I just got me Tech license this weekend. Now I need to look into
actually purchasing some equiptment. I don't have much space ( or
money ) and can't put a big atenna on our roof. Could you make some
suggestions? Also, what equiptment is required to run off your
computer??

Also, does the general license still require that you pass Morse Code
Exam first.?? I"m hearing lots of debate over that. Thanks.

" wrote:

I just got me Tech license this weekend. Now I need to look into
actually purchasing some equiptment. I don't have much space ( or
money ) and can't put a big atenna on our roof. Could you make some
suggestions? Also, what equiptment is required to run off your
computer??

Also, does the general license still require that you pass Morse Code
Exam first.??

Yes, unfortunately it's only 5 WPM.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

wrote:
I just got me Tech license this weekend. Now I need to look into
actually purchasing some equiptment. I don't have much space ( or
money ) and can't put a big atenna on our roof. Could you make some
suggestions? Also, what equiptment is required to run off your
computer??

Don't buy anything. Look around for antennas, ham radio license plates,
and search the callsign directory (www.qrz.com) for hams in your area.

Walk up to a few and introduce yourself. You may get a blank look, or a
"I don't do that anymore", or "he dosen't live here" responses but on the
whole you will find that hams a friendly bunch and will gladly show you
their shack, and if you bring a copy of your license many will let you
operate.

Once you've done that, you can find clubs to join with stations you can
use as a member, and hams that will help you learn (called elmers).

They will help you shop around and find used gear where you can look at,
see if it works and does what you want before you buy it.

If you do want to buy something the first thing I would suggest is a
2 meter handytalkie (called a walkietalkie by nonhams). From there you
can get on local repeaters and meet other hams and connect that way.


Also, does the general license still require that you pass Morse Code
Exam first.?? I"m hearing lots of debate over that. Thanks.

Yes. Look up Code Quick. It will teach you to copy code in a few weeks.

73,

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
The trouble with being a futurist is that when people get around to believing
you, it's too late. We lost. Google 2,000,000:Hams 0.

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:

wrote:
I just got me Tech license this weekend. Now I need to look into
actually purchasing some equiptment. I don't have much space ( or
money ) and can't put a big atenna on our roof. Could you make some
suggestions? Also, what equiptment is required to run off your
computer??

Don't buy anything. Look around for antennas, ham radio license plates,
and search the callsign directory (www.qrz.com) for hams in your area.

If he took the exam he must know some hams... ya think? It's not as if he pulled
it out of a Cracker-Jack box. (Well, not quite)

dxAce
Michigan
USA

dxAce wrote:
"John S." wrote:

cut
Yep, the folks who cannot or will not take the time to learn the code come up with
excuses just like the one you presented all the time.

and trolls like you keep one ranting and raving butthe FCC will decide
against you just not soon enough

Thanks for sharing!

dxAce
Michigan
USA

an old friend wrote:

dxAce wrote:
"John S." wrote:

cut
Yep, the folks who cannot or will not take the time to learn the code come up with
excuses just like the one you presented all the time.

and trolls like you keep one ranting and raving butthe FCC will decide
against you just not soon enough

The FCC may indeed rule, but that ruling won't change the facts!

dxAce
Michigan
USA

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 15:30:23 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



an old friend wrote:

dxAce wrote:
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:

wrote:
I just got me Tech license this weekend. Now I need to look into
actually purchasing some equiptment. I don't have much space ( or
money ) and can't put a big atenna on our roof. Could you make some
suggestions? Also, what equiptment is required to run off your
computer??

Don't buy anything. Look around for antennas, ham radio license plates,
and search the callsign directory (www.qrz.com) for hams in your area.

If he took the exam he must know some hams... ya think? It's not as if he pulled
it out of a Cracker-Jack box. (Well, not quite)

that is far from certain or rather far from certain that he knows some
US hams

Who gives the tests these days?

dxAce
Michigan
USA




Volunteer Examiners, or VEs.

