Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Going to do the tests for Tec and General this next week. Stopped and picked up an FT-857D while the factory rebate was still going. Trying to figure out my best option for mounting the control head.

 

I mounted the radio

 

Congrats on Extra, I rarely use the Extra portion of the bands but it`s good to have if you ever want to go there, I mostly use the Extra portion frequencies on 20M.

 

They make an NMO mount for a 3/8" hole which is by far my preferred NMO mount over the larger 3/4" NMO. That's a 1/2" hole on your CB antenna mount and all you need is a 1/2" to 3/8" washer. Firestik already makes these for CB's but they're plastic. This should be okay because using it with NMO will still ground the outer conductor anyway. If the outer conductor doesn't end up grounding you'll need to use a metal washer instead of the plastic one.

To make sure it grounds take off the o-ring on the underside of the NMO plate. You don't need it anyway for this application.

Wilson 3/8 NMO Mount w/ 14ft RG58 Cable w/SMA Connectors

https://www.amazon.com/WILSON-ELECTRONICS-905814-Mount-Connector/dp/B00LPELALI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474108299&sr=8-3&keywords=3%2F8+nmo

$7 Firestik Nylon Stud Mount Insulators 8 Piece Assortment, NW-1

https://www.amazon.com/FireStik-NW-...id=1474108322&sr=8-1&keywords=firestik+washer

 

Great DX stations usually hide in the extra portion. For me it was the DX portion of 80m. Heard DF2BO the founder of OptiBeam Antenna, it gave me the DX bug. I had to get my extra privileges

 

Thank you, exact info I needed!

 

I been making alot of European contact on 20 meter extra class bands.

 

Was out working an Ultra race on the Mogollon Rim. Four year, it's always a fun time. One of the only chances I get to use my mast. Here is a pic of my setup for today.

Diamond X-50A antenna
FT-8800 and remote speaker on a ram mount / panavise hybrid mount.

 

Yep, I`ve worked him many times from the base and mobile, he always has a good signal, he was on 3.794 tonight.

 

Yeah....I've held an Advanced Class license since the mid 80's...waaaayyyyyy too long. I need to shed that license for an Extra class license so I can work those parts of the bands.

 

Forum Name: Phessor
First Name: Daryl
Call sign: KD7SIE
Other call sign: KG4TM
Radios: Kenwood TM-V7A mobile and Yaesu V-5R handheld.
Frequency usually on: 2m/70cm
Location: Smallville, Az

 

Just and took my Technician, and General class tests tonight. Passed them both. Decided not to push my luck with the Extra.

 

What did you use to study for the Technician class? id really like to ditch my CB for a 2m Setup but i have the worst time committing things to memory

 

Here ya go
http://qrz.com/
http://www.hamtesting.com/ptChoose.php
https://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/

You can have your Tech ticket in no time. Best of luck.

 

cool. maybe if i can get all of the test stuff in my head i might make some headway

 

Might as well get it, I did just because it was there for the taking.

I personally wish the cw requirement was still in place, we have got some good operators since it was dropped but as you know we have got some not so good as well.

The requirement was low enough at 5wpm, 5wpm can be accomplished with only a little effort in a month pretty easily. If I did it, anyone can.

 

My son got his Tech in 8th grade and my wife got her Tech in one month, just get on their and take a few tests every day and you'll do just fine.

 

I did all three test in five months. Technician, general, extra class.The first two were easy. Extra class a little tougher .

 

Used www.QRZ.com mostly, also got the books from Gordon West WB6NOA. I was already scoring in the mid 90% on the Technician before studying. Only spent about 6 hours studying for the General.

 

The code requirement didn't keep out the lids very well. There were plenty in the eighties and nineties with many of them being extra class hams. In some ways, I feel we have a lot of great and smart savvy young hams doing lots of very interesting things.

I worked at HRO in the nineties for eight years and saw my share of idiots that had no business being on the air. I took an 18 year hiatus from all ham radio because I got so burned out working in the hobby. I got back on the air about five years ago but still don't make a lot of contacts. I have too many hobbies it seems.