Seanz0rz finally drank the Kool-Aid (and got his ham license!)

[Seanz0rz]

The Kool-Aid was DELICIOUS!

A few years ago I purchased a used Yaesu FT-7800R and antenna from a friend ;)

On Thursday, January 10 2013 I took the Technician License test and passed with 33/35!

Today, I finally got my call sign: KK6BQA. Not the most desirable of letters, but I am still mighty proud of it!

While I was studying for the test, I installed my radio. I had it installed once before in the same location, so the power wires were already there, the holes were already drilled, and the new coax just had to be run up to it.

Antenna mount:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Ham%20Radio/IMAG0072.jpg

Coax run along the roof rack and down through the body:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Ham%20Radio/IMAG0073.jpg
As an FYI, don't drill a hole there. you will have to drill through the outer skin plus another support structure for the roof.

Antenna on the rack:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Ham%20Radio/IMAG0074.jpg
I am now 9'6" tall with that antenna.

The radio's new home:
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Ham%20Radio/IMAG0076.jpg
The giant speaker is going away soon...

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae38/hamiltonfabrication/Ham%20Radio/IMAG0079.jpg
The mic will get a magnet on the back so it will stick to the center console.



So how did I pass the test?

I read the No-Nonsense Study Guide from here: http://www.kb6nu.com/tech-manual/

The kindle version is 8 dollars, the PDF is free. I will donate some money to the site because it was honestly the best way for me to study. I read through the technician guide about 5 times. The stuff on electricity and much of the stuff on RF I already knew from engineering and physics classes. I took some practice tests, but they only helped me judge what needed more studying and to me, were not nearly as useful as the previously mentioned guide.

I did take my general test at the same time. However, I had not studied at all for it. I knew about half of what was on the test, but there were some very specific questions about procedural things that I did not know. I will be taking that test in a few weeks, using the study guide as my learning source.


So now it's just a matter of learning how to use the radio! I think that will be the most difficult part of this journey.

[CJM]

I never truly understood the point of a ham. Its kinda like a fun novelty and might come in handy if your lost out on the trail miles and miles away from stuff (they transmit with higher power than CB). But otherwise whats the real point of it Sean?

[Seanz0rz]

After listening to one of the local repeaters the other night, I am sold!

First, that repeater is ~15-20 miles away. With CB, I have a hard time hearing someone who is 4 miles away

In the desert, 4 miles is nothing, and that is frequently the distance between the lead and tail vehicles with larger groups.

Second, the clarity. You can actually hear people talk, and understand what they are saying! I know, it sounds too good to be true, but it's real! I can pick out different people's voices!

Third, the 40 channels of CB is filled with filthy truckers looking for their next score of drugs or naughty fun time with a lady of the night. And half of them are broadcasting with 10000W of power from Texas. Because ham requires a license, and you are required to state your call sign, there is much less abuse of the airwaves.

Fourth, you can really reach out and touch someone. I can contact, via simplex comm, someone 30-40 miles away (depending on terrain), and with a repeater, hundreds of miles in some cases. That's with UHF and VHF. with the lower frequencies in the HF spectrum, you can contact people thousands of miles away with the signal bouncing off the ionosphere.


The way I see it, pretty soon our desert trips will be Ham only. The quality of transmission is far superior to CB in every way. The radios are more expensive, but the cost is coming down with the Chinese radios. The commitment to getting a license and learning how to use the radio shows that someone is serious about their hobby, even if that hobby isn't ham.

The ability to call for help if truly stranded is a huge bonus. I don't particularly buy into the paying a monthly fee for a Spot or other PLB. For what we do, Ham will be enough. At a later date I will upgrade to an APRS radio to transmit location data and allow others to track the vehicle much the same way a Spot can post your track on the internet.

A big bonus for us on the west coast is earthquake preparedness. Cell and land line phones will fall in a matter of seconds after a quake even if the infrastructure isn't damaged. Part of the responsibility of Ham operators is to assist in emergency communication. The ability to listen to this communication, request help, or add to the information being transmitted is vital for emergencies.

Long winded post, I know. The best analogy I can give is moving from a cell phone to a satellite phone. CB is useful, and will still have a place in my truck for the foreseeable future. The Ham radio is a step up. a MAJOR step up...

[CJM]

Ah I understand now. For me I dont think I would get enough use out of it, I know how to operate a ham rig but dont have a license. I also cant justify buying one as I wouldnt be using it all that much anyways.

In your case it seems like a worthwhile setup :)

[troyboy162]

Back east its deffinatly more limited. In socal the line of sight to repeaters is huge and because of that there are lots of high power repeaters. Sean and I could talk to each other from our driveways all the way to the wheeling location lol.

[CJM]

thats very far! here with the mtns and whatnot I doubt I could pull more than 50 miles at best. We use some VHF radios for work and the repeater is about 10 miles from the area we work in. Sometimes I cant even get a signal and there are no mtns in my general area either!

