This is one of those odd thoughts I had while thinking about something else: I am a Radio Amateur (ham), and have been for about 24 years. My call is KB8BMN. Are there any other hams out here? Could be fun to try to get together on the air!
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I gave it up about 9 years ago, having maybe 2 or 3 mobile 10m contacts in all of that time. A friend who I have known for years started writing on Facebook that he was studying for his Novice, or whatever the new entry level license is, and I commented. He didn't know I was into radio. He got me re-ignited, much to my wife's dismay... before we moved to our current house, we had an 80x120 city lot and I had wires and poles and towers all over. Now we live on 3 acres, and I had NOTHING up!
I currently have a fan dipole cut for 40, 20 and 10. It also loads up real nicely on 15 as a 1 1/2 wave antenna. It does ok on 10 and 20, but screams on 40. I have an old Kenwood TS820S, and it only puts out about 30 w on 40, but I have worked all over the US and DX ... the antenna has to make the difference! It needs to backend alignment, and I don't have the equipment to do it any longer, so I limp along at 30 watts.
I have the extinct Adanced class license. I am studying for the Extra now... man, it has gotten easier over time. I could probably do it now, with minimal studying.
Yeah ... I had the 10m voice with a slice of cw everywhere else Novice. ( 5 wpm)
After working the world and all states on 10m ..... love for the sunspots .... I realized I was missing out on half of my privileges, so I broke down and actually used cw. After working all states on the cw novice bands, a friend mentioned we were running around 15 wpm, so I took the next step. I am a 13 wpm Extra ... yes, I waited til they dropped the 20 whatever requirement.
I was extremely active on the digi-modes, HF voice and nets and ARES stuff until both daughters started playing 3 sports.
Between them, church, and CBG's, my HF antenna was on the ground for 2 months before I realized it. Still is.
I've only been on the air once in 8 months .... for a 2m contact.
But I have been meaning to get an HF antenna back up ..... I'll probably build ( yes I never buy anything but mobile antennas) a multiband vertical and bury a dozen enemies ... I mean radials! And just leave it at that so I can have HF and not eat up the back yard until I get active again.
Funny thing is, I usta be so hardcore, I had a 160m monster delta loop up for a few years. 3/4 of an acre under wire ... WOW.
73 de Matt, kf4zgz
Maybe you can be my reason to get back on the air and CW.
Ah ha! I KNEW there would be others! NC... I am in NW OH, we probably could have a 40m pipeline almost all day, every day! If we find a few more of us, perhaps we could start a net... there must be a couple hams in the UK... Hand crafted instruments fall right inline with the Amateur culture... make it from parts in your junk box.
What modes to your play with? When I got my Novice, there was no choices but CW, but as soon as I got my General, I pretty much abandoned it for SSB and FM. I have also experimented with most digital modes... packet... RTTY... AMTOR... SSTV. I have come full circle, and am back refreshing myself on CW, and muddling my way through that again :)
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I currently have a fan dipole cut for 40, 20 and 10. It also loads up real nicely on 15 as a 1 1/2 wave antenna. It does ok on 10 and 20, but screams on 40. I have an old Kenwood TS820S, and it only puts out about 30 w on 40, but I have worked all over the US and DX ... the antenna has to make the difference! It needs to backend alignment, and I don't have the equipment to do it any longer, so I limp along at 30 watts.
I have the extinct Adanced class license. I am studying for the Extra now... man, it has gotten easier over time. I could probably do it now, with minimal studying.
After working the world and all states on 10m ..... love for the sunspots .... I realized I was missing out on half of my privileges, so I broke down and actually used cw. After working all states on the cw novice bands, a friend mentioned we were running around 15 wpm, so I took the next step. I am a 13 wpm Extra ... yes, I waited til they dropped the 20 whatever requirement.
I was extremely active on the digi-modes, HF voice and nets and ARES stuff until both daughters started playing 3 sports.
Between them, church, and CBG's, my HF antenna was on the ground for 2 months before I realized it. Still is.
I've only been on the air once in 8 months .... for a 2m contact.
But I have been meaning to get an HF antenna back up ..... I'll probably build ( yes I never buy anything but mobile antennas) a multiband vertical and bury a dozen enemies ... I mean radials! And just leave it at that so I can have HF and not eat up the back yard until I get active again.
Funny thing is, I usta be so hardcore, I had a 160m monster delta loop up for a few years. 3/4 of an acre under wire ... WOW.
73 de Matt, kf4zgz
Maybe you can be my reason to get back on the air and CW.
What modes to your play with? When I got my Novice, there was no choices but CW, but as soon as I got my General, I pretty much abandoned it for SSB and FM. I have also experimented with most digital modes... packet... RTTY... AMTOR... SSTV. I have come full circle, and am back refreshing myself on CW, and muddling my way through that again :)