OUTSTANDING! I'm going to have a knee replacement this winter. I was wondering what to do during my recovery...Now I know...Study and PASS the Ham License test.
I totally agree. Start small and get your feet wet. Buy a $25 radio and see if you're interested. If you still aren't sure, a GMRS license is $35 and there is NO test. If you want more, the Ham Radio technician test is easy enough to study and memorize even if you don't fully understand it. Once you start using the radio you'll learn a lot more by doing, and eventually you'll understand the questions on the test. I started with a Baofeng and just listened for a couple of months. Then I got a GMRS license and got connected with a great bunch of folks on a repeater in my area. After a couple more months I decided to get my Ham license. Just the fun of making antennas out of wire or coat hangers and seeing it actually work was enough to spark more interest and I gradually improved the quality of the equipment I use. This year I got my General class license and I'm talking to people two states away and listening to people all over the world. It is a lot of fun.
Yep get a Ham license and spend your time giving signal reports and the weather for the day. Ham Radio is like a casino. Get out before you lose all your money and a wife that wants a divorce. Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
Stick with GMRS. The folks there are so much friendlier. Many ham go to GMRS to get away from the gossip, control, and arrogant people on the Ham Bands.
When the big winter storm hit in Texas a while back and the power kept going out, I was able to still use my radio (HT and battery backup desk unit) to listen/talk to other people in my area I didn't know and see what they knew. I still use it during thunderstorms because you'll find out what's headed your way before the news can tell you. It's also nice just to listen/talk to people you don't know. Can't do any of that with a cell phone.
Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
Please please please make more radio videos. As an absolute starter, I had no idea if I was even ready for the hobby. You did a great job not just explaining some of the basics, but explaining what radio can offer.
For a better antenna I would recommend the Diamond x50, you can stick it in a flower pot, it’s about 5.5 feet, you can camouflage it with a phony vine or flowers and stick it on your balcony, if you don’t have a balcony just get it close to a window, it should get out far better than your mobile window antenna. Good luck, KG7VDN 🤘🏼
I have a similar antenna for my cb radio but I mounted it to the wall beside my back door. Is it okay to put there with a wall behind it? I’m not getting good reception yet.
@@donnasmith1966 cb works totally different than uhf or vhf, the antenna really needs to be outside, the higher the better,and what kind of antenna do you have exactly?
I’ve been in ham/Cb radio since 1964. I’ve built HealthKit units as well as modern kits available today. The thing is radios will always work if all other communication goes down. During natural disaster’s it’s still the only form of communication working including today with what happened in Florida.
The attraction of ham radio is that it's unreliable. Huh? It's like going fishing. You never know who you might get. Absolute reliability - like the Internet - is boring.
One of the reason these are still make sense is disaster preparedness. You know, in the modern world where everything is so convenient, people often take it for granted, but the fact is disaster can happen anytime, where cellphone services knocked out, internet, powerstations knocked out, gas line, fresh water, elevators, cash-less transaction services etc. During time like that, we have to 'back to the basics'.
Exactly why I am getting into this hobby. Once the north tower collapsed on 9/11, all cell phone coverage was lost which added to an already tragic situation.
A) Repeaters often have battery, solar, and/or generator backup. B) You don't need repeaters. You can communicate directly with people around the world using HF. C) Even if you aren't communicating directly via voice with people around the world, you can hit antennas hundreds of kilometres away that you can use for data, even text messaging people straight to their phone, or sending email, all with 10 Watts or less.
@abdullahal-shimri3091 repeaters are only good for 2m and 70cm... 6m is the only pseudo HF band that uses repeaters regularly. I know I know... there are 10m repeaters out there, but I don't know anyone who uses one. I just know they're there. And there are tons of commercial power outage capabilities. Car batteries, solar generators, etc.
Had my amateur radio license for a few years and just now getting back in. I love to see these type of videos reaching out to people to encourage them to at least try it out. The main reason I got in it was because of the learning questions you was talking about at the end. I've learned so much! I looked at my wifi access spoijt one day and thought, how does that thing turn my data in waves and how does it receive them.. and that's what got me into it! The answer is awesome!!
Thank you SO much for this. I was gifted today with some HAM items. He is a paraplegic since he was 18. I was talking with him about HAM radios last night. As I have been interested for a very long time. He texted me this morning and said I should come out to his farm and pick up what he had in storage. So I went. He gave me a couple of 2m antennas, coax cables, a desk microphone, couple of handheld mics, and an HF SSB YAESU FT-101 ZD Transceiver with a YAESU G-450 A. Now of course, I do not know the first thing about all of this. I do remember making antennas and the like from my days in the Army. I know the theory a bit. Your video explained so very much. Yes, I will need to read and learn a lot before I even plug this stuff in. You are a natural at explaining something that is actually quite complex into simple English. As another commented. I would love to see you do some more videos on this topic. I will of course check out your other videos as well. This one is two years old and I may be speaking out of turn. lol. Thank you SO much for putting this out. You have really inspired me further.
Enjoyed you conversation and journey. I am Disabled Vet and an old ham...have lost my ham head and returning to the air...have lost my cognition to some degree. So your self explanation and history is refreshing my knowledge base. Thanks for being there. 73, John KH3AE😊
I like your story about how you got into ham radio. Once there's an interest in radio, it never goes away. I'm a CBer, and a bit of a funny story, my friends bought me a UV-5R for some radio favours I did for them. I loved that thing, listening to the cops etc. One morning I drove off for work at around 6am, and 200m down the road took the first turn and heard a sliding sound on the roof. I knew it wasn't a coffee cup, I very quickly realised I'd left the radio on the roof of the car the previous night because I was using the light to help with firewood. I didn't have time to stop so looked for it after work. I eventually found what may be it on the side of the road. It was very flat and large, and when I turned it over, all that was distinguishable was a sought of over sized speaker. It looked like something out of a cartoon. Turns out it was run over about a 100 times by potato tractors, I lived high up in potato country (awesome for DX) and it was harvest time.
I had an anytone come off the Truck rolling down the highway at 75 mph. Thought it would be in a thousand pieces. Not only did it survive, it was in one piece with only a few scratches in the plastic. I feel like the purchase was worth it it now lol.
I'm from the guitar channel and I am also a railfan. I use a Baofeng GT3 primary as a railroad scanner and it works pretty good considering how cheap it is.
You know, I had no idea you were into this stuff. Yeah, I watched your Guitarmax stuff but then I'm looking for ham radio info and there you are again. You are way cooler than I thought.
I live in a condo. I use a telescopic antenna on the balcony for 6 meters to 20meters. 40 meters with the coil. I use N9tax slim Jim antenna for uhf vhf hanging from anywhere from the balcony to my blinds. I have a small three element yagi mounted on a 6' wooded coat rack pointing at the mountains with the repeaters on.
Great Encouraging Video and really thought out and organized very well. Appreciate your effort. I am a retired helo driver, little bird and UH1 (30 years in Army) and a former SCCA race driver. I can appreciate your motivation for aircraft and cars. But I would add one more reason besides fun and that is part of being prepared (prepper). I am 81 yr old and decided to get my tech license and in process of studying. I really appreciate your passion and encouragement. Bless you.😊😊😊
Me. It was the 70s. My dad was a technician who was a projectionist at the cinema. He was building circuits and fixing radios and tvs and vacuum cleaners 😂 He gave me my old SW radio and ran a wire with insulators. Listened around the world and he gave my stuff to build speaker systems and radio transmitters. Built a station FM station! Blasted Boston and Styx.
Great video. I’m just getting into ham radio and you very clearly and simply communicated all the initial basic questions I had with quick, engaging demonstration. Awesome :)
HAM radio friend here. I started with scanners, then CB's, then took the test and got licensed. I use the hobby everyday, talking simplex while driving in Phoenix, and on camping trips through repeaters (another hobby). My radio is an Icom-5100 which I use in my Jeep while driving. Since Icom has digital mode, I also have an Icom-51A HT radio that I use at home connected to an OpenSpot to talk around the world on D-star. All with the Technician license. My longest contact was with a gentleman 8K miles away in Indonesia. I live in a HOA community, so I can't really put up big towers and antennas... I chose to go with the Openspot and D-star for worldwide comms. Anyway, even with the Icom ID-5100 in my Jeep (or the ID-51A HT), I can monitor frequencies outside the HAM band on the B-side of the radio (examples being; police, fire, forest service, aviation, etc....) Super cool hobby if you're into hearing what's on the radio waves, and interested to see how far you can talk to other people around the globe. Sidenote: If you want to start with no money for a radio, get your license, then use Echolink on your phone to talk to repeaters. Options are endless and such a great hobby to get involved in, especially when outside cellphone reception and range. Cheers! Pete - KI7LIL
I got my Novice ticket circa 1969, and then rapidly went on to a General and Advanced class license. I still hold that license today, although you can't even GET a new Advanced class license! It was interesting to see how a recently licensed amateur might put a new station on the air. For me, I built a crystal controlled CW transmitter mostly made from an old television chassis parts. Never did get rid of all the chirp that had! Still it's kind of sad to see no homebrew equipment in your station. It's been about half a century since I got my ticket. Half a century before that, spark gap transmitters were just going out of style in favor of transmitters using the latest technology ---vacumm tubes that allowed continuous wave radio signals! It seems that the rate of technological advance in the past half century has probably accelerated even more rapidly. Thanks for the opportunity to see your station and choices as to the equipment to use.
