# Ham Radio/Scanners



## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Looking into ham radios for my comms kit. I heard somewhere off the grapevine that the morse code portion was removed off the USA/Canada tests but not sure. I've lost contact with all the people I know that had hams over the years. Does anyone know if you still need the morse code test in Canada for the licence? 

Also looking into cheap ham/scanner radios. Prefer if they have the following preprogrammed codes in

-TTC security/comms
-GO security/comms
-Fire
-Ambulance
-Police

Nothing peeves me off more then just waiting not knowing WTF is going on when you're in transit and the TTC people all being mum about stuff not to incite panic. I mean if some person jumped the tracks then just say it or if they ran over bigfoot in the tunnels just say it so people know to go and get a cab/bus. With the scanner I'll be able to know WTF is going on unfiltered then just waiting for news to be filtered out by the ranks of the echelon.

Thanks in advance.


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## montelovers (Mar 26, 2009)

To get your basic license (2 meter and 70 cm), you don't need morse code.
However, if you want to get into HF, there are two 'groups' of frequencies that you can apply for. The first one you still need morse code but at 5 wpm. The other, you can get but if you can do morse code at 12 wpm. Then you can get your technician license which will let you own your own repeater.
Now, that was when I got my basic license which was over 12 years ago but I'm not sure if those requirements changed recently.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

How much does it cost for a licence? Is it still a licence for life? How hard is it to get the licence? Any examples of the questions or such they will ask? Will the ham work on the water (boat)?


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## montelovers (Mar 26, 2009)

Now we're talking over 10 years ago but I was living in Sudbury back then. I looked up the local ham radio club and went over with a friend of mine. We attended the course they offered over a few weeks. Then, we had to write a test which was verified by another ham which was allowed to offer the test for the federal government. If you passed the test, you get the license for life. I don't remember how much it cost to join the course back then.
You don't need to be very knowledgeable about resistors and stuff but just the basic about electricity, radio waves, etc... which the book back then explained good enough. I'm a computer programmer and passed the test very well and I don't work with radios and stuff like that so... if I could do it, you could too if you have some brains in your head. As for using ham radio on the water, sure you can if your boat is set up. Heck, the boats now use the UHF frequencies. You can even use a handheld radio as long as you're close enough for someone or a repeater to hear you.


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