It’s your patriotic duty to get your ham radio ticket and get some comms going. It’s one of the best privileges that we have as Americans and super useful in an emergency or SHTF scenario. The exam only costs about $14 and there are tons of free online study guides. It will take you no more than two weekend evenings studying the material to pass the Technician test, which is all you really need. It’s fun and really easy.
Once you get your ham ticket, get a radio. The Baofeng handhelds are cheap but they are CHICOM. The Japanese brands like ICOM and Yaesu are much better (most still made in Chyna) but at least Japanese-owned.
Get you a 5W handheld radio for portable use and get you a proper 75W mobile unit for your vehicle, with a good antenna. I
If shit hits the fan, this is how you can communicate with your frens! Most commies don’t know the first thing about ham, so we have this advantage.
The FCC gets mad if you transmit, and if they find you, you will get a nice fine.
A 10 year GMRS license costs around $70, and last I checked extended to household family members sharing the same call sign. But you’ll have to double check to confirm. This license requires no test.
Getting a ham license is more involved, and requires study and a test. It is better suited to an RF hobbyist.
There is also a 2w low power FRS threshold where no license is required. Many decent handhelds have switchable power levels.
I recommend each pede get their ham radio license, and an inexpensive Baofeng handheld transceiver
http://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-licenses
Do you need a ham radio licenses to run two way radios?
You can transmit legally on FRS frequencies. GMRS license is $75. Baofengs are illegal in all because theyre 8 watt. FRS - .5W, GMRS - 5W.
Except for a few (crappy) types, yes, you need a license
🤔 if we’re at the point of shooting at people in a civil war, a $10,000 dollar FCC fine will be the least of our problems.
That's been my attitude, though more to the point it might behoove us to take the course and learn what the hell we're doing.
Yes, you do, anything other than CB
^^^^ This, pedes.
It’s your patriotic duty to get your ham radio ticket and get some comms going. It’s one of the best privileges that we have as Americans and super useful in an emergency or SHTF scenario. The exam only costs about $14 and there are tons of free online study guides. It will take you no more than two weekend evenings studying the material to pass the Technician test, which is all you really need. It’s fun and really easy.
Once you get your ham ticket, get a radio. The Baofeng handhelds are cheap but they are CHICOM. The Japanese brands like ICOM and Yaesu are much better (most still made in Chyna) but at least Japanese-owned.
Get you a 5W handheld radio for portable use and get you a proper 75W mobile unit for your vehicle, with a good antenna. I
If shit hits the fan, this is how you can communicate with your frens! Most commies don’t know the first thing about ham, so we have this advantage.
Get it done!! :)
Or get an honest to goodness vintage Collins or Hallicrafters, which are EMP-proof. ;)
The FCC gets mad if you transmit, and if they find you, you will get a nice fine.
A 10 year GMRS license costs around $70, and last I checked extended to household family members sharing the same call sign. But you’ll have to double check to confirm. This license requires no test.
Getting a ham license is more involved, and requires study and a test. It is better suited to an RF hobbyist.
There is also a 2w low power FRS threshold where no license is required. Many decent handhelds have switchable power levels.
FCC violation. Probably a fine
You can listen without a license, but legally you need a license to transmit.