Hf conversation has a lot about the respective operator's national political climate and their nation's current events. VHF and UHF is about ham radio equipment. Regardless, all I have is a communications receiver with an antenna on the roof of my house. I have no transmitter. I am not even an amateur radio operator. I just listen in. I do have an old radio I installed in my vehicle back in 1996. It is still working in there but the band is nearly dead.
Lol! Radio check! Been there done that many times. I'm getting back into it when my new radio arrives after a 25 year break. Need a new license I suppose.
I keep telling my youngest daughter about how before the internet @www Radio Amateurs had a thing called packet radio where we sent messages around the world and even into space during the MIR era...we addressed a lot of our packet messages to All @ww or world wide using a program called jnos and a protocol called TCPIP which stood for Transfer Control Protocol Internet Protocol and all before the so called Internet...
Total green question: Is the baofeng radio throwing like 10-20 mile connection to the repeater on the mountain top and the repeater actually connecting 2100 miles to the Seattle or what is going on? Thank you.
Those repeaters are creating endless possibilities! Once you understand difference between simplex and duplex communications a new world opens. HAM and CB radio communications attract people with special interests, often Asperger personality type or in the spectrum of autism, that said without any malice, I am one of those and been always fascinated by radio communications, electronics (my father offered me one of those Radio Shack electronics kits for learning in the 70s). Cheers
Over the past 3 years I have purchased 4 boafengs of different types. I just ordered another 2 UV5Rs at less than $22/each from Amazon. They are the main reason I got my technician license, and have participated in local radio nets. The hobby should be embracing them. I was the youngest person on the radio nets by at least 20 years (and I am in my 40s).
Many do not seem to realise that it is not a money game. It is a communication hobby and service. If you can transmit on a homemade radio, converted from an ancient CB, that is allowed. But the money snobs are so stupid that they are killing their own hobby and their own service. Already some areas are dismissing amateur radio operators from storm preparation exercises. They are not a friendly bunch. I fully agree with you. The budget minded radios should be welcomed far above the ones that cost as much as used cars. When something horrible happens, it is the budget radios that will be everywhere, license or not. The super expensive radios will be very few and far between.
@@godbless6939 There is no need for a license to own any amateur radio equipment, use it for receiving, and even working on a piece of amateur radio equipment. The license is only to transmit on the airwaves. I have set up many amateur radio stations, repaired equipment, even build antenna tuners, power supplies, antennas, and modified radio equipment from one radio service to operate on the amateur radio bands. I could easily get the amateur radio license. But many forget that it is a hobby and service for communication. It is not a hobby for the most expensive equipment and insulting those that operate budget equipment, and self built equipment. Thus, I stay an equipment technician only, and do not get my license.
@@ridge7524 Unfortunate facts. Oh well, I will keep building the radios and setting them up. When the equipment snobs die off and the airwaves become a friendly place, I may get my license. Strange that the equipment snobs do not seem as knowledgeable about making antennas and tuners than the budget minded operators. I guess the equipment snobs just buy the antenna and the tuner and the budget minded operators make their own.
I have shot skip from Maine to Barbados 2,200 plus miles on 4 watt's.. Get yourself a CB and a good basestaion antenna. No internet no repeater need. So when the world's coming to an end who cares what somebody across the country is doing in California you want to know what's going on in the area you are.
The time is growing near. Stock your Jeep, true 4x4, or 4x4 pickup truck now. It is almost time to run. Do not bother with modern, "4x4s," they are pure garbage. Concentrate on 4x4 with high ground clearance, no GPS, nothing controlled by computer, except maybe timing spark. Anything past 2006 is likely not a true 4x4. Very few were made after that. Stock spare petrol or diesel. Have transceivers for as much frequencies as you can get. When running, stay as far away from main roads as possible. Cut through fields, abandoned properties, and undeveloped land. Listen to the public as well as the government bands. My Jeep is already stocked and ready to go. Bring a firearm.
its the same as VOIP, many HAMS do not consider this actual Ham Radio communications, its listening and talking over the internet. I for one never got into it for that very reason even though I have Echolink. BUT to each their own, 73 de KD6SBR
@@lt4324 its fun to pkay around with no and then but in a real emergency situation these services wont be available. A lot want to just play HAM and the rest will be the ones with communication if it ever came to it
it's akin to thinking your wireless headset through the PC/internet has a 12,250 mile range....; it is undoubtedly only a sub-5 mw transmitter, good for getting perhaps 2-3 miles...on a good day
Good video Brian! Thank you, I am currently studying for my technician license and did a whole bunch of research on purchasing handheld unit and the Baofeng was highly rated. I am thinking making this my first radio. They are also FCC approved.
I use a TYT UVF-9 and have used it a lot. I've been told it sounds as good as the more expensive radios. I talked to a guy who was talking to someone else with a TYT UVF-1 and neither of us were impressed with it. I'm using the radio as it came with original antenna.
Totally Excellent!...Saved me a bundle of money come DOOMSDAY....You catch my drift...Transmitting from the NUCLEAR BOMB SHELTER 22 feet in the ground via mirror link and repeaters...With a LICENSE....Hello Moscow?....Beijing?....Ho Che city?....Tehran ?....Hello? ANYBODY OUT THERE....??? DC?....We got hit first with a ELECTRO MAGNETIC PULSE BURST 50 miles above us....Then minutes later a 10 MEGATON NEUTRON BOMB BURST ABOVE US AT 3,000 feet...The OVER PRESSURE DESTROYED SOME INSTRUMENTS...It was HORRIFIC...A “9” on the Richter scale...But we still have a hermetic seal on the bunker....Hello?....hel....
The UV-5R was my first cheap Chinese radio purchase, having bought Yaesu and Icom in the past. I just recently purchased the 5X3 because I wanted the 220 band. Both are really nice radios. As for Echolink, I use the app on my smartphone. I used to love using the Evergreen Intertie that connects Northern California to Oregon and Washington, but it's been several years since I've been on that.
Thank you for your vids. I've had a UV5R+ for years and mainly used it to listen, but you've motivated me to finally get my license so I can transmit. I've been reluctant because I'm dyslexic and get very nervous about written tests. Thank you Brian!
It's not a written test, it's a multiple choice, check-the-box test. Go to hamstudy.org, it's fantastic: free online but for a few dollars the phone app gives you complete portability. I used hamstudy for three weeks, and took and passed all three tests in one sitting :-)
@@Bingbang.1 Way too many variables to answer. Most of the time it seems the limiting factor is what can you afford. Hf goes further but you need to pass 2 tests. I got a contact in England from Florida on a baofeng sitting in my couch.
This was so awesome. I'm studying for my Technician and going to be taking the test next month. My mom and uncle were HAMs back in the 70s and 80s so this has been something I've wanted to get into for years.
I remeber my older friends playing with high power amplified radios back in the day. I was just a youngin’. They were talking to people in Australia from his garage. He was saying the neighbors used to get upset at the bleed through into their land line phone conversations 😂🤦🏼♂️ Awesome stuff. I was just the young tag along broke kid without a job at that point. Now I’m back to give it a go..
I used to love sitting my grandparent's basement listening to skip on their CB base station in Pittsburgh. We would get responses from people in Texas and Florida. Cool stuff and that was back in the 70's! I'm still searching for a two way handheld that is capable of reaching 15 miles so I can talk with my daughter who lives with her mother. Yes we have cell phones today but I would LOVE to educate her on how people used to communicate long distances years ago remotely. Not that 15 miles is a long distance lol. Most 2-3 watt units have an urban range of 1-3 miles. Claimed 25 miles but that HAS to be in like Kansas or from a mountain top. Handhelds today are made for cruise ships, camping, ect.
Actually, you can do that by making a tape ruler antenna called a Yagi antenna. Its directional like an old TV antenna. When put in the vertical position and pointing it in the direction of your daughters house and put up about 15 feet. You will have a 4 times power increase. She would need one to, pointing back towards your house. I build all of my antennas. From 2 meters, 70 cm, as well as HF antennas for all my communication gear. I learned all this from taking my ham tests and bought Gordon West's books. Technician class book and General class book. If u decide to buy the books, insure they are for 2021 tests. They change the question pool, every few years. Worth the money, especially when Katrina happened years ago. All cell phones went down and ham radio was only communications out back then. Do a TH-cam search for tape ruler yagi antenna and learn how a simple tape ruler can increase a 5 watt radio to the equivalent of a 20 watt radio, by using a directional, yagi antenna. The more elements a yagi has, the more gain the antenna will have. I built a 4 element yagi antenna for 70cm and hit a repeater 40 miles away. It also works for any frequency whe. You know the math and use an instrument called an swr meter to tune your antennas. I don't use echo link at all.