[4x4mike]

Congrats Sean.

I can hear my radio with it installed in dash. With the windows open on the highway the stock speaker is maxed out so I used a small computer speaker and wired it to the hidden pocket in the center console. I also wired it using a regular headphone jack. That way I can unplug the aux speaker and plug in headphones. This is great for times when the RX audio is poor or if I'm in noisy areas. I can also listen the the radio without bothering my passengers. Both my mic and aux speaker have extensions that allow me to move both outside the cab for RX/TX.

[YotaFun]

Very cool congrats Sean.

Now I have a few question cause I would still like to do this and have one in my truck.

You said your got your Technicians license, but you still have to take your general test.

What are the difference of the two, and do you need both?

[Bob98SR5]

good explanation and rationale, sean

[Seanz0rz]

Tech will give you access to the most popular 2m and 70cm bands as well as some others. The general will give you access to a ton more stuff. I'm still not sold on going for it, but probably will. My tech license gives me what I need for everything I need now.

[YotaFun]

Cool!
Thanks for the infor!

[paddlenbike]

Congrats Sean! I am part way through a ham book but time is limited right now. I'll get that license eventually.

You're doing well if you're getting 4 miles with a CB; my range is more like 1/8th mile. With the ham I can hear much farther.

[slomatt]

Congratulations!

I need to get off my butt and practice for and take the technician test so that I can talk to Ken and Mike on the trail once they are both on ham radios. Anybody in the Bay Area interested in joining up for a couple study sessions?

For fun I just took an online practice exam and surprisingly I passed (27/35). The electrical engineering questions are no problem, but I have to read up on the parts related to FCC rules and specifics about radio usage.

Anyway, congrats again.

- Matt

[4x4mike]

Matt, I've had my ticket for a couple years now. Ken doesn't but he's got a radio installed. Find an exam and just show up. Your chances of passing are high and afterwards you have plenty of time to learn the other stuff.

[Seanz0rz]

Seriously, read through the guide I posted right before your test, and you will pass. The tech test is VERY easy!

[paddlenbike]

I finally ripped the CB radio out of my dash and installed something that will reach more than 1/8 mile. After I get my license, that is.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IYt6Q__Nato/US0rqZsciFI/AAAAAAAAJXw/jLtRAi-DH60/s640/%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

Wedding planning is killing my available time. :shake:

Congrats on the license Sean.

[Seanz0rz]

Awesome!

I will eventually move mine, but it will have to stay for the time being. I haven't used it much, just to listen to traffic. I've been busy with another project.

[paddlenbike]

Does it involve 3d printing? You still have me interested in that too. You also sound like you have too many projects like I do.

[Seanz0rz]

Sadly no. It involves a cantankerous German.

[Crinale]

Those Germans are such squares!

[Seanz0rz]

for those of you who have NO idea what we are on about: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=542743

[Crinale]

:thumbup:

[paddlenbike]

Paddlenbike is now licensed. :)

There sure weren't any surprises. The AARL book is boring as h*ll, but I had constant stimuli since I was reading it on the beach in the Dominican Republic. Once back home, I used an android app on my daily bus commute to familiarize myself with the scope of questions. Four of us 3rd gen owners all took the test together last weekend and all passed with flying colors.

So who's next?

[Seanz0rz]

Dan is next!

[DHC6twinotter]

Yes, yes I am.

[Jaydee914]

Congrats!
And I just got my handle: KK6FGR

[paddlenbike]

Congrats!
And I just got my handle: KK6FGR

Nice! Mine should show up in the ULS database tomorrow or Friday.

[Seanz0rz]

such a better call sign than mine! KK6BQA. really?! A "Q"? thanks....

[paddlenbike]

such a better call sign than mine! KK6BQA. really?! A "Q"? thanks....

Based on recent licenses issued I will have a Q in mine too.

[troyboy162]

KB1UTG here... pfft newbs lol. I am so pumped that we I we can start using ham! Bofangs became the game changer!

[4x4mike]

such a better call sign than mine! KK6BQA. really?! A "Q"? thanks....

I too have a Q and I got mine almost 4 years ago. I have some neighbors that got their ticket right before me and right after me that don't have a Q.

[paddlenbike]

I am excited people are getting their licenses. One, it means we can stop fussing around with crappy CBs and two, I hope the licensing process will keep ham radio from becoming the cluster f--- we know as CB radio.

[4x4mike]

I am excited people are getting their licenses. One, it means we can stop fussing around with crappy CBs and two, I hope the licensing process will keep ham radio from becoming the cluster f--- we know as CB radio.

Tell me about it. I've been working on you for 4 years.

[paddlenbike]

Tell me about it. I've been working on you for 4 years.

You know me Mike, I'm stubborn.

CB was at least useable a few years ago; today there are just too many 1,500 watt systems clogging the airwaves.