Having just passed the Technician test on July 8th, and after looking at numerous ham related videos...your vids are far and away the Most Informative. Your organized excellently presented presentation really removes much of the mystery of these elements of Ham radio. So glad I found your informative, well-presented youtube channel.
Glad to help! I was looking for something like this to help me but they did not exist. Someone had to fill in the void so I started doing these. As I dig into each area, I pass along what I am learning. I believe that those who follow behind should not have to climb the same hills I faced. Have fun and pass this info to those behind you!!
@@hamradiomadesimple I'm hoping to take my test next weekend, there's a couple local clubs that host nets a few times a week. Sucks not being able to join in yet. Thanks again!
Most clubs allow you to attend but not become a member until you get your license. Go try them out and see if you like them. Let them know where you are at in all this. If they jump in and offer to help, join that club. Each has its own personality so go "dating" LOL...
This has been a very enriching two part seminar. I have a general license, but did not know the first thing in how to get started in amateur ham radio. You have not only provided a gateway for me to enter, but also a road map that has laid out all a structure to enter said gateway with confidence. You have giving me the enthusiasm to join my local club, and get started on amateur ham radio! Thank you for the time to give this subject matter structure, as to set a path for anyone interested to have the foundation and courage to get started.
Thanks for all of the info made simple! Looking forward to getting into ham properly, I sell units for boats and have done for 15 years and I’ve 0 clue, time to learn!
Wow, thanks for the encouraging words!! It means a lot to me. It takes a lot of time to really dig into these apps and then break it down into a simple and easy way to understand. Comments like this, keep me going.
I just want you to know, your presentations are great. I spent most of my military career and DOD civilian career as a trainer, teaching other to teach, and writing curriculum. Because of my experience, I get easily distracted by “bad” presentations but, not yours. Thank you!
Your kind words mean a lot to me. I was so frustrated over the many videos out, where they were more fluff and had no logical format of thought. I decided to do something that most said would not work on TH-cam. Pure teaching using PP visuals. My goal is break it down into a simple format that build off of one another. Again, thanks for taking the time to post this!!
I see that this discussion was three year ago. It is still valid. I have taken the prep course for the test prep, but this vidio provided a more indepth explanation of the subject.
Thanks for all the work you have put in and the content is super. I am just getting started and hope to spend many happy moments with my new friends around the world.
Thank you for your time and investment in teaching others about HAM operations. I am excited to test for tech and plan to get my GMRS tonight. Thanks again!
Best of luck! Learn how to use it and become a master of it. Then teach others around you so you can build a local comm group of like minded people. Better to have others you can talk directly with.
Hey there. These videos are a great help for introducing newcomers to the hobby! Thanks so much for making the effort to produce these! I’ve already used them to help guide some people who are newly interested in ham radio. One thing though that you might want to correct if you ever do an updated version: D-Star has been an open standard for many years now (since shortly after it was introduced). The radio brand selection is indeed limited (Kenwood & Icom), however, the standard is fully open and there is nothing stopping Bridgecom or other manufacturers from using it in their radios. The linking/trust network isn’t limited to Icom’s original system either (there is IRCDDB, which is fully open).
Hey MJ - Just finished the first episode and really enjoyed it. Hit the like and subscribed and will definitely follow up with the other episodes. Pleasantly surprised to find you are in Wake Forest - I'm just down the road in Wendell. Hope to meet you in the future!
Great content. I was wondering, if from your experience, you could recommend a path for a non technical person to get their licences. I will watch all of your beginner videos as a starting point. Appreciate your input.
Thanks for this series. On your playlist, could you place the 1-4 videos at the top and the rest in order under part 4. Thanks! Going to share this with two people interested in ham radio.
Thank you for the informative video. I'm an 'old school' military trained electronics tech (vacuum tube computers & data processing equip.). The only thing that has me confused is the 'chats' or 'rooms'. They appear to be product specific. Does this mean that if I set up, say, a Yaesu equipment station, I can only communicate with other Yaesu owners, etc.?
