Ham radio license

Last night at our rally get together I was talking to some of the guys about getting their ham radio licenses. Here is some helpful information. You do not need to know Morse code.

www.aarl.com is a good place to get general information. If you look under the exams tab you can search for the nearest test session.

I used this book to study for the test. The author is a bit goofy but the organization of the book is good. http://www.amazon.com/Technician-Class-2006-10-Element-Preparation/dp/0945053452/ref=pd_sim_b_5

You can also try the aarl study guide http://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/0872599639/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260734802&sr=8-2

I bought my two radios at http://www.hamradio.com/ They have some really good deals right now.

Yeasu FT1900R mobile 2 meter band 55 watts for $114.95!
Yeasu FT270R hand held 2 meter band 5 watts for $124.99!

Once I decided to get my license I picked an up coming test session and started studying. I read through the book twice and took some notes on the things I was having trouble with. I studied my notes for a few days before the exam and passed with one wrong question. The FCC posted my call sign on the internet about seven days later. I used my license the first time at Doo Wops!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

we have been thinking about working a Ham setup into the rally car for service....which license would you need to get to have an effective comm network at a rally?

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-Tom
DemonRallyTeam | Fine Tuning | CTS Turbo & RP Turbos | RalleyTuned | JRM | Meister Autowerks
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The basic license, called Technician Class is all you need. All rallies use the 2 meter band. You would need to pick a simplex or repeater frequency that is separate from what the rally is using. At least one person on either end (car and service) would need a license. I think that this is a very good idea. There is no substitute for the power and ability to use a repeater.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Tech license is easy, I just bought the Gordon West book and basically memorized the question pool. I tried to take the General at the same time with zero preparation, that didn't work out so well. I figure I'll eventually read the ARRL General manual enough to go try for the upgrade, just because I'm silly that way.

I find the Gordon West books are better organized than the ARRL manuals, although some argue that they are just setup so you can pass the test without really understanding the material. The critics do have a point.

Good antennas are key. There is a saying that for every dollar you spend on a radio, you should spend a dollar on the antenna system for the radio to work.
I have a Larsen NMO2/70 dual band antenna setup for my street cars (for working events).

For a transceiver, I have an Icom 2200H 2 meter mobile (65w, allegedly "Milspec" construction). There are 75w heavy duty 2 meter mobiles out there, too (Yaesu 2900 or something like that) too. For basic rally use, no need to spend more than $175 on the transceiver. I also have an Yaesu FT60R dual band hand-held. 5 ripping watts of power, but I've used it with success at a 10 mile run I worked once that used a 440 repeater for their net; it's not much use for rally work, aside from using it as a scanner.

I figure a good antenna and MORE POWER are good things. If I was more hard-core I'd have a huge antenna I could string up in a tree or make some sort of portable instant tower for those really sketchy locations. Brett made a 2 meter J-pole encased in PVC pipe that works pretty well and looks like something between a potato gun and a huge bong.

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Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2009 03:44PM by fiasco.

I have worked rallys using a hand held just fine that radio puts out about 3 watts, I found having the radio in the rally car very very helpful many times but it would have been much better if my service crew also had a licensed person.

In the car I use a 50 watt radio, some rallys use the 440 band and the 2M band. Dual band radios are so cheap one might as well get 2m/440 radios.

I also have a general license but there is no need for that a rallys, I use it more for when sailing - 1000 miles from the nearest land it is nice to have a chat with my dad who has been a ham since he was 14.

My dad is one of the testers and often runs test sessions and test prep at the Seattle Yacht Club, I am sure they are listed on the ARRL web site.

I was thinking about setting up live TV from the rally car, it would not work at all events but in some places I think it would be lots of fun to have the service truck showing the incar live. This is all possible with the entry level Tech license. There are also ways to send real time data from the car such as GPS speed, location, etc.

Anyway I have a fair number if bits and lots of experience if people near Seattle would like a little help getting started.

Derek

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In the long run reality always wins.

