Passed the Technician Class test.

[1911sw45]

I passed the Technician Class HAM radio test today. Now waiting to be assigned my call sign.

[Outpost75]

Outstanding! There are a bunch of hams on this site. Recommend http://w4ava.org/training.htm
as a free training resource with additional useful info beyond what you needed to pass the test.

[Minerat]

Congratulation's welcome to the club.

[drac0nic]

Welcome aboard. I do it for a few years then I go back into remission. Too many hobbies and it annoys my wife too much in the car.

[1911sw45]

Thank you all.

[slim1836]

Congrats, well done.

Slim

[smoked turkey]

Congratulations on the accomplishment. I got my first ticket in 1961 as a novice (WN0ATU). Got my General Class soon after that (WA0ATU). Unfortunately life got in the way when ice took my antennas down. I am inactive now. I think about getting back on the air occasionally but just don't seem to have the time to devote to the hobby. It is a wonderful hobby and I do miss the ham radio and I used to really enjoy working CW on 20 meters. My license class is now extra class. I will always keep my ham call with the thought that maybe some day....
73 from an old has been
Stan

[MrWolf]

Congrats. I thought about doing that awhile ago. Only thought. Good luck.

[smithnframe]

Good for you.......73's and 88's!

[jonp]

Not a Ham but Congrats on what you did. It's great to pick up a new hobby.

[Daveco]

Congratulations neighbor, and hope you have a great time with your new hobby!

Dave, KV4VE

[Butler Ford]

Well done! Don't stop now, start on the General!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Congratulations! ... interesting hobby! :)

[rockshooter]

congrats! now keep studying!
Loren K7RLJ

[kfarm]

Was talking to my 38 yo daughter about the old days of teletype up to packet radio and how our satellite went down with the challenger of building radios and the fun we had. Member talking to the Shaw of Iran and worked all states. How when a friend was stationed in Japan how I run phone patches soon as their c130 was airborne. It was always a wonderment about folks that has quarter century awards, now 50 years later that was just a stepping stone. Flew to Dallas in 1980 in my friends tri-pacer and got my advanced license. Hopefully you have many years of fun with your new addiction. 73's my friend WB5VOF.

[drac0nic]

To those of you thinking about doing the test there's practice apps that are super helpful. My advice is pick one or three up.

[Tatume]

Congratulations!

[6bg6ga]

Congrats

I'm not a ham. My buddy was and he passed. He was always trying to get me to do it. I always loved the tube gear myself.

[MaryB]

Congrats and welcome to the madness! Don't get hung up on FM ad repeaters only, there is a lot more to ham radio! With your license you can work 10 meters voice when it is open, there are VHF/UHF satellites, VHF+ weak signal which I love due to the challenge... I don't chase DX much on HF but will work it now and then... 2meters is NOT line of site like many think! My best troposheric contact is 1400 miles! Via moonbounce I would have to measure... I have worked all over EU, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa... all on 2 meters!

[1911sw45]

It’s an addictive hobby to say the least. Planning on getting my General Class soon. Wife is going to get her Technician class next month. Yes study guides are great. Plus we have a guy that gives the test that does study sessions too.

[perotter]

Congrats.

[MaryB]

And people think shooting is an expensive hobby...

257061

[BamaNapper]

Congrats. You'll find a band and a mode that trips your trigger. There's no end to what you can do going forward. I got into it a couple years ago when the wife got the HAM bug. I had it easy, I've been working in electronics for 40 years. The wife had to learn everything from scratch. KX4NJ

[pworley1]

Well done. Congratulations!

[WRideout]

Congratulations from former Novice class, WN6GFO. I haven't keyed up since I was a teenager.

Wayne

[1911sw45]

What’s y’all’s recommendation on handheld, mobile and base stations along with what antennas to go with them. I know this is a rabbit hole. Don’t have a lot of money to spend. Lol. What other equipment you recommend with the radios. We have Fusion digital repeater local.

[6bg6ga]

Congrats and welcome to the madness! Don't get hung up on FM ad repeaters only, there is a lot more to ham radio! With your license you can work 10 meters voice when it is open, there are VHF/UHF satellites, VHF+ weak signal which I love due to the challenge... I don't chase DX much on HF but will work it now and then... 2meters is NOT line of site like many think! My best troposheric contact is 1400 miles! Via moonbounce I would have to measure... I have worked all over EU, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa... all on 2 meters!

Before I retired I had a lot of requests for used 1 meter diameter sat dishes with LNB. I assume they used these as receiving networks?

[MaryB]

What’s y’all’s recommendation on handheld, mobile and base stations along with what antennas to go with them. I know this is a rabbit hole. Don’t have a lot of money to spend. Lol. What other equipment you recommend with the radios. We have Fusion digital repeater local.