From the FCC site...

Volunteer Examiners (VEs) are Amateur Extra Class radio operators who
volunteer their time and talent to prepare and administer amateur
radio operator license examinations. The examination for a Technician
Class operator license grant is also prepared and administered by
Advanced and General Class operators. Advanced Class licensees may
also prepare and administer General Class license examinations. A VE
is a person at least 18 years of age whose license has never been
revoked or suspended. Your close relatives, however, cannot be your
VEs. Each VE, moreover, has been accredited by a Volunteer-Examiner
Coordinator (VEC), an organization that exists for the purpose of
furthering the amateur service.

Contact a VE team in your community to make arrangements for being
administered the examination elements you desire. The VE teams make
public announcement stating the location and time of each examination
session. If you need assistance in finding a VE team in your area,
contact a VEC.

bob
k5qwg

Bob Miller wrote:

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 15:30:23 -0500, dxAce
wrote:



an old friend wrote:

dxAce wrote:
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:

wrote:
I just got me Tech license this weekend. Now I need to look into
actually purchasing some equiptment. I don't have much space ( or
money ) and can't put a big atenna on our roof. Could you make some
suggestions? Also, what equiptment is required to run off your
computer??

Don't buy anything. Look around for antennas, ham radio license plates,
and search the callsign directory (www.qrz.com) for hams in your area.

If he took the exam he must know some hams... ya think? It's not as if he pulled
it out of a Cracker-Jack box. (Well, not quite)

that is far from certain or rather far from certain that he knows some
US hams

Who gives the tests these days?

dxAce
Michigan
USA




Volunteer Examiners, or VEs.

From the FCC site...

Volunteer Examiners (VEs) are Amateur Extra Class radio operators who
volunteer their time and talent to prepare and administer amateur
radio operator license examinations. The examination for a Technician
Class operator license grant is also prepared and administered by
Advanced and General Class operators. Advanced Class licensees may
also prepare and administer General Class license examinations. A VE
is a person at least 18 years of age whose license has never been
revoked or suspended. Your close relatives, however, cannot be your
VEs. Each VE, moreover, has been accredited by a Volunteer-Examiner
Coordinator (VEC), an organization that exists for the purpose of
furthering the amateur service.

Contact a VE team in your community to make arrangements for being
administered the examination elements you desire. The VE teams make
public announcement stating the location and time of each examination
session. If you need assistance in finding a VE team in your area,
contact a VEC.

Yes, I was aware of that. I was asking a rhetorical question.

Please, try to follow the thread.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

dxAce wrote:

Yep, the folks who cannot or will not take the time to learn the code
come up with excuses just like the one you presented all the time.

No matter what you think it's going to happen. The best thing you can
do IMHO, is to help make the new no-code hams comfortable in the hobby.

If you feel that morse code is an essential part of ham radio, teach
morse code classes. Listen on the Novice/tech CW bands. Next time you
hear a bad sounding CQ at barely five wpm, don't sneer and move on,
work the guy. Do it slowly, carefully and curteously.

If you want to have new hams stay hams and to use CW, make them feel good
about it. Next time you talk to someone on a repeater who is a new ham,
offer to elmer them. You can start with CW and move up to building an
oscilator that they can use to key their HT.

That kills two birds with one stone to use an archaic and cruel sounding
metaphor. They get to learn CW over the air for a small expense and
learn the joy of building something they can use.

BTW both Japan and the Soviet Union had no code HF licenses since the 1950s,
and no one ever seemed to mind.

73,

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
The trouble with being a futurist is that when people get around to believing
you, it's too late. We lost. Google 2,000,000:Hams 0.

"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote:

dxAce wrote:

Yep, the folks who cannot or will not take the time to learn the code
come up with excuses just like the one you presented all the time.

No matter what you think it's going to happen.

Yep, the process of "dumbing down" marches on.

dxAce
Michigan
USA