Ham Radio 101 - communications on a budget!

[Jonas]

Ham Radio 101 - communications on a budget!

The rules in the UK may differ a bit, but finding and joining a local ham radio club is a good starting point. It's still a matter of committing the time to study (which may cut into your television time) but if I can do it anyone can. The advantage of amateur radio is that the number of frequencies available are huge compared to CB, so...

OK, the S has HTF in whatever scenario. The grid is down, the cell phones don't work, the internet is tightly controlled, you're stuck in the middle of nowhere and you want to get a message out. How do you do it? Well, if you waited until TEOTWAWKI has occurred, you’re out of luck.

So what can you do today, on a very limited “prepper budget” to solving what could be a serious communications problem? How about getting your license as an amateur radio operator and a good handheld radio? With rechargable batteries, you can carry this with you everywhere you go. Here’s how to get started “on the cheap”.

First, you need a license. In the US, FCC amateur radio licenses have three levels, each having increasing broadcasting privileges over a greater number of frequencies. The licensing levels are “technician”, “general”, and “amateur extra”. You start with the “technician” license first, and it may be all you'll ever need.

The FCC license test consists of 35 questions drawn from a 300+ question “pool”. To prepare for this test, head to http://www.qrz.com and start taking practice tests. There is no charge for these practice tests and there are 100 different tests. Start at “1” and work your way up.

Once you’re proficient (after about 60 different tests or so), go to the Amateur Radio Relay League site, http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club and find a ham radio club near you (or in the UK, head to http://www.rsgb.org/ ). Most ham clubs offer the FCC exams on a once or twice a month basis. Get the date of the next test session and take a few more practice tests until you go to take the test for real. The test will cost you $15 – $20. There is no cost for the license.

After you’ve passed, you have to wait 1 to 2 weeks until your name appears in the FCC online database and you’ve been assigned a call sign. Here’s where you check to see if your license has been issued: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsS...rchLicense.jsp

Now it’s time for a radio. The folks at the local ham club probably have radios that they’re willing to sell very inexpensively. My son just got his technician license and I bought him a new hand-held Wouxun KG-UVD1P dual band ham radio with the programming software and USB cable, – total cost¨$129.00 on Ebay. For a review of this particular radio, it’s here: http://www.dxer.ca/portable/87

I also bought him the new ARRL Repeater Directory pocket edition for $10.00.

Total spent to assure communications in a SHTF event: $159.00 + 10 – 20 hours internet study time. Seems like a bargain to me.

[Highlander]

In the UK, you don't need a license before you can buy the equipment,.. but you need a license before you are allowed to transmit on your chosen set

The first test in this country is called the `Foundation` license,.. it consists of 26 questions of which you will need to get 19 of them correct, the test covers safety, antennas, transmitters and receivers, wavelengths, and protocol,... part of the foundation license has a practical stage where so many boxes have to be ticked off before you do your test,..i.e. you have to make a couple live calls on different bands, show that you can use the equipment and set it up correctly