I've been poking around a lot of the amateur radio info hotspots over the last few years learning bits and pieces of how it all works.  I've always been a techie and do enterprise IT for a living, so it somehow makes sense that I should pick this up as a hobby.  About 2 years ago I grabbed a Baofeng UV5R with the Nagoya 701 antenna, programming cable, and extended battery and programmed all the local repeaters in to it via CHIRP with the PTT disabled on all of them.  Got to hear some of the local nets, but that's about all I've done with it so far.  For more advanced listening I hit up webSDR.

Anyway, I guess I'm just trying to figure out where to get started.  A friend suggested 70cm/2m, and I'm already there on the handheld side but I wouldn't know where to start on a decent, entry-level base kit that won't bankrupt me.  I'm also not sure if I'd be hurting myself building my base solely for 70cm/2m, should I also try to aim for 10m/20m/40m?  What would be involved in covering 70cm/2m/10m/20m/40m from home?  I'm assuming here that I would need several transceivers and antennas to cover that many bands.  My ultimate goal here is to learn more, tinker with equipment, score some DX contacts, and maybe pass some of that knowledge down to the kids if they're interested in learning.

I'm also needing a stronger understanding in the technical aspects of amateur radio...modulation types, repeater types and how they work/what they do, propagation, wavelength, etc.  An example here would be...as a tech I would have CW privileges on allocated freqs within the 10m/15m/40m/80m bands, but what exactly does that mean?  I can't voice on those bands, just morse?  Does this mean I should just focus on 70cm/2m until I advance to the next license?

BTW - I reside in my county seat and our county emergency services(about 1/2 mile away) has a repeater and hosts the local ham club and I've listened in on some of their weekly nets.  They seem friendly and from what I've heard they're happy to help out newbies and get more folks licensed, so I've got that going for me which is nice.

Thanks!

Ever listen to podcast?
Started this one about 3 yrs ago after these guys around here got motivated to finally get my ticket.

HamRadio360 formerly Fo Time Podcast

We've covered most of what you mentioned.  The sticky topics at the top are required reading.

Here is a link to our latest How to Ham Show

Welcome in

Nice, definitely bookmarking that.

Yes sir, you can talk sideband on part of the 10m band with tech. Trust me, though, it will only whet your appetite for general so you can go ssb on 20, 40, 80.  :)

Also, there are many digital modes that await the geek with PC skills.  :)

Is there a local club? Try a meeting if so.

Also, Ham Nation is on Twit.TV. Leo Laporte supports amateur radio!

And good, easy to follow resources to check out that explain all this stuff about cw, sideband, etc?  That's the main area I'm lost in right now.

KB6NU might be able to help.

KB6NU 1 day tech class- modulation

Another interesting aspect of Amateur radio is the somewhat new concept of DMR, (Digital Mobile Radio).
With the use of a DMR handheld, and if there is a local DMR repeater in your area, a Tech class operator can have worldwide access.
There are also some interesting training nets on a couple of the Talk Groups about DMR.

A good resource of DMR radio would be:
www.dmr-marc.net

There is detailed information about DMR on that , what it is, how it works, etc.
If there are no repeaters in your area, at the cost of a quality analog mobile radio, an operator can buy a good quality DMR handheld, plus an internet interface unit called a Shark RF Openspot device.
Most DMR handheld radios also work on the long used analog FM system as well.

We are delving into it in our area, where we have no DMR repeater, but have good internet service.

If you have questions, please ask.

Thanks!  Watching now and taking notes.  My second monitor is packed full of those windows sticky notes right now with all sorts of info, haha.

Welcome aboard! You'll find lots of knowledgeable folks in here that are willing to help.
I learned thru the ARRL series of license manuals. I found them to be well written and easy to understand.
I would recommend studying for the general as well. It's not much of a stretch from the technician and much of the material overlaps.
Many of the questions on the tech test are pretty much common sense, some require memorization. Frequency allocations for example. However the manuals cover every question in the question pool and teach some background about it.
The exams for tech & general will have 35 questions "multiple choice". You need 26 correct to pass.
When you pass the tech you will be offered a shot at the general for no extra charge...so go for it.
Here's a link to the License Manuals
Get the tech and general guides on the right hand side.
once you get a bit of studying done you can take practice exams
at http://www.qrz.com/hamtest/
Best of luck & feel free to ask questions.
73

Try some of these Tech Tests
http://www.eham.net/exams/

I haven't passed one yet.

Hate to admit it but I must be stupid. Some of it don't know what their talking about.

Good thing they don't give tests like these to have a gun.

Be a lot unarmed people.