Not cheap but not high end, an Yaesu FT-991(a) used can go for $700-900 and covers 160m thru 70cm. And does Fusion for the repeaters. Plus it will do SSB/CW on VHF/UHF opening up that possibility. Quite a few weak signal guys down in your area that I have made contacts with over the years so you can start simple with horizontal loops and add yagis as money allows. HF antennas are a can of worms and will depend on your location! I lack trees here so dipoles are a no go for example so I went with verticals... dipoles are cheap and you can roll your own easily. Get crimp connectors form DX Engineering and their stripper tool for the coax and you can put connectors on professionally! I went crimp connectors 6 years ago and won't go back to soldering the braid! Yes it is an investment n the crimper and stripper! DXE's 400max coax is decent stuff too and won't break the bank. Low enough loss for FM use if you keep the runs short(under 50')... for mobile it depends what you want to do, no Fusions here so I went FT-7900 from Yaesu. For the 2m/70cm antenna this can't be beat for price https://www.homedepot.com/p/Amateur-Dual-Band-Base-Antenna-with-17-ft-Base-Antenna-1481/300026085 just make sure to waterproof the joints, I used adhesive lined heat shrink but rubberized self fusing tape with a layer of electrical tape on top for UV works too. I have that exact antenna and it has survived 12 MN winters...

[MaryB]

Before I retired I had a lot of requests for used 1 meter diameter sat dishes with LNB. I assume they used these as receiving networks?

The guys doing Ham MESH stuff use them for backbone links sometimes... have to make a new bracket to tilt them on the horizon instead of up at a satellite. The LNB's didn't get used but they get scavenged for parts...

[Mr_Sheesh]

Instead of a dipole, you could make a "tower" out of 2x4's (I used 3 20' 2x4s, propped the bottom of the lower 2 apart a few feet) and made an inverted V antenna for the Search and Rescue group I was in's 4MHz-range SSB antenna; Worked pretty well, all in all. Cheaper than making 2-3 wood towers for a dipole.

[gsdelong]

Welcome to the club

Greg Kd9lok

[MaryB]

Instead of a dipole, you could make a "tower" out of 2x4's (I used 3 20' 2x4s, propped the bottom of the lower 2 apart a few feet) and made an inverted V antenna for the Search and Rescue group I was in's 4MHz-range SSB antenna; Worked pretty well, all in all. Cheaper than making 2-3 wood towers for a dipole.

NVIS antenna, good for local comms, not so good for DX... at 4mhz to be effective a dipole should be at least 60'(give or take, I didn't do the math) high! You need to decide what you want the antenna to do, local rag chews/local nets, or DX work or even cross country. Lower in freq you go the higher(1/2 wavelength) the antenna needs to be for a dipole to have a good pattern. So more info really needed...

[Bulldogger]

Congratulations! I plan to take the Technician test once life settles down a bit from getting married and moving. My wife has her Tech license already, so I rewarded her with a surplus military VHF rig for my off road camping truck... er, our truck.
Bulldogger

[Jeff Michel]

And people think shooting is an expensive hobby...

257061

Amen! Congratulations
KE8EKH

[fivegunner]

Congrats!, your going to learn alot, A cheap HT. (BAOFENG ) right around 30.00. I would also pay the 50.00 and join the AARL, great magzine for loging you contacts There is so much fun to be had . Frank KD8OHS:grin::Fire::Fire:

[derek45]

Congratulations

I worked the space station once, driving to the rifle range to shoot M1 Garands.
That was a good day.
https://i.imgur.com/AHHnsJN.jpg
.
.
Keep studying, and upgrade.
HF is lot more more fun than VHF/UHF

https://i.imgur.com/YqcVqcx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/yIRAoZ9.png

https://i.imgur.com/zlG0xZ3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9Og3JNM.jpg

[mac60]

Congratulations neighbor, and hope you have a great time with your new hobby!

Dave, KV4VE

Dave - that's a GREAT call sign for cw.

[MaryB]

https://i.imgur.com/jdR0wty.jpg

[Daveco]

Dave - that's a GREAT call sign for cw.

I lucked out! I'm not active right now, but my favorite mode is QRP CW.

[WarEagleEd]

Congratulations. I hope to take that test sometime in the near future, but my plans keep getting derailed.

Ed

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[Mr_Sheesh]

The inverted V dipole got me on our national net reliably, except for all the times a sibling chopped my coax up with the mower. That tended to raise the SWR a noticeable amount! -facepalms-

[1911sw45]

Still waiting on the FCC to issue my call sign. Picked up a YAESU FT-2800m 65watt vhf unlocked with a j pole antenna and 50’ of coax for 60.00. Installed it in my truck. Already had the roof mount car antenna. It’s killing me not being able to transmit. Lol

[1911sw45]

Got my call sign today. KO4CHM

[Mitch]

great now get the general while things are still fresh.

Bob KD8IMF

[1911sw45]

Working on it now Mitch hope to test on the 21st.

[Mitch]

I took both on the same day and passed.i was working for the extra right after but never took the test.

[Beagle333]

Congrats!!! I got my Tech+ back in '93.

[Big Tom]

Congrats & 73,
Tom, N8AAA

[Tazlaw]

I need to get mine. We have a parcel of hunting land in the boonies and there is no phone/tv/radio service available. Have to drive about 10-15 miles just to be able to send a text. A ham would be nice for emergency/checkin contacts.

[perotter]

Got my call sign today. KO4CHM

You're good to go now. Since you started this thread it kept popping into my mind I should get mine. So last weekend I started the studying and practice testing. But the 1st available and convenient test is the 21st. This is one of those things I want to do since I was about 8 years old and even learned Morse Code then. But then other things I found more interesting got in the way. But right now the timing seems perfect.

[1911sw45]

Perotter, hope on the 21st I will be taking my general class test and my wife the technician class. Good luck sir. You can do it.

[perotter]

Thanks.