Ham Radio FAQs:
What is it:
An exciting hobby in electronics (in a similar way to robotics) where you build systems to communicate with other ham radio operators / devices over the air, no internet required. (unless you want to of course) Setting up a station can be easy (or hard) as you like, and you can get functional and effective rigs up for whatever budget or level of knowledge you might have.
What do I need to do:
To transmit, you need a license, which you can get through your closest amateur radio club, or (in some countries) online. Getting your license involves passing an exam, but with adequate study for the privilege tier you want, you'll be on the air in no time. After that, go online, grab a cheapie radio (Baofeng UV-5R off Amazon) and have a play. (I'll have a Quick-Start guide up soon)
What can we do with it:
You can talk to people, develop radio-based projects. (think FPV drones, relay systems, your own TV station, or long-distance comms with your friends) Ham radio has a very active competitive space as well, where contesting and competitions are almost a weekly occurrence. Having won one of the international competitions, I can tell you it is an experience like no other.
How much does it cost:
Getting started is simply the price of a cheapie radio + a license, so in australia about $50-60. High-quality equipment ranges in price from a couple hundred for a used rig, to a couple thousand for a new top-of-the-line rig (like cars, buying new is fairly pointless, a second-hand rig does everything you need for a much better price.)
Why should I get started in ham radio:
Amateur radio can be an extremely rewarding, no matter what part of it you like (so much to do, a lot of people spend their entire ham radio careers on one thing, e.g antennas or contesting. Additionally its a great way to gain hands-on experience with electronics, in a way that you can actually get something to show for it. (Having a license looks great on your resume, ham radio got me two jobs so far, here's to many more)
Final Impressions:
Overall, Ham Radio quite literally has something for everyone, you could spend your time chitter-chatting to far-away stations, or simply just make contacts behind the safety of a computer screen, communicating *through* the radio via digital modes (again no internet involved.) Also, (although I don't like to lead with this) ham radio is a great option for emergency communications, and if you are looking to reinforce your SHTF plan, its a great thing to have as an option.
Anyway, hope to see you on the air!
73, VK4FAY