We need a tutorial. Yep, I bet there's one hiding in a tech forum. People will come into this thread and mention it angrily. But they're the same people who'd complain if a bunch of noobs invaded their tech forum and didn't read the rules before asking questions.

(Disclaimer: I assume we have a radio forum. I don't know for sure and have certainly never been there, at least not in recent memory, nor do I know who might post there. I just know how this place runs).

So....anyway....could we get some learnin' on:

-What's a watt of transmission power? What's the difference between 5w and 8w? Do antennas matter?
-What are shortwave, cb, ham, frs, or gmrs bands? Who/how are they regulated?
-What's a transmit frequency? What's a receiving frequency? Why are they different?
-What's a tone? Why do we use tones?
-What's a repeater? Why are repeaters so important? Where do I find their physical location?
-How do I set my radio up so I can hear people I know, when they talk, from half a county away?
-Where do I find local emergency frequencies?
-I bought a BaoFeng radio. I charged it and stuck it in a drawer. What does it do?

With the DC rally coming up and other similar rallies on the horizon and political/economic uncertainty I think a tutorial thread, written on a GD intellectual level (Yes, I know the jokes that could inspire) for non-technical people who probably aren't going to get their ham license and build their own radio could be very useful. The bombing in Nashville last week certainly hammered home to me the need for backup comms.

You’ve generated a bunch of questions. Are you planning on just editing your OP as you discover the answers?

Ham forum

I think a series of regional "meet/program parties" would be invaluable... networking in multiple senses of the word.

I'm in the Chattanooga area.

Tagged for later reference.

What's a BaoFeng?

There are tons of videos on youtube that adress all your questions.

That seems reasonable

Isn't BaoFeng the name of that Chinese spy chick that was giving blowjobs to all the Democrats?  

I got a UR-5RV2+ and the cable. I know I need to study my HAM license manual and learn how to use Chirp.

Right now it's a fancy weather channel device. (I can use my SDR to listen to the bands and local repeaters.)

I am kind of surprised I don't see any upcoming exams in town, but it looks like there are some within 50 miles.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/-ARCHIVED-THREAD-Teach-me-about-baofeng-radios/5-2303147/?page=1

I remember this thread from before you came back.  I think it answers some of your questions.

If we start getting meaty contributions to this thread I'll be happy to edit them into the OP or whatever the contributors ask me to do.

I'm trying to learn here, and trying to help a bunch of other people learn, too.

Tag for info

Excellent idea.

It's a thing many people think they need, have no inclination of learning how to use properly, let alone use properly during ties where we still are a nation of laws.

Pronounced ‘Poh Fang’. It’s the HAM radio for the poors, like me.
Subscribed- I have two that I need to learn how to use.

Wow. Someone should start a thread addressing those problems. That would be awesome!

I just got me two 82hps.  

I downloaded chirp on my laptop.  Got a programming cable ordered.  For right now I just loaded GMRS, MURS and Weather radio.

I don’t have my ham.  Just a gmrs

Thank you. I'll absolutely read that!

In addition, download CHIRP and get the (legit, not knockoff) BTECH USB cable for your Baofeng.  It's very nearly point-and-click to program the radio, and most common frequencies like GMRS, FRS and MURS are already in there.

You say this about airwaves, they say it about guns.

Here is the be all end all version of what you are trying to do:

https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/Baofeng-UV-5R-information/22-664274/

They're not legal for FRS/GMRS because they have a removable antenna and exceed max power on some channels.

<---not a ham nazi

It's already happening.  

GO HERE

BsoFeng are HT's. Handy Talkies.  While they can talk directly to each other (simplex), they are really designed to be used via repeaters.  With repeaters, there is an offset between the TX and RX frequencies.  The radios are basically line of sight communications - but a repeater with an antenna on top of a mountain can change line of sight form 2 miles to more than 50.

Of course, if you have a 2 mile range, the odds are not that bad that you can get away without a license and not get caught for a while.  If you start using repeaters, you are going to need a license.  Oh, another neat thing about repeaters is some systems are linked - so it is possible to talk around the world using them.  Personally I think the bad thing about repeaters is if I wanted to shutdown communications, they would be an easy early target.

learn how to use chirp = installing - it's the simplest thing ever.  

I'm sure there are. Just like there's a vast ocean full of fish, and if I need a fish I just go grab one. Right?

