As I mentioned in another post I just renewed my amateur radio license but have been contemplating selling most of my ham radio stuff. Between the family and a regular job I barely have time to trap, hunt or fish. Thank heavens fish & game seasons aren’t year round, lol.

Anyway, I have an HF transceiver a couple of 2M rigs and a couple of handy-talky’s that I just don’t have time to use. In these uncertain times do y’all think it advantageous to have these additional means of communication available?

Couldn't hurt, better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

They ain't eating anything.

I highly doubt it. I think ham radio is just for folks who like to play with radios or just want somebody to talk to. I highly doubt it's ever going to be needed for something important.

The weather nets are useful. Sometimes the radio clubs help out at local events. But mostly it's just for play.

If you don't intend to play radios in the future, i'd probably keep a 2M rig and a handy talky - let the rest go. But if you're like me, as soon as you sell it, you'll wish you had it back for some reason.

Yes.

As kart29 says.... in actual war time or dire need its basically useless as i've been finding out. Sure, it can be useful for severe weather, or doing parades...etc. it does have uses at times but its not gonna save the world as they say. Just store it, you can always go back to it later if you choose but its nothing you are missing. but yes, its really just a hobby.

if your significant other or children get their license, can be a fun way to stay in touch on hand helds or mobile, if you loose power you can call out to the locals for updates...few more uses.


qrz.com

That depends on if you think there could be a major disruption in 'normal' communications that would last more than a few days. If you think that is possible then it would be good to have. Portable stuff may be as important as 'base' units...

I keep a full working set up in a metal box in my work shop, and play doesn't enter into the equation. 2 Hand held gmrs in the safe with extra bats.

The handhelds are nice to have and if SHTF, nobody's gonna be checking for licenses....

Probably a good idea to make up a few codebooks for use over the air waves...something like: meet me at point A = meet me at jakes house....

End transmission and will re-contact at 0600 = add five to all the times mentioned...= 1100.

Stuff like that with rally points and pick up points named/located for all the code books.

Ya'll get the idea. May not be time to do something that time consuming if there is a big issue...Use rite-in-rain paper.

During Katrina when the town flooded the power, cell towers and phone service went down. For a while, hams were the only thing getting in and out of New Orleans. There might have a few government security folks there with sat phones but they weren't sharing.

I have a couple radios and keep up my license eve though I am not really active any more.

it is an option and simplex comms with family should cell service be down could be a useful thing


my indoor J-pole gets surprisingly far reception from the high point inside the attic but I suppose it should it is up about 3 stories.

While this is true, being an untrained operator is EXACTLY like buying an unfamiliar gun for defense and/or SHTF and never taking it to the range, never zeroing it in, never learning how to correctly and safely use it. It is easy to become a hazard with that sort of approach.

I'm not a huge stickler for technicalities, but the reality is that by getting licensed and learning to use your equipment properly ahead of time, you will both be able to get more out of it and avoid disrupting correctly conducted communications. There are well-refined procedures in place to efficiently handle emergencies and having a grip on this is important.

No one needs ham radio for emergencies...until there IS one. Look at how things unfold when cell towers, transmission lines and other infrastructure become damaged or otherwise unavailable. No phone, no internet, no TV. Our radio club conducts joint training/practice operations with our county emergency services at least once a year, and organizations like ARES and RACES conduct training and exercises frequently. Obviously our county (and many more) sees enough value in ham radio to invest in training/interaction.

We also monitor severe weather and many of us are trained and registered spotters for the National Weather Service 'SkyWarn' program. (https://www.weather.gov/skywarn/) The free classes are both very informative and interesting if you keep an eye to the weather.

like t-man if you have been a member and contributing for a while with good info that shakes out , people trust you , if you show up with spouting stuff day one but sound like a green horn when you get to the details , your trust will be lost and your answer now worth the bytes to store it.

a Radio net is no different.

leaning it now to have it later holds true in so much

sometimes men get lucky

some times everything works out on the first try , put that in luck column

mostly we work our way through a series of issues learning along the way

expecting to go SHTF or TEOTWAWKI on luck is planning to fail.

GPete, im assuming you are referring to my comment. Ill stick by my comment that handheld ham radios are a good thing to have for emergencies whether you are licensed or not. That comment did not infer that you shouldnt have an idea of how to work it. I doubt there is a houndsmen in this state, or yours, that isnt running on those. They are cheap to get and work better than any family band. Im not trying to discourage anybody from getting their 'license' if they so desire. But be assured, if SHTF, that license isnt going to mean squat. Same for anyone getting a concealed carry permit....Ill bet you and your family would be carrying with or without a proper 'license' in those situations...
Quite frankly, I dont ever expect a SHTF situation to occur, but if it does, Ill be better prepared than some and not as prepared as others. Ill have a handheld ham, but I wont be licensed