You know what button you can press *right now*, legally? The like button! Hit that, and be sure to give the Subscribe button a good press before you head back to the airwaves...
@@permacultureecuador2925 If you use the airwaves to do something illegal, the FCC could pursue criminal prosecution-though as you say, they would not be doing the arresting themselves, they'd call on police to help.
One small correction--you no longer need to have a copy of your license on you to transmit, at least here in the US; all that matters is that your license appears in the FCC database. In certain circumstances it may be useful to have a copy of your license (e.g., if you visit a special events or museum station and would like to operate it as a guest, especially if you won't have internet access), but from the FCC's perspective it is no longer necessary (all references in Part 97 about having a license now read "license grant appears on the ULS consolidated licensee database").
I'm in VK, and I didn't even get a paper licence. There is a online store that needs one for membership, yet they don't issue them here any more... Thanks. VK1NME.
In the US they don't even send you a paper license automatically. It's a good idea to carry one of the card sized ones though because some police officers will react with hostility when they see someone talking into an HT or throwing antenna wires into a tree at a park.
that's because they're ignorant of the law. most police at best have an associates degree in criminology from an online university or a no-name community college.@@daniell8387
That is also correct, but it is good to have it with you, in Norway maybe in US also there are many police officers who do not know that you are allowed to talk on the radio while driving a car. therefore it is a good idea to have your license with you to show that you are allowed to talk and drive at the same time.
Reminds me of my Dad's situation - worked offshore on oil & gas, signed off on plans, work inspections for pressures of 3000 psi yet was barred from working on the domestic system of 1 psi
Just FYI, saying that it's illegal for a non-licensed person to transmit with a ham radio isn't ENTIRELY accurate. An unlicensed person may talk on but technically not operate a ham station as long as the licensee is present and actively supervising as a "control operator". Nobody's going to know whose hands are on the controls, so as long as you're there that's all that matters. If you've ever been to a field day (One weekend at the end of June), it gives non-licensed operators a chance to see what it's all about and make contacts. Speaking of assisting with communications, I did two tours in lower Manhattan after 9/11 assisting the Red Cross with communications. We were using the repeater on top of the Chrysler Building, and kept it so active you could probably fry an egg on it.
Welcome to the 'club' As one of my friends said to me a few years ago: "Being a HAM is like having friends all around the world - that you have never met". Congrats to both of you. Steve de VE7CBH (BC, Canada)
This reminds me of the many, many hours spent in our clubhouse during the JOTA (Jamboree On The Air), when scouts are allowed, under strict supervision by HAM operators, to make contact with eachother and other HAM operators. The farthest contact I ever made was New Zealand. Good times. I hope the two of you have lots of fun with it.
I keep telling everyone that RF is not as complicated as it may seem! At the end of the day it's just math and physics, and the ham radio community proves that it is actually possible for one person to understand how it works! Next step for you, Jeff, is to pass your general! It's a HUGE step to go from Tech to General and it took me 2 years of studying to pass, but it's more than worth it!! Welcome to the hobby, and I hope your time on the airwaves is fun and full of interesting contacts! 73s from Rochester, NY!
it took me 0 years of studying to realize ham licenses are pointless and the only reason they still exist is because of ham zealots who believe because they have a license, everyone else needs one
Finally, well done! I took my license 1999 as a 13 year old kid here in Sweden. And over here our licenses never expires, it's a life sentence so to say. Welcome to the ham community, with every perks it has to offer :)
Congratulations guys…welcome to the hobby…I’ve been a HAM for a few years now, I recently received my Extra Class License…I am interested in radio engineering and theory and now reading about radio astronomy and want to experiment with using my HAM radio equipment for radio astronomy…
My father (n2eye) introduced me (ka2tus) to Amateur radio over 50 years ago. Back then, the Morse code requirement made licensing a far different experience. Love the Father-Son chemistry here.
Great video! I have always wondered what this was about. I built an app that helps alert on solar storms and I was surprised at how many HAM radio operators used my app! I guess solar storms can interfere with radio waves!
Very cool to see this featured nowadays, in my thirties now, I got licensed when I was 12. hopefully I can reach you on the radio some day to say thanks for teaching me ansible 😊
Dude your dad's experience with the exam is EXACTLY how it went on my first try- passed technician and general, missed extra by a single question. Retook and still didn't pass. The only difference was I was a sophomore in highschool at the time not an RF technician (yet) Regardless, congrats to the both of you on your license and welcome to the world of ham radio! Something I would recommend you try (if you haven't already) is join a ham radio club and participate on a net on the repeater. Most of my ham radio skills I've picked up I either learned from other hams or through hands on experience! 73 (kind regards) from KM4CFT
It is also illegal to kerchunk or key up a repeater without giving your callsign. Congrats on your new licenses. I hope to hear you on the air. Bring your checkbook as it really can get expensive. Mike W4TRK
@@GeerlingEngineeringI'd be more worried about the salty old hams that are grumpy about everything and that getting rid of the code requirement was rge worst thing ever.
@@GeerlingEngineeringI've seen the FCC van (my grandpa used to regularly operate at very illegal power levels on CB), when you see the van, you'll definitely know, it has every antenna known to man hanging off it.
Congrats to the both of you. I have worked all US states using technician privileges, and 35 countries other than the USA using just satellites. A lot of fun can be had just being a technician. I am an Extra but I find satellites very fun and that's what I focus my hamming time on.
