Amateur Extra Class – No More Tests
February 9th, 2011
I studied for a month or so and re-learned quite a bit of electronics for AC circuits. Resistance, Reactance, Polar Impedance. I took the test on the morning of February 5th and missed 1 out of 50. So now I am an Extra Class Licensed Ham Radio operator. No more tests to take. This is as high as it gets.
I am still working on what type of antenna to put up. I will probably do an 80 meter dipole that I can tune to higher frequencies. I have built an 80m SSB Voice Transceiver and a 40m CW Morse Code radio. I don't have any wire in the air to hook them up to, however. It will be cool to hear my first transmissions on radios I built.
I’m such a HAM…
December 18th, 2010
Years ago, Dad and I attended meetings for Amateur Radio at the local Red Cross building in Jeffersonville. We both worked through passing the 5 words per minute Morse Code and test to get our Novice license and then studied and passed the test for Technician Class. I was licensed in 1990 and expired in 2000. Just when I was starting work in the "Real World", outside of college. I didn't bother renewing.
A thread on a board I frequent about members who were HAMs (a nickname for Amateur Radio Operators) made me think it might be fun to get my license again. A test was being given in Franklin on the 18th (after the monthly meeting of the Mid-State Amateur Radio Club). I decided to go for it.