What No One Told You About Amateur Radio

[@HamRadioConcepts]

Just to add an FYI, what Josh said at 3 minute mark, I happen to talk to The same folks every single day since May of last year, on 17 meters and 15 meters, while mobile. Same signal reports, although he is right, propagation is not reliable, but in Florida, for me, I’m coming up to a year with the same people in the same conversations on the same band at the same time of day, every day. It CAN happen, but, we are going into the peak of the solar cycle, so 7 years from now, this comment will be null. Thanks Josh, 73

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

That is a good point! I think I should have mentioned you can schedule reliable comms, but to assume at any hour you can reach the same people is not always reliable. Good comment Eric, thanks.

[@repatch43]

To be frank, the biggest problem with this hobby is how hostile some members are to newbies. I know it's just a few rotten apples, but there are very few hobbies I've indulged in where someone asking a 'stupid' question is pounded into the ground so completely. And this is doubly so when dealing with 'legal' issues. This has turned off so many people from the hobby.

[@aarontooth]

You know, people say this, but as a new ham, I just haven't encountered it. I've said all kinds of dumb stuff and made a lot of mistakes and people are mostly still classy about it. If anything, I think the big contingent of old people really helps because they've had a lifetime of building up social skills, and they've generally figured out that if they act like jerks, they're going to die alone in misery. The worst behavior I've seen is intentional QRM, and man, that's just truly vile. It's really hard for me to understand. I just don't get it. The second worst is the open racism, sexism, and other bigotry that seems to spill out of certain people on-air. I mean, they're nice bigots, and personally I have pretty thick skin. But some of the crap I hear over the air is so bad I feel like it would be straight to the nursing home if their family ever heard it, or something you'd expect to hear at a dinner party in Nazi Germany. I think some of the feedback can come in a bit rough because often it's a little hard to figure out what they're trying to tell you. But the flip side is all of the feedback I've heard on-air seems pretty valid.

[@plusorminusandtime]

Try a gun range. LOL

[@repatch43]

@@plusorminusandtime True, but at least there when a beginner does something stupid there is an immediate threat to life. A newbie asking about a Baofeng radio on a forum shouldn't be blasted out of existence IMHO. I've seen that sort of behaviour quite a few times, and I often DM the newbie to let them know not everyone in a hobby is like that. Obviously in person things are quite different (usually), but you meet very few newbies in person, especially after COVID.

[@plusorminusandtime]

@@repatch43 I wasn’t talking about doing something “stupid” or being a threat to “life”. You must be one of them. LOL

[@RealJeep]

I hear the same complains from newbies in model railroading. I think what it all boils down to is there are some angry old men who hate their life and take their misery out on everyone around them. These guys need to find Jesus or just keep their hate to themselves.

[@AD6DMDennis]

The TARDIS metaphor is probably the best one-sentence description I've heard in a long while. This video is golden. People need to hear this.

[@naman2000]

Yup, it’s on par with his “Yaesu 817 is the Miata” of ham radio metaphor. Brilliant comparison!

[@21inchwide]

It's like discovering the internet for the first time, you know it has potential and can be useful, but not know the full extent of what it's capable of.

[@Merelymortalmale]

Agreed. Dude is dead on.

[@mgreenl24550]

Great video. You make some good points. I’m a newly licensed operator. I’ve been listening to the local 2m “weather and road reports”. It’s about what I expected. I didn’t go get licensed to really talk on the local nets. I did it to 1) support other hobbies where I want long distance tracking and 2) I enjoy the challenge and learning the technical stuff. I’m very mechanically oriented, so the electrical (and electronics) don’t always click with me right away. Amateur radio forces me to learn and practice some of this. Just like doing Arduino or something else. The folks complaining about others in this hobby, just ignore them and move on. If you read the comments, those people exist in every hobby. Hell, there’s a ton of them on the internet. Life is too short. I (try to) ignore idiots on the internet, at the gun range and at the ham meetings and gravitate towards people that aren’t that way and that are pleasant to be around. You should do the same. Most of those folks behave that way because they want attention. If you don’t give it to them, they tend to drift off to find someone else who will react to them.

[@darknerd66]

On weekends, what I do to support my radio habit is I am a nurse properly called RN. We have a saying, "Nurses eat there young." Meaning the more experienced nurse instead of sharing and nurturing, spend more time being a detriment to newbies. In Ham radio, it can be the same environment in that the old timers want to spend time condemning instead of encouraging. My own experience is there are old timers that would rather stick to the old ways, and condemn new ways or even "new blood." More often than not there are helpful people willing to bend over backwards to accept a new person or "new blood." But, all you need is one bad apple in the bushel basket to spoil the harvest. My thanks goes out to all those Elmers that took time to share and nurture, I did not make it this far in the hobby alone. Josh, don't sell yourself short you are an Elmer, I have learned so much from you.....thanks 73

[@chadhahn6113]

My ex is a nurse and she always said that. I didn't know the saying was so prevalent.

[@miketeacher9016]

The same is true in teaching and I have taught for 35 years.

[@johntalbot119]

Just entering this world. Excellent content. Thanks. Going to my first club meeting in an hour.

[@Ki5PGL]

Advantages of a local club: the ability to borrow tools, equipment and knowledgeable people to come to your QTH. Can't get that on Discord!

[@desimonevd]

To me, the open secret of ham radio is that it truly is an expensive hobby. Kudos to you for bringing that up! For someone like myself who has to make ends meet on a non-cola pension that has shrunk due to both rising medical premiums and rising prices, moving away from a handheld to mobile vhf/uhf and HF stations is a tough sell. Don’t get me wrong, the learning experience has kept my mind sharp and I’m glad I got engaged, but… sheesh…

[@thecarys563]

Fair! The equipment expense and the expense of owning base antenna positions (land) is a barrier. I would like to see more clubs with shared and remotely operated stations administered with a view to solve some of these issues.

[@RT-qd8yl]

The economy started pushing me out of it, then the people in my local club finished it off. Now I just listen to a scanner all day. If I'm gonna spend $500 I want to listen to something more interesting that Old Harvey's doctor appointment round-up.

