A lot of people are talking about guns

[Zulch]

Pustic, thank you for the good advice. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. Tim

[Pustic]

Pustic, thank you for the good advice. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. Tim

No problem, us hams are willing to help those interested in the hobby.

[Zulch]

Sounds like you had a lot of fun to me. I’ve always wanted a ham radio (transceiver?) myself. Had an old HealthKit receiver that gave to a buddy a year ago. I miss it but he’s enjoying it. 👍

It's always fun talking to people on the ham radio. There are people all over to talk to, especially on the 75/80 meter band.

Pustic. Sounds interesting. What gear would you recommend for a newbie? I do like analogue and vacuum tube.

   Analogue and vacuum tube radios and amplifiers are nice, but also high maintenace. When a tube goes out, (and they do), and if you can find a new one, and depending on what the tube is used for, can cost at least $50-100, and up to a few grand apiece, and anywhere between. 

   As far as gear goes, it all depends on what your interest is. Do you want to rag chew, contest, CW, digital, SSTV, or some of each. The first step is to get a ham license, then a radio, coax, and an antenna. The best thing for you to do is to find your local ham club, go to the meetings and get to know the people there. They can help you with what you need from getting a license to setting up your first station. That's how I got started. Now I'm the president of the club. Marshall County Amateur Radio Association. 

Pustic, One other thing. I'm sure you are familiar with the 3d, 2nd and 1st class Phone licenses back when the FCC required broadcasters to have one of these. Basic 3d Class for DJ's and 2nd/1st phone for transmitter guys. What is the Ham Operator license in relation or comparison to these type licenses I've listed?

[WECSOG]

75 Meters is a great place to find people discussing guns.
As for 10 Meters, anyone who transmits there (or any other ham band) sans license needs to be aware that any ham who carries on a conversation with you is just trying to keep you talking until they (we) can determine who and where you are, followed by reporting you to the FCC. There is also a very good chance that we are recording you. Not trying to start anything, just letting you know. It's not that we don't care when people illegally transmit on our bands; we're just setting a trap to catch you. For some hams, T-hunting as it is called, is their specialty and favorite activity in the ham radio hobby.
The fines can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, too.

[Hawg]

75 Meters is a great place to find people discussing guns.
As for 10 Meters, anyone who transmits there (or any other ham band) sans license needs to be aware that any ham who carries on a conversation with you is just trying to keep you talking until they (we) can determine who and where you are, followed by reporting you to the FCC. There is also a very good chance that we are recording you. Not trying to start anything, just letting you know. It's not that we don't care when people illegally transmit on our bands; we're just setting a trap to catch you. For some hams, T-hunting as it is called, is their specialty and favorite activity in the ham radio hobby.
The fines can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, too.

I did it for years and never got caught. I talked to some of those guys for a long time so either the FCC sucked at finding people or they weren't trying to turn me in. I was more worried about getting caught with an amp than I was for talking on 10 meter and I didn't worry about that much.

[Clydesdale4x4]

If you want to talk to someone why not just ring them up on you sail foam?

Cell phones were the ruination of truck drivers. I quit driving in 08 and even then there weren't a lot of truckers still using the CB's. Truckers fresh out of driving school many times didn't even have one. Nobody was giving you a heads up on road conditions, accidents, or speed traps. Nobody wanted to shoot the s**t. They all had those cell phones permanently attached to their ears.

My Cobra cost less than the tickets I've tried to save no less than 5 other drivers... Their loss ($$$) I guess.
Some ol' boy got on the air, on my last roll across Arkansas (several of them) and told us how to avoid the CMV rollover that was causing a kerfluffle in traffic.
EVEN dropping to a two-track. EVEN not taking any sort of rush, smelling the roses of a Rockwell-esque landscape... AND taking a 30+ break at the Love's I came out at, I was ahead of traffic. I got passed by one of the flat bedders (distinct truck and trailer) (who didn't take the two-track bypass)as I was merging back on.

For the most part, it's just white noise. Occasionally it comes to life and is amusing. I've come to the conclusion it's against the laws of nature for a Vulva or Freightliner to run one. As they NEVER do.

[Hawg]

I mostly drove Freightshakers but I quit driving in 08. I've still got an old Cobra 148 GTL somewhere and a couple of amps. The key has been turned down on it and the swing turned up. It is matched to the 400 TNT I have.

[Clydesdale4x4]

Fully realizing there were/are exceptions to the "never run" rule I stated above, my buddy had his General Lee (similar to a 3300) tuned and turned, he could reach out... I think he claimed 30 miles, I wasn't in the truck, can only take that at face value.

But the bulk of the puppy mill companies run Vulva/Freightshaker, and the bulk of the puppy mill companies don't run radios, as a blanket statement, it was purty accurate, and matches your findings back in the day.

