Beachbum wrote:

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and I
passed! I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater nets,
getting a feel for local practices and personalities. Now comes decision
time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band HT's right now.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?


I would also suggest looking at mobile VHF radios. While larger than a
handheld, they are also more powerful. You can run them off battery power
in the house for an emergency fixed station or off your car batter for a
mobile station.

Eventually you will probably want one of each if you want to get seriously
involved in emergency communications.

If you used the ARRL study guide (not the shorter question/answer book), I
believe that it contains instructions for a 2 meter J-pole. This is a very
useful antenna for fixed station use as it doesn't need the ground plane
like a standard vertical does. So basically you can connect where you like
(although you might want to get it away from other metal objects for best
results).

Dee, N8UZE

Dee Flint wrote:


Beachbum wrote:

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM,
and I passed! I've been listening in to a couple of the local repeater
nets, getting a feel for local practices and personalities. Now comes
decision time...Yaesu or Icom? I'm leaning to the Icom dual band HT's
right now.

For the home portable/base, would a mag mount on the corrugated metal
carport roof work pretty well (vs. rooftop mag on the car)?


I would also suggest looking at mobile VHF radios. While larger than a
handheld, they are also more powerful. You can run them off battery
power in the house for an emergency fixed station or off your car batter
for a mobile station.

Eventually you will probably want one of each if you want to get
seriously involved in emergency communications.

If you used the ARRL study guide (not the shorter question/answer book),
I believe that it contains instructions for a 2 meter J-pole. This is a
very useful antenna for fixed station use as it doesn't need the ground
plane like a standard vertical does. So basically you can connect where
you like (although you might want to get it away from other metal
objects for best results).

Dee, N8UZE

Mahalo, I'll look into that antenna. I do have the ARRL Level 1 Ham
Manual. I've got a couple of options on where/how to set up antennas.

I have definitely checked out the mobiles, but have decided to start
with the HT. When I get a better feel for various bells/whistles, and
limitations (or not) of my QTH, I will no doubt get a bigger rig. I also
anticipate upgrading to general within a short time, and will need to
consider HF.

Beachbum wrote:

Well, that was simple enough. EARCHI had a testing session this AM, and
I passed!

Well.. Congrats on Passing... I kind of recall how you feel..

You see,, I got my first license (novice) back about 1968, Then my
second (Fall same year Tech class, and remained stuck there for what, 38
years... Finally I broke tradition and visited Dayton, walked into the
testing session and did the paper upgrade to General, bought a TS-2000
and quickly found that unlike the hand held I used as a Tech.. It was
able to transmit on frequencies not allowed a General class licensee.

So.. I took a class, well 2/3 of it as I was leaving town, and the
Saturday before thanksgiving.. I fixed that TS-2000 so it would not
transmit out of band.. I fixed it using a #2 lead pencil and a dollar
store calculator.... (I got 2 wrong on the Extra Class Test)

Congrats on joining the ranks of the licensed.. May good fortune follow
you all of your days.

--
John in Detroit E-Dress is smoked, Invalid equals NET.

On 3/20/2010 12:02 PM, John from Detroit wrote:


So.. I took a class, well 2/3 of it as I was leaving town, and the
Saturday before thanksgiving.. I fixed that TS-2000 so it would not
transmit out of band.. I fixed it using a #2 lead pencil and a dollar
store calculator.... (I got 2 wrong on the Extra Class Test)

Congratulations!

I still remember how nice it felt to say "Temporary AE" for the first
time.

W1AC

Bill Horne wrote:
--
John in Detroit E-Dress is smoked, Invalid equals NET.
On 3/20/2010 12:02 PM, John from Detroit wrote:

So.. I took a class, well 2/3 of it as I was leaving town, and the
Saturday before thanksgiving.. I fixed that TS-2000 so it would not
transmit out of band.. I fixed it using a #2 lead pencil and a dollar
store calculator.... (I got 2 wrong on the Extra Class Test)

Congratulations!

I still remember how nice it felt to say "Temporary AE" for the first
time.

W1AC

Well,, I kind of never did that.. Cause when I did the upgrade to
General, I also got the TS-2000 same day, but rather than end up with
one arm considerably longer than the other from lugging it all over
Dayton Convention center.. I had 'em ship it (I'm serious, that WAS the
reason) and by the time I got back home.. Well.. The license was waiting
and the radio arrived a couple of days later.. No no "Temp" there.

And when I did the upgrade to Extra.. ... Well,, I don't often stray out
of the General bands anyway.. So again, I never needed to sign "Temp"
as... Well.. I just don't use those frequencies much

Usually it's like 2973 or 3995 or x.070 (Many different X's)