Wanna be a Ham?

Wanna be a Ham?

The Miami County Amateur Radio Club is ready to help you become an amateur radio operator.

• Our mentors can help you study for the exams

• We can advise you on equipment purchases

• Our club meetings and activities provide opportunities to visit with and learn from active hams who live in the Miami County area

Are you ready to get started?

• Attend MCARC club meetings and activities. Our general membership meeting is the fourth Monday of every month at 7pm. See the home page for the location and map

While you are getting started, if you have a radio or scanner:

• Listen to our club repeaters (145.230 & 147.210 MHz)

• Monitor a repeater during bad weather.  Try 146.640– MHz in Ohio and 146.835– Mhz in Indiana, the repeater used by the local SkyWarn team.  Click Skywarn.org to learn more

Odds are there’s a ham operator in your neighborhood who would be happy to help you get started.  Here’s a web page that explains how to find other ham operators in your area.

What does it cost?

This page gives more info about the exams:  License Exam Information

• About $40 in books for the class.

• About $50 to $500 for first (2 meter/70cm) radio and other gear depending on what you buy. A Baofeng Handy-Talky currently sells for under $50. Get the higher power one (about 8 watts). It’s not the quality of an Icom, Kenwood, or a Yaesu, but it will get you into the local repeaters without having to buy a separate antenna and coaxial cable.

  • Used equipment is often available online (Craigs List, Ebay) and at various hamfests. See the latest edition of the ARRL Ohio Section Journal for info on Hamfests in Ohio.

Where can I find more information about ham radio?

• There are many books available from ARRL. The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual is the only book you will need for your first license exam

• Wikipedia on Amateur Radio — a quick overview.

• ARRL.org – the national club — a great resource — covers all aspects of our hobby.

  • www.emergency-radio.org — ARRL overview on how to get started.

• See the article  Discovering Ham Radio!

• Here’s another resource  Amateur Radio and Emergency Communications

• www.eHam.net — New Ham page — Guide to Amateur Radio for New Hams. The site also has helpful forums covering equipment and ham activities, and sample license tests.

• FCC – Amateur Radio Services — The FCC established amateur radio as a voluntary, non-commercial, radio communications service. It allows licensed operators to improve their communications and technical skills, while providing the nation with a pool of trained radio operators and technicians who can provide essential communications during emergencies.

• Ham radio in the 21st century — Ham radio today differs greatly from that of past years, but it still offers a fascinating way to explore electronics. Here’s a look at how it has changed and what it has to offer both old hands and newcomers alike.