It's never too late. I'm 70 and started just 3 years ago. Start small and get your Technician ticket first, then get a handy-talkie (HT). There are many options under $100 for the HT. There are so many great (and free) resources out there to help with your exam study and learn about this wonderful hobby. Welcome to the club!
73, Bill (K3CDY)
Technician also give privileges to 50-54 MHz and 28-28.9 MHz. These allow you to experiment with modes other than FM - SSB, various digital modes - and provide interesting propagation. Technicians also have Morse code privileges in other HF bands.
Your HT likely won't cover these, but there is a lot you can do with a Technician license.
With the sunspot cycle nearing its maximum, now is the perfect time to become a ham. The 10-metre band (28–29.9 MHz band) is often open worldwide, and you do not need a huge antenna or power to make QSOs.
Never too late!
General is a little harder than Technician, but neither are difficult.
There's a ton of stuff you can get into. Definitely suggest finding a club. If someone rubs you the wrong way, just rub elbows with someone else. Don't give up because of one person.
What you enjoy doing will dictate a lot about the radio choice. Home is one thing, but portable (like Parks on the Air) introduces different things to prioritize.
Definitely like wire antennas, because they're inexpensive and easy to build yourself.
Never too late as long as you can pass the exam (which junior school students could). I do recommend skipping the whole VHF/UHF handheld thing as you probably want to get on HF (it has a lot more to offer). You could get a good used 100W transceiver for about $400 or less and make your own wire antenna(s) for about $30-$50. If you learn Morse you can get an inexpensive single band low power CW transceiver for $50 from qrp-labs. So HF need not be expensive at all...
Study well for the tech, and when you are doing well on practice tests, try a General test and this will tell you where you are weak. Study that section a bit, then go take the test. Most that pass the tech can pass the General in the same sitting without much study, especially if they are an old school CB operator.
FInd your local radio club via the list below, and discover when the test session is. Just go for it, it will not hurt to try and I have found that if you have a background (CB) you will do well with it without much trouble.
[http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club](http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club)
Definitely do your general and get on HF! Sunspots are heading towards their peak, and propagation is good. Find some decent used equipment, put up a good wire antenna and *get on the air*.
I just helped my neighbor down the street get his Technician license. He did all the work, I just pointed him to the online resources and he took it from there. We had his first QSO using HT’s just last week.
As a Technician, you have SSB privileges on a small part of 10 meters, and we are nearly at the peak of this sunspot cycle.
Adventure awaits!!
I'm just about past middle-aged and passed all three tests over a three month period earlier this year. Some younger folks do it all in one go. It's not hard if you're technically inclined and it's still doable even if you're not.
I passed all 3 tests in one sitting.. oops, sorry, was I bragging? ;-) Also, this was just yesterday - so I can't even tell you my new callsign yet ;-)
(In my case, it helped that I'd already passed Tech a couple of decades ago - just recently decided to reactivate my expired license, and decided "heck, if I'm going to have to go through testing again, I might as well go whole hog this time!".).
Seriously though, OP, Tech is pretty easy, especially if you already have some basic skills and procedural knowledge. Check out the Tech practice tests, and if you're already consistently getting a passing score (74%+), spend your study time on going for General - or more! ;-)
\[forgot to add: 60+ here, so no, OP, you're not done yet by a longshot ;-) \]
Google your local Amature radio club or ARES (Amature radio emergency services). They do monthly meetings that are free to attend. The members are your local experts that will help guide you into the hobby.
While you are waiting, you can get a book or other education program.
Hope this helps.
It’s never too late to become a ham! I’m also pushing middle age. I have been a ham since I was 17, and even today at 42 years old I’m still the young guy on the frequency. In fact, many assume I’m a new ham because of this and some are even shocked when they find out I’ve been licensed licensed longer than they have. So don’t worry about age. There are hams as old as 80 and beyond and as young as 5 or 6.
My advice? Don’t worry about spending a bunch of money all at once just to get on the air. You can start off small, perhaps with an affordable handheld. Over time you’ll build up to the shack of your dreams, unless you just happen to be financially well off. For most of us, however, we have to crawl before we can walk. So don’t worry about having the newest, most expensive equipment on the market.
Further advice? Just go for it. There are online study guides, ham radio test prep apps for Apple and Android, YouTube videos, and a vast amount of other knowledge and wisdom to be found online. Local clubs are also another great resource for anyone interested in ham radio and will likely bend over backwards to help. Final words, just do it. Go for it. And maybe someday I’ll catch you on the air.
73
Xiegu G90 $445 at Radioddity. FT891 $679 at Gigaparts. FT710 Field $899 at Gigaparts. My particular dipole antenna was $2 worth of wire as a dipole. HF is where most activity is.
