Amateur Radio FAQ

E.Shell · Jul 1, 2013

gamer_jim said:
There's a test in Riesterstown this Sunday afternoon: http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/reisterstown-md-21136-1738-45

I think I am going to take my tech test then....

Good luck on your exam!! Be prepared to take a stab at the General class test too, it didn't seem a lot harder than Tech and is worth taking even if you don't get it.

...Anyone else going?

Not this one. I may try to get up to the BRATS later in July. I took the Tech & General exams a couple weeks ago and have been studying for the Extra (thanks K-31!) ever since. I know (knew) a lot of the generic material from past experience and some of it rings a bell. That part is like taking a refresher for an equivalency exam. A lot of it is new material/recent technology and it's more challenging to understand. If I feel a LOT more confident when it gets a little closer in, I may go and give it a try on the 21st.

gamer_jim · Jul 7, 2013

I passed technicians test, didn't try for general. They said they try to offer FREE tests once a month. They said I should get my call sign by tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks again for this thread and encouragement. I'm still debating on a radio model. A friend is going to lend me a dual band HT for now.

tourrider · Jul 7, 2013

Congrats! They are really good about quickly getting info uploaded to FCC.

Welcome to the hobby.

K3DCX. Clear on your final.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

6-Pack · Jul 9, 2013

Anyone want to plan for a meet-and-greet before/after the Carroll County hamfest in August?

http://www.qis.net/~k3pzn/hamfest.html

E.Shell · Jul 9, 2013

gamer_jim said:
I passed technicians test, didn't try for general. They said they try to offer FREE tests once a month. They said I should get my call sign by tomorrow afternoon....

Congratulations!! :thumbsup:

....Thanks again for this thread and encouragement....

Agreed.

...I'm still debating on a radio model. A friend is going to lend me a dual band HT for now.

I have a Yaesu VX-7R that I like so far, but my own experience here is very limited. If you don't count the extremely cheap imports, everybody seems to be running Icom, Kenwood or Yaesu (expensive imports).

MDGolom · Jul 22, 2013

All of the talk here got me interested in getting my license. I had no previous experience with ham radios, electronics, signals or wave lengths (and I suck at math). I bought a book, took a bunch of practice exams and finally took the actual exam this past Saturday at the LARC club house. Pass with a 35 out of 35.

I put the cart before the horse and bought a radio before I even started studying. I bought a $40 Baofeng dual band radio from Amazon along with an replacement antenna and programming cable. Since I live in a condo and have to be sneaky about an antenna, I'm thinking about buying a mobile receiver for home and the car and just started researching which one.

I decided to go for my General exam next and holy crap it looks a lot harder than the Technician's.

chale127 · Jul 22, 2013

LOTS of sneaky antennas out there, heck a piece of an old tapemeasure can do wonders with a coat of paint to match the outside location where it's mounted, no one would ever notice unless you told them

Welcome to the world of amateur radio

One word of advice...the General has a LOT of information in it that helps one understand how the world of electronics works (not just amateur radio) i would look to see if one of the local clubs is giving a General upgrade class, sometimes someone just putting it into laymans terms outside of the book makes things SO much easier to understand, and if you don't get a good grasp on the General Theory, Extra will make you tear your hair out

MDGolom · Jul 22, 2013

chale127 said:
LOTS of sneaky antennas out there, heck a piece of an old tapemeasure can do wonders with a coat of paint to match the outside location where it's mounted, no one would ever notice unless you told them

Welcome to the world of amateur radio

One word of advice...the General has a LOT of information in it that helps one understand how the world of electronics works (not just amateur radio) i would look to see if one of the local clubs is giving a General upgrade class, sometimes someone just putting it into laymans terms outside of the book makes things SO much easier to understand, and if you don't get a good grasp on the General Theory, Extra will make you tear your hair out

Thanks for the advise I think I'm going to join BARC and will see if they offer the general class. I also plan to pick up the ARRL exam manual since I liked the technician's manual.

Pinecone · Jul 22, 2013

We used to make virus antennas.

Take a panel mount coax socket and solder 5 pieces of straight wire (coat hanger will work, I used welding rod). For VHF, IIRC, cut to 39" each after soldering. One goes into the center connector. One goes into each corner mounting hole. Bend the 4 corner wires down about 45 degrees from horizontal.

Spray paitn flat black and it is very hard to see. And it will work indoors, especially with a window facing a good repeater.