YES! However, IF you buy a "Hotspot" device that ALLOWS you to connect to DStar and DMR (open standard - Anytone products) you can get around this. Not all Hotspots will have this functionality so do your research. Check out videos on Hotspots and it will explain more about this. When connecting to a Repeater, IF you have a Yaesu radio, it will work only on Fusion Wires X enable repeaters. Likewise, Icom & Kenwood = DStar and Anytone = DMR.
Thanks for the series very informative, is the Chinese brand handhelds devices susceptible to be turned inoperative by china in anyway or form incase of emergency or any other scenario?
Not that I know of. I would think if it was directed to law enforcement and the military it could very well be the case. The general public, not so much. If you can find out more, please repost. My biggest issue will be "how long the Repeaters will have power to run" IF prolonged power outages persist. Most use old lead batteries and that is good for 24hrs. They will decrease the power output to save on batteries. After that, someone has to haul a generator and fuel to the site. Some of the Repeaters on Hospitals, Verizon towers etc will stay up much longer. They will have very good backed up power supplies to keep running much longer. Find out what your repeaters are installed on and connected to. Make a list of them now.
If you’re in the raleigh area is there somewhere we could talk Saturday ? Looking to get something, like more info before i make the wrong equipment purchase
Watch my last video on the channel. I am dealing with a neurological issue that they have yet to be diagnose. Ruled out stroke, tumor, infection, autoimmune etc. I did dot get the jab so that is not the cause too. I wish I could help but my brain is not working right at this time. Thanks for your understanding.
Where ever the nodes / gateways are located, no power no connectivity. Local repeaters with nodes will typically have about 24- 48 hrs. of backup (most use old lead batteries). After that, they will have haul a generator and fuel to keep it running. Also, to make it last longer, they will turn the TX power down on the repeater. Now, some repeaters may be hung on a cell tower. They will stay up longer since they are tied into the backup generator from the cell provider. As long as the fuel last, they will be operational. If you don't have internet working (if using a hotspot), along with no local repeater with the node up, no connectivity.
Most are mounted on Raspberry Pi Zero WH. So, the processing is running within the unit. One cable goes to the radio and on the newer models, you just use the built in screen on the unit (touch screen) to set it up. Some have no built in screens so they run off a web address based on your IP Address. Your Mac would then be connected only via the IP Address to the unit and the setup is done on the PC. No direct connection needed. So, if you buy either one of these types, the PC is not a factor.
@@hamradiomadesimple thanks for the reply. I just bought one and I'm trying to figure out what it's capable of. I run ububtu so it's hard to find information that I understand with my skill level. That's half the fun tho. ☺. Be well.
This reminds me of the early days of the internet. Yes, I’m that old. 😂 but doesn’t all these new fangled systems defeat the purpose of communicating during emergencies when the grid is down?
Ham Radios work during grid down provided you have battery backup (I did a video on my solar setup). I remember when it took 5 min. to load a weather radar map LOL. We have come a long ways since then :-)
@@hamradiomadesimple the jump from part 1 is pretty extreme. i'm just trying to make my first contact and you're talking about digital chat rooms - how about starting with just tuning a local FM repeater? gotta check out another tutorial. Part 1 was great, but I feel like I missed an entire part 1.5 in between that and this.
Why? So you can talk to people you dont know??? I have been looking at several amateur radio videos to see why i would do this over my GMRS license. I can't find a reason. Get out of your shack and go adventuring with friends and family. That's the only reason I need my radio. I dont need to talk to people I don't know just to tell them what equipment I used to reach out to them.
First of all, you don't know me. Making blanket assumptions about me is so unprofessional. I have many activities I do OVER Ham Radio. Second, I only talk to friends on the HF side in Canada and all throughout the USA. I do HF Digital and reach almost any of them at anytime with just 30W and my OCF-Dipole antenna ($150). Can your GRMS do this? Please think before rushing to judgement on us. We are all different and I can't figure out why you would make broad and general assumptions before knowing more information the individual. Why are you doing this? What is your point? Good for you that you like GRMS. You won't hear me call you out and say your wrong for going with GRMS. Your choice and I respect that. Have fun and treat others with some respect.
