I'm studying for my General right now, utilizing QRZ.com and the "memorize all the answers" strategy. I'm not really much of a radio guy, but do want to get into HF, maybe I'll pick more stuff up on the way.
I'm studying for my General right now, utilizing QRZ.com and the "memorize all the answers" strategy. I'm not really much of a radio guy, but do want to get into HF, maybe I'll pick more stuff up on the way.
While old timers decry that strategy, the license is really a license to learn and as long as you learn enough in the course of your study to not hurt yourself, cause interference, and be a good on-air operator, you'll be fine. Just go in with the attitude you never stop learningOriginally Posted by Whiskey
I've been a licensed amateur for 15 years and I'm still learning new things. Most recently I learned how to calculate the loss of different size and mix toroids used to make antenna transformers.
BTW, hamstudy.org is another good resource.
Chris
I know I'm the bane of old radio dude's existence, I'm a millennialI've got very good friends that are Extras, they will most likely be setting up my kit. I'm mostly interested in communications in emergency situations, and want to get past repeater based use. Trying to specifically learn NVIS and what involves that, so I don't feel bad memorizing the answers to stuff like wiring diagrams. If I have to open up a radio to get to the boards, my commo situation has just been reduced to smoke and hand and arm signals.
First, don't worry about amateur radio BOCs. Most hams are quite friendly and helpful people, but you run into ones who are just miserable human beings who can't fathom why someone would do radio differently than them. There are also those who can't accept that the hobby has changed, CW, is no longer a requirement, etc. Also, don't assume that just because someone has a higher license class they must know more than you. T'ain't always true. On the other side of the coin, don't assume just because you passed a given license exam that you know anything at all. As I said, the exams are just basic levels of knowledge to ensure you aren't a danger to yourself and others and don't interfere with others on the air.I know I'm the bane of old radio dude's existence, I'm a millennial
As for working on radios, with modern radios, the days of opening the radio and fixing it yourself are long gone for all but the most hardcore folks. Very few hams have the tools and knowledge to repair SMT technology. That's not to say it isn't done, but it's not nearly as common as fixing the old radios consisting of tubes and/or discrete components. That said, there are lots of opportunities to build and/or repair stuff. There are lots of antenna tuner and transceiver kits that use basic electrical components (capacitors, diodes, resisters, coils, etc). I have an old Rockmite 20m CW transceiver on my bench right now that is I intend to repair and get back on the air this winter. There's nothing in there a beginner can't troubleshoot and replace, but it'll still let you communicate across the globe...if you know CW.
BTW, you mentioned getting past repeater use...You don't need to use a repeater with your VHF rigs. I have *maybe* 5-10 minutes of time on a repeater in 16 years as a ham, but I do a lot on simplex with VHF FM. My longest distance contact on 2m FM has been over 100 miles. I routinely make contacts 30-60 miles. I do most of this in context of Summits On The Air (SOTA), so elevation plays a part, but the point is your typical 2m FM HT has a lot of reach with an improved antenna and some elevation. Give it a try.
Chris
I'll second the CW reach through efficiency of the signal. I'm currently using a MTR4b for SOTA, and multiband EFHW antenna. Either hiking or on the MTB, I can deploy everything out of a 15-ish lb backpack including water and repair stuff for the bike. Usually start on 30m to get warmed up, then 40m and last 20m. Typical keying speed for me is around 17 wpm with extra Farnsworth spacing to get guys to slow down.
It's pretty cool to be able to bring in Japan, France and the entire U.S. using a little kit from a summit.
NVIS is interesting. My 40m dipole in the attic is basically a NVIS setup. The skip isn't consistent. Using CW I can hit my bro-in-law about 400 miles away roughly 50% of the time if band conditions are good. I'm constantly picking up stations from as far west as CA and as far north as Nova Scotia. I will occasionally get stations for Costa Rica and Spain. That isn't what NVIS is good for though, it's supposed to be good from roughly 20 miles to 200 miles, give or take. So I'll get a lot of stations within that range talking to larger nets sometimes.
I can hit some pretty good DX stations if I hook up the tuner and swap over to 20m, but I'm really trying to work it out on 40m first as that and 80m seem to be the bands used for EmComm. It's hard to develop a network of folks within those areas that are interested in that particular type of HF comms. Lots of folks can log stations all over the world but not many can consistently hit the same station at any given moment. That's what I'd like to be able to do.
In regards to the curmudgeons, screw them. They have a lot to offer the hobby but are too busy taking cheap shots about knowing how to send code and how superior the older boat anchors and HTs are to anything made in the last thirty years. I have a technical certificate in electronics, used to do component level troubleshooting and repair, and still don't mess with the internals of my radios.
Men freely believe that which they desire.
Julius Caesar
Amateur Extra done! HamStudy.org once again.
Took the test with GLAARG via Zoom. They were great as well, worked with me for quite a while to get Zoom set up so they could see the desktop.
It doesn't get any easier.
After quite a few years of minimal activity and interest, I can feel the urges to radiate. I think I’ll set it one of my HF rigs with a portable antenna on a tripod that I can put outside when I want to play.
Ken
BBI: ...”you better not forget the safe word because shit's about to get weird”...
revchuck38: ...”mo' ammo is mo' betta' unless you're swimming or on fire.”
Congrats!
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
I started carrying my HT with me on hikes with the dogs. My iPhone battery can not handle the cold. I went into the woods with 100% charge and came out 2 hours later with 1% charge. I tried to make a call and the phone shut down. I think my phone battery has reached the end of it's road.
I heard a couple guys calling CQ contest on 146.52 yesterday and today. I tried going back to them once but they didn't hear me. I'm fairly certain they were transmitting with more power than my Yeasu HT. I wanted to keep my HT battery fresh enough to hit a repeater or two if I needed to call for assistance and the phone was dead.
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