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Now Serving 7.62
Picture of 10X-Shooter
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I used the Gordon West books as well. It was a great resource. I’ve been slacking on taking the General test. Mostly listen to local VHF radio club repeater and work DX 10 and 6 meter so far.
 
Posts: 6011 | Location: TN | Registered: February 12, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Told cops where to go for over 29 years…
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Got my Tech in June last year, then upgraded to General in August - KI7YQW

I did electronics in the Marines, so the technical parts were mostly refresher. My prep was the online practice tests on qrz.com






What part of "...Shall not be infringed" don't you understand???


 
Posts: 10937 | Location: Western WA state for just a few more years... | Registered: February 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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kb6emh here. Licensed as a tech about 30 years ago. General now. Mostly. work HF digital
 
Posts: 8 | Location: Jonesboro Ar. | Registered: May 23, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Flying Sergeant
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I just signed up for the HamtestOnline a couple weeks ago, seems like a great resource. I’ll check out the Gordon West books as well. Lots and lots of info.
 
Posts: 1673 | Location: Waukesha,WI | Registered: December 19, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Dances With
Tornados
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73's from N5...

I've been a ham since, well gee, I think it was 1991. I upgraded to General around 2012 or so, and became Extra in I think it was 2005.

I'll recommend finding a local club, if you have one, and inquire if they give a class. It's my opinion that one learns better in a class where you can ask questions, get explanations, and get a buddy who can team up with you. In my journey I found this to be a terrific resource.

Good luck to you.
 
Posts: 11839 | Registered: October 26, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Political Cynic
Picture of nhtagmember
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general working on extra



[B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC


 
Posts: 53176 | Location: Tucson Arizona | Registered: January 16, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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General KE0FRL
Used the ARRL books, Eham for the free exam run throughs and YouTube videos that show exam hacks.
To be honest, you are able to get to General by simply memorizing questions. I had no desire to go Extra so I stopped there.
I am a bit disappointed because most of the Hams in my area have high $$$ shacks/setups and laugh at my Yaesu 450D, tuner, and Dipole.
I am near several repeaters though, so that is fun.


Blaming the crime on the gun, is like blaming a bad story on the pencil.
 
Posts: 1068 | Location: Saint Charles Missouri | Registered: November 30, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Now Serving 7.62
Picture of 10X-Shooter
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quote:
Originally posted by OKCGene:
73's from N5...

I've been a ham since, well gee, I think it was 1991. I upgraded to General around 2012 or so, and became Extra in I think it was 2005.

I'll recommend finding a local club, if you have one, and inquire if they give a class. It's my opinion that one learns better in a class where you can ask questions, get explanations, and get a buddy who can team up with you. In my journey I found this to be a terrific resource.

Good luck to you.


+1 on this recommendation. My local class is what originally got me. I could have aced the test on the class alone but added the Gordon West book for good measure. Our local club is active with Skywarn. I monitor and join during bad storms and it was very helpful a little over a year ago when a storm turned into a tornado dropping extremely close by with our home in the path. Passed over our house and touched down a couple of blocks away. Monitoring the local clubs Skywarn coverage was helpful. We were in the basement just in the nick of time just before it passed over. It ended up doing a lot of damage too close for comfort.
 
Posts: 6011 | Location: TN | Registered: February 12, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Dances With
Tornados
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quote:
Originally posted by JSB3:
General KE0FRL

I am a bit disappointed because most of the Hams in my area have high $$$ shacks/setups and laugh at my Yaesu 450D, tuner, and Dipole.



I too have and use a Yaesu Ft-450D with dipoles. It's a very good radio and I've enjoyed building and operating my own antennas. I'll wager some of those guys with the super fancy radios don't know how to use at least half the features.

Have fun, learn and work the world.
 
Posts: 11839 | Registered: October 26, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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General here as is my wife. We are both into emergency management to varying degrees and my wife is active in ARES in two adjacent Counties. Lots of fun and very useful. As apartment dwellers, we are fairly limited as to bands but the new Digital Mobile Radios (DMR), through repeaters, allow worldwide coverage if you work at it.


