NES Amateur Radio (HAM) Club

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jar

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Some discussion in the internet forum militia thread got me thinking about starting a NES ham club. In a serious SHTF situation, the first thing to go would probably be communications infrastructure. Amateur radio would be a great way for us to link up.

The entry level license is pretty easy to get. It only costs a nominal fee to cover the costs incurred by the volunteers who give the exam. (Currently $14 I believe). I'd be willing to put together a training class to cover what you need to know for the exam and how to get started. I have some friends who are Volunteer Examiners, so I could probably put together a test session also.

Ham radio is a diverse hobby, and there's an activity for any interest. Some of the big ones are emergency communications (probably the focus of the NES club), DXing(contacting stations in distant and rare locations), Contesting (marathons of contacting as many other participants as possible to score points), Ragchewing (just shooting the shit about whatever topic strikes your fancy), Digital/Packet (including radio BBSs and APRS, a GPS position reporting protocol), and many more.

One of the big annual activities is Field Day, where groups of hams around the country (and the world, though it's mostly a US and Canada thing), get together and set up stations in simulated emergency conditions. Class A (the most common entry type) stations are run by a group/club of 3 or more, off the commercial power grid, and with antennas set up in temporary locations. There are also classes for individuals/pairs in the same conditions, mobiles, home stations on emergency power, and groups affiliated with local public safety.

Field day is great fun, and also a good practical test. It is held on the fourth full weekend in June. I think it would be awesome to hold it in conjunction with a members shoot.

If you're comfortable posting it and you're interested, please post your Call if licensed, your location, and your current band/mode capabilities.
 
Licensed Hams: (11)
N3SX Westford, MA 2/440 handheld, 2M mobile, HF at home (currently antennaless until spring)
N1LYD, 495/290 interchange, 144/440, Handi, mobile, base. Have TNC, but haven't used it in years.
WB1HJS, Leominster
KI1W; Burlington, MA; 2m/70cm handheld
NX1Z on northshore of MA. I can handle just about any mode on any band.
W1FKG Acton, MA / Nottingham, NH 2m HT/mobile/base/MM
N1RSR, FN42CN (Fitchburg) . I have gear set up for 2M FM in base and mobile right now, but have lots of other equipment (several HF/6M rigs) just not enough antennas.
N1JOQ Merrimack NH 2m, 70cm on a 5W HT with a TNC for digital modes as well
KB1ESX here! 2m = 146.970 (Paxton), 20M mobile & all bands at home.
KB1IOE Chelmsford 2M
K1HS

Class interest: (30)
elw
K-Dub
snowjoker
cuda444
doobie
C-Pher
Arioch
Adam_MA
Paulm
editor7
Mr. Twigg
jay1
Martlett
P-14
TypeO1313
Big Daddy 45acp
langloisandy
Hanwei
Cross-X
Bolt308
Ninsho
Snapshot
Res2cue
6.5x55
Underwhere
dwarven1
clinotus
Fsorrent
EC1
dreppucci007
 
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Id be interested in attending a weekend beginners class. Let me know if you get enough response to put one on. Thanks. Erik
 
KI1W; Burlington, MA; 2m/70cm handheld

My call is great for the CQ magazine Work All Prefixes contest [smile]
 
NX1Z on northshore of MA. Extra Calss License. I can handle just about any mode on any band. Here is my shack:

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See post#13 for more pics[smile]



/j
 

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NX1Z on northshore of MA. Extra Calss License. I can handle just about any mode on any band. Here is my shack:

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That's so awesome! I wish I had gotten into HAM's ages ago when my parents were supporting me....

I'm very much up for a class!
 
More radio Pics:

Here are the radio decks (somewhat closer up)
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Night Operations at NX1Z
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The extended family!
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W1FKG (Whiskey one funny kinda guy) General. Licensed since 1966. 2M capability in mobile, base station with rotatable beam in Acton, Handi, base station in Nottingham, NH, Marine mobile on Pawtuckaway Lake, Nottingham (seasonal).Contribute to Paxton 97, Derry 85, Saddleback. Have applied to WARN 145.210. Also use other various 2M machines including Chester 19. Thanks, Jack. PS - Newbees - This is NOTHING LIKE CB. This would be a great new hobby for you which has endless opportunities to expand.
 
Is it as expensive as shooting? [wink]

It certainly can be. The one big advantage over shooting is that there are only capital costs. Radios don't need ammo. Sure there's electricity, but that's a hell of a lot cheaper than 50BMG.

He's not so active anymore, but there was a guy in VA whose contest station must've been well into 6 figures. He sold everything to pursue an interest in drag racing. His website is still up at http://www.k4ja.com/.

A decent handheld will run around $200 new. A basic HF radio will run about $600 new, but there's a ton of servicable used gear for cheap. I think new is the way to go for the handheld, because you get modern battery technology and a much more convenient size. Getting started in HF, I recommend used gear.

I'm happy to answer anyone's questions in this thread.
 
Learning code is no longer required for any class license in the US. The entry level license (Technician) has been no code since sometime in the 90s IIRC. I think they should have kept code for the highest class only, but we won't get into that. Code vs no-code is up there with 9mm vs 45.

I think everyone should learn the code and try it out, but I'm not a zealot about it. If I run a class, I'll do a quick overview of methods for learning code, and reasons to do so.
 
N1RSR, FN42CN (Fitchburg) . I have gear set up for 2M FM in base and mobile right now, but have lots of other equipment (several HF/6M rigs) just not enough antennas.

-Mike
 
FYI, I'm expecting a class cost of around $40. This will include a textbook and handouts and the exam fee. Anything beyond recovering my out of pocket costs will go to GOAL.
 
Is it as expensive as shooting? [wink]

It can be depending on how nuts you get, but generally speaking
I was a radio nut and I've spent more on guns and ammo than I ever have on radio gear. [laugh]

This is one of those hobbies where you only get out of it what you
put into it. On one hand, though, it doesn't cost that much to
get started if your expectations aren't too extreme.

There are some consumables/facilities costs for maintaining antennas,
parts, batteries, etc... but they pale in comparison to what I've spent on ammo. [grin]

-Mike
 
Well, it's a good thing there's a HAM group at one of my clubs. Maybe I'll give it a closer look.
 
N1JOQ
Merrimack NH
2m, 70cm on a 5W HT with a TNC for digital modes as well

Haven't been active much but I did manage to renew my license.

-Nat
 
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