Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_rye89
Been meaning to get a General license. I have a UV-5R that I use for FRS and to listen to 2M, but I want a tubed HF rig or maybe one of those Kenwood hybrids.
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By all means do get a General ticket. It will allow you more privileges than a Technician or Novice ham license. If you presently have a Technician license, you have all privileges from 50 MHz up, including HF CW on the Novice segments of 80 through ten meters; however, the General license will allow you to operate on more segments of the amateur bands, and with more modes (the Technician ticket only allows CW on the Novice segments of 80 through ten meters, as I mentioned, but the General will open up more privileges on all HF and, of course, VHF and UHF amateur bands).
You can use the 2m repeaters with your UV-5R, as the Technician amateur license (and all other licenses above it) allows privileges from 50 MHz and up; this, of course, includes 2 meters. I have a UV-5R+ (the newest model) which I would use on the 2m repeater in my area, but I cannot seem to set the repeater offset because the instruction manual is very, very poorly written (this handheld is made in China). In the meantime, I will use my Icom IC-T22A 1.5-watt handheld with the local repeater, which is operated by a radio club of which I have been a member since 1987.
73,