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  1. #1
    Power User
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    Feb 2005
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    Garland, Texas
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    3,410

    Default Whats a good mobile ham radio to get?

    I passed my tech test. So what should I get. I am low on cash and would like to stay under $400 and get something that will last a couple of years.

    I have been looking at TM-D700A. My neighbor has that one and you can see where others are using the gps. Seems to have good reviews. So, anyone have any recomendations on a good mobile unit. I will mostly be driving all th e time. I would be cool if I could have it in the truck and be able to bring it in the house to but I am not sure that mobiles are made for that.


    Thanks, Jason

  2. #2

    Default

    congrats on passing the test. My grandad was a ham operator for a very long time until he passed away. I got into it somewhat but never got around to taking the test I would have passed but lost interest when he passed away. Although we would both together talk to other people on his rig around the world. As far as the rig make sure you get one that auto tunes and has a high quality digital read out. Their are a few ham stores still around they will guide you allot better then most people on this forum can. Most of the ones I have been to are pretty honest some will even let you try it out. One other thing. While their are allot of middle age people and maybe younger that do ham. I can tell you from experience that the majority of who you will be talking to will be 60 and up you will probably find people below that age group but not as many as you will find 60 and older. While their is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes the technology gap is very apparent when talking to them. A prime example of this is within the nursing home I use to go to. Their where atleast 20 ham operators in that one building alone. Thats not counting the 60 some ham operators that my grandad knew down at the senior citizen center. Several ham conventions we attended in the past contain mostly older folks.

    Anyway not to make you lose interest or anything I hope you enjoy hamming it up as my grandad would say.

  3. #3
    Power User
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    Feb 2005
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    Garland, Texas
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    3,410

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by whistlerfan
    congrats on passing the test. My grandad was a ham operator for a very long time until he passed away. I got into it somewhat but never got around to taking the test I would have passed but lost interest when he passed away. Although we would both together talk to other people on his rig around the world. As far as the rig make sure you get one that auto tunes and has a high quality digital read out. Their are a few ham stores still around they will guide you allot better then most people on this forum can. Most of the ones I have been to are pretty honest some will even let you try it out. One other thing. While their are allot of middle age people and maybe younger that do ham. I can tell you from experience that the majority of who you will be talking to will be 60 and up you will probably find people below that age group but not as many as you will find 60 and older. While their is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes the technology gap is very apparent when talking to them. A prime example of this is within the nursing home I use to go to. Their where atleast 20 ham operators in that one building alone. Thats not counting the 60 some ham operators that my grandad knew down at the senior citizen center. Several ham conventions we attended in the past contain mostly older folks.

    Anyway not to make you lose interest or anything I hope you enjoy hamming it up as my grandad would say.
    That is all so true. I know lots of people that are hams but they are all just old to me. I could care less to talk to them. Also knowing that I can pick up a telephone and talk to almost anywhere in the world it makes me think why am I doing this. However, I know people like my neighbors that are younger and have there license. They don't talk much though. Will see what happens.

  4. #4

    Default

    Yeah the last ham magazine I got was back in o let see 98 or 99 or so. It talked about intergrating the ham radio on the internet or something like that. I dont remember the details of what the article said. But from the sound of it. Even the ham magazine was fearful about the ham radios future with the internet being the future of communication. I will say this much it is a nice thing to have a ham license. You can get a ham operator license plate with your number. Just becarefull you will have every senior citizen in a 50 mile radius writing or jotting down your ham number or pulling up next to you. Wanting to talk hours about hamming lol. Plus being the fact you will talk with old people. They will talk about stuff that happen 50 plus years ago. The typical "Yeah I use to work in a ice house loaded the ice on a horse and carriage got paid just a few cents a day lol." conversations are the norm. Also watch out for the dreaded hack and cough if your not careful it will blow your speakers and ears out. Of course my grandad and I would always get worried when they would talk and then all sudden stop talking and then like 3 minutes later start talking again. Even though we didnt lose signal or anything. Although the ham radio did save my grandad life once. He was talking to somebody in australia. He started to have a stroke the other ham operator realize what was going on. He made and overseas phone call to the states contacted that areas 911 service and got and ambulance out to his house. Of course my grandad sent a ham operators postcard to him let him know how he was. So their are some pluses to it. I recommend if you do get in touch with somebody and have a long conversation. Normally sending a ham operators post card is always a nice thing allot of times you will get one in return. With a picture of them and their rig and the area in which they contacted.


    Thats just a few things I can remember when we use to do hamming.

  5. #5
    Power User
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    Feb 2005
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    Default

    Sounds like fun. I got an e-mail from a guy that has a radio that I want and hope that I get it.

  6. #6
    Speed Demon
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    597

    Default

    My dad is big into it. He prefers moonbounce/EME and SSB and CW. Going to conventions is fun alot of treasures. Alot of newbies stay on FM. FM is just like CB boring stuff.

  7. #7

    Default

    A while back ago. Their was one channel. They would run during certain hours and answer peoples ham question or any other technology questions it was pretty neat to listen to. I have no idea if thats still around or not. Of course its always fun to listen to people do code so fast that you can barely write what the heck their saying.

  8. #8
    Advanced Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Maryland
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    411

    Default

    Soon there will be no morse code test for any US HAM license. Maybe the FCC wants more HAMS under 60? Seriously, most of these older guys are really great folks, they feel honored to be helping someone get involved in amateur radio and really would like to see youger people get into the hobby so it won't die out. (And if you're a young gal, or even an older one, you'll have all the guys climbing over themselves to talk to you on the air. )

    I have a Yaesu VX-7RB. About $300. Great radio. But there are lots of others too. (BTW, I'm not over 60.)

    Find a HAM group in your area and ask what bands and radios they are using. They'll give you lots of great ideas and help. And if you don't have a license yet they'll help you get it.

  9. #9
    Radar Fanatic
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Posts
    1,516

    Default

    whistlerfan,
    I'm not a HAM but I love listening to these guys on my Scanner.
    Most of the time I listen to 145.3500 (WA4AOS) and
    145.4100 (N4XO) I find the conversations very interesting at times.
    Others that have posted are correct, everyone will be
    a lot older. This doesn't bother me what so ever in fact
    it makes me see things in a different light. I've learned
    a few things from these guys. Sometimes you will catch an older
    gentleman having issues with his computer and he just needs some
    advice to point him in the right direction. I always find myself wanting
    to key up and answer one of their PC questions.
    Love it when they talk Linux !!!!

    Anyways I know a lot of older HAMs don't like or believe in this
    but if your interested you can try Packet Radio. Basically you use
    the Net to sign in and talk to other HAMs. You do have to be a
    HAM to use this service, they ask for your Call letters. It's free
    so you have nothing to lose if you want to check it out.

    Here is some links that should help you out with Packet

    http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=2979

    http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=9015

  10. #10
    Good Citizen
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    COPPELL, TX
    Posts
    147

    Default

    Hey outrun congrats on the tech exam
    now i need to get mine .
    So whats your temp call sign? and whats the perm call sign?
    Also if you want used gear ask on the garland repeater
    when the next swap meet is .

 

 

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