Congrats to you both. I'm sure you will enjoy the hobby. I've been a ham for 65 years. I actually got my Dad (sk) into the hobby which is not normally the case. My wife is also a ham and has her general since we used to cruise in our sailboat and had both VHF and HF gear on board. I received my extra back when the exam was not open sourced and they required 20 WPM Morse code proficiency. My first contact was sending cq on our Kaiser Vagabond's horn in a parking lot in Rapid City. To my amazement another ham showed up. He didn't actually reply with his horn, but walked up and introduced himself. Unfortunately his name and call are lost to time.
It is really amazing to see that one of my favourite homelab youtubers is getting into amateur radio. I myself dont have a licence yet, mainly because it is not as easy here in europe as it is for you guys to get at least the technicians licence. However this fall I will by joining a local ham radio club and hopefully early next year I will be able to take the Novice test and talk on RF. Hope to hear you on HF at some point in the future Jeff!
Hey Jeff, welcome to the hobby. Been watching your videos for a while and it's great to see you exploring this path. Great to see you and your Dad doing it together. 73 and hope to catch you guys on the air one day, once you get your HF station up and running. Shame you guys can't hit QO-100, that thing is incredible.
I am in a situation similar to your Dad. Although I got a novice license when I was in Jr High, I quickly got sidetracked by the FM station at my HS. While I was in HS, I got a 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Radiotelephone license and went on to work at several radio stations. A few years ago I decided to get back into ham radio and got a Technician, General, and Extra.
Dad became a General, very nice, I failed the general my first time, after getting tech, 3 years later I passed, dad needs an HF rig now, that's where the fun is, contesting, digital, CW, all the other things, congratulations to you both de W8KDZ
I remember getting my Technician class back in 1977. CW was part of the test then and at that time you could only go to a Federal Building to take a scheduled test. I still enjoy the hobby to this day as a General Class. Welcome to the HAM community !
Congratulations to your licenses you two! After passing my German class A, I actually thinking about getting a US license (probably Extra), too. 73 de DL1MRV
This is heartwarming, I am a UK full license (extra equiv) already but I look forward to someday having contacts with my kids if they have an interest in joining me in the hobby. ❤
Congrats on getting your tickets! Don't forget, as Technician you have access to all of 6m (an interesting area at times during this part of the solar cycle), and a small part of 10m. 73's, Gary K5KGT.
Congrats on both of you obtaining your license! Watching the video reminded me of my excitement preparing for and taking the exams a couple of years ago now. Now the real learning and experimentation begins :)
i was so inspired by this vid, i have decided to get a foundation license, i have read the book and arranged the exam. i would never have dreamt of doing so were it not for your vid. and, on your old man's recommendation i just ordered a Yaesu FT-65. thanks
I've been licensed since December 1995 and over the years I've seen many elderly hams become SK but just as many new people entering the hobby. The best part about amateur radio is that there's something for everyone to enjoy. I'm more of a digital operator, but I'll still get on the local repeater or simplex frequency and chat...
I remarked to my wife that when you pass your ham exam, people you’ve never met will sincerely congratulate you. 🎉 Congrats to both you and your dad. It did take me two or three attempts to pass my Technician, but a month later I passed General, and then ten years later got up the gumption to take my Extra.
Congratulations and welcome to the hobby! I've been watching your content for a while and I can definitely say that Ham radio perfectly complements your skill set. It is amazing what you can do with "just" a technicians license. That little Beofeng is just the beginning of the rabbit hole. I would encourage you to find a local net (ham radio chat group on the air), join a club and get involved. Hams are generally very knowlegable and passionate about sharing information and helping new hams. I would suggest getting a 50w VHF/UHF base station radio and antenna for your home so it is easier to reach your repeater, it is a bit frustrating trying to have a conversation with a weak signal. Also it will give you more reach to other repeaters in your area. Don't worry about getting your general license yet, just learn and talk to other hams, stay active, and develop your skills. You will know when you are ready to upgrade. Talking to people on the other side of the planet without relying on anything but your radio is an amazing feeling. Have fun and 73. - K4MBD
Congrats on Dad's accomplishment! Every one of my exams, sans Novice, was taken before an examiner at the Federal building downtown St. Louis. Those were the good old days. I've been WA9VXX since 1967. Did Dad ever engineer for KMOX? I had a good friend, W0QAC Murrel Perry who engineered for KMOX back in the day. I sure enjoyed his stories about the RF end of KMOX. 73 guys. Keep the RF content coming.
Yes! He was director of engineering for CBS then Entercom for maybe a decade or so at the mighty MOX-I helped him with the big move from Memorial Dr. to Park Pacific!
We do not “broadcast”. That’s for commercial radio services. The amateur service “transmits”. And there is a difference as you see in the prohibition against music or profit making. Broadcasts are targeting the general public while our transmissions are intended for other hams.