Andrew, I think you're onto something with your combination J-Pole/spud cannon/bong.

Run with it!

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She's screamn' fer eet!
Rallyho
Mike White
http://www.facebook.com/rallyhomotorsports

Derek,

I have not seen the Seattle Yacht Club on the AARL web site.

Do you think that we could put together a study session and test day with your dad? I wonder how many people we could get together. I can think of six who would do it.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2009 12:00PM by Rallymech.

derek Wrote:
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> There are also ways to send real time
> data from the car such as GPS speed, location,
> etc.

We have complete APRS coverage at North Nevada. I built some
digipeaters specifically for that. Any metrics you want to send can
be wrapped up in an APRS packet and will find their way to the
interwebbertoobs (and to a display set up in service).

> I was thinking about setting up live TV from the rally car,
> it would not work at all events but in some places I think
> it would be lots of fun to have the service truck showing the
> incar live.

You can do slow-scan pretty easily, but it'd be kind of boring
to watch. Fast-scan in the 70cm range would work, but it'd be
ideal if you had a single hop to your receiver, and you'll find
you'll get weird ghosting issues if you're near mountains (like
at Doo Wops). I've been looking into adding DATV repeaters in the
1.2GHz band to my PARS digis, but finding cheap radios for that is a
bitch and 1.2Ghz gets attenuated really fast by trees. I may have
to settle for lower-bandwidth DATV in the 70cm range. I also have
to figure out how to marshal it amongst multiple DATV sources.

-michel
NNR Organizer
Ham Geek

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Self-righteous douche canoe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2009 08:54PM by hoche.

Doo Wops would be a very hard rally to do fast scan at, I think Meritt where most of the rally is on the hills over looking the town and service in the valley is the best place I have seen, this is complicated by most 70cm TV systems putting out about 1 watt, there would likely be a need for a amp in the car too - I wonder if they have 100% duty cycles?

I have not messed around with APRS my self yet but I plan to.

If I recall there are only 5 or so 70cm "channels" for fast scan so yes that will be an issue if everyone figured it out at once.

I will find out about local classes for the locals here in Seattle...

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In the long run reality always wins.

Thanks Derek!

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

I am too stupid and far too lazy to book-learn anything. So I went to an all day class with another rally guy a couple of years ago. All day in a room with the biggest bunch of Elmers you've ever seen. (no disrespect to any on this forum) After suffering some abuse...and doing some heckling of our own...we managed to pass the test on the first try.

Not too bad and definately worth the $125ish that it cost.

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She's screamn' fer eet!
Rallyho
Mike White
http://www.facebook.com/rallyhomotorsports

Yeah, DooWops would be difficult. You could probably do it from Pico and Blue Slough and that's about it.

It might work at Mt. Hood - that's another rally where the stages run in the mountains around a valley.

Should be interesting. It's kinda low on my priority list at this point, but it'd be a Fun Thing To Do.

-michel

YARG
(Yet Another Rally Golf)
(Yet Another Radio Geek)

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Self-righteous douche canoe

I contacted one of our local ham radio clubs and got the following reply:

FCC Amateur Radio Service license exams are given the 3rd Saturday of each month at the West Entrance of the Salvation Army Building, 720 Tobin Street, Renton WA. Detailed driving directions can be found at the Mike and Key club
site:
www.mikeandkey.org.
Please show up about 12:30PM; exams start at 1PM. Walkins are always welcome.

You need to bring with you a government issued photo id, and $15 in cash or a check.
If you are already licensed you will also need to bring your original signed license.
If you have element credit that is not reflected in your license, you will need to bring the original CSCE (or expired license) for that credit.

Assuming that you all want to be hams before Doo wops, our two oportunities are Jan 16th and Feb 20th.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Robert, you still have the study book ?

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As always IMHO

SEAN TENNIS KF7JJR
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
SAAB 99, SAAB 850
SAAB V4, SAAB 99T

Jim has got book at the moment. The question pool on line at the ARRL site.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.