Guidance starting out

[kentoe]

Hey guys,

So I just recently picked up a Baofeng BF-F8HP (new UV-5R) and have been doing some strict listening only on VHF/UHF frequencies. I hoping to take my HAM test in the near future as to be able to transmit and dive a little deeper into the subject. Will probably grab the android study app soon and get familiar with what I should know.

I'm curious as to what you would suggest checking out as far as having a further understanding of navigating around. I've become familiar with navigating the frequencies, saving channels, setting up CTCSS to access certain frequencies from locally found services online. (The Baofeng manual is "OK")

I'm also curious as to what people often do when they are traveling with them in their car. If you aren't convoying with someone else, are there particular frequencies to listen in on? Are you looking up a few local frequencies along the route? This is where I'm most lost or feel as though I'm missing something here. I saw in the FAQ thread there was a popular 146.52 wilderness frequency but seemed to be mostly emergency.

Thanks!

 

[Bill Idaho]

I would go online and find the listings of repeaters in your area and wherever you plan on traveling. You can save them in your radio (most radios have tons of storage just for this reason) and have them ready to use.

 

[kentoe]

I would go online and find the listings of repeaters in your area and wherever you plan on traveling. You can save them in your radio (most radios have tons of storage just for this reason) and have them ready to use.

Thanks for the advice. I did find a list of local repeaters. Is connecting to them no different than any other frequency? I noticed you have to send a burst or key in on a certain CTCSS, but I'm assuming that's only for transmit? Trying to understand how the repeaters work a bit more.

 

[Ozarker]

On a trip you can use the repeater book to get the information you need, you can also scan the spectrum with newer equipment.

As for starting out, learn the lingo, listen, then listen, then listen some more, you can't ever listen too much, but you can talk too much.

Remember, short, to the point transmissions, we don't swap cookbook receipts like CBer's may.

Know what you're going to say before you key up, you can jot down key words if that helps the train of thought, speak clearly, lose any regional drawl and don't go into good buddy type speech. Professional and business like is appreciated on HAM bands.

As an old Army air traffic controller, I've talked on radios more than some disc jokeys on AM, it's good to practice going through the motions and speaking to your mic without hitting the key, you'll get use to it and you can lose the jitters that can make you sound like a dingy.

73's

 

[prerunner1982]

Hey guys,

So I just recently picked up a Baofeng BF-F8HP (new UV-5R) and have been doing some strict listening only on VHF/UHF frequencies. I hoping to take my HAM test in the near future as to be able to transmit and dive a little deeper into the subject. Will probably grab the android study app soon and get familiar with what I should know.

I'm curious as to what you would suggest checking out as far as having a further understanding of navigating around. I've become familiar with navigating the frequencies, saving channels, setting up CTCSS to access certain frequencies from locally found services online. (The Baofeng manual is "OK")

I'm also curious as to what people often do when they are traveling with them in their car. If you aren't convoying with someone else, are there particular frequencies to listen in on? Are you looking up a few local frequencies along the route? This is where I'm most lost or feel as though I'm missing something here. I saw in the FAQ thread there was a popular 146.52 wilderness frequency but seemed to be mostly emergency.

Thanks!

For study guides, I have used http://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/ as well as www.hamstudy.org.
The program CHIRP can help you program the radio using the computer, you will need the programming cable.
Also, www.Miklor.com has a lot of good Baofeng radio info and an easier to understand user guide.

If I am travelling I will use CHIRP to create a file for the trip that I can save and load into the radio. When the trip is done I can load my default repeater file back into the radio. They are all saved so I can always reload the file for a trip if needed again in the future. CHIRP has access to Repeaterbook and RadioReference repeater info and can search them by county and load all the offset and tone and everything easily.

146.52 is the National calling frequency. Some people monitor it and once a conversation is started it should be moved off frequency. We have a handful of old guys that tie up 146.52 here, but in general it would be the frequency to monitor when travelling.

Thanks for the advice. I did find a list of local repeaters. Is connecting to them no different than any other frequency? I noticed you have to send a burst or key in on a certain CTCSS, but I'm assuming that's only for transmit? Trying to understand how the repeaters work a bit more.

Most repeaters only have a PL tone (or CTCSS) for transmit not receive and as long as the radio is programmed correctly it will send the tone when you key up to talk. You may wait a second before talking though to give the repeater time especially if it is part of a linked repeater system.



Kentoe don't be afraid to talk and have conversations about whatever (within limits of what is allow on ham radio). Perhaps it varies by region/locale but I know there are a lot of repeaters that sit dormant and any traffic would be welcomed. I often talk to a couple of Jeep friends on the local repeaters about Jeep and offroad stuff, just be mindful of the time you are tying up the repeater and give others a chance to use it. You never know the topic of conversation may draw other local hams into the conversation and you end up with a nice impromptu round table.

