Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Anyone looking to part with a Kenwood TH-D72? I want to get into working satellites.

 

I was born in the 90s and still have checks. Takes like 15 mins to find my book on the rare occasion I need one.

Old apt complex used to only take paper check.

 

Passed my General today! Time to start studying for the Extra!

 

Bitchin'!

Local radio club is doing a general class starting in April, I'll be taking that. Not really intending to use anything more powerful than a baofeng but what else do I have to do?

 

So innocent

 

Born in the 90’s?! JHC, I have clothes older than you!

 

So do I!

 

hah!

okay that was sort of a lie. I WOULD be interested in aprs units, only so I can broadcast my campsite for my wife to know where I’m kipped up should I be without a cell signal.

but let’s be brutally honest. I am 27 and grew up in the age of the internet. Way back when, comms with australia heck even just a few hours away was a big deal. But now with Facebook and whatnot, that’s my generation. That’s what I grew up with, the honest truth of amateur radio is ultimately the best thing you can do is talk to someone farther away than the last. Which, if that’s your thing, cool. I have a baofeng and would only use aprs above and beyond the baofeng. So for me, meh. I like it, it’s cool, but not something I’m wanting to spend big money and effort in. Cool to learn but my application of it could easily be done with GMRS instead.

I am actually currently setting up a cb in the truck. Having a heck of a time with that, again - application is wheeling and road trips, that’s about it.

 

I'm not much older than you, only 32. Funny enough the digital/internet modes don't interest me at all, my ultimate goal is a small QRP CW only rig.

You should look at mobile unit with APRS. I do like that feature in my FT3D, especially because you can send text messages via APRS.

 

Internet linking doesn't interest me either. Some digital modes do. I turned 32 last week. There's a lot more to amateur radio than just talking to people. Although QSOs are the end goal, it is that path to get there that is the most enjoyable.

My QCX mini should be here any day.

 

I have no interest in cw. I’ll be completely honest about that too.

Yeah looking at a few mobile rigs but same time not sure what it’s worth. Is it really worth it for the hardware and the “fun” of setting up a mobile setup (I’m having enough fun with CB let alone trying to mount a second radio somewhere in this truck!) hell I might even skip it entirely and just have my baofeng and that’s it.

I know there’s a lot more to it. And I’ll be brutally honest - and this is coming from someone with an amateur license (tech) and looking toward general and extra - really not interested in it, at least not enough to spend hours and thousands, I’ll phrase it that way.

 

Cool thing about this hobby is that you can pursue many different areas, a little bit of everything for everyone.

 

43 here, I dont care for digital (FT8 Ect..), CW, Satellite chasing. Low Band DX, QRP DX, VHF DX, DX, efficient antennas, are my interest in amateur radio.
Radios are even worse, Elecraft and FlexRadio are my top. haven't operated the Big 3 HF radios.

 

The NanoVNA I ordered from R & L Electronics was delivered yesterday. Looks like a well made signal analyzer all for 60 bits.

 

After nearly two months, the NC DMV sent me my tag. Ridiculous. But the bad news, my 30 year old Yaesu FT-5100 is dead....I need to pull it out and see what is going on. Receives fine, maybe a factory reset?

Eyeballing the FTM-400DR, but it is pricey and I do not know if I need all those buzzers and bells. I used APRS 25 years ago with my PK-232 (still have), but since then, I have not dabbled. I do see a use for off-roading, but I am on the fence......

 

Funniest thing I've heard lately is an old timer calling out another on the radio and asking him to call him(on the telephone).. Doesn't he know it works both ways?

 

For sure! I am not trying to be negative about it, if you or anyone enjoys it and has fun with it, that's all up to them/you and cool beans!

Right - forgot about that, I can get a vanity callsign and then get a fun license plate. I wish I could get some way of GARLIC or FARTS in there One more reason to get amateur extra is you get more call sign options and some states have cool plates. RI is boring - you just get your call sign on the standard plate, Mass is cool you get a lightning bolt.

I see a use for the APRS off road meeting up with people, I know @m603holden talked about using it when we were planning a trip to a large logging/camping area in Maine, he was saying he could set up APRS and send up locations if multiples groups are trying to meet up and don't have cell signal. But, the application is limited to say the least. For me it was mostly sending my wife where I'm at camping, but that said - sometimes hardly seems worth it, really. Either I'm on a road trip and can at least send her SMS before I get to location that "I will be here for the night", OR I'm with a group anyway. So setting up a mobile rig and antennas and whatnot, seems a bit overkill. :\ I'm even wishy washy on my CB at this point - will definitely get it tuned and set up properly before this trip but if there's hardly any benefit to it, I'll probably tear it down and sell the whole system on here it just adds a level of complexity, if there's a benefit, cool, but if not - why fuss over it, tuning, etc.

But usually for off road people are moving toward GMRS. I have a baofeng HT but for "official" (club) trips I would need another "real" GMRS HT and a license. For my application, anything more than an HT is usually overkill.

Maybe his phone didn't work or something? that's kind of funny.

Nowadays phone calls are so clear too. I mean hell, if you're at home you can face-time and actually SEE the person now! You can do it away from home too I guess, I just have a pre-paid phone plan and my high speed data has a quota. But still 8GB + rollover from prior month is usually plenty for me.

 

Right, maybe free nights and weekends and recieved calls plan or something... I remember those days and dial up internet

 

Skipping CB is the best thought you've had in a while! Best place to mount one is in the garbage can.

 

I want to have it set up good for this road trip, and if it's quiet then F it. I'll get a second HT and give it to someone else on a trip if they only have CB if I get rid of it. I don't need the cool-kid antenna on the truck