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We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

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Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#81

Post by macintux »

JoeDaDude wrote: post #73
httpz wrote: post #30

I have a license because my high school teacher made us do it but I never quite understood what hobbyists do with it. I see how it can be a useful skill to have for people in a certain profession but as a hobbyist what do you do? Do people just talk to random people on the radio? I'm genuinely curious.

The license is only needed if you want to transmit. If you are not interested in talking to random people, there is a lot of fun to be had from just picking up signals and listening. There are hobbyists who enjoy picking up distant AM radio stations, listening to all kinds of voice or machine traffic on shortwave, tracking aircraft by their beacon signals, or just listening to local police on scanners. As a listener…

One caveat: at least in some locales, a license is required to own (or perhaps carry) a police scanner.

Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#82

Post by macintux »

cronix wrote: post #53
httpz wrote: post #30

I have a license because my high school teacher made us do it but I never quite understood what hobbyists do with it. I see how it can be a useful skill to have for people in a certain profession but as a hobbyist what do you do? Do people just talk to random people on the radio? I'm genuinely curious.

> Do people just talk to random people on the radio? Some do, just like the internet. You're random to me, and we're conversing. Remember "chat rooms" and similar (IRC)? Mostly anonymous people talking to each other. Yes you might have some people you "know" in there, but there are strangers as well.

My problem with ragchewing is that here, I can respond to random comments as they interest me, and I can carry on a short conversation if I wish to, but I’m really not interested in shooting the breeze with a random stranger. Or frankly, even people I know.

Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#83

Post by geggam »

macintux wrote: post #81
JoeDaDude wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The license is only needed if you want to transmit. If you are not interested in talking to random people, there is a lot of fun to be had from just picking up signals and listening. There are hobbyists who enjoy picking up distant AM radio stations, listening to all kinds of voice or machine traffic on shortwave, tracking aircraft by their beacon signals, or just listening to local police on scanners. As a listener…

One caveat: at least in some locales, a license is required to own (or perhaps carry) a police scanner.

Scanners are legal in all 50 states. In some states its illegal to use a scanner while breaking the law ( this I find funny for some reason )

https://www.zipscanners.com/resources/are-police-scanners-le...

Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#84

Post by gwillen »

sevensor wrote: post #65
threeio wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get a PO Box or forwarding service as your FCC address.. doesn't have to be street address just mailing addy.

I thought the FCC wanted to know where your station was. Doesn't this defeat the purpose?

No, they only need to be able to contact you.

However, as far as I know, even if you change your listed address, your _past_ addresses are still published, unfortunately. There was some movement towards ending that, but I don't think it was successful.

Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#85

Post by macintux »

geggam wrote: post #83
macintux wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One caveat: at least in some locales, a license is required to own (or perhaps carry) a police scanner.

Scanners are legal in all 50 states. In some states its illegal to use a scanner while breaking the law ( this I find funny for some reason ) https://www.zipscanners.com/resources/are-police-scanners-le...

In Indiana it’s illegal to possess one while committing a crime, so even speeding with one installed, whether you’re using it or not, invites more legal difficulty.

Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#86

Post by tabhygfr »

httpz wrote: post #30

I have a license because my high school teacher made us do it but I never quite understood what hobbyists do with it. I see how it can be a useful skill to have for people in a certain profession but as a hobbyist what do you do? Do people just talk to random people on the radio? I'm genuinely curious.

I know one person who volunteers at the local marathon as a radio operator. (Not sure why standards mobile stuff hasn't replaced it.)

Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#87

Post by proctor »

themodelplumber wrote: post #62
nopacience wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

care to explain how to download from ISS via radio ?

Sure, when the ISS passes over (and is transmitting SSTV--check the ARISS blog or issfanclub.com), tune your radio to 145.800, turn squelch off, and hold up your speaker to (for example) your smartphone which is running a decoder like Robot36. That's just one specific way...the app will auto-save an image to your phone when it's done. Example video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAHJfE7EBlI&t=12s You can use an app…

here's an example of the decoding process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkH5yV4__3U

Re: We're in a Golden Age for Amateur Radio

#90

Post by vitaflo »

httpz wrote: post #30

I have a license because my high school teacher made us do it but I never quite understood what hobbyists do with it. I see how it can be a useful skill to have for people in a certain profession but as a hobbyist what do you do? Do people just talk to random people on the radio? I'm genuinely curious.

After I got my license I also got a Skywarn license (that has to be renewed every 2 years) so I can do storm spotting. It's basically a volunteer effort for the National Weather Service. Licensed spotters get called out to go spot severe weather and report back in on the ham bands to the Weather Net. I installed a ham radio in my car for this very purpose.

There are a million different areas in this hobby. Chatting with random people is just the most obvious (and boring) one.

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