Cool to hear your perspective and upbringing into such a niche hobby (especially when you clearly have a thousand other hobbies going on!). I do work with youth advocacy and getting more people into ham radio, so it’s excellent to hear your story. We’re still doing it! A Lot! Hope to hear you on the air! 73 😊
The box is a great idea. I think four small swivel wheels would be nice for my situation so I could roll it out from its place on the back left corner of my large desk when I want to operate. Nice video.
I agree with you about the fun and adventure of Ham radio, but for some of us old timers, it's also a means of backup communication. The recent events in North Carolina with cell phones down, grid down, and roads down is an example of the usefulness of having ongoing communications with the outside world. It could literally be lifesaving. And while it's clearly not a hobby for everyone, a few expert operators scattered around can leverage the communications of non-users.
Antenna wise. There are a lot of options. MFJ makes an antenna “mfj 1625” that for HF to 6meters frequencies. Ore if you’re not transmitting on HF maybe buy ore build a PA0RDT mini whip antenna? Depends on where in the building you are. Cause this little antenna works awesome. As long you can get it away from noise sources. Cause this little thing is very sensitive in picking up signals. But since you’re on vhf and uhf. I’d probably go for a multiband “yagi” antenna. Cause it’s directional. And the building is blocking most of the signals from one side anyways. You could hang a delta loop around the ceiling. But the beauty of this hobby is. You can build you own and experiment with different antennas. As long as you can keep the swr down. And thus build your antenna to the frequency you like ore want to use. Have fun!
Bought the same stool. Works great. I mounted a 12 panel fuse box on the side of mine. Cobra 129 and a 2000 watt inverter on the top. Radios underneath. That children's stool is perfect for my stuff. Have fun.
Completely brilliant introduction. Just sent to buddy of mine trying to think what I could have him watch without overwhelming. Just getting back into this after 32 years from my last transmission as a (then) newly licensed ham. (G0PLZ at your service) :-) Just fancied a 2m radio so picked up a TID Radio H8. Now wishing I hadn't as I'm straight back into wanting an HF rig. Had CB radios in the early 80's / 90's. Working on a site with an older carpenter friend of mine. He was sitting in his car as usual during lunch and chatting away with a few people. Accent sounded odd so I asked him who it was....."That's Rick" He's American. "Where is he?"........... "He's in New York". WFT!!!! 7.30am there. 12.30pm for us in the UK. That was on a 10m mobile 28Mhz with a whip antenna! Mind Blown! all thanks to catching the height of the 11 year peak solar cycle back then. Instantly wanted to get one only for him to tell me I would need a licence. Worse than that! I would need a full licence to operate HF which, at the time had a compulsory CW part to get t full Class A Licence. That was 1991, then life, wife, kids, mortgage happened and never got to getting my Yaesu FT-767 set up. Always regretted it. Looking forward to piecing some kit back together and getting a buddy involved. Thanks for this. Brilliant!!!!!!
Really great video, well done. Enjoy the hobby, I have been a ham since 2002, and wish I had done it when I was younger - I used to listen to shortwave broadcasts back in the early 80s myself... radio is a very rewarding hobby, thanks for 'spreading the faith' and 73 de AB1DQ
Welcome to ham radio! I have watched some of your guitar review videos and found them very interesting. Good luck in getting your general license. I have been having a lot of fun on the hf bands and, although fairly new to hf, have been able to make contacts with several foreign countries.
Max, welcome to the ham radio hobby. I am a ham since 1982 and a ARRL Life Member. I watch your Guitar Max channel too. I play several instruments: guitar, banjo, mandolin. For an indoor antenna, I recommend the ELK 2m/70cm 5-element log periodic yagi mounted on 1" PVC pipe and installed on a 3-foot roof mount tripod placed on the floor in your room. The antenna can be rotated by hand as it is connected to the PVC pipe. I cut the PVC pipe at about 4ft in length to allow clearance from the top of the elements to the ceiling to avoid high SWR. The ELK 2m/440L5 antenna is a portable antenna with the elements screwing into the 2ft boom. I use about 10ft of LMR400 coax between my Yaesu FT7800 mobile rig and the antenna. I hope you find this useful. KN6VNE de N2DUI kn
If you don't have any clause in your lease forbidding you from transmitting in your building, just invite your super over, show him what you are doing, and ask him for a permission to install antenna on the roof. He might be more open to it than you'd think ;-)
I've been a Ham for 42 yrs got licensed in 1980 and was a Tech Plus until 1999 then Grandfathered in as a General when they dropped the 13 WPM code then Extra in 2002. I went to the FCC in NYC to take my General test I was a Novice and passed the General written test but failed the 13 WPM code by 1 question (missed the Guy's call).
I've been a ham for 10 years and I think you did a great job of explaining radios to a newcomer. Two things. Like the gentlemen here mentioned, the X50 is a great antenna. I have two of them. Also, for someone wanting to get into ham, they could always start with GMRS. No test.
Great video, I am getting ready to retire and have been looking at ham as a hobby, you have shown me how I can approach it with out spending a boat load of money to find out if I’m going to enjoy it, thanks
Taking a peek over from the guitar channel again and glad I did. This type of hobby reminds me of what I read on a Harley Davidson shirt one time. It read “if I have to explain it you wouldn’t understand “. I find it very intriguing. Thanks for sharing this and keep us posted On your progress. Thanks as always Max
I really like what Keith said below, "Amateur radio is a million hobbies in one." Today, amateur radio has been heavily integrated with standalone computers and the Internet at various levels for various purposes. I do identify with as a condo dweller. Fortunately I was able to put up some small outdoor antennas. You also have "the one that must be obeyed" giving you guidance. With that in mind two easy inexpensive to build or buy antennas are the twin-lead j-pole and twin-lead Slim Jim. To the casual observer they often look the same, but they are slightly different electrically. These are easy to roll-up and store or hang-up to use. Two other antennas to consider that I believe are only "roll your own" in the amateur world are "patch antennas" and "fractal antennas." They are found in commercial aircraft and cellphone industries. If you remember from your exam antennas length or size is based upon length, typically 1/2wl for dipoles and 1/4wl for monopole vertical groundplane antennas. Those formulas whether English or metric work great for thin radiating elements, but they are technical based on the wrong physics principle. Antennas resonate not based upon frequency, but surface area of the radiating element. As a thought experiment rollup your window mounted antenna into a disk. You have mentally made your first patch antenna. Fractal shapes are infinitely repeating self similar patterns. The first use of fractal antennas is believed to be WWII when German resistance loaded the framework of stained glass windows in churches to conceal transmitter antennas. The upside of patch and fractal antennas is they tend to be somewhat broadbanded, which is ideal for cellphones that have to be able to operate on various frequencies according to the service provider's purchased frequency. The downside is they may not be the most efficient antenna, so the big boys apply a lot of simulation and testing to optimize antennas based on broadbandedness and efficiency. The last rabbit hole is small loop antennas of 1/4wl, 1/8wl, and 1/10wl. There are large loop antennas of 1/2wl and 1wl also. In an antennas you have three parameters of size, efficiency, and Q aka bandwidth. You chose two. You can have high efficiency and broad bandwidth with a large antenna. Small size, high efficiency with a narrow bandwidth antenna. Low efficiency, broad bandwidth with small size. All loop antennas have better noise rejection. 1/8wl and 1/10wl magnetic loop antennas have good near field noise rejections within about 1wl of the operating frequency due to primarily receiving only magnetic radiation in the near field. There is a lot of study to do and a NanoVNA in your future, if you are the cobbler experimenter.
The antenna I would recommend for 2m440 is Arrow osj 146/440 For the 10m it is called firestick iba-5 yes it is a CB antenna but it works quite nicely because it has counterpoise I figured I would mention those two and fire stick is made in Phoenix n0spw
Ham Radio is like a casino. Get out before you lose all your money and a wife that wants a divorce. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
for 2m and 70 cm i recommend a jpole, you can buy them premade or make them yourself very inexpensively. they are easy to construct and produce great results
My advice is to join a local Amateur radio club if there is one near you. They will run their own nets which you can participate in as well as encouraging you to try and reach further afield using different frequencies & modes. Whilst a Baufeng is a great starting point and entry into the hobby now there are other modes you can try & explore in VHF but the real area to get into has to be the HF bands as these go far beyond your local area. You dont have to buy all your kit brand new. I get a lot of my kit second hand from Rallies or other hams.
Nice video mate, amateur radio has so many aspect's to it and is referred to as a million hobbies in one. This is a great video from someone who is new to the hobby as just venturing into it with a realistic approach. Once you have gained your license you will find what aspect of the hobby is a good fit for yourself and situation, just remember to take it slow and enjoy it.
Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
Many years ago, I bought a Radio Shack multiband, short-wave receiver and attached an antenna of several feet of wire strung around my living-room ceiling. I got the stronger signals from Europe and BBC, although I believe BBC may have dropped its shortwave transmissions and is now relying on the internet for worldwide distribution. I found that American hams talked to one another almost exclusively about their ham rigs and their health problems--most of them being in their seventies and older.
