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Ham Radio Basics – Making Your First Contact

Posted on July 30, 2020

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It’s always nerve-racking for new ham radio operators learning ham radio basics. You’ve got your license and purchased your first radio; now you’re ready to make your first contact on ham radio repeaters. Don’t be too nervous, amateur radio is all about helping one another. There are plenty of great ham radio operators willing to help and answer your questions once you’re on the air!

I take you through making your first ham radio contact and explain what a repeater offset is.

17 thoughts on “Ham Radio Basics – Making Your First Contact”

  1. Patrick McHenry says:
    July 30, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    I’m studying for my exam now and plan to take the exam in castle rock. Hope to contact you when I’m licensed.

  2. James Bowie says:
    July 30, 2020 at 8:36 pm

    Good information, however you refer a number of times to the CTCSS (aka PL) tone as a carrier, which it isn't. It's a low frequency audio tone added to your signal.

  3. BigCat LittleDog says:
    July 30, 2020 at 8:34 pm

    I am just starting out and I was hoping that you could recommend some literature that will explain everything that I I need to know down to settings and to offsets and much more I'm having a hard time programming repeaters I just need one in my state and how to use setting properly properly and what they mean

  4. Ctyler93 says:
    July 30, 2020 at 7:45 pm

    Can you use a repeater to extend the range to another handheld ?

  5. MistakenlyMistaken says:
    July 30, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    I am so confused!

  6. Journey of a Lifetime says:
    July 30, 2020 at 6:25 pm

    I scheduled my technician exam in March, got cancelled because of lockdown, scheduled one in April, cancelled. It's now may, I have one scheduled late number, hopefully I'll be able to take my technician, pass and take my general the same day!

    Listen regularly to my local repeaters, even have some netlogger contact with them,I just can't push that one button!

  7. Chris Whitten says:
    July 30, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    This is great advice for people just getting started that may be a little reluctant to get going. Thanks!

  8. maurice says:
    July 30, 2020 at 4:35 pm

    Got my sign yesterday, had no idea what to do. Thanks a lot

  9. Jay- Rus KI5JHX says:
    July 30, 2020 at 4:01 pm

    Ready to take my exam, but in a holding pattern due to covid-19

  10. Trainy says:
    July 30, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    This is something everyone should learn how to do in case shit hits the fan. It could be the only way to communicate.

  11. James W says:
    July 30, 2020 at 2:32 pm

    Would you call CQ on a 2m/70cm repeater like you normally would on a HF DX?

  12. Scott Briggs says:
    July 30, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    I have a question: when you program a handheld with CHIRP, and add most of the local repeaters and such to the radio, and upload, does it set up the transmit/CTSS/Sidetone info.
    as well, automatically, or do you have to check any repeater or channel you want to transmit on, individually, before you ever attempt to transmit? And what if you cannot find
    the complete info. online for a particular local repeater?

  13. Karl says:
    July 30, 2020 at 1:40 pm

    Morning sir!

    Any tips for someone very interested in obtaining their license as soon as possible, books or websites to use.

    Look forward to hearing back and getting on the air.
    Kyle
    Golden, CO.

  14. Ben Benson says:
    July 30, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    I just ordered my first ham radio, a Baoseng BF-F8HP, it is on its way in the mail. I also ordered a study guide for the technician class license, No Nonsense Technician Class Study Guide by KB6NU. this will be my first time doing anything with ham. I have used sw radios before, though. I am excited but the basic circuitry and some of the math is daunting to try to have to memorize. Any advice for studying for the license?

  15. Jim Gresham says:
    July 30, 2020 at 12:57 pm

    What is that devise on top of a mobile radio behind the hand mic ?

  16. Mark Maier says:
    July 30, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    Thanks for making this video. I will be taking my test in two weeks and am trying to understand some of the moving parts that make ham radio so useful. How to use a repeater is obviously one important component. Even thought these ideas are points of study on the test, it sure is nice to see how it is applied in real life. Thanks again,you helped me a bunch.

  17. TraceurDoc1 says:
    July 30, 2020 at 11:58 am

    Hi, a very new newbie here(like just started studying yesterday). I’m using online study materials and trying to understand repeater offsets. From my materials, I understood repeater offsets on a 2 meter band is +/- 600 kHz. I noticed you said 6khz? Is there something I’m not quite getting? Thanks in advance

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