How many ham operators here

[Ron Padilla]

I have my general license but have not been using it, when I had a heart attack while still living in Cali I had to sell all of my gear.  I have had an interst in getting back in to monitoring and transmitting but the pocket book doesnt share the same enthusiasm, but hope that will change in the near future.  However I have notices a few things while here in Ten, there doesnt seem to be as much participation here as there was in Cali, and there arent many if any ham swap meets like there was in Cali, or at least it doesnt appear to be that way.  So I thought I would reachout and find others that are active or have been in the past are might be thinking about getting back in to it again.  Thanks for looking and inputting any info you have.

 

Ron

 

ki6pxf

[Murgatroy]

I have thought about picking up a hand held Boefang or whatever the brand name is and getting my Technician's License, but I haven't found anyone local that is interested or into it, so I never really did it. 

[Ron Padilla]

my son just picked some up during the holidays and we are still attampting to set them up, the tech lic is not that hard to obtain as there is no code requirement anymore.  If I am not mistakes you can go qrz.com and take pratice tests there to see how you will do on the exam.  One thing to keep in mind with the baofeng radios and all radios like them is that they are line of site radios, so unless there is a very high repeater in the area the distance will be limited just like a c b radio.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Ron Padilla

[Murgatroy]

I have run a couple of the practice tests, my understanding is that the practice test takes it's questions from the exact same pool of 300 questions the test comes from, so if you 'learn' though you are golden.

 

I have done a bit of research, but not extensive.

 

I have CBs in most of my cars, I work in the transportation industry. It is almost disheartening anymore turning it on and listening to children that had no mother to raise them...

[Ron Padilla]

If you have been doing well on the pratice test you should do well in that you are correct the practice questions are the same.  And I understand I worked in trucking for 35 years myself in almost every aspect from dock worker to driver to over the road driver, them maintenance, and finally management.  Thats is what got be interested not so much in c b but ham, but being from Los Angeles the c b radio bs is much different.  But I wanted to be able to carry on conversations with far away people, but currently I cant afford the HQ radios like I once had, but was hoping to find others in the area that are intersted and maybe find out about ham swap meets close by.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Ron Padilla

[Murgatroy]

We have a bit in common then, I am at the management phase.

[Ron Padilla]

uhh ohhh no to be honest I should have never given up being a driver, however it was a different era in America, we were atill a producing nation and not a service nation.  At the time that I drove you could almost walk on the top of union driven trucks everynight fro Los angeles to the San Fransisco area, that has all gone away replaced by low wages, guys arent making any more than I was making in the 80's.  Sad for the guys and the families that depend on those wages to sustain a living.  The only good that I can say is that I drove myself to earn a masters degree, that is something that cant be taken away, anyway good luck!

Edited January 22, 2015 by Ron Padilla

[Murgatroy]

Oh, I haven't held a wheel in years. I sit in a big office and tell everyone else what to do.

 

I am in the beverage industry on the transportation side. I am not saying we are recession proof, but Americans like their drinks.

[Ron Padilla]

Do you work in Clarksville

[Murgatroy]

Louisville Kentucky. Originally from Knoxville.

[Ron Padilla]

If you ever get down this way let me know

[pitt2magic]

I got my Tech license a few months ago. Just getting started learning all that goes along with being a Ham. Passing the test is just the beginning.

[NextExit]

I've got a general license but haven't been on the air in a few months. My antenna was knocked out by the wind and I'm not messing with it til it gets warmer. I have an Icom 706 MkII & a Swan 350 (or should I say "three drifty" :) )

[Ron Padilla]

it is then comes the equipment which can get expensive when there is a desire to out on the HF freqs, but that is where ham meets and ham fests are nice.  There were several that were held each moth or at least each quarter in Cali.  I have doen some looking to see what might be the nearest location to go for a ham fest, some good prices can be found there.  In almost everyway they are just like a gun show, just radios, parts antennas, as well as everything else that are related and some that are not.

