Got my (ham) license!

[Philistine]

No not my drivers license, my ham radio license! Took the technician exam last Saturday and got my call sign today, KF7KEK.

 

I've got a micro handheld right now but I'm looking for a good mobile radio for the Comanche. I'm looking at the Yaesu FT-8800 because of it's dual receivers and cross band repeat capabilities. Any hams have recommendations for a good mobile radio?

[jimoshel]

Congratulations. I've always had good luck with Yaesu but not familier with that model. In 1965 I bought a SBE34. Still running it. Jim

Wa7FIY,K7UYQ,WA4PRO,Wa5SLZ,WA0SNA,KX6LO,EA2GI, HMMM I forgot a couple,have to look up the logs.

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

No not my drivers license, my ham radio license! Took the technician exam last Saturday and got my call sign today, KF7KEK.

 

I've got a micro handheld right now but I'm looking for a good mobile radio for the Comanche. I'm looking at the Yaesu FT-8800 because of it's dual receivers and cross band repeat capabilities. Any hams have recommendations for a good mobile radio?

 

was it easy?

[Philistine]

Took me all of 6 minutes to take the exam and I got 35 out of 35. The test consists of 35 multiple choice questions drawn from a pool of 391. All the questions and multiple choice answers are publicaly published. I used the flash cards and test exams at http://kb0mga.net/exams/index.php to study. The site tracks your answers and focuses on the questions you got wrong. There will be a new pool of questions starting June 30th so if you are going to take the exam after that make sure you are studying the right question pool.

[one_bad_MJ]

don't get mad but ghey........

[Pete M]

says the man talking with people around the country simply using a different technology. :dunno:

[Philistine]

don't get mad but ghey........

 

LOL

 

Well if I was just tooling around in the woods too I'd be less worried about contacting people since you probably still get cell service. Out here if you break down or get into trouble wheeling you need a ham radio to contact others.

[jpnjim]

Took me all of 6 minutes to take the exam and I got 35 out of 35. The test consists of 35 multiple choice questions drawn from a pool of 391. All the questions and multiple choice answers are publicaly published. I used the flash cards and test exams at http://kb0mga.net/exams/index.php to study. The site tracks your answers and focuses on the questions you got wrong. There will be a new pool of questions starting June 30th so if you are going to take the exam after that make sure you are studying the right question pool.

 

I don't know jack about Ham radio's, but took the test, and got 25 out of 35 (fail, but only by one answer). :smart:

 

I actually missed a question somehow, but when I finally saw it (on the results page), I would've gotten that one wrong anyway. :doh:

 

:dunno:

 

I like the idea of having a HAM radio in your Jeep,

but what good is talking to some guy in Albania, when you snap an axleshaft in the woods of Western Mass? :D

[whowey]

Took me all of 6 minutes to take the exam and I got 35 out of 35. The test consists of 35 multiple choice questions drawn from a pool of 391. All the questions and multiple choice answers are publicaly published. I used the flash cards and test exams at http://kb0mga.net/exams/index.php to study. The site tracks your answers and focuses on the questions you got wrong. There will be a new pool of questions starting June 30th so if you are going to take the exam after that make sure you are studying the right question pool.

 

I don't know jack about Ham radio's, but took the test, and got 25 out of 35 (fail, but only by one answer). :smart:

 

I actually missed a question somehow, but when I finally saw it (on the results page), I would've gotten that one wrong anyway. :doh:

 

:dunno:

 

I like the idea of having a HAM radio in your Jeep,

but what good is talking to some guy in Albania, when you snap an axleshaft in the woods of Western Mass? :D

 

The services that are mostly used by folks with Technician liscenses, are much shorter ranged. 2 meters and 70 centimeters are the two most common ones. Both of these have more limited range with the type of equipment you would have in a rig. A good 2 meter rig will have a range of somewhere around 25-30 miles without access to a repeater and a 70 centimeter rig will have a range of 15-20 with one. Now access to a repeater changes the equation, but in most cases that really isn't a factor when talking about wheeling conditions.

[Philistine]

UPS guy brought me some goodies today! :chillin:

 

[Pete M]

Well? take it out of the box for a photo! :D

[Philistine]

Ok a couple more pics.

 

 

Its amazingly small. Here's a comparison to my iPod.

 

The head is removable so you can mount the main body remotely (under the seat, in the trunk etc.) to install it in tighter quarters.

[dunl]

I wouldn't consider something ghey that could save a life sometime.

 

Although in Indiana, I can't see where you would get anywhere remote enough that you'd need one. Up here, I can get myself into enough trouble within 45 minutes of driving time.