I have been enjoying all videos mostly on the guitars for decent prices and such. I have been a ham since 1997 and my first call was my novice KB1CGG once I made an extra class I chose a vanity of N1ZW and I have been happy with N1ZW. I still love playing guitar but it's hard to practice without one. Radio gave me a chance to communicate all over the world and I operate mostly on digital modes with low power 1 to 5 watts and maybe a little more if needed. Have fun making contacts over bands.
Great video. Also, my Baofeng UVR is tough as nails. It has been used and abused over the years - including frozen - and it works perfectly. Today I carry it while hiking. I just replaced the stock antenna with a better one.
Great history thanks for sharing..I first caught on to ham radio listening to a scanner..got my license back in 92 thanks for putting out the video.... 73's N7ZXG
Loved your video. I just got into the hobby and have a btech hand held. Looking to get something more powerful soon and maybe put an antenna on the roof.
I’m an FCC licensed GMRS radio operator. Right now there are 2 different versions of the Baofeng UV-5R Radio on the market. I know, I have one. There is the Ham Radio version, and there is the GMRS version. Basically the only way to tell which version it is, is by a colored label sticker located in the back of the radio battery compartment attached to the back of the radio itself. The difference is that the GMRS version comes with the factory installed “Red” colored label sticker that has “GMRS” printed on it, and the Ham Radio version has a factory installed “Blue” colored label sticker. Mine came with the factory installed “Red” colored Sticker label printed with the word “GMRS” on it. Mine is also programed for the GMRS frequencies and the GMRS frequency repeater channels in my state area. Mine was programed for the GMRS frequencies along with the proper FCC legal transmit output power for the GMRS frequencies and channels with the “Chirp” program. My son-in-law and his father are both licensed GMRS radio operators. They belong to a local GMRS club up in the state capital area of my state. Both of them have the same Baofeng UV-5R radio’s, and theirs are also programed with the same GMRS channels and repeater frequencies along with the proper FCC legal transmit output power for the GMRS frequencies and channels as well. There are a couple of other people in the state capital area of my state that also have the same radios set up for GMRS frequencies. How I found out about the 2 different versions was through a video produced by the FCC licensed GMRS operator “NOTARUBICON” on UA-cam. Among all the other GMRS videos he has posted on UA-cam, he also has also produced and posted a UA-cam video pertaining to the two different Baofeng UV-5R Radio versions. Before he produced and posted that particular video he was always insisting that the Baofeng UV-5R was strictly a ham radio and was illegal for use on the GMRS frequencies. because all the “SAD HAMS” kept insisting that the Baofeng UV-5R radio is strictly and only a ham radio, and is not legal to be used on the GMRS frequencies and channels. But “NOTARUBICON” himself found out differently that there are 2 different versions. So he produced and posted that video pertaining to the 2 different versions, so that it would keep the “SAD HAMS” at bay and off his back of which keep insisting that the Baofeng UV-5R radio is strictly and only a ham radio and is therefore not legal to be used on the GMRS frequencies and channels.
I have seen everything in terms of Antenna from mag-mount dual band antenna on a pizza pan on the porch or on top of the fridge to what I did when living in an apartment: I pit a 4ft galvanized fence post just behind the bushes (Advantage that I was first floor apt) and put a Christmas Tree stand unstide down on the post, then I stuck a 5/8 wave dual band antenna. It worked great. It would be good to note that the bands you're talking about, 2m / 70cm really only need small antenna. A FULL WAVE 1m antenna is.. That's right.. 2m (6ft) Most people use 1/4 wave antenna's just fine (19") or some of the "High Gain" Base antenna's are still under 5ft. Something you didn't touch on is Range and Repeaters on 2m / 70 cm. 2m / 70cm are pretty short range frequencies anyway and are considered Line of Sight (yes, there's exceptions, Yes you CAN talk to the International Space Station on a simple Baofeng Handheld, etc) but commonly people use those bands to talk to a repeater that then rebroadcasts at higher power and better elevation to make "Your" signal go further. That kind of use is perfect for your QYT / TYT 8900. TRUE long distance comms come later when you get access to the HF frequencies ( a few of which you get at the Tech level, but...) , but then so does the antenna rea-estate. Never the less, VERY cool vid and it's awesome that you decided to cover it. Good luck as you porgress your license! 73
Great video ! W4ZTX North Alabama when we have new hams get their license we give them a Baofeng. I think they actually gave me two one when I got tech and one when I got my general. I keep one in our storm shelter and I have one set up like you do with an external antenna.
Ham Radio is like a casino. Get out before you lose all your money and a wife that wants a divorce. Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
That's all pretty cool in the 70s and early '80s the soul fellow that live down the road from me when I was a kid gave me a ham radio it was a receiver. Used to listen to places all over the world. Then I got a little older and I got into CB radio and sideband radio which are pretty much getting ready to go out with the time in the middle of the '80s came. They're not regulated at all anymore knowledge. Bring back a lot of memories. Very cool Max. I love your guitar Channel too and I'll watch your wife's Channel too
I just saw this. The Beofang is a great starter. I knew I was going to out grow it quick but also knew I'd have a radio collection. Also, the PAPA system there is great. I was also using DMR with them
I have a handful of other radios now and the Baofeng is not the worst of them for sure! And yes, the PAPA system here in CA is great! Thanks for you comments.
Hello Max; I watch your guitar channel and I have learned a good bit from your channel. As licensed amateur radio operator since 1976 (then novice), I pretty much operated on 10 meters. WELCOME TO AMATEUR RADIO. Your Technician license is a license to learn. R&L electronics the same company as your power supply came from has a vertical made by Jetstream, that works pretty good for HF bands using an antenna tuner. If your apartment has an outdoor balcony; this would be the best location for your antennas. The Jetstream vertical would give you full functional transmit from 6 / 10 / 12 /15/17/20/30/40/75 phone/80 meters in a relatively compact vertical that doesn't require ground radials to make the antenna work. If you have access to the attic, it's possible to put up a wire antenna on an attic, but the roof could reflect a good bit of your transmitted rf power downward into other adjoining apartments including yours, giving your neighbors and yourself rf exposure, kinda similar to x-ray exposure, but at least harmful frequency bands. Warning! 6 meters is amateur radios most dangerous to human tissue for heating of flesh. Multiple band antennas are by nature comprise antennas, because they trade max performance to be operationally useable on multiple bands. Vertical hf antennas work fairly well for DX contacts, although not as powerful as HF beam antennas, but far fewer problems. Now my viewpoint as far as multiple bands wire antenna. A quality Off Center Dipole is my choice for a compromise multiple band antenna, because they also work just fine in and inverted V configuration installation and are 50 ohm coax feed. (No ladder line to mess with). Do your neighbors a favor, don't use ladder line to feed your antenna, because your neighbor may hear her microwave or coffee pot talking; as most of these small appliances have no rejection of undesirable strong signals. Ladder line has a reputation to radiate signal. G5RV type HF antennas use ladder line as part of the impedance matching for the antenna to work. A lot of hams have had good luck with G5RV type wire HF antennas; but at the same time many have had far less than optimal results. Now for 2 meter/70 band antenna. Arrow antennas; makes a dual band aluminum J-Pole antenna, they are relatively cheap and they work pretty good and they are not big apartment problem antennas. The balcony if you have one is the spot for installation. Now for HF rig consideration (choice). I would start off new HF radio over getting one used, because most used HF gear is generally too overpriced 75-95% of original new price, the original buyer paid for the equipment. Few people will tell you this. Electronics has a limited life span before it fails. Capacitors dry out and fail; also resistors change value with age and heat. This affects all electronics. So would you buy a 25 year old car with 300k miles, because it was clean and looked good. There will be lots of parts with a lot of wear, ready to break. Parts may also not be available to make that repair. This is what newly licensed amateur radio operators are learning about the hard way. You have basically 3 companies building and selling amateur radio HF radios. Kenwood / Yaesu / and Icom. Icom has the lowest reputation to warranty repairs and poor customer service. Check it out for yourself. Yes they do build high end high performance rigs. But you don't have to buy their flagship wallet destruction monster to get a very good receiver. Kenwood has the best customer service record and generally build very reliable radios and when they get a bad batch of faulty parts used to assemble radios, they have owned up to their mistake and made good on the repair and not charge the customer even on radios past warranty. Kenwood has the best reputation of the big 3. Yaesu has always built radios with very low noise floor and is known world wide as have quality receiving performance. The FTDX 101 series (new) has set the benchmark for performance. Icom, used to share with hearing capabilities, but is far behind nowadays. Yaesu has improved customer service in the last 10 years and now has some of the longest warranty available in any amateur radio equipment. The new FTDX-10 has almost as good receiver as the flagship FTDX -101d and has its own band scope and touch screen controls. It has excellent TX audio quality and receive quality with a highly advanced DSP to deal with noise along with roofing filters to help with noise. This is a lot of radio for the buck and performance is pretty good. If I were in the market to buy a new rig, I'd definitely look at it. I still have my Yaesu ft-840, which I bought new back in 1998 and it has never had any problem at all. It is a very simple (no menu), straight forward HF radio with that Yaesu low noise floor and old school Colin's mechanical filters. I use it every day. I also use a Kenwood TS-480hx 200 watt HF radio on my base shack and it works great too. The 200 watts helps punch through high noise levels. I also use LDG automatic antenna tuners. I have a AT-1000 pro2 I use with the Kenwood and I have a 100 watt LDG automatic tuner I use for the Yaesu. I have a backup mfj 989 manual, but I rarely use it much as I rarely actually need my Heath kit sb-220. Hopefully you will have gained good info, you can use. 73 and GOD bless; Earnest K5EWM.
