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Across the Fence:  Communication - ham radio  |
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ManyLeaves
Farmgirl in Training
17 Posts
Susan
WA
17 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 04 2023 : 5:46:50 PM
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| I live off the grid in a remote area. I am a volunteer examiner for the amateur radio service. Most of the people in the area have a beginning ham radio license (Technician license). All my neighbors keep their radios on 24/7. In December we had a surprise snow storm (2 ft in 12 hours) that took down all the power in the valley, most of the internet providers (except Starlink), all of the landlines were down, and there is no cell service anywhere near. But we all could communicate with our radios. The basic equipment is not expensive (a handheld radio is typically less than $100. The exam for the license is fairly easy, and now you can take it on line. Would make a great Merit Badge. |
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JennRap
True Blue Farmgirl
165 Posts
Jennifer
Sonora
CA
USA
165 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2023 : 5:53:33 PM
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Susan,
Han radios are great! My Dad and hubby have licenses as well as my Dad heads up a group in his community in Idaho. It is a great tool to have and you don't realize it's true value until a situation like yours comes up. Great idea for a badge for sure!
Jennifer Rapoza
California - Idaho bound in 2023! <3 |
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9249 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9249 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2023 : 03:48:59 AM
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Susan, since you live off grid, it is great you have the ham radio. I am not familiar with them. Do you need electricity for it? If so how do you run it and how do you use internet?
It would be an interesting badge but not sure how the different levels would work. I'm sure MaryJane could come up with something though!
~Denise
Sister #43~1/18/2007
"I am a bookaholic and I have no desire to be cured." 
"Home is where we find comfort, security, memories, friendship, hospitality, and above all, family. It is the place that deserves our commitment and loyalty." William J. Bennett
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - levisgrammy on Feb 05 2023 03:52:27 AM |
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ManyLeaves
Farmgirl in Training
17 Posts
Susan
WA
17 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2023 : 09:42:45 AM
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| I do live off grid. I have solar power with generator backup - so electricity is not a problem. Our internet comes in via NCI antenna. My base station is a mobile radio with a power supply - and will go up to 100 Watts. There is a local repeater that is linked to 5 others in the area. So I can talk to people over 100 miles away on my rechargeable handheld (10 Watts) - cost was around $60 off amazon. I also have a mobile 2 meter radio in my truck. Where I live north central WA state there are large areas that have no cell reception. There are 3 other radio "services" that people use besides the ham. One is GMRS - which is available to commercial and private individuals. Another is CB - very short range. The other is the FMRS - Family Radio Service. But none of those have the range that the ham does. The ham community in general loves "newbies" and most are willing to help people new to the hobby to get started. You can spend anywhere from less than $100 to $10000 or more. Most of us up here have small 2 m handheld radios or a mobile unit as a base station. There are three levels of license - Technician, General, and Extra. A merit badge could have three levels - 1)obtain the technician exam manual (amazon around $30), study 2)pass your technician test and make a contact 3) Learn to use the repeater, or make your own antenna. People have made 2 meter antennas out of coat hangers!!! I plan to use my cross bow to shoot a wire into a tree behind my house to make an antenna for my HF unit! I am a volunteer examiner with https://wm7x.net and ARRL (American Radio Relay League). We test around 15-20 people weekly online from all over the country for both the Technician license and license upgrades online - well over 90% pass the first try. Good link for more information is arrl.org. |
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JeanP
True Blue Farmgirl
1284 Posts
Jean
Deary
ID
USA
1284 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2023 : 09:51:48 AM
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Hello Susan,
I see you actually joined the forum in 2018 but have not been real active on the chatroom. I hope that will change now. You are a true Farmgirl meeting the challenges of living off the grid in a remote area. This thread about ham radios is sooooo interesting. Please keep it going and tell us more. This is the kind of information Farmgirls really need to know.
I live in Deary, Idaho not too far from you. If you ever get over this direction, please plan to stop by and get acquainted.
jean
"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at."
. . . .Stephen Hawking
"When life gives you junk, make a junk journal."
. . . .jean pici |
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Wanda Sue
True Blue Farmgirl
1121 Posts
Wanda
Murrells Inlet
SC
USA
1121 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2023 : 10:02:03 AM
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Thank you so much Susan for sharing this info. My husband recently acquired radios and manuals to study. He is very interested in the link you shared , and will be checking it out soon. I would be very interested in this topic becoming a merit badge, so we could work on it together.
A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.
Farm Girl #3677
FGOTM August 2022 |
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quiltee
True Blue Farmgirl
7446 Posts
Linda
Terrell
TX
USA
7446 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2023 : 12:52:32 PM
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Interesting topic, Susan. My uncle, he's been dead for over 25 years, had an entire room in his house with a huge ham radio. He spoke with people from Illinois to Europe all the time. He had been a radioman in the Navy and that ham radio was his passion. They can and have helped many people all over the world during natural disasters. Thanks for starting this topic.
Farmgirl hugs,
Linda
Terrell, TX
Farm girl #1919
Farm Girl of the Month August 2015 and April 2017
"Women are Angels, and when someone breaks our wings, we simply continue to fly . . . on a broomstick - we're flexible, like that."
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Edited by - quiltee on Feb 06 2023 3:13:26 PM |
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Dreamer42
True Blue Farmgirl
2682 Posts
April
Central
Oregon
USA
2682 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2023 : 08:48:48 AM
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Susan, You've struck an interst chord here, my oldest son and I are very interested and will be looking into this. He said he would love to do it with me... how cool is that!?
Dreamer42
Farmgirl Sister #7038 |
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MaryJanesNiece
True Blue Farmgirl
6705 Posts
Krista
Utah
USA
6705 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2023 : 1:06:41 PM
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This is so neat! Thank you for sharing this information and getting us all interested. I will look into myself. It would be nice to have one and be prepared for anything that can happen in the future.
Krista |
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Across the Fence: Communication - ham radio |
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Communication - ham radio
