Radio enthusiasts
- Thread starter Sludig
- Start date
Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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I have an extra license for amateur radio. I never use a handheld and instead only use a base station HF for talking around the world. Talked to some interesting people. Buzz Aldrin on the anniversary of the Apollo landing. He has a license apparently and it was a special event. King of Spain or whatever it was. I'd have to look at my log last I looked was just under 80 different countries.
From what I've read others talk about I think you are wildliy over estimating your range. Check it and see. The end of the down sun spots that affect HF propogation is officially over on it's 11 year cycle. So hopefully contacts pick up.
From what I've read others talk about I think you are wildliy over estimating your range. Check it and see. The end of the down sun spots that affect HF propogation is officially over on it's 11 year cycle. So hopefully contacts pick up.
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So when I was in the Air Force and flew on JSTARS we would sometimes use operators try make a phone patch for us, usually for personal calls to family while flying and deployed. That's definitely a thing that you could hear. I'm not sure it happens as much/if at all now, because when I did it was early on in cell phone life and almost no one had one that would work while deployed.
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I have a General HAM license, though i really haven't done much with it in the past couple years. Decoding digital modes through a Raspberry Pi is one of the more fun things since i can't have a real base station/antenna setup in my current place. Handhelds are pretty good to use for talking through a local repeater but most just don't have the range for distance talking on their own. The antennae matters.
If you want to get your feet wet, get the technicians license and find a yaesu, icom, or kenwood handheld. The cheap baofengs you can get on amazon work okay for starting out but have their limitiiations...i mean they are only like $30. They can be difficult to program without an app like CHIRP and the proprietary programming cable.
If you want to get your feet wet, get the technicians license and find a yaesu, icom, or kenwood handheld. The cheap baofengs you can get on amazon work okay for starting out but have their limitiiations...i mean they are only like $30. They can be difficult to program without an app like CHIRP and the proprietary programming cable.
Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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It does every so often. I got a card several years ago asking me to make a phone call to someone local. They used the ham radio license lookup. I'm not really sure what the point was, I think they were just testing out the system. Talked to a few older guys and they practice for emergencies. I listen to the hurricane system and when one hits people will relay to someone local who will try to call or whatever.
Sludig
Golden Baronet of the Realm
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Was assuming with repeaters not on its own power. Granted with perfect Los maybe, you can hit the iss overhead with 2watts ive read. My dad could certainly reach me with his house stationary setup.
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For us it was simply making a phone call wasn't practical or was impossible, which isn't infrequent when flying. Sometimes there can be a radio malfunction somewhere and you're trying to get a phone call in to someone to see what's going on (a frequent occurrence when we'd plan something with Army guys and then we are in the air and nothing).
It definitely gets done more in training so that people know it's a thing you can do and you see how it works. Another tool in the wheelhouse and all that
Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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If you have a repeater close by. I have one almost within walking distance and the next one is on top of the hospital. I've never messed with it.
Can always buy a cheap one and play around with it to make sure you can even hear on the repeater. As long as you don't transmit doesn't require a license then go from there. I've always wondered about people that buy the really cheap Chinese ones for SHTF and have never opened it how they expect to program it on the fly with zero experience.