I know more VHF/UHF than ever before. I'm an 80 year old General class ham. Your TH-cam videos are superb keep up the good work
Coming from you, that is an amazing comment and I am humbled!! Thank you for taking the time to post this.
Having just passed the Technician test on July 8th, and after looking at numerous ham related videos...your vids are far and away the Most Informative. Your organized excellently presented presentation really removes much of the mystery of these elements of Ham radio. So glad I found your informative, well-presented youtube channel.
Glad to help! I was looking for something like this to help me but they did not exist. Someone had to fill in the void so I started doing these. As I dig into each area, I pass along what I am learning. I believe that those who follow behind should not have to climb the same hills I faced. Have fun and pass this info to those behind you!!
0@@hamradiomadesimple
Im just getting into this as a hobby, got my first hand-held last week. These videos are awesome thank you!
Glad you like them I wish you the best going forward.
@@hamradiomadesimple I'm hoping to take my test next weekend, there's a couple local clubs that host nets a few times a week. Sucks not being able to join in yet. Thanks again!
Most clubs allow you to attend but not become a member until you get your license. Go try them out and see if you like them. Let them know where you are at in all this. If they jump in and offer to help, join that club. Each has its own personality so go "dating" LOL...
This has been a very enriching two part seminar. I have a general license, but did not know the first thing in how to get started in amateur ham radio. You have not only provided a gateway for me to enter, but also a road map that has laid out all a structure to enter said gateway with confidence. You have giving me the enthusiasm to join my local club, and get started on amateur ham radio!
Thank you for the time to give this subject matter structure, as to set a path for anyone interested to have the foundation and courage to get started.
Wow, that is a GREAT compliment my friend. Jump back in and have fun. It will keep you busy for quite a while.
Thanks for all of the info made simple!
Looking forward to getting into ham properly, I sell units for boats and have done for 15 years and I’ve 0 clue, time to learn!
You can do it! Yep, now is the time to learn and practice your skills.
Best ham radio channel by far thank you a lot sir from italy
Wow, thanks for the encouraging words!! It means a lot to me. It takes a lot of time to really dig into these apps and then break it down into a simple and easy way to understand. Comments like this, keep me going.
I just want you to know, your presentations are great. I spent most of my military career and DOD civilian career as a trainer, teaching other to teach, and writing curriculum. Because of my experience, I get easily distracted by “bad” presentations but, not yours. Thank you!
Your kind words mean a lot to me. I was so frustrated over the many videos out, where they were more fluff and had no logical format of thought. I decided to do something that most said would not work on TH-cam. Pure teaching using PP visuals. My goal is break it down into a simple format that build off of one another.
Again, thanks for taking the time to post this!!
I'm on #2 and have been throughly enjoying these 👍
So glad they are making a difference.
Clear and concise with out all the extra nonsensical cable. Great, solid presentation.
What you stated, is what my goal was when I started all this. Thank you!
@@hamradiomadesimple 🙏
I see that this discussion was three year ago. It is still valid. I have taken the prep course for the test prep, but this vidio provided a more indepth explanation of the subject.
Glad it was helpful. Most of my content should be good for a few more years.
Thanks for all the work you have put in and the content is super. I am just getting started and hope to spend many happy moments with my new friends around the world.
I am wearing down health wise so only a few videos left in me.
Thank you for these videos. Clearly they are empowering. I’m working on my license and trying to decide the right move to make on my purchase.
IF you can afford it, Yaesu, Icom or Anytone are all good choices that allows you to have a reliable radio for many years.
@ I bought the ant tone AT-D878
Any tone
Thank you for your time and investment in teaching others about HAM operations. I am excited to test for tech and plan to get my GMRS tonight. Thanks again!