[@KC7ZXYtube]

Most hobbies will allow the hobbyist to spend as much money as they want. No limits!

[@liammhodonohue]

​@@RT-qd8ylhow big is your aerial? I'm sure if I had a dad or uncle I would have liked to pick it up in 90s early 2000s. These days it's not very high-yield if the objective is chatting to people. We have internet for that 🤷‍♂️ Appeal now would be the technical aspects, especially things like receiving weather satellite images or using it to track and recover high altitude balloon launches.

[@douglasvamateurradioandmore]

​@@thecarys563i would like more clubhouse with rigs. If a club would be willing to start one, I would chip in a few bucks to help with operations and utilities. I do pota and sota. That's one thing that someone who has limited space can do.

[@eagleviewhd]

I was in the USAF stationed at Albrook AFB and later at Howard AFB in the Communications Group there. We operated four different HF Radio Networks out of Panama. 1st one was the Airways Network, which used high power HP transmitters and Receivers to communicate with aircraft operating around Central and South America. The 2nd HF Network was the Mission Radio Network. We used “HAM” radios to communicate between US Military Missions throughout Central and South America and the US Southern Command. The stations used Collins KWM-2A Transceivers with Collins 30L1 Linear Amplifiers. Typically there was a Triband Antenna installed at each station. Sometimes we used HF Mini antennas installed in the attic of a Military Commander’s residence. The 3rd Network was the Systema inter Telecommunications del la Fuerza Aeria (SITFA) which was a Spanish speaking network between Latin American Air Forces and the USAF in Panama. It used the same Collins HAM Radio equipment. The 4th HF Radio Network was the Military Affiliate Radio Station (MARS). Again we used Collins KWM-2A and 30L1’s. We installed a new Collins lightweight RLP for this station in 1983. As part of the US Southern Command and the NCO in Charge of Antenna Maintenance for these networks, I had my own military Call sign.

[@jeffkunce8501]

I would make a distinction between "emcomm" and "prepper". The first is more about public service - helping other people who are in crisis. The second is about helping myself (and maybe by family and friends) when I am in crisis. Nothing wrong with either, but old-time hams often look down on those who are *only* focused on personal survival.

[@yellowsirocco]

They are roughly the same in my book. I've tried an emcomm event and it was just as much of a joke as the preppers. The real division in ham radio is the nerds vs the non-nerds.

[@aarontooth]

Yeah I think they're totally different. I'm a new ham, but I haven't yet encountered a radio prepper in person. Whereas a very large fraction of hams are in emcom. At least in my area, they're a pretty professional group, and well-connected with the government and the main emergency services folks. I've just seen the preppers on the interwebs. Most of them are not really trying to become experts in radio, and instead are just using it as a tool, or means to reach an end, to get off-grid operation.

[@GarbageDeplorableBitterClinger]

@@aarontooth Yes, but if they are showing interest in a tool, it should be a way to bring them in and help them learn more. "If you think that beofeng on 2m is cool, wait until you see what you can do with HF." These are the sort of people who would love to learn about antennas, but most of them get a bad impression of the larger hobby before they even find out that there are good reasons to learn about antennas. Being able to talk to people from around the world was a "practical" reason to get into ham radio even in the 90s. The "preppers" that are getting into it now, also have what they consider to be a "practical" reason to do so. If we can't find a way to be more welcoming and encourage them to expand their capabilities we are going to miss out on what should be some pretty active hams.

[@GenXPertChannel]

They're each usually just as bad. I'm a ham, but was working a large public event and the emcomm guys showed up with strobe lights on their cars and lots of "emergency" stickers. They were pissed when we said we would just use cell phones to connect the volunteer stations. Some of the emcomm guys were the "tactical" prepper types and two showed up with rifles... for a community fun run. Sure, I carry legally concealed, but these guys were convinced they were running the show in full tactical gear and their Baofengs. Ham radio is a tradition in my family, and my grandfather is still known for his inventions and innovation in the field... but for some reason it's attracting some really bizarre people. Leave your strobe lights and skywarn/emergency response stickers at home.

[@bendeleted9155]

​@@aarontooth BINGO! That's my take. You won't likely encounter a true unlicensed prepper on the radio, because the circumstances don't yet exist for them to break out their equipment from the metal cans 😂. It's more about having the capability if the circumstances make it necessary.

[@Blackdog57]

Miss talking on a CB ( when you dont need a license) and being able to listen to a scanner and picking up police, fire, rescue, etc, BEFORE evrything got encrypted!!!

[@ChaplainDaveSparks]

I remember the _"bad old days"_ of CB when you needed a license, and it cost *$20!* Then it went down to $4, then free, then eliminated altogether.

[@joanmargaret4899]

Agree 100%

[@clydeosterhout1221]

So why not get back into CB? You can get an SSB CB, a power supply, and an Antron 99 antenna and cabling for a couple hundred dollars if you shop around. With 12 watts and good atmospherics you can talk to Europe in the morning and CA in the evening. CB is just 11 meter short wave. I hear more DX traffic on my CB than I do on any other HF radios.

[@Blackdog57]

@clydeosterhout1221 that's mostly if the skip is coming in. Also I live in an apartment with lots of trees, so base station is out, don't have a truck anymore either, just miss it I guess. 🙏

[@clydeosterhout1221]

@@Blackdog57 For years I just used a mag mount antenna stuck on a window air conditioner. But yeah, most of its skip these days, although I live along the convergence of two fairly important highways and there is always a lot of CB traffic going on. Most of the time I’m on LSB, especially now that the atmospherics are (sometimes) very good.

[@male42nfree]

As a newbie to HAM & GMRS I can tell you that your video was a fantastic primer for me personally - thank you!

[@DarkShadowCustoms]

First off, I love the T.A.R.D.I.S. reference and I agree. Amateur radio definitely is bigger on the inside. I had no idea of the world I was stepping into when I first received my license last year. There are a lot of people going online and into amateur radio related groups on Facebook looking for help. Unfortunately more often than not there is at least one person saying "Do you have a license?" or "You need a license to use that radio." Some other comments are along the lines of "You took the test, it is in the exam and study material." They offer no help, put down anyone who has a hard time understanding something, and act like they are better than anyone who isn't licensed. Those same people then turn around and complain about how the hobby needs more people involved. That is enough to make some feel very unwelcomed in the hobby so they stop pursuing their interest if they are looking into getting their license or not even bother with staying in the hobby if they are newly licensed. I am glad I belong to a welcoming club that is willing to mentor new hams.

