Why not go for your EXTRA LICENSE? Most clubs have Saturday classes, takes a few weeks, lots of additional privileges and bands.
Hubby has been a Ham/Extra since he was teaching electronics/math a Math Major, in Jr. College in the mid 80’s. After his 20 yr career in the Navy. Still teaches the math portion of the Extra class.
Just think if the S like a EMP hits the fan only older equipment stored in Faraday boxes will function. Gov’t will control all the rest of communications. Same goes for your old cell phone, you will still have GPS. Or store a GPS unit in a Faraday box, same goes for all these fancy computer smart cars, they won’t work.
The quick answer is I have no intention of buying more equipment. I have around $550 invested in what I have which allows for 2 meter and 70 cm frequencies which are plenty for keeping in contact locally and with the Tech license I can talk on those frequencies. This isn’t a hobby for me; it’s a part of my prepper plan for the SHTF scenario. I can get info from those who do treat Ham Radios as a hobby and have long distance equipment. They will get that info and pass it along locally and long distance. I don’t have relatives long distance that I have been able to talk into getting their license or equipment so there’s really no need for me personally to have it.
In a major emergency when power is lost on the grid; the repeaters are usually on a battery backup system so they should still work. I’m not sure what the scenario is for an EMP hit or how direct the hit needs to be to affect things like cars and plugged in repeaters. Obviously the best thing is to unplug everything electronic.
The fact is we really don’t know what will happen in the event of an EMP attack. I guess it depends on what causes that EMP and how close it hits. The big problem is transformers in the grid. They are expensive and difficult to replace quickly. Common thinking is a lot of things will still work but maybe have some problems like windows not working in cars or something.
Also, because I didn’t think about at the time I wrote the last response to your question, the fact is during an emergency no one needs a license to talk on a ham radio.
However, because there are protocols and some language things to learn to talk on Ham Frequencies correctly, it is advised to at least get the Technician license to get to know the basics.
One other thing worth noting from my personal experience with “some” in the ham radio world; many are radio snobs. Most are not but those who are in leadership positions seem to be the worst of the bunch. Why this is I don’t know.
In their world apparently you ain’t shit if you aren’t doing this or that. In my world I look at them and think what small and petty people they are for even thinking that way.
Like I said; I don’t know why they have this attitude. I can only guess it’s because they had to study and learn knowledge most people don’t know which somehow makes some of them feel superior to those who don’t know what they know about a hobby most people couldn’t care less about.
I was very disappointed to find this caliber of people in this hobby. Very disappointed.