I saw several posts about Emergency radios but only receivers. I think that it is important not only to be able to listen in an emergency but to be able to speak. I have been a licensed radio operator for almost a year. The test is easy enough to pass. I did not take a class I bought the book and studied for two weeks took the test and passed. (missed two) Anyway getting even the most basic license allows you to operate on VHF and UHF frequencies. This year the FCC removed all Morse Code Requirements for any license class. I like being able to have an emergency communications tool to use even when power and cell towers are down. If anyone is interested in getting licensed I can tell them which book I used to study for the test and sort of help them to find the way. The ARRL website has a practice test so you can kind of get a feel for if you will pass the test or not before you go in to take it. And then other than the good emergency skills it is just a lot of fun.
that is my hopelessly outdated radio. I am planing on upgrading this Christmas by having everyone who is giving me a present chip intowards the total cost of the radio. $116. This is the one I want.
What kind of HT is that? why is it hopelessly outdated? I have been a ham since 95 My HT is a Radio Shack HTX 202 My first one was an ancient Yasue [Big grey colored brick size and weight] Didn't have anmy PL in it but I loved it cause at only 3 watts it could still get out very good audio also had a power chger stand I could alo leave it in the charger and use it as a base if needed to. When I left Maine and moved here I left it with My RACES team as a emergency radio for a shelter. When I get another vehicle I hope to put in my moblile HTX 212.
Maybe I will check back into the HAM license now that the FCC has droped all morse code requirments, would be nice to have a two way set that has more range than what one can get from the small FRS/GMRS and CB units.
Its an ICOM IC-02AT. The biggest problem with her is that she only puts out 3/5 watts but it seems more like 2. Although maybe I am just giving her a hard time. I built a J pole antenna using that TV antenna cable and she seems to have a lot of gain over even the 1/4th wave telescopic antenna I bought to replace the rubber duck.
radio is my other sickness (guns and radios) I got to tell ya that the Icom you have there is a very classic radio! That is the radio that came in just after the thumb wheel radios. We all thought we had died and gone to heaven when we gone one. O2AT great memories! It was the idea for the HTX202 when rat shack wanted something built for them I have pretty much switched all my gear to Yaesu. As I am hard on radio gear. The Yaesu HT you posted should be a great radio for you I have three Yaesu HTs and they have been tough. The wife has A VX150 and she has dropped it kicked it step on it and it keeps working. And we only paid like $120 for it. Make sure and get the AA battery packs for anything you buy. This way you can stash a bunch of Duracells in your bob and not worry about recharging it for a while.
What's wrong with the Morse code requirements? It helped keep out the wannabes and when all else fails you can still rig up a spark-gap transmitter and get the word out with Morse. I still have my "Samuel F. B. Morse Award for Morse Code Proficiency" somewhere I got in AIT back in the 80s.
I love CW that is almost all I work anymore. Really there is nothing wrong with it at all. We could go deep into the code thing but it would quickly move this post to the free fire zone :wink:
I have nothing against Morse code [CW] I haven't been able to learn it in all the years I have been trying [Since I was 10 yrs old] So I only got my NoCode Licence A couple of guys were upset cause I didn't get code and snubbed me. But for the most part the Amatuer radio group has welcomed me with open arms. As I do ANYONE else who gets in Code or NoCode
I love my vx-170. I bought the programming kit off of ebay. If I am traveling I can flash it in a matter of seconds. It is one tough radio and the battery lasts forever.
My other radio is a 222 with the thumb dials. And I am with shooter Z on the CW thing. I cannot tell the difference between a dash and a dot. I partly lost my hearing at a tire store with all of the loud noises. (Cheeata bead sealer if you know what that is then you know what I mean.) I tried to learn but I just do not make any progress at all.
My first HT was a Yaesu VX-2R, dual-band, that I ordered as soon as I realized that all that time spent pouring through the book, panned out. But almost no one in this area, anyhow, uses 440, and where I lived I could only get into 1 repeater, and it was 2 meter linked system which connected me all over SC, at least the eastern half. My main interest was also EMCOMM, and I have taken the ARES emergency communications class. Radios seem to be one of many weaknesses that I have acquired since retiring. I run the gamut of HT's from Alinco to Yaesu as well as mobile units, Alinco DR-635 for crossband repeater, a Yaesu ft-2800 as my base unit fed into a J-Pole, and a Yaesu ft-7800 dual-band for my POV. I am pretty much setup for any eventuality, from a hurricane to earthquake. I have even got a couple of FRS/GMRS radios for local coordination. I firmly believe that if it takes 2 tin (do they still have them) cans and a long string, then that is what I'll use to get the information out. I am a no-code technician, but, since the code is history, have started looking at the possibility of a General license in my future. That would get me out in the world, and not just in South Carolina. My biggest thrill, so far, anyhow, has been to be able to hear a communication from the International Space Station, on a HT (walkie-talkie for the uninitiated) in a Circuit City parking lot, VERY COOL!!! Try it you will like it.
My church has a bunch of HAMs and they are setting up a 440 repeater. We already have a 2m repeater. I was recommended to buy a dual band HT but that is a little bit above my budget. (although I am going to sell this computer for $750 and then I will have some more. gonna buy a shotgun)
I was in R.A.C.E.S. because ares came around and wanted to join BUT our leaders would have to resign so tere could be elections Both folks in charge were actually EMA members and we wanted them to stay on so we said no thanks so we stayed RACES
In Washington all our RACES Region coordinators are ARES DECs... This opens doors that make things easier
Yup it got really bad for a bit because the crew from ARES was trying to muscle in even the County EMA Director had to get in the middle of it ALL of us in RACES told ARES we didn't want to change the leadership over but they were insistant that we have elections so we all in mass told them no Thanks we'll stay RACES it ended when the director had to get a restraining order on a couple of the ARES guys. We really had no problem with ARES but the coordinator and assistant had been in it for almost 20 years the assistant OWNED the repeaters we used and we all got along well and worked good with each other but they wanted to come in and begin changing everything. NOT a real good thing to do if you want cooperation from others
