Batboard

I am looking to get an Amatuer license and have some questions about it and I know you guys have the answers like always.

How much is this going to cost me?

I know you have to take an examination, how hard is that for a beginner and is there a minimum score?

About the volunteer examiners. Is there a place to find out if a VE is in my area? I live in Northwest Kansas, if anyone knows anybody there let me know.

I have some VHF radios that I plan to get licensed, like now. If I get an amatuer license, do I still have to get my a license for the frequencies my radios operate on, or should I just reprogram them to MURS?

Any help would be appreciated!

ARRL....is where you need to go.......

http://www.hello-radio.org/becomeaham.html

http://www.hello-radio.org/

http://www.arrl.org/

http://www.w5yi.org/

Topic kinda OT...however...

I've been licensed as a technician for a few years now...test was fairly easily as long as you know basic electronic and rf fundementals. It's even gotten easier since I took it (wow now I sound like an OF).

Get Gordo's book at: http://www.w5yi.org/

Even better attend one of Gordon's clases.

Most VE's charge about 15-20 dollars for the test paperwork and electronic transfer to the F. C. C.

If you're looking for ham radio specific information, there's the other board. Qrzeeeee the frequenceeeee.

you can take practice test's here http://www.qrz.com/p/testing.pl

One other thing. Your present commercial radios have very
little, if anything, to do with amateur frequencies, but you can
reprogram them to some amateur frequencies AFTER you get your
ham (amateur) license.

The going rate in my area for VE (volunteer examiner) exams
is around $6 to $8.

And http://www.ARRL.org will have most of what you need to get
started understanding the subject. Other sites, such as
http://www.QRZ.com will also be helpful to you. Another site is
Ham Radio Forum, which you can find via Google; a lot of new
guys start there and the OTs there are pretty helpful.

The going rate for my part of the country is 14 dollars but it is pretty much left up to the VEs as to the charge as some do it for free as a club project. Still cheep for what you get. Start asking around to find Hams in your area to help guide you or go to the Fcc web sight and sort by Lic and zip code to find a ham close to you. And yes you are right these guys always have the answers , I have used them for several years. Thanks to the group ---------- 73s ------ Mike KY4OEM

Just curious, why do commercial radios have very little to do with ham radio?

The vast majority of ham radios are junk compaired to Motorolas. All my motorolas have ham channels and they work wonderfully.

It costs $14 to take you exam around here. The VEs file electrinically, so if you pass your test, you call sign should be posted on the FCC site within 1 week - usually less. I took my test on a Saturday and was talking Ham radio in less than a week.

Good luck

Tom in D.C. wrote:One other thing. Your present commercial radios have very
little, if anything, to do with amateur frequencies, but you can
reprogram them to some amateur frequencies AFTER you get your
ham (amateur) license.

The going rate in my area for VE (volunteer examiner) exams
is around $6 to $8.

And http://www.ARRL.org will have most of what you need to get
started understanding the subject. Other sites, such as
http://www.QRZ.com will also be helpful to you. Another site is
Ham Radio Forum, which you can find via Google; a lot of new
guys start there and the OTs there are pretty helpful.

Hightower wrote:Just curious, why do commercial radios have very little to do with ham radio?

The vast majority of ham radios are junk compaired to Motorolas. All my motorolas have ham channels and they work wonderfully.

Because he was answering the question asked. Don't jump to think he's against the moto-snobs in the ham community

motofreak008 wrote: I have some VHF radios that I plan to get licensed, like now. If I get an amatuer license, do I still have to get my a license for the frequencies my radios operate on, or should I just reprogram them to MURS?

Alrighty... questions were asked and answered and there are some great links up top that will guide you to everything that may be needed.

Hightower wrote:Just curious, why do commercial radios have very little to do with ham radio?

<snippety>

I see three major differences.

(1) User programmability. Amateur transceivers may be easily configured, by the end user, to operate on any frequency within their designed coverage. This capability is prohibited on radios designed for services other than amateur, which brings me to...

(2) FCC type acceptance. Commercial radios designed for use under FCC Part 90 regs have had their designs inspected and approved by the FCC specifically for use on public safety, federal, commercial, whatever. This is a much more stringent requirement than compliance with Part 15, which is, if I recall correctly, the only part that manufacturers of amateur transceivers need to worry about.

Example: It is perfectly OK, assuming you have the appropriate license, to buy a commercial (Part 90) radio, and program amateur frequencies into it. The advantage there is that you can use that same radio for Part 90 operations (assuming you're an authorized user of the target agency's frequencies).

HOWEVER -- You cannot go the other way. Use of an amateur transceiver to transmit on frequencies other than amateur is a big no-no. The only exceptions I know of are MARS and CAP operation (and neither of those services can be considered 'commercial').

(3) Quality of build. As you've already discovered, there's often a big difference in the quality of construction and design between amateur transceivers and commercial. That difference starts getting blurry when you get up to the high-end amateur units (Examples: Icom 756Pro series, Icom 7800, and some of Ten-Tec's high end stuff), but it is very noticeable in the lower tiers.

"You Gets What You Pays For" has never been more true in this regard.

Now, that's not saying that all the low-end hamateur radios are garbage. Nothing could be further from the truth! There are some inexpensive units Out There that are outstanding in design and performance. You just need to pay attention to what you're buying. Older units will often be better built than newer.

Others have already pointed you towards hamateur info, so I won't reinvent the wheel. Happy hunting.