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Licenses to operate amateur stations for personal use are granted to individuals of any age once they demonstrate an understanding of both pertinent FCC regulations and knowledge of radio station operation and safety considerations. Applicants as young as five years old have passed examinations and were granted licenses.
Ham radio is...
Ham radio is...
Ham radio is for public service, for scientific experimentation, for fun, for adventure, for a hobby, for contesting, for astronauts on the International Space Station, for families at home and away, for preparedness, and for saving lives. All true. Assuming you have just received your FCC license and want to be involved in emergency communication - but aren't sure what to do next - this page will give you some ideas about where to begin.
Find an Elmer.
Find an Elmer.
What's an Elmer? No, not Elmer Fudd. He or she is a ham radio operator with some experience owning, programming, using, and troubleshooting radios and antennas for ham radio - and making them work. Every new ham needs an Elmer - ask around! Your Elmer can help you choose a good radio and antenna, and hopefully help to program it.
For your first radio, try a handheld.
For your first radio, try a handheld.
For Technician class ham radio operators and for most local ERC nets, you will need a VHF/UHF radio minimum, and most start with a handheld radio. See the page "Radio Gear" for some ideas. It can be cheap, but generally you get what you pay for, so if you can afford a better one, check the reviews and buy one.
Get a better antenna.
Get a better antenna.
Every handheld you might buy will come with a stubby antenna. That's only OK for talking across the neighborhood. To access the repeater on the city water tower or on mountains nearby, you will need a 1/4-wave antenna for 2-meters, a whip antenna about 18 inches in length. Make sure it fits the connector on your radio!
Program the radio with the frequencies you will need. It's best done with a PC.
Program the radio with the frequencies you will need. It's best done with a PC.
Before you program your radio, read the manual and watch some YouTube videos about programming your radio. If you can afford it, buy the RL Software and cable, or use a free software called Chirp and buy the cable separately. Organize your frequencies on a spreadsheet before you start. Involve your Elmer and listen to his suggestions - it's best to do the hands-on yourself. Be patient, it will be worth it.
If you have to choose between a bigger radio or bigger antenna, get the antenna.
If you have to choose between a bigger radio or bigger antenna, get the antenna.
Even with only a handheld, a vertical or yagi antenna on the roof can boost your signal a lot. After operating for a while with just the handheld, you will realize that with a more powerful mobile/base station radio you could do so much more. Before you buy a new radio at the store, ask about the local club auction where you might get a good used radio and antenna at a fair price. Even so, buyer beware.
Now consider your power source - a battery and a way to keep it charged.
Now consider your power source - a battery and a way to keep it charged.
In a power-out emergency, the outlet on the wall will offer you nothing to run and charge your radios. You'll need a source of 12V power and a way to charge those batteries. At minimum, you can get by with a 12V power supply powered from an outlet to keep an auto battery at full charge. Better, get a bigger deep cycle battery and use a charge regulator like the PWRgate connected to your AC/12V DC power supply. The "Best" option is to add charging gear like solar and a generator.
There's a special tip for new hams who want to be involved in emergency communications. Hold on until the end.
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