General class (in SoCal) overkill for me?

[sibil]

Hello all;
I maybe getting ahead of myself, but have patience with me ...

After reading so much here and there about the benefits of HAM over CB, my interest got sparked especially that I found out no morse code is required for the Technician class. I went to qrz.com and took a few of the pratice tests and did well without studying. I am sure I can pass the test. Encouraged, I tried the General class practice tests and bombed them royally.

My anticipated use for the radio is a handheld to use in 2 trucks (family road trips as well as trail runs), hiking trails, and if possible home use with a roof top antenna (do-able?). I understand the power limitations of the handheld.

I have also read a little bit about APRS and think that I'll enjoy its utility (radio / PC combo stuff).

Should I study for the General class while I am at it and motivated or is it overkill for me?

Could one handheld handle the all the bands offered by the General class?

Thanks for any guidance

 

[mr r2fj]

Hello all;
I maybe getting ahead of myself, but have patience with me ...

After reading so much here and there about the benefits of HAM over CB, my interest got sparked especially that I found out no morse code is required for the Technician class. I went to qrz.com and took a few of the pratice tests and did well without studying. I am sure I can pass the test. Encouraged, I tried the General class practice tests and bombed them royally.

My anticipated use for the radio is a handheld to use in 2 trucks (family road trips as well as trail runs), hiking trails, and if possible home use with a roof top antenna (do-able?). I understand the power limitations of the handheld.

I have also read a little bit about APRS and think that I'll enjoy its utility (radio / PC combo stuff).

Should I study for the General class while I am at it and motivated or is it overkill for me?

Could one handheld handle the all the bands offered by the General class?

Thanks for any guidance

I'm not aware of any HTs that will handle every band general offers. Although there is certainly equipment out there I'm not aware of so if anyone can correct me please do so. There are mobile radios that can be installed in vehicles that have pretty good band coverage though. Again not sure since I only have my tech license and have found those frequencies adequate for what I do (pretty much same requirements you have).

Most likely you'll never use more than your tech license will give you if vehicle to vehicle communication is your goal. Tech will get you everything you've mentioned so far.

With that said, if you're motivated and want to try for the general I encourage you to do so. What general basically gets you is HF privileges. This is very long range communication without the use of repeaters (to vastly oversimplify the license). This can be nice, but it's unlikely that you'll be using HF much in the cases that you've mentioned.

Keep in mind that your family (in the case of family trips) may not operate a ham radio unless that radio is in your immediate and direct control. So if you want to use it to communicated with them, encourage them to go for the license as well.

I hope that helps.

 

[sibil]

What general basically gets you is HF privileges. This is very long range communication without the use of repeaters (to vastly oversimplify the license).

I understand. I was thinking of using this from home and with an external antenna to see how far I can reach. Just a curiosity thing.

Keep in mind that your family (in the case of family trips) may not operate a ham radio unless that radio is in your immediate and direct control. So if you want to use it to communicated with them, encourage them to go for the license as well.

I understand. For 2-way communication among family members we use FRS / GMRS radios. The HAM radio would be for emergencies on back roads where we have no cell phone signals and I'll certainly be the one operating it.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[bigredpigdriver]

If I may put my 2 cents in...Get your Tech first....Buy a good dual band rig for your vehicle...have a dual band hand held for a back up or to be used away from the vehicle...then enjoy ham for a bit and if you feel you need to use HF then go for it!!!!

73's

Dave

 

[nwoods]

If you've got time before your Technician test to study a bit for General, do it. You can take the test on the same day.

I didn't study at all for the General, but aced the Tech exam. The proctor said "Go ahead and take the General, you might be surprised." I replied, "Considering I haven't even removed the shrink wrap from my General book, I sure would be surprised."

When I got my score I was not all that surprised, and am happy with my Tech license for now

 

[mr r2fj]

I understand. For 2-way communication among family members we use FRS / GMRS radios. The HAM radio would be for emergencies on back roads where we have no cell phone signals and I'll certainly be the one operating it.
Thanks for your reply.

GMRS technically requires a license as well. ;-) Although with today's modern FRS all including it, I'm thinking that fact is largely ignored. All of this means nothing in a state of emergency, which I'm sure you know. FCC allows the use of any frequency or radio in your reach if it's a matter of emergency.

Good luck on whatever test you choose! I still need to get around to taking my general, I just don't know many people on HF these days.

