I’m a new tech in middle TN, Williamson / Maury county area. Looking to listen in on some active repeaters in the area. Everything seems a little quiet so far. Anyone have any recommendations?
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Hello @KQ4NLN
Check this website https://www.levinecentral.com/repeaters/google_mapping.php
73’
Alfredo WP3C
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If you want to listen in, get an HF radio for 10 meters. You can use 10 meters and also hear a lot of ham speak. You can use 28.300 to 28.500 for voice or several bands for cw. Check out member KI5YHO who is a Tech and see what’s he’s doing on Tech.
Check the band plan out for Tech privileges https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Band%20Chart/Band%20Chart%20-%2011X17%20Color.pdf
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Thank you for the band plan. I looked at and it seems very informative although to me it might as well be written in Chinese. Being a newbie who hasn’t even tested yet or purchased a radio I’m here to gain knowledge.
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If you need help understanding the band plan give us a hollar. The letter “T” is where you can operate. The band plan come in different variations and can be confusing.
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Yes, it’s very confusing. It might as well be written in Chinese to me. Again I’m totally new to this world and have no clue what bands are or meters mean. Thank you.
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Ok. First I would suggest you watch a lot of YouTube videos on each band to give you more of a general understanding. The following is a list of the bands available to the technician class operators. Once you get your general ticket that opens up a whole new world and different bands for you
2 meter band accessible to all class of licensed amateur radio operators. This covers 141 MHz up to 148 MHz.
70 cm Band is available to all licensed amateur radio operators from 440.000 MHz to 450.000 MHz
6 meter band is 50.1 MHz to 54.0 MHz and open to all licensed amateur radio operators.
10 meter band Covers 28.300 to 29.700 and open to all licensed amateur radio operators.
Each of these bands has a little bit or a lot of digital opportunities but I think focusing on your single sideband use would be the first thing you would want to get comfortable with before you merge into using digital communications.
There are a couple of other bands such as 220 MHz that you’ll see on the band playing but very rarely used but to get comfortable with using the radio in the language and the etiquette the 2 m band and or 10 m band might be your learning platform if you will.
So that’s it in a nutshell good luck and let us know if you have any problems when you are able to get on the air.
Joe. KI5IQE
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That helps a lot but what is a side band and should I purchase a UHF, VHF or a multi band radio?
I’m close to making up my mind but still a little unsure.
I have attached a screenshot of what I’m looking at and thinking of purchasing.
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Usually if you just starting out I would recommend a Baofeng UV 5RX3 that you can get available off of Amazon. They’re fairly inexpensive that is a UHF and VHF radio and you can tune in the 140 megahertz repeaters stations and you can also load in the 440 radio repeaters if there’s any around your area
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Thanks Joe ! I just ordered the TYT this morning but I may just order one of those too. I think the Ham radio bug has bitten me already lol
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Hello and welcome to the hobby. I did notice an error in the explanation of the bands you were given about the 10M band. Technician license holders are restricted to 28.300 -28.500 Mhz for voice communications. While this might seem limiting, but I can tell you that the majority of my contacts into Europe have been in that range of frequencies so you will not be missing out on a lot of DX contacts.
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