Earnest, thanks very much for all that info! In particular about the prices of HF radios. That's very specific and helpful. My big problem is with antennas. I have no balcony and no attic. It's very limiting.
@@HeavyMetalHorizons hello Max I ran across your video again on U-tube. Just about every dwelling with indoor plumbing has a toilet 🚽 vent through the roof. If you have a vertical that doesn't need radials to work properly, you could mount it there and have pretty good performance from antenna there, PS. I't will tune up on 75 meter phone (lower side band), but not very effective (low efficiency). I'm still running that Yaesu ft-840 and the Kenwood TS-480hx, but I added an Yaesu ft-891 rig for spare and portable operation. Currently the bands have been in pretty good shape so contacts are easier to make. About that toilet 🚽 vent pipe mounting, the length of pipe if metal will act as counterpoise for the vertical antenna. Try to stay away from antennas that require radials, especially for your particular installation. The Yaesu ft-891 is a pretty good little rig with excellent performance vs price efficiency. It 2 main weak points are the menus have a bit of a learning curve and the receiver can overload easily if operating close proximity to another hf station on the same band. Field day is well known for this kind of problem. I'm running an ldg inexpensive Auto tuner and it works great with the Yaesu ft-891. The rig will work for digital modes but you will need a sound card box interface for the computer as the USB connection is for CAT control operating. Have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas. 73 Earnest K5EWM 👍.
I would also recommend a Yaesu 991A its a shack in the box. They will even expand the frequency to include 11 meter CB band when you order it online for a small fee. It has UHF VHF & HF with all modes plus Yaesu system Fusion for online talk groups. A 100 watt radio with everything you need. Buy during a holiday sale. I talk all over the world on 10 meters to 20 using a telescopic whip on my balcony. 17' Stainless steel telescopic whips are under $100 for 10 meters it you only need it up around 8'
I'm glad to find other people in Ham that don't just want to talk about going to a pizza buffet to eat..local hams talk about interesting things during nets like how much their grass grew since last week ..that's why I don't participate much
Good intro, thanks. Maybe anyone with a mobile phone is a radio "ham"? OK, maybe not licensed but definitely a radio enthusiast or on unlicensed ham. A mobile phone is essentially a radio transceiver. Whenever you use your mobile phone you are sending and receiving information using a radio. The mobile phone connects to a system of "repeaters" on the cellnet - same basic concept for hams using repeaters. Sometimes people ask me why I bother with ham radio and I tell them, I assume you have a mobile phone, you have been a radio ham for years and you didn't even know! 😂
I got my license last year (technicians) and just got my first HT. Programming it and learning the setup stuff has been tedious, but it's starting to gel. I have programmed some repeaters and frequencies in, but so far...not much happening. I have a GT UV 5R...the Baofeng is the Ham cocaine. Perfectly good to start with until you decide if you're in or nah.
Cool set up! Looking to get my ham license soon my self, tech ,and then general.. I already have all my radio equipment set up.. hf, gmrs, cb,vhf, uhf…and digital police scanners… good luck! From Diamond bar, California. Your neighbor
The Ebay box for the radios is a great idea. Some one turned me onto cutting boards, the plastic ones (high density polyethylene). They're like 5 bucks at walmart, got 4 of them, drilled them together, boom, decent bay-station.
First of all congratulations on getting your Ham license Max. I just subscribed to your Channel. I love everything about your channel. And this is a guy that has one hour flight time on a Cessna 172. I love everything Aviation, cars and ham radio. Just to mention a few. I also live in an apartment in NJ. What I'm using for VHF and UHF is a dual band Slim Jim antenna made by N9TAX. It's been working very well for me. Great video, keep them coming. Good luck with all your adventures and welcome amateur radio. God bless and all the best. 73 from KC2NGH. P.S. I originally posted this comment on the video you posted a day ago. Good luck and enjoy the hobby.
Dude. Great video. Thoroughly enjoyed your video, totally stumbled onto your channel. Fairly new ham also, about 3 years, really appreciate your honesty and genuine demeanor need more new hams like you joining the hobby. Hope to catch you on the local repeaters. Study up for your general and get into HF - you can be one of those long distance station some kid hears and get enthusiastic. Cheers and 73.
@@HeavyMetalHorizons folks are all over the icon7300, I'm not a fan, BUT I 'bought up' and looked at it from the view of something I'd want for next 3+ years, I bought the yaedu Ft-DX10. And it is fantastic. It's 3rd on Sherwood report (google) the top two are expen$ive. I started with. Yaesu 100d - HF, UHF, VHF but isn't made anymore. But honestly the 991a, shack-in-the-box was my target, but DX10 hit the market. Not sure of the new Yaesu 710. But remember your best bet is check out a local group and see what they're running. (My schedule makes it tough to join). You can check out PAPA group in LA. They have a new ham net plus tech nets, weekly. You can listen in and get free access for a month or so. I got the HF bug real bad. Plus bands are opening big time.
Hey Max, I went to high school with you and just randomly stumbled across this video when casually looking into ham radio stuff. So unexpected, haha. Nice collection behind you btw. Good to see you’re still shredding. 😀
Thanks for a fantastic video. It's a real insight into the hobby that I have just started to be interested in. I have just ordered my first radio a Baofeng UV-9R Pro. Who knows I may be talking to you one day on the radio. Thanks again for sharing your experience of the hobby.
Great video! Thanks for your enthusiasm on amateur radio. I JUST got my technician license and am trying to learn everything I can as I begin this interesting journey. Appreciate your insights.
I have a few friends who were into it. One of their father-in-law's was parked by the road, and we started talking. As fate would have it his friend passed away and he picked up his gear and was looking for money. Not sure if I got taken, this was like 7 years ago, but I paid 800 bucks for what he had. It is a IC-7200 base, with a AT-180 thing... I have no idea what it does, and an MFJ Switching power supply and another MFJ 874 meter thing. I do want to set it up once I get an appropriate antennae. I bought a cheap one on eBay, but have yet to hook anything up. I assume I can use it as a scanner, so may hook it up and reach out to that father-in-law and get my license. Too many hobbies lol...
I am sorry. You must of spent allot of money on equipment because of pressure to buy more exspensive stuff. I know so many people that got into debt really bad because of pressure from other Hams to keep buying more equipment.
First video I've found that doesn't make the whole thing seem completely overwhelming - you are one chill dude, many thanks.
Glad it helped!
OUTSTANDING! I'm going to have a knee replacement this winter. I was wondering what to do during my recovery...Now I know...Study and PASS the Ham License test.
There you go!
Did you succeed?
73's M7RJB
Great idea, best of luck sir, got my ticket in 1993, never looked back, great hobby and still going strong, best 73's G7POG
I know you from Guitar Max Didn't know you were a ham, I'm just getting started in the hobby
I totally agree. Start small and get your feet wet. Buy a $25 radio and see if you're interested. If you still aren't sure, a GMRS license is $35 and there is NO test. If you want more, the Ham Radio technician test is easy enough to study and memorize even if you don't fully understand it. Once you start using the radio you'll learn a lot more by doing, and eventually you'll understand the questions on the test. I started with a Baofeng and just listened for a couple of months. Then I got a GMRS license and got connected with a great bunch of folks on a repeater in my area. After a couple more months I decided to get my Ham license. Just the fun of making antennas out of wire or coat hangers and seeing it actually work was enough to spark more interest and I gradually improved the quality of the equipment I use. This year I got my General class license and I'm talking to people two states away and listening to people all over the world. It is a lot of fun.
Yep get a Ham license and spend your time giving signal reports and the weather for the day. Ham Radio is like a casino. Get out before you lose all your money and a wife that wants a divorce. Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
Stick with GMRS. The folks there are so much friendlier. Many ham go to GMRS to get away from the gossip, control, and arrogant people on the Ham Bands.
When the big winter storm hit in Texas a while back and the power kept going out, I was able to still use my radio (HT and battery backup desk unit) to listen/talk to other people in my area I didn't know and see what they knew. I still use it during thunderstorms because you'll find out what's headed your way before the news can tell you. It's also nice just to listen/talk to people you don't know. Can't do any of that with a cell phone.
Getting into ham radio as well, disaster preparation is a most.
Besides, it’s a cool hobby.
Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
This Video got you a new subscriber. I’ve been a ham since 1974 and a pilot since 1976. I probably wouldn’t have found you without this video. Thanks
UH-60A Blackhawk Crewchief then PP since 2008.
Wait wait wait.... Guitar Max is a HAM?? Dude you're officially one of the coolest UA-camrs out there in my opinion.
Thank you! KN6VNE.
It's news to me also, I've been watching him for quite some time on guitar Max and never knew about his being a ham😊
Please please please make more radio videos. As an absolute starter, I had no idea if I was even ready for the hobby. You did a great job not just explaining some of the basics, but explaining what radio can offer.
For a better antenna I would recommend the Diamond x50, you can stick it in a flower pot, it’s about 5.5 feet, you can camouflage it with a phony vine or flowers and stick it on your balcony, if you don’t have a balcony just get it close to a window, it should get out far better than your mobile window antenna. Good luck, KG7VDN 🤘🏼
I have a similar antenna for my cb radio but I mounted it to the wall beside my back door. Is it okay to put there with a wall behind it? I’m not getting good reception yet.
