Having a HAM radio is essential to communicate in any kind of a disaster scenario! But, having one and not being able to legally practice because you aren’t licensed is pretty useless because you’ll have no idea how to use it. If you haven’t got your license yet, it’s time to get off the couch and get going! It’s very easy to pass the test, if you pay attention in the class you’re pretty much guaranteed to pass. With the class being free, all you’ve got to do is go spend a morning at BYU to get it. The license itself is $14.00 and you’ll still have to pay that.
As for your first radio, I’ll be posting this week about the Wouxun radios that are hands down the best cheap radio on the market (they only cost $120). Once you get your license and radio, there are several nets that do weekly check-ins that keep you in practice with your radio.
If you want to go, you MUST sign up ASAP! He can only have 40 students and you can’t just show up.
Here are the details for the class (as sent by the instructor):
Steve Whitehead is having another HAM prep-class AND a test this coming saturday OCt 15th at BYU Law library
I must limit the size to 40 people so sign up early to reserve a spot. If you must cancel please let me know immediately so I can free up a slot for someone else. If you must cancel please do it as soon as you know you will not be coming to make room for someone else!!
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One Day Ham Radio Class for the Technician (entry level) license.
Saturday, Oct. 15th, 2011 7:30am to 5pm
Room 276 in the Howard W. Hunter Law library in the J Reuben Clarke law building (JRCB) on BYU campus. If you get lost ask someone on campus. We start before the library opens so be on time so you can be let in. Park in the lot immediately east of the law building. Don’t park in the restricted areas like Dean’s spot, delivery etc….Enter through the right set of the east facing doors just left of the service entrance and go halfway down the hall and turn right. You are now facing 3 doors with the elevator on your left. go through the door on the right that has the large round sign “caution automatic door”. Go through the detectors by the main entrance and past the circulation desk. Room 276 has a green blinking light right next to the door to your left about 100 feet in. I have an interior map I will send if you want.
An interactive map of campus is here: http://byu.edu
Click on “Campus Map” in the lower left. It is building #16 on the
map; the J. Reuben Clark building JRCB.
Another map is here: http://map.byu.edu/campusmap.pdf It is building
#16 in this map also.
GPS N 40 14.977′ W 111 38.718′
From 7:30am to noon is classroom instruction and then a break for lunch between noon and 1pm. Bring a lunch or you can buy lunch at several places close by on and off campus. Between 1pm and 5pm is self study using a computer program. When you are ready, in the afternoon, you may take the exam. You don’t have to take the test that day if you are not ready and would like to study more. There are plenty of opportunities to test later.
Each student needs a laptop computer for self-study in the afternoon. The laptop needs to run MikeRowesoft Windows with an optical drive to run a program from CD. Borrow a laptop if you don’t have one. Bring an extra laptop if you don’t mind loaning it. The room we will be using has power at every seat for a laptop. I also have a CD for Linux and Mactel (The newer Mac that has an Intel microprocessor) laptops if you can boot off the CD drive. If you have access to a laptop but don’t want to install the program The Mac/Linux CD also allows you to run the program without installing it (this is great if the laptop is not yours or if it was borrowed from work).
I have a handful of laptops to loan during the class. There are not enough of them to cover all who attend so everyone who can needs to bring a laptop. If you have an old laptop gathering dust you no longer use that runs any form of Windows I am looking for donations to use with the class.
There is no charge to take the class but the cost of taking the test is $14.00. You need to bring two forms of ID, one preferably with a picture. The electronic form you fill out requires your Social Security number (thanks to congress….). We do not put your SSN on any forms. The most common mistake is forgetting ID and a Social Security number…… Don’t forget!! This is especially a problem with those under 18 who have not memorized their SSN.
No programmable calculators…..The test is given on computer and graded immediately. Specific instructions how to use the exam program will be given. It is similar to practice exams available on the Internet.
E-mail [email protected] (preferred) or call Steve or Susan N7QZU (801-465-3983) to let me know if you are coming and bringing a laptop (please bring one… beg, beg….bring extra laptops if you can).
Don’t forget:
$14 check or cash
Laptop if possible
Sorry to have to include this section but I continue to have candidates come to the test session without proper ID. You want to take the test not run home to get your ID!!!
ID requirements for the test session are rather liberal. The preference is for ID with a picture on it issued by a government entity. It is often difficult to find ID for children and many people only have a driver’s license with them so be sure to remember to bring two forms of ID.
The following qualify:
Social Security card
Birth Certificate
Passport
Driver’s license
State ID card
Concealed Weapons permit
Medicaid card
Military ID
Library card
Student ID (Government run school)
Faculty ID (Government run school)
Your automobile registration that has your name and address
If you can’t find anything else a canceled letter addressed to the
test candidate will work for one of the two IDs.
The following don’t qualify:
Credit Cards (even those with a picture)
Warehouse club card
Work ID (unless you work for the government)
Notice the pattern…. ID issued by a government entity works. ID
I agree with your positive assessment of the Wouxun radios. I picked mine up at: http://www.wouxun.us The difference between the model they sell and the model 3 above is their smaller case size. The electronics are the same.
I’m interested to read about the Ham Go Kits / Bags you’ve created. We are looking for different ideas for the kits we are planning in our area.
Reading about antennas you’ve built and use for home and on the road would also be a welcome topic. I put some J-Poles together for this purpose and am interested in what others are using that are light, tough and function well.
http://thenorthmountain.blogspot.com/2011/10/copper-j-pole-antennas.html
I’m bummed that I missed the free HAM class. I’m at BYU all the time, and would’ve been there! Oh well, that’s what I get for not checking in for a couple weeks.
I’ll email him personally and see if/when he’s going to do another one.
thanks for another good post guys!
I believe (was told) that he does one every third week of each month. Check to find out.
If you have an Android phone or tablet, you can get amateur radio tutorial applications you can carry with you and practice with whenever you have a spare moment. It’s like having a set of super flash cards in your pocket.
I also suggest LEARNING MORSE CODE, even though it’s no longer required for the ham tests. Why? Because the easiest-to-build transceivers, that can be cobbled together using scrounged parts, use CW (continuous wave), and you need to know code to use them. But that’s not a real downside, since code is extremely efficient at getting through interference that would destroy voice or cell phone communications, and a very simple radio with only a couple of watts of power that you can build yourself and house in an old Altoids tin can give you communications over half a continent with a decent antenna made of scrap wire. There are even plans available for such transceivers made from parts gleaned from the curly CFC light bulb ballasts.
I have a shiny and recent solid state HF rig, and I have a 30 year old tube-based one. I can’t repair the modern one myself, because it’s all computer chips and surface-mounts. I CAN repair the old tube rig with scrounged parts if necessary.
I’ve had my Extra-class ticket — the highest available — for over 10 years. It’s no longer hard. Just some studying. It’s worthwhile preparation.
Thanks Gwen. I agree that learning morse code just sounds like it makes sense.
Any specific videos or resources you would recommend for somebody trying to build their own like you mentioned?
When is your next test for tech. It’s now May 2012?
My wife and I are looking for a ham radio class on a Saturday do you do class on a Saturday if not do you know of one so me and my wife can get are license thanks.
I’m looking for a testing date for Dec General ham license?