Colt Justice · Jul 22, 2013

Excellent post, thank you. I've been considering getting into HAM for a while now, but haven't really known what to buy, and in what order. I've been over at HAM radio outlet and see a ton of stuff, but not sure what to buy, and I'm also on a budget since I have so many guns to purchase in such a short amount of time.
I've just been trying to do a little research, on and off, and learning.

chale127 · Jul 22, 2013

Pinecone said:
We used to make virus antennas.

Take a panel mount coax socket and solder 5 pieces of straight wire (coat hanger will work, I used welding rod). For VHF, IIRC, cut to 39" each after soldering. One goes into the center connector. One goes into each corner mounting hole. Bend the 4 corner wires down about 45 degrees from horizontal.

Spray paitn flat black and it is very hard to see. And it will work indoors, especially with a window facing a good repeater.

these things, little bit of stripped romex and a panel mount connector you can get at Rat Shack..

http://www.kb6nu.com/21-things-to-do-build-an-antenna/

MDGolom · Jul 22, 2013

Damn, unlike the rest of the government, the FCC is on top of it. I checked the FCC database at 9:45am and my call sign had already been assigned and posted.

chale127 · Jul 22, 2013

MDGolom said:
Damn, unlike the rest of the government, the FCC is on top of it. I checked the FCC database at 9:45am and my call sign had already been assigned and posted.

Congrats, Laurel VEC is on top of things with their Electronic filing, i think it just takes a few keystrokes from the FCC up in Gettysburg to make it official

K31 · Jul 22, 2013

MDGolom said:
Damn, unlike the rest of the government, the FCC is on top of it. I checked the FCC database at 9:45am and my call sign had already been assigned and posted.

Thank your VE team. Yes, FCC is good (they have the bucks to be from auctioning off spectrum) but your VE team has to send your results in a timely manner for you to get your grant in a timely manner.

E.Shell · Jul 22, 2013

chale127 said:
these things, little bit of stripped romex and a panel mount connector you can get at Rat Shack..

http://www.kb6nu.com/21-things-to-do-build-an-antenna/

I just made one of these ground planes using #14 Romex, 10' of RG8 and a PL-259 to SMA adapter for my HT. Works amazingly well compared to the rubber duck and for the little effort required. Brought a few distant repeaters from S1 to about an S5-6. Might be able to reach one of the local repeaters with the HT now.

Anybody going to the test sessions in Linthicum tomorrow night? I'm going to try the 'Extra' exam.
(http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/linthicum-heights-md-21090-999-25)

K-31, my examiners were very prompt and enthusiastic about what they were doing. Hardworking bunch.

E.Shell · Jul 23, 2013

Passed the Extra exam tonight!!

Thank you for your help and encouragement K-31! :bowdown:

Now to find a decent HF rig and stretch some wire. :cool:

Mark75H · Jul 23, 2013

E.Shell said:
Passed the Extra exam tonight!!

Thank you for your help and encouragement K-31!

Now to find a decent HF rig and stretch some wire.

Good job!

K31 · Jul 24, 2013

E.Shell said:
Passed the Extra exam tonight!!

Thank you for your help and encouragement K-31!

Now to find a decent HF rig and stretch some wire.

Congratulations Ed!

Minuteman · Jul 24, 2013

Just catching up to this thread; great advice from everyone thanks. And congrats to everyone passing their tests!

A couple days ago I ordered a cheap H/T, probably the same Baofeng as MDGolom here; and a mobile antenna, can't wait to get it. I've only started to study, maybe will be ready by the August hamfest.

Yesterday I attended my first local ham meeting. Like anything new I mostly listened, much of their discussion was way over my head; I felt like a dog looking at a wristwatch.

Fascinating new world for me, just have to make more time to study and tune in.

Minuteman · Jul 24, 2013

I missed the July hamfest which was closer for me; but I hope to make this one, if anyone thinks it will be worth the day trip:

Carroll County Tailgate Fest
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Sponsor: Carroll County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://qis.net/~k3pzn
Location: Carroll County Agriculture Center
706 Agriculture Center Drive
Westminster, MD 21157
Talk-In: 145.410 (PL 114.8)
Contact: Steve Beckman, N3SB
2145 Bethel Road
Finksburg, MD 21048
Phone: 410-876-1482
Email: n3sb@qis.net

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