I’m in Sydney and on my cheapest radio even cheaper than my Uv5r is my baofeng bf888s (70cm band) got 150kms/ over 90mls to mt panorama to a friend at the Bathurst 1000 which ramping up for the year Using our club repeater couldn’t be more happy. I too got into hobby first with Uv5r and as well have bought a few yaesu rigs to have home and mobile sets including HF for dxing. Think the wingers should settle down embrace baofeng and recommend people upgrade we’re possible 73
I love how he says “I don’t get too many views so you won’t be famous...” well atm there 3/4 a million views lol. Well done and thank you for the info! Adam The New Woodworker
Nice Job. I think it is important to have active ham radio operators in the country. In an even of an Emergency ham radios can bridge the gap between citizens, local, state and federal government services as well as other ham radio operator stations that are working with citizens to help connect people.
I bought the 5 pack Baofeng UV-5R for prepping, since I'm on the Oregon coast with the cascadia subduction zone 200 miles offshore. If we have a full rip 9.0 , they'll come in handy. Just studying for the technician license, going to take it soon. It's really got me interested in Ham radio, and I belong to the local CERT organization, with a strong Ham presence. I'm a retired LEO, thanks for the video.
this is awesome I was using that repeater that day for that orv event discussed and I remember you calling in. I was using a baofeng also. that repeater is very busy and reaches a long way.
After I graduated from university in 2015 I went and got my ham radio certification (Amateur Extra). Spent a bunch of money on gear and learning morse code and working the bands on cw & voice & data. After a few months I sold all my stuff because no one actually wanted to talk to me, they just wanted my call sign.
After reading the comments, there are a couple of things that I feel need to be clarified. First off, these conversations are not direct radio-to-radio, they go through repeaters. A repeater is a fixed base radio that receives radio traffic while simultaneously re-transmitting it at higher power. Repeaters are usually located on tall buildings or antenna towers like the ones used for broadcast radio and tv stations, and are several hundred feet off the ground. Even a good repeater that is high up on a tower can only give you about 50 miles of radio range tops. Hams use internet connected devices like IRLP, and computers running programs such as Echolink and Allstar that are connected to the repeaters to link repeaters in different cities together via the internet. At 1:11, the operator mentions that he is using Echolink. The other thing I want to mention is before you go out and buy one of these radios and start ragchewing on the ham bands, you need to pass an exam and get a license/callsign from the FCC. This operator identifies himself as "K4BBO" which is his FCC issued callsign. I myself am a licensed operator of the General Class, callsign KC9YEJ.
Sooo, why didn’t you show how to make the repeater you’re hitting use EchoLink to hit the other EchoLink repeater. That would’ve been a video worth sitting through and Informative
This is radio cool: I used to be a independent over the road trucker . I used a super chipped up C B radio for many years. I could talk to people from states away. It always helped me know what what I was about to get into down the road.....
This is a great video on radio etiquette and demonstrating the power of Echolink repeaters. I got my license Sept 2018, so it's all very new and exciting for me. I got the same radio with a Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch antenna. Thank you very much! KD2QKG - Brooklyn, NY
My 1st listening to an actual communication. I’m am ready to purchase baofeng rather uv82 or uv 5r waiting for a response for a TH-camr. Wondering also where to study for my test. And is a tactical foldable antenna better than the 771 antenna?
I started with echolink about 20 yrs back and it's indeed a shortcut way to bypass CW and HF to talk to distant "HAMsters". Less antenna knowledge is needed to run echolink but ham radio + traditional antenna is exactly where the fun of amateur radio is derived from.
Wow, this was a great demo, thank you for making it. I'm studying for my Technicians License and hope to test very soon. I've got a UV5R on order. I wanted to start affordably until I know/learn more. I didn't know about Echolink, I hope there are repeaters in my area that support it. I'll give it a try when I'm licensed. Thanks again, thumbs up from me.
I live in Jamaica and I was thinking about my family during this post apocalyptic world and wondering how to communicate if I have to go and hunt for food, thank you 100% for this
Brian, great video as always. I use Echolink all the time. Also some of the other digital modes. I am KD4NSZ. Could you explain to the croud, or even make a video of how we connect our handheld to Echolink? I think some folks get lost with the setup of going from the HT>Echolink>Repeater> Echolink>other Repeater with Echolink>other HAM. Thanks.
I am planning to make a video on how to do it. You use your radio like a phone and use DTMF tones to connect...I wish Brian would answer the question I posted earlier about it but did my own research on how to do it.
Brand new to HAM radio. Still learning the ins and outs. This is a very informative video for me when dealing with long distant communication. Something I have not seen yet. Very cool. Thanks!
Fantastic video, Brian. I have recently got my licence here in Ireland and have just been validated for echolink, so I am hoping to make many QSO's worldwide until I get a HF setup over the next couple of months. All the best and 73's, Jason EI3IQB
@@HamRadioInAction Thanks Brian. I am hoping to get up and running on HF as soon as possible, as 2m analogue is very quiet here. I might even catch you on HF in the future. Keep up the great videos!! 73's, Jason EI3IQB
Unfortunately older radio operators trash talk so much garbage to new hams upcoming into the hobby. And they act like there better then people, well that's what I've encountered
@@kentcyclist lots of old hams not every one keep acting like the education needs to be complicated and or they want to keep the standards so high that no one can pass or take away privileges all while trying to censor the 1st amendment. Old hammers and the FCC should make it easier to pass the technician and general license it's like thier tyrants, pushing away new comers. It's like anti gunners they keep fucking good ppl to get in the game or restricting ppl from it.
Us "old hams" want one thing. We want ham radio to forever remain a technical fraternity. We welcome new people who are eager to take the covers off their radios, and figure out how they work. Then to learn ways to modify their radios to do things they were not originally designed to do, and to take equipment from other services and modify that equipment to work on ham frequencies. We reminisce the good ol' days when technological advance was not driven by professionals with engineering degrees, but rather by the hobbyist designing and building circuits down in his basement after work. So yeah, if you tell us you have no desire to ever read a schematic diagram or heat up a soldering iron, all you want to do is get on the air, chat with people, and make new friends, we "old hams" will give you the cold shoulder. Because that's not what ham radio is all about. Show an interest in technical matters, and you'll get plenty of encouragement from us.
If you decide to take your test, I say, look for Gordon West's technician class book and General class book on ebay. Under $30bucks. Make sure it is for 2021 testing. Good Luck.
I almost feel like Ham radio just has too many rules and procedures, that stifle innovation. Most "discoveries" have already been made. You are using echolink over a repeater which means you are using the internet. Could just use a cell phone be the same thing essentially.
I have often wondered about the big deal about echolink. There are websites that one can talk all over the planet without having any sort of amateur radio operator license and it still uses the internet, like echolink. It seems echolink would be entertaining. But is it really amateur radio? It has the small aspect of connecting with the amateur radio transceiver. But if you are home you can still do it on the computer without the transceiver. By the way, I am just a communications receiver owner and also have an SDR dongle on my computer. I am not an amateur radio operator. I am simply curious what the big deal about echolink is.
@@indridcold8433 Echolink is good for people who are new to the hobby. It helps them learn protocol when talking to people in other countries so when they do get on a real radio and make a contact in Italy, they know how to handle it. It's just another avenue to "play" until the internet crashes.
@Turd Ferguson True HF radio communications. A radio and a wire antenna, no internet needed. There are many modes amateurs use for communication that depend on an internet connection, DMR, YSF, P25, NXDN, AllStar, DStar, Echolink, IRLP, etc. I enjoy some myself, they are fun, no expensive HF radio is needed, no long wire antennas needed, and you can talk anywhere in the world (mostly), but only if you have an internet connection available. Bragging about making a 2100 mile contact is silly, he did nothing of the sort. He actually used the handy talkie to talk to another radio in very close proximity to him. That second radio is connected to a computer which in turn is connected to the internet. You don't even need a radio for Echolink, and some of the others too. So if I'm using my iPhone to get on Echolink, and talk to someone in Germany, should I brag about making a contact thousands of mile away? Some will, I won't. But it is fun.
I'm kinda in the same boat, and it's confusing. I'd like to listen to air traffic, NOAA weather, etc but still have all the capabilities of the venerable UV5R...
I use my Baofang radio for Search & Rescue. We can communicate directly with our Sherriff’s office dispatch, communicate with deputies and city officers on patrol, we can communicate with our air posse (airplane search team) we can also talk directly to our EMT/EMS response teams along with the LifeFlight helicopter pilot when in remote locations. For $70 dual band radio, it is quite surprising what we can do with them.
