How Many Amateur Radio Operators Here?

[Airpark]

Not active now but first licensed in 1955.

Got a signed framed map showing the flight of the KC-97 with Gen Curt LeMay and Butch Griswold and their venture into SSB.

Was the pioneer venture into SSB for military communications. They were really nice guys to chat with.

Talked with them on the way over to Europe, was a DL4 then, and on the way back.

Gotta get back active now that I am out of the No-Antenna HOA situation.

 

[SmokewagonSD]

Took my tech exam earlier this month and my call sign was posted five days later. I will take the General in June. I have a hand held Yaesu, repeater coverage is pretty good here in Northeastern Wyoming. Still tying to figure out the magic of Echolink.
73's
KG7KMC
Lynn

 

[DeadAye]

73 = Best wishes
88 = Love and kisses

73's = Best wishes's (?)

 

[Murphy's Law]

Been at it since was 13 as K8VHB. After Navy 22 years as radio men got my extra class and now N6AO for the past 40 years however inactive now and living in Florida. Was strictly CW when active.

 

[moe smith]

Yes for the short answer. HF is more so than VHF because most VHF is FM which is line of sight anyway. Not saying that VHF is never affected but just not as much as HF.

CQ and QST magazines are good sources to keep up with propagation statistics.

Thanks for the reply. I have a friend who is a pilot for one of the majors who said their vhf's have been affected in the past, and I've listened to the vhf radio on the boat turn into the flight of the bumble bee in severe thunderstorms. Both, as you point out, are line of sight. Because HAM radio is global I would imagine that solar flares are disruptive because their effects can be felt below the horizon yet still play havoc with your communication. I just wondered if it was frequency specific or if that band was more prone to interference from an event than VHF, for example.

 

[Nlmadog]

Congrad's and Welcome !!!
First time was in 1969,started back in 2011,taking extra soon !
KD8SMS
73's

 

[policerevolvercollector]

Thanks for the comments. Call sign not call number. Got it.

^^^^^ Correct!

Your license is also a "ticket" in amateur speak. (ie ... I got my ticket in 1980).

You know if all the hams here could get on ....let's say.... 40 meters, we could set a regular sked. Hmmm....

 

[USAFret]

Got my first license back in the early 60's as KN1VYY.

 

[Ilike9mm]

N6*** Northern California.

My HF rig (finals?) just blew up the other day...boo hoo. No power out to a dummy load.

Anybody want to trade a 39-2 for a rig?

 

[LennyLames]

Extra class since 2012.

Prior to this last upgrade, I passed my Technician, Morse code (it was required back then), and General tests within a couple of months of each other, less than a decade ago.

When I first got into ham radio, my impression was that the hobby was dominated by old, geeky males. Peewee Herman, Gilbert Gottfried, and Mr. Rogers would have blended in really well. When I took the last test for Extra, the other test takers (mostly for Technician class) appeared to be a closer match to the general population. One Volunteer Examiner surmised that the renewed interest is due to the preppers/survivalists.

I've recently been experimenting with antennas from scrap metal, such as those I recently made from dry cleaning hangers straightened out then joined together. Haven't devised a vertically polarized antenna out of such materials yet, but my extensible aluminum ladder connected by jumper cable to my tuner might be an option. Don't get me going on my Faraday cages. Gee, does all this make me a prepper?

 

[Ogandydancer]

Thanks for the reply. I have a friend who is a pilot for one of the majors who said their vhf's have been affected in the past, and I've listened to the vhf radio on the boat turn into the flight of the bumble bee in severe thunderstorms. Both, as you point out, are line of sight. Because HAM radio is global I would imagine that solar flares are disruptive because their effects can be felt below the horizon yet still play havoc with your communication. I just wondered if it was frequency specific or if that band was more prone to interference from an event than VHF, for example.

Aircraft I might point out is on VHF but they are AM. So that fact would make them more suceptable to interference than the FM.

 

[twobit601]

General Class Ham KE5*** , worked 50 states & other side of the globe...
Texas Army MARS (Military Auxiliary Radio System) HF digital comms.
Texas State Guard WO1 Communications.

 

[1950jcb]

Amateur License

WB7UXD here. Had my General Class since the '70s--great hobby. I enjoy straight key QRP--built a one watt transceiver--receiver has barn door selectivity, but I've made lots of contacts with it. Something about tossing a wire antenna into the trees and running for hours on a small battery--lots of fun. Jim

 

[mr-mom]

QRP

Ahhh, QRP, one of my favorite modes. I built this little gem many years ago from a schematic in one of the ARRL publications. Have worked many a station with this rig and a straight key.
Dave
KY0X

 

[BigBoy99]

HAM Radio

I've wanted to get into HAM Radio but never was motivated enough to learn Morse Code. Also, I'm electronically challenged. I understand how DC works but when you add inductors and capacitors, it is just one big confusing system. So I never went any further than thinking it was something I'd be interested in but it was too complicated to get into.

 

[1950jcb]

Morse code

Is not required--go for it.

 

[K1500]

Just an FYI for some that do not know, posting your full call is equivalent to posting your full name and address. Some are not comfortable doing that on the net, especially a firearm oriented site.

 

[Arney]

NK9O here been a ham since the early 80s but a swl since the late 60s.

73's

Arney

 

[DeadAye]

I've wanted to get into HAM Radio but never was motivated enough to learn Morse Code. Also, I'm electronically challenged. I understand how DC works but when you add inductors and capacitors, it is just one big confusing system. So I never went any further than thinking it was something I'd be interested in but it was too complicated to get into.

It's WAY easier now!
There's no more Morse Code test to get your ticket and ALL of the questions and answers are published and easy to study.
Go to the ARRL site and get you a study book - You'll be a ham before you know it!

 

[CW Spook]

W0FG here. Licensed as a Novice in 1963, Extra Class now. After a prolonged spell of inactivity, I'm back on the air chasing DX with a new Flex-6500 SDR. 85% of the time I'm on CW, maybe 10% on RTTY and less than 5% on voice.