@@donnasmith1966 cb works totally different than uhf or vhf, the antenna really needs to be outside, the higher the better,and what kind of antenna do you have exactly?
Excellent recommendation.
I use Diamond x50. Great antenna. Single item. No joints. Built like a tank. Set and forget. I also recommend.
Does it reach Moscow from Canada Montreal?
I’ve been in ham/Cb radio since 1964. I’ve built HealthKit units as well as modern kits available today.
The thing is radios will always work if all other communication goes down. During natural disaster’s it’s still the only form of communication working including today with what happened in Florida.
Taliban used ICOMs, it just works
You ain't seen nothing yet.dystopian new world order approaching full speed!
I built the Heathkit GW-12 in 1964, Great times. I still have one along with a GW-22
The attraction of ham radio is that it's unreliable. Huh? It's like going fishing. You never know who you might get. Absolute reliability - like the Internet - is boring.
Should I get a ham or cb radio for my car?
Max, at 18:10, you gave the best reasons why anyone in this day in age would want to get into ham radio. No one has ever described it better.
One of the reason these are still make sense is disaster preparedness. You know, in the modern world where everything is so convenient, people often take it for granted, but the fact is disaster can happen anytime, where cellphone services knocked out, internet, powerstations knocked out, gas line, fresh water, elevators, cash-less transaction services etc. During time like that, we have to 'back to the basics'.
Exactly why I am getting into this hobby. Once the north tower collapsed on 9/11, all cell phone coverage was lost which added to an already tragic situation.
Not really. There is no electricity during disasters that means no repeaters.
A) Repeaters often have battery, solar, and/or generator backup.
B) You don't need repeaters. You can communicate directly with people around the world using HF.
C) Even if you aren't communicating directly via voice with people around the world, you can hit antennas hundreds of kilometres away that you can use for data, even text messaging people straight to their phone, or sending email, all with 10 Watts or less.
@abdullahal-shimri3091 repeaters are only good for 2m and 70cm... 6m is the only pseudo HF band that uses repeaters regularly. I know I know... there are 10m repeaters out there, but I don't know anyone who uses one. I just know they're there. And there are tons of commercial power outage capabilities. Car batteries, solar generators, etc.
@@abdullahal-shimri3091
folks that are into this sort of thing usually have backup power planned. “This ain’t our first rodeo” lol
Had my amateur radio license for a few years and just now getting back in. I love to see these type of videos reaching out to people to encourage them to at least try it out. The main reason I got in it was because of the learning questions you was talking about at the end. I've learned so much! I looked at my wifi access spoijt one day and thought, how does that thing turn my data in waves and how does it receive them.. and that's what got me into it! The answer is awesome!!
Just got callsign this last week. Looking forward to exploring hobby.
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I have had UV5R's for a few years, and I didn't want to spend a ton of money to step it up. Thank you!!
You're very welcome!
You're like the version of me I wish I could have attained! Organized as anything, fit, pilot, awesome at guitar, and extremely level-headed.
Wow, thanks!
@@HeavyMetalHorizons any tips to become as awesome as you?
Thank you SO much for this. I was gifted today with some HAM items. He is a paraplegic since he was 18. I was talking with him about HAM radios last night. As I have been interested for a very long time. He texted me this morning and said I should come out to his farm and pick up what he had in storage. So I went. He gave me a couple of 2m antennas, coax cables, a desk microphone, couple of handheld mics, and an HF SSB YAESU FT-101 ZD Transceiver with a YAESU G-450 A. Now of course, I do not know the first thing about all of this. I do remember making antennas and the like from my days in the Army. I know the theory a bit. Your video explained so very much. Yes, I will need to read and learn a lot before I even plug this stuff in. You are a natural at explaining something that is actually quite complex into simple English. As another commented. I would love to see you do some more videos on this topic. I will of course check out your other videos as well. This one is two years old and I may be speaking out of turn. lol. Thank you SO much for putting this out. You have really inspired me further.
Enjoyed you conversation and journey. I am Disabled Vet and an old ham...have lost my ham head and returning to the air...have lost my cognition to some degree. So your self explanation and history is refreshing my knowledge base. Thanks for being there. 73, John KH3AE😊
Thank you! And welcome back.
I like your story about how you got into ham radio. Once there's an interest in radio, it never goes away. I'm a CBer, and a bit of a funny story, my friends bought me a UV-5R for some radio favours I did for them. I loved that thing, listening to the cops etc. One morning I drove off for work at around 6am, and 200m down the road took the first turn and heard a sliding sound on the roof. I knew it wasn't a coffee cup, I very quickly realised I'd left the radio on the roof of the car the previous night because I was using the light to help with firewood. I didn't have time to stop so looked for it after work. I eventually found what may be it on the side of the road. It was very flat and large, and when I turned it over, all that was distinguishable was a sought of over sized speaker. It looked like something out of a cartoon. Turns out it was run over about a 100 times by potato tractors, I lived high up in potato country (awesome for DX) and it was harvest time.
My condolences for your loss!
I had an anytone come off the Truck rolling down the highway at 75 mph. Thought it would be in a thousand pieces. Not only did it survive, it was in one piece with only a few scratches in the plastic. I feel like the purchase was worth it it now lol.
I'm from the guitar channel and I am also a railfan. I use a Baofeng GT3 primary as a railroad scanner and it works pretty good considering how cheap it is.
You know, I had no idea you were into this stuff. Yeah, I watched your Guitarmax stuff but then I'm looking for ham radio info and there you are again. You are way cooler than I thought.
Hey thanks!
Sounds like a Happy Childhood to me…..lucky guy just like me
I just got into ham radio a couple of months ago and it’s been a blast man. Thank you for the info. 73 and have a good one!
I live in a condo. I use a telescopic antenna on the balcony for 6 meters to 20meters. 40 meters with the coil. I use N9tax slim Jim antenna for uhf vhf hanging from anywhere from the balcony to my blinds. I have a small three element yagi mounted on a 6' wooded coat rack pointing at the mountains with the repeaters on.
PP since 2008. Built and fly a 4-place EAB. Now getting into Electronics and Ham Radio. Keep up the good videos.
Great Encouraging Video and really thought out and organized very well. Appreciate your effort. I am a retired helo driver, little bird and UH1 (30 years in Army) and a former SCCA race driver. I can appreciate your motivation for aircraft and cars. But I would add one more reason besides fun and that is part of being prepared (prepper). I am 81 yr old and decided to get my tech license and in process of studying. I really appreciate your passion and encouragement. Bless you.😊😊😊
Me. It was the 70s. My dad was a technician who was a projectionist at the cinema. He was building circuits and fixing radios and tvs and vacuum cleaners 😂 He gave me my old SW radio and ran a wire with insulators. Listened around the world and he gave my stuff to build speaker systems and radio transmitters. Built a station FM station! Blasted Boston and Styx.
Great video. I’m just getting into ham radio and you very clearly and simply communicated all the initial basic questions I had with quick, engaging demonstration. Awesome :)
Thank you!
I used an MFJ 1622 Apartment Antenna for years when I was in an apartment. It covers 2m through 40m. I worked the world with this
HAM radio friend here. I started with scanners, then CB's, then took the test and got licensed. I use the hobby everyday, talking simplex while driving in Phoenix, and on camping trips through repeaters (another hobby). My radio is an Icom-5100 which I use in my Jeep while driving. Since Icom has digital mode, I also have an Icom-51A HT radio that I use at home connected to an OpenSpot to talk around the world on D-star. All with the Technician license. My longest contact was with a gentleman 8K miles away in Indonesia. I live in a HOA community, so I can't really put up big towers and antennas... I chose to go with the Openspot and D-star for worldwide comms. Anyway, even with the Icom ID-5100 in my Jeep (or the ID-51A HT), I can monitor frequencies outside the HAM band on the B-side of the radio (examples being; police, fire, forest service, aviation, etc....) Super cool hobby if you're into hearing what's on the radio waves, and interested to see how far you can talk to other people around the globe. Sidenote: If you want to start with no money for a radio, get your license, then use Echolink on your phone to talk to repeaters. Options are endless and such a great hobby to get involved in, especially when outside cellphone reception and range. Cheers! Pete - KI7LIL
Ham Radio is like a casino. Get out before you lose all your money and a wife that wants a divorce.
@@nmphotographer I disagree. Manage yourself, and enjoy the benefits of everything in life.
I got my Novice ticket circa 1969, and then rapidly went on to a General and Advanced class license. I still hold that license today, although you can't even GET a new Advanced class license!
It was interesting to see how a recently licensed amateur might put a new station on the air.
For me, I built a crystal controlled CW transmitter mostly made from an old television chassis parts. Never did get rid of all the chirp that had! Still it's kind of sad to see no homebrew equipment in your station.
It's been about half a century since I got my ticket. Half a century before that, spark gap transmitters were just going out of style in favor of transmitters using the latest technology ---vacumm tubes that allowed continuous wave radio signals! It seems that the rate of technological advance in the past half century has probably accelerated even more rapidly.
Thanks for the opportunity to see your station and choices as to the equipment to use.
Cool to hear your perspective and upbringing into such a niche hobby (especially when you clearly have a thousand other hobbies going on!). I do work with youth advocacy and getting more people into ham radio, so it’s excellent to hear your story.