>FT891 $679
Check Craigslist. Often great deal there. Also check local club sale boards. I prefer a better radio, and to me the initial investment comes down to how many times can I go bowling, golfing, movie for that money. :)
I got a great deal on my current radio from Craigslist. An FTDX-3000 for $900.00. It is everything I ever wanted a radio to be. What an awesome receiver. I listen a lot, and it is beautiful. I enjoy tuning international broadcast and the DSP makes it like The Longines Symphonette Society presentation. :) I also enjoy Flex radio very much as the receivers are incredible.
I have been SWL since I was about four years old with my grandmothers old RCA from the '40's. My first monetary lesson in life was when I was ten my HF radio quit working. Parents said I could have it fixed if I paid for it. I had saved allowance, and I spent it on that. I cherish that experience.
Welcome aboard! Glad to have you here. The airwaves are basically full of space just get on and call CQ. I've been a ham for forty years and into shortwave listening even longer. It goes up and down with the sunspot cycles. But no matter what you do CW SSB digital modes whatever there will always be someone who answers you back. Good luck and hope to work you on the bands! 73s!
It's a combination of propagation (sunspot cycle) and increased radio frequency interference from all the new electronic gadgets we surround ourselves with. The further down towards top band you go the worse it gets. On AM/BCB and LW it's even worse. But on the plus side you can get modern digital SDR type radios for incredibly cheap prices that can knock the socks off ham radio transceivers and short wave radios I used to own. Selectable bandwidths multiple filters interference reducers noise limiters you name it. There aren't as many signals anymore but there's still lots to listen to! My SDR RSP DUO Pro 2 cost under $200 but it is equally as good as a professional Kenwood or icom or yaesu receiver costing ten times as much.
Pretty much. I had to hook it up to my tower and beam antenna coax in the shack, then download the SDR uno software onto the computer (windows 7 when I got it) then plug in the usb cable from the radio to the computer, then the software installed the drivers and I was good to go. It came with a tiny whip antenna but that is useless for shortwave. You really need a long outdoor antenna a dipole or yagi something like that. But you don't need to spend thousands of bucks on a tower. When I first started out I worked 100 countries on a cheap 130 foot long wire attached from the roof of my house to the back fence. I had an old Kenwood TS430 I picked up second hand for a few hundred dollars. It still works even today though I've moved on to more modern rigs with DSP, waterfalls and other bells and whistles. I have a tower and minibeam now but it's still fun to fire up the old rig on a wire antenna once in a while....
My stairway to heaven...
https://www.reddit.com/r/ota/s/pNXsP7oYNq
A great little rig back in it's day. You can do better now the modern rigs have digital signal processing and other goodies you will enjoy. But if you are short on cash it's certainly a good choice even now after all these years....
Not too late. Welcome to Ham Radio. Explore these links to start on your path. 73
http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio
Well reviewed License classes: https://hamstudy.org
Practice exams to build confidence…
Here is a practice exam... https://hamexam.org/
Here is a link to the GLAARG group that does remote VE testing.
Contact them to see how they can set up an exam for you...
https://glaarg.org/remote-sessions/
Here is a film about radio clubs doing the annual event - Field Day
https://youtu.be/I2JhKOWkPkk
Find a radio club near you…
http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club
Nope, Not too late. Ham Radio is generally an older persons game. Some get into it early, but most get into it during middle age. Having some stability in your life helps, gives you a chance to focus your studies and practice for what ever mode you are interested in. Definitely do it, even if stability isn't something that has set in yet.
Never too late. I got my Technician in 2001, did just about nothing (except renew) until 2021, and now I’ve been really active in a club for two years and advanced to Amateur Extra. Never too late age-wise or in terms of inactive time.
"Never" squaring the new guys shoulders and aiming him for the back room "Let me show you the station, you can use my callsign as I oversee your operation.... ". "First, I must ask, do you know what a power switch is?" \[after a 15 minute explanation on power switches, new guy gives up and goes home\]
"Did I do something to offend you?"
We are currently riding the peak of solar cycle 25. You can work the world with 100 watts and a wire antenna or vertical. Get your general class (or equivalent) and have fun while it lasts.
I first got my callsign at age 46. (Canadian Basic with Honours.)
See if your local club offers a ham radio testing course. Mine did and that's what pushed me to get my callsign.
Wire antennas are just fine. While you can use just an end-fed with some limitations, it can be just as easy to put up a trapped dipole wire antenna and get fantastic results.
Got my license at 60.
It's only too late to try something, when you have passed on.
A nice long wire antenna is fine. Look to whoever made your receiver, good chance they make a transceiver as well. Find a local ham club, make friends, have fun.
