I passed my Technician exam

[headhunter]

Congrats!! You're going to love it. We got a handheld first and were very happy with that. 2M/440 bands are a must.

Thanks, Sarah!

I just need to figure out how far into the future I want my first purchase to take me and how much delayed gratification I'm willing to accept before I buy something.

Maybe I'll go to field day this weekend and see what everyone is running and how.

Christian

[Materdaddy]

If you're not in a hurry, you should do like I did... scour eBay/craigslist/qrz.com classifieds for used stuffs. I found my mobile on craigslist for 80% of new cost and it was barely used. The guy I purchased it from didn't like that the backlight was only green/amber because all the rest of his equipment was backlit blue.

The HT (VX-7R) I picked up down the street from my work (via eBay believe it or not) from an old RF engineer who used it very lightly to test antenna installations in Italy when he was on contract work. The radio has a freeband mod, and was in very good condition for about 50% of the cost of a new radio.

[headhunter]

If you're not in a hurry, you should do like I did... scour eBay/craigslist/qrz.com classifieds for used stuffs. I found my mobile on craigslist for 80% of new cost and it was barely used. The guy I purchased it from didn't like that the backlight was only green/amber because all the rest of his equipment was backlit blue.

The HT (VX-7R) I picked up down the street from my work (via eBay believe it or not) from an old RF engineer who used it very lightly to test antenna installations in Italy when he was on contract work. The radio has a freeband mod, and was in very good condition for about 50% of the cost of a new radio.

Used may be the best way for me to go.

I'm just going to have to learn how to test these things out to make sure they work properly when making the purchase.

Christian

[blackZZR]

I am about to start saving for a yeasu 897d for my new potable rig. can work on car battery, battery pack or power supply, does 100 watts and has a band range almost a big as a band plan. Killer radio for field use.

[Matt2001TJ]

Thanks, Sarah!

I just need to figure out how far into the future I want my first purchase to take me and how much delayed gratification I'm willing to accept before I buy something.

Maybe I'll go to field day this weekend and see what everyone is running and how.

Christian

Congrats Christian, I will be going to field day this weekend also. I take my test on sunday in Wrightwood. As for gigaparts.com I have found there prices to be very good. So good that I ordered my Yaesu VX-6R this morning for 249 to my door and it will be here next tuesday.

[headhunter]

Congrats Christian, I will be going to field day this weekend also. I take my test on sunday in Wrightwood. As for gigaparts.com I have found there prices to be very good. So good that I ordered my Yaesu VX-6R this morning for 249 to my door and it will be here next tuesday.

Thanks, Matt. It's looking good right now for my being able to attend and I hope to see you again this weekend!

Christian

[SAR Jeeper]

Thanks, Sarah!

I just need to figure out how far into the future I want my first purchase to take me and how much delayed gratification I'm willing to accept before I buy something.

Maybe I'll go to field day this weekend and see what everyone is running and how.

Christian

Absolutely show up!!!

[headhunter]

I am now KJ6JIY

I'm finally appearing in the FCC ULS and qrz.com databases.

So, I'm now officially KJ6JIY or Kilo - Juliet - 6 - Juliet - India - Yankee.

I'm trying to come up with a sentence that will help me more easily remember that. So far, I've only come up with "[COLOR="Red"]K[/COLOR]ings wanting [COLOR="red"]J[/COLOR]uliet are [COLOR="red"]6[/COLOR], while [COLOR="red"]J[/COLOR]uliet [COLOR="red"]I[/COLOR]s [COLOR="red"]Y[/COLOR]earning for me."

Maybe I'll need to work on that when I'm feeling more creative. :cocktail:

Christian

[Matt2001TJ]

I'm finally appearing in the FCC ULS and qrz.com databases.

So, I'm now officially KJ6JIY or Kilo - Juliet - 6 - Juliet - India - Yankee.

I'm trying to come up with a sentence that will help me more easily remember that. So far, I've only come up with "[COLOR="Red"]K[/COLOR]ings wanting [COLOR="red"]J[/COLOR]uliet are [COLOR="red"]6[/COLOR], while [COLOR="red"]J[/COLOR]uliet [COLOR="red"]I[/COLOR]s [COLOR="red"]Y[/COLOR]earning for me."

Maybe I'll need to work on that when I'm feeling more creative. :cocktail:

Christian

Honestly, use your time learning the phonetic ham alphabet instead. The VEC said my call sign should be in the system by friday so we will soon see.

[Old Fart]

Honestly, use your time learning the phonetic ham alphabet instead. The VEC said my call sign should be in the system by friday so we will soon see.

He'll actually have to learn TWO phonetic alphabets. Christian's also one of our OHV Volunteers - and USFS is still on the old Law Enforcement phonetics

[OU812]

Mines easy, I got lucky. KJ6COB. So COB like corn cob or COB like Chief Of the Boat COB for you seaman.

[sarah]

I'm finally appearing in the FCC ULS and qrz.com databases.

So, I'm now officially KJ6JIY or Kilo - Juliet - 6 - Juliet - India - Yankee.

I'm trying to come up with a sentence that will help me more easily remember that. So far, I've only come up with "[COLOR="Red"]K[/COLOR]ings wanting [COLOR="red"]J[/COLOR]uliet are [COLOR="red"]6[/COLOR], while [COLOR="red"]J[/COLOR]uliet [COLOR="red"]I[/COLOR]s [COLOR="red"]Y[/COLOR]earning for me."

Maybe I'll need to work on that when I'm feeling more creative. :cocktail:

Christian

Congrats!!
KJ6 Great American Chick (or Country)!

[headhunter]

Honestly, use your time learning the phonetic ham alphabet instead. The VEC said my call sign should be in the system by friday so we will soon see.

Matt,

I've actually got the standard international phonetic alphabet (ITU version) down pat and have for many years.

I just like to have fun with things like non-standard phonetics to help me remember certain things.

For example, I can still remember the classifications for animals I learned in around 1980 by using "King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup." That stood for:

• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Genus
• Species

I'm actually going to spend more time on reading info about various aspects of antenna theory, equipment tips & mods, batteries & generators, radio features and common procedure for our current age.

Eventually, I'll even buy a radio!

Right now the Yeasu FT-8900 is leading the pack for me with regard to value in a mobile. At only $439 new at Ham Radio Outlet (HRO) or Gigabit.com it seems to have a feature set that would take a few hundred dollars to improve on. Gigabit.com actually has it down to $414 this weekend. But I'm still learning and may change my mind by the time I'm ready.

Christian

[headhunter]

He'll actually have to learn TWO phonetic alphabets. Christian's also one of our OHV Volunteers - and USFS is still on the old Law Enforcement phonetics

Yeah...

The old "Adam, Baker, Charlie" is going to take some getting used to.

You only use the "Adam, Baker, Charlie" when communicating with dispatch via Forest Service Radio, right?

You use "Alpha, Bravo, Charlie" when communicating with other OHV Volunteers via Ham radio, right?

I know this came up in Rules and Regs, but I can't remember the answer.

Christian

[headhunter]

Congrats!!
KJ6 Great American Chick (or Country)!

Mines easy, I got lucky. KJ6COB. So COB like corn cob or COB like Chief Of the Boat COB for you seaman.

KJ6 Just Initiate Yodelling might not be quite as cool, but would make for an interesting night around the campfire. :omg:

Christian