We’re still doing it! A Lot! Hope to hear you on the air! 73 😊
Sad HAM
🐴88’s
@@user-lw5fm2xc3w 🐎
When the world locked down, I could still talk too my friends on my Ham radio!
I just got my Technician license. I’ve been watching your guitar channel for years. I really appreciate your review here.
The box is a great idea. I think four small swivel wheels would be nice for my situation so I could roll it out from its place on the back left corner of my large desk when I want to operate. Nice video.
I almost wish I were into cars and planes. Really enjoyed the video. Thank you!
Thanks, I appreciate that.
I agree with you about the fun and adventure of Ham radio, but for some of us old timers, it's also a means of backup communication. The recent events in North Carolina with cell phones down, grid down, and roads down is an example of the usefulness of having ongoing communications with the outside world. It could literally be lifesaving. And while it's clearly not a hobby for everyone, a few expert operators scattered around can leverage the communications of non-users.
Antenna wise. There are a lot of options.
MFJ makes an antenna “mfj 1625” that for HF to 6meters frequencies. Ore if you’re not transmitting on HF maybe buy ore build a PA0RDT mini whip antenna? Depends on where in the building you are. Cause this little antenna works awesome. As long you can get it away from noise sources. Cause this little thing is very sensitive in picking up signals.
But since you’re on vhf and uhf.
I’d probably go for a multiband “yagi” antenna.
Cause it’s directional. And the building is blocking most of the signals from one side anyways.
You could hang a delta loop around the ceiling. But the beauty of this hobby is. You can build you own and experiment with different antennas. As long as you can keep the swr down. And thus build your antenna to the frequency you like ore want to use.
Have fun!
I just got my license. I really appreciate your sharing your setup and ideas.
Your smile when hearing the radio is priceless.
Bought the same stool. Works great. I mounted a 12 panel fuse box on the side of mine. Cobra 129 and a 2000 watt inverter on the top. Radios underneath. That children's stool is perfect for my stuff. Have fun.
Completely brilliant introduction. Just sent to buddy of mine trying to think what I could have him watch without overwhelming.
Just getting back into this after 32 years from my last transmission as a (then) newly licensed ham. (G0PLZ at your service) :-) Just fancied a 2m radio so picked up a TID Radio H8.
Now wishing I hadn't as I'm straight back into wanting an HF rig.
Had CB radios in the early 80's / 90's. Working on a site with an older carpenter friend of mine. He was sitting in his car as usual during lunch and chatting away with a few people.
Accent sounded odd so I asked him who it was....."That's Rick" He's American. "Where is he?"........... "He's in New York". WFT!!!! 7.30am there. 12.30pm for us in the UK.
That was on a 10m mobile 28Mhz with a whip antenna! Mind Blown! all thanks to catching the height of the 11 year peak solar cycle back then.
Instantly wanted to get one only for him to tell me I would need a licence. Worse than that! I would need a full licence to operate HF which, at the time had a compulsory CW part to get t full Class A Licence. That was 1991, then life, wife, kids, mortgage happened and never got to getting my Yaesu FT-767 set up. Always regretted it. Looking forward to piecing some kit back together and getting a buddy involved. Thanks for this. Brilliant!!!!!!
Really great video, well done. Enjoy the hobby, I have been a ham since 2002, and wish I had done it when I was younger - I used to listen to shortwave broadcasts back in the early 80s myself... radio is a very rewarding hobby, thanks for 'spreading the faith' and 73 de AB1DQ
Welcome to ham radio! I have watched some of your guitar review videos and found them very interesting. Good luck in getting your general license. I have been having a lot of fun on the hf bands and, although fairly new to hf, have been able to make contacts with several foreign countries.
Max, welcome to the ham radio hobby. I am a ham since 1982 and a ARRL Life Member. I watch your Guitar Max channel too. I play several instruments: guitar, banjo, mandolin. For an indoor antenna, I recommend the ELK 2m/70cm 5-element log periodic yagi mounted on 1" PVC pipe and installed on a 3-foot roof mount tripod placed on the floor in your room. The antenna can be rotated by hand as it is connected to the PVC pipe. I cut the PVC pipe at about 4ft in length to allow clearance from the top of the elements to the ceiling to avoid high SWR. The ELK 2m/440L5 antenna is a portable antenna with the elements screwing into the 2ft boom. I use about 10ft of LMR400 coax between my Yaesu FT7800 mobile rig and the antenna. I hope you find this useful. KN6VNE de N2DUI kn
Another baofeng model people can start out with is the GT3TP. It’s also an 8 watt model and is able to pick up a weaker signal than the UV5R’s.
A great option for a scanner would be a SDR (software defined radio).
If you don't have any clause in your lease forbidding you from transmitting in your building, just invite your super over, show him what you are doing, and ask him for a permission to install antenna on the roof. He might be more open to it than you'd think ;-)
I've been a Ham for 42 yrs got licensed in 1980 and was a Tech Plus until 1999 then Grandfathered in as a General when they dropped the 13 WPM code then Extra in 2002. I went to the FCC in NYC to take my General test I was a Novice and passed the General written test but failed the 13 WPM code by 1 question (missed the Guy's call).
CW is more valid than ever. It gets thru when nothing else works. Did you go back and try the test again?
You should learn and practice it.
I've been a ham for 10 years and I think you did a great job of explaining radios to a newcomer. Two things. Like the gentlemen here mentioned, the X50 is a great antenna. I have two of them. Also, for someone wanting to get into ham, they could always start with GMRS. No test.
Thank you! Good advice!
@@HeavyMetalHorizons Would that antenna reach Russia? If not which one would
@@Someoneishidingjdjsjno antenna can reach Russia. But you can use interconnected digital repeaters.
Great video, I am getting ready to retire and have been looking at ham as a hobby, you have shown me how I can approach it with out spending a boat load of money to find out if I’m going to enjoy it, thanks
Thanks! Go for it.
Taking a peek over from the guitar channel again and glad I did. This type of hobby reminds me of what I read on a Harley Davidson shirt one time. It read “if I have to explain it you wouldn’t understand “. I find it very intriguing. Thanks for sharing this and keep us posted On your progress. Thanks as always Max
Perfect video for someone looking to get into the hobby. Thanks for putting it together. Ben in UK
Glad it was helpful!
I really like what Keith said below, "Amateur radio is a million hobbies in one." Today, amateur radio has been heavily integrated with standalone computers and the Internet at various levels for various purposes.
I do identify with as a condo dweller. Fortunately I was able to put up some small outdoor antennas. You also have "the one that must be obeyed" giving you guidance.
With that in mind two easy inexpensive to build or buy antennas are the twin-lead j-pole and twin-lead Slim Jim. To the casual observer they often look the same, but they are slightly different electrically. These are easy to roll-up and store or hang-up to use.
Two other antennas to consider that I believe are only "roll your own" in the amateur world are "patch antennas" and "fractal antennas." They are found in commercial aircraft and cellphone industries.
If you remember from your exam antennas length or size is based upon length, typically 1/2wl for dipoles and 1/4wl for monopole vertical groundplane antennas. Those formulas whether English or metric work great for thin radiating elements, but they are technical based on the wrong physics principle.
Antennas resonate not based upon frequency, but surface area of the radiating element. As a thought experiment rollup your window mounted antenna into a disk. You have mentally made your first patch antenna.
Fractal shapes are infinitely repeating self similar patterns. The first use of fractal antennas is believed to be WWII when German resistance loaded the framework of stained glass windows in churches to conceal transmitter antennas.
The upside of patch and fractal antennas is they tend to be somewhat broadbanded, which is ideal for cellphones that have to be able to operate on various frequencies according to the service provider's purchased frequency. The downside is they may not be the most efficient antenna, so the big boys apply a lot of simulation and testing to optimize antennas based on broadbandedness and efficiency.
The last rabbit hole is small loop antennas of 1/4wl, 1/8wl, and 1/10wl. There are large loop antennas of 1/2wl and 1wl also.
In an antennas you have three parameters of size, efficiency, and Q aka bandwidth. You chose two. You can have high efficiency and broad bandwidth with a large antenna. Small size, high efficiency with a narrow bandwidth antenna. Low efficiency, broad bandwidth with small size.
All loop antennas have better noise rejection. 1/8wl and 1/10wl magnetic loop antennas have good near field noise rejections within about 1wl of the operating frequency due to primarily receiving only magnetic radiation in the near field.
There is a lot of study to do and a NanoVNA in your future, if you are the cobbler experimenter.
Thank you and nice meeting you 🖖🇵🇭
The antenna I would recommend for 2m440 is Arrow osj 146/440
For the 10m it is called firestick iba-5 yes it is a CB antenna but it works quite nicely because it has counterpoise I figured I would mention those two and fire stick is made in Phoenix n0spw
The real ham action is on HF. If you have not already, go for your General ticket.
Dude, I just got into ham radio this year, too. - 73, KC3UIJ
Ham Radio is like a casino. Get out before you lose all your money and a wife that wants a divorce. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
for 2m and 70 cm i recommend a jpole, you can buy them premade or make them yourself very inexpensively. they are easy to construct and produce great results
Great presentation to get people enthusiastic about this great hobby/service! 👍🏻
My advice is to join a local Amateur radio club if there is one near you. They will run their own nets which you can participate in as well as encouraging you to try and reach further afield using different frequencies & modes. Whilst a Baufeng is a great starting point and entry into the hobby now there are other modes you can try & explore in VHF but the real area to get into has to be the HF bands as these go far beyond your local area. You dont have to buy all your kit brand new. I get a lot of my kit second hand from Rallies or other hams.
