"Ham on Wing"? Does it really work?
You betcha. Works great. Ten times better (at least) than CB.
Don't you have to learn Morse Code to get your Amateur License?
No. The "Basic Qualification" requires a 60% mark on a 100 multiple choice question exam. There are no Morse Code questions.
Do I have to take a course? I'd like to study on my own and then write the exam.
You do not have to take a course. Exams can be taken with the Calgary Amateur Radio Club the last Saturday of each month. Cost is $5. Industry Canada periodically holds exams at the Harry Hays Building. Industry Canada can be reached at 292-4202.
What are the "Pros" of going to amateur radio on my motorcycle?
- Quality and range of signal.
- Ten times better than CB. You may have to experience it to believe it but it's true. What else can we say.
- Repeater networks.
- Over 25 repeaters in the Calgary area.
- Over 100 repeaters in Alberta.
- Many repeaters are linked. The Southern Alberta Repeater Association has coverage from south of the 49th to north of Cold Lake.
- Enhanced features.
- Phone patch and Reverse patch. Make and receive phone calls from your ham radio.
- Satellite link to Vancouver, Toronto, Halifax and other locations.
- Voice mail (just like on your phone).
- Move your ham radio between vehicles and home for additional fun.
- Fun, Safety and Knowledge (sound familiar).
- Another hobby and many more new friends.
- Coverage from where no cell phone can go (assuming you have a cell phone).
- Ham radio has many different areas to explore including: round the world communication on High Frequencies (Morse code and voice), communication via satellite and "moon bounce", packet radio, amateur television and the list goes on...
Isn't ham radio an expensive hobby?
It sure can be expensive but it depends on how bad you get "hamitis". It can get like shopping for chrome but "Cost is a Pro". Mobile ham radios (the kind you'd install in a vehicle) and hand held portable ham radios are available new for under $400. How does that compare to the price of a Honda CB?
What are the "Cons" of going to amateur radio on my motorcycle?
Integration of a ham radio with your CB, Intercom, Stereo system. This can be as simple or as complicated as you like. The simplest is to keep your ham radio completely isolated from your other radio equipment therefore your ham rig has its own speakers, microphone and press to talk button. Still need your CB to talk to other Wingers that have not become a "Ham on Wing". You could have three hams (tri band radio), one CBer, one co-rider and the stereo all buzzing in your helmet at once.
Where can I get help on installing a ham radio on my motorcycle?
Talk to Chapter members that are "Motorcycle Mobile" (Drew Pushie VE6HGW, Calgary 686-0002 - Andy Robichaud VE6MCM, Calgary 274 0743) and join the Motorcycling Amateur Radio Club (MARC). See Andy or Drew for info about MARC or visit the MARC Web Pages
Where can I get "special hardware" to mount/install a ham radio on my motorcycle?
Commercially made hardware is available from the States. See Andy or Drew for info.
What are the courses like and how long are they?
Generally a class once a week for two and a half hours for five to eight weeks. Cost is usually about $125 which includes all manuals including the data base of questions that the exam is based on. Exam fees usually included. For more information on the "Basic Qualification Course" offered by the Calgary Amateur Radio Club please call Marlene Faint at 230-7899.
I don't know anything about radio. Where do I start?
Talk to one of the many Chapter members that are involved in amateur radio (Drew Pushie VE6HGW, Calgary, 686-0002- Andy Robichaud VE6MCM, Calgary 274-9743). There are many clubs in the Calgary area and of course Drew Pushie's Home Page
- The Wild Rose Network - Dale Grant, 240-3487.
- Calgary Amateur Radio Club (CARA) - Alan Faint, 230-7899.
- Southern Alberta Repeater Association (SARA) - Dudley Craven, 273-9738
- Amateur Radio League of Alberta (ARLA) - Stu Crawford, 247-1063.
- Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) - Ken Oelke, 280-5340.
What frequencies does the Chapter use?
147.390+ for VHF Repeater
147.470 for VHF Simplex.
446.000 for UHF Simplex.
We use the Wild Rose Network. They have several repeaters in Alberta and B.C.
