Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Anyone that is willing to learn about it is welcome to PM me. I am an Extra class operator, which allows full ham privledges on all assigned bands, and will be one of my pastimes when I get back in the cab. Think of it like a CB that you won't have to listen to all the trash talk on Sesame Street. I know from the house, with a modest antenna and 30 watts of power, I can routinely get into Europe and South America on some digital modes. Haven't done much side band stuff, but was able to talk from WV to ID pretty well one night, with about 3 dollars worth of wire for an antenna

 

Safe Travels John

 

Thanks Larry, same to you.

 

Whoosh... All went right over my head... Got lots to learn... lol

 

Ok, I'll explain a little, and not meaning to hijack your thread JohnBoy, so anything more in depth can be done in PM.

In the United States, there are three levels a ham operator can currently achieve. In order from easiest to most difficult, they are Technician, General, and Extra. There are quite a few "bands" or groupings of frequencies that the FCC has permitted for ham radio usage. To legally use these bands, a person has to hold a license which allows them certain privileges. The different levels are earned by differing written tests. Technicial level, being the lowest level a new operator can get a license now, is the easiest test, and is a 35 question multiple choice test about radio theory, regulations, etc. Each higher level license allows more frequencies to be used, as well as different modes, such as voice, digital, or even sending pictures over the air for another user's radio to be able to decode.

I plan on bringing my ham radio with me when I go out on the truck, because I can use the ham bands and talk to other ham operators at MUCH longer ranges than a CB, and since it is licensed, and every operator is given a call sign, there is TYPICALLY less trash talk, with some exceptions. Those exceptions can actually legally be prosecuted.

Anyway, the technician test (the easiest and lowest level currently available to test for) still allows for a lot of different communications, and can be pretty fun. The tests are typically pretty low cost, and depending upon which VEC (volunteer examination coordinator) gives them, possibly free. I happen to be a VE, or volunteer examiner for the Amatuer Radio Relay League, a very large ham radio organization. Also, once you have a license, it's good for 10 years, and doesn't cost a thing to renew, and to upgrade, you just take the next highest test at a testing session anywhere in the country you may be.

With my radio, and the bands I'm allowed to operate on, it could be perfectly feasible for me to be able to speak to people all over the country, or even other countries, while being mobile in a truck.

Sorry for being so long-winded. And thanks for reading!

 

Awesome summation.

Curious, when talking to another person across the country/world in such a way, other operators can hear the conversations correct?

Genetically, what basic cost to getting into a setup that will work on the road from a truck?

 

Yes, other operators can listen to the conversation, and even join in. Works kinda like CB that way, only usually more polite. Usually.

Well, for all new equipment, and to do just about everything mobile, you're looking at 700 ish for the radio, and 350 for the antenna.

Used, you can get MUCH cheaper. I got a used radio for around 450 shipped to me, and it is actually feasible to make your own antenna, if you want to do single band stuff until getting a motorized antenna that will cover more bands.

 

and actually, a used single or older multi band radio can sometimes be had for MUCH cheaper than that even. A guy I know got a multiband High Frequency radio for 160 dollars at a hamfest near here a couple months ago. That radio was a base, though.

 

Was talking to a driver one day and he has the ham radio setup in his truck. He was talking to some American expat living in South America.

 

I figure between that, and all the ebooks I constantly have on my phone which the phone can read to me, I'll be set for fighting any boredom while driving.