What's All This Brouhaha? » Amateur Radio

Renewed my ARRL membership

Eric — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 09:52:14 +0000

I finally got around to renewing my ARRL membership, after it had been lapsed for far too long.

73,
N2ES

Field Day

Eric — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 04:12:36 +0000

I went to SBARA‘s station at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont around 1200 UTC and spent about half an hour ttrying to make phone contacts on 20m. I only made two contacts. The signal quality was terrible, apparently due to too many callers piling up. I rarely heard intelligible voices. As my first HF experience, it wasn’t too encouraging. Maybe HF is more fun at times other than Field Day, Sweepstakes, and the like.

Field Day irony

Eric — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 01:12:51 +0000

Today is Field Day, part of the purpose of which is to practice amateur radio communications by methods that would be used in emergencies, when normal power sources and communications systems might be unavailable.

Today at home I’ve experienced two power outages, apparently due to utility transformer failures, and an unrelated internet outage.

New call sign: N2ES

Eric — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:49:15 +0000

Just after I got my amateur radio license last fall (sequential call sign AF6FG), I applied for a vanity call sign, AI6ES.Â I really wanted a 1×2, but none of the ones I wanted were available.Â One became available this month, soÂ I submitted another application, which has now been granted.Â My new call sign is N2ES.Â I don’t plan any further changes.

Amateur radio vanity call sign

Eric — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:14:57 +0000

My new call sign is AI6ES.

None of the available 1×2 or 2×1 call signs were to my liking, but I like AI6ES better than my previous sequential call sign, AF6FG.

Ham license granted

Eric — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:07:56 +0000

My call sign is AF6FG, though I’ve filed an application for a vanity call sign so it will probably change.

I’m finally a Ham!

Eric — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 23:30:15 +0000

After years of being cajoled by friends and acquaintances who are hams, I finally took the exams today, passed them, and should have my own Amateur Extra class license and call sign by the end of the month.

Earlier this year the FCC completely eliminated the Morse Code requirement, making it easier than ever to get your “ticket”.Â I bought the ARRL license manuals and they are quite good, but I actually only spent about six hours studying them (total for Technician, General, and Amateur Extra class books).Â What really helped me pull it off in less than a week was the web based flash card drill and the practice exams provided by KB0MGA.Â There are also some good downloadable study guides in PDF format by N8KBR.