[Corvettaholic]

Figure this would fit under the "general" heading. I want to build a home-made transceiver, you do guys know of a forum where I can ask radio related questions? My goal is make a 5 watt transceiver that operates around 26.025 Mhz, cause thats in the CB legal range, yet its not a CB channel. Reason for this is that my girlfriend doesn't have a cell phone, so I figured I would engineer an alternative  

[Scratch-]

When all else fails...

http://scitoys.com/board/messages/board-topics.html

[Corvettaholic]

I think I'm going to live at this scitoys place, they have all sorts of cool stuff! Maybe I'll just get dual citizenship between forums  

[billnotgatez]

http://www.arrl.org/

You can become a tech level HAM by taking a test
They say it is relatively easy if you get the correct book
One of the suggested books is
Now You're Talking
Have both you and girlfriend take test

[Scratch-]

Yes, if your going to transmit long range I would suggest getting a license. You just have to take a test and pay a fee I think (something like $10). The great thing is with the license you can use frequencies that bounce off the ionosphere so you can talk with people in other countries.

[Corvettaholic]

My dad used to DX way back in the 80's, but the antenna was freakin huge! I have a little house in Tempe (small college town), and there's serious restrictions about putting monstrosities in the backyard. Can Ham radio licenses be applied to a portable use? I already sent off an email to the FCC asking about home-grown radio's to see if I can make a low power shortwave one.