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Old 12-16-2012, 3:43 AM
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BillCA BillCA is offline
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Originally Posted by SDJim View Post
A couple of weeks ago my daughter and I were talking about the great 2012 power outage and the ability to communicate if power had remained out for much longer . . . For what ever reason she went shopping on Amazon and a BaoFeng UV-5R+ radio, the 144/430 whip antenna, programming cable and disk all showed up.

I guess I'm going to have to hook up with a few people to figure out how to use it and get a license.
For people buying radios over the internet, be aware that there are somewhat different standards for radios in Europe, North America and Asia. Be certain you're buying a radio certified for North America so that it complies with FCC rules.

Jim, for a no-morse-code Technician license, which is easiest, go to www.QRZ.com. Under the resources menu, they have practice ham radio tests for each category. You can run through the various tests until you're comfortable enough to take the exam. Very helpful. Then it's just a matter of finding a date to test so you can get your license.

Once you do all that, buy another radio. Remember they work best in pairs.
Especially if you want to be able to communicate to family members away from the house. Allocate a few bucks for a Repeater Directory book so you can use the repeaters in your local area to extend your range.
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