Welcome to Amateur (ham) Radio! This is my first in what will hopefully be an ongoing series of blogs about how to get started and some helpful hints as you begin this new journey. (trust me — it WILL be a journey) My hope/goal over this series of blogs is to provide a ‘soft’ entry into the wonderful, diverse hobby that is Ham Radio after the harrowing experience of having to study and take the Canadian Amateur Basic Qualification Exam! Congratulations on passing that hurdle! Now, the fun begins.
By the way, comments and questions about the blog or anything related are welcome. My email is drtolson(at)outlook(dot)com.
The great thing about this hobby is that there is no ‘one way’ to participate. There are so many diverse avenues one can take — from radio operation to repeaters, emergency communications, satellites, digital and internet-connected modes — that it can be somewhat daunting for the newcomer to make sense of any of it, much less decide which avenues to pursue. The commonality is in the desire to Communicate — in whatever form that may take! That’s what makes this hobby so engaging. It truly is one that requires and encourages camaraderie.
A great way to get into and meet the community is via nets. Nets are gatherings of hams on predetermined frequencies (usually a repeater for VHF/UHF or a particular frequency for HF) at a specific time. Here in the Oceanside area, there are a number of nets available on both a daily and weekly basis. The ones which have become part of my regular morning ritual are:
a) the Cowichan Valley Amateur Radio Society (CVARS) morning net, starting @ 8:15am each morning which covers the entirety of Vancouver Island — a great way to find out the weather, etc. all over the island. This net meets on what is called the Island TrunK System (ITS) which is a set of interconnected repeaters located all over the island.
b) the Mid Island Amateur (MIRA) Breakfast Bunch which meets at 8:45am each weekday morning on the VE7RBB repeater located on Mt. Cokely.
c) the MIRA Saturday Coffee Clatch which meets each Saturday @ 10am on Zoom meetings (or there is an in-person version if you are so inclined).
d) the MIRA Sunday net which (yup!) meets each Sunday @ 10am on the VE7RBB repeater.
There are many, many others but these are my morning favourites.
Each of the nets run for about 30 minutes to an hour. The CVARS net is a bit more formal in that it’s basically a way for people to ‘check in’ and give a brief description of the weather where they are and what’s happening in their world. The MIRA nets tend to be a bit more informal and give more room for conversation, etc.
At one meeting of the MIRA Breakfast Bunch, we were talking about the new hams who had just completed the exam preparation course and successfully passed their Basic Qualification Certification. I asked what were some of the ‘pearls of wisdom’ they would pass along to the new hams, based on their experience when they entered the hobby. Here’s what they said:
- “listen, listen, listen. Listen to the nets, the ettiquette and how they operate. Get to know the people and personalities and interests. Here’s where you find your support network.”
- “ham radio is different for everyone. Find what YOU enjoy”
- “always remember that this is a HOBBY — not a lifestyle — you can always put it away for a while and come back to it”
- “to make the most of it, get involved. If you need it, make a plan then stick to it. Ask for help, and lean on teachers (known as ‘Elmers’ in the ham jargon) Most of all, get rolling — don’t wait for everything to be perfect.”
- “don’t assume there is only one way to participate. The community is broad — in terms of experience, perspective and interests. Pick what piques your interest and go for it. And don’t feel you have to spend big $$ — there’s lots of inexpensive ways to get started.”
- “join a local club. Ask lots of questions — just be prepared for the situation where you ask 4 people and 5 different (possibly opposing) opinions!”
- “buy the best equipment you can afford and don’t skimp on the antenna. Mobile equipment is a great way to get started. Ask for help and maybe visit another ham’s home shack, if you’re able/so inclined”
- “believe in yourself. You passed the exam so you’ve proved you can do this.”
- “YouTube videos are invaluable. Just to be sure to look at a number of them by different people to get a range of views/opinions”
- “Don’t wait — get on the air! A cheap handi-talkie (handheld transceiver) is all you need to get started.”
- “When looking at handi-talkies, look for ones with long battery life and that other hams in the local area are using. They can help you get it set up. Also, if you’re getting multiple radios (handheld, mobile for the car/truck, base for home), think about getting all the same brand — at least to start with. That way, they’ll all operate approximately the same way.”
- “Ask a local ham about how to set up your radio for the local repeater. What the heck do those weird numbers and symbols mean?” (He was talking about input frequencies, shift frequencies, tones, etc.)
That’s probably enough for this first entry. In future blogs, I’ll talk about getting that first rig (radio), ham jargon you’ll encounter on the air, netiquette (how nets work) and a whole raft of other stuff that isn’t covered in the exam preparation course!
Bottom line — get on the air and have fun!
Till next time, 73 (best wishes)
Don VE7ATJ