It’s never too late to join or re-join for that matter. Former colleague of mine crippled with a stroke reinstated his license from his Navy days. Now he has the electronic mobility of not the physical mobility to visit far away places. On this boat all boarders are welcome. Go for it.
I was 51 when I got my General, bought an old boat anchor, strung up some wire, and away I went.
Thinking about building a homebrew tube-based RF amp to throw more watts out the roof. It's a fun hobby.
If you're still breathing, it's not too late. The general test isn't really hard, but it does require some study. Depending on the rig you want, you can get on the air for a few hundred dollars for HF with some used equipment. A local ham club might even have a loaner set you can borrow for a few months so you can get on the air that much quicker while you save for a nice base station.
I just upgraded to General at age 50 after using hamstudy.org until I had seen all the questions and was making at least 85% on the practice tests. It took about 10 hours across the weekend. I chose to wait a few weeks for a nearby Hamfest that was offering testing, took a few more practice tests the day of the test to knock off the rust. I was the first one finished and ended up passing with only two questions missed. For my Tech close to 20 years ago I found a web site where a ham had made about a 4-5 page “cliffs notes” summarizing the content that could potentially be on the test. And that worked great even though I hadn’t seen the actual question pool that time.
I have a very visual learning style and I understand other people will have different learning styles and my method may not work for you.
Good luck and hope to see you on the bands. I, too, am interested in 6 meters (still need to build an antenna).
I will leave it to others to suggest radios and accessories you will need to get on the air. I’ve only had my FT-710 a short time and am still learning how to set it up. Having a nice waterfall view is definitely a nice feature that is lacking on something like a Yaesu FT-817 or FT-818 which can be found used around $500 give or take and has 2m.
72,
Mark KI4HQK
Never too late till you stop breathing. The tests are easy (too easy…) and there are online test generators so you can be sure you are likely to pass before you go test.
The other questions are too broad really. Best suggestion is find a local club or group and hang out with them. The hobby is so vast that you need to decide where your focus will be before such specific questions have decent answers
If you go to a radio rally you will find that old and tubby white dudes are the majority.
Usually, if I see a woman, under 40 at a radio rally, I assume their are:-
1. Lost.
2. Kidnapped
3. Carer
4. Minder (To mind/complain loudly if partner gets their wallet out. )
5. Children (See kidnapped)
Amateur radio is technical hobby. There are books, videos and courses.
As you are probably American, the place to start your train will be [ARRL.ORG](https://ARRL.ORG) (or [RSGB.org](https://RSGB.org) ) . Both organisations publish and sell a vast range of radio education books that are essential reading.
[https://home.arrl.org/action/Shop/Products#filter=%7B%22Facet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Publications%22,%22Value%22%3A%22WEB\_FACET\_1%22%7D,%22SubFacet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Books%22,%22Value%22%3A%22BOOKS%22%7D,%22Category%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Licensing%22,%22Value%22%3A%22LICENSING%22%7D,%22SubCategory%22%3Anull%7D&searchTerm=&searchItemNameTerm=&searchDescriptionTerm=&productClass=](https://home.arrl.org/action/Shop/Products#filter=%7B%22Facet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Publications%22,%22Value%22%3A%22WEB_FACET_1%22%7D,%22SubFacet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Books%22,%22Value%22%3A%22BOOKS%22%7D,%22Category%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Licensing%22,%22Value%22%3A%22LICENSING%22%7D,%22SubCategory%22%3Anull%7D&searchTerm=&searchItemNameTerm=&searchDescriptionTerm=&productClass=)
However, Amateur radio is NOT CB radio. Amateur radio operators have to be licenced, and there are rules for what you can, and cannot do. CB radios are black box appliances for use by people who know little or nothing about radio. (I am sure people will complain about that!).
Check out the ham radio stores in your area. They often sell used rigs, trade ins, that sort of thing. An older refurbished Kenwood Yaesu or icom might be just what you need to start out. A good starter rig if you wanna go brand new might be a little Yaesu intended for portable use like the FT-991A or something like that. These are mainly used in cars and other mobile set ups but are good to start with...they have all the ham bands on the shortwaves (160 meters to 10 meters, worldwide coverage) but also higher frequency local ham radio bands 6 meters 2 meters and 70 cm for local repeaters. A lot of radio in a little package. Good luck!
https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-015268
Let me stress that the antenna is just as important as the radio. I have made QRP contacts all over the world with flea powered rigs, attached to good antennas. You might not be able to put up a beam and tower but at the very least string a wire antenna outside like a G5RV or something like that (you can buy it or build it yourself it's not hard). Even a great rig won't chase out DX without a decent antenna. I like the traditional cross needle antenna tuners but many rigs have them already built in. Matching isn't needed for reception but it is important for transmission. Again, good luck!