I remember the first time I saw your Dad on the channel, I wondered if he had his ham license. Happy to see that both of you got your license! 73 from NQ0M, Southeast Kansas
Congrats on the licences! Well done for accurately displaying the inability to find interesting stuff to talk about as soon as the transmit button is pressed :D 73 de G7TKI
Congrats to you and your dad for earning your ham licenses! I just upgraded to Extra earlier this year. I am surprised how many Broadcast Engineers don't hold any sort of ham privileges, considering the two kind of go hand-in-hand. RF is RF, electrons is electrons. A part of my theory is they're too busy playing with big radios on "3 meters" :P
I briefly had a broadcast engineer license because I was for our Volunteer TV and Radio Station, which was run by students from our university…long ago it was required…I’ve seen some HAMs are making their own vacuum tubes…and building their own tubes…
I'm taking the Technician and General exams this Labor Day. I've taken both ARRL practice exams twice and gotten either 34 or 35 of the 35 questions right.
VK2LOZ here , In Australia we have the government agency called the ACMA , here we have reciprocating Licensing where if you have similar qualifications as in a engineer you can apply for a HAM Licence with no testing ,,,, Great video Rob NSW AU
Hope to hear you on the air soon. There is a lot you can do even as a Technician. I got my tech back in 2007 and just upgraded to General. I took a two day class and tested at the end for the upgrade. - KB1OTI
🍻 Congratulations, guys! So fun to see this and look forward to more! (I remember when half our class failed the FCC Third Class "Radiotelephone Operator's Permit" Element 9! At the time, I couldn't afford to fail! 😄)
just ignore the licenses, use AX25 and use the MAC address for your Callsign lol. if you are using a directional antenna pointed up in the air at a satellite transponder someone would have to be VERY VERY close in order to even hear you locally...well your uplink at least....
Good job guys! I had worked in electronics since 1965 but didn't attempt more than one test at a time, eventually getting my amateur extra. Practically speaking, I've been using my license(s) for ECOM use almost exclusively.
You are two intelligent guys, and I never doubted you’d pass. Congratulations to you both and welcome aboard! We am always use more smart and capable hams.
My first impulse was "Jeff, just do AE so you can supervise and operate under TR61-0/1 as a bonus. Then your dad can push that button." But this also works. Did mine in '92.
I always loved the word Squelch. *8') Growing up, a friend of the family had a big Ham radio setup. His longest longwave antenna stretched from the front garden, over the house roof to the end of the back garden, and his 'Ham shed' was huge, after being extended several times over the years. These days would definitely count as a Man Cave. It's copious reclaimed wood shelving was filled with equipment from the modern to the earliest days of radio, including a big World War II radio collection, all that grey painted steel and Bakelite, many of which were restored and working. Sadly I can't remember his callsign, and he is almost certainly no longer with us (he would be over a hundred now).
I don't know the rules in the US, but in the UK, as a licensed ham, you CAN allow him to transmit as long as you are supervising him. I love the idea of a QSL card from the house to the garden GW6ISF
Congrats on getting on the air. I have been advance class lic. for over 30 years but have not been to active the past few years. Now watching a Father and Son team get their lic. may inspire me to get back on the air. For me it is "Been there Done" that including EME. Good luck 73 VE3BNW Ontario FN03
This is a great video. I've been thinking about, studying, and then never following through on getting my license for years. Maybe I should do it! I think it's cool that you and your dad not only did it together, but your call signs are adjacent to each other. My only real regret is I won't have the "4" in my call sign like I would have if I had got my license in Virginia!
This video makes me so happy for some reason. It's so funny to see several of my funny niche little hobbies (homelabbing, ham radio, etc.) line up in one video. Congratulations, hope to catch both of you on the air at some point!
Speaking as a software developer who got in to ham last year primarily to work with packet radio and other digital modes: I'm going to be surprised if you have any issues. (I haven't finished the video yet) It's not nearly as daunting as it seems on the face of it. I only missed my general license by three questions, and I took it and my tech (which I passed on the first try) in one sitting. As developers and even simply as home labbers, we're used to internalizing technical details and applying them in the real world. So far the only thing I've had trouble with is CW. Good thing you don't need it anymore ;)
I went straight to general. I studied for Tech and felt comfortable in that one. I decided I'd go ahead and try General so I took a few hours at work and passed that as well. It was a few weeks from when I got my license to when I made my first contact. Also my dad, but not coordinated other than getting a list of repeaters that he and I could both reach. I heard him sign in to the repeater right as I was coming back from lunch. We're about 30 miles apart as the crow flies and the repeater is about 30 miles northeast of him and west of me. So, my dad was the first entry in my logbook. Since then I've spoken with many stations across the country and as far away as Japan. I've also been playing with WSPR and was heard at a German research station in Antarctica on a 5W transmission at 40m. Good stuff.
Here in the Netherlands, when someone has a valid amateur radio license, they can let others use their station under their supervision. So, when a family member wants to try it, they can do so before having taken the test. This is similar to operation during e.g. the Jota or Kids day, but it is allowed all year round.
I am a licensed ham myself but haven't used it so much until now. I'm not that interested in local repeater communication, it's more fun for me to build stuff myself, more interesting would be shortwave long distance but for that you need some gear like big antennas which I don't really have the space for. By the way here in Germany (or Europe in general) using the Baofeng UV-5R is illegal because the harmonics it transmits is way too high. You need at least 60dB attenuation and the unit I've got has 43dB attenuation best case...
