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Kellan Meig'h Administrator
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 2045 Location: Just East of Indianapolis, Indiana
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Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 1:30 am Post subject: HAM, anyone? |
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Hey All.
Letting you all know that I'm taking classes through my church to obtain a HAM Technician's license ('ticket').
The curriculum hasn't been too hard for the Old Warhorse, since I've been in electrical/electronics/communications for a number of years. That might change before the study is over, though. Odd stuff I've not thought of in years, like Superhetrodyne and L-C circuits.
I'll let y'all know when I get my ticket. I might not openly post it here but I'll PM it to ya if you want to chat on HAM 2 meter or 70 cm.
_________________ "Старый боевой конь, Кeллан" |
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Kellan Meig'h Administrator
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 2045 Location: Just East of Indianapolis, Indiana
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Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 1:13 pm Post subject: Holy Belt Sander! |
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Well, went to take the HAM radio exam yesterday.
Passed Technician, so I could take the General license test for free. Passed that, so I could take the Amateur Extra test for free. Passed that, with no study, so now I'm a top level HAM operator! Wow!
Once I have my call sign in ten days or so, I can talk around the world if I want to.
Kel _________________ "Старый боевой конь, Кeллан" |
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Tigermark Site Owner
Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 855 Location: Hopkinsville, KY
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Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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Wow Kellan! That's really incredible! Getting my HAM licence is something that's been floating around in my plans for a couple years. We're encouraged to as weather spotters) but haven't taken the time to do so yet. Great job!
TM _________________ Tiger, tiger, burning bright...
http://www.planetfurry.com/~tigermark |
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Kellan Meig'h Administrator
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 2045 Location: Just East of Indianapolis, Indiana
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Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 2:39 am Post subject: Valuable information. |
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TM, you should go do it, even if it's Technician or General.
Don't need to know Morse code now and a careful read of the ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League) study manual will have you looking at a HAM ticket in no time. There are 10 elements to the manual, about a week's worth of study in your spare time for each element, if you really take your time. Normal time would be about six weeks. Cost to take the exam is $15.00 on the average, good for ten years.
Technician: 393 questions in the question pool, 35 questions on the test pulled from the pool. You need 26 out of 35 to pass, so that's not that hard. The manual even comes with a practice exam software disk or you can do the practice exams over on http://www.qrz.com for free.
General: Same as Technician, 26 out of 35 to pass. Question pool is 435, I think.
Food for thought - in the peak of the sunspot cycle (now), global propagation on 20 Meter and up are real good. It would be great to see a bunch of PF citizens get their HAM ticket and do a bit of DX chatting. A little bit of study now will be a lifetime of enjoyment plus you can be a vital link in emergency communications during a disaster. give it some thought.
_________________ "Старый боевой конь, Кeллан" |
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The Silver Coyote Registered User
Joined: 09 Nov 2003 Posts: 491 Location: Rogue River Valley, Oregon
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Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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Can't resist jumping into this, even if I am a bit late.
First Kel, congratulations! That is no small feat, knocking off all three exams like that. Props to you, buck-o!
I know a somewhat bedraggled canine with the call KB6MIP that would be interested in keeping up with your radio exploits. Please elaborate on his behalf such that I may share the news.
warning: <tech speak> commences
Have you heard about MotoTRBO yet? It's a relatively new technology making it's way into the HAMdom that allows various repeaters to be networked via IP ... yeah, the internet. So users with a 4-watt TRBO-capable HT can talk to stations halfway around the world minus all the fading and noise of HF. Kinda cool.
Of course repeaters linked the old fashioned way are kind of cool as well. Ever hear of the Cactus Intertie? That mutt I was referring to is a member. Perhaps you might hear him there one day. He's also into six meters FM, should that be of interest to you.
<\tech speak>
Stay in touch and 73, my friend. And again, congratulations!
SC _________________ =====
Tread Lightly and Sing To The Sky |
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Kellan Meig'h Administrator
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 2045 Location: Just East of Indianapolis, Indiana
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Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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So, that old, bedraggled canine is a trustee of KB6MIP/R? Good to know that.
Still looking for a good HF rig & a nice screwdriver antenna for my truck. I'm still leaning toward another Yaesu FT-450D or maybe an ICOM IC-7200. Whatever it will be, it has to withstand the rough ride of the Great White Buffalo, my '97 F250HD 4X4. Probably a Tarheel LT-II for an antenna, mounted to the side of my Drake Welding Mfg rack.
I'll have to check out that MotoTRBO technology - currently I log in to N6NFI repeater (2M) by Echolink on occasion. I'm listening in on that repeater after work Monday thru Friday, about 5:30-ish to about 6:00-ish.
Good to hear from ya, even if it is jumping in on an old thread. Nice to know you're still around.
73's to ya,
The Old Warhorse, AG6TH _________________ "Старый боевой конь, Кeллан" |
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The Silver Coyote Registered User
Joined: 09 Nov 2003 Posts: 491 Location: Rogue River Valley, Oregon
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Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 9:23 am Post subject: |
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The preponderance of posteriors in my sphere of influence which require gentle guidance and persuasion make me glad that I have sturdy steel-toe boots that wash off easily. Yes, I'm still around, thank you sir. Paws full to overflowing, as usual.
My friend has one of those screwdrivers on his Jeep. Loves the antenna, hates the controller he got to make it work remotely. I don't recall which controller he uses, but MFJ comes to mind. I'll ask.
He's also quite the fan of the IC-706 Mk. IIG, he has two of them.
That ol' mutt, he likes commercial stuff. Until recently I maintained an all-Kenwood fleet of radios for my employer (we're bidding out for a new system, so we may become all-Motorola, or all-Tait), and I became so enamored of the sturdiness of the equipment that the beast had a full compliment of high power, narrow-band capable transceivers in it for him to play with, radios that could work VHF and UHF ham channels as well as the company channels. So his ham time is spent almost exclusively on amateur VHF and UHF FM: six, two, and 440.
If you cruise around that web site a bit you could learn a lot more than you want to know. I advise caution, at least one edged weapon, and plenty of ammo for your firearm of choice. Good luck!
SC _________________ =====
Tread Lightly and Sing To The Sky |
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The Silver Coyote Registered User
Joined: 09 Nov 2003 Posts: 491 Location: Rogue River Valley, Oregon
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Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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So ... how about an update Kel? What's happening in the RF realm on your end of the path?
I'm trying to figure out how to shoe-horn commercial radios into the LRB. It might require grinders and sledgehammers, but hey ... it's a Jeep, right? Most trail artists have those things under the back seat anyway, near the wooden box with the whiskey in it. No problem ...
PM me your call sign when you can. I'll be making another trip north soon (they happen quite regularly these days), I'll see if we can't connect in some medium or other. That'd be fun. How many years has it been since we laid eyes on each other?
SC _________________ =====
Tread Lightly and Sing To The Sky |
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