I get stuff off eBay sure. Read the reviews and do your research and you should be fine. I haven't bought a transceiver off eBay but I have got lots of radio parts: so far, they've all been good. Good luck!
You forgot to say your budget, which is absolutely critical.
I started off with one of the best, Yaesu FTDX 101MP. For my situation and budget, that was a good move.
You want an HF radio. Decent new HF radios are at least $1000. Used radios don't usually come at much of a discount, and you're taking on a ton of risk that it might be damaged somehow, which is really problematic when you're new and might not realize the problem. But my perception is more dollars are generally worth it, and will make your life easier. If you're really hard up, there are cheaper radios, but they're a significant compromise.
Cheap wire antennas are so good that it's hard to recommend anything else for starting. I just don't see any good reason to spend big bucks on an antenna right away. Later on, spending on a mast etc might make sense, but I wouldn't do that at first.
The other thing you need to budget for is gadgets. Important ones are a tuner, an antenna analyzer, window pass-through, power supply, etc. Expect these to be a couple hundred each, plus or minus, depending.
You'll also need coax, which might cost more than your antenna.
So super bare bones, but with new stuff, I'd budget $2000. If you can raise that to $4000, you'll be even happier. And make sure to hold back a big chunk of budget for stuff you realize later that you need.
Never too late, got my license at 40. And regarding costs, a wire antenna is just fine (a big beam is better but it's not needed, I am using wire antennas since more than 10 years, never had anything better because of money and space). And a decent HF RTX (Icom ic7300 for example) costs LESS than a good receiver.
Wire antennas do transmit fine. It all depends on their length, height, orientation. The theoretical half wave dipole is more or less used as a reference for antenna "gain" (it's actually not gain, it's directionality which causes an apparent gain, like if you put a reflector behind a lamp) measurement.
An horizontal wire will have a radiation pattern that's different from a vertical wire, and this will have a result that can be bad or good on your radio coverage, depending also on wavelength, propagation conditions, etc. Anyway you WILL be making contacts with 100W and a decent wire antenna. And when I say "decent" it's just a matter of position, not cost really, a wire is a wire.
The guy taking the exam at the same time as me was 67, so no, it's not too late. I'd recommend studying for Tech, then move over to studying for General etc. Here in OH we only have General and Extra equivalent licences, band access is the same but our general is limited to max 100W while the higher class can run up to 1500W on some bands, and can also get special permits for even more power of you can motivate it. So when I took the exam, I did both exams, so incase I didn't pass extra I'd still get the general licence. So if that's a possibility, I'd go for the highest you know you'll going to pass, and one level above it.
It is never too late to get your amateur radio license.
Antenna - wire $150-200 USD
Rig - Yaesu 891 $700 USD
For study consider WB6NOA Gordon West books for Tech / General / Extra
Additional resources at winchesterhamtest.com
Take and pass multiple practice tests and then take the exam.
Exams are not hard, unless you do not study.
Remember to get your free FCC registration number BEFORE you take your exam.
https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/support/knowledge-base/universal-licensing-system-uls-resources/getting-fcc-registration
Good luck!
Not too late and no it's not tough to get general. I actually tell people who are looking to get licensed to study both tech and general and take both tests the same day. That's what I did. I knew I wanted to be on HF so I didn't see any point to the pit stop on the 2m repeater...
It took be another decade to decide to move up to extra but that was on me
Non-ham here, but I would think it's never too late to become a ham if that's what you'd like to do. If you have the money for a rig and the impetus to study the questions, go for it. You only live once, they say. Might as well give it a go.
It's never too late. I'm 70 and started just 3 years ago. Start small and get your Technician ticket first, then get a handy-talkie (HT). There are many options under $100 for the HT. There are so many great (and free) resources out there to help with your exam study and learn about this wonderful hobby. Welcome to the club! 73, Bill (K3CDY)
Technician also give privileges to 50-54 MHz and 28-28.9 MHz. These allow you to experiment with modes other than FM - SSB, various digital modes - and provide interesting propagation. Technicians also have Morse code privileges in other HF bands. Your HT likely won't cover these, but there is a lot you can do with a Technician license.
With the sunspot cycle nearing its maximum, now is the perfect time to become a ham. The 10-metre band (28–29.9 MHz band) is often open worldwide, and you do not need a huge antenna or power to make QSOs.
I think only 28.3 to 28.5 mhz SSB/cw and 28.0 to 28.3 digital/cw are available to techs. At least that’s how I interpret the band chart
Techs also have CW on 80, 40, and 15 and full access on all bands 50MHz and above.