Seriously, I genuinely appreciate contributions, but I'm asking for signal here, not noise.

The problem is that there seems to be at least one or two Baofeng threads every week that ask the same questions, over and over, going back years.

People who have the technical knowledge you seek have already answered your questions dozens of times, and it gets tedious.

How much fun would this board be if there was multiple threads every week by newbies who said "hey I just bought a GUN, someone teach me about GUN."

Here are the Baofeng threads just from the past week that were in my subscribed topics:
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_17/698916_Baofeng-radios.html
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/698876_Bought-a-pair-of-Baofeng-UV-5R-s.html
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/2407259_Looking-for-a-set-of-Walkie-Talkies-for-Family-Comms-.html
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/698875_Need-some-Baofeng-radio-help.html
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/2406838_radio-walkie-talkie-team-communication-question.html
https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/-DEAL-ALERT-Baofeng-UV5R-s-on-Sale-at-Amazon/5-2409136/?page=1

True, but if you transmit on FRS / GMRS at 1w, I doubt the ham nazis will chase you down.

That's exactly what I bought and use mine for.  They're all programmed for all the FRS/GMRS, MURS, NOAA, and then a couple local frequencies for listen only.

It's just nice to have a radio that can talk to any other bubble pack radio any hunting group etc might be using.

Let's start with the most important question:
-What are shortwave, cb, ham, frs, or gmrs bands? Who/how are they regulated?

How are they regulated.  The FCC is responsible for spectrum licensing in the US.  There are some frequencies that if you use approved radios or otherwise stay within specific technical standards are available for use by the public.  In that list CB and FRS fall into that category.  You buy the radio with the channels configured and the power within legal limits and all you have to do is press the button to talk.  GMRS is a licensed set of frequencies but the license is rather cheap and it's usable by a family.  It's nice because there's more power available and the frequencies aren't generally used as much.

Shortwave is a general term for high frequency transmissions.  They can bounce off of the ionosphere and travel long distances.  It's how long range communications happened before transatlantic cables and it's still in use by some news agencies.  From the HF radio at my house I just looked and I'm receiving signals from Europe at the moment.

Baofeng radios are meant to be used on a couple of amateur radio bands.  The best thing I can tell you is to do some studying and take the test.  It shouldn't take more than a day of studying to learn the information needed for your entry level technician license and despite what people will tell you most hams are nice guys that are happy to help a new guy that wants to learn.  Heck, the local club has a pile of UV-5Rs that they will loan long term to people and folks will help you program them since they are a bit of a challenge until you learn it.

I had a post locked in the ham forum for suggesting that.

Even if you don't.  They don't care about frequencies they don't use.  

Either way.  I may or may not occasionally exceed the posted speed limit on interstate highways as well.

Ordered one after the baofeng thread yesterday. Started reading some of the above mentioned threads.

It's like learnia foreign language. I'll be doing a lot of reading before even taking it out.

Oh wow. Thank you. I'll be reading the rest of the day.

If you cut a barrel down to 13" I doubt the ATF would kill your dog.  It's still illegal and I can understand why they wouldn't allow it under the CoC.

To be more legal-eagle, perhaps I should suggest using license-free MURS instead.  Except that you won't be able to communicate with blister-pack Walmart radios, if that's a factor for you.

Our local club had (pre-Rice a Rona) a class that was "Now what" for folks that just got their licenses.  Unfortunately the test has little explanation of what to actually do with a radio.  

That's where finding an Elmer or two is helpful.

I studied the test questions and got the license (100percent). ..

And I know ZERO about this shit.

In the last couple months I've used the radio a couple times and learned a little. But still dont know programming or even simple procedures.  

I have a tyt md380  and just got a cheapo baofeng.


Saturday I was driving around and turned on the tytmd380 to see if I could hear this regional simplex net thing they were doing. Very spotty reception. Could only hear bits and pieces as I would drive by a clearing or a hill.

Then I heard the one call sign i know other than my own and heard his first name and location reported which confirmed it.  That was pretty cool.

I'd like to get to know it a bit better but I don't have any desire to be a ham guy.  

Yeah a few arf friends have them but none of us are licensed or know anyone who is.

Arfcom needs a ham zoom conference

That's exactly what I do not want to do. I'm at a point in life where chasing down being a SME in emergency medicine, prepping, comms, and a thousand other things simply holds no interest for me, but I want to learn the basics of all of those things.

