10 Things Nobody Tells You About Ham Radio

What are the secrets of ham radio that you only discover after stumbling down the rabbit hole and bumping your head a few times? Here are the hard truths that veterans wish someone had told them from the start.

1. It's Way Bigger Than It Looks

The first misconception people have about amateur radio is that it's a relatively small hobby. It's like the TARDIS from Doctor Who — once you actually get into it, you realize it's way bigger than you expected.

Unfortunately, at least in the United States, the way our licensing system works gives the impression that there's something "smallish" in the beginning. You get your Technician license, play with handhelds and repeaters, and think you've seen what the hobby offers.

You haven't. You only find out how big this hobby really is after you get your General license and start exploring HF, digital modes, satellite operations, contest operating, antenna design, SDR experimentation, mesh networking, and dozens of other rabbit holes.

2. Your Handheld Won't Get 300 Miles

This VHF/UHF handheld that you bought? It will not do 300 miles. It won't do 200 miles. It won't do 100 miles.

In typical urban or suburban terrain, you're likely to get 3-10 miles radio-to-radio out of a handheld. With ideal conditions (hilltop to hilltop, clear line of sight), you might push 15-20 miles simplex. With the help of a repeater on a mountaintop or tall tower, you could reach 40-60 miles or more.

VHF and UHF frequencies travel in a straight line. They go as far as they can before being absorbed or punching right through the atmosphere into space. Yes, you can talk to the International Space Station (which is cool), but you're not talking to someone in the next state over with a Baofeng.

3. Long-Distance Is Unpredictable

To communicate beyond line-of-sight, you need HF (high frequency) radios with larger antennas. These lower frequencies refract off the ionosphere — a layer of the upper atmosphere ionized by solar radiation — allowing cross-country and worldwide communication.

But here's what nobody tells you: the atmosphere is highly random. You have no control over it.

Even with an antenna designed to focus RF in a specific direction, you have no guarantee that atmospheric conditions will cooperate. The same contact that works perfectly on Tuesday might be impossible on Wednesday.

For reliable communication with specific people, you'll need to:

• Use atmospheric propagation calculators
• Deploy NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave) antennas for closer-in contacts
• Move to lower frequencies like 40m and 80m (which require large antennas — a 40m dipole is 66 feet long, 80m is over 130 feet)
• Establish scheduled communication windows during optimal conditions

Spoiler alert: This gets expensive. You'll need a good 100W base station radio, proper feed line, appropriate antennas — and all of that needs to exist at both locations. A kid in a college dorm? Probably not happening.

4. "Elmers" Are Getting Rare

There's a tradition in ham radio of "Elmers" — sage-like mentors who know everything about radio and are willing to stop what they're doing to help you.

The reality? Those numbers are going down. Mainly due to the internet and some of our most skilled hams getting older. We're seeing a trend where fewer people are sitting down at clubs for one-on-one tutelage.

If you don't live in an area with really good clubs, you're going to have to glean information from the internet. There's no single Gandalf who knows all things — you'll find people who are experts in one or two specific areas who can help with those specific things.

Recommendation: Join online communities like Discord servers where hams of various specialties gather. You won't find one person who knows everything, but you'll find a collective knowledge base.

5. Ham Radio Is NOT Cheap

Let me address this directly: there are some inexpensive options. You can get started with a $25 Baofeng. But the misconception that ham radio is cheap or will get cheaper? False.

HF radios — the ones that actually do the impressive long-distance work — trend toward the expensive side. A decent 100W base station starts around $500 and goes up to several thousand dollars.

The hobby rewards "homebrewing" — building your own antennas and equipment. If you DIY your antennas, you'll save considerable money. There's a vibrant community that homebrews their own radios too.

But most beginners aren't building their own equipment. That's something you graduate into as you learn more about electronics and radio fundamentals.

6. There's a Prepper vs. Traditional Ham Divide

This is a big generalization, but be prepared for it.

There are hams who are very active with emergency communication and preparedness. And there are those who actively want to distance the hobby from "preppers."

Preppers have gotten a mixed reputation in the ham community, partly through inexpensive radios like the Baofeng that brought many new operators into the hobby. Some of these new operators aren't the best at radio etiquette, and some of the "old guard" aren't helping them improve.

If you're into preparedness, know that you will encounter hams who think it's not "what the hobby is about." And if you're a traditional ham, you'll meet preppers who are more interested in emergency communications than contesting or DXing. Just try to be nice to each other.

7. Encryption Is Illegal on Ham Radio

If you didn't know this: you cannot use encryption on amateur radio frequencies.

Period. It's not allowed. There are other radio services (like business radio) where encryption is legal, but those are completely separate from amateur radio.

This means if your "prepping" plan involves encrypted tactical communications, amateur radio is not the right tool. You'd need to look at business band licensing (Part 90) or other services.

8. Each Radio Service Has Its Own Frequencies

Amateur, GMRS, FRS, CB, and business radio are all separate radio services with their own allocated frequencies. You cannot legally:

• Use amateur frequencies to talk to GMRS/FRS/CB users
• Transmit on GMRS frequencies with your ham license (you need a separate GMRS license)
• Use CB frequencies with amateur equipment not type-accepted for CB

Each service is a separate "sandbox." Your ham license authorizes you on amateur bands only. If you want to use GMRS, get a GMRS license ($35, no test). CB requires no license but has its own rules.

The nuance: As a licensed ham, you can use almost any radio hardware on amateur frequencies, as long as it meets Part 97 technical standards (proper emissions, power limits, etc.). Many hams use commercial radios reprogrammed for ham bands. But the frequencies remain segregated by service.

9. The FCC Rarely Enforces Rules

The FCC used to actively go after rule violators. They'd send letters to hams telling them to behave better. There was a sense that someone was "on the watchtower."

Not so much anymore.

They do pursue serious complaints — intentional interference, unlicensed operation on protected frequencies, and repeat offenders. Recent years have seen fines ranging from $10,000 to $25,000+ for egregious violations.

But here's the important part: Even if enforcement is rare, operating legally matters. The amateur radio service exists because we self-regulate. Poor operating practices reflect on all of us and can result in frequency allocations being challenged.

Bottom line: Don't count on the FCC not noticing. Operate as if they're listening — because sometimes they are.

10. Ham Radio Is NOT Like a Smartphone

This is the biggest one that hits new hams hard.

There is no Apple of amateur radio. There's no company integrating hardware, software, and user experience the way phone manufacturers do.

When you buy an iPhone, you expect a certain level of capability across the board. That doesn't apply with ham radio. Want to do slow-scan television? Download this app. Want digital modes? Different software. Want logging? Another program. Want CAT control? Configure it yourself.

You are the sole driver behind the wheel of your amateur radio experience.

Even if you spend thousands of dollars on a top-of-the-line radio, it's not going to be "push-button simple." You're still expected to learn when to deploy filtering, when to use the attenuator, how to tune your antenna, what propagation means, and dozens of other technical concepts.

This means to truly excel in this hobby, you're going to have to get in the trenches — the "techno-mud," if you will. It's fun mud, I promise. But it requires engagement and learning.

Ready to Get Started?

If you're still interested after all these "warnings," you're exactly the type of person who will love this hobby. Check out our guides:

• GMRS vs Ham: Which License Do You Need?
• How to Program Your First Baofeng
• Baofeng UV-5R Review: The Best Budget Starter Radio
• First 5 Minutes: Emergency Radio Action Guide