[@aarontooth]

New ham here. I have two minds about this. I get the perspective of being yelled at for doing things wrong, or people policing instead of helping, etc. But the flip side is that I've discovered that ham radio is a very knowledge-based, feedback-intensive hobby. There is a ton to know, and there's very often a right way and a wrong way to do things. Doing things wrong impacts other people, and makes you look like an idiot. My current take is that a lot of people just aren't very good at dealing with this feedback, and they go into this big mental rat-hole about how they're being mistreated, or they're not fitting in. I mean, they're tapping into some pretty serious and deep insecurities. And I think that's just wrong and self-defeating. It's much more productive to just try to figure out what the other guy is telling you, and use it as an opportunity to improve your technique. And even if the suggestion is worthless, it's still an opportunity to practice your grace and class. You have to find a way to get the feedback without taking it personally and without it being an attack or threat or anything like that. I think this desire to avoid confrontation is doing a lot of ham. On KZbin, I am incredibly frustrated by the content: more creators than not seem to be doing it totally wrong, misunderstanding basic stuff, etc. There's all of these videos on important topics, where the entire premise of the video is incorrect, and you still have all of these views and supportive comments.. And I guess people think they're helping them out by not telling them or giving them feedback. It kinda relates to another pet peeve I have on air: always complimenting someone's signal, giving them 5-9, even when it's totally not true. And the reverse, people being offended when you give them an accurate signal report. I just think we have to get past this and learn to give and take feedback.

[@fireislandmavic5939]

correct

[@donnakano3697]

The thing about amateur radio is that it is what you make of it. If someone wants to buy a $25 Baofeng and use it to talk to their friends nearby, that is fine. If they want to build a moon bounce array, that’s also fine. While I have participated in contests, field days, etc., I am hardly a hard core contester and have been criticized for not behaving like a contester with a 12 element yagi and a full gallon. I find long CW ragchewing to be relaxing. I find experimenting with antennas interesting. There are thousands of facets of our hobby that are available, so no one has tried it all.

[@metatechnologist]

This is just it. People need to ignore the rude people (which are everywhere and in every hobby tbh) and make the best of it for them and others.

[@azarellediaz4892]

You are much like me, except that I’m new to this and the club’s around here are no help to those of us who learn by doing. I have limitations and they won’t help in any way. But I’ll get there.

[@TheIllestShogun]

Newbie here. Appreciate the candidness of this vid.

[@johnosborne2224]

Thank you Josh! I appreciate the video. I am an old man, but new to the hobby. I liked your comment that I never thought of before; you said, ..."it's STEM." I don't think of myself as smart, so challenging me to keep my mind sharp at this age by learning some of the science of this business kind of excites me. 73 sir!!

[@allenshepard7992]

Very helpful. I would add - Electricians are safer than math wiz kids. There are some dangerous voltages once the cover is removed. Trees can kill a signal so find an open park. While a cell phone can reach anywhere in the US, a 20Watt rig will not. Be prepared for sticker shock past 100Watts. Keep to the band plan. Stay in frequency. Yes it is fun. Each band kinda needs its own rig. SDR is changing this but not fast enough.

[@rickgilbrt]

Shoot, my 10w rig with a wire antenna connects across the country and across the water - if the op on the other end has a beam and a 1500w amp 😊. But I may not be able to reach anyone in between those points. Definitely not like a cell phone. No one has mentioned DMR/Dstar/ Fusion for talking long distance on a handheld. At times, folks have promoted those to me as a way to talk to someone in London from Atlanta. It sounds pretty much like a cell phone to me, with significant infrastructure required, along with more expensive handheld radios. The one difference I see is that with those internet digital modes, one can "place a call" to a random stranger - kind of like dialing a pay phone and waiting to see who picks up.

[@MarvinBowen]

This is excellent. I've been considering starting an unofficial Amateur Radio club at my church. Many of the youth are interested and I think this video would go a very long way to explaining some of the confusion away. I see a lot of 'deer in the headlights' looks about the topic.

[@k9eihamradio]

Josh- I wish you would have mentioned the fact that Technicians have CW privileges on HF. Same portions that the Novice licensees had back in the day. This means every Tech could do CW POTA activations!!!! Every US Ham has the option to get on HF. Also, props on the "get engaged" comments.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Good point!

[@Blake-jl8lh]

I like the way you phrased the issue about consistent communication with the same people. Ive mentioned this in ham circles before and gotten a lot of negative pushback because its hard to distinguish between getting someone on the radio all hours of the day vs anyone on the radio all hours of the day.

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Exactly. It is NOT a replacement for a telephone.

[@RowanHawkins]

The only caveat that I would say to the telephone comment is Echolink and IRLP. There is also direct repeater linking as was done where I originally passed my license. That system was just crazy your options were 10m, 6m, 2m 1.25m and 70cm and they were all linked in for nets.

[@KC7ZXYtube]

Well... people do use HF (inside and outside of ham bands) for regular communication. But, that's why a knowledgeable person is required to maintain comms. A lot of that work is being done today using ALE to automate the process.

[@kurta7708]

Why didn't he mention dmr at all for this? Dmr is perfect for long distance comm to a specific person

[@Blake-jl8lh]

@@kurta7708 because that is hopping over the internet in most cases

[@jerrykinney]

Josh, thanks much for the topic. Agree this should be viewed by anyone interested in taking up amateur radio. You’re a great ambassador for the hobby.

[@thunderchief7]

I went into Ham radio with a lot of misconceptions. Why did I do it? I live in a less populated coastal area of Florida where there is ONE cell tower serving the area. It is not that good. We have hurricanes and other events, and it is down for days at a time. It seems to have back-up power, but only for a few hours, and is often unavailable for days at a time. I am a semi-prepper (not a full-blown prepper) and I hoped that VHF and UHF Ham radio would be a backup means of communications in an emergency. There are two reliable repeaters in the area that I can reach, but no one is on most of the time. There is a brief weekly net held by a club, but in an actual natural disaster, (we recently had a significant flooding event) Ham radio does not appear to be a way to contact anyone for assistance.

