This is my digital page, there are many like it but this one is mine.
A self hosted (soon) digital playpen and home to an irascible Ogre named Dov Ezra.
I am WSJF597 on GMRS.
GMRS is a licensed and channelized radio service in the UHF region (462-467 MHz). The license is free, and is good for ten years and covers EVERYONE in your immediate family, there is literally no reason not to get one. It allows much more powerful radios than the unlicensed Family Radio Service (FRS), and the ability to connect to radio repeaters to propagate your signal to a larger area.
Citizen Band radio is the wild west of radio, in my opinion. No license is required, but the technical limits are strict. CB has 40 channels across a pretty narrow portion of the HF region (right around 26-28 MHz). It allows some fun technical usage in the upper channels, like Single Side Band to increase effective range and clarity. While CB is less powerful (in terms of wattage output) compared to GMRS, it does not require licensing to transmit, which makes it pretty good for casual use.
The significant drawback, in my opinion, is the size of most handheld units, and the interference most legacy AM units have over terrain or in residential areas. I still think CB is a fully viable radio service to get into, and use, if only because it is "turn on and talk" ready.
I am an FCC licensed Technician Class Amateur Radio Operator, KE2GRN.
The world of HAM radio is HUUUGE. Depending on what class of license you have, you can transmit on just about any portion of the radio spectrum, from High Frequency, all the way through the VHF and UHF regions and into microwave and beyond.
As a Technician, I am permitted to transmit on 6m (50-54 MHz), 2m (144-148 MHz), 1.25m (222-225 MHz), 70cm (430-450 MHz), 33cm (902-928 MHz), 23cm (1240-1300 MHz) and a few other very specific bands.
You'll likely find me on one of the local 2m/70cm repeaters.
I am a Queer radio operator, and I pledge to advocate to make the Amateur Radio world an inclusive, safe and welcoming community for all people, regardless of ethnicity, origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, political alignment, age, or physical ability.
Proudly Making the Amateur Radio Inclusivity PledgeA radio is only as good as the antenna it connects to.
Right now, I use exclusively handheld radios, so the antennas I use are usually quarter wave loaded antennas mounted right to the top of the radio.
As I build and deploy other antennas for GMRS and HAM radio use, I'll write about them here.
My first antenna build projects are going to be a dipole for my 2m and 70cm use, and a directional GMRS aimed North to hit the very active repeater on 462.575MHz.
