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Old 11-15-2012, 11:22 AM   #11
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Re: Learn about Ham Radio

Chinese Quality? Get a better one than that!

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Old 11-15-2012, 06:00 PM   #12
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Re: Learn about Ham Radio

It’s a good question and you probably will not get an adequate answer. It was funny because I saw your post right before our Ham Club Board of Director’s meeting started and I posed it to the group. Just for background, our club offers weekend classes for those who want to become Hams. The weekend after, we offer a follow up class on how to get on the air. About two hours is spent on educating new hams on how to go about picking the right radio. We set up a number of stations where the newbees can do a touch and feel. We have dozens of brochures, then we go over the plus and minus of various rigs. One thing we start with is to chart out what you want to achieve. Some just want to talk to the nearest repeater while others want to go around the world. Some are happy with operating in their shack while others want to make contacts from mountain tops.

What I am getting at, is this hobby is so huge and has so many facets, a one stop shop do it all radio does not exist. So my advice (and that of our club) is: Chart out what you want to achieve. Find a local Ham club and latch on to an Elmer (a mentor) and have him work with you to get the right rig. But on the other hand, don’t over think things either. If you are thinking entry level, pick a radio and it doesn’t work out, sell it and get another. These things do not depreciate that quickly, and there is always someone else looking for what you want to trade.

I can tell you what I did. I wanted both a handheld and a mobile rig. This setup was supposed to be a support system for expedition camping. Little did I know that the concept would flip and now the SMB is a support system for the Ham hobby. Anyway, two functions were tops on my list. The ability to operate Cross-Band repeater mode, and the ability to operate APRS. At the time Yaesu (8800) was the best mobile rig for cross-band, and the Kenwood D700 was the best for APRS. Neither did the opposite very well. Cross-Band won out and I bought a Yaesu FT-8800 along with a Yaesu FT-60 handheld. Both have functioned very well for me. Kenwood has since come out with the D710 which I picked up. If you are looking for a mobile, this is (my opinion) the finest VHF/UHF mobile platform available. It does come with a hefty price though. But again, my opinion is what works for me, and not necessarily what works for you.

I would stick with the big four: Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, or Alinco.

The Chinese have now flooded the market with cheap handhelds. Some are decent, some are definitely second tier stuff, although it is hard to say no to a complete radio that costs about the same as a battery pack for a top of the line rig. Some people love them, some can’t figure out how to program them. One of our members left his Chinese radio on my door one day with a note saying it doesn’t work. Turned out he dropped it and damaged the on/off switch. I discovered if you rotated the switch in just the right motion, the radio worked great. My FT-60 is built like a brick. I can drop it and not worry so much about it not working. So you gets whats you pays for.

I can go on-and-on and we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface. So, spend an hour charting your needs and develop a budget. If you can’t find a local Elmer, post your results and we can give you more feedback.

Or

Just go do it. You can pick up an FT-60 from Ham Radio Outlet for $145. Get a good ¼ wave whip to replace the rubber-ducky it comes with. To make things a little easier, get the programming software and a cable (online).

And remember, radio envy is good, and that one of the first rules of Ham Radio is “You can’t have too many radios.”

I'm going QRT now.

73
Charlie, KZ6T
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Old 09-17-2013, 02:17 PM   #13
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Re: Learn about Ham Radio

If anyone in the San Francisco Bay area is looking for both a tech class and a licensing exam, our Club is putting on a class/exam session this November (11-1, 11-2, 11-3) The class begins on Friday night and runs through noon on Sunday. It is followed up after lunch with a VE testing session. The class is NOT a memorize the answer approach but an in-depth immersion type of class where you will actually learn and retain something. We can't guarantee that you will pass, but our pass/fail rate is extremely high. This session is followed up the following Friday night with a how to pick your gear and get on the air class. The cost of the tech class is $15 to cover our cost of the study guide. The exam is an additional $15. There is no charge for the follow up class. We are located in Santa Rosa and have had students attend from as far away as Redding and Fresno. (It really is a great class.) This will be our last class for 2013.

Additional information can be found on our website at www.socoham.org. Or, just PM or email me at KZ6T@arrl.net. So if you are the slightest bit interested,or know someone who might be, sign up and get the study guide.
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Old 12-12-2015, 10:56 AM   #14
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Letting everyone know that our Club has scheduled its next Technicians level license class for the weekend of March 19, 2016.

As mentioned above, these are not "Ham Cram" classes. You will actually learn how to correctly operate a radio by the time you take (and pass) your FCC exam on Sunday afternoon. Follow up classes are offered on how to go about selecting equipment, setting up a station, and getting on the air. For more information, visit our Club website:
http://sonomacountyradioamateurs.com/wp/events/classes/

Or contact me.
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