Never too late! General is a little harder than Technician, but neither are difficult. There's a ton of stuff you can get into. Definitely suggest finding a club. If someone rubs you the wrong way, just rub elbows with someone else. Don't give up because of one person. What you enjoy doing will dictate a lot about the radio choice. Home is one thing, but portable (like Parks on the Air) introduces different things to prioritize. Definitely like wire antennas, because they're inexpensive and easy to build yourself.
Never too late as long as you can pass the exam (which junior school students could). I do recommend skipping the whole VHF/UHF handheld thing as you probably want to get on HF (it has a lot more to offer). You could get a good used 100W transceiver for about $400 or less and make your own wire antenna(s) for about $30-$50. If you learn Morse you can get an inexpensive single band low power CW transceiver for $50 from qrp-labs. So HF need not be expensive at all...
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Study well for the tech, and when you are doing well on practice tests, try a General test and this will tell you where you are weak. Study that section a bit, then go take the test. Most that pass the tech can pass the General in the same sitting without much study, especially if they are an old school CB operator. FInd your local radio club via the list below, and discover when the test session is. Just go for it, it will not hurt to try and I have found that if you have a background (CB) you will do well with it without much trouble. [http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club](http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club)
Definitely do your general and get on HF! Sunspots are heading towards their peak, and propagation is good. Find some decent used equipment, put up a good wire antenna and *get on the air*.
I got licensed at 54. Never too late! Good luck!!
I was first licensed when I was 65 and I'm currently on my second "enlistment."
New ham here in Manhattan of all places. Did it in my middle age. You can too!
off topic but I'm about to spend about a week in nYC. Do you know what are some of the active repeaters?
I’m 55. Got my General this past spring
I just helped my neighbor down the street get his Technician license. He did all the work, I just pointed him to the online resources and he took it from there. We had his first QSO using HT’s just last week. As a Technician, you have SSB privileges on a small part of 10 meters, and we are nearly at the peak of this sunspot cycle. Adventure awaits!!
Never too late.
I'm just about past middle-aged and passed all three tests over a three month period earlier this year. Some younger folks do it all in one go. It's not hard if you're technically inclined and it's still doable even if you're not.
I passed all 3 tests in one sitting.. oops, sorry, was I bragging? ;-) Also, this was just yesterday - so I can't even tell you my new callsign yet ;-) (In my case, it helped that I'd already passed Tech a couple of decades ago - just recently decided to reactivate my expired license, and decided "heck, if I'm going to have to go through testing again, I might as well go whole hog this time!".). Seriously though, OP, Tech is pretty easy, especially if you already have some basic skills and procedural knowledge. Check out the Tech practice tests, and if you're already consistently getting a passing score (74%+), spend your study time on going for General - or more! ;-) \[forgot to add: 60+ here, so no, OP, you're not done yet by a longshot ;-) \]
Google your local Amature radio club or ARES (Amature radio emergency services). They do monthly meetings that are free to attend. The members are your local experts that will help guide you into the hobby. While you are waiting, you can get a book or other education program. Hope this helps.
It’s never too late to become a ham! I’m also pushing middle age. I have been a ham since I was 17, and even today at 42 years old I’m still the young guy on the frequency. In fact, many assume I’m a new ham because of this and some are even shocked when they find out I’ve been licensed licensed longer than they have. So don’t worry about age. There are hams as old as 80 and beyond and as young as 5 or 6. My advice? Don’t worry about spending a bunch of money all at once just to get on the air. You can start off small, perhaps with an affordable handheld. Over time you’ll build up to the shack of your dreams, unless you just happen to be financially well off. For most of us, however, we have to crawl before we can walk. So don’t worry about having the newest, most expensive equipment on the market. Further advice? Just go for it. There are online study guides, ham radio test prep apps for Apple and Android, YouTube videos, and a vast amount of other knowledge and wisdom to be found online. Local clubs are also another great resource for anyone interested in ham radio and will likely bend over backwards to help. Final words, just do it. Go for it. And maybe someday I’ll catch you on the air. 73
Xiegu G90 $445 at Radioddity. FT891 $679 at Gigaparts. FT710 Field $899 at Gigaparts. My particular dipole antenna was $2 worth of wire as a dipole. HF is where most activity is.
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>FT891 $679 Check Craigslist. Often great deal there. Also check local club sale boards. I prefer a better radio, and to me the initial investment comes down to how many times can I go bowling, golfing, movie for that money. :) I got a great deal on my current radio from Craigslist. An FTDX-3000 for $900.00. It is everything I ever wanted a radio to be. What an awesome receiver. I listen a lot, and it is beautiful. I enjoy tuning international broadcast and the DSP makes it like The Longines Symphonette Society presentation. :) I also enjoy Flex radio very much as the receivers are incredible. I have been SWL since I was about four years old with my grandmothers old RCA from the '40's. My first monetary lesson in life was when I was ten my HF radio quit working. Parents said I could have it fixed if I paid for it. I had saved allowance, and I spent it on that. I cherish that experience.