Great video. Very helpful and explained why it’s a good hobby in a perfect way.
Skip the Boafeng Uv-5r and go with a Boafeng Uv-9r or Uv-13 Pro v2. I have both and quite impressed with them.
Nice video mate, amateur radio has so many aspect's to it and is referred to as a million hobbies in one.
This is a great video from someone who is new to the hobby as just venturing into it with a realistic approach.
Once you have gained your license you will find what aspect of the hobby is a good fit for yourself and situation, just remember to take it slow and enjoy it.
Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
Many years ago, I bought a Radio Shack multiband, short-wave receiver and attached an antenna of several feet of wire strung around my living-room ceiling. I got the stronger signals from Europe and BBC, although I believe BBC may have dropped its shortwave transmissions and is now relying on the internet for worldwide distribution. I found that American hams talked to one another almost exclusively about their ham rigs and their health problems--most of them being in their seventies and older.
I have been enjoying all videos mostly on the guitars for decent prices and such. I have been a ham since 1997 and my first call was my novice KB1CGG once I made an extra class I chose a vanity of N1ZW and I have been happy with N1ZW. I still love playing guitar but it's hard to practice without one. Radio gave me a chance to communicate all over the world and I operate mostly on digital modes with low power 1 to 5 watts and maybe a little more if needed. Have fun making contacts over bands.
Love the Box! The Diamond x50 or X30.
Great video. Also, my Baofeng UVR is tough as nails. It has been used and abused over the years - including frozen - and it works perfectly. Today I carry it while hiking. I just replaced the stock antenna with a better one.
Great history thanks for sharing..I first caught on to ham radio listening to a scanner..got my license back in 92 thanks for putting out the video.... 73's N7ZXG
Loved your video. I just got into the hobby and have a btech hand held. Looking to get something more powerful soon and maybe put an antenna on the roof.
I’m an FCC licensed GMRS radio operator. Right now there are 2 different versions of the Baofeng UV-5R Radio on the market. I know, I have one. There is the Ham Radio version, and there is the GMRS version.
Basically the only way to tell which version it is, is by a colored label sticker located in the back of the radio battery compartment attached to the back of the radio itself. The difference is that the GMRS version comes with the factory installed “Red” colored label sticker that has “GMRS” printed on it, and the Ham Radio version has a factory installed “Blue” colored label sticker.
Mine came with the factory installed “Red” colored Sticker label printed with the word “GMRS” on it. Mine is also programed for the GMRS frequencies and the GMRS frequency repeater channels in my state area. Mine was programed for the GMRS frequencies along with the proper FCC legal transmit output power for the GMRS frequencies and channels with the “Chirp” program.
My son-in-law and his father are both licensed GMRS radio operators. They belong to a local GMRS club up in the state capital area of my state. Both of them have the same Baofeng UV-5R radio’s, and theirs are also programed with the same GMRS channels and repeater frequencies along with the proper FCC legal transmit output power for the GMRS frequencies and channels as well. There are a couple of other people in the state capital area of my state that also have the same radios set up for GMRS frequencies.
How I found out about the 2 different versions was through a video produced by the FCC licensed GMRS operator “NOTARUBICON” on UA-cam.
Among all the other GMRS videos he has posted on UA-cam, he also has also produced and posted a UA-cam video pertaining to the two different Baofeng UV-5R Radio versions.
Before he produced and posted that particular video he was always insisting that the Baofeng UV-5R was strictly a ham radio and was illegal for use on the GMRS frequencies. because all the “SAD HAMS” kept insisting that the Baofeng UV-5R radio is strictly and only a ham radio, and is not legal to be used on the GMRS frequencies and channels.
But “NOTARUBICON” himself found out differently that there are 2 different versions. So he produced and posted that video pertaining to the 2 different versions, so that it would keep the “SAD HAMS” at bay and off his back of which keep insisting that the Baofeng UV-5R radio is strictly and only a ham radio and is therefore not legal to be used on the GMRS frequencies and channels.
The UV-5R is the same no matter which portion of the band it is set up for and can be programmed for either Armature or GMRS or both
I have seen everything in terms of Antenna from mag-mount dual band antenna on a pizza pan on the porch or on top of the fridge to what I did when living in an apartment: I pit a 4ft galvanized fence post just behind the bushes (Advantage that I was first floor apt) and put a Christmas Tree stand unstide down on the post, then I stuck a 5/8 wave dual band antenna. It worked great. It would be good to note that the bands you're talking about, 2m / 70cm really only need small antenna. A FULL WAVE 1m antenna is.. That's right.. 2m (6ft) Most people use 1/4 wave antenna's just fine (19") or some of the "High Gain" Base antenna's are still under 5ft.
Something you didn't touch on is Range and Repeaters on 2m / 70 cm. 2m / 70cm are pretty short range frequencies anyway and are considered Line of Sight (yes, there's exceptions, Yes you CAN talk to the International Space Station on a simple Baofeng Handheld, etc) but commonly people use those bands to talk to a repeater that then rebroadcasts at higher power and better elevation to make "Your" signal go further. That kind of use is perfect for your QYT / TYT 8900. TRUE long distance comms come later when you get access to the HF frequencies ( a few of which you get at the Tech level, but...) , but then so does the antenna rea-estate.
Never the less, VERY cool vid and it's awesome that you decided to cover it. Good luck as you porgress your license! 73
Great video ! W4ZTX North Alabama when we have new hams get their license we give them a Baofeng. I think they actually gave me two one when I got tech and one when I got my general. I keep one in our storm shelter and I have one set up like you do with an external antenna.
Welcome to the hobby!
i had a 2 m ant wrapped around my radio room
the ceiling perimeter
glad i found your radio/aviation ch already dig your music gear/guitar ch
Very Cool!! HAM Radio has SOOO many options!!
Ham Radio is like a casino. Get out before you lose all your money and a wife that wants a divorce. Messenger Pigeons were essential one hundred years ago. Technology has replaced Pigeons. Yes, Ham Radio is like Pigeons. Ham Radio was important 50 yrs ago, but now a dying breed.
The last person I thought i was gonna teach me about ham radio was GuitarMax!
That's all pretty cool in the 70s and early '80s the soul fellow that live down the road from me when I was a kid gave me a ham radio it was a receiver. Used to listen to places all over the world. Then I got a little older and I got into CB radio and sideband radio which are pretty much getting ready to go out with the time in the middle of the '80s came. They're not regulated at all anymore knowledge. Bring back a lot of memories. Very cool Max. I love your guitar Channel too and I'll watch your wife's Channel too
Welcome to the Ham club! And be radio active.
Hope to catch you on the air one day.
73
I just saw this. The Beofang is a great starter. I knew I was going to out grow it quick but also knew I'd have a radio collection. Also, the PAPA system there is great. I was also using DMR with them
I have a handful of other radios now and the Baofeng is not the worst of them for sure! And yes, the PAPA system here in CA is great! Thanks for you comments.
Thanks for this making this video. I've been curious about the subject for quite a few years, and this was very informative!
Hello Max; I watch your guitar channel and I have learned a good bit from your channel. As licensed amateur radio operator since 1976 (then novice), I pretty much operated on 10 meters. WELCOME TO AMATEUR RADIO. Your Technician license is a license to learn. R&L electronics the same company as your power supply came from has a vertical made by Jetstream, that works pretty good for HF bands using an antenna tuner. If your apartment has an outdoor balcony; this would be the best location for your antennas. The Jetstream vertical would give you full functional transmit from 6 / 10 / 12 /15/17/20/30/40/75 phone/80 meters in a relatively compact vertical that doesn't require ground radials to make the antenna work. If you have access to the attic, it's possible to put up a wire antenna on an attic, but the roof could reflect a good bit of your transmitted rf power downward into other adjoining apartments including yours, giving your neighbors and yourself rf exposure, kinda similar to x-ray exposure, but at least harmful frequency bands. Warning! 6 meters is amateur radios most dangerous to human tissue for heating of flesh. Multiple band antennas are by nature comprise antennas, because they trade max performance to be operationally useable on multiple bands. Vertical hf antennas work fairly well for DX contacts, although not as powerful as HF beam antennas, but far fewer problems. Now my viewpoint as far as multiple bands wire antenna. A quality Off Center Dipole is my choice for a compromise multiple band antenna, because they also work just fine in and inverted V configuration installation and are 50 ohm coax feed. (No ladder line to mess with). Do your neighbors a favor, don't use ladder line to feed your antenna, because your neighbor may hear her microwave or coffee pot talking; as most of these small appliances have no rejection of undesirable strong signals. Ladder line has a reputation to radiate signal. G5RV type HF antennas use ladder line as part of the impedance matching for the antenna to work. A lot of hams have had good luck with G5RV type wire HF antennas; but at the same time many have had far less than optimal results.
Now for 2 meter/70 band antenna. Arrow antennas; makes a dual band aluminum J-Pole antenna, they are relatively cheap and they work pretty good and they are not big apartment problem antennas. The balcony if you have one is the spot for installation.
Now for HF rig consideration (choice).
