Top 5 Tips for New Ham Radio Operators (Beginners)

[@rikjohnson120]

I'm working on my Technician License and I really appreciate your common sense, no BS approach to Do's and Don'ts ~ very helpful.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Glad you like the videos Rik, thanks for watching 👍

[@brentweichelt2608]

Tip #1 summed up. Avoid serious death. Check.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Lol

[@kipdivito83]

Thank you for the video. I really appreciate your last comment about hanging out with fun people!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Glad you liked it Kip, thanks for watching.

[@markh1938]

Always get bunch of good info from your videos. Concise and to the point. Good safety tips. I bought a surprise box at my club had a power supply in it, I hooked it up the other day got important phone call and stepped away from shack, didn’t get back to shack for a couple hours, opened the door to shack and could feel the heat coming off of it, turn it off unplugged it and right into the trash. I built a space in my shop for shack it was small but it was all i needed, boy was I wrong two years later I’m tearing down walls and moving doors, had to double it in size. Never see me on roof only took me one time falling through a roof, no need repeating that 40 years later. Then there was the day I’m closing up beach house, on the roof blowing off debris pull extension cord for the leaf blower, I hear ladder go down, cellphone in the kitchen was 2 hours before someone drove by to help me. No more roof for me, but if you must, have a buddy with you

[@TheSmokinApe]

Dang, that's enough to keep me off the roof. A few weeks ago an insurance appraiser was on my neighbors roof, nobody was home, and the wind knocked the ladder down. We had to go over and put the ladder back up after we heard him call for help. Glad you like the videos Mark!

[@stridermt2k]

Good stuff awesome advice across the board!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks man, glad you liked it 👍

[@rayhill7613]

First, I would like to thank you for your very informative insight … spoken like a true Elmer. I own a trucking company and have been using a mobile CB radios (am, ssb, fm) since the late seventies in my trucking business. I just retired and I'm also working on my Tango -Echo-Charlie-Hotel License. For the last month I have been studying two hours a day on both the technician class and general class tests, my goal was to take both tests at the same day. I'm scoring around the 84% range on technician class and approaching 50% on general class practice tests. After watching your videos I'm going to stop trying to build Rome in a day and go find a Elmer. Not sure about the next step. I thinking about going to a local ham radio dealer or contact ARRL , but either way I'm going to pull the trigger on a tech license and stop trying to build the taj mahal. 73

[@TheSmokinApe]

Hey Ray, glad you liked the video and best of luck on the test!

[@johnbauman4005]

Wow. Just so helpful, encouraging and informative. As I listened to your presentation, I kept thinking, "This isn't just about Ham radio, this is great advice for life itself." So now you're my KZbin Elmer, at least from my viewpoint as a recent subscriber. I hope you accept! ATB!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks John, glad you liked the video 👍

[@SmokeSignalsRF]

This video is priceless-Thank You

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Don, glad you liked it 👍

[@Tommy_Boy.]

Smokin - Nice tips & messages to get out there and well done! I fall under the new-ham category, and I appreciate the tips and encouragement. 👍⚡📻

[@TheSmokinApe]

Glad to help!

[@n2rj]

RF Exposure safety is very important.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Heck yeah, too many people don’t take is seriously. Thanks for the comment Ria 👍

[@apexmcboob5161]

I'm looking at getting my ham license, this was very helpful. Thanks!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Glad you liked it, thanks for watching Apex 👍

[@stevenmackenzie59]

Love the viideos and your straightt forward approach to things. I would recommend a pop filter for your mic the S, P, and T words are coming through the video and are hard to listen to. A pop filter on your mic would soften those sounds making the videos easier to listen to.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for the feedback 👍

[@billcrow5403]

Great video. Hoping to test some of my students in a couple weeks.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Best of luck with it Bill 👍

[@HamRadioDX]

Great video Ape. Plenty of great advice for those starting out. 73

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks 👍

[@dunavskakarakuda]

Thanks

[@TheSmokinApe]

👍

[@bduff5004]

Great tips. Thank you

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks B 👍

[@HamRadio2]

That's a helluva shirt you have on there, son.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Ain’t it though 👍

[@chadbruce8534]

Wow a shirt. Glad that's all you got out of the video. 🤣

[@HamRadio2]

@@chadbruce8534 so now you're saying derogatory comments to me on other channels as well as my own. It's possible you have too much time on your hands. Ape and I are friends, he knows what I meant.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Agreed. Levi I don’t want crap like this on my channel.

[@chadbruce8534]

@@HamRadio2 I was joking. I like apes channel. Full of good info. Has helped me with my shack

[@kevinkc3onohelijeepworld953]

Tip one when working on your amplifier remember they multiply electricity RF is electricity. It can blow a hole through your digits otherwise known to the body as fingers and thumbs. Safety First 😉

[@TheSmokinApe]

Yeah, it's far to easy to get shocked or let the smoke out.

