Comment by stonepresto
8 years ago
Amateur Radio Licensing at http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed for those interested. You'll need it if you want to attempt to contact the ISS.
8 years ago
Amateur Radio Licensing at http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed for those interested. You'll need it if you want to attempt to contact the ISS.
I haven't made contact with ISS, or many contacts at yet, but getting a Technicians license and getting on the airwaves really pretty straightforward.
I studied for maybe 2-3 weeks (a chapter a day) and paid $15 to take the test back in October, 2 weeks later I was in the FCC database and made my first check-in on the Alaska Morning NET[0] via a local repeater on a $60 triband handheld[1].
Now I'm looking to develop these skills and put them to use with my local emergency response teams in Portland, OR.
The Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node (BEECN)[2] program is specifically about aiding in emergency service coordination in the event of the a major earthquake in our area, and the Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NETs, our local CERT) also utilizing ham radio for emergency service coordination in the event of a communication breakdown.
I definitely encourage anyone with interest in these subjects to get a license.
Hope to eventually make contact with some HNers, till then - 73, KI7QXO
[0] http://arcticserver.com/alaskamorningnetmain1/
[1] https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-5X3-Watt-Tri-Band-Radio/dp/B...
[2] https://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/59630
It's not so easy in some other countries unfortunately. Here in the UK, it'd cost me the equivalent of about $80 and require an effectively mandatory in-person training course that's rather inconvenient too, just for the most basic license. More advanced licenses are even more expensive and annoying to get.
Wow, now that I did not realize... do you know the reasoning behind making it so difficult?
2 replies →
https://hamstudy.org/ Is a fantastic resource for this as well. Along with the various flashcard apps on mobile.
For those that go this route, I found that getting to about 40% mastery for any given test bank is good enough to pass with a safe margin. That is, being able to answer 40% of the questions right every time the same one is presented. Basically you'll find that the Tech is really just "do you know the regulations", the general is "do you know the bands" + basic radio architecture and the extra is "do you know antennas" + some niche/DSP stuff
Legally that is. Nothing but the law and the fact that most people are honest prevents it. Anyone may purchase a 20 dollar 2m/440 radio and press the PTT :)