Any HAM's here?

[Echo]

Ex-W5HZM (Hollyhocks, Zinnias, and Marigolds), AKA Whisky 5. Been out of it for decades, but ended with Hammarlund HX-50 w/home-made boots (pair of 811's in parallel, GG, 2,000 volts on the plates, B&W final turret coil set, and a 2D21 wired as a diode for VR bias in the center tap of the filament transformer that fed a home-wound bifilar coil pair wound on the core of a TV flyback xfmr. Peaked at 800 watts. Ears were a Drake 2B...

[Soundguy]

flybacks are almost a thing of the past anymore.. sad...

[Tatume]

This morning I listened to a catbird singing "CQ CQ CQ," but wasn't able to make out her callsign.

[myg30]

To much Power line noise there ?
I’ve been home fer few weeks already recouping from hernia surgery, got cut both sides groin.
Had not even once turned on the dang radios. Shame , I bet when I’m in work I’ll regret not doing some operating.
Best 73 all, Mike WA2DLN nashville,tn.

[KenH]

Interesting read fellas'. ........ It was a shame to see manual morse go out. Thanks for the HAMS!

I think there's more manual morse on the air than ever before. Just check the bands, LOTS of CW. While computer CW is strong on contests, for rag chew there are still lots of manual morse... Wait, do you mean straight key and bugs? I agree I think most folks are using paddles with keyers.

[Tatume]

To each his own, but the number of 30+ WPM operators has grown exponentially with the advent of code reading software and keyboard sending. I don't see the appeal, as I'd just as soon use RTTY or Winlink as computer generated CW. I use an iambic paddle and electronic keyer, and a very nice Junker D.B.G.M. German military surplus straight key.

[Big Tom]

I've only been a ham for about 2 years now and am working (on and off...) on my General license. Maybe by end of the year. Used to play with CB radios in the mid 70s and then got invited to a friend who showed me his gear for EME fun... Now I got a 991A as the main radio, a TYT-9800, several Boafengs and spend a lot of time on DMR with my pi-star hotspot and a MD-UV380.

Tom, N8AAA

[smithnframe]

Not a Ham myself but I grew up around radio all my life. My dad was a life long ham radio operator getting his license in the 1930's. His call was first W9FNN and that was changed to W0FNN and later after getting a upgrade he changed it to K0AW.He passed at the age of 99 years.......A photo of him in his favorite place

I like all the Collins gear!

[smithnframe]

I grew up around a few old timers.....W3YH, W3MYV, K3BOI, K3IBM, W3WCF, WA3HVP to name a few.......all silent keys now!

[10x]

HAM radio - it will survive for communications when the internet is gone due to EMP (electro magnetic pulse)

[Three44s]

HAM radio - it will survive for communications when the internet is gone due to EMP (electro magnetic pulse)

This is one of the things that concerns me, the fall out from a natural or man made disaster. I am not a Ham but we are experiencing too few folks entering the pursuit and it is bound to bite us in the keester.

Three44s

[RustyMusket]

I turn the 100 W rig (Old Yeasu 840) on once in a while to rag chew on 20/40 Meters. Sometimes use 2M when driving but not much activity. When we do draw an elk tag in AZ, I set up comm with Game & Fish Unit Manager (translate: game warden) and friends back in Phoenix for emergency use. I pull a J-pole up into a pine tree and from the high country, 5 watts work fairly well. My hunting buddies are HAM's too so we use 2M....but 2013 was my last archery elk tag....unfortunately.

I do also listen to SW quite a bit. It is interesting to hear commentary from afar.

73.... KD7HZE (General class)

[farmerjim]

HAM radio - it will survive for communications when the internet is gone due to EMP (electro magnetic pulse)

It will, as long as they are the old tube and not the "modern" solid state radios. I have both.

[sagamore-one]

KD9GEA here operating out of North East Indiana with a pair of Drake TR4C boat anchors holding an E class ticket. Also dabble in 6 and 2 meter FM.
Got the "bug" from my late father, aka Chromedome, KAIK 8603. My first ticket was KFBI 9126 followed by a stint as 184 KSA 452.

[fivegunner]

Yes , I`am Ham KD8OHS

[MaryB]

For more reliable 2 meter simplex comms between base station go SSB with a small horizontally polarized beam. The little Yaesu FT-817(or the new model) is small enough to backpack, tape measure beam folds up into a pole... can hang the antenna from a tree and point it back to the base location... easy to do 60+++ miles that way. I can hear the WD9BGA/b beacon 350 miles form me almost every day of the week(conditions have to be negative for me to not hear it) and it runs 50 watts to a pair of loops! I do have a wee bit of aluminum the air though! 4 20 foot long 12 element beams... but it lets me work the tiny stations out to 150+ miles!

[49FMarlin]

Ive a question for any hams,
Ive got a 2 meter, and do alot of listening,
ive also got an old icom R7000 reciever, and like it,
,
im looking to buy something i can grow into,
working on my license

ive seen the Xiegu G-90 for 449.00
the IC718 for 584.00 the add a tuner 150.00 750+
then theres the FT450D 674.00
or
sell another rifle and go for the IC-7300

Is the G90 worth starting with? at the lowest price,
i only want to cry once

mostly want to seek and listen,,then yack as i get more of my lisence's
want to reach out and listen as far away as i can, in a SHTF senario
too old to be trecking atop any mountains, so it would be a base setup

will be making my own antennas, starting out with a windom

thanks
John

[BamaNapper]

KX4NJ and KN4OXB chiming in; Southeast AL.

My wife wanted to get into HAM about 18 months ago. I've been working in electronics since the 70's but never had the desire. She started studying while I went through the books to learn the basics of rules, bands, and operation. We took the tests and the wife passed the Technician, I took all three and got Extra on the first attempt. Since then we picked up a used rig and a couple handhelds. We've been basically listeners and the radios don't get as much attention as they should. But I see the wife has the General study manual sitting on the end table again.

I've been avoiding getting too involved since this endeavor was the wife's idea. I don't want to hijack the hobby, start buying gear, and setting up a shack around my interests.

[iwottopq]

Hello...
I am IW8PQ from south Italy...active mostly in digital modes.
I was also KJ4AUA but my licence is exprirated...
'73

[MaryB]

Ive a question for any hams,
Ive got a 2 meter, and do alot of listening,
ive also got an old icom R7000 reciever, and like it,
,
im looking to buy something i can grow into,
working on my license

ive seen the Xiegu G-90 for 449.00
the IC718 for 584.00 the add a tuner 150.00 750+
then theres the FT450D 674.00
or
sell another rifle and go for the IC-7300

Is the G90 worth starting with? at the lowest price,
i only want to cry once

mostly want to seek and listen,,then yack as i get more of my lisence's
want to reach out and listen as far away as i can, in a SHTF senario
too old to be trecking atop any mountains, so it would be a base setup

will be making my own antennas, starting out with a windom

thanks
John

FT-991a, 160m thru 70cm so no need for a separate FM rig