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Embarking on your amateur radio journey
Amateur radio, or ham radio, offers a unique blend of social, educational, and technical experiences. It's a hobby that's accessible to almost anyone, requiring just a bit of study to obtain a license to transmit, and no license required to listen. In the United States, amateur radio operators can obtain three different licenses, each offering varying levels of operating privileges:
'HF', 'VHF', and 'UHF', you say? Yes — these are a few of many terms you will hear thrown around. These acronyms correspond to High Frequency, Very High Frequency, and Ultra High Frequency respectively. They are three categories used to further classify the frequencies that a radio operator is able to use. For the sake of this passage, think of VHF and UHF as 'local' comms. They typically will not travel much further than 50 miles and do not reflect off the atmosphere — they are attenuated rather than reflected. HF frequencies on the other hand, typically do reflect off the atmosphere. This allows them to 'skip' or 'hop' covering hundreds or thousands of miles.
No License Needed for Listening: You do not need a license to listen in on the airwaves, only to transmit. You can jump in right now and start tuning around. Many enthusiasts enjoy scanning local repeaters and broadcasts with devices ranging from simple shortwave radios to more advanced ham or HT radios. Affordable options like Baofeng radios have made it even easier to start listening in and learning about the hobby before fully committing, and listening is actually what led to me developing such an interest in this wonderful hobby.
Studying for Your License: Preparing for your license exam has never been easier, thanks to resources like HamStudy.org and Ham Radio Prep. Both offer comprehensive study guides and practice exams to help you master the material. While online study is popular, local classes can also provide valuable hands-on learning experiences and give you a great opportunity to meet fellow hams in your area. Websites like HamStudy.org can help you find exam sessions and, occasionally, classes nearby.
FCC Registration and Testing: Before testing, you'll need an FCC Registration Number (FRN) for all dealings with the FCC. Once registered to test (made easy again by HamStudy), the testing process is straightforward, and upon passing, a one-time $35 fee for new licenses applies. Licenses are valid for 10 years, with a 2-year grace period for renewal. You do not need to pay to renew your license, nor to upgrade.
Closing Thoughts: The amateur radio community is renowned for its welcoming spirit and willingness to support newcomers. If you are intrigued by amateur radio, but not quite sure whether you want to start studying, I'd suggest checking out the next section for some tips on listening to the goings on on the air around you without necessarily shelling out the big bucks on a fancy radio. This is exactly how I got so hooked on the hobby. Don't hesitate to reach out for help or advice, whether locally in Utah or through the broader online community. The journey into amateur radio is as rewarding as it is enriching, offering endless opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. As many hams much more experienced than myself will tell you, we're all still learning!
Listen
Listen to radio without breaking the bank
You don't need a license or expensive gear to start listening. Here are some ways to tune in, sorted roughly by cost.
Online SDR
Many people, clubs, or orgs have set up web SDRs (Software Defined Radios) which allow you to tune a computer-controlled radio at a remote location via browser. One of the best SDRs in the US is our very own Northern Utah SDR — check it out! (no, you can't mess anything up). You can see an aerial tour of the antenna farm here.
RTL-SDR Dongle
A cheap USB dongle that when plugged into a PC will allow you to receive a wide range of signals. There are many videos online on getting set up and going over exactly what you can do. RTL-SDR is just one of many different dongles — it's a good cost/performance balance and one of the cheapest. Do beware of fakes — check their site. You can do a lot of fun stuff with these, like using two to follow analog or even digital trunked traffic in your area.
Baofeng (or Quansheng)
Baofeng (and now Quansheng as well) is a Chinese manufacturer of cheap radios, mostly handhelds. These are popular amongst new hams and shortwave listeners for their price. They're a great way to listen and even transmit when you have your license. I recommend a UV5R or a UV5x3. There are a lot of fake versions — you can check Baofeng's site before Amazon to see what models they actually sell. Most Chinese radios come out of similar factories so fakes aren't the worst thing in the world.
Edit: Quanshengs are even cheaper and can be modded to transmit CW as well!
Shortwave Radio
Shortwave radios can typically receive a wider range of signals than your average radio. Here's a great video from Ringway Manchester highlighting a cool Chinese SDR receiver, the Malahit DSP2.
Broadcastify
The largest platform for streaming live audio of public safety, aircraft, rail, and marine communications. Access thousands of live audio broadcasts from various sources worldwide.
Brandmeister Hose
Listen to real-time conversations and digital voice streams from the BrandMeister DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) network. Explore and monitor DMR talkgroups from around the world.
Community
Elmers / Local Legends
I'm very fortunate to have a lot of awesome people doing a lot of awesome things in my area. Here are just a few of many I owe thanks to.
My uncle Dennis — gave me encouragement and made many very important intros. He let me pick up the mic and talk to one of his friends before I had my license.
[In my opinion,] a true Patron Saint of ham radio. Dave is incredibly versed and incredibly kind and happy to share his knowledge and see the hobby grow. He is also very active in Emergency Communications, such as Eagle Mountain Emergency Communications Team. I typically go to Dave with all my questions, and as far as I can tell, he hasn't gotten too tired of me yet. Dave if you're reading this, thank you for all you do! Dave and I are currently working on building a CW radio together :)
I finally met Noji at a UVARC meeting after hearing him on the air for so many years. He is a very well known and active ham in the area. It's always clear every time that I hear him on the air that he's very happy, and he's usually sharing some info or helping someone out. He also has a site with some great info. I've found that it's hard to find a well informed ham in the area who doesn't know Noji and have many great things to say about him.
Another legend who I had heard over the air long before I had the pleasure of meeting. Everyone in the area (and even some non-locals) know Carl makes the finest VHF/UHF antennas. Check them out on Noji's site. I'm lucky to talk to Carl quite often, and he's given me many a song recommendation — The guy has great taste in tunes. You can catch him on the '76 repeater quite often, and also acting as Net Control at times during the '76ers net!
Richard is the one behind Signal Stuff. If you've got an HT, you need a signal stick. Also behind HamStudy and ExamTools which are valuable tools for the community.
Logbook
QRZ Logbook
About Me
The operator behind the callsign
I am very enthusiastic about amateur radio — the longer I spend involved in the hobby, the more certain I become that there will always be much to learn. I hope to remain involved throughout the rest of my life and am currently looking for ways to become more active in my local ham community. I currently find myself working to learn Morse code with the goal of being able to have casual conversations eventually.
On this page, you'll find most things I have to say/post ham radio related. I have many interests related to radio, and I seem to pick up a few new ones every week or so. This means this page will likely be evolving quickly, and most often, probably outdated.
I currently reside in the lovely city of Alpine, Utah (Grid: DN40ck). While I don't plan to call this place my home forever, it has been a nice 20 or so years here thus far. My only hope is that my next location brings lots of land (for antennas), and a quiet RF environment.
If you are local, you may be able to catch me monitoring the 76ers repeater and occasionally IMIT — give me a try and I'll come back if I'm near my radio. As a local you may also benefit from taking a look at my Utah Repeater map. I try to check in to the EMECT, UCARES, and 76ers weekly nets when possible.
My beginnings in amateur radio
Coming soon — still writing this one up!