How would a neophyte get started with ham radios? I have limited income so money is a big issue right now.
Get a radio. Listen. Don't transmit. My first was a Baofeng UV-82HP. It was $80. It's a dual band VHF/UHF radio. You can find UV-5 R versions for less.
Start studying for the Technician exam. It will let you transmit on that Baofeng. I use HamStudy.org. They make an app for the iPhone and Android. I also bought the books, but they're not necessary just to pass the exam. Take the test. You can find local clubs and testing locations on ARRL.org. Get involved with local hams. They're a great resource.
My recommendation some of the more experienced hams may disagree, but I got started by purchasing on Amazon Prime day a cheap handheld radio called the Baofeng UV-5R, you can still get them on Amazon, I saw one for $25, get it and learn about.
Look up local ham radio clubs in your area, usually they have frequencies listed for local repeaters.
A handheld has a range of 2-3 miles in most situations, a repeater takes a radio signal and repeats it over a much wider area, allowing you to communicate with a handheld over a much greater area.
Learn about the radio, learn about repeaters, and program the radio for your local repeaters, they’re likely to be a lot of them. Software exists that allows you to drop a bunch of configurations into your radio at one time.
Then listen to what others are doing.
If you are interested, go to the ARRL website and learn about testing in your area.
arrl.org is the site.
The test when I took it was $15
You can get a radio, study book, take the test and get what is known as a Technician License, which allows you to transmit to others on the handheld for under $100.
There are a lot of videos on Youtube.
This is the main link http://www.arrl.org/getting-your-technician-license
One thing to know- EVERY question that you might possible be asked is readily available; learn the answers to the pool and you *will* pass:
http://www.arrl.org/tech-question-pool
You can go online and listen virtually at a number of sites.
This is all you actually need; can be found used sometimes.
https://smile.amazon.com/ARRL-Radio-License-Manual-Spiral/dp/1625950829/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=arrl+technician+class+license+manual&qid=1646778192&sprefix=aarl+te%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1
If you have a ham radio club in your area, you’re golden, there *will* be people who would like nothing more than to help you pass. http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club
The occasional sputtering indignities you read on here about Censorship and fear of Big Brother are based on the fact that using the spectrum for anything attempting to overthrow or impede the operation of the government is specifically not allowed by terms of your license; it is what it is; no one is going care about your opinions beyond that, but organizing a rebellion is a no-no.
And any unauthorized transmission *will* be found out. There is an entire sport where someone sets up a transmitter and we go to find it. We call it a ‘Fox Hunt’. It usually takes a few minutes; very easy, but you can just listen without a license.
Freepmail me with any questions, but hams are nearly evangelical in wanting to teach people!