FJ Cruisers of Northern California

HAM Class October 17, 2009

SO I want to get my HAM licens and RTF is offering a calss this month. Wanted to see if there was any other interest in this. SO far its just me going , The class should last all day with a test at the end to get the licens. I will get get costs for the class tonight but it will be pretty cheap and the price includes the book.

Just wondering if there is anyone that wanted to head up there and take the class??

Post up and let me know... More info to follow

UPDATE

Ok so I got my wires crossed and it turns out that the class is in Fremont on the 17th.
The class will be from 8-5, this includes time to take the test.. It looks like this wil;l be a cram session with the test after. They talk about have a 90% pass rate in the last class. There is alot infomation on site.

Here is the link to get signed up : http://www.baears.com/

Its pretty easy to get registered. The class wil cost $30.00. Go to the link and get signed up for the class on the oct 17th. There is much more info on the class at the site..

10/8/09
People signed up for the class

PBn'FJ
sonof40
DHeigher
Boss73

Attachments:

HAMclass.pdf, 122 KB

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sonof40 on October 8, 2009 at 3:24pm

I'm signed up.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Boss73 on October 8, 2009 at 3:35pm

Added

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sonof40 on October 8, 2009 at 5:51pm

Here's a bit of a long read but it's from a friend of mine who is actually involved with the Fremont group so he knows what's up. Might be of interest to those who attend:

"The premise is this: You can't truly 'learn' about ham radio until you can
get on the air. You can't get on the air until you get your license
(you'll be studying and testing for "Technician Class License"). This is a
fast-track method to getting your license, which is then valid for 10
years, and for which you'll never need to re-test as long as you remember
to renew (online at the FCC webpage).

The FCC makes public the question pools for the amateur radio exams,
including identifying the correct answer for you. The people who lead this
session provide a print out of the entire Technician Class question pool.
They tell you how many pages to focus on (may be 8-10 pages?) each hour.
You first read the question and highlight the right answer for each
question. Then, you go back and read ONLY the question and ONLY the right
answer for each, and move on. You can likely get through 10 pages (or
whatever it is) about three times in 45 minutes before they make you take a
15 minute break. Then, you move to the next set of 10 pages. You do three
blocks in the morning, then there's a break for lunch, then three blocks in
the afternoon, and then you take the test, and they let you know whether or
not you passed before you leave.

If you relax and trust their direction, you'll pass the test, which I think
is only 35 or 50 questions from the large question pool.

They have a 90+ percent pass rate by people who know absolutely nothing
about ham radio. The people who fail are those who start thinking too much
about the answers and why one is right but not the others.

I know it sounds odd, but you'll walk out of the room knowing you passed,
you'll know absolutely nothing about ham radio, your license will be live
on the FCC website within a week, and then you can start using and learning
about ham radio...."

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by manoweb on October 8, 2009 at 7:24pm

I strongly disagree with this. This is really, really bad and is what brought down the quality of the ham radio so much - it's not the Internet or cell phones' fault. You learn radio by *listening*, and you can do that with as a SWL (no exam required) and joining a radio club. After a lot of listening, you may want to understand more technical details (and this is where the book fills the gap). The moment you get the license and you can "push the button" should be when you already have a lot of knowledge. I am surprised a person that is involved in a ham radio club makes such claims, especially in USA, where the ham culture is very well developed and mature.

To make an example (but I do not want to stretch it too much, so take it with a grain of salt) what is being said seems to be an advertisement where they show a 4x4 crossing a river at full speed and splashing mud everywhere instead of an approach that is "thread lightly" (that yes it's more boring, it doesn't sell, but it's the best in the long run for everybody)

This said, I would LOVE if I get some companion among you guys, to reach a remote area of the desert for some kind of CW QRP contest or an HF DX award... but forgive me, I grew up with the ham culture and that gave me everything, knowledge, very good friends, a job, etc

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sonof40 on October 9, 2009 at 8:21am

Well I was going to exclude this part of his advice but for what it's worth...

"...Lastly, there are conventional ham radio hobby enthusiasts who don't
believe in this approach, but it is valid and legal. Ignore them. They
also don't like that there are people who choose to not fully immerse
themselves in radio exploration. Ignore them. For example, your license
will provide WIDE use of wireless spectrum space, especially compared to
highly coordinated sections of the spectrum in which businesses and public
safety agencies operate. But, after getting your license, you'll likely
only use a sliver of what you could do. Again, for example, your license
allows you to transmit at 1,500 watts. But, you'll likely have a radio in
your Cruiser that transmits at 50 watts or a hand held radio that transmits
at 5 watts. You probably don't plan to do "moon bounce" or talk through
repeaters that are on satellites. You'll likely use less than a dozen
specific frequencies, and you'll learn how to program your radio so you can
reach a different set of repeaters when you're deep in the middle of
nowhere."

and I will end my side of the debate here cuz I don't know, I'm a nubie. :-)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by manoweb on October 9, 2009 at 3:13pm

Well, that approach is "legal" indeed, who said otherwise. And I do not see how the discussion on the power level or frequencies has anything to do with the previous statements.

My only advice is: do not rush. Get in contact with a radio club/ARRL. Listen a lot. Be a gentleman at the radio.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Boss73 on October 9, 2009 at 3:24pm

Why should I join a club??? I already know plenty of people who use HAM so IMO joing a club would not be for me.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by manoweb on October 9, 2009 at 4:26pm

Well, the simple answer is "to learn" new things, to use equipment that costs quite a bit and see if you have passion for that or not before you buy, to engage in "radio expeditions" or "field days" activities... these are just examples.

For example, the San Mateo radio club projects a video about ham radio or related technologies every month, and they have a nice newsletter.

If you join the ARRL I think you get an insurance for damages created by your setup (think if you have a tower with multiple antennas that falls or similar), a free QSL service and a world-respected magazine subscription, ect etc etc (I am not affiliated with ARRL, it is just an example, I am still part of the Italian club)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Boss73 on October 9, 2009 at 6:00pm

Point taken..

I guess I simply do not have the time to do a club right now...

But you do post good reasons to be in one. To be honest I can only see me doing this while off road. Although, I could also get way into it and geek out completely.. you never know...

So A, Is HAM big over in Europe ??

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by manoweb on October 9, 2009 at 6:50pm

Right, and as I said, do not rush! I've seen people spending 1000's bucks in equipment they basically never used and now they have gigantic antennas hanging half broken on their roofs.

Ham is quite big in Europe, it was actually invented in Italy ;) and I see countries like Germany having very big events. USA is still the leading country anyway I think.

I was actually involved at regional and country level in special microwave ham projects. I do not have *any* friend that is not a ham over there. I cannot really think to any of the people I used to hang out with without a license. Monica is a ham. But I am not saying everybody is like me :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by PBn'FJ on October 8, 2009 at 6:24pm

I'm signed up.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by opg4759 on October 9, 2009 at 9:50am

After a few of you pass and get your tickets, I'll set some time up to go over real world uses of Ham Radio. Probably at Saint John's in Sunnyvale which happens to be right next to Ham Radio Outlet

Talk about equipment selection
Ht vs Mobile
Single band vs multi-band VFO radios.

Repeaters vs Simplex
Talk about Frequency plan for trail runs