Ham Radio Study Materials

[defibvt]

From what I can tell this book:

The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual

and this book:

Now Your Talking! 5th edition

are what is needed to study for the ticket.

Is there a place close to me, I live in Surprise, that I can purchase these books or what is needed to study for the exam.

[DZRT]

If you like... Stop on by and I can loan you my Now Your Talking! Second Edition. It's old but who cares. I'm in South G-Dale, near the Stadium.
HRO is close... relatively... their new shop is on 43rd Ave and Peoria. The next HRO is in Las Vegas, so what ever one is closet to you...  

But talk to Wally about the CD's and see if he recommends them. Maybe that might be a cool way for you to learn. Borrow the book and buy the CD. Save yourself a few bucks.

The answer to your question is Yes, one or both of these books will do it and I recommend one or the other or both. You may also be able to study from online.


 

[defibvt]

Now you got me excited thanks for the loan of the book and radio.  Me thinks I will be losing sleep this week. 

[DZRT]

Ahhh, You can sleep when you are dead.

I missed a lot of sleep in my first year of being licesned, between participating in the "Red Eye Nets" and T-hunting till the sun came up. Missing sleep now is part of your training for what's to come.

(for the record... radio isn't anywhere close to being as active here today as it was in the mid '90's in Southern California (And I'm sure that's the same for the '70's and '80's) BUT sometimes it just takes a single spark to start a fire. Every ham has their views as to why radio is loosing popularity. You may not "loose as much sleep" as I did when I was a newbie. But you can start as many sparks as you what.)

[defibvt]

Brenda,

Here is the info I was telling you about.

At first, users were required to obtain a CB Radio license and call letters from the FCC to operate a CB Radio. However, the FCC was so inundated with requests for CB Radio licenses that they finally abandoned formal licensing and allowed operators to buy CB Radio equipment and go on the air without any license or call letters.

[DZRT]

Well I'll be chit. Good find! Pretty interesting...
I'll never doubt that your old again!

I found this from 1974:


http://www.shadowstorm.com/cb/FCC_CB_License_Form_from_1974.html

[DZRT]

Interesting thead on "Original CB License":
http://www.worldwidedx.com/announcements-open-forum/31934-original-citizens-band-radio-license.html
Talks about the call signs and radios from back then.

[defibvt]

Hey, been playing with the radio but can't figure out how to enter in a freq for the repeater in my area.  I gotta get smarter.  LOL

[defibvt]

Interesting thead on "Original CB License":
http://www.worldwidedx.com/announcements-open-forum/31934-original-citizens-band-radio-license.html
Talks about the call signs and radios from back then.

That was back in the day.  Wow!!  Dad's was KAI-0647.  He was Sawbones (doctors were called that). 

[Killing4aliving]

Do you have to have a license to buy a ham radio? I'm going to be getting my license in the next month or two, but would like to start figuring out/installing the radio itself.

[defibvt]

Nope.  Don't need a license to own a radio.  I am borrowing Brenda's handheld and Wally has one in his truck.  He and I don't have licenses.

[Onix]

So scott will you be joining me in mesa monday to take the test?

[defibvt]

No, Scott has to work friday thru tuesday.  Scott will be studying while at work.  Gonna beat your score little man.

[DZRT]

Defib...
To listen to a repeater... try... 146.940 MHz on the White Tanks (say verbally "69 40" for short, the "one forty part is implied when you are talking about two-meters)... (I got that from a repeater list that I Googled). On the keypad, type the number 1, then type 4 then 6, then 9... You get the idea.   Or if you’re really ambitious.... you can turn the knob and turn and turn and turn till you get the right numbers. On the knob, one part is the volume and the lower part is the freq setting.

Here is a list of Repeaters in the Phoenix area:
http://mmi-comm.tripod.com/mcrep.html
Pick some that are close to you, type in the freq and listen for a couple hours while you do other stuff. Remember don't key up the Repeater and keep the radio safe from accidental keying (like butt-keying). Don't worry about programming. Try memorizing one or two freqs (just the last 4 numbers) and alternate between them to see which ones are active.

Wally's has enjoyed listening to 147.120 in the mornings. That repeater is listed as belonging to the Superstition ARC (Amateur Radio Club) in Apache Junction. They have a Trivia Net at 7am - 8am in the mornings. It's kinda far for us but see if you can hear it anyway. I seem to be having a hard time hearing it myself with the mobile on the drive to Downtown, so I'm not sure that if the reason is because the repeater is to far away or if something is wrong with my setup (I haven't had time figure it out). I don't know how far away stuff here is yet (in radio terms).

Anyone got any good suggestions for fun repeaters to listen to in the West Valley?

[DZRT]

Maybe we need to have a study group session... maybe to play Radio Jeopardy 
Let me know if you guys are interested, I'll make something up. You can come over to my place.

We can do something after or before Scott has to go to work. Maybe others would like to come to watch or participate.

Wally, you got a week till the test??? We need to do something quick.