Future Club HAMster's, unite! HAM Test Challenge Date, APR22.

Are you interested in the HAM Test on April 22nd?


  • Total voters
    8

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I wanted to take a minute to point out that the test preparation discussed here passed 5 of us successfully for the Technician Test.

For those who replied to the thread earlier and want to set up for the next test date in May (4th Saturday, 7pm), please reply back and I'll work with you to get on the W7Io_Org roster:

@Pitch @Cruddz @rctoyota (You+Cleo, in June?) @brices123 @Chrismanjs @Rudster , and anyone else I may have missed, you can ace the test with LESS than 4wks prep!
 
Let make it a club goal to be 100% Ham by the end of the year.
Many members have an additional hand held to lend out for the newbies. If needed the club could purchase a couple handhelds so newbies could listen (support the rules) to help get them on board.

Side note - I monitor CB 19 when I travel and rarely do even the truckers talk on CBs anymore. CBs are so 70's and the only real use is for truckers in parking lots looking for lot lizards so Im told:rolleyes:
 
CBs are probably never going away. But they are not the best option imho for overlanding and off roading. I know this debate always starts, but you cannot contact ems from a CB in the middle of nowhere. A good ham radio can autopatch to a repeater and save your life. I like this story of why the rubicon trail foundation has adopted ham Rubicon Trail Foundation
 
I wanted to take a minute to point out that the test preparation discussed here passed 5 of us successfully for the Technician Test.

For those who replied to the thread earlier and want to set up for the next test date in May (4th Saturday, 7pm), please reply back and I'll work with you to get on the W7Io_Org roster:

@Pitch @Cruddz @rctoyota (You+Cleo, in June?) @brices123 @Chrismanjs @Rudster , and anyone else I may have missed, you can ace the test with LESS than 4wks prep!
I'll be in New York but I'll be interested in testing in June! Thanks for your time Thomas in helping!

@LandCruiserPhil i like your end of year goal.
 
Update on our Licenses; for those of you (like me) that have been checking the FCC website for your assigned call sign to no avail, I sent a note over to Gary today and he laid out the timeline for when his local club submitted the records to ARRL, and then how ARRL submits the results to the FCC for assignment and registry listing.

Gary mailed the VE test results. As in,... Snail mail.

Sooooo, we can expect to see our Licenses in the FCC database as early as next Monday, if not a few days later. Sorry for this inconvenience, but I'll point out that your VE Test Result printed copy is enough proof of Technician License to shop at the local HAM Radio Outlet stores if you're looking to buy equipment. Let me know if questions, and I'll report back when the FCC shows us in the registry.
 
I went to Ham Radio Outlet and they did not even want to see my Test Results... They said they would sell ANYONE, ANYTHING if they had the money.... They encourage you getting licensed before transmitting of course, but they are "NOT THE LICENSE POLICE" they said... They do not make any money if they do not sell anything... Made sense to me!!!
 
I had the same experience yesterday. Maybe Ron just got ahold of someone who was taking their job a little too seriously. I went with the Kenwood TM-281A (*single band, 2m) and a 5/8 mag mount which I'm playing around with different installation locations. If I stick the mag mount on the Short Bus bumper, it clears the garage door without any problem. Less than $200 out the door from HRO, and they were very helpful in hearing what I wanted it for and confirming my choice of radio, then proposing different antenna solutions to suit my needs.

Waiting on the PC Programming cable to setup my radio how I want it. And STILL waiting on FCC database entry for my call sign...

EDIT TO ADD: next VE Test date with Gary @ W7IO .org is the 4th Saturday of May, for those studying for the test! Let me know if you're interested, and I'll build a roster.
 
I had the same experience yesterday. Maybe Ron just got ahold of someone who was taking their job a little too seriously. I went with the Kenwood TM-281A (*single band, 2m) and a 5/8 mag mount which I'm playing around with different installation locations. If I stick the mag mount on the Short Bus bumper, it clears the garage door without any problem. Less than $200 out the door from HRO, and they were very helpful in hearing what I wanted it for and confirming my choice of radio, then proposing different antenna solutions to suit my needs.

Waiting on the PC Programming cable to setup my radio how I want it. And STILL waiting on FCC database entry for my call sign...

EDIT TO ADD: next VE Test date with Gary @ W7IO .org is the 4th Saturday of May, for those studying for the test! Let me know if you're interested, and I'll build a roster.


I must have just found that one guy. Which is more often than not my luck.
 
I had the same experience yesterday. Maybe Ron just got ahold of someone who was taking their job a little too seriously. I went with the Kenwood TM-281A (*single band, 2m) and a 5/8 mag mount which I'm playing around with different installation locations. If I stick the mag mount on the Short Bus bumper, it clears the garage door without any problem. Less than $200 out the door from HRO, and they were very helpful in hearing what I wanted it for and confirming my choice of radio, then proposing different antenna solutions to suit my needs.

Waiting on the PC Programming cable to setup my radio how I want it. And STILL waiting on FCC database entry for my call sign...

EDIT TO ADD: next VE Test date with Gary @ W7IO .org is the 4th Saturday of May, for those studying for the test! Let me know if you're interested, and I'll build a roster.

I also went Kenwood... but, I opted for a handheld because I was not sure where I would be vehicle wise when using it. I went BIG, I guess... :bounce::bounce2: I got their NEWEST handheld, TH-D74A. It's a Tri-ban wizbanger... It even come with the "canooter valve" already installed... So the guy at HRO told me...!! I have been looking for it ever since I got home and haven't been able to find it yet... lol :D

I did not buy an external mount antenna yet either... Waiting to see what I need mount wise for my 40, and a new vehicle if I get one soon!!!

I've always wanted to get into Ham Radio's, and this was the PUSH I needed... And low and behold, my tax return came in at the "right" time... PLUS, the guy's at HRO said they would not tell my wife anything... :rofl:
 
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FCC - Reg.webp


KI7NEL, this is KI7NEM... :)
 
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Holy sequential calls signs Batman!

I foresee endless confusion on the trails if we ever start using our call signs (like we s'posed ta do) o_O

Yep, I'm KI7NEO. Guessing one of you guys is N--- I could look it up but I'll just let it be a surprise.
 
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