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Another Ham is born
- Thread starter VetteGirlMA
- Start date
Heh...every new ham goes through that. Don't worry...we are very nice and extremely helpful and patient. Just key up and start talking. People will help you and correct any operator errors you might make. Pretty much nothing you can say or do will get you in trouble...aside from obvious threats and the like. We need more YLs on the air here in the north east! Congrats!
VetteGirlMA
NES Member
Right now I listen primarily to the Mount Tom repeater on 2M (146.940MHz). It seems to have a lot of traffic on it. Not only that but I have a clear line of sight to Mount Tom from my house.
NHCraigT
NES Member
A ham is born..... and another ham is = no more.....
A good sized dang tree took out my HF antenna line yesterday. It also banged up the corner of our metal front porch roof, Ugh.
Still have 2m/70cm tho.
A good sized dang tree took out my HF antenna line yesterday. It also banged up the corner of our metal front porch roof, Ugh.
Still have 2m/70cm tho.
radioman
NES Member
I'm not on the air now but when I was Paxton and Westford repeaters were jammed from 4pm till 10.
My station is in In-house storage. It was interfering with family time so I had to table it for now. Will get back to is soon.
Am I the only person with a 4 digit call? Didn't see any others?
AE1Y
My station is in In-house storage. It was interfering with family time so I had to table it for now. Will get back to is soon.
Am I the only person with a 4 digit call? Didn't see any others?
AE1Y
![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
UJay
NES Member
1Y,
No.
My primary activities for this crazy hobby of ours is HF - CW - HF Digital modes JT65 / RTTY / MSK
Once you experience the HandHeld VHF aspects and desire more, there is a bottomless pit of things to experience and discover with this hobby.
GET YOUR GENERAL!
Even if your intent is to never go beyond the Tech license capabilities with VHF bands, things change. Right now (if a new licencee) is the time to go for General and Extra while you are in the technical learning mode... Once you do it, you will never ever have to do the exams again.
I recommend to students in our annual Technician classes to not even bother with a radio, so there would be reduced distraction, until the General or Extra class is in hand...
Here is an on-line receiver in PE/PA (Prefix for Netherlands issued callsigns)
1Y, you can tune the bands 'from the other side' while planning to get back on the air! (btwn family stuff...)
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/
This is a very small example of what you can do.....
Jay W1UJ
cockpitbob
NES Member
Ham radio isn't a hobby. It's 99 hobbies.
namedpipes
NES Member
I was inspired by this thread to dig out my Baofeng Shui, only to find it inoperable.
Another is winging it's way to me now for $25.
There is new and improved model: BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8 watts (up from 4), larger battery and better antenna.
I didn't get that one (was listed at $64 and I'm frugal) but it looked interesting. Maybe for my birthday.
Another is winging it's way to me now for $25.
There is new and improved model: BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8 watts (up from 4), larger battery and better antenna.
I didn't get that one (was listed at $64 and I'm frugal) but it looked interesting. Maybe for my birthday.
JDL
NES Member
I live in Wilbraham not very far from you. You should have no trouble hitting the Monson Repeater, even with a HT and no external antenna, it's up on Wilbraham Mt. and has a very large foot print. There is a great group of guys that monitor and use the Monson Repeater and anyone is welcome. This is a great QSO repeater we do not run any NETS just conversation. Give me a call N1HM I listen to this repeater all the time. This also goes for anyone else that can hit the Monson Repeater. 147105 offset + 162.2.
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VetteGirlMA
NES Member
Is it this one?
| 147.105 | + | MA | Monson | W1XOJ | 162.2 | 162.2 | Hampden |
I found a pretty good deal on Baofeng on Amazon today, so I ordered one and I'll be itching to give it a try when it comes in later this week. I really need one I can program with chirp. Setting up the transceiver manually is a real exercise in frustration.
JDL
NES Member
Yes the repeater is up on Wilbraham Mt. but is called the Monson repeater. This repeater has a very larger foot print and should be no problem with a Baofeng and no outside antenna. There is a great group that monitor the repeater , very laid-back and we don't run any NETS the repeater is just used for QSO's. Call me when you are up and running. N1HM I know what you are talking about I have a Yaesu VX-5 and it is a pain to program, however I also have Yaesu FT 2900r and it is very easy to program. Once you get into the hobby you may want to move into a larger radio the FT2900r can be run all the way up to 75 watts, and can be found for around $100.00 or less, also start thinking about an outside antenna. You can build a 2 meter ground plane antenna out of coat hangers and a SO-239 connector and a 2 meter antenna is very small. Contact me and I will be more then happy to answer any questions you may have or help you with any projects. Now you have to start thinking about getting your general. Look me up on QRZ. My email is listed on my page.
www.qrz.com if you are not a member become one it is free, you can look up any ham in the world by call sign. N1HM John
www.qrz.com if you are not a member become one it is free, you can look up any ham in the world by call sign. N1HM John
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dwarven1
Lonely Mountain Arms
Congrats on your license.
After N1HM mentioned it, I had to Google it. First link up!
http://www.hamuniverse.com/2metergp.html
K1ZDR
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
After N1HM mentioned it, I had to Google it. First link up!
http://www.hamuniverse.com/2metergp.html
K1ZDR
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Love Machine
NES Member
Congratulations! It's an awesome skill!
VetteGirlMA
NES Member
I bought the Baofeng UV-5R because it came up as a sale item from Amazon, Woot I think. It was only on sale on Monday only. It was $30 base price and that included the earpiece and an upgraded antenna (nagoya antenna I believe). I added in the microphone and the USB programming cable and was all in for less than $45 with free prime shipping. Although both my Baofeng and my Yaesu are 5 watt radios, side by side listening to the same repeater I can tell the difference between the 2 radios just by ear. I guess there's a reason why Yaesu's cost as much as they do. Plus the Yaesu has a much wider frequency spectrum as well, above and beyond the 2m and 70cm only of the Baofeng. But where the Baofeng rules is the programming cable and the open source Chirp software. It took me a while to get it working but once it was working properly programming the Baofeng was a snap and actually pleasant to do from the computer rather than the radio's menus. I want to try my hand at getting on the air this weekend and maybe get over the jitters and then start enjoying the hobby.
VetteGirlMA
NES Member
Sounds like a plan. I'm pretty sure I have my radio configured properly. I paid attention in class. I have tuned into that frequency but honestly never heard a peep out of it with either radio.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JDL
NES Member
Great QSO this morning. You finely got on the air and it wasn't as scary as you thought it would be. I hope this is just the start for you. Right after we signed off the repeater starting getting busy you should have tried to make some more contacts. Stick around and call out your call sign and just state you are listening, if someone is around they will respond.
You are now a real ham operator with your first contact under your belt, no longer are you just a listener.
You are now a real ham operator with your first contact under your belt, no longer are you just a listener.
VetteGirlMA
NES Member
The radio museum in CT is having a 10 week class for the general exam starting August 3, 6:30-7:30pm. I think they do an amazing job for a no cost classroom. Best of all is if there are any questions on how to operate, various instruments, etc they take us to either their ham shack or their workbenches and show how it works. No greater way to learn I have seen. Plus they do give out homework so it's not all fun and games
So hopefully before fall sets in good I should have my general.
Congratulations. I am at this same stage just now (pre-test).
Cool. There is also Monson and Warren.