I would start off new HF radio over getting one used, because most used HF gear is generally too overpriced 75-95% of original new price, the original buyer paid for the equipment. Few people will tell you this. Electronics has a limited life span before it fails. Capacitors dry out and fail; also resistors change value with age and heat. This affects all electronics. So would you buy a 25 year old car with 300k miles, because it was clean and looked good. There will be lots of parts with a lot of wear, ready to break. Parts may also not be available to make that repair.
This is what newly licensed amateur radio operators are learning about the hard way.
You have basically 3 companies building and selling amateur radio HF radios. Kenwood / Yaesu / and Icom.
Icom has the lowest reputation to warranty repairs and poor customer service.
Check it out for yourself. Yes they do build high end high performance rigs. But you don't have to buy their flagship wallet destruction monster to get a very good receiver.
Kenwood has the best customer service record and generally build very reliable radios and when they get a bad batch of faulty parts used to assemble radios, they have owned up to their mistake and made good on the repair and not charge the customer even on radios past warranty.
Kenwood has the best reputation of the big 3.
Yaesu has always built radios with very low noise floor and is known world wide as have quality receiving performance. The FTDX 101 series (new) has set the benchmark for performance. Icom, used to share with hearing capabilities, but is far behind nowadays. Yaesu has improved customer service in the last 10 years and now has some of the longest warranty available in any amateur radio equipment. The new FTDX-10 has almost as good receiver as the flagship FTDX -101d and has its own band scope and touch screen controls. It has excellent TX audio quality and receive quality with a highly advanced DSP to deal with noise along with roofing filters to help with noise. This is a lot of radio for the buck and performance is pretty good. If I were in the market to buy a new rig, I'd definitely look at it.
I still have my Yaesu ft-840, which I bought new back in 1998 and it has never had any problem at all. It is a very simple (no menu), straight forward HF radio with that Yaesu low noise floor and old school Colin's mechanical filters. I use it every day. I also use a Kenwood TS-480hx 200 watt HF radio on my base shack and it works great too. The 200 watts helps punch through high noise levels. I also use LDG automatic antenna tuners. I have a AT-1000 pro2 I use with the Kenwood and I have a 100 watt LDG automatic tuner I use for the Yaesu. I have a backup mfj 989 manual, but I rarely use it much as I rarely actually need my Heath kit sb-220.
Hopefully you will have gained good info, you can use. 73 and GOD bless; Earnest K5EWM.
Earnest, thanks very much for all that info! In particular about the prices of HF radios. That's very specific and helpful. My big problem is with antennas. I have no balcony and no attic. It's very limiting.
There is so much good information there I want to save this response!😊
@@HeavyMetalHorizons hello Max I ran across your video again on U-tube. Just about every dwelling with indoor plumbing has a toilet 🚽 vent through the roof. If you have a vertical that doesn't need radials to work properly, you could mount it there and have pretty good performance from antenna there, PS. I't will tune up on 75 meter phone (lower side band), but not very effective (low efficiency). I'm still running that Yaesu ft-840 and the Kenwood TS-480hx, but I added an Yaesu ft-891 rig for spare and portable operation. Currently the bands have been in pretty good shape so contacts are easier to make. About that toilet 🚽 vent pipe mounting, the length of pipe if metal will act as counterpoise for the vertical antenna. Try to stay away from antennas that require radials, especially for your particular installation. The Yaesu ft-891 is a pretty good little rig with excellent performance vs price efficiency. It 2 main weak points are the menus have a bit of a learning curve and the receiver can overload easily if operating close proximity to another hf station on the same band. Field day is well known for this kind of problem. I'm running an ldg inexpensive Auto tuner and it works great with the Yaesu ft-891. The rig will work for digital modes but you will need a sound card box interface for the computer as the USB connection is for CAT control operating.
Have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas. 73 Earnest K5EWM 👍.
I would also recommend a Yaesu 991A its a shack in the box. They will even expand the frequency to include 11 meter CB band when you order it online for a small fee. It has UHF VHF & HF with all modes plus Yaesu system Fusion for online talk groups. A 100 watt radio with everything you need. Buy during a holiday sale. I talk all over the world on 10 meters to 20 using a telescopic whip on my balcony. 17' Stainless steel telescopic whips are under $100 for 10 meters it you only need it up around 8'
Great video. Radio is a great tool and you did an awesome job showing it to people.
Nice job demonstrating that ham radio aspect.
I'm glad to find other people in Ham that don't just want to talk about going to a pizza buffet to eat..local hams talk about interesting things during nets like how much their grass grew since last week ..that's why I don't participate much
lol Food and political rants seem pretty common around here.
Good intro, thanks. Maybe anyone with a mobile phone is a radio "ham"? OK, maybe not licensed but definitely a radio enthusiast or on unlicensed ham. A mobile phone is essentially a radio transceiver. Whenever you use your mobile phone you are sending and receiving information using a radio. The mobile phone connects to a system of "repeaters" on the cellnet - same basic concept for hams using repeaters. Sometimes people ask me why I bother with ham radio and I tell them, I assume you have a mobile phone, you have been a radio ham for years and you didn't even know! 😂
I got my license last year (technicians) and just got my first HT. Programming it and learning the setup stuff has been tedious, but it's starting to gel. I have programmed some repeaters and frequencies in, but so far...not much happening. I have a GT UV 5R...the Baofeng is the Ham cocaine. Perfectly good to start with until you decide if you're in or nah.
Cool set up! Looking to get my ham license soon my self, tech ,and then general.. I already have all my radio equipment set up.. hf, gmrs, cb,vhf, uhf…and digital police scanners… good luck! From Diamond bar, California. Your neighbor
The Ebay box for the radios is a great idea. Some one turned me onto cutting boards, the plastic ones (high density polyethylene). They're like 5 bucks at walmart, got 4 of them, drilled them together, boom, decent bay-station.
First of all congratulations on getting your Ham license Max. I just subscribed to your Channel. I love everything about your channel. And this is a guy that has one hour flight time on a Cessna 172. I love everything Aviation, cars and ham radio. Just to mention a few. I also live in an apartment in NJ. What I'm using for VHF and UHF is a dual band Slim Jim antenna made by N9TAX. It's been working very well for me. Great video, keep them coming. Good luck with all your adventures and welcome amateur radio. God bless and all the best. 73 from KC2NGH.
P.S. I originally posted this comment on the video you posted a day ago. Good luck and enjoy the hobby.
Thanks very much Eduardo! Comments like yours inspire me to make more videos!
Dude. Great video. Thoroughly enjoyed your video, totally stumbled onto your channel. Fairly new ham also, about 3 years, really appreciate your honesty and genuine demeanor need more new hams like you joining the hobby. Hope to catch you on the local repeaters. Study up for your general and get into HF - you can be one of those long distance station some kid hears and get enthusiastic. Cheers and 73.
Awesome, thank you! Yes, I definitely want to get my General. Any recommendations on an affordable HF rig?
@@HeavyMetalHorizons folks are all over the icon7300, I'm not a fan, BUT I 'bought up' and looked at it from the view of something I'd want for next 3+ years, I bought the yaedu Ft-DX10. And it is fantastic. It's 3rd on Sherwood report (google) the top two are expen$ive. I started with. Yaesu 100d - HF, UHF, VHF but isn't made anymore. But honestly the 991a, shack-in-the-box was my target, but DX10 hit the market. Not sure of the new Yaesu 710. But remember your best bet is check out a local group and see what they're running. (My schedule makes it tough to join). You can check out PAPA group in LA. They have a new ham net plus tech nets, weekly. You can listen in and get free access for a month or so. I got the HF bug real bad. Plus bands are opening big time.
Hey Max, I went to high school with you and just randomly stumbled across this video when casually looking into ham radio stuff. So unexpected, haha. Nice collection behind you btw. Good to see you’re still shredding. 😀
Hey dude! Nice to hear from you. And thank you! Check out my main "Guitar MAX" channel if you haven't seen it already!
Thanks for a fantastic video. It's a real insight into the hobby that I have just started to be interested in. I have just ordered my first radio a Baofeng UV-9R Pro. Who knows I may be talking to you one day on the radio. Thanks again for sharing your experience of the hobby.
Great video! Thanks for your enthusiasm on amateur radio. I JUST got my technician license and am trying to learn everything I can as I begin this interesting journey. Appreciate your insights.
Love your show. I have the little Baofeng, worth every penny. Its built like a tank.
Great video, and I'm jazzed as ever to start!
I have a few friends who were into it.
One of their father-in-law's was parked by the road, and we started talking. As fate would have it his friend passed away and he picked up his gear and was looking for money. Not sure if I got taken, this was like 7 years ago, but I paid 800 bucks for what he had.
It is a IC-7200 base, with a AT-180 thing... I have no idea what it does, and an MFJ Switching power supply and another MFJ 874 meter thing.
I do want to set it up once I get an appropriate antennae. I bought a cheap one on eBay, but have yet to hook anything up. I assume I can use it as a scanner, so may hook it up and reach out to that father-in-law and get my license.
Too many hobbies lol...
Welcome to ham radio! I was first licensed at age 16, and never looked back!
de W5JN
I am sorry. You must of spent allot of money on equipment because of pressure to buy more exspensive stuff. I know so many people that got into debt really bad because of pressure from other Hams to keep buying more equipment.