Study for tech and general at the same time. I could have saved time and a long drive if I had done so. 

There are a few mobile radios that cover HF and VHF/UHF so you can get a "shack in a box" radio that will cover everything. Then you just need a power supply and a few accessories. By going this route (versus separate radio for HF) you will save enough to buy a nice antenna tuner and other station accessories.

Don't buy an antenna until you research some DIY versions. They are more fun and rewarding and can save some money over store bought.

For starters, focus on getting your general ticket...if you learn enough to pass that exam, you should have the basics burnt into your mind as far as what you will need for very basic HF operation. I will say that at least for me, HF is where its at. 2m has its place, and I enjoy chatting with the regulars on my local repeaters, but for DX, or for activity on modes besides phone, you are going to want to be able to use the HF bands.

If possible, hook up with a local elmer who can mentor you and show you things face to face.....but fear not...you don't NEED that, it sjust a 'nice to have'. I never really had an elmer....just the guys here on this forum, my own studying and research, and some insight from guys on the local repeaters. After a few year in the hobby I have a few radios, about a thousand QSO's in the log, and I operate phone, CW, JT modes, and PSK31....self taught almost entirely.....with some help here and there. Bottom line...you can get the skills you need through study, patience, and asking a lot of questions when resources present themselves. (and you can ask here and get a LOT of great feedback)

As far as a rig goes, it doesn't have to be crazy expensive....my recommendation would be to get a basic HF radio....I have a Icom 718 and it serves me incredibly well. You will want a tuner...personally, I would recommend a manual tuner...currently I run a MFJ-969. (this is a bit like iron sights vs optics...there are manual tuners and auto tuners...I think its better to use a manual and understand every aspect of matching the impedance...but that's me)

For an antenna...BUILD YOUR OWN!!!
For $20-30 in materials you can build a simple fan dipole that will work the world.
My antenna is good from 10m - 80m and I've worked every continent with it...made with spare wire from the garage and a cheap insulator made out of PVC conduit.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to send a PM....best luck on your exams...and welcome to the club

Here is a little practical observation from a new HF operator-the 20 and 40m bands suck on weekends because they are full of club contests. The more interesting conversations seem to happen on 80, 160, and to a lesser degree 40.

Get an all band HF radio.

UHF radios are for talking locally and are dirt cheap used. If you are planning for SHTF, get something that has 220mhz coverage, not many radios or scanner do anymore and the band is dead unless you are on it. Lot of privacy compared to other HF or UHF bands especially if you use low power and a directional antenna with narrow beam spread. I have a buddy I can hammer from 17 miles away on half a watt with a 4 element beam pointed right at him, everyone else is pretty much deaf to us.

Yeah I've read in several places that it would be wise to shoot for both tickets when I test, and fortunately I'd be testing at that emergency management building IIRC so it's only a 1/2 mile for me.

For antenna, I was originally only looking at 70cm/2m and a friend of a friend recommended either the Arrow OSJ 146/440 or the DBJ-1 from ebay, as both are pretty cheap but seem to work well for the price.  I've also got a few DYI guides bookmarked for some antennas capable of more bands.

For base unit, looked around just a bit but enough to see what the damage would be.  It appears that I'd be looking at least 500+ for something reputable so I'll let this play out and see how the hobby fits me before diving that far in.  For now I may just go for another HT, something a few steps above my cheapie UV5R.  Yaesu seems like a well reviewed brand and I could keep the baofeng in the glovebox for mobile use.

As to my location/surroundings, I haven't done any elevation profile for my area but I'm in a single-story/ranch-style house and do have a tall victorian-style house nextdoor(north), and about half a mile south are a pair of cellular towers.  I have what I think is a 2m repeater about 1.5miles west(not on the building I thought it was, I think it's on our 911/county radio tower so higher up).  I don't know the details on it but will look in to that.  I also don't have any trees on my property so whatever I put up either goes in the attic, on the house/eave, or up on a mast/pole/tower.  We own the house so no limits there, except maybe with the city if I'm doing a tower...need to look in to that one.

A Kenwood TMv-71a (Dual Band Mobile/Base rig) will get you for about $329 (Christmas Price) maybe $100+ for a 23a Samlex 12v PS (or similar).
The DBj1 is a good starter antenna (Designer, Ed Fong was recent guest) and a Coax Run $ depends on length.

