Ham radio hobby

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by georgelesley

Not really. Just that we are in Branson,MO now and I tried unsuccessfully to contact local folks just before we left. When we get back i will pursue it more aggressively. But we are on the road again in mid December until Feb, so getting serious will probably come after that.

I really want to do it and DW is all in favor of it and buying the gear is not an issue, but just a bad time to be taking courses, etc. hopefully I will be talking to you folks next year and thx for all the info!

If you travel much you will have a hard time matching your schedule to your local club teaching schedule. If you don't like just reading the manuals try the Gordon West Audio CD's.

I wrote the Technician and General with a little study and self testing from the question pool. I have not bothered with Extra yet for several reasons. I did get the manual and Gordo's audio set. The audio is fun listening as well as teaching the tested material. You might want to start there. That and pick up a transceiver or receiver. Most transceivers include a decent general coverage receiver these days. I just left the mike in the box when I was only listening.

[KT4Wextra]

Originally Posted by Palms

Please rest assured KT4Wextra. As you have already looked me up, you must have also imagined that with more than 50 years as a licensed ham since first receiving HI8GBG in the late sixties, it would not occur to me to transmit with an expired license. Thank you for your observation and the reference provided none the less.

I looked you up because you had a 4 call to see if you were anywhere near me, that's when I noticed you had an expired license.

[RV_Fan33]

Just looked into a bit of this... looks fun!

[W5CI]

Originally Posted by Mzbrandi

Ham radio is a good hobby and great people.

Brandi W6FPT

X2 Great Hobby

W5CI

[edatlanta]

I have been on an extended driving vacation with today being day 19. One more day to go tomorrow will be 20 days on the road then we will be home. We have covered 13 US states, 4 Canadian provinces and stayed in motels 19 nights (17 different motels). I full time RV, but this was a driving trip without the RV. By the the end of the day tomorrow we will have driven just a hair over 5,000 miles. Great trip and ham radio was along for the trip.

I took 2 HT's (Yaesu FT1DR and Icom ID51A+). I didn't even try any contacts via local repeaters, but rather had a Verizon Jetpack for internet access, Shark Open Spot, TP Link router, operating on a RAV Power battery pack or plugged in to the car or motel when charging was needed. A couple of mornings ago was very typical. I was chatting with a ham friend in Maryland when we were joined by another from northern California and one from Queensland, Australia. This was a great way to enjoy a morning cup of coffee from a little town in SW Vermont. And this entire ham setup fits in a small corner of my briefcase.

And before anyone asks I did use a Canadian suffix with my call sign as required by the province I was in (VE3, VE9, etc.). I also announced my position at least once during each QSO which is also required. It all worked great.

Now to get back to my home base tomorrow evening and sit down for a while. Whew!

[paddykern]

I have a Icom ID51A+ and love D-Star.
First time on air got response from all over the world.

To cheep to use data to stay connected while on the road.
Tried using "closest repeater" on the Icom ID51A+ and except once, all the repeaters were over 60 miles away from where I camped.

Plan to provide emergency communications for the Thanksgiving Day 10K run in Detroit Michigan.

Always something to do. Fun to meet with club members for breakfast every weekend.

Originally Posted by edatlanta

I have been on an extended driving vacation with today being day 19. One more day to go tomorrow will be 20 days on the road then we will be home. We have covered 13 US states, 4 Canadian provinces and stayed in motels 19 nights (17 different motels). I full time RV, but this was a driving trip without the RV. By the the end of the day tomorrow we will have driven just a hair over 5,000 miles. Great trip and ham radio was along for the trip.

I took 2 HT's (Yaesu FT1DR and Icom ID51A+). I didn't even try any contacts via local repeaters, but rather had a Verizon Jetpack for internet access, Shark Open Spot, TP Link router, operating on a RAV Power battery pack or plugged in to the car or motel when charging was needed. A couple of mornings ago was very typical. I was chatting with a ham friend in Maryland when we were joined by another from northern California and one from Queensland, Australia. This was a great way to enjoy a morning cup of coffee from a little town in SW Vermont. And this entire ham setup fits in a small corner of my briefcase.

And before anyone asks I did use a Canadian suffix with my call sign as required by the province I was in (VE3, VE9, etc.). I also announced my position at least once during each QSO which is also required. It all worked great.

Now to get back to my home base tomorrow evening and sit down for a while. Whew!

[cry42]

Hello All:

I have been a HAM for more than 40 years, during which the hobby would come and go, but it was always there.

As I tell folks, Ham Radio is a hobby that will be there when other activities are no longer possible, you can always pull up a chair and enjoy this great radio hobby.

So go for it !

Join a local Amateur Radio Club. Join the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) the only lobby for ham radio, obtain a study guide and lots of practice test online.

It is really not hard to be a Ham Radio Operator.