I live in an apartment in Berlin, no way to do anything on shortwave there. But with a portable unit, a small battery and some wire as antenna it works well in a public park. I talked to people all across Europe and even to some in the USA. At just 20W. You can have fun with equipment that fits in a backpack and doesn't break the bank. 73 / DC6CK
Huh! It was interesting to see some of your testing and certification process, particularly the license classes and associated restrictions. I'm in Canada and while we have licencing reciprocity with the US, there are some notable differences in requirements, bands, and TX power. It looks like the US Technician class allows for considerably more TX power than our Basic qualification, but Basic gives privileges on all of the amateur bands, while Technician excludes LF, MF, and most of the HF bands.
Congratulations! Amateur radio has been such a rewarding hobby for me, there's always something new to learn and explore. Lately, as a recently-graduated software engineer and math nerd, it has been really fun to experiment with DSP and be able to apply it to real communications. I hope you can get the same enjoyment from it and pass it along, as my dad did for me. I live about 100 miles from STL, so it's very possible that one day we'll cross paths in frequency-space-time. I look forward to it! 73 de K9API 😄
Got my general license: KF7QDO. Doing my Technician license maybe this year. I’ve helped out with emergency drills and as safety comm. It can be fun but some clubs seem not that friendly to outsiders. Have fun!
Get into the world of digital radio. Setup a couple of hotspots and anytone 878 dmr radios for my dad and myself. Uses a raspberry pi computer with a rf hat and there is a program written by a British ham operator and it connects to the internet and allows you to talk on thousands of talk groups around the world. I am able to talk to my dad in southern Florida and I live in Central ky. I remember back in the early 2000’s when I first got into it my dad did too. He ended up getting his tech license first and I failed it. Took it a year later and passed then went off to college and forgot about it for ten years. Got the bug again in 2014 and studied for my general and have had that since. Love the hobby and what you could do with it such a blast, hope to get my son’s into it someday. Sorry for the long post but brought back many good memories.
welcome to the ham family! hamily? can't wait to see if you get in to rack mounting radios with roof mount antennas. thats next on my radio project list
Congrats! I got my Tech license when I wanted to use an APRS tracker. Then got my General license so I could experiment with WSPR (California to Australia with 0.5W!). I’m not interested in “rag chewing” but someday I’ll try DX voice contacts. Have fun with it!
Welcome to amateur radio! One other thing you will see is radio operators providing communications support for various events (usually athletic - sometimes competitions, sometimes fundraisers). I suggest connecting with any local clubs to learn about and then trying some of those out. Volunteering for fundraisers not only helps them cover an area that can sometimes take a reasonably specialized skillset to fill, it is also a pretty good justification for the hobby budget.
I need to get back on the radio again. Over in Scotland here have the equivalent of the technician, which is called the foundation licence. Got it a bunch of years ago and had started to play around with satellitte use and getting long range comms going with a friiend using digital modes. It's actually a lot of fun and gets me outside, haha.
Congratulations to both you and your dad on getting licensed! Great to see more getting into the hobby. Wait till you dive into all the things you can do with a Raspberry Pi! 73 de Mark, VA3HES
You know what button you can press *right now*, legally? The like button! Hit that, and be sure to give the Subscribe button a good press before you head back to the airwaves...
FCC has no authority to arrest someone for using a HAM radio.
all they can do is send you a mean letter & a "fine" (a fine which they cannot enforce)
@@permacultureecuador2925 If you use the airwaves to do something illegal, the FCC could pursue criminal prosecution-though as you say, they would not be doing the arresting themselves, they'd call on police to help.
@@GeerlingEngineering From a bullhorn 'This is the FCC. You are surrounded. Put the HAM on the floor and come out with your hands raised.'
@@GeerlingEngineering pressing a button isnt illegal though
Welcome to the world of HAM Jeff and Dad. Hope to catch you one day on air. 73 from Ireland.
One small correction--you no longer need to have a copy of your license on you to transmit, at least here in the US; all that matters is that your license appears in the FCC database. In certain circumstances it may be useful to have a copy of your license (e.g., if you visit a special events or museum station and would like to operate it as a guest, especially if you won't have internet access), but from the FCC's perspective it is no longer necessary (all references in Part 97 about having a license now read "license grant appears on the ULS consolidated licensee database").
I'm in VK, and I didn't even get a paper licence.
There is a online store that needs one for membership, yet they don't issue them here any more...
Thanks.
VK1NME.
In the US they don't even send you a paper license automatically. It's a good idea to carry one of the card sized ones though because some police officers will react with hostility when they see someone talking into an HT or throwing antenna wires into a tree at a park.
I keep one in my car because I also have a police scanner and in some states police scanners are illegal…unless you are a licensed ham radio operator.
that's because they're ignorant of the law. most police at best have an associates degree in criminology from an online university or a no-name community college.@@daniell8387
That is also correct, but it is good to have it with you, in Norway maybe in US also there are many police officers who do not know that you are allowed to talk on the radio while driving a car. therefore it is a good idea to have your license with you to show that you are allowed to talk and drive at the same time.
Reminds me of my Dad's situation - worked offshore on oil & gas, signed off on plans, work inspections for pressures of 3000 psi yet was barred from working on the domestic system of 1 psi
Just FYI, saying that it's illegal for a non-licensed person to transmit with a ham radio isn't ENTIRELY accurate. An unlicensed person may talk on but technically not operate a ham station as long as the licensee is present and actively supervising as a "control operator". Nobody's going to know whose hands are on the controls, so as long as you're there that's all that matters. If you've ever been to a field day (One weekend at the end of June), it gives non-licensed operators a chance to see what it's all about and make contacts.
