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You can change my vote. Received my call sign yesterday. Too bad I don't have a radio!
KF5UOE

I'm going to go take the Technician test (and probably the General test) in mid March. I think I can pass both. Then I'll find a radio and try it out and see if it's fun. So far, I've just liked learning how it works.

CainA wrote: You can pick up a Chinese-made VHF/UHF handy talky cheap-$50 and just see what's happening.

Thanks for the feedback. That's probably what I will do.

Mostly because I was curious, I've studied and I'm ready to go take the Technician exam. I've always kind of wondered how this "stuff" worked and I'll probably study for the General Exam too (already bought the book from ARRL). Paying $15 for a 10 year license to execute my 1st amendment right seems reasonable (unlike some other fee I recently paid to be able to exercise my 2nd amendment right) so I'll probably go take the test and get the license.

However, I have no radio, I'm not an electrical engineer, and I'm having a hard time figuring out what I would use one for unless some natural disaster hits Dallas. The "contest" part of it doesn't seem all that appealing. I don't have family or friends that are licensed (that I know of). Can't use it for business purposes. Is this something that was far more useful before email, cell phones and Internet showed up?

Any guidance as to how you use it would be appreciated. I find it interesting but I'm just finding it hard to spend the money (even though it's not that much money) for a radio that might not get turned on. Help me out please!