Getting into HAM in 2024?

[cyberham]

I guess they don't make 'Elmers' like they used to. Many decades ago, VE7OF Steve (SK) spent the better part of a school year each Tuesday evening training my friend and I as high school students on all subjects required to write the exam. Besides the test material, Steve also indoctrinated us into the Amateur radio world by operating demos for us and telling us many stories.

This included the Morse test sending and receiving at 10 wpm as well as drawing schematic diagrams of a transmitter, receiver, power supply, etc. Training was all free of course. He made us attend these classes before he'd allow us to make an appointment with the radio inspector to write the test. We both passed our Amateur class licences on the first go, continuing to get our 10-metre band Phone certifications (6 months later by showing proof of operation via our logbooks) and Advanced licences (minimum one year later).

The old days.

 

[jayn_j]

For us, it was Mr Witte at our high school. He convinced the district to approve equipment and space for a station in the school. He also convinced them that study hall could be spent at the station and taught us thoery during that period. He came up with tapes for learning Morse as well. As a result, we all earned our novice license at 12 (6 year high school), and general about 6 months later.

 

[reubenray]

What would be a ballpark cost of getting into HAM radios? This would be for the equipment, antennas, etc.

 

[WhiteBeard]

What would be a ballpark cost of getting into HAM radios? This would be for the equipment, antennas, etc.

HF can be expensive if you want to put up a 50+ foot tower with a tri-band antenna and rotor - that would cost several thousands of dollars. But you can get HF radios that are under $1k and use a multiband dipole antenna that's under $100. It'll be additional cost for mobile radios and handheld radios that operate in the VHF/UHF bands. You can probably get into ham radio for under $200 but if you're serious you'll need to spend some bucks. The cost will depend on what you want to do.

 

[dishstaller]

if you want to put up a 50+ foot tower with a tri-band antenna and rotor - that would cost several thousands of dollars.

Yep, those tower sections went through the roof a few years ago. I used to carry them and retailed them for about $125 per section, a little more for the top. The cost got so high my distributor quit carrying them.

 

[navychop]

Don't forget the cost of the head examination.

 

[Jim S.]

Don't forget the cost of the head examination.

They dropped that from the license requirements some time ago. Have you listened to 7200 lately? I've heard saner conversations on Channel 6.

 

[TRG]

I don't know why but I never liked the, "ham" reference or the way that people implemented it. I prefer Amateur Radio Operator myself. Ham belongs on bread with mustard and Swiss cheese. Not a reference to someone that operates a transmitter.

 

[navychop]

They dropped that from the license requirements some time ago. Have you listened to 7200 lately? I've heard saner conversations on Channel 6.

Sorry. For me, HAM was tonight's supper.

I have too many time wasters anyway.

 

[cyberham]

... I've heard saner conversations on Channel 6.

If we're having a contest, there is no discussion of this category without including VE7KFM. If you've heard him on his favourite 20m band frequency, you'd remember. I guess if we support free speech, which I do, we need to bend a little when individuals go well beyond what is acceptable by society's standards.
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What would be a ballpark cost of getting into HAM radios? This would be for the equipment, antennas, etc.

To address the op's question, the true answer is literally almost anything you want to spend. Both at the bottom and top ends of that scale. If you don't have the big bucks to spend (...who does?), you can forget about steel towers and install homemade wire antennas like dipoles, inverted vees, verticals, loops, EFHW, etc. You can get good performance from these and costs remain affordable for most.

For a radio, buy used from a local club member. You'll learn about your club and develop useful, educational and fun relationships too. Or, if you can afford new, then buy from an authorized reputable dealer. When learning, if affordable, I'm actually a fan of new since you already have lots of hurdles to be challenged by. Having a radio that operates as it should with a new warranty with the latest technology can smooth your learning curve and give better results.

 

[cyberham]

I don't know why but I never liked the, "ham" reference or the way that people implemented it. I prefer Amateur Radio Operator myself...

I understand your feeling regarding the term ham but I use it if I say amateur radio but I can tell people aren't getting what I'm talking about. Almost everybody has heard of the term ham when talking about radio ops. Sometimes people think amateur refers to somebody who doesn't know what they are doing. It's amateur, as opposed to professional as in earning money.

Also it's ham, not HAM or Ham. It's not an acronym nor a proper noun.

 

[WhiteBeard]

If we're having a contest, there is no discussion of this category without including VE7KFM. If you've heard him on his favourite 20m band frequency, you'd remember. I guess if we support free speech, which I do, we need to bend a little when individuals go well beyond what is acceptable by society's standards.
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We bend too many rules and there isn't any real society standards. I'll stop there.

 

[cyberham]

We bend too many rules and there isn't any real society standards. I'll stop there.

I agree with ya. I guess we're old and we remember too much.