n00b @ PVP

[Totle]

So I'm a pretty in depth PVE player, and let's face it... there's a limit to how far I can go. Suffice to say, I'm getting kinda bored with PVE and figure why not check out the PVP scene?

I went and got a bunch of gear, and I have a spec; all I'm missing is the weapon.

A couple of quick questions - once I purchase my weapon, do I need to maintain my rating in order to use it? Suppose my team breaks apart and I get stuck in fail groups and my rating drops, can I no longer use my weapon?

Is getting 1800 rating difficult? How much time am I expected to invest into PVP in order to get it if I play only on weekends?

Ultimately, I want to purchase http://www.wowhead.com/item=51392 but I see that the cost is only in horde currency. Is there an alliance equivalent?

Thanks for your help guys.

[Everafter]

Once you get the rating, your weapon won't escape from your hands.
If you play in a viable comp - it's easy. Under 1800 you usually get starter players like you, poor ones carried for their already geared friends, or guys who don't have a clue what to do but they decided to try.
Myself I reached 1800 in about 3 days AFAIK, but it was quite a lot of playing, queuing, etc.
And about the price - it's just a general mark for honor points on wowhead, alliance can buy it too
May I ask what is your class and what weapons you have available from PvE at the moment?

[Totle]

http://www.wowarmory.com/character-s...us&n=%C3%85ris

I switch between my tanking spec (1st one) and my pvp spec. I have the 251 legs, 264 cloak and neck from honor, and the rest of my gear from badges.

I don't have any pvp weapons atm

Also - how easy is it to accumulate the arena points needed to purchase the weapon? Will I be able to earn enough on my way to 1800?

[Everafter]

That's not how you earn Arena Points. You get them each week, based on your highest rating. I'll copy a formula in a moment from wowwiki.
Considering gear - I'd say get Bryntroll, socket some Spell Pen till you reach the proper amount in your gear (don't remember what it was). Also get Battlemaster trinket and try to farm Deathbringer's Will (easier said than done).
You'll go better as Unholy in Arena, and you'll do best in 3v3 comp rather than 2v2 - like Warrior/DK/Holy.

Now, points you get each week:
Under 1500 rating:
2v2: 261
3v3: 302
5v5: 344
Over 1500 rating:
take from this image:

If you'd be at 1800 rating from 1st reset and did Random BG each day, I'd say it will take you around 3 weeks to get tier1 weapon.