I have owned a Baofeng 5r for a couple of years using it every now and then mostly listening to marine channels. A while back we had a power outage for a couple of days and after 5 hours the cell phone towers went out, the operators skimped out on battery backups. I rediscovered my 5r and could listen to broadcasts and communicate with others.
So you don’t need a licence then so ya ? I’m in Canada , just bought a couple of these to use as walkie talkies with my brother who lives 25 miles away. Will they work and do we need to get registered ?
My dad would have love this stuff He Was The only one in the family That understood this Ham radio Talk he used to set an Listen To them talk back-and-forth for hours.
Using a lowly citizen's band transceiver, I was able to make contact to a station in Northern Mexico from Saskatchewan, Canada. The transmitter was sending 1 watt. That was very impressive. The following day the transceiver had trouble making it to the next street.
@fpeletz There are linked repeater system that can cross a nation. But one repeater, no, they can not get very far as compared to an HF signal. However, I may have witnessed the 2 meter troposphere ducting you mentioned. I was listining in and I thought it was just people playing around saying they were thousands of kilometers away. But I looked up the two call signs and they were truly extremely far apart. I may not be an amateur radio operator, but the listening aspect of the radio hobby is incredible as well.
@354 HEMI There are so many free radio service bands that there really is no need for getting an amateur radio license. Where I reside, there are non licensed equivalents for 12, 10, 6, 2 meters and 70 centimeters. I think there is also a nonlicensed equivalent of the 33 centimeter band here as well. Many nations have free radio services somewhat equivalent to amateur radio.
@@indridcold8433 its all about what the sun is doing on 11 meters. And lately, the sun has done nothing. With my general class ham license, ill use 40 meters and make contacts every day of the week. 20 meters is considered the "magic band" my favorite band to use is, 17 meters.
@@DMF716 I did have an interest in amateur HF and still do. I listen often. However, there is little, to no, HF surplus equipment that can be converted to HF amateur bands. Fof VHF and UHF there are mountains of surplus equipment that can be easily converted to amateur radio frequencies. I actually do it for people that pay me. Thus VHF and UHF equipment is very, very affordable. Antennas are super easy to make. A homemade 5 ampere power supply is all that is needed to get a fair powered, basic station. But for HF, so little surplus convertible equipment exists that one is stuck having to purchase an HF transceiver. They are very expensive. Homemade antennas are possible on HF also but they are very large, clumsy, antennas. Buying an HF antenna is also very expensive. On HF you will want to make a 50 ampere power supply to power tuners, the transceiver, amplifiers, and speakers. My interests in amateur radio lay in HF. The prices scared me away. Sure, I can get the entry level license and go on the air on 10,6,4,2, 1.25, meters and 70 cm, 33cm, 23cm. But that is all mainly local. Local does not hold the magic I want. Recently, I thought I would see what was required to get licensed for the entry level just to satisfy curiosity. Not one VE is holding testing anywhere in North America due to our pal Coronavirus. It looks like it was not meant to be. I guess I will just be listening in on the 11 meter ghost band and calling out every once in awhile to get no response. KBX1339 is monitoring.
I do not understand why the, "gate keeping?" It is a hobby, not a duty. Why do some want to make a hobby as hard and as restrictive as possible? Those people are killing their own hobby by taking it too seriously. I enjoy going off road. Maybe I should start, "gate keeping," the off road hobby. I demand everyone that want to go off road have to make their own vehicle from scratch and power it with a diesel from a cargo truck. They must put the diesel in their self. The vehicle can not have a factory designed drive train.
@@indridcold8433 If you ever listen to truckers on CB you will understand why the "gate keeping". Also you are able to transmit quite a bit of power with some of the radios. The FCC would like you to have an understanding of what you are doing before you transmit and probably interrupt some critical radio traffic by accident. Gate keeping is not such a bad thing in certain instances
@@mauricejames2154 I listen in on 3.860 LSB often. That band is lost. It makes the Citizen's Band frequencies sound wholesome and polite. Over half of the operators do not use their callsigns. I am certain more than half of the operators on that band are not licensed. The activity around 7 megacycles seems to be heading that way as well, but not quite there. Citizens band is actually really quiet around here. I mainly hear some traffic on 38 LSB and 16 USB. The rest is really abandoned. The FCC has no jurisdiction here. We use the CRCT. However it is influenced by the FCC because theu try to keep the same bands as the FCC, though slightly different rules. But it really seems anybody can just pick up a radio and go, "echo boxing," and swearing on 3.860.
I liked your video. I also use the Baufeng UV5R and i reach repeaters at 50 kilometers from my qth. I like these small and cheap radios. I also got a CRT Space-V that i bought for just under 100 dollars new. It has got 17 watt, scanning and all the subtones and stuff. A stationary radio that fits in your palm. I put the magnet antenna on the car and go. Thank you again. 73 de SM6OCS Sweden.
Dude, that was great. Weather conditions influence a lot, but reaching this far is great. There is software (freeware) that helps you out to calculate using your UTM coordinates, and it's spectacular for newbies (just like me). Thanks for sharing buddy. Getting my license soon!
It was great in the 1980s up until about 1999. With a three watt walkie talkie and a rubberduck antenna, I spoke from Prince Edward Island, Canada to Puebla, Mexico often. When we moved to Saskatchewan, Canada and there I could hear England on illegal North American radios, but I could not talk to them. I put a homemade antenna on the roof of the house and I could still talk to Northern Canada and Northern South American nations. Those were good days. Today, tube in any band. You will be greated with whitenoise, atmospheric static pops, and electronic produced noise. You may hear the extremely rare distant station calling out a lonely CQ. It seems 3.865 Megacycles and 7.5 megacycles have some vague activity, and just a but on 2 meter FM. The rest of the bands may be good for listening to EVP, as empty as they are. Even the once famous citizen's band is deserted. Was that my late Uncle Bueford on the EVP? These are bleak times for any radio hobby.
@OneGun Son Triggered much? Lowbrow people, like yourself, that believe the earth is flat, shows me that you embrace stupidity while throwing everything you were taught in school away. Science is real stuff. This is America, not Moronica.
Can you bounce that signal a second time? For a second call ? To the same guy? I don’t think so. This video it’s a reference to Echolink ham radio systems, that can access echolink repeaters all over the world (while enabled and online) using an rf transceiver. Would be nice that viewers get the right understanding about the video, not some nonsense comments .
My dad is 67 and been doing this his whole life. They like their radios and stuff. I remember the tubes... Morse code key. I regret not learning more about it. I own multiple of these radios and been too lazy to learn them....
@Peter there are several intertie systems on 70 cm that will easily reach 2000 miles. It all depends on your access to these systems. Check out the WIN System as an example.
wow, this was so cool. didn't know repeaters were so strong (20 to 30 miles). interesting how you have to wait for the repeater to connect/disconnect or what you might call it in HAM radio lingo. I still have a book from a long time ago when i was going to study for my operators license (Novice Voice Class) (FCC License Preparation - from Radio Shack... had two cassettes in it and was by Fred Maia W5YI and Gordon West WB6NOA, I think both of them had their Amateur Extra Class tickets).... it has all sorts of electronics knowledge requirements , test questions and such,,,,wow...it's loaded with electrical engineering type stuff.... it's a little intimidating but I'm sure, well worth the effort....nothing in life should be a cake walk. The reason I didn't pursue it , was that back then i was just a kid with an empty wallet (wasn't a cheap hobby at all)..... sounds like that has changed. thanks for your video!
I don't know if you knew but Rapid Consulting is using your picture on their ads promoting my emergency radio which is completely different than the Baofeng UV-5R
I just got my first two UV5Rs as a Christmas gift. Do you have a 'start here' video for noobs to keep us from making the bigger mistakes? And I'd love to know what main frequencies to program in, for example, if there are preferred emergency frequencies for when we are off-roading in the Cascade mountains.
"Ham" has been making a comeback ever since the discontinued CW for licensing. Interestingly, now that people aren't scared of learning it to pass exams, they want to. With digital modes such as FT-8, JT-65, SSTV and others, it gets the interest of people who wouldn't find rag chewing interesting per se.
If people dinnt have to have a licence mabey more people would have them! I mean I'm going to get the book to study for the test but I have learning disability and don't know if ill pass the test. So I may never be able to talk all I can do is listen
The only part I didn't understand is how you select those remote repeaters when you're using an HT. You choose your local repeater frequency, but how does it know to forward your traffic to that specific repeater in WA?
I thought this would be some cool tutorial video about weather conditions, tropospheric ducting, etc, buuuuut an EchoLink video is cool too! I really like your channel.