From my limited experience and exposure to the testing process and videos I've watched and forum posts I've read....

Ham guys seem to be fanatical about procedures and laws and rules. Like , they just love the whole environment of strict culture of rules and formality. Almost in an autistic way.

Which Is fine and all. And somewhat necessary dealing with fcc rules. But it seems to go beyond that...like it's a personality thing.

What's the difference between a 40 watt light bulb and a 60 watt light bulb? It's the same thing, just that the energy being transmitted is at a different frequency. More watts is more energy being transmitted.

There is an international coordinating body (ITU), but in the USA, the FCC is the federal agency that regulates all radio communications and emissions.

Shortwave is a nickname for the part of the radio spectrum where signal reflect from the ionosphere, roughly 2 to 30 MHz. Also called HF (high frequency). AM broadcast band is just below that (~1MHz aka 1000kHz). FM broadcast band is above that (~100MHz). CB is near the top of that range (~27MHz).

Ham is a nickname for Amateur Radio, which is a radio service established for experimental, recreational, and public service communications by technically inclined operators.

FRS is Family Radio Service, a small set of frequencies set up for non-licensed short range personal communications using pre-programmed consumer radios.

GMRS is the General Mobile Radio Service, similar to FRS, but is a licensed service which allows greater flexibility, more transmitter power and larger antennas for more range and capability.

Repeater stations receive on one frequency, and transmit on another simultaneously, to extend the communications range of users. So to access such a station, the user transmits on the frequency that the repeater listens on, then the user listens on the frequency that the repeater transmits on.

A tone is an identification code which allows radio users to selectively allow certain traffic to be heard while remaining quiet for other traffic. Allows multiple user to share the same frequency, also helps prevent noise or interference from being annoying.

That's all I feel like typing this moment.

Most of the answers you seek are in the "ham radio 101" thread in the ham radio forum. Some of the info is geared toward amateur radio specifically, but some concepts (like what is a repeater) are the same regardless of whether it's amateur, GMRS, Land Mobile Radio etc.

Something that comes up very frequency is the erroneous conflation of "ham radio"/amateur radio with all radio communications use. Amateur Radio is a distinct subset of radio use, with particular purposes and requirements. Uses outside of those established purposes belong elsewhere in the world of communications. Amateur radio is not the universal answer to personal communications. Amateur radio is a good venue to learn about communications, but it's not the right fit for everyone or every purpose.

Double tap. Deleted.

There’s a baofeng master thread in the ham forum with a lot of radio specific information.

Ham license study guide will answer a lot of your basic questions on what a watt is and how repeaters work.

Like someone mentioned before, there’s a lot of good YouTube videos for beginners. I’m having a hard time remembering the ones that helped me get going, but I do vaguely remember this one:

60K posts and you don't realize we have a ham radio forum, which will have answers to 90% of your questions.

Ever deal with IT dept help desk people who field the same questions every day?

Amateur radio as a technical hobby has a very high percentage of, surprise, technically oriented people like IT folks, engineers, etc. Nerds. Sorry if nerds offend you.

And yes they tend to be prickly about rules. People don't know how much trouble they can cause by being stupid, which is a lot, and then nerds get called out to deal with. Amateur radio specifically tend to be particular about their own domain as it's required to maintain the order of their self-regulated environment. They get to have and keep "nice things" like the ability to talk to the ISS, have their own satellites, and talk all around the world because they can establish and follow rules.

The Boafeng is an incredibly powerful communication network. This is the place where they send out the target lists and strike orders. When SHTF Trump won’t be sending out tweets anymore, but will instead send out chirps over Baofeng. Because the ham nazis don’t want you to have this powerful tool they have unconstitutionality restricted your access to it via a set of incredibly complex and expensive exams.

Being a "ham guy" is exactly what you make of it.  There are so many niches to explore that you can't do everything if you wanted to.  Heck, there's a weekly prepper's net on one of the local repeaters.  

Good idea op. A lot of new users since the great Baofeng panic. Noobs need to learn how to program and actual learn the radio/pros and cons.

I bought a BaoFeng radio.  Upgraded the antenna.  Got my Technician Class ham radio license.  Programmed the radio with CHIRP.

Have yet to use the radio to  communicate with anyone because I don't feel comfortable making public conversations with total strangers about nerd stuff.