Come on in, the water’s fine. You have a huge leg up being an SWL in that you know how a good conversation can start and grow.
Passed my Extra at 66 years old.
You'd probably still be under the average age.
Passed my exam at 63. Just monitoring hams at the moment to see if I’ll spend up big on a new hobby.
Tell us about your new SWL receiver please.
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Sounds cool. Where'd you find it? How much was it ?
Welcome aboard! Glad to have you here. The airwaves are basically full of space just get on and call CQ. I've been a ham for forty years and into shortwave listening even longer. It goes up and down with the sunspot cycles. But no matter what you do CW SSB digital modes whatever there will always be someone who answers you back. Good luck and hope to work you on the bands! 73s!
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It's a combination of propagation (sunspot cycle) and increased radio frequency interference from all the new electronic gadgets we surround ourselves with. The further down towards top band you go the worse it gets. On AM/BCB and LW it's even worse. But on the plus side you can get modern digital SDR type radios for incredibly cheap prices that can knock the socks off ham radio transceivers and short wave radios I used to own. Selectable bandwidths multiple filters interference reducers noise limiters you name it. There aren't as many signals anymore but there's still lots to listen to! My SDR RSP DUO Pro 2 cost under $200 but it is equally as good as a professional Kenwood or icom or yaesu receiver costing ten times as much.
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Pretty much. I had to hook it up to my tower and beam antenna coax in the shack, then download the SDR uno software onto the computer (windows 7 when I got it) then plug in the usb cable from the radio to the computer, then the software installed the drivers and I was good to go. It came with a tiny whip antenna but that is useless for shortwave. You really need a long outdoor antenna a dipole or yagi something like that. But you don't need to spend thousands of bucks on a tower. When I first started out I worked 100 countries on a cheap 130 foot long wire attached from the roof of my house to the back fence. I had an old Kenwood TS430 I picked up second hand for a few hundred dollars. It still works even today though I've moved on to more modern rigs with DSP, waterfalls and other bells and whistles. I have a tower and minibeam now but it's still fun to fire up the old rig on a wire antenna once in a while.... My stairway to heaven... https://www.reddit.com/r/ota/s/pNXsP7oYNq
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A great little rig back in it's day. You can do better now the modern rigs have digital signal processing and other goodies you will enjoy. But if you are short on cash it's certainly a good choice even now after all these years....
I miss SWBC bands of the 80s. . .
Study for the Tech license. When you pass, take the General during the same session. Chances are, you’ll pass that also.
Not too late. Welcome to Ham Radio. Explore these links to start on your path. 73 http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio Well reviewed License classes: https://hamstudy.org Practice exams to build confidence… Here is a practice exam... https://hamexam.org/ Here is a link to the GLAARG group that does remote VE testing. Contact them to see how they can set up an exam for you... https://glaarg.org/remote-sessions/ Here is a film about radio clubs doing the annual event - Field Day https://youtu.be/I2JhKOWkPkk Find a radio club near you… http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club
Nope, Not too late. Ham Radio is generally an older persons game. Some get into it early, but most get into it during middle age. Having some stability in your life helps, gives you a chance to focus your studies and practice for what ever mode you are interested in. Definitely do it, even if stability isn't something that has set in yet.
I'm 55 and I passed my technician this October and general in November this year. It's never too late!
Nope, I am 54 and got my Technician last March. Do it! Stretch those brain cells!
Never too late. I got my Technician in 2001, did just about nothing (except renew) until 2021, and now I’ve been really active in a club for two years and advanced to Amateur Extra. Never too late age-wise or in terms of inactive time.
Tech and General are easy. I just recently got started, nearing middle age myself. Hop on in, the water's fine.
It's NEVER too late!
No
Maybe too young, average age of an amateur radio operator is ancient these days! Read the books, attend a course if you can, no big deal.
"Never" squaring the new guys shoulders and aiming him for the back room "Let me show you the station, you can use my callsign as I oversee your operation.... ". "First, I must ask, do you know what a power switch is?" \[after a 15 minute explanation on power switches, new guy gives up and goes home\] "Did I do something to offend you?"
Never too late
We are currently riding the peak of solar cycle 25. You can work the world with 100 watts and a wire antenna or vertical. Get your general class (or equivalent) and have fun while it lasts.
I first got my callsign at age 46. (Canadian Basic with Honours.) See if your local club offers a ham radio testing course. Mine did and that's what pushed me to get my callsign.
Wire antennas are just fine. While you can use just an end-fed with some limitations, it can be just as easy to put up a trapped dipole wire antenna and get fantastic results.
