Robert Bills
Explorer
In case anyone missed it in craig333's signature, he is a licensed Ham.
Just purchased a baofeng, do I really need a license?
- Thread starter Michael Vincent
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In case anyone missed it in craig333's signature, he is a licensed Ham.
Michael Vincent
Banned
So if I showed up to a trail run/ meet and everyone I was with didn't have licenses but we all had ham radios would y'all call FCC right there?
Robert Bills
Explorer
Some would. I suspect that the number of Hams willing/inclined to do so would increase in direct proportion to the number/nature of your unlicensed transmissions and the degree of any smart a** attitude. If you are talking about an organized run, it is likely is that you and your buddies would be considered disruptive and asked to leave.
barlowrs
Explorer
Dude, just get the license, its a privilege not a right, its not hard, a trained monkey could pass the Tech test these days now that there is no Morse code required. if you want to use the service, then pay your dues like everyone else that enjoys the service. Why is that so difficult?
I bet you complain about people that are out wheeling and NOT staying on trails. You probably say something like “darn those people that don't tread lightly, that is why our trails keep getting closed, I wish they would follow the rules”…hmm think about that for a second.
jonnyquest
Adventurer
I have been in many places where there is no cell service but a ham repeater is easily hit. With a ham license you can call and almost always one of those "crusty geezers" will answer. They can make a phone call to your friends or family to come to your assistance. I've hit repeaters with a 5 watt handheld over a hundred miles away and chatted with other hams. A license is easy to get and the rules are simple. You then have so many more options.
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cruiseroutfit
Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
Leads me to...
No. If were a group I was leading, I'd likely just invite you to find a group you feel like respecting. You've shown your cards at this point with your comments above, pretty broad brush you paint with.
4x4junkie
Explorer
No, the reason CB fell out of favor for emergencies is the explosion in popularity of cell phones. When more people started using phones to summon help directly, REACT simply realized there was little need to monitor the channel anymore.
×2.
I've come across user groups in many areas on MURS. Most welcome newcomers, though I s'pose there could always be that one small group somewhere that gets upset when you discover their PL (squelch) tone and then transmit on it... I've yet to come across such a group though. With MURS, (unlike FRS) external antennas of any type are perfectly legal, which allows easily achieving a range of 10 or more miles w/2-watt output power.
Just be prepared for the whole entire radio universe to come crashing down all around because you dialed your little Baofeng HT (not "type-accepted" by the FCC) radio onto MURS... (at least that's what some here would have you believe). Making sure the radio is set up correctly for the channel helps (MURS requires the use of "Narrow" FM modulation for example... making sure the radio is not set to "Wide", I don't think anyone would be the wiser).
OP, you've posted up here asking for people to tell you that it will be just fine if you blatantly break federal rules. Right away that tells me a lot about you.
An amateur radio is a communications tool. It can be used for many different things. Just because other people use it for conversations you find boring doesn't mean you're special and get to break the rules.
Some Ham operators enjoy something called fox hunting. It's where they use specialized radios and antennas to find a hidden transmitter. It's a contest to see who can find the hidden transmitter first. These guys would love nothing more than to find the source of transmissions that are not licensed.
And yes, they would turn you in.
There are ham radio satellites and there is usually a ham radio operator(s) and station on the international space station. They talk to other hams back here on earth. If you and your buddies are interfering with any of that because you don't know the proper rules and operating procedures you could certainly find yourselves in a lot of trouble.
Around here lot so hunters use ham radios without a license. The FCC does try to track them down and does hand out fines.
In a civilized world rules and regulations are necessary for order in society. Life just works better when everyone follows the rules.
An amateur radio is a communications tool. It can be used for many different things. Just because other people use it for conversations you find boring doesn't mean you're special and get to break the rules.
Some Ham operators enjoy something called fox hunting. It's where they use specialized radios and antennas to find a hidden transmitter. It's a contest to see who can find the hidden transmitter first. These guys would love nothing more than to find the source of transmissions that are not licensed.
And yes, they would turn you in.
There are ham radio satellites and there is usually a ham radio operator(s) and station on the international space station. They talk to other hams back here on earth. If you and your buddies are interfering with any of that because you don't know the proper rules and operating procedures you could certainly find yourselves in a lot of trouble.
Around here lot so hunters use ham radios without a license. The FCC does try to track them down and does hand out fines.
In a civilized world rules and regulations are necessary for order in society. Life just works better when everyone follows the rules.
mm58
Observer
I have to disagree a bit. CB became a junk band loooooong before cellphones came into favor. It was the explosion of sales in the 1970s (and influenced by the Smokey & the Bandit, Convoy et.al movies) when everybody and their brother had a CB in their car (and enforcement was impossible) that lead to the demise of CB.
With the influx of these cheap handhelds from China, I am fearful of the same fate for amateur radio.
By the way, I have both types of comms in my rig. CB for short range trail comms, and Ham just in case I need to reach out farther.
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Your interpretation of the emergency use clause assumes quite a bit that is nowhere to be found in the clause itself.
No mention of "life or death emergency", just "safety". And careful readers will notice that even the safety of one's property is specifically mentioned. The wording is extremely broad, as it should be to give people enough flexibility to handle the unknown. The notion that you cannot hit the transmit button until you are in a "life or death" situation is too nutty for even the FCC.
And while I do respect all laws, not just those I happen to agree with, some of the claims made here about FCC enforcement are fatuous in the extreme. Unlicensed users of a 2.5-5w Baofeng while camping or off roading will never hit their radar, and evenif they did wouldnot make the top 100 of the FCCs concerns as a regulator.
R
mm58
Observer
fireball... you can study and take practice tests online. QRZ.com is a great site. The Technician (entry level) exam is 35 randomly selected question selected from a pool of hundreds. You need to score a minimum of 75 percent. I recommend taking practice tests over and over until you can consistently achieve a passing score each time. The actual test has to be taken in person at a testing site. Most amateur radio clubs hold testing sessions once a month or so. Cost is usually $15 or so at most. The license is good for ten years, and can be renewed online for only the renewal fee which is also only $15. You do not have to ever take another test again, unless you desire to upgrade your license to the General or Extra class.
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That renewal fee must be through the ARRL site, because you can go straight to the FCC site and renew for free. I just did it.
Some of the attitudes displayed in here r.e. getting licensed are appalling to say the least, and in practice are the exact type of attitudes that would get licensed operators down on you like flies on crap.
The relative demise of CB popularity is easily explained. Turn on the radio and listen for 5 minutes and you'll have all the answer you need.
Unlike the CB, on a ham radio you can really muck up critical comms if you don't know what you're doing. Start screwing around on aircraft or mil. freqs and the FCC WILL get interested, and very quickly. Don't learn enough to pass the test and you wouldn't even know what freqs to stay away from.
Not everybody with a license is a "boring old geezer" who talks only of the weather and his aches and pains. Most of the licensed hams in here have been way patient with the attitude displayed. I am less so.
Grow up.
mm58
Observer
You're absolutely correct on that. My memory sometimes isn't as good as it used to be.
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