Late in 2015, the HAM itch resurfaced from my first interest in the 1990s. I passed my Technician on 11-25-2015. Then, thanks to the peer pressure of WØEBV, I passed my General on 01-09-2016. I passed my Extra on 03-28-2016!!!!
My original call sign was KEØGTT…NØRVS is my vanity sign. I think I might keep it for a while since the last three letters are my initials.
The bands were in terrible shape this day! Just barely made contact on 20m that day. Also had the newly purchased Baofeng – UV5R HT. The fellow ham I purchased it from at the Expo already had it programmed with all repeaters in northern Arizona.
Setting up our homestead! . Talkin’ to the fellas and staying connected from 1,100 miles away! Our set up at the Expo. No hookups at this Expo solar panels are in order to keep the batteries charged. . Lots of sweet overland vehicles at the Expo. These are Global Expedition Vehicles made in the USA. . Can’t forget about the two wheeled vehicles. The adventures of Robinson FUSO! An old ambulance makes a great platform Read More …
When all else fails use Ham Radio right? This is the way I’ve been keeping in touch with the fellas back home when on the road. Just throw out a wire and start talking. Only a 12 foot fiberglass painters pole with a 20m homebrew dipole tied off to BBQ pit on one side and tied off to a rock on the other side fed with an ancient ICOM IC-730 doing about 70-80 on a Read More …
A painters pole antenna mast seemed like a good idea. My wife & I are going on a trip soon and I wanted to take my HF radio with me. I did not want to spend the money on a Tarheel or a screwdriver antenna yet so I opted to make a portable lightweight antenna and mast. I had been doing some research and found several people had been using a fiberglass telescoping painters pole Read More …
On Saturday, we made the trek to Claremore, OK for the Green Country Hamfest. This was the first Hamfest I’ve been to that I didn’t have take a test. I’ve only been to four Hamfests total. The first three Hamfests I was committed to taking tests. Now that I have my Extra, I could really enjoy myself and mosey around and shop. It isn’t the biggest, but so far it was the biggest I’ve been Read More …
Finally, I did it…I took the plunge and got my amateur radio license. The bug actually bit me way back in high school. I thought I’d get my license back then, but let the morse code intimidate me. Needless to say, I put it off. Then, life happened. I pushed it to the back of my mind. Then, 19 years later, my interest surfaced again. I realized that morse code wasn’t required, so I got to studying. Read More …