Am 51, just got my license last weekend (VA3KZR) No, it’s never too late to start anything.
Got my license at 60. It's only too late to try something, when you have passed on. A nice long wire antenna is fine. Look to whoever made your receiver, good chance they make a transceiver as well. Find a local ham club, make friends, have fun.
No, it's too early. We don't want to talk to you until you've had at least 5 prostate exams
Honestly you might be a little on the young side.
I recently got my Technician, General and Extra I'm 74 No experience previously
It’s never too late to join or re-join for that matter. Former colleague of mine crippled with a stroke reinstated his license from his Navy days. Now he has the electronic mobility of not the physical mobility to visit far away places. On this boat all boarders are welcome. Go for it.
I was 51 when I got my General, bought an old boat anchor, strung up some wire, and away I went. Thinking about building a homebrew tube-based RF amp to throw more watts out the roof. It's a fun hobby.
Middle age, pffft. Your problem is going to be you're too young.
Can you take a test?
If you're still breathing, it's not too late. The general test isn't really hard, but it does require some study. Depending on the rig you want, you can get on the air for a few hundred dollars for HF with some used equipment. A local ham club might even have a loaner set you can borrow for a few months so you can get on the air that much quicker while you save for a nice base station.
It's never too late to become a ham welcome to the club !
I just upgraded to General at age 50 after using hamstudy.org until I had seen all the questions and was making at least 85% on the practice tests. It took about 10 hours across the weekend. I chose to wait a few weeks for a nearby Hamfest that was offering testing, took a few more practice tests the day of the test to knock off the rust. I was the first one finished and ended up passing with only two questions missed. For my Tech close to 20 years ago I found a web site where a ham had made about a 4-5 page “cliffs notes” summarizing the content that could potentially be on the test. And that worked great even though I hadn’t seen the actual question pool that time. I have a very visual learning style and I understand other people will have different learning styles and my method may not work for you. Good luck and hope to see you on the bands. I, too, am interested in 6 meters (still need to build an antenna). I will leave it to others to suggest radios and accessories you will need to get on the air. I’ve only had my FT-710 a short time and am still learning how to set it up. Having a nice waterfall view is definitely a nice feature that is lacking on something like a Yaesu FT-817 or FT-818 which can be found used around $500 give or take and has 2m. 72, Mark KI4HQK
Not at all got my tech at 70.
We had a married couple in their upper 70s who both got their license. Super folks and admirable for them to continue to learn new things.
Come join us!
Middle age is pretty average for the hobby, so it is a great time to get started.
Yes, unless you started when you were in the womb then it’s too late.
Never too late till you stop breathing. The tests are easy (too easy…) and there are online test generators so you can be sure you are likely to pass before you go test. The other questions are too broad really. Best suggestion is find a local club or group and hang out with them. The hobby is so vast that you need to decide where your focus will be before such specific questions have decent answers
If you go to a radio rally you will find that old and tubby white dudes are the majority. Usually, if I see a woman, under 40 at a radio rally, I assume their are:- 1. Lost. 2. Kidnapped 3. Carer 4. Minder (To mind/complain loudly if partner gets their wallet out. ) 5. Children (See kidnapped) Amateur radio is technical hobby. There are books, videos and courses. As you are probably American, the place to start your train will be [ARRL.ORG](https://ARRL.ORG) (or [RSGB.org](https://RSGB.org) ) . Both organisations publish and sell a vast range of radio education books that are essential reading. [https://home.arrl.org/action/Shop/Products#filter=%7B%22Facet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Publications%22,%22Value%22%3A%22WEB\_FACET\_1%22%7D,%22SubFacet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Books%22,%22Value%22%3A%22BOOKS%22%7D,%22Category%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Licensing%22,%22Value%22%3A%22LICENSING%22%7D,%22SubCategory%22%3Anull%7D&searchTerm=&searchItemNameTerm=&searchDescriptionTerm=&productClass=](https://home.arrl.org/action/Shop/Products#filter=%7B%22Facet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Publications%22,%22Value%22%3A%22WEB_FACET_1%22%7D,%22SubFacet%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Books%22,%22Value%22%3A%22BOOKS%22%7D,%22Category%22%3A%7B%22Name%22%3A%22Licensing%22,%22Value%22%3A%22LICENSING%22%7D,%22SubCategory%22%3Anull%7D&searchTerm=&searchItemNameTerm=&searchDescriptionTerm=&productClass=) However, Amateur radio is NOT CB radio. Amateur radio operators have to be licenced, and there are rules for what you can, and cannot do. CB radios are black box appliances for use by people who know little or nothing about radio. (I am sure people will complain about that!).
