HAM (amateur radio) info

[TheDan]

Ew, digital is gross. It's a bunch of competing specifications that are mostly proprietary (arguably illegal because of that) and don't interoperate well or at all. Also, people keep using a radio link to some local mmdvm-like gateway for the first ten feet, and route the rest of the internet. Which is exactly what you don't want to use for something you're going to rely on in an emergency.

Yeah, I also think the internet features on them are stupid. For simplex or even local repeater use, digital is freaking awesome. It significantly increases the range you can have an intelligible conversation at.

I do find the multiple standards annoying, but just get whatever your friends are using. The radio will still do analog for everyone else. I picked up the Yaesu because Rockdale got a Fusion repeater... If people in your area use a different standard get that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[gll]

Took and pased my Technician test today... Didn't realize that I could take more than one test same day, so I hadn't studied for the General, but tried it anyway... Failed 2 short of passing, 24/35. Next month!

 

[jordanmills]

Took and pased my Technician test today... Didn't realize that I could take more than one test same day, so I hadn't studied for the General, but tried it anyway... Failed 2 short of passing, 24/35. Next month!

Hah that's what I got two. Missed two on general.

 

[no2gates]

Hah that's what I got two. Missed two on general.

Back years ago when I had my Technician license, I wanted to upgrade to General, but back then, there was a 5 WPM morse code test.
I tried for a long time to be able to copy morse code, but I've got some kind of mental block that prevented me from being able to do it.
I tried twice to upgrade and passed the Q&A test both times, but failed the code portion of the test.
Finally around 20 years ago, they dropped the requirement and I was able to upgrade to General.

 

[Tnhawk]

I never had the interest in learning morse code. If the requirement had remained I would not have an Extra license today.

 

[gll]

I never had the interest in learning morse code. If the requirement had remained I would not have an Extra license today.

Josh on the Ham Radio Crash Course youtube channel has done several videos recently on his increasing interest in Morse due to the light weight of CW radios and range of transmission...

Interesting, but though I can learn it, I can't seem to retain it...

 

[oohrah]

I just do Morse for fun now. I joined the Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) just because, but they have short events every month that are not contests, just exchanging numbers. They will slow down the speed for you. I like to do portable QRP with a battery and throwing an EFHW in to a tree.

ETA: When maritime dropped the code requirement, so did amateur radio. Back in the day, the only license you could get without the code was Technician, but you were restricted to 50 meters and above. The code was a bar to many joining, so I think deleting the requirement was a good thing. Doesn't mean you can't have fun with it tho.

 

[Brains]

Oh to have the amount of boredom it must take to actually enjoy doing Morse code

 

[Tnhawk]

Josh on the Ham Radio Crash Course youtube channel has done several videos recently on his increasing interest in Morse due to the light weight of CW radios and range of transmission...

Interesting, but though I can learn it, I can't seem to retain it...

At my age, I'm not motivated to spend the effort on morse code

 

[gll]

My amateur license was registered today...

 

[no2gates]

My amateur license was registered today, call sign KI5TWK...

Welcome to your new expensive hobby...

 

[cycleguy2300]

My amateur license was registered today, call sign KI****...

**OPSEC WARNING**

You can look up full name, address etc from your FCC callsign.

I may be paranoid, but I keep my callsign on the down-low with firearms related stuff.

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

 

[gll]

Welcome to your new expensive hobby...

As if one wasn't enough...

 

[gll]

**OPSEC WARNING**

You can look up full name, address etc from your FCC callsign.

I may be paranoid, but I keep my callsign on the down-low with firearms related stuff.

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

Too late...

 

[lonestardiver]

**OPSEC WARNING**

You can look up full name, address etc from your FCC callsign.

I may be paranoid, but I keep my callsign on the down-low with firearms related stuff.

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

Mine goes to my P.O. Box for just that reason.

 

[cycleguy2300]

Too late...

Just for the future...

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

 

[Tnhawk]

My amateur license was registered today...

Congrats!

 

[Tnhawk]

**OPSEC WARNING**

You can look up full name, address etc from your FCC callsign.

I may be paranoid, but I keep my callsign on the down-low with firearms related stuff.

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

It has been a common practice for decades for hams to exchange qso cards to confirm a contact. Thes include name, address, grid coordinates, call sign, frequency, time, date and signal report.

 

[cycleguy2300]

It has been a common practice for decades for hams to exchange qso cards to confirm a contact. Thes include name, address, grid coordinates, call sign, frequency, time, date and signal report.

Oh, I know. But with a QSO card, no one has can easily link it to guns... like I said, I'm probably just paranoid, but I dont want my address tied with "owns guns" not because of the feds (I'm sure I am on a few watclists), bit because of crime.

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

 

[Tnhawk]

**OPSEC WARNING**

You can look up full name, address etc from your FCC callsign.

I may be paranoid, but I keep my callsign on the down-low with firearms related stuff.

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

In order to communicate over the amateur bands, the operator must use call signs.
Call signs are required to confirm a QSO.
Frequently auto tags are used which display the owners call sign.