[@pthithic]

A much needed, *straight to the point* video to keep handy for new people that ask these questions

[@michaelmccollum5360]

Another misconception: amateur radio is not “like a podcast” … can’t count how many times I’ve had to explain that one.

[@KC7ZXYtube]

I ran into that recently. The person asked if I had a regularly scheduled time when I broadcast or if I do it with recordings. 🤔🤪😬😂

[@DeatheaterSirius]

I just find out our HAM regulations is restricted broadcasting via amateur band

[@scottbratt9867]

Thanks for the great video! Since I am considered a "prepper" due to my other hobbies and preparedness and being an Extra class ham, I get asked and see a lot of others in the prepper community asking questions about what gear they should buy to be able to keep in touch with our group or with family afar. My first answer is always study in the books or online and go get your license. I ask them if they will know how to use it, how to troubleshoot if there is an issue, how to know when and where to attempt that communication, and a myriad of other questions that we as experienced hams already know from years of practice. I am going to share this on our local prepper group page and maybe it will better explain to them the reasons for getting their license (license to learn in my opinion!). Thanks again for a great video explaining our hobby in simple terms.

[@toddbowles8201]

Misconception: kids in college want to regularly talk to parents.

[@lasanguinaire4331]

😂😂😂

[@lyubomirstefanov5276]

They do! But only over radio which costs thousands of dollars and requires an enormous antenna, license, tons of knowledge... You know, once a month that is, if the weather conditions allow such a call

[@Paddlefoot]

Radio is WAY cooler than a phone call! Phones are annoying because they mean anyone can pester you almost no matter where you are from anywhere at any time. Isn't so with a radio!@@lyubomirstefanov5276

[@patriot9455]

They may, in extremely rare cases, want parents, family, or strangers that are easily fooled into giving them money.

[@basketballjones6782]

Must be a new thing. I certainly loved and wanted to talk to my folks when I was in college. Of course, I didn't grow up in a public school system which indoctrinated me into thinking my parents were shit and the only people who loved me and were "normal" were transexual, gay, bestiality-participating drug users.

[@AlGritzmacher]

The biggest disservice we do to be hams is string them towards VHF FM. We've created people who expect the world to open up for them, but find out all they can do is talk on a few local repeaters. The think it's a big deal to talk 50 miles, but really, they only talk to a repeater. They are using someone else's station. They are dependent on someone else's equipment to communicate.

[@bigfoottoo2841]

I disagree, steering new hams to start with repeater use gives them the opportunity to meet and make friends with hams in their area. Their new friends will steer them in new directions by talking about things them have done.

[@swilliams2229]

It seems like lots of new hams dont even know that simplex exist on 2 mtrs. When I was new I was pointed toward simplex when I got on vhf. I met lots of really nice people there. Mostly I get on HF (40 mtr CW).....and im almost 80 years old...Damn !....I just realized....I must be a sad ham ! 80 years old....CW.....simplex....OH NO.....Im one of "those people" !

[@jima4656]

You are consistently one of the best sources of useful information on ham radios that I can find. As a bonus, you package the information in a way that is easy to listen to. Thank you.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks for watching!

[@nathanielsutton227]

This is exactly what I've been searching for (off&on) for months. Thank you, Sir. Thumbed, Subbed, and Commented.

[@camo-dad7424]

Thanks for this video. I'm not a Ham, have been thinking about it for couple of years. The honesty of your videos and entertaining value keeps me wanting to pursue the hobbie. Been looking for a local person to give me hands on teaching. Will find him or her someday.

[@phungyi4947]

As someone who is also not a Ham, I would start understanding the basics. Such things as Frequency versus wavelength and how it relates to antenna building. Also, learn various RX and TX principles to block diagram level, e.g. superheterodyne receivers to TX carrier modulation and the purpose of filtering etc.

[@michaelbeeler7461]

Great video. Thanks. You made me realize I probably don’t want to do this.

[@katherineboyd4031]

As an old YL, I rarely operate, but I am maintaining my skills and do check-in to take the temperature of the community now and then. I appreciate your articulate candor. 73! KB6YD

[@KC3WHJ]

That last one is the one that's to me the most important to remember. I live and work in a technological world that is meant to simplify and standardize even with the myriad choices available in it. However as a relatively new Ham, I am fighting with digital modes, trying to figure out the best propagation pathways and just clean up my signals on my (tr)uSDX and Xiegu G90. Oh did I mention I'm going to have an aneurysm trying to get my Digirig, FT-5DR and Winlink Express to work??!! That all said, the sense of accomplishment you feel when you figure out out is amazing! Please folks, don't give up! Josh... thanks so much!

[@nicke.3011]

The time investment just to get past the initial license approval. I can't imagine giving up tons more time just for ham radio. I'm investing in to radio for these tenuous times, not to catalog who I reach or show off a 'shack'.

[@KC3WHJ]

@@nicke.3011 just because it's a hobby doesn't mean it's not useful or even essential for what your concerns are. Trust me... the OTHER reason I do this is "just in case." In fact, I simply used HamStudy just to pass the tests with the intent of "learning later." That way, if time was limited I could at least get up and running. Luckily, time permitted me to learn and have fun. Of course, your mileage may vary :-)

[@mwalker1975]

My elmer is bald, he claims it's from trying to learn digital modes. Makes sense really. 73!

[@21inchwide]

It's called sweat equity, the amount of time you put in determines how successful you are. It also helps to have someone more knowledgeable than you that has been doing it for years fast track you so you aren't having to learn everything by yourself and make the same mistakes they might have made. Finding that person is key.

[@wa5azqhamradio]

This should be required viewing for 1st time test takers before they walk out of a testing Session after passing. Or it could be required to watch from the FCC website before their callsign is officially given out. Or BOTH! Great work as usual Josh! --WA5AZQ

[@lonewolftech]

Sounds awfully fascist

[@N2YTA]

@@lonewolftech Huh?