Nobody says you have to buy new though :) places like EE, swap.qth.com and the sales forums of qrz and eham all have deals to be had

Look up some clubs that are nearby. Hit a few meetings.
Getting to know a few of the locals never hurts and someone
may have a rig for sale or as a loaner for a new ham.
Perhaps there's an estate sale where gear will have a decent $$.
Radio clubs are like any other social group..
Some are full of cliques and fudds while others are active and
welcoming to new comers. YMMV..
Some clubs offer classes, some don't.
Find a few local hams that you share other interests with and you're golden.
Go here and enter your zip and a range of miles to find clubs.
Go to http://qrz.com/ enter zip, search by address for names of local hams.
Hope this helps..

Definitely consider knocking out Tech and General in one sitting.  I'm certainly glad I did at Arf's urging.  When I got started I too had a Baofeng and no interest in HF.  That will actually get you started very well, but HF opens a lot more doors.  You can ALWAYS find someone to talk to on HF.

Like you, I had no interest in spending a bunch of money on a hobby I didn't know would interest me that much.  The HT and a decent antenna (consider something you can stick in your attic, even a cheap roll-up j-pole) will work just fine for repeaters.  Eventually you can pick up a "base" (mobile) VHF rig, power supply, antenna, and move forward if you so desire, especially if you can find deals on used stuff.  That said, Black Radio Disease hit hard, and now I have stacks of shit everywhere

Definitely shoot for General as it can easily be studied for along with the Technician license because there's a lot of overlap in the materials covered.

There's so much more to do on HF. Instead of being restricted the local or regional work of VHF and UHF (unless you get into satellites or Moonbounce), the world will be placed at your fingertips.

The ARRL License Manuals are excellent study guides as they teach you the theory behind the questions rather than having you just memorize them.

FWIW, I've been a ham for 62+ years.

Something that helped me study when I had just a few minutes was HAM test prep on android HAM Test Prep .   I used the Gordon west to go thru the material and the app for quickly going thru the material to study..   It is broken up into many parts so you will easily know which part you need to follow up on.   I know you may be itching to get tech and then do the general later but as stated there is not that much more info to learn for the general..   You will have access to everything with the general..    I would also recommend the free pdf from KB6NU study guide..  Free PDF study guide   Study in short sessions several times a day and you will pickup the material faster..  

Prosise

Thanks for all the tips and info guys, it's very much appreciated.  For the last few days I've sort of been cramming on tech/general material and making notes.  I'll probably do this off and on over the next couple weeks until I'm comfortable and consistently passing on both practice exams.  Right now I'm hovering around 65% on tech and 55% on general, and while not passing it isn't too bad considering I just now jumped in to the technical side of amateur radio.  Definitely trying to learn the explanations behind everything rather than just memorizing the answers.

I'm currently in the process of pulling network and coax at my new house, so I've about 1000ft of RG6 coax, but only crimp connectors and the tools to terminate to that style.  Is RG6 acceptable for antenna runs or should I be looking at another type?

Rg-6 is not what you want for ham. That's 75 ohm for TV.

Now comes the holy war of which 50  ohm coax RG8M, LMR400, etc, etc... is better. :)

Half inch or larger Heliax or don't bother.



(I'm kidding, ignore my advice!)

Ham applications are all coined around 50 ohm for everything on the antenna side.
There are a few places where you can use 75 ohm as a matching network but that's in more advanced antenna theory.
For now... stick to 50 ohm cable in an RG-8 configuration.
The smaller stuff (RG-58) is lossy as hell in the VHF & higher freqs.
Just keep on track for the tech & general tests.. Then you can
really start to learn as you have the permit to experiment.
Then you'll have questions and we're here to help.
73..

rg6 has been known to work well for Scanner Listening :)

Good luck with the tech. It's not bad if you can devote a couple hours to studying.
I only wish I studied for General....
One of these works well for me (vhf/uhf) and it's relatively cheap to build yourself.
http://www.arrowantennas.com/inst/OSJ146440.pdf

But Dipoles are closer to 75 ohms

There are tons of resources available to you. If you enjoy reading there are tons of good books. In some places there are license classes where they actually try to teach the material instead of just the test.

If you are really interested, give thought to aiming for a General class license. Many take it at the same time as the Technician as much of the test is similar... or do them in sequence in the traditional way. Technician HF privileges are minimal, General is where you want to be to enjoy the HF bands.

As you already know, 2m FM and to a lesser degree 70cm FM is where local contacts happen. Even a modest outside antenna at rooftop or short tower height will increase your coverage significantly, and allow you to access more distant repeaters as well as simplex contacts out to longer distances.

