Hello,

I have been looking into getting my HAM radio license and was wondering about how much it costs and how much skill is needed. I have heard that you can talk around the world. I was wondering also if it is possible with "the cheap stuff" I would be doing it for fun and also for the emergency response thingy. Just keep in mind that i am only 14 and am looking for advice. So I can not drive far and need it to fit in with homework.

Jace

Please see ARRL.org for more info the test costs around 14 bux.
See if there are any clubs in your area that can help you.

73's
Lee KC3L

Lots of clubs offer free classes to assist you in studying for the technician class exam. Look for an ARRL affiliated club in your area. There are also a number of online resources such as www.arrl.org as previously stated offering practice exams using the real question pool. Inexpensive study books are also available from the ARRL, Radio Shack, and www.hamradio.com . As far as talking around the world, it is possible to do it inexpensively if you build your own equipment. Also, older equipment is out there at good prices. In general, your band privileges are limited with a technician class license. In order to access the big band openings on HF, you will want to upgrade your license level to general class.

I'm big into 2 meter communications myself which is largely based on on using local repeaters with anywere from 25-100 mile range. The equipment is very inexpensive and the people you meet are local and generally very friendly. That core group can help you move your way up the licensing ladder into HF bands and other capabilities.

Craig.

Hi, climber,

Others have posted link to materials on getting your license. My wife and I are hams. The test questions and answers are all online, and you can take free practice tests online to test yourself. You may, if you wish, download all the questions and correct answers and just memorize them. (So much for skill. :->) Being 14 doesn't matter. There are _tons_ of people younger than you that are hams.

As for talking around the world, there are two issues. If you get your Technician's license (the entry level), you will not be able to talk around the world on your own radio (there are internet links for it, but that's another story). For worldwide communications on ham radio, you need a General license, and you need more expensive radios and expensive antennas (expensive is relative - search at HRO for HF radios, then search for antennas).

As a Technician, you are limited to UHF/VHF frequencies, which will not give you much more than "line of sight" communications without repeaters (a more powerful radio that repeats your transmissions and which uses a better antenna). The good news is that emergency responders (including hams) almost all use UHF/VHF radios for communications - emergencies are local. You can get new handheld radios for under $200, and used radios are under a hundred.

Go to the ARRL site someone else mentioned at
http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml
which is the page to search for exams in your area. I also suggest visiting
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubsearch.phtml
and finding clubs in your area.

Most people in clubs are very helpful, and there may be some people who have more radios than they are using; you might be able to buy one inexpensively from someone who can show you how to use it. You might also borrow one and see how you like it before you buy.

I have a page of links at
http://www.civex.com/ham.html
(the section for clubs is in my area; use the ARRL page to find them in your area). The page gives links to new and used sellers, online exam materials, reviews, and some more.

Good luck and have fun.

I studied last year using hamtestonline.com which really worked well for me. As others have pointed out, the entire question pool is available for free, but this was a great study tool for me. I went in and got a perfect score on the technician's exam, and had extra time at the test site so I then took the general exam for grins and passed that one as well with flying colors. If you are interested, I think I can dig up a discount code from one of the mailing lists that I'm on. No affiliation, etc.

I took a free class (had to pay for book) at the local Red Cross, and took the practice tests online until I could pass every time at 90% or better. Then I took the real test. It's inexpensive, except for the radio itself, which will run you $200-?? brand new. I bought a Yaesu 7800 for $275. Great radio.

You won't be talking around the world until you get a General Class license. Those radios are even pricier. Now that the Morse Code requirement has been lifted, I'll probably look into getting that license as well.

Try to find a ham club near you. The people are great and they really want new people, so they're really helpful. They may have a class you can take and they'll be able to point you towards good equipment for what you want to do in your price range.

HF (the frequencies you talk around the world on) aren't completely out of bounds with technician license, you can operate in some bands on low power and you need to know Morse code. But the option is availible. Otherwise, what people have said about emergency responce and SAR is correct, you can do all of that with a Technician class license.

Our local ares group has a one day tech class and test, the class is free and the test is 14 bux or so.

Good luck
Lee

My son and I are both hams. For his 10th birthday, he got the ARRL book "Now You're Talking" and we had a father-and-son night at the library once a week for about 5 months and went through the book. He took the Technician test and passed with flying colors.

While the technician rating won't allow you to talk around the world, you may be able to use the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) which connects some 2m and some other frequency repeaters over the internet with each repeater being a "node". I've heard conversations initiated from Scotland and Australia on a local repeater.

Go to http://www.irlp.net/ where you can find a listing of nodes in various cities in the U.S. and countries around the world. Select your frequency, enter the node code, and you're talking around the world. Some repeaters require a special code to initiate a link from their repeater. You may need to join the club in order to get this code.

Good luck

Tirec

Here is another link to add to your list.

http://www.eham.net/

Its a great source that I use from time to time.