I would like to encourage everyone to take the initiative to do this. The effort is minimal. While a license is required to be a "Ham," I just got my amateur license after a virtual lifetime of wanting to do so, and it simply isn't that difficult to do so, and the rewards and opportunities are great. The Technician License Manual can be obtained from www.ARRL.org and even contains the complete test question pool with the answers for study. No Morse Code is needed for this license class, which for most people is the entry level license. It is simply one more communication device available to us, and the radios aren't that expensive either. I would encourage all to look in to it. Clubs in your area who would give the exam are also found on the ARRL website. I took the exam two weeks after receiving the book in the mail. It is very straighforward and interesting to read. More helpful people you will never find. Why not? Duke

Way to go whats your call?.
Lee
kc3l

KI4OBM. I intend to learn Code, just because I'm interested in it, and then take the General. This gets me on the air though. I want to try 6 meters, too.

congrats from KB9WST

I heartily agree!! There are even HAM-Cram single day courses put on by some clubs that give you intensive instruction and allow you to take your test the same day! I, however, recommend the ARRL "Look Who's Talking" book because it really teaches you the theory behind radio, communications, and the FCC rules. One word of WARNING though, check the book to see what time period it is valid through. The current test questions are good through June 30, 2006. The new test question pool takes effect July 1, 2006. If you study a year-old book but take your test after July 1, you may not recognize the questions! One of the more recent trends in ham radio is Winlink which allows you to send and receive Outlook-style e-mail (locally with a basic technician license, or for hundreds or thousands of miles with a General or Advanced license) via a laptop and your ham radio without any kind of connection to the internet. When TSHTF, you won't have to rely on any infrastructure to communicate. After a major disaster (Hurricane Katrina and Rita come immediately to mind) about the only communication left after the storm will be amateur radio. See http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/PublicServiceStories/?evt_id=1 for some stories.

Welcome to the world of ham radio!!

Amateur radio callsign
W5ALN

Congratulations Duke!
Glad you posted your message. Ham radio is fun and sometimes exciting, and it is NOT hard to get your license anymore! Plus, it is a great emergency communication avenue!
Ford
KG7IW

Just so you know you can get a General license with no code test. Only Extra class requires code, and only 5 words a minute.

Marcy
KD8AHZ

Wrong - the General still requires 5wpm code

There is a proposal to do away with code - but the current FCC proposal is to get rid of call altogether

73 de KG2V

Congrat's on your ticket! I haven't been active in years, but, I still keep the license current, and have the capability to get on the air. Once in a while, we'll have a storm, lose power, phones down, cell phone service down, etc, and I can still hit the local repeaters that are all running on generators with my 2M/440 Icom HT. Most of the repeaters seem to still have phone patches to the landline, just in case.

I have a nice Kenwood HF rig, but, it hasn't had an antenna since we moved. Still, it wouldn't take long to string my old wire dipole in the backyard if needed.

73 - N1GFS

Congratulations from DO1MLA. I took my exam recently. Today I received a letter with my call sign and a license document.

Congratulations to all who have recently been liscenced. I have been a ham since 1989. It is lots of fun and you meet lots of nice folks like on this forum. You will also be interested to know that there are some ham articles on arrl.org about preparedness. Lots of hams have a "Go Bag" for communication emergencies so that they are prepared to set up in the field on a moments notice.
I participated with our local club a few years ago when an ice storm hit our city. Power was out in most of the city for 7 days. The fire department and other public safety could not communicate with the electric company because phone lines were constantlybusy. We passed nearly 5000 messages between the city and the electric company and we also manned the storm shelters. I helped out at the Red Cross storm shelter located at the Senior Citizens Center. It was like a nursing home .
There is a group called the Adventure Radio Society that has contests which encourage hams to set up at remote locations with minimal gear.
I will see if I can put together some more information on ham radio and preparedness and submit it on a post.