[@ShainAndrews]

@@lonewolftech Indeed.

[@amatpersona8776]

thank you for needlessly bringing politics into this @@lonewolftech

[@Thatonedude90]

Imagine trying to restrict free speech.

[@kaku00]

Fantastic video. As someone toying with the idea of getting into radio, this sheds a lot of light on the realities of the hobby.

[@lukepippin4781]

I was surprised to find that I didn’t have really any of these misconceptions, but that’s probably because I mostly watch your stuff 😆

[@tonykomer2997]

I have to say you are one of the very best positive ambassadors to HAM. After years of being HaM general, the community its has made me very jaded as to their terrible negativity. You, sir, make me excited and are who I turn new ham and those interested I toward. Keep up the FANTASTIC WORK!!!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thank you!

[@swilliams2229]

I agree

[@Cirroratus]

I agree too. Indeed, you are really good at transmitting your passion.

[@adrielburned6924]

I got a 8watt Tenway off Amazon. I got it for a scanner, and use it in my country neighborhood to talk to friends on their family radios, But only for emergencies.

[@ryanreedgibson]

We use Arduino repeaters up in the mountains. They work great. My daughter set them up about a year ago. We are on the Mogollon rim and the cabins are separated by 94 miles. When she gets a few years older I want her to do a video on it.

[@sonorangaming449]

It's beautiful up that way.

[@Paddlefoot]

I have two CBs. I drive 400 miles almost every weekend. I bought a nice Galaxy for my truck thinking I'd be able to get it in my dashboard, but the radio is too deep. So I bought a small Uniden for the truck. I went through what I can only describe as a psychotic breakdown figuring out the fundamentals and more specifically why my SWR was astronomical on all bands. (Turned out to be the the two coiled 16ft cables from the antenna to the meter to the radio) I now run far shorter cables for my '95 tacoma and I've replaced the truck's stock antenna with a CB antenna running through an inverse multiplexor. So my FM Stereo and my CB both use the same antenna. My Galaxy is currently spliced up to the GPU portion of a computer power supply, but I don't yet have an antenna for it. I live near a major highway in Central Florida so I think it'd be fun to have it as a base station. I've been playing with amplifiers and audio since I was a kid, radio felt like an appropriate step up what with the running cables and fiddling about involved with both hobbies. I can't imagine there isn't a HAM club of some sort with how many people live around me. I suppose I oughta look in to joining one. Cheers for the video!

[@peterkunka2694]

I'd include linked repeater systems to be able to maintain communication with others for those with Technician licenses. Here in Arizona, there are multiple linked systems available and widely used that are local, statewide, and even go out of state (Phoenix to San Diego on the Calzona link, AZ into UT on the Intermountain Intertie, and the WIN system for worldwide access, for example). If you're close enough to hit a repeater with an HT, then it's just like the old days of waiting for the land line phone to ring to talk to relatives/friends. Texting/email is not personal... people want to hear familiar voices for comfort and assurance, and Ham radio still provides that. Cheers and 73. Pete in Arizona - KI7LIL

[@DarkShadowCustoms]

We have a few linked repeater systems here in Michigan. One is analog and it covers a good chunk of the Lower Peninsula. With this system I can be in Kalamazoo in the southern part of the state and talk to someone in Vanderbilt near the tip of the mitten. The rest are digital repeaters (DMR, DStar, Fusion) that rely on some form of internet connection to link them.

[@Chris_at_Home]

I’m not a HAM, but I put in a cross band repeater from the VHF to HF for a HAM overseas. This was a big American mining company that had a big aviation department 3-737s, Helicopters, Twin Otters… Any way the VP of aviation wanted to be able to talk to the 737s flying between Jakarta and the mine with a handheld . They also went to Cains, Australia.

[@frankpeletz1818]

@@DarkShadowCustoms I got involved with Fusion and DMR. DMR is the cheapest-but not easiest to use. I gave up with raspberry pies and hot spots. Have my own Motorola xpr 8400 on Brand meister connected to a cluster and can access it with a hand held 10 miles and talk to a friend of mine 1300 miles away who has the same set up..

[@malcolmtaylor4593]

One of the best presentations on radio. I forwarded to my family who are interested in radio communication. Thank you.

[@mikecallahan8234]

I worked a station 100 miles away on several occasions on 2 meters. And I have worked Europe with 20 watts and the antenna was an aluminum window frame. The brothers can work each other on 2 meters using Echolink. I have done that as well. 73 DE ke4obe

[@hamradiobasics]

Josh you hit a home run on this one. It really is a must watch ! Keep up the great work !

[@RealMenCry]

Thank you for sharing ! Very educational , helped me decipher some HAM radio myths that have been lingering for quite some time.

[@johnwest7993]

A pretty helpful video. Thanks for doing it. An Elmer is really just someone who knows more than the person with questions, but who is willing to help, and we all know things others don't, and don't know things they do. I taught myself RF because there was no one around who wanted to teach me. I still recall my frustration, so now I do all the Elmering I can. I once drove across the state to visit Doug DeMaw, one of the ultimate Elmers, to ask for his insights on longwave radio. I brought along the loading coil I'd designed, (after reading up on all I could find on the subject in the NIST library,) to see what his critique on it would be. He took one look at my coil and asked, "What do you need me for?" As it turned out, a couple of months of reading and modeling had brought me to the point where I knew more about the particular subject of longwave antennas and propagation than he did. So he started asking me questions. Mutual Elmering. We talked radio all day. What it all boils down to is that Amateur radio is a hobby of learning about RF. I repeat, it's a hobby about learning. The FCC license is a license to learn. That's what it is. That's not what the Preppers and others want. They want appliances that do a specific thing. Fair enough. But as a hobbyist and RF Elmer, I have little interest in setting up their appliances for them. I want to teach people who want to learn about RF, not about canning and homemade explosives. You indicate that a Tech license is quite limited. But it allows one the ability to design and build their own 1500 Watt moon-bounce system to work half the world at the same time, or to do satellite communications with an HT. The Tech license opens the door to the world of fun with RF. BTW, you failed to mention that HF mag-loops can be very small and as effective as long wire antennas, or even beams.

