Aurora Stake Ham Class a success

I would like to thank everyone who came to the class yesterday. We had an overwhelming response of over 30+ people who attended the class. Hopefully I didn't overwhelm you too much with information?

If you missed this week's class, no worries, just show up next week. I plan on doing a mini-review next week (chapters 1-2) and then covering chapter 3 in the book. Also, we'll go over some of the sample test questions to help prep. you for the exam.

HRO - Radio Recommendations

If you're thinking about getting a ham radio here are some inexpensive recommendations. I preferred to make my first radio a mobile (so I can use in my car with high output power). Also, presumably a charged car battery is ALWAYS available in an emergency (not always the case with handheld AA batteries, unless you store them somewhere).

The price range is from $109-300 that I've quoted. You can probably find them online used through e-bay, craiglist, or some hamfest swapmeet type of thing for as low as $25.00 (I would recommend a 2m band radio at least, dual band is nice but not needed).

-- Adam
Radio recommendations:

You have 4 main options:
1) a single band (2m only)
2) a dual band (2m/440 MHz)

Then, two sub-options from that:
1a) 2m Handheld Transmitter (HT) - (up to 5 Watts power)
1b) 2m Mobile - (50-75 Watts power)

2a) 2m/440 Handheld Transmitter (HT) - (up to 5 Watts power)
2b) 2m/440 Mobile - (50-75 Watts power)

Recommendations by price and feature:
Both Yaesu and Icom are good brands (Kenwood and others are also good brands), but I prefer one of the first two.

I prefer one that has not only the frequency but a programmable Call Sign Indicator (i.e. KC0QZS)
for easy repeater identification of programmed frequencies.

1a) 2m Handheld Transmitter (HT) - Yaesu, or Icom
Yaesu VX-150 - $117.95 - 5 Watts
Yaesu VX-170 - $114.95 - 5 Watts

Icom IC-V82 - $139.95 - 7 Watts
Icom IC-V8-SPORT - $109.95 - 5 Watts

1b) 2m Mobile - Icom (or Yaesu)
Icom IC-2200H - $169.95 - 65 Watts, 2m
Icom IC-V8000 - $249.95 - 75 Watts, 2m

Yaesu FT-1802M - $134.95 - 50 Watts, 2m
Yaesu FT-2800M - $129.95 - 65 Watts, 2m

2a) 2m/440 Handheld Transmitter (HT) - Yaesu, or Icom
Yaesu FT-60R - $189.95 - 5 Watts
Yaesu VX-3R - $164.95 - 5 Watts
Yaesu VX-6R - $244.95 - 5 Watts (2m/ 220MHz / 440 MHz)

Icom IC-T7H-SPORT - $174.95 - 5 Watts
Icom IC-P7A - $239.95 - 5 Watts

2b) 2m/440 Mobile - Icom, or Yaesu

Yaesu FTM-10R - $299.95 - 50W/40W
Icom IC-208H - $309.95 - 50 Watts

Aurora Stk - Ham Radio Classes - Syllabus

Ham Radio Class Syllabus – Technician Class License

FCC Exam is 35 Multiple choice questions

http://errs-aurora.blogspot.com - class blog & links

Instructor: Adam Hiatt, Stake communications specialist, atom@byu.edu

Week 1 – Welcome, Intro, & Chapters 1-2 -- Welcome, Radio & Electronics fundamentals

Week 2 – Chapter 3 – Operating station equipment

Week 3 – Chapter 4 – Communicating with other “Hams”

Week 4 – Chapter 5 – Licensing regulations

Week 5 – Chapter 6 – Operating Regulations

Week 6 – Chapter 7– Radio safety practices

Week7 (possibly) – Review question pool w/ answers

Helpful pages:

1-5 Testing process

1-17 Test element breakdown by License class

2-3 Basic radio station

2-5 Ohm’s law (think “EIR”, E=I x R or “REI”, R=E/I)

(E) = Electromotive Force inVolts, (I) = Current in Amps, (R) = Resistance in Ohms

Resistance (resistors in series and parallel), Power, P = I² x R in Watts

2-7 Metric unit system (k, m, μ)

2-13 Electrical units (Volts, Watts, Ohm, etc.)

2-16 Radio waves c= f x λ (lambda), Speed of light(c) = Frequency (f) x wavelength (λ)

2-17 Freq. Spectrum (VHF, UHF, HF, etc)

2-23 Antennas & feed lines, Yagi, Cubical Quad & Coax vs. twin lead

2-26 SWR (Standing Wave Ratio, 1:1 is perfect match)

2-28 Radio Wave propagation

2-29 Earth’s atmospheric layers (D, E, F₁, F₂) & “skipping”

3-1 Radio Equipment, buttons, knobs, modes, bands, mic, keyer

3-8 Repeater operation

3-15 Directional antennas, yagi, quad, loops, sat. dishes

3-21 Antenna supports, masts, towers, trees, rooftops

3-25 Power supplies & batteries, AA, C, D, etc. (NiCd, NiMH, Lion)

3-29 RFI Interference (“it’s your neighbor’s problem, not yours”)

4-2 Phonetic Alphabet

4-3 RST (Readability, Signal Strength, Tone) System (S1-S9)

4-4 “Q Signals” QRM – Interference, QSY – Change freq. 88

4-5 73 = Bye, 88 = “Hugs & kisses”(i.e. XOXOX)