HF radios are somewhat more expensive, and have a larger footprint for reasonable antennas. A 1/4 wavelength for a simple antenna on 2 meters is about 19 inches. A 1/4 wavelength for the 40 meter band on HF is about 32 1/2 feet. A 1/2 wave dipole for the popular 80 meter band for shorter distance contacts would be roughly 125 feet long. So there are space considerations for many, but they are not insurmountable.



It really depends on who and how far away you want to talk. VHF/UHF FM is going to limit you to roughly 25-50 miles simplex, and maybe out to 75 miles or a little more to repeaters. There are propagation conditions that can extend those distances a lot, but they're special events.

There is some activity on VHF/UHF bands using "weak signal" modes, which is using modes like CW, SSB, or PSK31 which are more typical for HF bands. Using SSB on say 2 meters gives you substantially more range than using FM, but requires a radio capable of that mode on that frequency (more $) as well as different antennas. SSB is a different kind of operating environment as well and there are not many who are active or even have the capability of using those modes+frequencies. It's more a special interest niche, but the nature of amateur radio leads to a lot of those.
A very common arrangement which gives a lot of flexibility is an FM transceiver (either 2m or dual 2m/440) along with an HF transceiver.

Many HF transceivers anymore include the 6m band, although it's more a niche HF-like band than a VHF band for most. There is little local activity on 6m in most places. A few HF transceivers also include 2m and 440, although I don't recommend that folks plan on using that kind of radio for everyday FM operating. A separate regular FM radio is an easier and better choice for most.  

CW is a term for Morse code, yes. Technicians are limited to only using Morse on 15/40/80, but can use Morse or SSB voice on 10m. Ten meters at this point is another niche, as long distance propagation is pretty scarce.

Morse in the modern era of computer controlled transceivers and computer operated digital modes can be a computer-to-computer text exchange, without the need to decode it by ear or send it by hand. So there are more Technicians taking advantage of their privileges on those bands. But, if you have an interest in HF at all, you really want to upgrade to General (or all the way to Extra).

Get in touch with the local club and get involved. That will likely be the easiest and fastest way to find out about license testing opportunities in your area and make acquaintances who can help show you the ropes. There is a nationwide on-air event coming up in about a month called "Winter Field Day", if someone in your local area is going to have an operation for it, that would probably be a great opportunity to learn about HF operating.

There is a lot to learn about how HF propagation works, there are the basics and then there is a ton of minutia for the very knowledgeable. There is a day to night daily pattern, random variations from day to day, seasonal/time of the year changes, and a multi-year cycle that tracks variations in solar activity. All of those variables together, along with antennas and other stuff, determines what bands are usable and what they do at any particular time.

As you probably know from IT, you can learn a lot from books but there is no substitute for actually doing it (whatever it is). Which is where the local club comes in, where hopefully you can find some helpful people.

And we try to be helpful here in the ham forum as best we can.

RG6 is perfectly fine for a receive antenna.

It's also mostly OK to use for feedlines for HF.... sorta. The standard for transmitting applications is 50 ohm impedance, so a 75 ohm cable in general would lead to some mismatch. Some antenna designs (like the previously mentioned dipole) tend toward impedances a little above 50 ohms, but more importantly, most HF transceivers have on-board tuning circuits that adapts to a slight mismatch, which should cover the amount of mismatch introduced by 75 ohm cable. Another issue though, is that the typical connectors used with 75 ohm cables are not suitable for the transmitter power levels of a typical HF transmitter.

VHF/UHF transceivers generally do not have such a tuning capability to adapt to mismatches, so 75 ohm cable is generally not recommended. Some do use 75 ohm cable, by precisely tuning the length of the cable - a transmission line of a 1/2 wavelength or multiple is "transparent" and presents the impedance from one end to the other end... so only works on one band and has to be cut to an exact length with test equipment. This is generally not worth the trouble.

If you're pulling stuff through the house with the intent of using it for radio, unless the 75 ohm cable is all you have the budget for (it is cheap), it would probably be a better choice to run a 50 ohm cable. If you know how long the distances are and what frequency bands you might anticipate operating on I could recommend some options in cables.  And, run more than you think you will need, trust me on this.

Something definitely to keep in mind is that feedlines for communications transceivers may both pick up as well as exude interference to other cables, especially if they are run in close proximity. I would not run feedlines for amateur radio in parallel with network cables, or cable TV/video coax if at all possible.

If you're already pulling wire it may be too late, but grounding for antennas is much easier to install during construction than afterwards. The best way to do it is to build it in before the concrete is poured but I'm guessing it is too late for that.

Listen carefully.

I am an APPLIANCE OPERATOR with 210 confirmed DX enetities under my belt. Got it? An appliance operator.

