[tmp02]

correct me if I'm wrong...to get a technician license (the lowest license to get a ham) you can only transmit from 144 and up. The get a general license, which you need to know Morris Code and is pretty extensive, then you would gain a license for short wave...so most people have technical status which give you basically every frequency from 144 and up...general license only gives you 3 to 144...a lot of people have technician license, but not too many have general...does this sound correct?...I'm trying to explain what my friend at work (who has general lic.) said.

[tmp02]

while hammers don't like the CB band...you can still transmit without on CB without a license...but hammer's have the advantage of using repeater frequencies which will give you further distance or up to about 50 miles...CB is line-of-sight or about 25 to 20 miles or less, depending on weather, mountains, etc.

[thecabal]

Currently the Technician license doesn't require a Morse Code test. It gives you access to all amateur frequencies and privileges from 50 MHz and up.

In order to be able to use the shortwave (HF) frequencies, you do need to pass a Morse Code test at 5 WPM (pretty slow). Once you have passed the Technician and General written tests and the 5 WPM Morse Code test, you would be a General class licensee, and have access to most portions of the amateur HF spectrum.

The advantage of being able to use the HF frequencies is the ability to have long distance communications. Not that you can't have long distance communications on VHF and up, but it's a lot more difficult and costly.

Hope this clears it up for you, let me know if you have more questions.

[Myrddin]

License requirements and privileges have changed quite a bit since you last looked. A current copy of the license study manuals will show the updated rules/regs/privileges. Morse code is now limited to 5 WPM. I mastered that level in 20 minutes. I worked for weeks to get to 18 WPM so I could comfortably pass the 13 WPM in 1976. The standard at that time was 1 minute of perfect copy. The new tests are multiple choice after listening to a 5 minute message at 5 WPM. Dirt simple. The emphasis shifted to better technical knowledge.

The FCC Amateur Radio Service page has everything you need to know about licensing and privs.