____________________________
"Fear is a Reaction - Courage is a Decision.” - Winston Spencer Churchill
NRA Life Member - Adorable Deplorable
 
Posts: 916 | Location: SE-PA | Registered: August 09, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I've started studying for my Tech....I've become a bit ambivalent lately.

In what ways do you guys use your radios ?? If it's just to "chat", I'm not sure that I enjoy that enough to justify the cost.....

Opinions or suggestions ? mike
 
Posts: 1272 | Location: Idaho | Registered: October 21, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of grumpy1
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Yes, I use it to mostly chat or what hams call "rag chew".

I have been inactive for quite a while now due to extended years of band poor conditions. My favorite is SSB voice on 10,12,15,17 and 40 meters. All those bands are pretty much dead except for 40 but 10,12,15,17 were by far the best for DX contacts where I could talk to other hams across the world antenna to antenna. Most likely I will never see favorable sunspot conditions for DXing again in my lifetime sadly. I am going to start selling most my ham gear this year but will certainly keep some of it but even the 2 meter/440 repeaters are pretty much dead around here and very little activity on FM simplex.
 
Posts: 9747 | Location: Northern Illinois | Registered: March 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Was recently thinking about taking this up too. I'll definitely take a look at the recommendations posted here. I used to do comms in the Navy 22+ years ago, but forgot most everything I learned. Maybe it's like riding a bike?
 
Posts: 132 | Location: PA | Registered: December 13, 2018Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Once again SigForum proves to be a bank of good information. Thank you to all who answered and provided info. You and all of your input are appreciated. Ill let you know how this journey plays out.
 
Posts: 616 | Location: West By God VA | Registered: July 05, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Perception
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Got my technician a couple of months ago, and I'll probably study and get my general soon. I used the ham test prep phone app. It's free and it worked very well. It made passing the test basically effortless for me.




"The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford, "it is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards."
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard, then the wrong lizard might get in."
 
Posts: 3514 | Location: Two blocks from the Center of the Universe | Registered: December 30, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Cynic
Picture of charlie12
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I'm one. My club has a 2 meter and 6 meter repeater.
Probably going to be in Jackson Miss. Saturday for the Jackson Hamfest


_______________________________________________________
And no, junior not being able to hold still for 5 seconds is not a disability.



 
Posts: 13020 | Location: Pride, Louisiana | Registered: August 14, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Technician class. Upgrading is on my list of things to do one of these days.


-------------
$
 
Posts: 7655 | Location: Mid-Michigan, USA | Registered: February 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Extra class here.

To quote our late member, JALLEN, a ham for 50+ years, beware that amateur radio is not a hobby, it's a disease, with almost no know cure.

Search the forum for some ham advice. I certainly encourage you to get your ticket. Get the Tech and General tickets at least.

Ham radio has lots of activities to offer and a great possibility to meet cool like minded people. The theme, ham radio, guns, astronomy and photography seems to run very strong in the ranks.

Good luck (long time VE - volunteer examiner).


-.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.-
It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.

Ayn Rand


"He gains votes ever and anew by taking money from everybody and giving it to a few, while explaining that every penny was extracted from the few to be giving to the many."

Ogden Nash from his poem - The Politician
 
Posts: 1687 | Registered: July 14, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Expert308:
Got my Tech in `07, upgraded to General a few months later. I haven't been active in a while now, but NO, there's absolutely no reason not to go ahead and do it.


Hope all is well. You're always welcomed at Kevin's. He's really gotten in to the firearm hobby..... Another ham brought up some old stuff last weekend in the SSB NAQP - a pre-1911 1911. Very nice.

apologies for thread drift.


-.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.-
It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.

Ayn Rand


"He gains votes ever and anew by taking money from everybody and giving it to a few, while explaining that every penny was extracted from the few to be giving to the many."

Ogden Nash from his poem - The Politician
 
Posts: 1687 | Registered: July 14, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Tech here.


NRA Life Member
 
Posts: 813 | Location: Tuscaloosa, AL | Registered: May 04, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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