[@LeeMcc_KI5YPR]

Each of Josh's topics could be covered very deeply. It is hard to know where to draw the line. For instance, the college student example could be solved with hotspots and digital radio. But that is a topic for a whole series of videos.

[@Ammed_KN6STX]

Great Video Josh!!! After watching this video, it might scare people away from amateur radio because of all that you have to do in Amature radio. But when I wanted to get into Ham Radio I had no idea what I was getting into, now since I have become a General Licsenced Ham, I am so glad I did this. I have learned a ton in less than two years, I am hooked on POTA and I am looking forward to doing SOTA. I have learned a ton from your KZbin channel Josh, Thank you for doing all that you do!!!! 73!!!!

[@vkoskiv]

My record for a direct contact with a handheld was 85.1km (~52mi), across the Gulf of Finland from Tallinn to a repeater back home near Helsinki. Of course, the repeater (OH2RCH) is at 102 metres AGL, and I was on the 20th floor of Hotel Viru in Tallinn. Sadly, nobody was active on the repeater, and it didn't have a parrot mode, so I couldn't check my readability, but at least the carrier + CTCSS tone was picked up, and the repeater responded to that! Transmitter is an Anytone 878, with the stock antenna that came with it. With a digital repeater at about the same distance, I was able to call parrot, and get back my voice, mostly intact.

[@frankpeletz1818]

It is not unusual for a repeater to have an elevation of 1300 meters above ground level in the mountain areas of SW US. 100 km + with a hand held ! A friend was POTA and was working stations 120 km out with 2 watts and a hand held on 2meters,1/1/4 and 70 cm.

[@timwilson8118]

Thank you for being so thorough and honest. I’m new to this and it’s become overwhelming in a way. You are a breath of fresh air out here!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

You are so welcome!

[@steelwolfnolast6938]

Thanks for the chapters and side list of mini chapters.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

You're very welcome!

[@TA1YEP]

Yo yo yo! I really like this video, I mean. Been licensed for around 9-10 months or something iirc and I can see me 9 months into the past find this video really useful. Cuz from what i've learned, this hobby requires proper planning, learning, understanding of the equipment you're using and the amount of budget you should spare for the hobby. Well, i was quite lucky with the budget part and had wonderful people who helped me. But this really doesnt mean everyone will get the same experience and this also doesnt mean that you rarely get helpful people in this hobby. If anyone out there who is studying for their exam. Just be cool with whatever and try to enjoy and get the absolute most out of your equipment. I still got my IC 718 waiting on my shelf waiting to be used cuz of my bad planning with my Budget. Im stuck gathering money for a PSU... Try to build your antennas yourself and really get hands on with what you do with ur antennas. I remember building myself a Base loaded monopole antenna with 4 radials and having a Contact with Poland with it. (R 58 / T 59)And stuff like this is really awarding and really makes you want to move further with the hobby. As said in this video. Only you steer your own experience in this Hobby. U dont have someone steer it for you so you get the "best" experience. And also, having a nice and supportive elmer is really nice to have. They really can make your whole experience even though u might not be on the Radio at all times. They're the people that makes this hobby fun. Thanks for reading, 73 de TA1YEP

[@n7kme]

Josh, you may not believe yourself to be an “Elmer”, yet you fit the description perfectly. I look to you for a lot of info and I’ve been licensed for nearly 40 years. Thank you

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Wow, thank you! I appreciate that.

[@graywolf1911]

Another great video Josh. I belong to our ARC called CMARA, and we range in age from 10 to 86 and never experienced any problems with grumpy old hams not helping new younger hams. I only worry about one thing; however, so many young people today have grown up with cell phones that they never learned to just talk to anyone face to face. This may become a problem in the future as us old hams die off and Gen x, y or z etc. become the Elmers of tomorrow. Yes, there grumpy old hams, and there are grumpy young hams, but as a total group I find the grumps in the minority. Thank you, Josh, for doing such a great job with great presentations done very well!

[@GunsandGuava]

Started with a UV5R this week. Didn’t know what I was getting into and now I’m looking to upgrading and join the GMRS community. This is so much fun, and I had no idea how lucky I am to be in Chattanooga. So many repeaters! WDEF tower is a lot of fun in the evening. We were hearing people as far out as Atlanta.

[@douglasvamateurradioandmore]

You are, in a way, an Elmer. Even in just getting people interested. You have made me think more about certain aspects of the amateur radio. Mike, my Elmer, helped me build a vhf antenna even before i got licensed. The Motorola radio you pictured reminds me of an old cell phone.

[@rangerchief8004]

I’m a prepper, off-roader, and kayaker and the baefeng has been my go too for what I do but I’m also respectful to others.

[@adrielburned6924]

Yup, me too. It works great to scan for those lost with a family radio trying to call for help. When I was in SAR, I always had my lil radio. Love it.

[@romeobravo78]

Thanks Josh. Just got my technician's license, and don't even own a radio yet. I'm a professional pilot and I love learning new technical skills. Still not sure exactly what my Ham goals are but I look forward to seeing more of your vids.

[@frankpeletz1818]

A lot of Amatures would love to work you as an aeronautical station. Doesn't even matter which band you use.

[@dalevreeland7632]

Great Video! I am currently teaching a Technician License class on Zoom and I plan to show this video as part of the class. You have covered so many questions I have been answering way better than I could have said it. Keep up the great work. 73 Dale N5DJV

[@preprebelactual]

Josh…This video was very helpful. As was your answer the other night on my questions on the other yt channel…Like I mentioned, I am a newbie. I have a couple of baofeng uv 5rs and 1 ch -6dmr (the bane of my existence)… but I have been following you since I first got into the hobby in Canada…(I am now an American citizen in SoCal) but I am getting no help or direction from the internet, regarding the gmrs side of things for programming them for my family. I do know the gmrs fcc license is family wide, unlike my HAM licenses, but I could truly benefit from some “Elmer” time from you, if you are willing, as I trust you and the knowledge you impart…Btw…I now have to reschedule my initial HAM exam again…(number 3 now) and will hopefully pass this time. If you are willing, please reach out! 73

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Join us Saturday night on the discord for the live Q&A. We’re happy to answer your questions. And anything we answer for you will likely help others in the future.

