Ham Radio Operators / Steel Soldiers

[Cleveland Iron]

Always happy to have another ham in the group no matter what color the rig is, or the rig is mounted in.

 

[montana karl]

I enjoy ham radio. The nets are fun to meet people.
Montana karl

 

[antennaclimber]

Okay the class was postponed but since I wanted to take the test I checked and they had an exam about 60 miles from work so I went.

I took the Tech then General then Extra. I did expect to pass the first two and was surprised how well I did on the Extra without studying. I'll study and take it in two weeks.

I studied four hours last Sat and four more Monday night and got a couple hours in during work and that was it. I would say I'm a quick study but I'm not. I started in a TV shop repairing radios and TVs at 13 and by the time I graduated HS I had had two years of formal schooling and then the Navy training in electronics.

Guess I'll see what the FCC gives me in a few days.

Congrats.

I hope to see you at Dayton. I have been there every year for the past 26 years.

 

[montana karl]

ANTENNA CLIMBERI am glad to hear you passed you ham exam. Montana karl

 

[swbradley1]

KD8WFD

Passed the tests on Thursday night and had my license on Monday. They tell me that is fast.

 

[DieselBob]

Congratulations.

 

[montana karl]

kd8wfd,
Congratulations on passing your ham test.
n7tcl
Montana karl

 

[Cleveland Iron]

Hey guys keep up the good work... After all if you have the patience to wrestle green iron into submission, or even think about it for that matter, you can do the same with a ham test.

 

[swbradley1]

Passed the Extra Class test last night.


For those who have never been to Dayton for the Hamvention I can tell you that DARA (the sponsor) has put an addition onto their building and it is pretty nice.


http://www.w8bi.org/

 

[DieselBob]

Passed the Extra Class test last night.

Congratulations. Way to go...

 

[CUCVSRK]

Signed up for a 5 week class staring tomorrow wish me luck!

 

[DieselBob]

Good luck and remember we are all counting on you...

 

[USMCsniperSEAL]

Took my test this Sunday for Tech. Awaiting letters from the FCC.

 

[MtnSnow]

Congrats!

 

[swbradley1]

Congratulations!

 

[cpf240]

Took my test this Sunday for Tech. Awaiting letters from the FCC.

Congratulations! Don't forget that you can check the website, as the license will show up there before the letter gets to your mailbox! Just do a License Search! http://wireless.fcc.gov

 

[USMCsniperSEAL]

Just saw it today. KK4WZR. Might go for a vanity to make it shorter.

 

[swbradley1]

Even though I had my passing test paperwork something got hosed and it took them 11 days to process my Extra but it came in the mail Saturday.

I like my call sign so I won't get a shorter one.

 

[Jeff001]

I have used an old military PRC-68B with a vehicle mount and on 52.525MHz NFM and have, when propagation was "just right" spoken to people hundreds of miles away. I used to keep the radio on in my truck when driving into work. Every now and again the squelch would crack open and then band would be open.

A lot of the other radios like some of the PRC25 and some 77s and other radios like the URC-101 have high noise floors and lack the sensitivity of civilian rigs. I had heard that some of our military systems are horrible for communications. When I was active duty, we knew some of our radios had just a little less range than yelling out the window. But other radios worked extremely well.

Investigating this led to the discovery that the problem is usually in either that the antenna developed a fault and is not radiating correcting or a problem developed in the first RF AMP and / or First Mixer. Seems that if the amps there are not in perfect condition it leads to a lack of sensitivity. This can occur because they were mistreated in the past or the parts just got old. Age seems to be a problem in many radios especially if they are solid state. And now, unlike other radios, if you are a licensed HAM radio operator with a technician license, you are allowed to actually work on and modify these radios. Yes, it is perfectly legal, as long as you do not transmit signals in any other band. But I recommend caution. Go out and find all the manuals you can on the radios you own. Learn about the electronics or, find another ham that knows how and work with him on working on your radio. And BOOKS? ARRL sells many books that are great and contain circuits that are similar to the circuits in

 

[montana karl]

congratulations on getting your license.
Montana karl