Chuck Sherwood wrote:
First of all. What happed to rec.radio.amateur? It is not supported on
my server.

Second. I was a ham back in the 90s. I have been inactive since 1996.
I had lots of gear and sold it all because I was tired of the hobby.
I am beginning to regret selling some of it. I had some really nice
antenna tuners, Heathkit SM220, nice TenTec radios, VHF/UHF all mode
all the way up to 1.2G, etc. All gone.

I just acquired a Kenwood 520 to listen to the HF bands. It seems
like a nice basic radio that will do for a while. I really would like
to get on 80m but I don't have the room for a 80m dipole. Is the
matching Kenwood tuner a good one? I think it will be a while before
any good hamfests because of the Wx in chicago.

I researched rigs on line and so far I like the Icom 746 Pro but
I'm not ready to spend that kind of cash.

I was also told that I can upgrade to Extra with just a written
test. Since my license expires in 2 years it seems like the thing
to aim for.

I still have a couple of ham friends so I will probably pick their
brains, but I open to suggestions!

chuck
K1CAS


Quoted from the ARRL Webpage .. you are right about the upgrade:

"STEP 3: Extra Class License (upgrade from General)

* EXAM REQUIREMENT: 50-question Extra Written Exam (Element 4)
* PRIVILEGES: All amateur privileges.
* LICENSE STUDY MATERIALS

General licensees may upgrade to Extra Class by passing a 50-question
multiple-choice examination. No further Morse code test is required. In
addition to some of the more obscure regulations, the test covers
specialized operating practices, advanced electronics theory, and radio
equipment design. Frankly, the test is very difficult, but others have
passed it, and you can too. Non-licensed individuals must pass Element 1
Morse Code Exam and Element 2, Element 3 and Element 4 Written Exams to
earn an Extra License. The FCC grants exam element 1 and/or element 3
credit to individuals that previously held an old Novice or an old
Technician license. Valid Forms of Examination Element Credit can be
found on the Web.

The HF bands can be awfully crowded, particularly at the top of the
solar cycle. Once one earns HF privileges, one may quickly yearn for
more room. The Extra Class license is the answer. Extra Class licensees
are authorized to operate on all frequencies allocated to the Amateur
Service.

Amateur Radio is a friendly, high-tech hobby that's got something fun
for everyone! "