Relatively easy to get a license. Need to study for it and take an exam, but plenty of free prep materials online.
The whole thing is a little complicated, so you need to learn it to operate it anyway, but simple memorization.
ICOM IC-7300 at this time, is the hottest selling radio. So many features and price is around $1000.00 for a used one and $1250.00 for a NEW one! There are several places to purchase one. Just google IC-7300 and you will find them! It covers the entire HF band up to 50 MHz at 100 watts!
You used to need to learn how to receive and send Morse code to pass the test for a ham license. However if memory serves that requirement may have been dropped recently but am not certain.
hamstudy.org is a great tool. Start with a simple ht Yaesu makes an affordable one https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-015573
Licensing is a breeze, at the Technician level, anyway. Take the course. When you’re licensed, you’ll get plenty of equipment catalogs in the mail.
I would suggest that you start by checking out the arrl.net site for info on becoming a ham.also try to see if there are any ham radio clubs around your area.I have been a ham since 1979.Its the greatest hobby in the world good luck hope to catch you on the bands sometime.AE2DX
Depending on your intended use, you might be better off with a few GMRS radios for your family, at least to start. The license is test-free, and one license covers your entire household.
If all you want to do is have a means to get news after the SHTF, get a multi-band shortwave radio.
But if you want to join a community and deep dive into a hobby, start by looking up your nearest chapter of the ARRL.
Lots of good study materials and info out there on the web.
Start at the American Radio Relay League (ARRL.com website) for starters. I’ve had Kenwood, Yaseu and Icom radios over the years....all of em have been pretty good rigs.
I rather liked my kenwood.
Bookmark.
The ARRL books are good learning tools, they give you the entire test bank so you will know the questions on the test beforehand.
The basic license is Technician level and a simple handheld radio which are cheap is all you really need.
In order to do most traditional ham radio functions you need a general class license which is another test, it’s also much more complicated because it’s not the radio you need, you also need an antenna and the choices are many
I have a general class license and antenna which allows me to talk to people hundreds and thousands of miles away, depending on what you want to do ham radio can be very addictive and very fun and very useful in a SHTF situation
If anyone needs a good study aide for the tech exam, I can recommend Roy Watson’s HamRadioExam - Technician. It’s an app that highlights the correct test answers, and has the questions in subject categories. Easy reading.
ARRL’s manual is the standard, I suppose, and I also relied on “Pass Your Amateur Radio Technician Class Test” by Craig Buck K41A — it also uses boldface for the essentials.
But that little app got me through. You don’t need a big chunk of time to study; if you have a free moment, pick up the phone and learn!
As for equipment — nope, I’m not happy with any of it. Overpriced from overseas. Thumbs down.
It isn’t just the radio, but equally as important is your antenna array. Make sure you are able to put one in your location.
Bookmark!!
Look at the inventory at Bridgecom Systems.
The company offers a large library of videos that provide detailed instructions on using the devices.
Ham licenses come in three types, with different types providing you privileges on different frequencies as you earn them. They’re all multiple choice questions, so you can learn them by rote if you need to. The radio you’re looking at operates primarily on frequencies that require a general class license. Starter class is technician and I’d say an hour a night for a week will get you licensed at that level where there’s lots of portable and mobile units. You can either pick up one of the $100/$200 portable units if you want to get on the air as soon as you’re a tech, or just use the 7300 as a receiver for a while as you work on your general class license. With application, it’s a couple of weeks work.
Here’s basic licensing info: https://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session
Really neat that you’re interested in HAM radio! It’s not only a hobby, but is educational and practical in many situations, as I’m sure you’ve reasearched enough to persue the testing and purchase!
Getting licensed is a breeze, just study as others have mentioned. Best radios, well that’s a whole other realm of debate, but a fun one! Go with a major brand (i-COM, Yaesu, Kenwood) and you’ll be happy, each has their own inherent quirks of course, but there’s a huge following of hose brands with forums all over the place to help you in your journey (use, mods, repairs..etc).
HAM, like firearms and shooting skills, is a very broad hobby. Different radios and different bands work for different things. So you should start by asking what your goal is. Do you want to be able to talk locally on repeaters? Do you want to have mobile communications when you travel? Do you want emergency communication to reach across the country? Do you want to talk to other HAM operators world wide? Each of these has a different solution and each requires radios and antenna that have very different features.
The Technician license will limit you to the 2M/70cm bands. Great for local and regional contacts via repeaters. If you want to talk worldwide on HF, you’ll have to take the General and/or Extra exams.
I have an inexpensive Yaesu handheld and it’s a great little radio to play around with in regards to repeaters. But if you want to play with the big boys and talk world wide, DX on HF is the way to go. And it can get expensive.
QRZ.com has online tests. Read the ARRL license books and take the QRZ tests until you score in the 90s. Get your tech and general. That will give you all you need unless you get into serious DX and contesting.
The 7300 is nice and, I believe, has a built in sound card for digital comms. The ability to use data modes is essential for emergency communications.
You’ll also need a good VHF/UHF radio. My very first radio was a Kenwood D710. I have two of them, one in the car, the other in the shack.