Advice For New Hams by K5CLM

So you just got your license? Congratulations and welcome to one of the greatest hobbies around! This hobby has a little bit for everybody in it and like I have said before it is more like a hobby of hobbies. If you can’t find something in the hobby that you are interested in, then you probably wouldn’t have gotten your license in the first place.

That being said, I know of a lot of people that get their license and then have no idea what to do with it. This is one of the reasons that I don’t like some of the one day classes that are given. They touch on a bunch of stuff but nothing to the point that someone will understand much more than just what they need to pass their test.

Rather than just giving y’all some of my opinions on things that can be done or what advise I would give a new ham. I decided to ask all of y’all what kind of tips, tricks, and/or advise that you would give a new ham. Below are some of the responses that I got.

Lots to do in ham radio – don’t get discouraged or give up too quickly. – Dan Price

Like I said above, I know a bunch of people that get their license and then don’t do much with after the initial newness wears off. Whether they don’t do much because of lack of interest or not knowing what to do or not being able to figure something out. This all stems back to the need of elmers!

Keep learning and honing operating skills. Listen at first but not just to what is being said but to the operating procedures being used. Be courteous and patient. Don’t be shy when you are ready to join in, join in but with courtesy. – George Pease III

Always keep learning things for the hobby. You never know when that knowledge might be helpful. Keep involved with things going on. Might be local ARES event or other events in a ham club. Also help them find a local club that will have some Elmers… – Jason Walerius

I am a firm believer that you should ALWAYS learn something new every day and that day when you don’t learn something, is the day you die. It might not be some major thing, it might just be learning a new song, or how to do something on Excel.

Listen, listen, listen! Like George said, always listen before you transmit and wen you do, do it in a courteous manner. There are some people out there that can be grouches or just down right mean, especially to new and/or inexperienced hams. Don’t be one of them, PLEASE!

Don’t rely on an HT to get your signal out very far…I made that mistake as a new ham and almost gave up not realizing I can hit repeaters half way across Kansas City with a base station…- Arnie Diaz

The question of what radio should I get first and mobile/base or a HT, is probably one of the most asked question of new hams. My answer is always the same, it depends on what you want to do with your license. If you want to work emergency communications or events, and HT would be a better option. If you are looking to talk to people while you are driving or sitting a home, then a mobile/base radio would be better.

There is really no wrong answer to this question and their are work arounds to both, although have a mobile radio as a portable station can get quite heavy. With a HT, you can hook it to an external antenna and get out further. Throw an amp on it and go even more. You just have to make sure that you have the HT powered with a power cord all the time to use it as a base or mobile station.

You could use your mobile or base station as a portable station by building a go box with it. Check out the episode I did a few years ago about Go-Packs for more information.

Also check out the last episode of the Field Radio Podcast to learn more about Getting Started With Amateur Radio in the Field.

…Oh, and join a club. Lots of smart, friendly folks in my club that love to share their passion for the hobby. – Arnie Diaz

I would recommend a new ham find a club with hams that you can mentor and buy the radio you can afford no matter what it is and pick the mic up and talk don’t be shy even if it just to say good morning – Al Grotheer II

I am a major supporter of Elmers! I’m sure that if you have read some of my previous blog posts, you know that already. A good Elmer can mean the difference between a new hams staying in the hobby or leaving it all together.

When you study to get your license, the is very limited information that is covered in the question pool or a class that you might take. I always tell my students, while yes, you are learning about ham Radio now, your real learning will come after you get your license. It is also one of the major reasons that I started this blog way back in 2014!

While joining a ham club does have its pros and cons, it is a great place to find someone that knows about different aspects of the hobby that you can learn from. On top of that, some clubs have a station that you can use to get on the air. If they don’t, I’m sure there are other members that will be happy to let you come over to their shack and let you get on the air.

First of all relax and enjoy it but understand there is a need to read and study the details. Stick your feelings in your hip pocket and sit on them because if you ask 10 hams the same question you will get no less than 12 different answers maybe more. The reason for this is because there are so many ways to reach the same point. There is only 1 way to do anything and that is to the best of your abilities BUT there are many ways to accomplish that. There is no single right answer except safely and courteously. Associate with multiple hams from different backgrounds and learn from all of them. NOBODY has all the answers or the only right way to accomplish something. Listen more than you talk for the first few weeks and see how many different ways you hear things done. Learn the difference between FCC rules and general operating practices, gentlemen’s agreements, and band plans. ALWAYYS operate and deal with others remembering what is best for the hobby. Have fun Have fun Have fun – Ken Bush, KB5YBI

Ken is the ARRL EC for the County I live in and I met him shortly after I got my license. He currently owns two repeaters in my county as well. Ken makes a couple very good points here. First off that no one knows everything and everybody has a different way of doing the same thing. Is one person more correct than someone else? Not necessarily, as long as the outcome is the same, whatever works and is easier for you, by all means…

Secondly, while the FCC is the overall authority in the hobby, there are other aspects of what goes on in the hobby as well. The Band plan for example. Is it a “you must follow this band pla to the letter!” Type thing? No! It is a general guideline of what should be done. With that being said, if you go into one area of the band that is “slated” for something and you don’t hear it because you are on a different mode, you could cause harmful interference and that is a no no.

The only stupid question is the one not asked – United Disaster Response

ABSOLUTELY!!

The Technician License is a learner’s permit. Get that General License and listen to HF until you do. It’s quite a thrill contacting a station hundreds of miles away, with no help from a repeater or the internet. If you don’t have a shortwave receiver there are lots of receivers live online at this website. listen to 20-meters during the day plus 40 and 80-meters at night.
http://rx.linkfanel.net/ – Johnny Calvin

Johnny, you are so right! The technician class should be just a stepping stone for the higher license classes. On the flip side of that though, some people get into ham radio for just a certain aspect of the hobby and that is what they are happy with doing. If a technician class license allows them to do it, then great, at least they have the license and use it…

Don’t go over board with your gear. Start small and don’t get over your head – jackanapespessordi

Truer words have never been spoken…well written. A lot of times people will get into the hobby and go out and buy a bunch of different things without knowing a lot about the hobby. People will just see the nice big blingy radio with a whole bunch of features a bunch of which they will rarely use or know how to use.

Like jackanapespessordi says, start small and see what you like and what you don’t like and go from there.

This is a hobby of Hobbies. Start with one thing and keep learning. Before you know it, you may be knee deep in another aspect and not the original aspect you start with. – Chris’s Boggess

I would like to thank everyone for your input on this post and the great advise that you shared! If you know of a new ham, please share this post with them.

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