They've got Patti Loveless listed as an Amateur Radio user!!!
Posted on 06/07/2004 8:53:48 PM PDT by Denver Ditdat
What a nice long life.
*runs off to register vanity call W5BQU*
(Just kidding.)
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One time in school we made a battery out of a potato.
But who knew that you could make a radio out of a ham ?
Great post. Put me on the ham ping list!
73
Thanks for the ping. I read this article yesterday. By the way, on several occasions I've spoke with/QSOd Art Bell, also an amateur radio operator, on 75 meters. I got a kick out of that.
Thanks for the link. I guess I'm pretty ignorant, too. I've always used the term "73's." I think they forgive women a lot since there aren't as many of us. I learned it from my dad who's been a Ham for I think over 50 years now. I better tell him he's wrong, it's only "73."
;)
In all seriousness though, reverence for the silent key.
Is it expensive? Well, like any other engrossing hobby it sure can be, but a fat wallet isn't necessary to get started. If you go with new gear and keep an eye on the price a nice station will probably cost about as much as an upper mid-range PC with monitor and printer. Unlike that computer, used ham radio gear has a very long useful life. If you choose to go into the hobby with a second hand "rig" (radio) the costs can be quite minimal. eBay seems to be the place of choice to find used gear these days. If an eBay rig catches your eye and agrees with your budget, get an opinion from a couple other experienced hams first. You can easily get on the air with anything manufactured from the mid-50s to date, but as a new ham I'd stick to the all solid state gear manufactured in the last 20 years or so.
Good places to browse for new gear(and sometimes used, too) include but are definitely not limited to:
So, what the heck do hams do? If it involves transmitting a signal, we're probably doing it! The good old traditional Morse code remains a favorite of many, me included, but there is a heck of a lot more. Hearing a voice talking to you and knowing that the individual at the other end is sitting in front of a rig in Singapore, Rio, Siberia, Pitcairn Island, McMurdo Sound, or aboard the International Space Station almost seems magic. Despite the near universal access to the internet, actually talking to someone on the other side of the world still holds a thrill for me. Hams also build and launch satellites, bounce signals off the Moon, transmit television pictures, send data, and control RC planes, cars, and boats. Using direction finding equipment to hunt down hidden transmitters is a popular outdoor activity, and trying to be the first to locate that elusive rig can really get the competitive juices flowing. Another activity that ranks as one of my favorites is building and using your own radio equipment. I love to melt solder - sometimes it almost seems an end in itself. It's not unusual for me to finish a project, get it on the air long enough to make a few contacts, and dive in to the next building excursion.
Licensing is simpler than ever. There are three classes, or levels, of ham license today. The easiest entry point is the Technician license or "ticket" as it is also known. This requires only a 35 question multiple choice test covering electronic theory and radio law, and unlike days past, no longer requires knowledge of Morse code. Dropping the Morse requirement verges on a religious issue in the ham community with strong views on both sides, but it appears to be here to stay.
The disadvantage to the Tech ticket is that it limits the licensee to using 30 MHz and above. The long haul high frequency bands, "traditional" ham radio, is reserved for General and Extra class licensees. Both of these tickets involve taking another written test and receiving Morse code. Fear not - the code requirement is only 5 words per minute as opposed to the old General and Extra requirements of 13 and 20 WPM. Learning 5 WPM is easy if you practice daily for less than a month.
I took my first two exams, the old Tech and General tests, in front of the legendary "Steely-Eyed FCC Examiner" in the Detroit FCC field office. Those days are gone, too. Though the license you'll get is still issued by the FCC the test is administered by a team of ham volunteers. The ARRL web site has lists of test sessions and dates near you. After facing the FCC for my original tickets in 1983 the ham administered Advanced and Extra tests I took in 1990 and 1992 were much more relaxed.
The web is loaded with links to great ham radio web sites. Two good general purpose sites are eHam.net and QRZ.com. Either one offers a wide variety of discussion, interesting articles, and serves as a good jumping off point to other ham sites around the world. A word of caution: in addition to the Morse code, a recent proposal to provide high speed internet access over the power lines has become a hot button issue for may hams. Hot heads and short fuses are in ample supply on both topics, along with (unfortunately) much Bush bashing on the latter. Read them if you like, take all opinions with a grain of salt, and don't assume that the raucous vocal conduct of a few represents all hams. The folks you will meet on the air are almost without exception a friendly and fun bunch.
Whew! I've doubtless missed a lot in my long winded post. Any fellow hams who happen to be reading the mail, jump in with additions, clarifications, or outright corrections.
Above all, feel free to ask questions. We'd be glad to have you in the hobby!
Well, even though I'm not a Ham operator, I can't stand it when someone is trying to tell you something on a FRS radio and:
1) They start speaking before they push the "Talk" button, or
2) They start speaking as they push the "Talk" button.
Either way, it's maddening to try and figure out what you've missed.
One of the non-ham techs I used to work with was fond of asking those of us who were licensed "What's the definition of a ham? Half a hog's @$$!"
He ended up becoming interested in 2m packet radio back when packet BBS systems were still popular and getting his Tech ticket. I always got a chuckle out of that.
Done!
73
<g>
After we moved to Colorado I looked into registering K0GRL, one of the callsigns formerly held by Gen. Curtis LeMay. The Strategic Air Command Memorial Amateur Radio Club beat me to it by a couple of months. That's ok by me. It's more appropriate that it be used by that club than an individual anyway.
LoL's, however on the serious side, I myself have been called both! ; )
W60BB ping!
LOL....Art's a kick.
Woohoo! I wonder where on the bands Patti is usually active? I'd love to have that QSL card for my collection.
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