Ham Radio Questions
My ham ticket expired somewhere in the 1970's. I am thinking of getting back into it, but have a couple of questions? I had an advanced class license. Do I have to go through the complete exam, or can...
Forum Discussion
Thanks to everyone who responded. On having proof of expired license---I don't seem to have retained a copy of my license in my personal documents. The call has been reassigned, but would the FCC have a record of my license data? If so, how do I access it?
On the issue of repeaters---what I had in mind was an automated equivalent of the old phone patch. (In my case it was simply holding the receiver up to the mike. Mike? Nowadays they shorten it to mic! When did that slip past me?) I have seen postings here about the best emergency off-road tools, and most seem to feel that cb is worthless. I think the real issue is range, and those two meter and shorter wavelength repeaters would seem to be too short range for true emergency communications.
What I was thinking was to requalify for my ham ticket, then---in an emergency in the boonies---contact someone (an automated repeater?) who could patch me through to either a cell phone network or the internet so I could, in effect, phone a friend or "Joe's Garage" to come haul me out.
Any thoughts or comments?
P. S. Several folks on this forum have recommended the DeLorme satphone communicator (text only). I have one and am happy with it, but the limitation to text and the inability to have a decent phone-type interaction in an emergency situation makes me nervous---and I am too cheap to want to pay for a full-fledged satphone.
On the issue of repeaters---what I had in mind was an automated equivalent of the old phone patch. (In my case it was simply holding the receiver up to the mike. Mike? Nowadays they shorten it to mic! When did that slip past me?) I have seen postings here about the best emergency off-road tools, and most seem to feel that cb is worthless. I think the real issue is range, and those two meter and shorter wavelength repeaters would seem to be too short range for true emergency communications.
What I was thinking was to requalify for my ham ticket, then---in an emergency in the boonies---contact someone (an automated repeater?) who could patch me through to either a cell phone network or the internet so I could, in effect, phone a friend or "Joe's Garage" to come haul me out.
Any thoughts or comments?
P. S. Several folks on this forum have recommended the DeLorme satphone communicator (text only). I have one and am happy with it, but the limitation to text and the inability to have a decent phone-type interaction in an emergency situation makes me nervous---and I am too cheap to want to pay for a full-fledged satphone.