Great information. What would you recommend in two-way radios for a realistic distance of at least 20 miles? Something affordable but definitely not Cobra radios. Thanks!
Great video. I like that you are using the original Baofeng antennas. I have got better luck with my Nagoya antenna and using handheld yagi antenna for SOTA operations. Cheers 73 KX4IG
I didn’t become a ham until I moved up to Tennessee so I really couldn’t tell you. Mostly work DX and local VHF so far. Have a friend down around Dawsonville N4STG that would probably know.
Found this vid while searching about Echolink. How did you connect woth echolink using your HT? I wanna use Echolink, but would like to use a radio instead of my phone. Thanks...KN4WXI
find a Echolink enabled repeater in your area. Ask if anyone is using the repeater, then hold PTT and punch in the node, conference or repeater ID you want to connect to. When you are done hold PTT and press # to disconnect. Contact the repeater owner or manager if you have problems. www.echolink.org/Help/dtmf_functions.htm
Can you clarify two things for me, do you enter the connection code for the end repeater you are trying to reach i.e. Washington not sweat mountain? And are the codes listed in a repeater directory? Oops, three things, which repeater directory do you recommend? I have not purchased one in 25yrs.
It would be nice to see exactly how to initiate Echolink from one repeater to an Echolink node on another repeater... Perhaps you could do a follow-up video showing the sequence? I have a repeater in my area here and would like to reach friends in Greenville SC on their club repeater (it also has an Echolink node), maybe even to say hello on your club repeater :) - not may places to see these advanced use cases. Thank you for making these - well done!
@@hasnat9545 You don't "get an Echlink callsign", you get a "General class FCC amateur radio license" by studying and taking the test. Once you have your license and callsign you can register with Echolink. It's free, but you must have an amateur radio license and callsign.
Interesting! In the late 80s, I really got into BBS (precursor to the internet). I think the fascination is with people doing instant communication while being separated by great distance. 30 years later, most of us don't get it, as we've been spoiled with the internet. But to watch this and remember those BBS days, it makes me kind of understand how exciting this hobby was before the 90s changed everything... and how special it is to still get excited about it. My Baofengs brought me here.
@@Arvinderwalia1976 BBS required telephone land-lines. Are you saying some places are doing dial-up BBS because they have no internet service providers for dial-up?
@@Gruuvin1 hey! What I meant was that it is used on places which has difficult terrain to be linked with cell towers.. as the antenna on the hand set can deliver message to a echo link (land lines or cell tower) present 30 miles across or even more..
Wow... just came across your channel sir (3 years later). That's impressive. I'm near you here in Marietta, GA... near Sandy Plains and Hwy. 92. I'm new at this and learning as I go along. Let me know if you got a minute! So much to learn here!
Just got my Baofeng UV-5R a few weeks ago. Still sorting out the detail minutia of operating this, but it is very reasonably priced for what it is. If or when the internet access and cell systems suddenly go dark, this will still be fully operational.
@@adamdiamond4595 Yes, to *communicate* with someone far away using a small handheld radio, you need to use “repeaters”. These are devices that receive your signal and send it again with more power. Without repeaters, your radio can only realistically reach people within ~2.5 to 5 miles. This is because small handheld radios have a small antenna and low power output. However, even this short range can be useful in emergencies, as you might find other radio users nearby. (Given that you're in even a somewhat populated area and not in the middle of nowhere) Reminder, that is for *sending* signal, for receiving you can be many miles away and still listen in as long as the person is transmitting with *high* power.
Brian, thank you for explaining the controversial aspects of the UV5R. I’d seen your video in which you described the signal quality, but was unaware of the impact of that failure in addition to the illegal band access. Yikes! Get what you pay for, I guess.
You get more than you pay for. Question is, can you appreciate and handle the responsibility? If you can't afford twenty dollars for a UV5R, save your cash. Sounds like you may need it.
I still can't figure out how to connect my Alinco DJ500 HT to contact a repeater far away. Maybe I missed something in the video but I would like to see a "how to" like minimum requirements of the HT or how to set it up etc.
Great Video.I've just started to use IRLP. My ham radio club has Echo Link on the club's repeater. Can I assume you just punched in the Echo Link node number to talk to people on the west coast? Thank you. Ernest Bazzinotti KC1LKB
It seems 90% of conversations using ham revolve around the fact they're using ham.
S H until the day you need to use it for something else. 😉
Like sports when group of men meet, it's an obvious common interest.
Hf conversation has a lot about the respective operator's national political climate and their nation's current events. VHF and UHF is about ham radio equipment. Regardless, all I have is a communications receiver with an antenna on the roof of my house. I have no transmitter. I am not even an amateur radio operator. I just listen in. I do have an old radio I installed in my vehicle back in 1996. It is still working in there but the band is nearly dead.
Lol! Radio check! Been there done that many times. I'm getting back into it when my new radio arrives after a 25 year break. Need a new license I suppose.
Ham operators are essential in national emergencies. That’s why the FCC allotted numerous frequencies for ham operators.
I have great respect for ham radio operators, a ham radio operator helped me find my family in Somalia after the civil war.
care to share more on this story
@@davidgillis25asking for more is crazy
Ham radio was the original Internet. As a kid we used to talk to people all over the place.
@Arriaga Two don't think that became a thing till the 90s
And today people avoid each talking to each other
I keep telling my youngest daughter about how before the internet @www Radio Amateurs had a thing called packet radio where we sent messages around the world and even into space during the MIR era...we addressed a lot of our packet messages to All @ww or world wide using a program called jnos and a protocol called TCPIP which stood for Transfer Control Protocol Internet Protocol and all before the so called Internet...
Total green question: Is the baofeng radio throwing like 10-20 mile connection to the repeater on the mountain top and the repeater actually connecting 2100 miles to the Seattle or what is going on? Thank you.
BBS's was the original Internet. Ham Radio was the original Social Media.
Those repeaters are creating endless possibilities! Once you understand difference between simplex and duplex communications a new world opens. HAM and CB radio communications attract people with special interests, often Asperger personality type or in the spectrum of autism, that said without any malice, I am one of those and been always fascinated by radio communications, electronics (my father offered me one of those Radio Shack electronics kits for learning in the 70s). Cheers
I'm with you, and I like your good comment!
My grandfather had ham radio back in the 60's and 70's and I still remember his call letters
My Uncle Kenny was a HAM operator for decades. I regret never picking his brain and learning the details.
Over the past 3 years I have purchased 4 boafengs of different types. I just ordered another 2 UV5Rs at less than $22/each from Amazon. They are the main reason I got my technician license, and have participated in local radio nets. The hobby should be embracing them. I was the youngest person on the radio nets by at least 20 years (and I am in my 40s).
Many do not seem to realise that it is not a money game. It is a communication hobby and service. If you can transmit on a homemade radio, converted from an ancient CB, that is allowed. But the money snobs are so stupid that they are killing their own hobby and their own service. Already some areas are dismissing amateur radio operators from storm preparation exercises. They are not a friendly bunch. I fully agree with you. The budget minded radios should be welcomed far above the ones that cost as much as used cars. When something horrible happens, it is the budget radios that will be everywhere, license or not. The super expensive radios will be very few and far between.
So you have to have a license for the ham walkie talkies?
@@godbless6939 There is no need for a license to own any amateur radio equipment, use it for receiving, and even working on a piece of amateur radio equipment. The license is only to transmit on the airwaves. I have set up many amateur radio stations, repaired equipment, even build antenna tuners, power supplies, antennas, and modified radio equipment from one radio service to operate on the amateur radio bands. I could easily get the amateur radio license. But many forget that it is a hobby and service for communication. It is not a hobby for the most expensive equipment and insulting those that operate budget equipment, and self built equipment. Thus, I stay an equipment technician only, and do not get my license.
@@indridcold8433 facts,💯
@@ridge7524 Unfortunate facts. Oh well, I will keep building the radios and setting them up. When the equipment snobs die off and the airwaves become a friendly place, I may get my license. Strange that the equipment snobs do not seem as knowledgeable about making antennas and tuners than the budget minded operators. I guess the equipment snobs just buy the antenna and the tuner and the budget minded operators make their own.
Added to my list of apocalypse items.
Machete? Check. Baofeng UV5r? Check. Cyanide tablets? Check.
@Z80 Corona brought me here
I have shot skip from Maine to Barbados 2,200 plus miles on 4 watt's.. Get yourself a CB and a good basestaion antenna. No internet no repeater need. So when the world's coming to an end who cares what somebody across the country is doing in California you want to know what's going on in the area you are.