Speaking of assisting with communications, I did two tours in lower Manhattan after 9/11 assisting the Red Cross with communications. We were using the repeater on top of the Chrysler Building, and kept it so active you could probably fry an egg on it.
I’ve been studying for a while now to get a sweep of all 3 levels - the Ham Study app has been really helpful.
Thanks for spreading the word and also getting your dad involved
Welcome to the 'club' As one of my friends said to me a few years ago: "Being a HAM is like having friends all around the world - that you have never met". Congrats to both of you. Steve de VE7CBH (BC, Canada)
yeah keep 'club' in quotations, seems more like a cult.
being a ham is why you dont have friends
5:03 that dad joke is when your mind has grinded through years of being a dad, and the jokes just come to you. Experience shows.
This reminds me of the many, many hours spent in our clubhouse during the JOTA (Jamboree On The Air), when scouts are allowed, under strict supervision by HAM operators, to make contact with eachother and other HAM operators. The farthest contact I ever made was New Zealand. Good times.
I hope the two of you have lots of fun with it.
I've helped with jota years ago. Those were fun times. Not to mention going to ARRL Field Day events.
Your relationship with your dad is so sweet. ❤
I keep telling everyone that RF is not as complicated as it may seem! At the end of the day it's just math and physics, and the ham radio community proves that it is actually possible for one person to understand how it works! Next step for you, Jeff, is to pass your general! It's a HUGE step to go from Tech to General and it took me 2 years of studying to pass, but it's more than worth it!! Welcome to the hobby, and I hope your time on the airwaves is fun and full of interesting contacts! 73s from Rochester, NY!
Math and physics are absurd complicated
it took me 0 years of studying to realize ham licenses are pointless and the only reason they still exist is because of ham zealots who believe because they have a license, everyone else needs one
Finally, well done! I took my license 1999 as a 13 year old kid here in Sweden. And over here our licenses never expires, it's a life sentence so to say. Welcome to the ham community, with every perks it has to offer :)
Congratulations guys…welcome to the hobby…I’ve been a HAM for a few years now, I recently received my Extra Class License…I am interested in radio engineering and theory and now reading about radio astronomy and want to experiment with using my HAM radio equipment for radio astronomy…
My father (n2eye) introduced me (ka2tus) to Amateur radio over 50 years ago. Back then, the Morse code requirement made licensing a far different experience. Love the Father-Son chemistry here.
Great video! I have always wondered what this was about. I built an app that helps alert on solar storms and I was surprised at how many HAM radio operators used my app! I guess solar storms can interfere with radio waves!
Very cool to see this featured nowadays, in my thirties now, I got licensed when I was 12. hopefully I can reach you on the radio some day to say thanks for teaching me ansible 😊
Dude your dad's experience with the exam is EXACTLY how it went on my first try- passed technician and general, missed extra by a single question. Retook and still didn't pass.
The only difference was I was a sophomore in highschool at the time not an RF technician (yet)
Regardless, congrats to the both of you on your license and welcome to the world of ham radio!
Something I would recommend you try (if you haven't already) is join a ham radio club and participate on a net on the repeater. Most of my ham radio skills I've picked up I either learned from other hams or through hands on experience!
73 (kind regards) from KM4CFT
Oh wow. A lot of broadcast engineers I know are hams. Hell, they encouraged me to get mine! KC9JHY here btw.
It is also illegal to kerchunk or key up a repeater without giving your callsign. Congrats on your new licenses. I hope to hear you on the air. Bring your checkbook as it really can get expensive.
Mike W4TRK
We are on high alert for the FCC van :D
@@GeerlingEngineeringI'd be more worried about the salty old hams that are grumpy about everything and that getting rid of the code requirement was rge worst thing ever.
@@GeerlingEngineeringI've seen the FCC van (my grandpa used to regularly operate at very illegal power levels on CB), when you see the van, you'll definitely know, it has every antenna known to man hanging off it.
Congrats to the both of you. I have worked all US states using technician privileges, and 35 countries other than the USA using just satellites. A lot of fun can be had just being a technician. I am an Extra but I find satellites very fun and that's what I focus my hamming time on.
Congrats on your licenses! And good on you for spreading amateur radio to a wider audience.
Congrats to you both. I'm sure you will enjoy the hobby. I've been a ham for 65 years. I actually got my Dad (sk) into the hobby which is not normally the case. My wife is also a ham and has her general since we used to cruise in our sailboat and had both VHF and HF gear on board. I received my extra back when the exam was not open sourced and they required 20 WPM Morse code proficiency. My first contact was sending cq on our Kaiser Vagabond's horn in a parking lot in Rapid City. To my amazement another ham showed up. He didn't actually reply with his horn, but walked up and introduced himself. Unfortunately his name and call are lost to time.
It is really amazing to see that one of my favourite homelab youtubers is getting into amateur radio. I myself dont have a licence yet, mainly because it is not as easy here in europe as it is for you guys to get at least the technicians licence. However this fall I will by joining a local ham radio club and hopefully early next year I will be able to take the Novice test and talk on RF. Hope to hear you on HF at some point in the future Jeff!
