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  • Broke

    Well-Known Member
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    4   0   0
    Jun 27, 2013
    150
    16
    Baton Rouge area
    I want to be one. Where do I start. I know nothing about radios, ham operation or antennas. I need ground up advice. Where do I look? Is this a ridiculously expensive venture?
     

    JBP55

    La. CHP Instructor #409
    Premium Member
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    338   0   0
    Apr 15, 2008
    16,999
    113
    Walker
    I want to be one. Where do I start. I know nothing about radios, ham operation or antennas. I need ground up advice. Where do I look? Is this a ridiculously expensive venture?

    PM Charlie 12.
     

    nolaradio

    Well-Known Member
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    5   0   0
    Sep 8, 2012
    2,213
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    Parts unknown
    Start here: www.arrl.org
    Then go here: http://brarc.org/ Their next meeting is Tuesday the 23rd.

    It can be as expensive as you want it to be. First step is studying and getting your license. That's only $15.00. Anymore questions, feel free to email me at nolaradio at gmail.com.
     

    BR55

    Well-Known Member
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    0   0   0
    May 27, 2013
    79
    6
    http://k5arc.org the Ascension club meeting is tonight at the Brewbachers in Gonzales at 6:30pm. You can get plenty of answers there too.
     

    Daddy-O

    Pally
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 17, 2015
    172
    16
    Wherever the party is
    I want to be one. Where do I start. I know nothing about radios, ham operation or antennas. I need ground up advice. Where do I look?

    A book I recommend or handout to those so interested is ARRL's Now You're Talking!. It will give you a good overview. Practice tests are available online at several locations (like here).

    Another good book is ARRL's Emergency Communication Handbook, should you be interested in using comms during an emergency.

    Is this a ridiculously expensive venture?

    It certainly doesn't have to be. Quality rigs can be had at decent rates these days. Though the sky is the limit once you start adding to your ham shack.

    Cheers. :)
     

    charlie12

    Not a Fed.
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Apr 21, 2008
    8,518
    63
    Pride
    It certainly doesn't have to be. Quality rigs can be had at decent rates these days. Though the sky is the limit once you start adding to your ham shack.

    Cheers. :)

    I was just thinking and I think all I've spent is about $20. I've been very lucky to have a friend that has helped me with my ham stuff. He gave me a 2 meter Icom VC-8000 for getting my license and I have a Icom IC-730 for hf. I have a handheld Chinese radio my cousin gave me or my birthday. Have a 35 amp power supply to run the stuff in the house and I have a few antennas. As I said I have been very lucky to have great friends.

    When you get your license and get on 2 meters come on over to our repeater on 146.835 and talk to us. 73's.
     

    Ellis1958

    Well-Known Member
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    17   0   0
    Jul 9, 2009
    560
    28
    Port Allen, LA
    I did all the licenses from Tech to Extra by self-study. It ain't rocket surgery.

    Start with a Technician class study guide. I used this one from the ARRL. Backed up with practice tests at QRZ.com. Once you're doing 85% or better on the practice tests then start studying for General. The study guide I used is this. Get the study guides through Amazon and save a few dollars. Once you get a consistent 85% on the General practice test go take the real tests for your license.

    Reason I say study for both in tandem is that there is about 60% overlap between the two tests. Study for Tech and you're over halfway there to General. With General privileges you have access to the HF bands and you literally have the world at your fingertips with 100w and simple wire antennas. With just Tech you are limited to CW (morse code) on certain HF bands. HF is where the fun is at. However for very local communications VHF is the winner.

    Hollar when you're ready to test. I'm a Volunteer Examiner to administer amateur radio license tests.
     
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