4-9 2m “band plan”, various modes, CW, OSCAR, simplex, repeater

4-15 Repeater use, operation & etiquette

4-17, 4-18 Repeater phone patch, IRLP, EchoLink

4-20 Nets, social, emergency & public service

4-22 Net traffic & msg. headers

4-24 Emergency communication, RACES vs. ARES

4-31 OSCARs (Orbiting Satellites Carrying Ameteur Radio)

4-33 Digital nets, APRS, winlink, Video, Radio Control

4-36 EME (Earth Moon Earth) – Using the moon as a natural permanent satellite to communicate

5-4 FCC License Classes & test elements

5-7 FCC ULS (Univ. Licensing System) website

5-11 Frequency spectrum

5-13 Emission types (CW, Data, image, phone, RTTY)

5-16 ITU region chart

5-18 10 U.S. Call sign districts (0-9)

5-19 FCC Call Signs (1x2, 2x2, 2x3, A,K,N,W “Alaska North West”)

6-3 ID Requirements (every 10 mins. & at end)

6-8 3^rd party comm.. (other countries)

6-11 Prohibited Communication

7-2 Electrical safety (100 mA can kill, 30V dangerous)

7-4 Wire size & current capacity chart & current safety chart

7-8 FCC MPE charts (Maximum Permissible Exposure) limits

7-11 RF exposure evaluation (50W max for 2m band)

7-15 putting up your own Antenna tower (wear a hardhat & gloves)

CW (Carrier Wave a.k.a. Morse Code) Abbreviations

Test Element Breakdown

(4) T1 FCC Rules, station license responsibilities

(4) T2 Control operator duties

(4) T3 Operator practices

(5) T4 Radio & electronic fundamentals

(4) T5 Station Setup and operation

(3) T6 Communication modes & methods

(2) T7 Special operations

(3) T8 Emergency & Public Svc. Communications

(3) T9 Radio Waves, propagation, and antennas

(3) T10 Electrical & RF Safety

-------------------------------------

(35) Questions total

Northglenn Stk - Antenna Building Class - Jan 2009

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/errs-denver/message/420

Antenna Building Class

Choose to construct either a Twin Lead J-pole or Three Element Yagi Tape Measure Antenna

Saturday, January 24, 2009, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

100 East Malley Drive
Northglenn, CO 80233

* For any of the above classes, contact Angee at ac0ew1@...

* Classes are free and open to all, but it is requested that youth be accompanied by an adult.

* Students will want to purchase a textbook for the Technician or General classes, and reimburse instructors for materials used in the Antenna Building class. Contact Angee at ac0ew1@... for book information.

* Pre-registration is requested for the Antenna Building class by January 10, 2009, to insure sufficient materials are available.

Northglenn Stk - General License Class - Jan 2009

General License Class

Fridays, January 9 through February 27, 2009, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

3501 Summit Grove Pkwy
Thornton, CO 80241

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/errs-denver/message/420

* For any of the above classes, contact Angee at ac0ew1@...

* Classes are free and open to all, but it is requested that youth be accompanied by an adult.

* Students will want to purchase a textbook for the Technician or General classes, and reimburse instructors for materials used in the Antenna Building class. Contact Angee at ac0ew1@... for book information.

* Pre-registration is requested for the Antenna Building class by January 10, 2009, to insure sufficient materials are available.

Northglenn Stk - Technician Class - Jan 2009

Technician License Class

Saturdays, January 10 through February 14, 2009, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

100 East Malley Drive
Northglenn, CO 80233

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/errs-denver/message/420

* For any of the above classes, contact Angee at ac0ew1@...

* Classes are free and open to all, but it is requested that youth be accompanied by an adult.

* Students will want to purchase a textbook for the Technician or General classes, and reimburse instructors for materials used in the Antenna Building class. Contact Angee at ac0ew1@... for book information.

* Pre-registration is requested for the Antenna Building class by January 10, 2009, to insure sufficient materials are available.

I will have some books available to use in-class

Okay, I got stake approval to purchase a limited # of books for the class. Yeah! I'll probably order about 10-12 books to have on hand.

We will be using this book:
http://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/0872599639/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Facebook group created

I've also created a facebook group called:
"Aurora Stake - Emergency Communication Group"

If you're on facebook feel free to join also.

Aurora Stk - Ham Radio Classes

Ham Radio Class
Beginning Thu. Jan. 8th @ 7-8 pm for Six weeks

In a Katrina-like disaster, a battery powered HAM radio may be the only means of communication!

As part of the Stake Emergency Communication plan we need lots of trained radio operators.

Please contact Bro. Adam Hiatt, the stake communications specialist, if you are currently a Ham Radio Operator.

Anyone of any age (from 6 yrs. +) who is interested in getting basic training toward passing the basic 35 multiple-choice question FCC Ham radio License test is invited to attend a six week course (NO morse code required).

All answers and questions are pre-published from an FCC test bank.

Classes will be at the Laredo Building, 950 Laredo St., Aurora, CO
(need not attend all six classes).

Please contact Adam Hiatt for an accurate class count @ 720-838-4575
(*Scouts: could be used for the Radio Merit badge).

Hellow & Welcome

Hello & Welcome to the Aurora Stake ERRS (Emergency Radio & Relay Service) blog. I will be posting information on the upcoming ham radio classes to be sponsored by the Aurora Stake very shortly.

Thanks,

Adam
KC0QZS