How do I obtain an amateur radio (HAM) license?

[EdM]

I , years ago, I pushed changing the "name" from HAM to LAM (licensed amateur). This because it seems that anytime a TV got creamed, it was blamed on a ham instead of the 11 meter crowd. (who STILL don't know, or seem to care, what happens when an amplifier is driven into the nonlinear region).... It also would have stressed "licensed", ....but it did not fly... Ed

[Aa3rt]

Ed-I can certainly empathise with you OM. Check the link...

http://www.drix.net/k1zat/giggles/hamradio.jpg

(Courtesy of W1JD)

[kr4bd]

Here is WHY you should consider getting a HAM license. Many states prohibit the use of scanners in automobiles. Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan are such states. BUT, if you HAVE a valid Ham license, you can legally have a scanner in your car. Here in Kentucky, most of my ham friends carry a copy of the law in our cars in the event we are pulled over and the cop sees the scanner.

Getting a ham license is easy. My two sons each passed the Technician level (WITH 5 wpm code) when they were about 10 years old. In most cities there are clubs giving FREE courses on getting licensed. One can also buy various study guides from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and other sources which will get you what you need to pass.

As far a morse code is concerned, the Technician License requires NO code and all the other levels of licensing have a 5 word per minute test, which is easy to do with a little practice. But, as mentioned, currently before the FCC are proposals that would virtually eliminate the code requirement for all licenses except, maybe, the EXTRA class level (which carries the most operating privileges).

Tom, KR4BD
Lexington, KY

[Ken W2KB]

In addition to Tom's very good points, there are some areas of the country that have VHF frequencies that are used by railfans to talk, exchange info. For example. Ham fan 1 is 10 miles up the track and can radio to Ham fan 2 what's coming his/her way and vice versa.

On a few occasions I've even talked to engineers in the cab on a VHF ham frequency - they had a ham handheld radio with them.

The easiest licence, the Technician no-code, is all you need for this.

[Aa3rt]

Tom and Ed-good points. Being firmly entrenched here in southern Maryland, I sometimes forget about the scanner restrictions imposed by authorities in other areas.

I was recently contacted by a gentleman on an email list for the Popes Creek subdivision here in Maryland. He was inquiring about obtaining an amateur license, as he plans to make a railfanning foray to Indiana this summer and wanted to legally carry a scanner while trainwatching.

There was an article that appeared in the May 1992 issue of Trains titled "Chasing trains by ham radio", authored by Bill Farmer. He discussed the advantages of being able to communicate with other amateurs who are also railroad enthusiasts while railfanning.

Some other frequencies scanner equipped railfans may want to monitor are 146.490, 146.565 and 446.050MHz. These are all frequencies sometimes used by amateurs who happen to be railfans.

As an aside, I contacted N4IYV about two years ago while he was "railroad mobile" working a special move on the little used U. S. Navy Railroad here.
I was able to get some great pictures, thanks to being able to communicate with Allan.

[Hoosierailnut]

So when are they going to officially drop the code requirements for the HF regions?? And why are they doing this? Is it because of the lack of interest by people wanting to be hams and those that want to upgrade? I know a lot of people that are hams and have been for years but they dont have an interest to get their extra ticket on the basis that they would have to know some code. Although i am not a ham i am interested in anything radio related and this forum caught my eye.
As for the 11 meter crowd overdrving linears with more than 2 watts drive, overmodulation caused by removal of limiters, and stupid noise toys are many reason why the CBers get a bad rep....

[kr4bd]

The code requirement for ham radio was an INTERNATIONAL requirement going back to the earliest days of radio. All radio operators, commercial and amateur (hams) once had to know code. Over the years, the use of code has diminished and a few years ago, the International requirements for code knowledge were dropped. Several countries have dropped the code and others, like the United States, are considering to end its requirement. About 10 or 15 years ago, the FCC dropped code for the Technician license which gives full operating privileges on ham frequencies ABOVE 30 mHz (VHF and UHF). In 2000, the maximum code speed required for the General and Extra class license was lowered to a mere 5 words per minute. It is difficult to say when the FCC might act on the various proposals now before it regarding the further reduction or elimination of all code requirements. Believe me, learning 5 words per minute code is fairly easy. My kids both did it when they were about 10 years old. Why deprive yourself of the fun of HF operation waiting for the law to change. The way government acts, it may be years and you will be an old man!!!! I never liked code, and I rarely use it, but I did buckle down and learn it and have really enjoyed ham radio as a result. It is a wonderful hobby where I have met many great people, including MANY RAILFANS, in the last 30 years! :D

[va3ori]

Actually, the international requirement for hams to have proficiency in Morse code was dropped at the World Radio Conference (WRC) last June (2003). As it is, I believe that we are the last radio service still using code on a regular basis and we were certainly the last radio users to still require proficiency. Over the past year, several countries have ammended their own rules and regulations to reflect the changes.