[Ron Padilla]

I had looked a the Icoms, they are nice radios, I used other types along with a variety of antennas, but most were mobile.  I never did get a base station set up where it worked real well, but the mobile with antenna set up I had would talk cost to cost without a kicker on it, I was almost considering sell my rifles to get a nice base station set again, but I dont think I want to do that. 

[Peace]

been wanting to get my tech license....  - don't know why I am putting it off.  I guess I need to join up with the area Ham group.

[Ron Padilla]

It is not that difficult to do now and with out the need to know code it has made it even easier, if your not sure where teating is done or where meetings are held you can go to qrz.com and look up a lot of info including the practice exams, it another way to meet and greet others, and in the event of a major emergency ham radio operators will be some of the only ones to reach out to others to not only help, but offer assistance to those in need, something to think about, the airways will still be open even though the gobment trys to get their hands on it as well.

[DaveTN]

I was going to get my license, had gear bought, tower and antenna up, but never could get excited about it when they had the code requirement. Sold all my stuff and they dropped the code requirement.

I may give it another go, but now all that money is wrapped up in guns.

[Ron Padilla]

What makes it so tough is the equipment is dog gone expensive, you would not think so but it is, even the USA made stuff is way up there in cost, but in an area like this where for the most part it is rural, you would think that there would be more operators.  I am always on the look out for HF towers and antennas as I travel around but seldom see them.

[DaveTN]

Everything is way up because of the internet. Guns used to be cheap at gun shows, but not anymore. I assumed the same thing was happening with Ham gear; throw it on-line and get a bigger market. I know I got a lot of replies on my stuff even when I posted the tower had to be picked up here. The radios shipped.

[bigtruuck]

I just procured a 75 ft. Utility pole to mount my antennas on. As soon as I bring home a Bobcat with an auger to dig the hole. As far as equipment goes it get expensive fast you can find some good older stuff out their. My first and still favorite hf rig is an old kenwood ts-130 that is still kickn. This is the first time that I had a decent base station set up. Most of my hf work has been mobile.


Sent from another clumsy piece of tech.

[R_Bert]

I see vintage (??) gear all the time, that is perfectly serviceable, and just a few hundred $.  examples - TS-430S, TS-520S, TS-850S (what I run), loads of same era Yaesu & Icom rigs.

 

The new rigs have more computer integration, but the older stuff is still excellent (and in many cases, better...especially basic receive). 

 

There is a lot  of bang-for-the-buck out there.

 

BTW, I will note... the current and very popular rig - Kenwood TS-2000 was introduced in the late 1990s (I still have first release).  Not much has changed, really. (except I paid $1800 in 1998 for mine... not the current $1900 for the X version)

Edited January 23, 2015 by R_Bert

[Ron Padilla]

I am hoping to get back in to the HF area some time in the near future, a thought that just crossed my mined is that if a some repeaters could be set up, by and for the use of the guys here here especially for use when out hunting in the event of an emergency.  Just thinking out loud but an interesting thought none the less.

[R_Bert]

I am hoping to get back in to the HF area some time in the near future, a thought that just crossed my mined is that if a some repeaters could be set up, by and for the use of the guys here here especially for use when out hunting in the event of an emergency.  Just thinking out loud but an interesting thought none the less.

Not a bad idea, but check and see how many local repeaters are already available (and effectively unused  <hint...there are probably dozens>).  BTW, most repeater owners in TN & KY coordinate frequency & tone access via SERA (Southeastern Repeater Association).  BTW, if you think maintaining a home radio station is expensive, a usable & reliable repeater system will be 10X that.  Make friends with local repeater owners as a starting platform. 

 

BTW, As I recall, there is a pretty nice RF-linked system down that way.

[Wingshooter]

I have my Tech license. I haven't used it much at all but want to learn more. I just have a hand held Baofeng, but it's been good for what it is. I'd like to get a good mobil setup in my truck and base station at home. I built a Jpole antenna for the attic but haven't tried it out yet.