[HOrnbrod]

Although in Indiana, I can't see where you would get anywhere remote enough that you'd need one. Up here, I can get myself into enough trouble within 45 minutes of driving time.

 

Yes, there is nowhere in IN (or any of the other lower 48) remote enough that you can't call out with a cell phone using the proper carrier. Possible dead spots yes, but you can usually walk out of them. And nowadays and the convergence on the CONUS cullular is decreasing daily. But saying that, I think it's okay to have a mobile Ham in your vehicle if you're into it big time. Who knows when you have to contact your Ham buddy in Albania or elsewhere? :cheers:

[dunl]

I guess it depends on where you are located. We're not to far from the Rockies, and CB's work great, but not if you need to get outside help. There's lots of guys in the areas who DO use Hams, therefore it makes sense to have one (I'm thinking in a year or two I'll get into one).

 

However, in the lower 48 I just wouldn't bother, except in a few places.

[kastein]

Took me all of 6 minutes to take the exam and I got 35 out of 35. The test consists of 35 multiple choice questions drawn from a pool of 391. All the questions and multiple choice answers are publicaly published. I used the flash cards and test exams at http://kb0mga.net/exams/index.php to study. The site tracks your answers and focuses on the questions you got wrong. There will be a new pool of questions starting June 30th so if you are going to take the exam after that make sure you are studying the right question pool.

 

I don't know jack about Ham radio's, but took the test, and got 25 out of 35 (fail, but only by one answer). :smart:

 

I actually missed a question somehow, but when I finally saw it (on the results page), I would've gotten that one wrong anyway. :doh:

 

:dunno:

 

I like the idea of having a HAM radio in your Jeep,

but what good is talking to some guy in Albania, when you snap an axleshaft in the woods of Western Mass? :D

Congrats! You chose well, the FT8800 is a good radio. I'm W1KAS (Extra class, wasn't too difficult as I'm an electrical/computer engineer by profession)

 

jpnjim, dunno about Albania, but I'm usually on 146.520 simplex during my commute from Worcester to Hudson :rotf: so you might have some luck.

 

I would actually suggest to anyone to have a ham rig in their jeep, even if unlicensed. You are not breaking any laws unless you transmit without a license, and I would rather break laws and deal with the FCC after the fact, once I'm out of the woods, than end up stuck in the woods and dead. Actually, now that I think about it, distress signals are permitted on any and all frequencies that will get your butt rescued, so I doubt they'd do anything except persuade you to become licensed. Get one, bolt it down next to the CB, set up an antenna and write down the national calling frequencies (445.000, 146.520, 52.525) till you need it.

[johnnyc]

In June 2004, we had a group of six Jeeps on the Rubicon Trail. We were approaching Buck Island Lake where we were going to camp for the night. We passed a buggy going the opposite direction. The two guys had obviously been drinking, as they made a rude comment about the girl in our group.

 

As we set up camp, the driver came running up saying that his buggy had flopped and his passenger was badly hurt. We went down about 1/4 mile to provide assistance. Luckily, there was a paramedic who was camping nearby. When I saw the injured guy, I thought he was dead. His face was kinda gray colored. He had been pinned underneath the buggy.

 

One of our guys has a mobile ham radio in his Jeep. He was able to call out for help. A helicopter arrived in about 15 minutes. Another one of our guys has a marine radio in his Jeep. He was able to talk to the helicopter pilot directly and guide him to a good landing spot that we found.

 

We carried the stretcher back 1/4 mile uphill in very rocky terrain to where the helicopter was. We found out through Pirate that the guy made a full recovery.

 

So in this case, a ham radio did save someone's life. Well, the paramedic played a huge role too. I found out that day how valuable a ham radio can be in an emergency situation.

 

Because of that experience, I got my technician license and I joined the local sheriff's Search and Rescue unit as a volunteer. I have a Yaesu VX-6R handheld radio that I use for wheeling and on SAR missions. I plan to get a mobile unit for the Jeep (probably the FT-8800).

[Philistine]

Got it almost completely installed (still need to address power).

 

1/4 wave antenna mounted to the roof with a NMO mount.

 

 

I mounted the main body behind the seat.

 

 

And the head above the rear view mirror.

 

 

All the wires are nicely tucked away. I may make an extension for the mic so I can have it coming out from the dash instead of hanging down. All I have left is to get power to it. The fuse block is plenty close so I just have to figure how to tap power from it. I may also need an external speaker, I'll see how it sounds from behind the drivers seat.

[jpdriver1]

congrats -- have been KD6LFO for many years. look into working with the local ham club and maybe the jeep speed or similar group