In Canada, there is a proposal that there be a code endorsement to whatever the new licencing structure becomes as a way of encouraging those of us who already have proficiency to keep at it. As well, new hams may be encouraged to gain proficiency in the knowledge that there will be some recognition of the fact.

This isn't just a "keep us old farts with code happy" thing, either. We should all be aware that not every country will drop the code requirement (as in fact, the majority have not) and that any reciprocal licencing will require the minimum proficiency of the host country as a necessary yardstick for comparing licence class equivalency. In other words, if you are travelling from here (Canada or the US) and want to operate in a country that still requires morse code for hf privileges, you will have to have the appropriate endorsement from your own administration in order to enjoy the full spectrum.

For Canadian readers who are looking for licencing information up here, check the Radio Amateurs of Canada website at http://www.rac.ca and follow the links.

[Hoosierailnut]

In regard to the code study programs i myself am currently using a set of tapes made by the ARRL and so far they are working ok.. They were made back in 1987/89 but are still valid to this day. I got my tech ticket in Nov of '04 and am already working on my General. A good study guide i use for the General theory is made by "Gordy" West, WB6NOA. He takes things and puts them into a fun way of learning with his witty humor and highlights that make learning the theory fun!! The General theory doesnt have a lot of math formulas like the Extra does, but some of the questions do make a person think.. Hi HI. So far ive taken probably 50 online pratice tests on QRZ.com on the General theory and have passed all but 2. So all in all, if a person can study (yes, to get a lisense one has to STUDY!) and pass the Tech with a little more work and effort he/she can pass and get the General and even the Extra! Then a whole new world will be open to do some real talking on the HF bands!!!!!!!!!

[CoastStarlight99]

could ya please decribe whats HAM and how to get involved.. i listen in all the time on my scanner

I do not have a HAM license yet, I had a chance to go to 2 6 hour courses for free to teach things to people to get involved and get a license but i was busy 1 of the saturdays so I could not attend. I have a scanner and I listen to RR freqs and I also have a CB radio and GMRS/FRS radios...how would I go by listening to HAM people yacking away on my scanner. Seems a bit like ease dropping, but it would be nice to take a quick listen.

[kr4bd]

Two things...

1. The FCC is now proposing to DROP all code for Ham licenses, but final action will be months, if not years, away.

2. Many scanners will scan the two meter and 70 cm ham bands. These bands use narrow band FM. There are websites which list ham radio repeater frequencies. You will want to program the OUTput frequency of your area's repeaters in your scanner.

Or...you can try searching for active frequencies between 145 and 148 mHz (2 meter VHF band) and 440-450 mHz (70 centimeter UHF band).

Good luck. And....Don't give up on getting that ham ticket. YOU CAN DO IT.

Tom, KR4BD
Lexington, KY

[va3ori]

As Tom suggests, the NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) to drop the code requirement will slink it's way through the FCC bureaucracy for as long as it takes, but it WILL eventually happen! As it is, the current code requirement, 5 w.p.m., isn't very dire and it gives you full access to hf (shortwave spectrum) depending upon the class of your license. STUDY!

As for listening to repeaters on your scanner, try the following link:

http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters

where you will find a state-by-state listing of repeaters by location. It is updated regularly and is very accurate.

Good listening and good luck!

vy 73,
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[va3ori]

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Whatever...

[CoastStarlight99]

Two things...

1. The FCC is now proposing to DROP all code for Ham licenses, but final action will be months, if not years, away.

2. Many scanners will scan the two meter and 70 cm ham bands. These bands use narrow band FM. There are websites which list ham radio repeater frequencies. You will want to program the OUTput frequency of your area's repeaters in your scanner.

Or...you can try searching for active frequencies between 145 and 148 mHz (2 meter VHF band) and 440-450 mHz (70 centimeter UHF band).

Good luck. And....Don't give up on getting that ham ticket. YOU CAN DO IT.

Tom, KR4BD
Lexington, KY

Thanks alot for the info, I am deffinetly going to look into it on the scanner, and I am going to email my local HAM radio club and find out where the nearest classes are two instruct someone on how to pass the test.

Thanks again.

[pgengler]

Thanks alot for the info, I am deffinetly going to look into it on the scanner, and I am going to email my local HAM radio club and find out where the nearest classes are two instruct someone on how to pass the test.

Thanks again.

Depending on what type of learner you are, you might be able to just keep taking some of the online tests (which pick questions at random from the same pool the actual exam questions come from) until you start seeing everything enough to know it.
This is pretty much how I did it (and just passed my Technician exam list night with a perfect score!), but I have a lot of free time at work, so I would spend a few hours working on it. Not having anything else to do made that easier, and it's certainly not something for everyone; I know I wouldn't have spent that much time on it if I weren't at work with nothing to do for hours on end.

And just to add to the list of states that prohibit scanners from cars (for those who don't have a "valid amateur radio operator's license"), New York has such a law.