I saw the talk radio thread here and went in hoping it had something to do with amateur radio or shortwave. Sadly, it was neither!
The antenna to my 2-meter transceiver is still wired up; this here information super highway business is but a mere fad!
I have my amateur license; I’d give the callsign, but RAC, in its infinite wisdom, has everyone’s full name and home address linked to it on their website. Clearly not yet up to speed on some of the pressing problems with the internet!
I have a license but I haven’t used it in many years, and I’m not sure if any of my radios even work anymore. The FCC also lists the name and home address of all US license holders on their website.
Strictly speaking, the address requirement is only for a place where you can receive mail. Mainly so the FCC can contact you if needed. I know a few people that use their business address (they are the owners) or a PO Box address.
US General Class Ham here. I used a PO Box for about 11 years before switching to my street address. FCC doesn’t care.
I live in a rural area with a 70’ tower. Have antennas for VHF/UHF, 6M, and 10 through 20M. These are all beams. Have an inverted V for 10 through 80M as well.
I got my Novice class license at age 11 and my General class license at age 14. I was out in Yellow Banana land during the 1970s. My last transmission was back in the early 1980s when I used the rig at my college. Sadly, I finally let my license lapse because I didn’t have a rig and just wasn’t in a position to afford the equipment or space for the shack.
When I was in Indonesia, I had received QSL cards from more than 35 States. I had all the Japanese prefectures and was this close || to getting someone from the Antarctic, except the blasted Russian Woodpecker drowned me out.
some people like to be useful in a fashion of doing emergency communication during times of disaster or aiding in communications for things like races.
some like to build radios and antennas. ham radio people have put up their own communications satellites.
some like to talk and develop friends in their state and on the other side of the planet. hams have done discussion networks similar in nature to these forums for 3/4 of a century.
some like challenges of communicating with many people with certain conditions like using a specific allowed small range of frequencies or through video or through extremely low amounts of power.
some are very technical people. some just like to communicate with others. wide spectrum (ha punny) of skills and interests.
Oh really? I could have sworn way back when I got my license, I was told (or read) that it had to be the location of your main radio operation. When you’re mostly mobile/handheld, that’s not quite so meaningful, but it seems hard to argue that a PO box qualifies. In any case, good to hear I was mistaken (or it’s not enforced). I might have to go ahead and make that change on my file.
I got my first ham ticket at age 13, General class. None of that wimpy Novice stuff for me. Was also the trustee of our high school station until they caught me in the radio room with a girl. :eek: Fully clothed, door open, she was also a ham, but it got me kicked out due to extreme and stupid principal moral codes.
When mine expired, I never renewed it. Now I really can’t see a reason to.
Extra class for the past 30 years, though inactive now. For the most part, I was mainly interested in HF CW and RTTY, and of course VHF/UHF packet radio and local repeaters.
I keep thinking about getting an HF rig together again, but sadly, it is very tough to find parts now to build, and appliance rigs are downright expensive… That would interfere with the boat hobby.
I’ve been interested in ham radio since I was a teenager, but I never quite followed through to go get my license. Besides, I don’t really have the capital to set up a rig. Any advice for breaking into the hobby on a budget?
Got my license as a kid, did the Novice round-ups. I always did well (though never hit all 50), coming from Oklahoma - plenty of people wanted to contact me to get the state.
I updated my license, but my dad and brother lost theirs after not renewing. My dad just re-took all of the tests to get his Advanced back. I don’t run a rig right now - living in suburbia with a VERY strong HOA, and I have not yet priced one of the inside the attic antennas.
I’ve been a ham since my 10th grade teacher called his wife at home from our classroom with a 2-meter radio.
On the phone! How cool is that? You’re out in the world, and can patch your radio to the phone system and make phone call? With no payphone? AWESOME!
I chat with folks around the world, I can chat with my son or friends around town, and much more.
I am active with my local ARESgroup, and work closely with with our local EMA, Homeland Security and more.
I was one of the first hams to hear from Banda Aceh and forward emergency messages from there.
We spent months in Mississippi after Katrina helping residents make contact with relatives and friends all over the country, and many weeks in Florida after other hurricanes providing EmComm for local police and fire department whose repeaters had blown away.
For a bunch of old, fat guys in our basements, we’re kind of handy…
