Tech ham radio license

Discussion in 'Survival Communications' started by Airtime, Jun 23, 2014.


  1. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    Ok, so if there was any doubt about whether any of you could pass the FCC technician amateur radio license exam, my 14 year old daughter passed it this weekend on her first attempt.

    I bought her the ARRL study book (It is not good and I don't recommend it it but I am not sure what is better) and got the free James Thomas Ham Tech iPhone app (highly recommend). She studied on her own over about a three week period. I estimate she spent maybe 15-18 hours total. She asked me a few questions but not many and that was it. Now we'll make a 4H project out of this but the point it is very doable if you desire.

    Now to figure out how to get the wife interested.

    Proud Dad.


    PS note: the test question pool changes 1 July 2014 so if you study the test questions be certain you study the correct set for when you take the test.
     
  2. TXKajun

    TXKajun Monkey+++

    Congrats from one newbie to another. :) I've had mine all of 2 weeks now. What kind of rig is she going to be using?

    Kajun
     
  3. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    Outstanding. Wish I could get my kids interested. I've promised to buy them HTs if they pass but no luck so far.
     
  4. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    I have several Yaesu HTs but I am thinking of something cheap and alkaline AA powered (long storage life) she can keep in her school backpack at all times for emergency contact to me if cells go down. On the flip side also thinking maybe a nice Yaesu, Kenwood or Icom with integrated GPS and APRS so I could pin point her location without her needing to do any more than turn it on (unfortunately 10 times the bucks). Probably get cheap first, then the nice if she seems to embrace all this.

    AT
     
  5. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    I am running a pair of Kenwood Th-72As, just for that purpose for Momma and I ..... I have a TM-D710A for a Base, and a TM-D700 in the Rhino.... APRS Is wonderful, and we implemented MonkeyNet Messages into the message Code, on the APRS Broadcast Messages... Just short 10 Character Groups that have specific meaning to us..... Since we are the only Hams within VHF/UHF Range, we use UHF Frequency, for our APRS Comms......
     
    kellory and Airtime like this.
  6. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    I have the Yaesu equivalent (yeah, I know there is no equivalent to Kenwood) with the VX8GR hand held and the mobile FTM-350R. Not sure I'd go that route again but at the time I got the VX it seemed a shade more along my needs compared to Kenwood plus several SAR colleagues had them so it was easy for all to have the same radios in case we needed to borrow each other's. Then got the 350 as it played well with VX8GR. Two years ago Icom wasn't much of a player in the APRS arena. Things have changed.
    AT
     
  7. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    I have a Wouxun kg-uvd1p with a 6 AA battery case and a Baofeng UV-9R (but no AA battery pack). I do have extended batteries for both of them and do the whole recharge/top off routine every 2 weeks.
     
  8. TXKajun

    TXKajun Monkey+++

    Don't forget, this Saturday is Field Day. Get online and talk to someone! LOL

    Kajun
     
    BTPost likes this.
  9. William Warren

    William Warren Monkey+++

    I promised my son that I'd buy him a mobile rig when he gets the Tech: it's like talking to the wall.

    Ham radio can't compete with cell phone text messages.

    William Warren
     
  10. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    That is true, right up until the Cell Network dies, and then it will be to late...
     
  11. William Warren

    William Warren Monkey+++

    Well, getting a twenty-four-year-old to look at the future is like ... talking to the wall.

    William Warren
     
  12. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Yep, but in the meantime, text messaging and games divert attention from thinking ahead. WW is having fits trying to herd the lamb.

    I have two walls to talk to, both in their 40s. They might be catching on --
     
  13. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    I have my tech level and my first radio, but seem to have it stuck in some mode I need to figure out.:oops: all I'm getting right now is NPR, and I really want to kill the alarm modes (3). I have no need of them, and they are a problem.
     
  14. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    Superb!!!! How long ago did you accomplish this, Kell?

    AT
     
  15. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    This summer, if I recall correctly. BTPost would know, if needed, he has my call sign.
    But my radio is the minimum at this time. A baofeng 3 mobile. 2 meter and 70cm only.
     
  16. bpaintx

    bpaintx Monkey+++

    As an aside, I studied less than 10 hours and passed my extra exam last night. I used Hamtestonline.com, it made it easy. I did the tech and general with the ARRL books. Online is much easier. I also used an app on my phone as well.
     
  17. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Congrats.
     
  18. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Wall Nice, Congrats...........
     
  19. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    Outstanding and congratulations. I wish I'd only had to study for 10 hours for my Extra.
     
  20. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Beyond me...I'm using a phone app to run the questions for general now, but there is a lot I have not been exposed to previously, so it is a lot of Greek.
     
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