Best of luck! Learn how to use it and become a master of it. Then teach others around you so you can build a local comm group of like minded people. Better to have others you can talk directly with.
Hey there. These videos are a great help for introducing newcomers to the hobby! Thanks so much for making the effort to produce these! I’ve already used them to help guide some people who are newly interested in ham radio. One thing though that you might want to correct if you ever do an updated version: D-Star has been an open standard for many years now (since shortly after it was introduced). The radio brand selection is indeed limited (Kenwood & Icom), however, the standard is fully open and there is nothing stopping Bridgecom or other manufacturers from using it in their radios. The linking/trust network isn’t limited to Icom’s original system either (there is IRCDDB, which is fully open).
GREAT INFO and nice to know, thank you!
Thanks for making these videos!!!
You do a great job.
I appreciate you taking the time to let me know.
Thank you so much! These videos are concise, your keeping the hobby alive
Thanks for taking the time to post a positive comment James!!!!!!
Thanks again for great videos, great presentation! 🤗👍🇺🇸
Thanks again and for supporting this channel.
hello, thank you for these videos!! im working on getting my ham license and these really help
Good luck and make sure to check out my video on taking the test. Let me know how you do!!
Hey MJ - Just finished the first episode and really enjoyed it. Hit the like and subscribed and will definitely follow up with the other episodes. Pleasantly surprised to find you are in Wake Forest - I'm just down the road in Wendell. Hope to meet you in the future!
Shoot me your callsign. I bet we can connect on one of the local repeaters.
@@hamradiomadesimple As soon as I get licensed - I've just started studying up :)
As a Technician, I would use a local Echolink repeater, in Arlington, Texas, to talk to Antartica.
Pretty cool technology that most people don't use enough. GREAT contact to add to your log.
Thanks for keeping it simple.
You bet! That is the name of the channel. Ham Radio Made Simple LOL Thanks for taking the time to post your kind and encouraging words.
Thanks for the informative video.
Glad it was helpful and I hope your experience into Ham Radio is a positive one!
Thank you very much for the video.
Glad it was helpful.
LOL @ 20:00
I lived in Berkeley 2009 through late 2020.
I am sure you have some great stories to share!!
Great content. I was wondering, if from your experience, you could recommend a path for a non technical person to get their licences. I will watch all of your beginner videos as a starting point. Appreciate your input.
I did a video on how to study for the test. Check my TH-cam Channel.
I learned a lot from part 1
So glad to hear this. Keep learning and have fun!!
Thanks for this series. On your playlist, could you place the 1-4 videos at the top and the rest in order under part 4. Thanks! Going to share this with two people interested in ham radio.
Sure thing, I will do this later today (may have to rename the videos so be patient lol)
Thank you for the informative video. I'm an 'old school' military trained electronics tech (vacuum tube computers & data processing equip.). The only thing that has me confused is the 'chats' or 'rooms'. They appear to be product specific. Does this mean that if I set up, say, a Yaesu equipment station, I can only communicate with other Yaesu owners, etc.?
YES! However, IF you buy a "Hotspot" device that ALLOWS you to connect to DStar and DMR (open standard - Anytone products) you can get around this. Not all Hotspots will have this functionality so do your research. Check out videos on Hotspots and it will explain more about this.
When connecting to a Repeater, IF you have a Yaesu radio, it will work only on Fusion Wires X enable repeaters. Likewise, Icom & Kenwood = DStar and Anytone = DMR.
THX. appreciate the info. Keep up the great videos.@@hamradiomadesimple
Again Excellent!
Thanks again! I am not perfect but hopefully helpful :-)
Thanks for the series very informative, is the Chinese brand handhelds devices susceptible to be turned inoperative by china in anyway or form incase of emergency or any other scenario?
Not that I know of. I would think if it was directed to law enforcement and the military it could very well be the case. The general public, not so much. If you can find out more, please repost.