Hey Jeff, welcome to the hobby. Been watching your videos for a while and it's great to see you exploring this path. Great to see you and your Dad doing it together. 73 and hope to catch you guys on the air one day, once you get your HF station up and running. Shame you guys can't hit QO-100, that thing is incredible.
I am in a situation similar to your Dad. Although I got a novice license when I was in Jr High, I quickly got sidetracked by the FM station at my HS. While I was in HS, I got a 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Radiotelephone license and went on to work at several radio stations. A few years ago I decided to get back into ham radio and got a Technician, General, and Extra.
Dad became a General, very nice, I failed the general my first time, after getting tech, 3 years later I passed, dad needs an HF rig now, that's where the fun is, contesting, digital, CW, all the other things, congratulations to you both de W8KDZ
I remember getting my Technician class back in 1977. CW was part of the test then and at that time you could only go to a Federal Building to take a scheduled test. I still enjoy the hobby to this day as a General Class. Welcome to the HAM community !
Great to see that you are now a HAM! Can't wait to see what you come up with. 73 DE HZ1SF
Welcome to Ham Radio journey, I know you'll enjoy the hobby. I Look forward to working you and your dad on the airwaves, 73's KB2FZG
Congratulations to your licenses you two! After passing my German class A, I actually thinking about getting a US license (probably Extra), too.
73 de DL1MRV
Spread the word!!!😁 We need more radio amateurs!! 73's PF1R
Congratulations to both of you! I will be taking the test on October this year. Hope to meet you on the air!!
Greetings from Italy
This is heartwarming, I am a UK full license (extra equiv) already but I look forward to someday having contacts with my kids if they have an interest in joining me in the hobby. ❤
Congrats on getting your tickets! Don't forget, as Technician you have access to all of 6m (an interesting area at times during this part of the solar cycle), and a small part of 10m. 73's, Gary K5KGT.
Congrats on both of you obtaining your license! Watching the video reminded me of my excitement preparing for and taking the exams a couple of years ago now. Now the real learning and experimentation begins :)
Congrats on getting licensed and welcome to the amateur radio world! 73s 😊
i was so inspired by this vid, i have decided to get a foundation license, i have read the book and arranged the exam. i would never have dreamt of doing so were it not for your vid. and, on your old man's recommendation i just ordered a Yaesu FT-65. thanks
I've been licensed since December 1995 and over the years I've seen many elderly hams become SK but just as many new people entering the hobby. The best part about amateur radio is that there's something for everyone to enjoy. I'm more of a digital operator, but I'll still get on the local repeater or simplex frequency and chat...
I remarked to my wife that when you pass your ham exam, people you’ve never met will sincerely congratulate you. 🎉 Congrats to both you and your dad. It did take me two or three attempts to pass my Technician, but a month later I passed General, and then ten years later got up the gumption to take my Extra.
Congratulations and welcome to the hobby! I've been watching your content for a while and I can definitely say that Ham radio perfectly complements your skill set. It is amazing what you can do with "just" a technicians license. That little Beofeng is just the beginning of the rabbit hole. I would encourage you to find a local net (ham radio chat group on the air), join a club and get involved. Hams are generally very knowlegable and passionate about sharing information and helping new hams.
I would suggest getting a 50w VHF/UHF base station radio and antenna for your home so it is easier to reach your repeater, it is a bit frustrating trying to have a conversation with a weak signal. Also it will give you more reach to other repeaters in your area.
Don't worry about getting your general license yet, just learn and talk to other hams, stay active, and develop your skills. You will know when you are ready to upgrade. Talking to people on the other side of the planet without relying on anything but your radio is an amazing feeling.
Have fun and 73. - K4MBD
Damn I'm so jealous for having a dad let a lone a super smart and cool one.
Congrats on Dad's accomplishment! Every one of my exams, sans Novice, was taken before an examiner at the Federal building downtown St. Louis. Those were the good old days. I've been WA9VXX since 1967. Did Dad ever engineer for KMOX? I had a good friend, W0QAC Murrel Perry who engineered for KMOX back in the day. I sure enjoyed his stories about the RF end of KMOX. 73 guys. Keep the RF content coming.
Yes! He was director of engineering for CBS then Entercom for maybe a decade or so at the mighty MOX-I helped him with the big move from Memorial Dr. to Park Pacific!
We do not “broadcast”. That’s for commercial radio services. The amateur service “transmits”. And there is a difference as you see in the prohibition against music or profit making.
Broadcasts are targeting the general public while our transmissions are intended for other hams.
I remember the first time I saw your Dad on the channel, I wondered if he had his ham license. Happy to see that both of you got your license! 73 from NQ0M, Southeast Kansas
Congrats on the licences! Well done for accurately displaying the inability to find interesting stuff to talk about as soon as the transmit button is pressed :D 73 de G7TKI
Probably more interesting to chew on a rag!
😅@@GeerlingEngineering
ive been using ham radio since 2005 with my father, we have 10m 2m band radios
I am like your dad until march 2022. never found the time in the last 40 yrs
Congrats to you and your dad for earning your ham licenses! I just upgraded to Extra earlier this year. I am surprised how many Broadcast Engineers don't hold any sort of ham privileges, considering the two kind of go hand-in-hand. RF is RF, electrons is electrons. A part of my theory is they're too busy playing with big radios on "3 meters" :P
I briefly had a broadcast engineer license because I was for our Volunteer TV and Radio Station, which was run by students from our university…long ago it was required…I’ve seen some HAMs are making their own vacuum tubes…and building their own tubes…
I think you’re right about that…
I'm taking the Technician and General exams this Labor Day. I've taken both ARRL practice exams twice and gotten either 34 or 35 of the 35 questions right.
