How many HAMs do we have here??

[clanggedin]

Saturday I passed my HAM Radio Technician test and today found out my call sign. Tomorrow my Yaesu VX-7R will be delivered and I'll soon be on the air. I can't wait to spread the word about BYOAC on the 2m/440 and the 6m bands.

Does anyone here else have their licence?? If so, what radio are you using and what is your call sign??

[allroy1975]

I don't like ham.  Bacon..mmmm....
but not ham.

Allroy

[clanggedin]

I knew there was going to be at least one bacon remark in this thread.

[ChadTower]

When the bombs start dropping, Ham radios are going to be the only way people can communicate.

[Harry Potter]

And we'll all be talking about your wonderful picture window^tm

[ChadTower]

It keeps out the nuclear ash.

[Harry Potter]

that would be the lead paint you got for a bargain at the military swap-meet.

[ChadTower]

Nah, it's the asbestos in the siding of my house.

[Harry Potter]

i got some oven-mits like that. food tastes like ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- afterwards though.

[Stingray]

I've always been interested in ham radio, but I have so many expensive hobbies already that I'm pretty sure Mrs. Stingray would kill me if I took up another one.

-S

[ChadTower]

You know you want to build a 65 foot antenna tower.

[Harry Potter]

I've always been interested in ham radio, but I have so many expensive hobbies already that I'm pretty sure Mrs. Stingray would kill me if I took up another one.

-S

Just tell her the radio tower is a fancy flag pole. Overcome by you patriotism, she'll let you build it.

[missioncontrol]

When the bombs start dropping, Ham radios are going to be the only way people can communicate.

don't they need electricity.

[Santoro]

Yup, I got the bug in 1992.

[Santoro]

When the bombs start dropping, Ham radios are going to be the only way people can communicate.

don't they need electricity.

Many serious HAMs have solar charged batteries for emergency operation.  Ability to operate in emergencies is the main reason for the Amateur Radio Service's existence.

[Stingray]

You know you want to build a 65 foot antenna tower.

Yeah, obviously any excuse to build some crazy crap is good enough for me.

-S

[ChadTower]

Not only solar charged, they can be operated off of things like car batteries.

[Santoro]

 

[Harry Potter]

Yeah right. how did he scale the tower? I don't see no elevator.

[ChadTower]

There's a ladder on it, roo bonker.

[Harry Potter]

There's a ladder on it, roo bonker.

Stingray using ladders? He's too slack to use an escalator.

[clanggedin]

You know you want to build a 65 foot antenna tower.

If I build an antenna it's going to be 199 feet tall. You can't build an antenna over 200 feet without FCC and FAA approval.

I get a kick out of listening to the Combat Air Patrol missions over NYC when the terror alert goes to orange.

Once I get comfortable with the 7R I'm going to do a MARS/CAP mod so I can monitor those frequencies too.

I have never really had the desire to be a HAM operator, but when I saw a class being held in my town last week, something told me that I needed to go and get my licence.

I am also joining the Utah Amateur Radio Emergency Service, so I can help when needed.

[Ed_McCarron]

N3KPR, licensed in 1990.  One of the first 'no-code' techs.  Me and morse code just never did click.

Oh, here's my obligatory antenna work pics.  Both work related, unfortunately.

The second pic is what you would see if you were an antenna on top of a 200' water tank.

My wife -loves- when I bring home pics like these.

[Stingray]

Yeah right. how did he scale the tower? I don't see no elevator.

Trampoline.

-S

[Bones]

Trampolines are only for people who can't master spring shoes.

[Stingray]

I loaned my spring shoes to Inspector Gadget, or maybe it was Maxwell Smart. In either case I'll never get them back now. Backup plan would be trebuchet.

-S

[ChadTower]

You hosers, even Stingray can't slack enough to think up how he really did it.

He noticed them starting to build the thing and sat on it until they were done.

[Stingray]

That does seem like the most plausible explanation.

-S

[SirPoonga]

... plausible ...

Sounds like we have to ask MythBusters...

[Stingray]

No thanks, I've seen that show. They'd surely find a reason to blow me up.

-S

[Bones]

Speaking of Mythbusters.... How cute is that little redhead?

ya ya, she really has it all going on.

[missioncontrol]

Mythbusters is a great show, the Redhead is nice

[danny_galaga]

the girls are pretty hot. but pretty annoying too. i mean really, seeing if a rolling stone gathers moss...

[Santoro]

N3KPR, licensed in 1990. One of the first 'no-code' techs. Me and morse code just never did click............My wife -loves- when I bring home pics like these.

I am a no-code tech also.

[Ed_McCarron]

Heh... I don't think I ever remember telling QRZ that I had a website...  But, ya, the erols one is kinda old.

[Santoro]

Oh, I meant to say this in the post above, my wife has  her ticket also.  She isn't technical at all but basically memorized the test materials and passed.

[Ed_McCarron]

"I would  like to use HF to do some international DX.  I already have the gear, all I'd have to do is get around the neighborhood CCRs and get a decent antenna setup."

DX on 6M and up?  Have they changed where Techs are allowed?  DX kinda requires HF, no?

Check with your neighborhood - hams in a lot of places have won battles with restrictions by playing the emergency services card.

[Santoro]

I was trying to say that if they dropped the code requiremnt, I'd be ready gear-wise.  The upgrade to General would be easy then.  I am by the book, don't worry.

[clanggedin]

Can't no code techs transmit DX on 6m?? That's one of the bands available to us. You only need the code licence if you want to talk on the 10m and a few other bands.

[Santoro]

Yes, but unless there are extreme skip conditons I don't believe that 6m propogates across the oceans.  I might be wrong though.  I have neveroperated on 6m.