Charles
W5CRY
Amateur Extra & VEC

[georgelesley]

Time for an update I guess. I have met the local club members and one lives about 1/2 mile from me, so that will be very helpful indeed. His wife and mine got along very well also.

I have received my test study guide a few days ago and am reading it now. I did do a practice test before I got the guide just to get an idea of what it is all about and see what areas I need to work on. Basic electronics I know a bit about and did well there. I scored 57% a few of which were sheer guessing and so the score does not reflect my knowledge of the subject. Now that I have the study guide I can spot the questions I missed and will home in on them.

A medical surprise has created a lot of idle time I did not expect. Our planned two month trip is cancelled because I got a pacemaker implanted two weeks ago and will not be doing much for the next month or two. The good news is that no blockages were found with the catherization so the pacemaker was implanted the same day. Since then my energy level has risen and color improved according to DW and MIL.

So, starting the study book it appears to me that in a month or so I should be ready to test. DW and MIL really want me to get on with it (maybe to get me out of their kitchen), so I plan to go ahead at a good but not frantic, pace.

Hopefully I will be talking to you good folks next year.

[paddykern]

Happy the pacemaker is working and making you feel better.

Do the practice exams on QRZ.com.
When you are getting a solid 85% or better, time to take the test.

I remember taking my first practice exam.
Would have scored higher but didn't know the lingo.
What the heck is a CW?
Then I found out it was Morse code. Might have been able to give an educated guess if I had known that.

Find a place to take the test and sign up for a date, that will give you incentive to study with a deadline.

Originally Posted by georgelesley

Time for an update I guess. I have met the local club members and one lives about 1/2 mile from me, so that will be very helpful indeed. His wife and mine got along very well also.

I have received my test study guide a few days ago and am reading it now. I did do a practice test before I got the guide just to get an idea of what it is all about and see what areas I need to work on. Basic electronics I know a bit about and did well there. I scored 57% a few of which were sheer guessing and so the score does not reflect my knowledge of the subject. Now that I have the study guide I can spot the questions I missed and will home in on them.

A medical surprise has created a lot of idle time I did not expect. Our planned two month trip is cancelled because I got a pacemaker implanted two weeks ago and will not be doing much for the next month or two. The good news is that no blockages were found with the catherization so the pacemaker was implanted the same day. Since then my energy level has risen and color improved according to DW and MIL.

So, starting the study book it appears to me that in a month or so I should be ready to test. DW and MIL really want me to get on with it (maybe to get me out of their kitchen), so I plan to go ahead at a good but not frantic, pace.

Hopefully I will be talking to you good folks next year.

[APhotoWizard]

Glad to hear you are doing better and making the best of your condition. I hear pacemakers are no fun, but improve life greatly. Also glad to hear you are moving on in the amateur radio world. I have two comments.

There are several sites that offer practice tests you can download. Print a copy of the test and take it. Now copy the questions you missed by hand along with the answer and study the material to understand why the answer is correct. Repeat. With a smattering of electronics knowledge, you should find yourself passing the test in a few weeks.

A final thought in case you have not considered it. It might be wise to get your wife interested. In amateur radio, much like RVing, there will be an endless flow of things to buy. If you would like to identify some, just search for and visit any local HamFest or flip through the Ham Radio Outlet web page (There are others, this is just the one I like). There will be more than enough interesting things to purchase with more being invented every day. If your wife is in on it as well, you just might have an easier time adjusting the budget to include the latest gizmo. Just a thought.

In any case look for me and others on the air.

Jerry (N4OMF)

I like to hang out on 40 meters when I can.

[KT4Wextra]

We just finished a Technician license class with 13 participating and 12 passed the exam. We will conduct a class for General license the first 3 Saturdays in January and expect a number of people to take it.
For practice exams we suggest www.aa9pw.com or www.hamstudy.org and they have no cost for them. As far as exam cost the exams conducted by ARRL VEC groups is $15, CAVEC charges $14 and Laurel VEC has the best price, FREE. When you get your Tech license start study for General right away.
Marv
KT4W

[Triangle Drifter]

Hams get all the new tech toys first. We had the ability to make vehicle to landline phone calls in the 70s, long before cellphone was a word. We were communicating by computer around the world long before anyone knew about DSL lines. We were tracking each other in our vehicles before Onstar or anything internet based. We were communicating with each other via the internet long before there was Skype & we can do it hand held radio to hand held radio linked around the world. On a more basic level we have a VHF radio system that is linked through repeaters across huge distances.

It goes on & on. So many areas of the hobby.

[W3SI]

Glad to hear that you are studying. I hope you do well and best of health to you also.

Today's radios are far better than the old heath kits i used in the mid 70's.
Good luck.

[georgelesley]

I have just received pics of some gear being given to me by the widow of a deceased distant relative. I should have it in a week or so, then will be looking for a local ham guy to help set it up after I am licensed.