[@davidharkins5345]

I’m a newbie for now , but there will come a time I won’t be one and I will be very happy to help someone in need, newbie or oldie it’s all good 👍

[@ke4gbe]

Thanks discussing non-ham emergency use. Amazon has many nice hand held VHF radios - I bought two for under $20 yesterday. As the Helene disaster shows, having a second means of communication is vital when the chips are down. Even a CB would be a God send many poor folks cut off in the mountains.

[@russellzauner]

Literally had a guy named Elmer for some of my courses that would tell stories of working on remote radio sites and yes if you were willing to listen you'd learn more than your head could ever hold. That's kind of wild but in all fairness I've known/know a lot of people who are also "elmers" but aren't actually named Elmer.

[@BAW310]

Great info, thanks for “putting the cookies on the bottom shelf”

[@kenmohler4081]

You did a very good job putting this together. Both in the information provided and in the quality of presentation. Thanks. And yes, I do remember when CBers were licensed. My call sign was KBDY7092. I like my Ham call sign better. Ken K0AX

[@davidmackenzie5332]

Great video, and I used the phone analogy for my wife when I first got licensed. I said, "in amateur radio, nobody "gives" you anything."

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

I LOVE that! Can I steal it? Like, I need to make a video about that exact line.

[@davidmackenzie5332]

@@HamRadioCrashCourse Absolutely. I'd be honored.

[@johnwarren2420]

If you are a prepper cheap Chinese ham radios are around 50 bucks UV5R and the like get a EMP bag to keep it in, for if today you do not have a ham license you can not use the radio but if SHTF and nukes fly the old laws will not matter so get a radio for each member of your family it could come in handy for group security Just Saying ...

[@gerdanc]

My Grandpa was a Ham operator and his name was Elmer. lol. I’m just now trying to learn this hobby and this was just what I needed.

[@Terrestrial..1]

Ham operator's are like Hotrodders who get their kicks out of creating their own rides, heaps of fun.

[@samwillard5688]

Thank you for the video! I have been teaching myself electronics; I went to a yard sale where i ended up with no less than 5 antique radios. All need to be restored or used for parts. I picked the one that seemed most complete, and got the rest just in case they contained usable parts. What I am in need of is resources. Where do you even begin, lol? Vibrators and variable capacitors, tubes and high voltage, along with possible burning by RF? Any direction will be Greatly appreciated. Any art or craft that requires specialized knowledge will have folks that feel you must Earn the knowledge; asking and just getting an answer isn't really learning it to these people. Ignore them. They, too, had questions that were answered by someone that already knew. Mostly. There are probably still quite a few that really did learn the hard way. I think that they forget just how difficult that can be.

[@N0SSC]

6:24 unless their college has a radio club with an HF station! And if they don’t THEY SHOULD

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Good point!

[@kenmoersen128]

Just getting ready to start the hobby. A new older friend is looking for a “new home” for his equipment along with occasional mentoring. Always thought that I wanted to build my own radio until I watched this presentation. Now I would rather deal with radio wave propagations rather than chase electrons through a transistor. This presentation answer a lot of my questions and the timing couldn’t have been any better. Wish a Happy Easter 2024 to all. Thanks, Ken M.

[@int4d]

Finally a video that doesn't talk over my head. Well done. After FreezeMageddon here in Texas and everything was down for days including cell towers I decided to get back into radio just to talk to family within 50 miles. I was heavy into CB in the 70's talking skip world wide when it was rolling. Got my GMRS ticket now and learning. Also studying for my Ham. I did have a misconception of what was possible. Grandad was a telegrapher and Ham for the Katy railroad. W5IBP. Have to figure out a working model working with daily propagation. Thanks for your vids and being nice.

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

Using repeaters I made 2m (line of sight) from 103 away in California, through a northern Calf repeater and the. Into southern Washington. A very large linked system. The initial signal from me was 50 watts at 300’ ASL to a mountain top repeater near Mt Shasta.

[@johnsonstechworld]

This was the first time I ever watched an amateur radio KZbin post entirely! Most often I skim through and finish. I really enjoyed this video, though I started off as a radio amateur way back in 1985. Hope to meet you on air some day. Currently I am active on 40/15/10m bands and LEO satellites. 73 de Jon, VU2JO.

[@22leggedsasquatch]

I find this channel decent... I just want a high-quality, robust radio for being outdoors that has good range, can listen to communications, news and transmit. I DON'T want to hear computer nerds playing with lingo to over complicate things, just so that they feel good about their socially incapable selves.

[@bluezoomer4477]

Hello Josh. This is a Very Good Video. It is done at a good steady speed and included Alot of Other Frequencies and Licenses for those frequencies / bands too. So, Thank You very much for taking the time to do this video and sharing this video with the Ham Radio Community. 73` Ted KB6CUS

[@santostorres833]

I was turned off when I was 15....I was in to cb with my friends and we communicated with truckers or anyone.....Heard communications from fire, police and ambulance,.....One of my old teacher had a neighbor who was into HAM radio...big time.....I asked him questions and he was very abrupt.....I did not understand about his answers and asked him to clarify.....he said I was just a dumb kid........Since then I did not pursue it....but recent events about the border and increased reports of crime have me concerned....Should I start now to get my license? should i buy equipment first or what equipment I need.....I have a million questions...Am I starting this for the right reason?...Oh well.....loved the vid.....enjoyed the comments...continuing to see other videos.....thanks.....

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks for watching!

[@dr.emmittbrowniii2869]

Buy some stuff. Play around. See what you can pick up first. Watch some videos and learn as you go. If you want to talk a lot, then get a liscence.

[@andrewcbartlett]

To any parent sending away kids to college I would say let them get on with it! If they want something they will let you know. Are you wearing socks with the crocs, I think we should be told?

[@mfight]

I'm starting off, in the middle of my Tech license class, and this was a great video to listen too. Thanks for the information.

[@richardmendoza738]

That my experience so far has been great, not a single ham asshole yet. The club I took my test at everyone was so kind and enthusiastic to show me their equipment and it was fucking awesome. The test site was where the repeater I've been listening to and the guys I've been listening to for the last year we're located. It was really cool, there were only two of us taking the test and he left after so I stayed for the meeting. It was really cool.