[@Tump2010]

yeah, slipping and falling off of the ladder can really hurt and leave you messed up for a long long time.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Yep, I hate getting on them 😒

[@johnbauman4005]

The ladder is the natural enemy of the aging male. - old saying in the E.R.

[@TheNoCodeTech]

Very helpful. Lots of good information. #TeamReplay for the win! #ThNHR

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks NoCode 👍

[@tomwold8269]

I have had the icom 7300 recommended to me. How good is this radio? I do have a ham license

[@TheSmokinApe]

They are fantastic radios and very popular, I have one 👍

[@tomwold8269]

@@TheSmokinApe Thanks for the info

[@charleszimmermann7784]

Question for you, I run a Yaesu ft818, I built the EARC end fed 6-40 after watching your video (thanks it’s been working well), in their paper work they say you can run a longer wire (60 feet), I am thinking of placing a spade connector at the end of the thirty foot (current antenna) to be able to attach an additional length to it. I run an auto-tuner with my rig, my question is do you think this will work?

[@TheSmokinApe]

It should work just fine, this is often referred to as a "linked" antenna. Make sure to use overall lengths listed on this site: www.hamuniverse.com/randomwireantennalengths.html

[@charleszimmermann7784]

@@TheSmokinApe thank you for the information!

[@PepperandCaseysRV]

Lots of good advice in there. Too much to comment on.. from a newbs perspective. Lol. Definitely go slow. I got all these DMR and Fusion radios and just be using analog cause I don’t know what I’m doing. Lol

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

I have thought about stepping up to DMR and/or Fusion But have no one around to walk me through it.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Pepper, glad is was helpful!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Adam, join in on the TOADS discord, plenty of folks there could help you.

[@AliReza-zx8km]

Nice.........

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks 👍

[@donschneider7252]

Thanks for your suggestions us new hams can always use good ideas and comments. We appreciate your humble attitude. KI7RJS

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Don, glad you like the videos 👍

[@galaxie7753]

In aviation, we say Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

[@TheSmokinApe]

I like it, thanks for watching Todd!

[@bekeycoconut9990]

I am interested in echo link. I like to work with people. That can help me get my license. And work with me on echo link.

[@TheSmokinApe]

You will need to be licensed to use it, good luck with the test!

[@kg5pte]

There is so much you can do in this hobby. That it can be intimidating. And I been licensed now since October 2016. And have a general class license. But I have throttled way back. I was becoming involved in the VHF UHF digital voice modes. (DMR DSTAR And YSF and Wires X) but have lost interest in this. As far as HF digital modes (FT-8 etc) I have no desire to learn it. Basically I am happy with simplex vhf/uhf. And a little bit of ten meters.

[@TheSmokinApe]

I was happy just messing with 2m / 70m FM for years, thanks for the comment James!

[@kg5pte]

@@TheSmokinApe Agreed.

[@bradh6185]

I am brand new. I am fascinated with this stuff. But it really does seem like a long road ahead just to become a proficient operator. Especially considering that the local club doesn't answer emails. The good thing is that the VE who administered my tech test in a neighboring town has offered to help any way he can and told me of some upcoming meets and stuff. One thing that may present a challenge for me is that small talk isn't one of my strengths. Not by a long shot. Nevertheless, I'm excited to see where this goes. I appreciate you making this video. It's encouraging. KI5TIN

[@DARTHDANSAN]

The hardest part is working the FCC Website lol

[@TheSmokinApe]

Haha!

[@rangersmith4652]

Great video, but I have one point of disagreement. Safety matters, of course, but whenever someone says the most important thing about doing anything is safety, I have to disagree. The most important part of doing anything is getting it done. If being safe were foremost, then nothing would get done because the safest thing to do is stay in bed. In short, accomplishing the mission or task is the most important thing, and doing it safely comes next. There is nothing a ham ever needs to do that can't be done safely, but when we say, "Do it safely," note which is first in the sentence.

[@TheSmokinApe]

That's fair and I think I understand your point, thanks for watching and the comment Ranger.

[@kg5pte]

One other thing I would like to say. And recommend. Please do not do all you learning "Watching KZbin Videos" As I have learned by trial and error. KZbin videos and "How Too" Videos , might be "Out Of Date" As I have learned with computers, after software and firmware updates some how too videos become obsolete. Take my Yaesu FTM-400 for example. After the last firmware update many menu items changed. So relying on KZbin videos my not be wise.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Good point James. That said any media; books, blogs or websites become out of date the same way.... anyone looking to learn should reference multiple resources. Thanks for watching and for the comment 👍

[@ncphotos]

Great video! de W2CSI

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks for checking it out 👍

[@DARTHDANSAN]

Thanks

[@TheSmokinApe]

No problem