How Far Can You Talk on Ham Radio?! The answer might surprise you.

Ham radio has some amazing capabilities, including the ability to communicate across the globe without an internet connection or cellphone plan. So let our very our Jim Reed N4BFR, take you through just how far YOU can talk using ham radio!

Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:21 Go from Local 🏘️ to Global 🌎 with Amateur Radio
2:59 Local Communications with Technician License
4:32 Extending your Range with a Repeater 📡
5:14 Communicating with Satellites 🛰️
6:20 Communicating around the World with HF
7:56 Ham Radio Prep Online License Courses 📻

Want to join the club and get your license?

#hamradio #amateurradio

[harleythor]

The program is my Tech about a month on General currently.... highly recommend.

[stevenkahl]

These guys are great the lessons focused and informative! Highly recommend it

[hamradiobasics]

Thank you for all you do with your courses ! Keep up the great work !

[stratafm]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the slice of the 10m band with phone privileges for tech level operators. I call it the "that's how they get ya" part of the band, because thats how they get ya to upgrade your license, by dangling some HF in your face and getting you hooked lol. As a tech, I've worked the world, all from between 28.3 - 28.5 MHz. Upgrading soon, of course... because they got me. lol

[kjoboz]

My dad passed away in 2017 his call sign was K9WVL I miss him he loved doing this

[jamesgeorge]

What amazes me is not how far you can talk it is how fast the signal gets there. Think about it in the time that squeeze the push to talk the signal is already there traveling 186000 miles per second. To the moon and back in 2.5 seconds, now that is impressive. Ham radio is a blast and sometimes mind blowing. 73 from ki0ad/Jim

[lililiu]

Great intro, short and sweet, love it.

[VPEIHonAnguillaIsland]

Nice video, my friend.. well, I'm a 100 Watt station and 1 wire..😂 somehow, my log says 142K ++ less than 12 months 😊 hmmm now if only I'd had an Amplifier... hope to work ya 73 🎙Ira-J88IH

[mikeeiben]

My interests are in flying model aircraft. When I started, most people used 72mhz FM. One of the older available bands was Ham, I think it was around 53mhz. Now most everyone uses 2.4ghz for line of site flight.
Some people fly "first person view." The video signal requires a ham license. There is also long distance FPV that both the controls and video are on the ham bands. Don't quote me on any of the frequencies in this comment, but I think it is in the 900mhz bands.

[TheAppalachianWay]

I wish everyone good luck on testing. Yes it’s worth it, get studying.

[MENSA.lady]

About half a million miles. It's called moonbounce and uses the moon as a passive reflector so can be used by any two stations providing the moon is above the horizon at both stations.

[LevyCarneiro]

Is that directional antenna a moxon antenna? It looks different. Another question: what's the purpose for raising the arm during the QSO in the video? Are you turning the PTT on or something? Thanks!

[SJ-xguf]

I know that ham radio can help people communicate across the world. However, in the event of a WW3 type scenario where we are trying to rebuild civilization without modern conveniences like phones, would ham be useful for finding lost friends or family?

[ajs]

ive got some old radio phones kicking around that would talk from lynn lake mb to gimli mb so shrug to bad that systems none existant now as theres still no cell service up here

[johnbauman]

Yes, GMRS range is limited compared to Ham rigs and GMRS does require a license. Not mentioned is the fact that a GMRS license only costs $35.00 for 10 years and requires no test/exam. Also although significantly smaller in number there are repeaters and linked repeaters in some areas which significantly increase the range of GMRS.

GMRS, FRS, CB and ham radio are not mutually exclusive and each has their uses, pros and cons.

New, name brand 1500 Watt radios run upwards of $3000 - 15, 000. This doesn't include amplifier, cables connectors, antenna tower, antenna(s), antenna analyzer, etc.

Setting up an antenna tower, grounding the radio, amplifier and antenna/tower for 1500 watt operation is not a trivial exercise. Other considerations include your geographic location, zoning, HOA rules if any and additional liability insurance if you install an antenna tower.

It is easy to be tempted by the lure of worldwide transmission with a 1500 watt rig, but only a fraction of all ham operators own one of those rigs.

You CAN reach out over a 1000 miles with 100 watt and lower power rigs with appropriately tuned equipment, right time of day and optimum solar and weather conditions, but it won't happen just by turning on the radio. And distant contacts one day are no guarantee of making the same contact tomorrow.

Ham is a great hobby if you have the interest, dedication and finances to pursue it. However it is NOT plug'n play like CB or FRS. Getting a license is just the beginning of a million questions. I recommend it as a great hobby, but know that getting a license is the beginning of a journey, not an end in itself.

[bradbowers]

This feels like a first amendment issue

[klintkrossa]

the chicken band also id so full of profanities.