Back in the summer of 2002, the summer Cassie and I got married, I picked up a book on ham radio at Radio Shack while we were on vacation in St. Louis. I read the book and could have easily passed the first exam. However, I wanted to wait until I had learned Morse code so I could get the Morse code test (5 wpm) and the first written test out of the way at the same test session. That would have given me the Technician Plus license. I never learned Morse code well enough, so I never took the test.
Fast forward to the fall of 2007. In the mean time the FCC has completely done away with the Morse code requirement for all three licenses (Technician, General, and Extra class). I passed my Technician exam in October, my General in March, and finally my Extra in June. My original call sign was KE5RDQ, but after I upgraded to Extra class I applied for and received WF5N. (Only Extra class hams can hold four “digit” call signs.)
My main interest in becoming a ham was to learn more about electrical engineering and that sort of thing. Ham radio is a pretty broad hobby, and I haven’t been able to investigate even a portion of it yet. Some of the areas I’d like to explore are: Morse code, satellites, digital modes, VHF+ SSB and CW, and homebrewing equipment.
Currently my only radio is a Yaesu VX-170, which is a 2 meter handheld transceiver. I built a quarter wave ground plane antenna to extend my range a little. I still don’t have it put up permanently anywhere, but I’m working on that. I’m saving up for a radio that’ll let me get on the HF bands. That would let me talk around the world. My current radio is limited to local traffic. The radio I have in mind is the Yaesu FT-897D, though I could change my mind.
Luckily there is a fairly active local club here in Oxford. At the end of June we setup some stations in the Circle for Field Day. The week prior to the Presidential debate here in Oxford we will have a special event station running from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) command station just outside the debate perimeter. I’m signed up to operate and will post more details when we get a little closer.
Anytime the National Weather Service (NWS) issues a watch or warning we activate the local Skywarn net. We provide information to the NWS and to local emergency management officials to help them make decisions. Most of the time a tornado siren goes off in Oxford it’s because one of us has spotted a funnel cloud.
I’ll be posting more on ham radio as I continue to learn more myself.