Semi-OT: Ham License required for Packet Radio?

[Charles Steinkuehler]

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Leo Mauler wrote:
> Does anyone on here have a Ham Radio License?  I'm
> trying to track down the minimum Ham Radio License to
> create and use a Packet Radio system.
> 
> The National Association for Amateur Radio (ARRL),
> http://www.arrl.org/, has all the ham radio license
> classes and what frequencies they can use.  Wikipedia
> has a nice definition of Packet Radio,
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_radio.  Neither
> one mentions the minimum Ham Radio license to operate
> a Packet Radio setup.
> 
> I'm interested in getting a Ham License and would like
> to experiment with Packet Radio, but I'm rotten at
> Morse code and the Technician license doesn't require
> any Morse code.  Can you operate a Packet Radio setup
> using Technician-class frequencies?

Yes.

I have a Technician license, which I got so I could run 50MHz R/C
controllers for BattleBots (*MUCH* less crowded than the 74 MHz band at
the events!).

I don't do packet radio, but you can run packets on most of the
Technician frequencies.  Any of the frequency bands that are yellow
(data) and have a 'T' beside them (technician) on the following chart
would be usable:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/Hambands_color.pdf

You don't have to use any particular frequency unless you're trying to
talk to other folks, in which case, you need to use the frequency
they're on (or get them to use yours! :).

I think a lot of packet stuff runs on the 2meter band, but I'm not
directly involved, so I can't say for sure.

- --
Charles Steinkuehler
charles at steinkuehler.net
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