[@antiglobaljoel532]

When I was living in Memphis, I talked (on an Icom 2100) to a guy in Atlanta on 2 meters. We had a storm front moving in and I think I got some excellent skip. I let my Technician license expire in 2010. I'm getting it back soon.

[@LinkEighty8]

My vhf simplex record is 90 miles.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Mine is a tad further about 110 miles.

[@johnwest7993]

Just wait for a particularly hot sunspot cycle. You'll stop bothering to keep track of your records. I remember when things were so hot that repeaters all over the USA were keying one another in the most insane sort of convoluted feedback you can imagine because they were keying up repeaters hundreds of miles away that were keying up still others in a bizarre looping mess. After that everyone added PL tones to their repeaters.

[@leo2395]

Mine is 330 miles on CW and 560 with meteor scatter 😅

[@paulsengupta971]

Mine's about 250-300 miles. Similar on UHF. And I've done that on 150mW from a handheld, when I was in university, talking to a German ham, from London, through a repeater in Belgium. I started off on high power (1W!) and then tried switching down to low (150mW and still made it mostly quietening into the repeater).

[@marshallpoe8087]

As a Technician license holder, I talk to people around the world almost daily by using DMR. DMR has made the hobby so much more enjoyable for me. My radio is a 3-band, both handheld and mobile, and I have a great time making friends and contacts on the other side of the globe.

[@BryanFussell]

Can you elaborate on this? What radios do you use? I have a technicians license too and probably do not understand enough about DMR to understand how you accomplish this.

[@marshallpoe8087]

@@BryanFussell I use a Bridgecom AT-D878UVII Plus HT and a Bridgecom SkyBridge MAX Hotspot. The Bridgecom HT is my daily carry and I love it. DMR has opened the world to me. I have regular conversations with folks all over the world. It is a great tool of amateur radio.

[@marshallpoe8087]

@@BryanFussell Bryan, I use the Bridgecom AT-D878UVII Plus HT coupled with the Bridgecom SkyBridge Max Hotspot. This Bridgecom DMR equipment has opened the world for me. I am in regular contact with DMR users from all over the world. It is an awesome piece of amateur radio. You can find all sorts of good videos on the Bridgecom KZbin channel.

[@ericdpeerik3928]

To talk to your kids in college, theres this invention called a smartphone. You can even see them while you talk.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

You know what I mean.

[@CyborgAlienBariaur]

Oh, BTW, my father, the father of the 1/10/100 network port that makes it possible, used to say, that if people were to get together and put their differences aside and work together within Ham, it would be even more powerful than ANY network the internet could ever provide. J/S.

[@Slade677]

Excellent video. I've been a ham for almost 45 years now. I think a big problem is that just talking on a 2 m radio gets boring pretty quickly. The hobby got fun for me when I started participating in emergency communications nets on VHF and making long distance contacts on HF. So I would urge anyone who really wants to pursue the hobby to look beyond just talking on 2 m to random people. Join an emergency net, where you check in every week, and then pursue long distance (DX) communications. Then you'll talk to people all over the world. And it doesn't have to be extremely expensive. You can buy fairly cheap used radios on eBay and you can make antennas out of a piece of wire that will let you talk to the world.

[@SamLFisher]

Misconception: The FCC has in any way the Constitutional Authority to exist.

[@Fauxkerykes]

Best comment

[@oo0Spyder0oo]

When the music ran out the video improved 10 fold, you don’t need that in the background.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Thanks.

[@cmerton]

This may come as a surprise, but there is more to amateur radio than VHF/UHF handy talkies.

[@levihale3267]

Wow, this was extremely helpful. I had some of these same misconceptions. I thought I could radio to my family on the other side of Idaho with a series of repeaters. I have so much to learn

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Glad it helped!

[@ericfrench7551]

Thank you for the helpful overview of items to contemplate. As someone who is super curious and thinking about jumping in as a family, I appreciate your knowledge and the approach you take to present useful information.

[@unclemikeyplays]

I already knew a lot of this (I'm studying for Technician), but it was still good to hear it out loud. Thank you!

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

Here, here. If you're not interested in learning, you may not enjoy ham radio. But. For the student at college who can't put up an antenna at the dorm, or whose family can't afford two HF stations, there may be a college ham club, whose station can be scheduled for use. For those outside of ground wave or repeater range, there are the networked digital voice modes. There may even be echolink paths. Heck, for some paths there may even be amateur network backbones, so you might even be able to communicate completely by ham radio. Presumably that's the goal, since, otherwise, unlimited cellular, zoom, etc., are available. And I'm an old curmudgeon, who doesn't want to encourage people to become hams if their only interest is decreasing their telecommunications costs. If you need that to sell it to your spouse, that wont work either. So I appreciate you warning such people off.

[@ve2xip]

That is most likely the best summary of what the hobby is. Great job Josh!

[@N2YTA]

Agreed

[@milesunderwood2380]

It can be fun if you want it to be I got my license in 2011 have enjoyed my time with it

[@terryzanger7152]

Single side band ratio on 4441 frequency was used all over the Canadian north by trappers, miners and aircraft up until sat phones came on in a big way around 2000. They were cheap to buy, pretty depedable and free to use. We used a light wire antena usually in an inverted v but sometimes just scattered about the trees for quick use. Helicopters had a 6 ft long tunable antena that pilots also used to guage the terrain for estimating pad areas

[@eastmanlsm]

Josh, Thanks I’m getting a clue… Slowly, Very Slowly but I’m trying to learn what your teaching. You’re the man God Bless from Northern Idaho

[@N2YTA]

It will all come together

[@imrich884]

Cool video. Very well done. Clear and comprehensive. You brought up a lot of good points for those new to ham or who are thinking about getting in.

[@Mandarin110631]

TYSM! was involved a long time ago, got a CW license as a teen and then let it go- interested in diving back in now!

[@earacer2560]

Thanks for this! So far what I’ve learned about ham radio is passing the test is the easiest part. Hopefully I’ll get moving and start learning! 73 KF0ARB.