Always funny when I see a title like that. I know immediately what the video is about! 😂
This is a hobby that I've started a few weeks ago. It's nice to see that you're doing this.
VK2LOZ here , In Australia we have the government agency called the ACMA , here we have reciprocating Licensing where if you have similar qualifications as in a engineer you can apply for a HAM Licence with no testing ,,,,
Great video
Rob
NSW
AU
Hope to hear you on the air soon. There is a lot you can do even as a Technician. I got my tech back in 2007 and just upgraded to General. I took a two day class and tested at the end for the upgrade. - KB1OTI
Congrats on the licences for the both of you.
73'(=best wishes), PE1PQX (Dutch Hamradio operator, full licence)
And congratulations on your first (and your dad’s 2nd) step in a epic journey in to ham radio
🍻 Congratulations, guys! So fun to see this and look forward to more!
(I remember when half our class failed the FCC Third Class "Radiotelephone Operator's Permit" Element 9! At the time, I couldn't afford to fail! 😄)
just ignore the licenses, use AX25 and use the MAC address for your Callsign lol.
if you are using a directional antenna pointed up in the air at a satellite transponder someone would have to be VERY VERY close in order to even hear you locally...well your uplink at least....
Good job guys! I had worked in electronics since 1965 but didn't attempt more than one test at a time, eventually getting my amateur extra. Practically speaking, I've been using my license(s) for ECOM use almost exclusively.
You are two intelligent guys, and I never doubted you’d pass. Congratulations to you both and welcome aboard! We am always use more smart and capable hams.
I am so totally jealous!!
What a cool dad!!! As a fellow ham, this made my whole day😊
Absolutely fantastic ❤
73 hamFam
My first impulse was "Jeff, just do AE so you can supervise and operate under TR61-0/1 as a bonus. Then your dad can push that button." But this also works. Did mine in '92.
I just got licensed a few months ago, it's so cool!
You sent your dad into the heat of the sun?? Brutal! Damn!
I always loved the word Squelch. *8')
Growing up, a friend of the family had a big Ham radio setup. His longest longwave antenna stretched from the front garden, over the house roof to the end of the back garden, and his 'Ham shed' was huge, after being extended several times over the years. These days would definitely count as a Man Cave. It's copious reclaimed wood shelving was filled with equipment from the modern to the earliest days of radio, including a big World War II radio collection, all that grey painted steel and Bakelite, many of which were restored and working.
Sadly I can't remember his callsign, and he is almost certainly no longer with us (he would be over a hundred now).
I don't know the rules in the US, but in the UK, as a licensed ham, you CAN allow him to transmit as long as you are supervising him.
I love the idea of a QSL card from the house to the garden
GW6ISF
Congrats on getting on the air. I have been advance class lic. for over 30 years but have not been to active the past few years. Now watching a Father and Son team get their lic. may inspire me to get back on the air. For me it is "Been there Done" that including EME. Good luck 73 VE3BNW Ontario FN03
Congrats to your new ham radio tickets! I hope you two will pass the Element (3 and) 4 tests soon!
Dad already got Extra!
@@GeerlingEngineering Excellent! :) de JJ1BDX also N6BDX
This is a great video. I've been thinking about, studying, and then never following through on getting my license for years. Maybe I should do it! I think it's cool that you and your dad not only did it together, but your call signs are adjacent to each other. My only real regret is I won't have the "4" in my call sign like I would have if I had got my license in Virginia!
This video makes me so happy for some reason. It's so funny to see several of my funny niche little hobbies (homelabbing, ham radio, etc.) line up in one video. Congratulations, hope to catch both of you on the air at some point!
Speaking as a software developer who got in to ham last year primarily to work with packet radio and other digital modes:
I'm going to be surprised if you have any issues. (I haven't finished the video yet)
It's not nearly as daunting as it seems on the face of it. I only missed my general license by three questions, and I took it and my tech (which I passed on the first try) in one sitting.
As developers and even simply as home labbers, we're used to internalizing technical details and applying them in the real world.
So far the only thing I've had trouble with is CW.
Good thing you don't need it anymore ;)
Congratulations on to you both on your amateur radio licenses. Have a lot of fun on the airwaves. 73.
I took mine one at a time and completed my extra last year. Welcome to the hobby!
I went straight to general. I studied for Tech and felt comfortable in that one. I decided I'd go ahead and try General so I took a few hours at work and passed that as well. It was a few weeks from when I got my license to when I made my first contact. Also my dad, but not coordinated other than getting a list of repeaters that he and I could both reach. I heard him sign in to the repeater right as I was coming back from lunch. We're about 30 miles apart as the crow flies and the repeater is about 30 miles northeast of him and west of me. So, my dad was the first entry in my logbook. Since then I've spoken with many stations across the country and as far away as Japan. I've also been playing with WSPR and was heard at a German research station in Antarctica on a 5W transmission at 40m. Good stuff.
Here in the Netherlands, when someone has a valid amateur radio license, they can let others use their station under their supervision.