I bought one of these a year ago. Way to complicated. Now i need to learn how to use it
The time is growing near. Stock your Jeep, true 4x4, or 4x4 pickup truck now. It is almost time to run. Do not bother with modern, "4x4s," they are pure garbage. Concentrate on 4x4 with high ground clearance, no GPS, nothing controlled by computer, except maybe timing spark. Anything past 2006 is likely not a true 4x4. Very few were made after that. Stock spare petrol or diesel. Have transceivers for as much frequencies as you can get. When running, stay as far away from main roads as possible. Cut through fields, abandoned properties, and undeveloped land. Listen to the public as well as the government bands. My Jeep is already stocked and ready to go. Bring a firearm.
Iv never seen anything like this with a hand held. My interest is sparked
its the same as VOIP, many HAMS do not consider this actual Ham Radio communications, its listening and talking over the internet.
I for one never got into it for that very reason even though I have Echolink. BUT to each their own, 73 de KD6SBR
@@lt4324 its fun to pkay around with no and then but in a real emergency situation these services wont be available. A lot want to just play HAM and the rest will be the ones with communication if it ever came to it
@@lt4324 anything that gets someone using the equipment is a positive.
it's akin to thinking your wireless headset through the PC/internet has a 12,250 mile range....; it is undoubtedly only a sub-5 mw transmitter, good for getting perhaps 2-3 miles...on a good day
Get a baofeng uv 82 hp it's like the best radio for 30 bucks n o problems
Good video Brian! Thank you, I am currently studying for my technician license and did a whole bunch of research on purchasing handheld unit and the Baofeng was highly rated. I am thinking making this my first radio. They are also FCC approved.
I use a TYT UVF-9 and have used it a lot. I've been told it sounds as good as the more expensive radios. I talked to a guy who was talking to someone else with a TYT UVF-1 and neither of us were impressed with it. I'm using the radio as it came with original antenna.
The HELL with 5G I'm throwing away my Samsung $1,500 cell phone and getting this for $50 bucks and I'll be able to talk to NASA!!! Priceless
Seriously
Fr 😍 I wanna talk to NASA omg
Screw 50 bucks, you can find this thing on wish for about 25 bucks!
Amen Man !!!
Totally Excellent!...Saved me a bundle of money come DOOMSDAY....You catch my drift...Transmitting from the NUCLEAR BOMB SHELTER 22 feet in the ground via mirror link and repeaters...With a LICENSE....Hello Moscow?....Beijing?....Ho Che city?....Tehran ?....Hello? ANYBODY OUT THERE....??? DC?....We got hit first with a ELECTRO MAGNETIC PULSE BURST 50 miles above us....Then minutes later a 10 MEGATON NEUTRON BOMB BURST ABOVE US AT 3,000 feet...The OVER PRESSURE DESTROYED SOME INSTRUMENTS...It was HORRIFIC...A “9” on the Richter scale...But we still have a hermetic seal on the bunker....Hello?....hel....
The UV-5R was my first cheap Chinese radio purchase, having bought Yaesu and Icom in the past. I just recently purchased the 5X3 because I wanted the 220 band. Both are really nice radios. As for Echolink, I use the app on my smartphone. I used to love using the Evergreen Intertie that connects Northern California to Oregon and Washington, but it's been several years since I've been on that.
Thank you for your vids. I've had a UV5R+ for years and mainly used it to listen, but you've motivated me to finally get my license so I can transmit. I've been reluctant because I'm dyslexic and get very nervous about written tests. Thank you Brian!
best of luck. You can take practice exams with the actual questions online or using an app.
It's not a written test, it's a multiple choice, check-the-box test. Go to hamstudy.org, it's fantastic: free online but for a few dollars the phone app gives you complete portability. I used hamstudy for three weeks, and took and passed all three tests in one sitting :-)
@@HamRadioInAction hi. What type of walkie talkie would you recommend a person without access to Internet, for maximum range?
@@Bingbang.1 Way too many variables to answer. Most of the time it seems the limiting factor is what can you afford. Hf goes further but you need to pass 2 tests. I got a contact in England from Florida on a baofeng sitting in my couch.
@@ronrico2620 ok very interesting. is it using the internet? or is it completely independent ? if you get what i mean .
This was so awesome. I'm studying for my Technician and going to be taking the test next month. My mom and uncle were HAMs back in the 70s and 80s so this has been something I've wanted to get into for years.
E=㎡ Have a nice weekend of science E/G
I remeber my older friends playing with high power amplified radios back in the day. I was just a youngin’.
They were talking to people in Australia from his garage. He was saying the neighbors used to get upset at the bleed through into their land line phone conversations 😂🤦🏼♂️ Awesome stuff.
I was just the young tag along broke kid without a job at that point.
Now I’m back to give it a go..
I used to love sitting my grandparent's basement listening to skip on their CB base station in Pittsburgh. We would get responses from people in Texas and Florida. Cool stuff and that was back in the 70's! I'm still searching for a two way handheld that is capable of reaching 15 miles so I can talk with my daughter who lives with her mother. Yes we have cell phones today but I would LOVE to educate her on how people used to communicate long distances years ago remotely. Not that 15 miles is a long distance lol. Most 2-3 watt units have an urban range of 1-3 miles. Claimed 25 miles but that HAS to be in like Kansas or from a mountain top. Handhelds today are made for cruise ships, camping, ect.
@Peter You literally have zero listening skills
@Peter He literally says "echolink" (via internet) in the video and its in the description too? This isn't rocket science my friend
Actually, you can do that by making a tape ruler antenna called a Yagi antenna.
Its directional like an old TV antenna. When put in the vertical position and pointing it in the direction of your daughters house and put up about 15 feet. You will have a 4 times power increase. She would need one to, pointing back towards your house.
I build all of my antennas. From 2 meters, 70 cm, as well as HF antennas for all my communication gear.
I learned all this from taking my ham tests and bought Gordon West's books.
Technician class book and
General class book.
If u decide to buy the books, insure they are for 2021 tests. They change the question pool, every few years.
Worth the money, especially when Katrina happened years ago. All cell phones went down and ham radio was only communications out back then.
Do a TH-cam search for tape ruler yagi antenna and learn how a simple tape ruler can increase a 5 watt radio to the equivalent of a 20 watt radio, by using a directional, yagi antenna. The more elements a yagi has, the more gain the antenna will have. I built a 4 element yagi antenna for 70cm and hit a repeater 40 miles away.
It also works for any frequency whe. You know the math and use an instrument called an swr meter to tune your antennas.
I don't use echo link at all.
I’m in Sydney and on my cheapest radio even cheaper than my Uv5r is my baofeng bf888s (70cm band) got 150kms/ over
90mls to mt panorama to a friend at the Bathurst 1000 which ramping up for the year
Using our club repeater couldn’t be more happy.
I too got into hobby first with Uv5r and as well have bought a few yaesu rigs to have home and mobile sets including HF for dxing.
Think the wingers should settle down embrace baofeng and recommend people upgrade we’re possible
73
No way!! My dad lives in Renton Wa. And my brother lives in Newnan Ga. north of Atlanta. That’s great... made my day
Newnan is south of atlanta
I love how he says “I don’t get too many views so you won’t be famous...” well atm there 3/4 a million views lol. Well done and thank you for the info!
Adam
The New Woodworker
Nice Job. I think it is important to have active ham radio operators in the country. In an even of an Emergency ham radios can bridge the gap between citizens, local, state and federal government services as well as other ham radio operator stations that are working with citizens to help connect people.
I love your content speaking with people, please make more! Great for new hams to get an understanding and appreciation for the hobby.
I bought the 5 pack Baofeng UV-5R for prepping, since I'm on the Oregon coast with the cascadia subduction zone 200 miles offshore. If we have a full rip 9.0 , they'll come in handy. Just studying for the technician license, going to take it soon. It's really got me interested in Ham radio, and I belong to the local CERT organization, with a strong Ham presence. I'm a retired LEO, thanks for the video.
this is awesome I was using that repeater that day for that orv event discussed and I remember you calling in. I was using a baofeng also. that repeater is very busy and reaches a long way.
After I graduated from university in 2015 I went and got my ham radio certification (Amateur Extra). Spent a bunch of money on gear and learning morse code and working the bands on cw & voice & data. After a few months I sold all my stuff because no one actually wanted to talk to me, they just wanted my call sign.
It COULD be your beard...
