[NCARC] Amateur radio and our club: NCARC

[Michael]

Hello Shawn,

I just received you request for more information about
Amateur Radio and our club.

First of all let me answer the most important question you asked:
You must be licensed in order to transmit on the amateur frequencies.
You can listen all you want.  But until you take your first test AND
receive notification that you are licensed, it is illegal for you to 
transmit.

It's good that you are getting a book.  It will answer many of your 
questions.
Additionally, there are many sources on the web.
You are also welcome to attend our club meetings.  We meet at the
Golden Corral on Harmony the third saturday of each month.  The meeting
starts at 9am.  But folks arrive earlier to have breakfast and socialize.
When you come in, ask the cashier or a server where the radio guys meet.
When you get into the meeting room, introduce yourself to the first person
you meet, tell them you want to get started and need some help.  You will
then have more friends in one room than you might have imagined possible.

If you're ready, there is a test session this saturday at CSU.  
Bring some ID, a couple of pencils, a calculator and I believe $10 to
cover the paperwork.  If you answer 28 of the 35 questions correctly,
you'll have your license in a week.

Radios:  there are so many options it's hard to know where to begin.
The most common and easily used radio will be a 2 meter HT (handy
talkie).  It's basically a walkie talky that works on the 144-148MHz
frequency which is one of the frequency bands used in amateur radio.
HT's can be had for as low as $50 and as high as $500.  Just look on
ebay for "2 meter radio".  An HT comes with it's own antenna.
A mobile radio is the next best bet.  These are designed to be mounted
in a car but can also work well as base stations in the home when the
right power supply is used.  With a mobile radio it will be important
to have an understanding of antennas.  The wrong antenna might ruin
the radio during transmission.  Mobile radios will fall into the same
price range as an HT with additional costs of a power supply and an
antenna with it's coax (cable).

This should get you started.  Please ask any questions you can think of.

73 (best regards) Michael N7MR