Check out my video regarding the Minnesota QSO Party and you can see the 991A in action (with a little mobile antenna). I hope this helps. Let me know if you have other questions.
@@TheOldSwedesFarm Thanks for the info! What is your opinion on the motorola xtl5000 vhf 100 watt ham radio. You can talk encrypted. Thats a big plus right?
@@hellapellanyc6465 I don't know anything about this radio. I've never talked encrypted. Everything I've done has been on voice or morse code. I've not heard about a lot of encrypted communication on the ham bands.
2:00 I love the *shake test* that UA-camrs give stuff they are trying to show the viewers.
Ha! I didn't realize I was shaking the radio! Maybe it's our way to show that the radio is a well built unit! Thanks for stopping by to watch! Cheers!
@@TheOldSwedesFarm That would be the Lab599 TX-500. *That* is a radio you can shake!