I turn radio on, I turn dial, I try and make a QSO if I hear anything interesting, I turn radio off.

The FIRST license I got was a General so I could go HF and play with a PRC 320.

My advice to you is study for your EXTRA and then study for your general and THEN study for your technician in that order. There is so much overlap in the tests that tech will be a snap.

I wish I had gone straight to Extra instead of General.

You should use hamstudy.org flash cards to study the question pools for the tests. The flash cards allow you to click a link that opens a pop-up with a brief explanation of the "why" behind the correct answers.

study for both tech and general , the general is where its at . Get you a hf base , your looking at around $700 new used a couple of hundred less . you can cover most H.F. with one antenna , build an off center dipole there are plenty of posts on here on how to build.

Thought i would add,  your on the right track with much material to absorb.   realistically the tests will allow you to get on the air.   However, one thing the tests don't teach you is how to program a repeater into a radio,  how to make an hf contact,  or to explain what a ground plane is.    The most important thing you could do is find a friendly elmer who is active (PERIOD)..  The older the better,  who is relatively close.   The most learning you will do is from troubleshooting problems,  and chewing the fat with your elmer..   I learn something new every day.  A year ago i was 100% ssb (voice) on hf, something got me to learning cw and after 8 months something clicked and i can hear it without trying .    There are so many things in Amateur radio you could spend a lifetime trying to master them all.   After learning how well cw works it tends to push the microphone to the back of the bench..   It was a pain in the butt for me because i learned the wrong way, i counted the dits and the daas rather than hearing the sound the combo makes..  Really set me back, elmer set me down and gave me some lessons and advise and a month later I was hearing music rather than da da dit.   If you see a big beam behind a house go knock on the door and introduce yourself..   Old timers are the best people in the hobby..  Beware the Alpha Hotels,  they are out there but typically show their colors quickly.  For a beginner youtube, forums, and eham review are a gold mine to an extent..      Keep asking questions and keep the momentum with studying...

Take Care

Prosise

For cable, I was running RG-8X for years without any issues....it was a 50' run up to the feedpoint and I did well with it.
Last year I upgraded everything to RG-213...more for peace of mind than anything. A little less loss....more likely psychological in improvement than anything I'm going to measure with a scope...but it works for me...and now I use the 8X as a test cable.

Takes about a month. You aren't studying to get all the answers right, you are studying to reliably pass the test. Like most others, the real test-which does use the same question pool you are studying from-seemed a lot easier to me than the practice questions. Most of the questions were common sense rather than technical. The General exam was harder and a little more technical but I took a summer long class for that one. Almost passed Extra while I was there even though I didn't study for it. That one was much harder but common sense and a little familiarity with radio and electronic terminology carried me a long way.

Honestly, I wish I would have taken a class for Tech and then spent time around other HAMs to learn the ins and outs, best practices, what really matters and doesn't, etc. Taking the practice quizzes until you pass doesn't teach you anything but how to pass the test. It wasn't until I got licensed that I really had to care about what I was doing enough to crack an owner's manual or figure things out. None of this is hard, you don't need to be a week away from a college degree in radio electronics to operate a radio-my buddy calls me an Appliance Operator because I buy my shit and use it compared to him building all of his radios and repeaters. The thruth is that it's not the 1960's anymore, equipment is good, antennas are good, so long as your radio isn't broken and you haven't totally fucked up your antenna install your radio will work without any drama.

Bottom line, keep plugging away at the test-you'll get there-and look into some free local test classes.

I really appreciate all the guidance and tips from everyone.  Haven't had a chance to speak to any local hams or clubs, but this thread has been extremely valuable.

Been studying here and there over the last week.  This evening I'm working on some docx tables, making cheat sheets with info that will not only help concrete certain stuff in my mind but would also be useful pinned up by my desk at home for quick reference.  Great time to finally try out the Swingline laminator I got on sale from Amazon last month.

xlsx fo life!

Definitely go in and ace tech and general and then the next weekend get your extra.  Sign up NOW for cw ops academy - the wait is a long one.  Then you can hang out with the coooooool cats at the low end of the bands :).

http://www.cwops.org/cwacademy.html

I'm like piccolo, really.  I built a hell of a station and now I get on for contests and to work dx and as skillfully as I can - I operate my appliances :)  Contests of all shapes and sizes are fun though!

What area of Missouri are you located?

I'm definitely going to shoot for Tech and General in one shot, so I'm giving myself as much time as I feel I need to study and get comfortable with the science behind it all.  I want to be able to take the exams and not only know the right answer, but know why it was the right answer.

I'm in SW MO, within 30miles of Springfield.