 

[kentoe]

On a trip you can use the repeater book to get the information you need, you can also scan the spectrum with newer equipment.

As for starting out, learn the lingo, listen, then listen, then listen some more, you can't ever listen too much, but you can talk too much.

Remember, short, to the point transmissions, we don't swap cookbook receipts like CBer's may. Professional and business like is appreciated on HAM bands.

Thanks for the advice, poking around online and pre-planning for trips definitely seems useful. Has been good for the past week or so to listenin in on how the lingo goes on one of the local repeaters.

For study guides, I have used http://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/ as well as www.hamstudy.org.
The program CHIRP can help you program the radio using the computer, you will need the programming cable.
Also, www.Miklor.com has a lot of good Baofeng radio info and an easier to understand user guide.

If I am travelling I will use CHIRP to create a file for the trip that I can save and load into the radio. When the trip is done I can load my default repeater file back into the radio. They are all saved so I can always reload the file for a trip if needed again in the future. CHIRP has access to Repeaterbook and RadioReference repeater info and can search them by county and load all the offset and tone and everything easily.

Awesome, these are super useful. Thanks for the links! I just got my cable in the other day and was using CHIRP, man what a timesaver / lifesaver. I totally see having the loading/saving files here and how useful they could be. Especially in duplicating a radio.

146.52 is the National calling frequency. Some people monitor it and once a conversation is started it should be moved off frequency. We have a handful of old guys that tie up 146.52 here, but in general it would be the frequency to monitor when travelling.

I've had this one for a while but haven't heard anything around me. The only thing I've heard on this channel is someone on the channel constantly just static taking it up. Is this normal? Does someone commonly do this around different areas? Seems very annoying especially in scanning though my memory channels.

Most repeaters only have a PL tone (or CTCSS) for transmit not receive and as long as the radio is programmed correctly it will send the tone when you key up to talk. You may wait a second before talking though to give the repeater time especially if it is part of a linked repeater system.

Good to know!

Kentoe don't be afraid to talk and have conversations about whatever (within limits of what is allow on ham radio). Perhaps it varies by region/locale but I know there are a lot of repeaters that sit dormant and any traffic would be welcomed. I often talk to a couple of Jeep friends on the local repeaters about Jeep and offroad stuff, just be mindful of the time you are tying up the repeater and give others a chance to use it. You never know the topic of conversation may draw other local hams into the conversation and you end up with a nice impromptu round table.

Thanks! Definitely very useful and good to know. I hope I'm not getting into something that's gone totally stale, it seems like the people who are in it, are in it. Seems very handy to have the knowledge especially in emergencies.

 

[prerunner1982]

I've had this one for a while but haven't heard anything around me. The only thing I've heard on this channel is someone on the channel constantly just static taking it up. Is this normal? Does someone commonly do this around different areas? Seems very annoying especially in scanning though my memory channels.

Could be that someone is there but they are too far away or too weak but their signal is just strong enough to break the squelch. You could try turning up the squelch on your radio a bit.

 

[LR Max]

I'm a pretty new ham myself. Here is what I've learned:

The Baofeng is a good starting point and good for a few miles. However I got a nice handheld and the range is very good. Much, much better than my baofeng (both in terms of stock antenna, 1/4 antenna, and mag mount vehicle antenna). A used good handheld should be what you are saving up for next. I bought mine 2nd hand and it has been pretty awesome.

www.k5ehx.net is another good resource for repeaters. Not totally accurate, but better than nothing.

I end up programming a few repeaters then put my radio on scan to see which ones have activity. Or I'll call to one to see if its even on. A big problem we have in the southeast, many repeaters are pretty much dead. So just keep that in mind.

Find out about your local SKYWARN network and when there is bad weather, tune in. They link repeaters from all over the state. So its cool when I can sit in Atlanta and listen to a guy in southern GA report the weather. Of course not cool when the tornadoes show up. Either way, good for just listening and familiarizing yourself with it.

Local nets are good to tune into as well.

The biggest problem I had with ham radio was being overwhelmed. Everyone was like, "You need to do XYZ and get XYZ AND ABC radio so you can talk all over the world!!!1111" and I'm like...what? I just want it for local use and I don't want $10k worth of radios in my car (first off, I don't want to spend $10k on radios and also it'll all get stolen in 5 hours). So remember that ham radio can be as easy or as complicated as you want. Sticking to hand held on 2m is pretty much the basic setup. Its pretty darn good also for here on the east coast. I'm sure out west, the more expanded equipment is needed but for east coast, and hand held with a mag mount will be pretty solid on your vehicle. That is what I've been using and I've been able to hit my local repeaters easily.

At the end of the day, I'm still mainly using FRS because that is what my friends are on when I trail ride. I'm kinda excited because this weekend I think I'll be trail riding with some other guys who are hams, so we can have better communication.