After reading the comments, there are a couple of things that I feel need to be clarified. First off, these conversations are not direct radio-to-radio, they go through repeaters. A repeater is a fixed base radio that receives radio traffic while simultaneously re-transmitting it at higher power. Repeaters are usually located on tall buildings or antenna towers like the ones used for broadcast radio and tv stations, and are several hundred feet off the ground. Even a good repeater that is high up on a tower can only give you about 50 miles of radio range tops. Hams use internet connected devices like IRLP, and computers running programs such as Echolink and Allstar that are connected to the repeaters to link repeaters in different cities together via the internet. At 1:11, the operator mentions that he is using Echolink. The other thing I want to mention is before you go out and buy one of these radios and start ragchewing on the ham bands, you need to pass an exam and get a license/callsign from the FCC. This operator identifies himself as "K4BBO" which is his FCC issued callsign. I myself am a licensed operator of the General Class, callsign KC9YEJ.
9:20 dude catches a fish in the background
Lmao, dude I skipped to that and fell out of my chair. Thank you for the laugh
Lol I wasn't paying attention to him because I wanted to see him catch the fish
@tlw987
Which arguably is more exciting than the video lol.
Made my day lol!
Fucked up... i clicked hahah
Good promo video for ham radio. Thanks for your work, 73 W6DRO (Continuously licensed and on the air for 65 years)
wow! I used to play amature radio 30 years ago in China when in middle school. so excited to hear those terms again! 73!
"using the internet" aw man I was so amazed until hearing this
I know right, boooo :(
Real men use HF
That’s true, it use to be a challenge to transmit long distance through the ionosphere or a repeater tower to other operators.
not to mention being tracked by big brother.....when the shtf and the net is down...or shut off by the powers that be....then what do you do?
Sooo, why didn’t you show how to make the repeater you’re hitting use EchoLink to hit the other EchoLink repeater. That would’ve been a video worth sitting through and Informative
This is radio cool: I used to be a independent over the road trucker . I used a super chipped up C B radio for many years. I could talk to people from states away. It always helped me know what what I was about to get into down the road.....
This is higher frequency, and skip does not play a part.
Before Convy move of, CB friends from tokyo Yokota air
This is a great video on radio etiquette and demonstrating the power of Echolink repeaters. I got my license Sept 2018, so it's all very new and exciting for me. I got the same radio with a Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch antenna. Thank you very much! KD2QKG - Brooklyn, NY
My 1st listening to an actual communication. I’m am ready to purchase baofeng rather uv82 or uv 5r waiting for a response for a TH-camr. Wondering also where to study for my test. And is a tactical foldable antenna better than the 771 antenna?
I started with echolink about 20 yrs back and it's indeed a shortcut way to bypass CW and HF to talk to distant "HAMsters". Less antenna knowledge is needed to run echolink but ham radio + traditional antenna is exactly where the fun of amateur radio is derived from.
Hey man, how do you connect your radio to EchoLink? I have a baofang UV 5R
@cubingbros9782 ever figure it out?
Wow, this was a great demo, thank you for making it. I'm studying for my Technicians License and hope to test very soon. I've got a UV5R on order. I wanted to start affordably until I know/learn more. I didn't know about Echolink, I hope there are repeaters in my area that support it. I'll give it a try when I'm licensed. Thanks again, thumbs up from me.
@chaosfactor333 hi. What type of walkie talkie would you recommend a person without access to Internet, for maximum range?
how can I get the info for the license
I live in Jamaica and I was thinking about my family during this post apocalyptic world and wondering how to communicate if I have to go and hunt for food, thank you 100% for this
That’s why I’m here!
975,000 views later, I think N7RVF got a little more famous than he expected :)
I have just purchased a uv5re. Have not had a lot play time. I have had my call 32 years. KB4ZXY JAX. FL.
"Little" town called Renton, that one gave me a chuckle!
Jacob Latham haha same
Only 100k... That is a small town.... Sincerely, a Texan
Same here. Lol
Brian, great video as always. I use Echolink all the time. Also some of the other digital modes. I am KD4NSZ. Could you explain to the croud, or even make a video of how we connect our handheld to Echolink? I think some folks get lost with the setup of going from the HT>Echolink>Repeater> Echolink>other Repeater with Echolink>other HAM. Thanks.
I am planning to make a video on how to do it. You use your radio like a phone and use DTMF tones to connect...I wish Brian would answer the question I posted earlier about it but did my own research on how to do it.
Brand new to HAM radio. Still learning the ins and outs. This is a very informative video for me when dealing with long distant communication. Something I have not seen yet. Very cool. Thanks!
OMG! Small world. I live in Texas. I raised my kids in Roswell. We played at THAT park all the time!!! I just stumbled across this video.
Before me too from tokyo japan have a gooday of,
Love it. Your Joy of Hamm is priceless.
you need a video on how to key into your repeater (that had echolink) and join an echolink conference room.
Fantastic video, Brian. I have recently got my licence here in Ireland and have just been validated for echolink, so I am hoping to make many QSO's worldwide until I get a HF setup over the next couple of months. All the best and 73's, Jason EI3IQB
Congrats, welcome to the hobby. Don’t have Ireland in my HF logbook yet.
@@HamRadioInAction Thanks Brian. I am hoping to get up and running on HF as soon as possible, as 2m analogue is very quiet here. I might even catch you on HF in the future. Keep up the great videos!! 73's, Jason EI3IQB
@@HamRadioInAction so explain what license you need
Now i want these for emergencies. can they be used with walkie talkie channels??and locally if needed?
Ok this dude is more helpful then Facebook groups, I’m subscribing
Baofeng's are great. they get more people into the hobby inexpensively versus having the hobby slowly die off.
@happy mass shooting usa cause it is Chinese brand name company
Unfortunately older radio operators trash talk so much garbage to new hams upcoming into the hobby. And they act like there better then people, well that's what I've encountered
el pocho Dan me too. Old hams have tried to discourage me from even stating. Now I know who’s worth talking to and ignore the others
@@kentcyclist lots of old hams not every one keep acting like the education needs to be complicated and or they want to keep the standards so high that no one can pass or take away privileges all while trying to censor the 1st amendment. Old hammers and the FCC should make it easier to pass the technician and general license it's like thier tyrants, pushing away new comers. It's like anti gunners they keep fucking good ppl to get in the game or restricting ppl from it.
Us "old hams" want one thing. We want ham radio to forever remain a technical fraternity. We welcome new people who are eager to take the covers off their radios, and figure out how they work. Then to learn ways to modify their radios to do things they were not originally designed to do, and to take equipment from other services and modify that equipment to work on ham frequencies.
We reminisce the good ol' days when technological advance was not driven by professionals with engineering degrees, but rather by the hobbyist designing and building circuits down in his basement after work.
So yeah, if you tell us you have no desire to ever read a schematic diagram or heat up a soldering iron, all you want to do is get on the air, chat with people, and make new friends, we "old hams" will give you the cold shoulder. Because that's not what ham radio is all about.
Show an interest in technical matters, and you'll get plenty of encouragement from us.
I must be the only one salivating at HAM radio
You're not 🤤
love black sabbath. And you're not the only one
If you decide to take your test, I say, look for Gordon West's technician class book and General class book on ebay. Under $30bucks. Make sure it is for 2021 testing.
Good Luck.
I almost feel like Ham radio just has too many rules and procedures, that stifle innovation. Most "discoveries" have already been made.
You are using echolink over a repeater which means you are using the internet. Could just use a cell phone be the same thing essentially.
That’s true and that means it’s kinda useless if the grid goes down
I have often wondered about the big deal about echolink. There are websites that one can talk all over the planet without having any sort of amateur radio operator license and it still uses the internet, like echolink. It seems echolink would be entertaining. But is it really amateur radio? It has the small aspect of connecting with the amateur radio transceiver. But if you are home you can still do it on the computer without the transceiver. By the way, I am just a communications receiver owner and also have an SDR dongle on my computer. I am not an amateur radio operator. I am simply curious what the big deal about echolink is.
@@indridcold8433 Echolink is good for people who are new to the hobby. It helps them learn protocol when talking to people in other countries so when they do get on a real radio and make a contact in Italy, they know how to handle it. It's just another avenue to "play" until the internet crashes.
I'm not sure why this is an 'impressive' feat myself.
@Turd Ferguson True HF radio communications. A radio and a wire antenna, no internet needed. There are many modes amateurs use for communication that depend on an internet connection, DMR, YSF, P25, NXDN, AllStar, DStar, Echolink, IRLP, etc. I enjoy some myself, they are fun, no expensive HF radio is needed, no long wire antennas needed, and you can talk anywhere in the world (mostly), but only if you have an internet connection available. Bragging about making a 2100 mile contact is silly, he did nothing of the sort. He actually used the handy talkie to talk to another radio in very close proximity to him. That second radio is connected to a computer which in turn is connected to the internet. You don't even need a radio for Echolink, and some of the others too. So if I'm using my iPhone to get on Echolink, and talk to someone in Germany, should I brag about making a contact thousands of mile away? Some will, I won't. But it is fun.