[Hawg]

30 miles on a good day with no radio traffic. With my aforementioned 148 with a 400 watt kicker I could do 50 in heavy radio traffic. I might not hear the response from a weaker radio tho. The strongest radio I ever heard was a Cobra 25 with an old Black Cat 250 tube type kicker. That hoss was very loud from 60 miles away. He was on a regular run hauling gas from Meridian to Tupelo and everybody hated to hear him key up.

[Clydesdale4x4]

You may appreciate this. Or may not. I find myself listening to more and more of Mr Carlisle.

[Pustic]

Sounds like you had a lot of fun to me. I’ve always wanted a ham radio (transceiver?) myself. Had an old HealthKit receiver that gave to a buddy a year ago. I miss it but he’s enjoying it. 👍

It's always fun talking to people on the ham radio. There are people all over to talk to, especially on the 75/80 meter band.

Pustic. Sounds interesting. What gear would you recommend for a newbie? I do like analogue and vacuum tube.

   Analogue and vacuum tube radios and amplifiers are nice, but also high maintenace. When a tube goes out, (and they do), and if you can find a new one, and depending on what the tube is used for, can cost at least $50-100, and up to a few grand apiece, and anywhere between. 

   As far as gear goes, it all depends on what your interest is. Do you want to rag chew, contest, CW, digital, SSTV, or some of each. The first step is to get a ham license, then a radio, coax, and an antenna. The best thing for you to do is to find your local ham club, go to the meetings and get to know the people there. They can help you with what you need from getting a license to setting up your first station. That's how I got started. Now I'm the president of the club. Marshall County Amateur Radio Association. 

Pustic, One other thing. I'm sure you are familiar with the 3d, 2nd and 1st class Phone licenses back when the FCC required broadcasters to have one of these. Basic 3d Class for DJ's and 2nd/1st phone for transmitter guys. What is the Ham Operator license in relation or comparison to these type licenses I've listed?

Hams now have only 3 classes of licenses.
1. Technician Class. That's the first and lowest class.
2. General Class. Gives you a lot more band privileges, but not everything.
3. Extra Class. This class gives you full privileges.
I am an Extra Class. 

[Pustic]

75 Meters is a great place to find people discussing guns.
As for 10 Meters, anyone who transmits there (or any other ham band) sans license needs to be aware that any ham who carries on a conversation with you is just trying to keep you talking until they (we) can determine who and where you are, followed by reporting you to the FCC. There is also a very good chance that we are recording you. Not trying to start anything, just letting you know. It's not that we don't care when people illegally transmit on our bands; we're just setting a trap to catch you. For some hams, T-hunting as it is called, is their specialty and favorite activity in the ham radio hobby.
The fines can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, too.

I talk on 10 meters when the band is open, and I enjoy the band. They can record me all they want, I don't care. I give my call at the start and again at every 10 minutes. KM4JZJ. But yeah, if a non-ham is caught and found talking on 10 or any bands, they can end up in deep shit. Have you ever listened to 7.200 on the 40 meter band? It sort of makes a person believe that the FCC doesn't care. Then there's Capt. Dave KI4THY.  https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/98wbi5/captain_dave_has_had_his_license_canceled/

[Hawg]

75 Meters is a great place to find people discussing guns.
As for 10 Meters, anyone who transmits there (or any other ham band) sans license needs to be aware that any ham who carries on a conversation with you is just trying to keep you talking until they (we) can determine who and where you are, followed by reporting you to the FCC. There is also a very good chance that we are recording you. Not trying to start anything, just letting you know. It's not that we don't care when people illegally transmit on our bands; we're just setting a trap to catch you. For some hams, T-hunting as it is called, is their specialty and favorite activity in the ham radio hobby.
The fines can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, too.

I talk on 10 meters when the band is open, and I enjoy the band. They can record me all they want, I don't care. I give my call at the start and again at every 10 minutes. KM4JZJ. But yeah, if a non-ham is caught and found talking on 10 or any bands, they can end up in deep shit. Have you ever listened to 7.200 on the 40 meter band? It sort of makes a person believe that the FCC doesn't care. Then there's Capt. Dave KI4THY.  https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/98wbi5/captain_dave_has_had_his_license_canceled/

I dunno how they would have caught me in an 18 wheeler. Back then we always had plenty of warning when they showed up with their trucks with the little spinning loop on top trying to find illegal amps. Mostly when I was on 10 meter I was sitting somewhere waiting to get loaded or unloaded with a couple of dozen other trucks. When I was on the road I was always on channel 19. Hey while I'm thinking about it what's up with all the channels that just have weird noises or nothing but what sounds like Morse code? It's non stop. No gaps or anything.