So, when a family member wants to try it, they can do so before having taken the test.
This is similar to operation during e.g. the Jota or Kids day, but it is allowed all year round.
Congrats to both of you on entering a fun hobby and a great community. 73 from KE0CAA.
Welcome to the amateur radio service! Nice that you and your dad can share the fun! Soon I expect to see some SDR projects from you ;)
Thanks for bringing attention to this hobby, Jeff! 73s de K8CD
I am a licensed ham myself but haven't used it so much until now. I'm not that interested in local repeater communication, it's more fun for me to build stuff myself, more interesting would be shortwave long distance but for that you need some gear like big antennas which I don't really have the space for.
By the way here in Germany (or Europe in general) using the Baofeng UV-5R is illegal because the harmonics it transmits is way too high. You need at least 60dB attenuation and the unit I've got has 43dB attenuation best case...
I live in an apartment in Berlin, no way to do anything on shortwave there.
But with a portable unit, a small battery and some wire as antenna it works well in a public park. I talked to people all across Europe and even to some in the USA. At just 20W. You can have fun with equipment that fits in a backpack and doesn't break the bank.
73 / DC6CK
Congratulations on your license and welcome to the hobby. 73, N4JWW
Huh! It was interesting to see some of your testing and certification process, particularly the license classes and associated restrictions. I'm in Canada and while we have licencing reciprocity with the US, there are some notable differences in requirements, bands, and TX power. It looks like the US Technician class allows for considerably more TX power than our Basic qualification, but Basic gives privileges on all of the amateur bands, while Technician excludes LF, MF, and most of the HF bands.
Congratulations!
Amateur radio has been such a rewarding hobby for me, there's always something new to learn and explore. Lately, as a recently-graduated software engineer and math nerd, it has been really fun to experiment with DSP and be able to apply it to real communications. I hope you can get the same enjoyment from it and pass it along, as my dad did for me.
I live about 100 miles from STL, so it's very possible that one day we'll cross paths in frequency-space-time. I look forward to it!
73 de K9API 😄
Congrats on getting your ticket, welcome to the ham world. its a slippery slope, especially for a tinkerer like you guys. Enjoy the hobby!
Hey Jeff, that's great news! I'm looking forward to hearing from you on the bands soon! 73 de Pavol OM0WT!
Got my tech last year. Gonna take my general later this year. Aprs and DMR are super fun
Got my general license: KF7QDO. Doing my Technician license maybe this year. I’ve helped out with emergency drills and as safety comm. It can be fun but some clubs seem not that friendly to outsiders. Have fun!
Get into the world of digital radio. Setup a couple of hotspots and anytone 878 dmr radios for my dad and myself. Uses a raspberry pi computer with a rf hat and there is a program written by a British ham operator and it connects to the internet and allows you to talk on thousands of talk groups around the world. I am able to talk to my dad in southern Florida and I live in Central ky. I remember back in the early 2000’s when I first got into it my dad did too. He ended up getting his tech license first and I failed it. Took it a year later and passed then went off to college and forgot about it for ten years. Got the bug again in 2014 and studied for my general and have had that since. Love the hobby and what you could do with it such a blast, hope to get my son’s into it someday. Sorry for the long post but brought back many good memories.
Can wait to see more ham content from you! Super exciting world that you’re just starting! 73
Welcome to the hoppy/service you two! Hope to meet up someday! 73 I've been at this since a 486DX2/66 was cool. 30 years
congrats on getting the ticket to both of you. more and more tubers are getting their license
welcome to the ham family! hamily? can't wait to see if you get in to rack mounting radios with roof mount antennas. thats next on my radio project list
Congrats! I got my Tech license when I wanted to use an APRS tracker. Then got my General license so I could experiment with WSPR (California to Australia with 0.5W!). I’m not interested in “rag chewing” but someday I’ll try DX voice contacts. Have fun with it!
Congratulations. I made the cept novice license 7 years ago in switzerland but never requested a call sign.
Welcome to amateur radio! One other thing you will see is radio operators providing communications support for various events (usually athletic - sometimes competitions, sometimes fundraisers). I suggest connecting with any local clubs to learn about and then trying some of those out. Volunteering for fundraisers not only helps them cover an area that can sometimes take a reasonably specialized skillset to fill, it is also a pretty good justification for the hobby budget.
Congratulations to you and your father for getting HAM Radio License!
73 de 9W3JDT
K9BTX checking in, just got my Technician and General ticket punched a few months ago! Good luck to you, and 73!
Looking forward to seeing your AllStar Link node build.
Great NEWS!!! Good luck on the test!! This with be a good add to your channel N9WGI I am working on my Extra class.
Congrats to both of you, and welcome to the hobby. Keep at it and good luck in upgrading. 73 de ZL2RCL
its a fun hobby! its nice to be able to experiment makeing new antennas!
I need to get back on the radio again. Over in Scotland here have the equivalent of the technician, which is called the foundation licence. Got it a bunch of years ago and had started to play around with satellitte use and getting long range comms going with a friiend using digital modes.
It's actually a lot of fun and gets me outside, haha.
Congratulations to both you and your dad on getting licensed! Great to see more getting into the hobby. Wait till you dive into all the things you can do with a Raspberry Pi! 73 de Mark, VA3HES
Congrats to you and your dad for getting your licenses.