Wanting to buy but not sure which ones to buy? I need one yo reach my daughter that lives 200 miles away. Which one do you advise?
I'm kinda in the same boat, and it's confusing.
I'd like to listen to air traffic, NOAA weather, etc but still have all the capabilities of the venerable UV5R...
I use my Baofang radio for Search & Rescue. We can communicate directly with our Sherriff’s office dispatch, communicate with deputies and city officers on patrol, we can communicate with our air posse (airplane search team) we can also talk directly to our EMT/EMS response teams along with the LifeFlight helicopter pilot when in remote locations. For $70 dual band radio, it is quite surprising what we can do with them.
I have owned a Baofeng 5r for a couple of years using it every now and then mostly listening to marine channels. A while back we had a power outage for a couple of days and after 5 hours the cell phone towers went out, the operators skimped out on battery backups. I rediscovered my 5r and could listen to broadcasts and communicate with others.
So you don’t need a licence then so ya ? I’m in Canada , just bought a couple of these to use as walkie talkies with my brother who lives 25 miles away. Will they work and do we need to get registered ?
But I can't get 3g signal 2 miles out of town
Wow! We have 4G everywhere for years here in Hungary. And now we have 5G too
@@savedgez cellphone here in los angeles suck ass. Is not that. Great We suppose to get 5g. But really, But it was worse
cell signal is a much higher frequency and has much higher attenuation
I am living in The Netherlands (EU) en just saw your video. Great ! THX !
Great video, I am just getting started with the hamm radio and am trying to learn as much as I can . Thanks and God Bless
My dad would have love this stuff He Was The only one in the family That understood this Ham radio Talk he used to set an Listen To them talk back-and-forth for hours.
Any radio can make contact thousands of miles away, it just depends on the repeater[s] you are going through.
Using a lowly citizen's band transceiver, I was able to make contact to a station in Northern Mexico from Saskatchewan, Canada. The transmitter was sending 1 watt. That was very impressive. The following day the transceiver had trouble making it to the next street.
@fpeletz There are linked repeater system that can cross a nation. But one repeater, no, they can not get very far as compared to an HF signal. However, I may have witnessed the 2 meter troposphere ducting you mentioned. I was listining in and I thought it was just people playing around saying they were thousands of kilometers away. But I looked up the two call signs and they were truly extremely far apart. I may not be an amateur radio operator, but the listening aspect of the radio hobby is incredible as well.
@354 HEMI There are so many free radio service bands that there really is no need for getting an amateur radio license. Where I reside, there are non licensed equivalents for 12, 10, 6, 2 meters and 70 centimeters. I think there is also a nonlicensed equivalent of the 33 centimeter band here as well. Many nations have free radio services somewhat equivalent to amateur radio.
@@indridcold8433 its all about what the sun is doing on 11 meters. And lately, the sun has done nothing.
With my general class ham license, ill use 40 meters and make contacts every day of the week. 20 meters is considered the "magic band" my favorite band to use is, 17 meters.
@@DMF716 I did have an interest in amateur HF and still do. I listen often. However, there is little, to no, HF surplus equipment that can be converted to HF amateur bands. Fof VHF and UHF there are mountains of surplus equipment that can be easily converted to amateur radio frequencies. I actually do it for people that pay me. Thus VHF and UHF equipment is very, very affordable. Antennas are super easy to make. A homemade 5 ampere power supply is all that is needed to get a fair powered, basic station. But for HF, so little surplus convertible equipment exists that one is stuck having to purchase an HF transceiver. They are very expensive. Homemade antennas are possible on HF also but they are very large, clumsy, antennas. Buying an HF antenna is also very expensive. On HF you will want to make a 50 ampere power supply to power tuners, the transceiver, amplifiers, and speakers. My interests in amateur radio lay in HF. The prices scared me away. Sure, I can get the entry level license and go on the air on 10,6,4,2, 1.25, meters and 70 cm, 33cm, 23cm. But that is all mainly local. Local does not hold the magic I want. Recently, I thought I would see what was required to get licensed for the entry level just to satisfy curiosity. Not one VE is holding testing anywhere in North America due to our pal Coronavirus. It looks like it was not meant to be. I guess I will just be listening in on the 11 meter ghost band and calling out every once in awhile to get no response.
KBX1339 is monitoring.
10:15 for anyone wants to know why Baofengs cause controversy.
I do not understand why the, "gate keeping?" It is a hobby, not a duty. Why do some want to make a hobby as hard and as restrictive as possible? Those people are killing their own hobby by taking it too seriously. I enjoy going off road. Maybe I should start, "gate keeping," the off road hobby. I demand everyone that want to go off road have to make their own vehicle from scratch and power it with a diesel from a cargo truck. They must put the diesel in their self. The vehicle can not have a factory designed drive train.
@@indridcold8433 If you ever listen to truckers on CB you will understand why the "gate keeping". Also you are able to transmit quite a bit of power with some of the radios. The FCC would like you to have an understanding of what you are doing before you transmit and probably interrupt some critical radio traffic by accident. Gate keeping is not such a bad thing in certain instances
@@mauricejames2154 I listen in on 3.860 LSB often. That band is lost. It makes the Citizen's Band frequencies sound wholesome and polite. Over half of the operators do not use their callsigns. I am certain more than half of the operators on that band are not licensed. The activity around 7 megacycles seems to be heading that way as well, but not quite there. Citizens band is actually really quiet around here. I mainly hear some traffic on 38 LSB and 16 USB. The rest is really abandoned. The FCC has no jurisdiction here. We use the CRCT. However it is influenced by the FCC because theu try to keep the same bands as the FCC, though slightly different rules. But it really seems anybody can just pick up a radio and go, "echo boxing," and swearing on 3.860.
@@mauricejames2154 yes it is
campursarimania Thanks bro! Owe you a beer!
I have talked to Syracuse NY nation wide net from Texas on mine while 41 miles away from my repeater using a DBJ-1 antenna .
I liked your video. I also use the Baufeng UV5R and i reach repeaters at 50 kilometers from my qth. I like these small and cheap radios. I also got a CRT Space-V that i bought for just under 100 dollars new. It has got 17 watt, scanning and all the subtones and stuff. A stationary radio that fits in your palm. I put the magnet antenna on the car and go. Thank you again. 73 de SM6OCS Sweden.
Hey buddy it's good seeing you Joe from Carrollton Georgia you have a very good video❤
Dude, that was great. Weather conditions influence a lot, but reaching this far is great. There is software (freeware) that helps you out to calculate using your UTM coordinates, and it's spectacular for newbies (just like me).
Thanks for sharing buddy. Getting my license soon!
I have talked around the world with a CB. Skipping the signal off the ionosphere. No repeater needed!
It was great in the 1980s up until about 1999. With a three watt walkie talkie and a rubberduck antenna, I spoke from Prince Edward Island, Canada to Puebla, Mexico often. When we moved to Saskatchewan, Canada and there I could hear England on illegal North American radios, but I could not talk to them. I put a homemade antenna on the roof of the house and I could still talk to Northern Canada and Northern South American nations. Those were good days. Today, tube in any band. You will be greated with whitenoise, atmospheric static pops, and electronic produced noise. You may hear the extremely rare distant station calling out a lonely CQ. It seems 3.865 Megacycles and 7.5 megacycles have some vague activity, and just a but on 2 meter FM. The rest of the bands may be good for listening to EVP, as empty as they are. Even the once famous citizen's band is deserted. Was that my late Uncle Bueford on the EVP? These are bleak times for any radio hobby.
@OneGun Son
Really? You want to take it there? CB/SSB and Ham radio proves there is no flat earth, among millions of other reasons.
@OneGun Son
Triggered much? Lowbrow people, like yourself, that believe the earth is flat, shows me that you embrace stupidity while throwing everything you were taught in school away. Science is real stuff. This is America, not Moronica.
Can you bounce that signal a second time? For a second call ? To the same guy? I don’t think so. This video it’s a reference to Echolink ham radio systems, that can access echolink repeaters all over the world (while enabled and online) using an rf transceiver. Would be nice that viewers get the right understanding about the video, not some nonsense comments .
That was the coolest thing ever! My inner child was like😳🤩😂
Lol 👍🏿
My dad is 67 and been doing this his whole life. They like their radios and stuff. I remember the tubes... Morse code key. I regret not learning more about it. I own multiple of these radios and been too lazy to learn them....
Question: What kind of distance can two Baofeng UV-5R ham radios communicate with each other?
The only guy on TH-cam who didn’t click bait his thumbnail! Thank you.