 

[Rallyroo]

I have a general class, and I'm considering getting the extra class just to say I have the highest license class. Not much difference between the two except for a few more frequency privileges.

If you want to get into HF, the jump from tech to general frequency privileges is big though.

If you can pass the general without any studying, that would be great. If not, the technician is still a great starting point. As you use your ham radio you'll begin to understand the concepts and it'll make the general exam a bit easier.

Big simplification on frequency privileges:
Tech - amateur bands VHF/UHF (you do get a ticker on a very tiny portion of the 10m HF band)
General - amateur bands HF/VHF/UHF
Extra - All amateur bands for HF/VHF/UHF

 

[sibil]

GMRS technically requires a license as well. ;-)

I do have GMRS license
WQAC389

 

[gary in ohio]

GMRS technically requires a license as well. ;-) Although with today's modern FRS all including it, I'm thinking that fact is largely ignored. All of this means nothing in a state of emergency, which I'm sure you know. FCC allows the use of any frequency or radio in your reach if it's a matter of emergency.

Good luck on whatever test you choose! I still need to get around to taking my general, I just don't know many people on HF these days.

There is not technically about it, GMRS use requires a license. NO FRS radio dont include GMRS, Combo radio, technically are 2 radio's and are licensed as such, when operating on "FRS" channels the radio follow one section of part 95, WHen on GMRS channels it another section of part 95. On top of that the "COMBO" radio only provide 7 channels of 15 GMRS channels, nor do they allow repeaters on the combo radio's. The combo's also seldom go to full GMRS power levels for the frequencies they are on. As for Emergency, I have discussed this before.The combo radio's cant change what they are, Your on the same usually unused GMRS channels. Also it must be a TRUE emergency, IMMEDIATE life threatening injury. Being lost is NOT an emergency even if not being found could put you into an emergency condition.


Back to the question, HF radio is the only reliable communication past about 50 miles. While VHF/UHF can go more than 50 miles, its not the norm fro the band.

 

[mr r2fj]

There is not technically about it, GMRS use requires a license. NO FRS radio dont include GMRS, Combo radio, technically are 2 radio's and are licensed as such, when operating on "FRS" channels the radio follow one section of part 95, WHen on GMRS channels it another section of part 95. On top of that the "COMBO" radio only provide 7 channels of 15 GMRS channels, nor do they allow repeaters on the combo radio's. The combo's also seldom go to full GMRS power levels for the frequencies they are on. As for Emergency, I have discussed this before.The combo radio's cant change what they are, Your on the same usually unused GMRS channels. Also it must be a TRUE emergency, IMMEDIATE life threatening injury. Being lost is NOT an emergency even if not being found could put you into an emergency condition.
Back to the question, HF radio is the only reliable communication past about 50 miles. While VHF/UHF can go more than 50 miles, its not the norm fro the band.

My point is that many people who purchase these "fancy FRS radios", yes they are nothing but frs radios to many consumers, do not know or care that GMRS requires a license. Should they? Probably. Is anyone likely to come after them? I doubt it. What is interesting to me is that these radios are readily available and the fact that GMRS requires a license isn't more prominent on the packaging. Considering that they are marketed to the general populace I find that odd.

You better believe that if I'm lost and think that it could potentially turn into a life threatening situation I'm going to use whatever communication at my disposal to get help. I would encourage anyone in a similar situation to do that same. Why even question that situation? I don't believe anyone would be persecuted for asking for help if they felt it was dire or had the strong potential to become that way.

I do have GMRS license
WQAC389

Good deal! Is it hard to get? I haven't bothered trying to get mine yet.

 

[sibil]

Good deal! Is it hard to get? I haven't bothered trying to get mine yet.

There is no test. Just send an application in with, I believe, $80.

 

[AndrewP]

Back to the original question. I would get your tech first and spend a few months on the radio getting the feel for Ham radio, talking on repeaters and the like.

Then I would study and take the General test. I found that the tech test was mostly about the rules and protocol of radio. It takes very little actual study.

The general test is much more technical, and I thought I learned 10x more about radio studying for that test. Learning the logic of the power calculations and some of the antenna theory was quite useful.

Good luck what ever you do. I really thought the Hamtestonline was the best study method out there. The Gordon West book is pretty good, and the ARRL study guide was terrible.