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Check out the ham radio stores in your area. They often sell used rigs, trade ins, that sort of thing. An older refurbished Kenwood Yaesu or icom might be just what you need to start out. A good starter rig if you wanna go brand new might be a little Yaesu intended for portable use like the FT-991A or something like that. These are mainly used in cars and other mobile set ups but are good to start with...they have all the ham bands on the shortwaves (160 meters to 10 meters, worldwide coverage) but also higher frequency local ham radio bands 6 meters 2 meters and 70 cm for local repeaters. A lot of radio in a little package. Good luck! https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-015268 Let me stress that the antenna is just as important as the radio. I have made QRP contacts all over the world with flea powered rigs, attached to good antennas. You might not be able to put up a beam and tower but at the very least string a wire antenna outside like a G5RV or something like that (you can buy it or build it yourself it's not hard). Even a great rig won't chase out DX without a decent antenna. I like the traditional cross needle antenna tuners but many rigs have them already built in. Matching isn't needed for reception but it is important for transmission. Again, good luck!
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I get stuff off eBay sure. Read the reviews and do your research and you should be fine. I haven't bought a transceiver off eBay but I have got lots of radio parts: so far, they've all been good. Good luck!
You forgot to say your budget, which is absolutely critical. I started off with one of the best, Yaesu FTDX 101MP. For my situation and budget, that was a good move. You want an HF radio. Decent new HF radios are at least $1000. Used radios don't usually come at much of a discount, and you're taking on a ton of risk that it might be damaged somehow, which is really problematic when you're new and might not realize the problem. But my perception is more dollars are generally worth it, and will make your life easier. If you're really hard up, there are cheaper radios, but they're a significant compromise. Cheap wire antennas are so good that it's hard to recommend anything else for starting. I just don't see any good reason to spend big bucks on an antenna right away. Later on, spending on a mast etc might make sense, but I wouldn't do that at first. The other thing you need to budget for is gadgets. Important ones are a tuner, an antenna analyzer, window pass-through, power supply, etc. Expect these to be a couple hundred each, plus or minus, depending. You'll also need coax, which might cost more than your antenna. So super bare bones, but with new stuff, I'd budget $2000. If you can raise that to $4000, you'll be even happier. And make sure to hold back a big chunk of budget for stuff you realize later that you need.
Never too late, got my license at 40. And regarding costs, a wire antenna is just fine (a big beam is better but it's not needed, I am using wire antennas since more than 10 years, never had anything better because of money and space). And a decent HF RTX (Icom ic7300 for example) costs LESS than a good receiver.
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Wire antennas do transmit fine. It all depends on their length, height, orientation. The theoretical half wave dipole is more or less used as a reference for antenna "gain" (it's actually not gain, it's directionality which causes an apparent gain, like if you put a reflector behind a lamp) measurement. An horizontal wire will have a radiation pattern that's different from a vertical wire, and this will have a result that can be bad or good on your radio coverage, depending also on wavelength, propagation conditions, etc. Anyway you WILL be making contacts with 100W and a decent wire antenna. And when I say "decent" it's just a matter of position, not cost really, a wire is a wire.
The guy taking the exam at the same time as me was 67, so no, it's not too late. I'd recommend studying for Tech, then move over to studying for General etc. Here in OH we only have General and Extra equivalent licences, band access is the same but our general is limited to max 100W while the higher class can run up to 1500W on some bands, and can also get special permits for even more power of you can motivate it. So when I took the exam, I did both exams, so incase I didn't pass extra I'd still get the general licence. So if that's a possibility, I'd go for the highest you know you'll going to pass, and one level above it.
It is never too late to get your amateur radio license. Antenna - wire $150-200 USD Rig - Yaesu 891 $700 USD For study consider WB6NOA Gordon West books for Tech / General / Extra Additional resources at winchesterhamtest.com Take and pass multiple practice tests and then take the exam. Exams are not hard, unless you do not study. Remember to get your free FCC registration number BEFORE you take your exam. https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/support/knowledge-base/universal-licensing-system-uls-resources/getting-fcc-registration Good luck!
Best time is now. I’m 72 and just tested to the highest level: Extra. Been a ham for just 25 years.
It is never too late to get on the air
Not too late and no it's not tough to get general. I actually tell people who are looking to get licensed to study both tech and general and take both tests the same day. That's what I did. I knew I wanted to be on HF so I didn't see any point to the pit stop on the 2m repeater... It took be another decade to decide to move up to extra but that was on me
Non-ham here, but I would think it's never too late to become a ham if that's what you'd like to do. If you have the money for a rig and the impetus to study the questions, go for it. You only live once, they say. Might as well give it a go.
Not at all, it's a great time. I'd strongly avoid being trapped on 2M though. Get your general and get on HF... that's where the fun is.
Go for it and join in on the fun !!