I read today the record for Meteor Scatter 2m communication is a bit over 3100km. No repeaters/links.
aka Meteor Burst Communication (MBC)
@Peter there are several intertie systems on 70 cm that will easily reach 2000 miles. It all depends on your access to these systems. Check out the WIN System as an example.
I used one about 30 years ago, when I talk, all neighbor's TV completely out of order, even my father's TV, hahaha, that's a long lost memory.
Is there a video of how to connect to Echolink then?
Thank you very much for this video, I really like the straigh forward and down to earth style of the material that you upload.
73 & DX from LU1AID
3:30 Lmaoo “not too many views” ends up getting 250k+ views
03/19/2020 ------- 380,000 VIEWS
Half a million now lol
thats a cute cat pic!!
700k+
wow, this was so cool. didn't know repeaters were so strong (20 to 30 miles). interesting how you have to wait for the repeater to connect/disconnect or what you might call it in HAM radio lingo. I still have a book from a long time ago when i was going to study for my operators license (Novice Voice Class) (FCC License Preparation - from Radio Shack... had two cassettes in it and was by Fred Maia W5YI and Gordon West WB6NOA, I think both of them had their Amateur Extra Class tickets).... it has all sorts of electronics knowledge requirements , test questions and such,,,,wow...it's loaded with electrical engineering type stuff.... it's a little intimidating but I'm sure, well worth the effort....nothing in life should be a cake walk. The reason I didn't pursue it , was that back then i was just a kid with an empty wallet (wasn't a cheap hobby at all)..... sounds like that has changed. thanks for your video!
This radio is ~$25. Now would be a great time to get into it!
Love it i have one and mostly listen to the fm radio so many good stations i could never get.
I don't know if you knew but Rapid Consulting is using your picture on their ads promoting my emergency radio which is completely different than the Baofeng UV-5R
I just got my first two UV5Rs as a Christmas gift. Do you have a 'start here' video for noobs to keep us from making the bigger mistakes? And I'd love to know what main frequencies to program in, for example, if there are preferred emergency frequencies for when we are off-roading in the Cascade mountains.
Any tutorials to set up between family for emergency: fire or weather related. Thanks
If you find any please share!
Really cool video man, I wouldn't count on not being famous just yet. 😉 I believe HAM is going to have a comeback.
"Ham" has been making a comeback ever since the discontinued CW for licensing. Interestingly, now that people aren't scared of learning it to pass exams, they want to. With digital modes such as FT-8, JT-65, SSTV and others, it gets the interest of people who wouldn't find rag chewing interesting per se.
If people dinnt have to have a licence mabey more people would have them! I mean I'm going to get the book to study for the test but I have learning disability and don't know if ill pass the test. So I may never be able to talk all I can do is listen
That's awesome, this is a GREAT video! This is exactly what amateur radio is all about. Thank you sir, keep up the great work!
The only part I didn't understand is how you select those remote repeaters when you're using an HT. You choose your local repeater frequency, but how does it know to forward your traffic to that specific repeater in WA?
Bought two and am learning to use them . Thanks for not showing us crap how to reach out and contact people. Appreciated. Jest./sic.
I thought this would be some cool tutorial video about weather conditions, tropospheric ducting, etc, buuuuut an EchoLink video is cool too! I really like your channel.
thank you so much
i am taking my tech class in january 2020
i just bought a Yaesu FT-65 Handheld
i will keep in touch
how did it go?? Yaesu must be a premium brand!
Than you for sharing all this important info....very helpful.
So do you have your ham radio license? How hard is that to acquire and where can I do it legally and efficiently? Very cool video!
Great information. What would you recommend in two-way radios for a realistic distance of at least 20 miles? Something affordable but definitely not Cobra radios. Thanks!
Great video. I like that you are using the original Baofeng antennas. I have got better luck with my Nagoya antenna and using handheld yagi antenna for SOTA operations. Cheers 73 KX4IG
Pretty cool. I’m in Tennessee but from Cumming GA. Spent lots of time running around Roswell and Alpharetta.
Whats some good stations for north ga
I didn’t become a ham until I moved up to Tennessee so I really couldn’t tell you. Mostly work DX and local VHF so far. Have a friend down around Dawsonville N4STG that would probably know.
Just moved to the state about a year ago from Southern California. I absolutely love it out here.
Found this vid while searching about Echolink. How did you connect woth echolink using your HT? I wanna use Echolink, but would like to use a radio instead of my phone. Thanks...KN4WXI
find a Echolink enabled repeater in your area. Ask if anyone is using the repeater, then hold PTT and punch in the node, conference or repeater ID you want to connect to. When you are done hold PTT and press # to disconnect. Contact the repeater owner or manager if you have problems. www.echolink.org/Help/dtmf_functions.htm
Ham Radio In Action thanks...ill check it out
Can you clarify two things for me, do you enter the connection code for the end repeater you are trying to reach i.e. Washington not sweat mountain? And are the codes listed in a repeater directory? Oops, three things, which repeater directory do you recommend? I have not purchased one in 25yrs.
Georgia Greenscapes yes, yes, and I use repeaterbook. It’s free
It would be nice to see exactly how to initiate Echolink from one repeater to an Echolink node on another repeater... Perhaps you could do a follow-up video showing the sequence? I have a repeater in my area here and would like to reach friends in Greenville SC on their club repeater (it also has an Echolink node), maybe even to say hello on your club repeater :) - not may places to see these advanced use cases. Thank you for making these - well done!
thanks for taking the time to create and post this video keep up the good work
Thanks for watching and for the kind comment.
i was using echolink when i was in china over the phone app, and it work well, good video
how i get echolink call sign?
@@hasnat9545 You don't "get an Echlink callsign", you get a "General class FCC amateur radio license" by studying and taking the test. Once you have your license and callsign you can register with Echolink. It's free, but you must have an amateur radio license and callsign.
Interesting! In the late 80s, I really got into BBS (precursor to the internet). I think the fascination is with people doing instant communication while being separated by great distance. 30 years later, most of us don't get it, as we've been spoiled with the internet. But to watch this and remember those BBS days, it makes me kind of understand how exciting this hobby was before the 90s changed everything... and how special it is to still get excited about it. My Baofengs brought me here.
BBS is still relevant in places which dont have telecom towers..
@@Arvinderwalia1976 BBS required telephone land-lines. Are you saying some places are doing dial-up BBS because they have no internet service providers for dial-up?
@@Gruuvin1 hey! What I meant was that it is used on places which has difficult terrain to be linked with cell towers.. as the antenna on the hand set can deliver message to a echo link (land lines or cell tower) present 30 miles across or even more..
Do you remember node hopping trying to get for one side of the country to the other
I made my own repeater in 90s from two old transceivers
Wow... just came across your channel sir (3 years later). That's impressive. I'm near you here in Marietta, GA... near Sandy Plains and Hwy. 92. I'm new at this and learning as I go along. Let me know if you got a minute! So much to learn here!
Am I wrong to assume that using Echolink is great until we have a grid down situation?
Just got my Baofeng UV-5R a few weeks ago.
Still sorting out the detail minutia of operating this, but it is very reasonably priced for what it is.
If or when the internet access and cell systems suddenly go dark, this will still be fully operational.
For perhaps seven blocks.
is that true for only 7 blocks
@@adamdiamond4595 Yes, to *communicate* with someone far away using a small handheld radio, you need to use “repeaters”. These are devices that receive your signal and send it again with more power. Without repeaters, your radio can only realistically reach people within ~2.5 to 5 miles. This is because small handheld radios have a small antenna and low power output. However, even this short range can be useful in emergencies, as you might find other radio users nearby. (Given that you're in even a somewhat populated area and not in the middle of nowhere)
Reminder, that is for *sending* signal, for receiving you can be many miles away and still listen in as long as the person is transmitting with *high* power.
Brian, thank you for explaining the controversial aspects of the UV5R. I’d seen your video in which you described the signal quality, but was unaware of the impact of that failure in addition to the illegal band access. Yikes! Get what you pay for, I guess.
You get more than you pay for. Question is, can you appreciate and handle the responsibility? If you can't afford twenty dollars for a UV5R, save your cash. Sounds like you may need it.
The video headline is a little misleading. It's all about Echolink.
yeah I can use echo link with my cellphone lol
@@williamnelson1765 you can? How?
I still can't figure out how to connect my Alinco DJ500 HT to contact a repeater far away. Maybe I missed something in the video but I would like to see a "how to" like minimum requirements of the HT or how to set it up etc.
Great Video.I've just started to use IRLP. My ham radio club has Echo Link on the club's repeater. Can I assume you just punched in the Echo Link node number to talk to people on the west coast? Thank you. Ernest Bazzinotti KC1LKB