Northern California Ham Cram for the Ham Radio Technician License for Off Roaders

Our next Hamageddon Ham Cram Class is scheduled for August 19th, 11am to 8pm PST, at Mountain Mikes Pizza in Gold River, CA.

Below are the details for the August 19th Ham Cram:

Where: Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 2220 Gold Springs Ct, Gold River, CA 95670
When: August 19th, 11am-8pm. FCC Exam starts at 7pm.
Included: Dinner, Soft Drinks, 1 Attempt at the FCC Exam, Online Study Materials
Optional: Alinco DJ-550T, or Baofeng MarkIII GT-3TP: Programmed with NorCal wheeling repeaters and a MORR Radio Reference Booklet

Our Hamageddon Ham Cram classes are designed to be a one stop shop to get your ham radio technician license. It is a long day, but we keep it fun, light hearted, and take plenty of breaks. Dinner is provided, as well as drinks, study material, and 1 attempt at the FCC exam with the exam team.

We also have options for a group buy on handheld radios too. For the August 19th ham cram class, you have the option of an Alinco DJ-500T, or a BaoFeng MarkIII, GT-3TP.

The Baofeng MarkIII, GT-3TP is a great price point option. It has a semi rugged case rated with an IP54 ingress rating. It has a dual VFO, and boasts 8 watts of transmission power. The downside to this radio, is that it runs on the same components as the Baofeng UV5R. So, out of the box, it works great. However, after a few drops on the ground, and a year or 2 of use, it begins operating out of spec. Which pollutes the airwaves, and can cause you to inadvertently transmit signals on emergency dispatch frequencies, or military frequencies… which is a very bad thing and can result in a $10,000.00 fine from the FCC.

The Alinco DJ-500T is a better longevity option. It is a little bit more expensive than the Baofeng, but the quality you get is well worth it. It only has 5w of transmit power (still better than anything your CB will do for you). It also comes with a stout IP54 ingress rating. The sound clarity and volume is far superior to the Baofeng, and the radio is easily unlocked for use on MURS, FRS, and Marine VHF.

If you are planning on getting a high powered (50w +) hard wired mobile radio for your rig in the near future, then the Baofeng is a great option. It will work when you need it to. It will get you started. And it will allow you to figure out what features you like and don’t like when you are ready to shop for your mobile radio.

If you are planning on using the included class radio for long term as your main form of comms, then get the Alinco. It will pay dividends in the long run, and you will only buy it once. If you use the Baofeng as your main form of comms, you may end up buying 2-3 of them within 2-3 years.

In order to get the Alinco DJ-500T, your registration must be received by July 30th.

To Register For The Ham Cram Class, Click One of The Following Links:

Join the Off Road Ham Radio Community!

Also, if you don’t have your Ham Radio Technician License, head over to our Online Ham Radio Class and study up! Remember, 15% of your registration goes back into keeping our trails open!