My biggest issue will be "how long the Repeaters will have power to run" IF prolonged power outages persist. Most use old lead batteries and that is good for 24hrs. They will decrease the power output to save on batteries. After that, someone has to haul a generator and fuel to the site. Some of the Repeaters on Hospitals, Verizon towers etc will stay up much longer. They will have very good backed up power supplies to keep running much longer. Find out what your repeaters are installed on and connected to. Make a list of them now.
If you’re in the raleigh area is there somewhere we could talk Saturday ? Looking to get something, like more info before i make the wrong equipment purchase
Watch my last video on the channel. I am dealing with a neurological issue that they have yet to be diagnose. Ruled out stroke, tumor, infection, autoimmune etc. I did dot get the jab so that is not the cause too. I wish I could help but my brain is not working right at this time. Thanks for your understanding.
So in the event of a major power outage, are nodes that are connected to digital/ internet protocols still active or viable?
Where ever the nodes / gateways are located, no power no connectivity. Local repeaters with nodes will typically have about 24- 48 hrs. of backup (most use old lead batteries). After that, they will have haul a generator and fuel to keep it running. Also, to make it last longer, they will turn the TX power down on the repeater.
Now, some repeaters may be hung on a cell tower. They will stay up longer since they are tied into the backup generator from the cell provider. As long as the fuel last, they will be operational.
If you don't have internet working (if using a hotspot), along with no local repeater with the node up, no connectivity.
@@hamradiomadesimple thank you for greasing the slippery slope of ham radios for me 😂
Will the Hot Spot software work with a Mac?
Most are mounted on Raspberry Pi Zero WH. So, the processing is running within the unit. One cable goes to the radio and on the newer models, you just use the built in screen on the unit (touch screen) to set it up. Some have no built in screens so they run off a web address based on your IP Address. Your Mac would then be connected only via the IP Address to the unit and the setup is done on the PC. No direct connection needed.
So, if you buy either one of these types, the PC is not a factor.
Can you make a video on digirig?
Interesting idea. Could be a short video. Still recovering from a recent surgery so nothing soon.
@@hamradiomadesimple thanks for the reply. I just bought one and I'm trying to figure out what it's capable of. I run ububtu so it's hard to find information that I understand with my skill level. That's half the fun tho. ☺. Be well.
This reminds me of the early days of the internet. Yes, I’m that old. 😂 but doesn’t all these new fangled systems defeat the purpose of communicating during emergencies when the grid is down?
Ham Radios work during grid down provided you have battery backup (I did a video on my solar setup). I remember when it took 5 min. to load a weather radar map LOL. We have come a long ways since then :-)
I’m still lost
On what? DMR vs DStar vs Fusion???
@@hamradiomadesimple the jump from part 1 is pretty extreme. i'm just trying to make my first contact and you're talking about digital chat rooms - how about starting with just tuning a local FM repeater? gotta check out another tutorial. Part 1 was great, but I feel like I missed an entire part 1.5 in between that and this.
Why? So you can talk to people you dont know???
I have been looking at several amateur radio videos to see why i would do this over my GMRS license. I can't find a reason.
Get out of your shack and go adventuring with friends and family. That's the only reason I need my radio.
I dont need to talk to people I don't know just to tell them what equipment I used to reach out to them.
First of all, you don't know me. Making blanket assumptions about me is so unprofessional. I have many activities I do OVER Ham Radio. Second, I only talk to friends on the HF side in Canada and all throughout the USA. I do HF Digital and reach almost any of them at anytime with just 30W and my OCF-Dipole antenna ($150). Can your GRMS do this?
Please think before rushing to judgement on us. We are all different and I can't figure out why you would make broad and general assumptions before knowing more information the individual. Why are you doing this? What is your point? Good for you that you like GRMS. You won't hear me call you out and say your wrong for going with GRMS. Your choice and I respect that. Have fun and treat others with some respect.
Hey Henry, I found a video that I think you're really going to identify with:
th-cam.com/video/LTunhRVyREU/w-d-xo.html