recently bought a yaesu vx8

[pSi]

Hi all - did a little research and bought myself a Yaesu VX8DE - sadly have no idea what i'm doing, gonna need some help with getting up to speed with this
Any help much appreciated

be good to find people in the london bridge area

[Jamesey1981]

I know very little about ham radio so I can't be much help to you, don't know if you have your license yet, but if you haven't I'm pretty sure that someone mentioned on here that Essex Ham have the foundation license materials available for download from their website so that will help get you started if you're a beginner.
Bit of Google work should take you there, and failing that I'm sure a search of this site would throw up a link.

[Wulfshead]

Hi, just one question before I/we offer any thoughts, Do you have an amateur radio licence ?

Those bands are amateur bands which require a licence to transmit on.
Assuming you have, 70 cms is a bit short range, 2 meters is pretty good with good repeater coverage around the UK, 6 meters straight FM is very underused but is said to be quite good for distance. (note to self, I must finish my 6 meter dipole )

You can monitor on those amateur band without getting in bother but to transmit without the licence carries a harsh fine or a bit of prison time if caught.

Wulfshead

[pSi]

Hey Wulshead - thank you for your speedy reply - In answer to your question - i don't have a license and wasn't thinking of getting one-
i got it for listening to broadcasts with the intention of transmitting if really necessary - if shtf think being nicked will be the least of my troubles - or do you think otherwise? and i should go down the license route

[Wulfshead]

Hey Wulshead - thank you for your speedy reply - In answer to your question - i don't have a license and wasn't thinking of getting one-
i got it for listening to broadcasts with the intention of transmitting if really necessary - if shtf think being nicked will be the least of my troubles - or do you think otherwise? and i should go down the license route

pSi,
It don't cost much to do a Foundation course with a local club, I paid £50 with my local club which included the course and exam fee. It's not hard to get the Foundation licence and it opens you up to a hobby where you can ask questions of other amateurs to get the best out of your radio/s.
If I'm honest I'd say go for it but then I'm biased lol.
As mentioned, Essex Ham do an online course but a RSGB club would have to let you sit the exam and do the few practical bits you have to do and get signed off prior to the exam.
If you don't think you'd miss £5 then the book 'Foundation Now' is the course book used for the exam, it's really simple to read, understand and go forward with the info for the exam. Now with the foundation you may only put 10 watts out of your radio, unless specified different in the band plans, but with different antennas you can get your signal boosted without breaching your Foundation restrictions. That said, I've had my HF set set on 10 watts and spoken into all the countries that we need keep an eye on at the moment.
It's good fun my friend, so why not go for it.

As you say, in a SHTF scenario I don't think Ofcom will have the time to worry about who's using a radio without a ticket.
If you do look up Essex Ham, Pete (M0PSX) is a good guy and interested in prepping and survivalism. Saying that, the contents of my EDC raises his eyebrows when me and my grandson go out on field days lol

If you do decide to go for the exam then just shout and one of us radio mafia will post you the link so you can find your nearest club which is registered with the RSGB to teach and hold exams.

Wulfhead

[pSi]

ahh, good words indeed mr wulf - i shall take you up on your offer and look into it - with thanks

[Wulfshead]

Hi again pSi,
Here's the club finder link.
Put your location or post code into the search box, select the distance you are willing to travel and that will bring up a map of clubs around you.
If you then click on the red location markers it will tell you the clubs and contact info, it's just a case of contacting them and seeing if they teach and hold the Foundation exam.
There is another site that tells you the clubs that teach but time has left me in danger today, if I don't go and do the boxing around our bathroom pipes the she-wolf will savage me to death

http://rsgb.org/main/clubs/

Wulfshead

[Wulfshead]

pSi,
while the she-wolf is looking the other way I found the info page for Essex Ham's on-line course which may interest you.

http://www.essexham.co.uk/train/foundation-online/

Wulfshead