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lolwut96
join:2009-04-28
86753

lolwut96

Member

Getting Started

Hello all, I'm an undergraduate electrical/computer engineer looking to get involved in the ham radio community. To be honest, I've been interested in ham radio for years (been a "scanner" for quite some time) and I think it's a perfect hobby that's well suited in my area of interest. So I thought this would be a good place to come with all my questions given that BBR has so kindly included a ham radio forum.

Since I consider myself to be quite the newbie in this area of expertise, I would greatly appreciate it if any of you would like to share your starter tips or firsthand experience as a "new ham" in both the technical and or social aspect of what I consider to be a great community.

Thanks a bunch in helping me with these first few steps! Any method of decreasing the overhead of what seems to be an overwhelmingly large topic is always welcome in my book.

~ Mark

drjim
MVM
join:2000-06-13
Long Beach, CA

drjim

MVM

Find a local club or two and drop in on their meetings. If you're lucky you'll have more than one club, and you can pick the one that fits your interests best.
Here's an ARRL listing of clubs in eastern Pa.
»www.arrl.org/FandES/fiel ··· +section

What aspects of Amateur Radio interest you?

For satellites, check out AMSAT:
»www.amsat.org/amsat-new/

For digital, check out TAPR:
»www.tapr.org/

And there are other's here that can guide you into things like storm chasing, public service and emergency comms, DXing, and other aspects of Amateur Radio.

73, Jim KQ6EA
tobicat
Premium Member
join:2005-04-18
Tombstone, AZ

tobicat to lolwut96

Premium Member

to lolwut96
Well I assume you still have scanners. Listen in on the local repeaters. There almost always is local coffe shop ect that the local guys frequent on a regular basis. Find out where it is and go for some coffee, lunch or what ever.
jacour
Premium Member
join:2001-12-11
Matthews, NC

jacour to lolwut96

Premium Member

to lolwut96
I echo that advice. Most clubs are happy (dare I say overjoyed) to have new members, regardless of experience. You would be amazed at how much you can learn just sitting around at those information get togethers. The hams I have met are, in general, the friendliest group of human beings on the earth.

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

1 edit

fifty nine to lolwut96

Member

to lolwut96
First step - get a license. That is your key to the kingdom.

It is very easy now with no morse code. Even the highest level (Extra) is a piece of cake to obtain, especially for an EE.

Second step - explore what you want to do with the hobby. It could be local communications, homebrew (building equipment), contesting, DX, propagation studies, digital communications, RC aircraft, balloon launches, APRS etc. I settled in DXing, contesting and homebrew.

You can search for much of this online, and also meet up local people in local clubs. And by no means should you feel obliged to stick with the first club you meet up with. Shop around. Some clubs are pretty active, others are dead, some are alive but all they are is a seniors' social club where a bunch of people just get together and drink coffee and eat donuts.

I prefer clubs that actually talk about radio during their meetings.

Third step - get a copy of the ARRL handbook and start reading. It is available from amazon.com, often cheaper than what the ARRL sends it for.

Fourth step - build your station. Based on what activities you want to get involved with, you should shop around for gear (or parts to build gear). Local hamfests are an excellent place to get good, cheap, used gear. Also remember that the most important part of your station is the ANTENNA. Some people buy a fancy $10,000 radio to use with a dipole. What is the point in that? You don't need a stack of beams but maybe a good vertical with enough radials will do.

Fifth step - get on air and ENJOY.

K3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium Member
join:2006-01-17
Columbia, PA

K3SGM to lolwut96

Premium Member

to lolwut96
Ah, somebody else interested in Radio actually lives here in West Chester.

A good place to start is with an ARRL study guide, just for the book knowledge, if you already have some electronics knowledge, the technical side of things is probably second nature to you already.

Club wise these days, try contacting PARA(The Philadelphia Area Repeater Association)
»para.buxcom.net/
they have quite a few repeaters in the immediate West Chester / Chester County area, and could best to point you to local VEC testing sessions.

You could also try the Marple Newtown Amateur Radio Club:
»www.mnarc.org/

And there is also the local Chester County ARES / RACES group:
»www.w3eoc.org/
(meetings at the County Government Services Center @ 601 Westtown Road).

Ther are quite a few more local Ham clubs/Groups to mention, but it's still to early in the morning for my brain to function properly(I need Caffeine badly).

Feel free to ask more questions, I am always happy to help, and I hope to see you get your license, and catch you on the air soon.