Ham Radio Bug is Biting

I must admit, for the past decade or so I pretty much lost my interest in ham radio and have forgotten how enjoyable a nice QSO can be. Over the past few days however the ol' radio bug seems to have bitten me again and as a result I have done more radio operation than I have over the past decade or so. Pretty much all of it so far has been on UHF /7 0 cm via the local repeaters using hand held over which I have had some enjoyable chats. Yep there is still life out there on VHF and UHF at least in this area. The upshot to all this is now that I am once again becoming radio active I am also feeling the urge to jump back on to HF as well.

Good to see you pick up the hobby again.
I had my more/less active periods in the last 40+ years of being a Ham as well, happens.
Enjoy the airtime ;)

If you have been around long enough as Eddie, when they had spark gap. He was pissed when that was banned. Well, we all go together cycles. I have a 100W hf station in boxes. When I get settled in my permanent digs, I will set up something. I am really exploring becoming an american ex pat.

So, John, I'm guessing that based on your past posts that you will be an AM and CW operator.

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Originally Posted by suddenseer

If you have been around long enough as Eddie, when they had spark gap. He was pissed when that was banned. Well, we all go together cycles. I have a 100W hf station in boxes. When I get settled in my permanent digs, I will set up something. I am really exploring becoming an american ex pat.

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I got accused of that a lot. The truth is I was trying to fix some electrical wiring in the house. I got tangled up in it, and every time my muscles spasmed, it made and broke the circuit with me in it. Everything I sent was actually random characters, but still........
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Returning to the US after Germany (DA1JL), I dropped ham radio for around 10 years, then the bug bit again when my dad's call became available for me as a vanity (K4PIH). I got back in gear and now have hit a small slump after moving to a new QTH. As soon as I get it all unpacked I'll get antenna's up and back on the air. No HOA so I can go hog wild!

Well, John, I'll believe it when I hear ya.

And we have had a QSO or two...

Via Echolink. Just for a minor dig?

I get compliments about my AM audio.

So there. :mrgreen:

I got my first license in 1976. In those days you had to go to the local FCC office to take the test. As soon as my ticket came in the mail I went down and took test to upgrade to Tech-KA6BRX. And there I sat for 20 years on and off again. Moved from California to Mass and meet some one that had the same taste in old cars/motorcycles and Ham radio. Never thought that I would fine someone like that in the gay world. Well 30 years later we are still together and I am more active in the hobby. Seems that the old guard before did no want to encourage a gay ham so my activity level was low in California. My uncle was a ham W6TCO (tired code operator) as well as my mom was a radio operator (navy) during WWII. The radio Bug is deep in me.

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Originally Posted by AA1OH

I got my first license in 1976. In those days you had to go to the local FCC office to take the test. As soon as my ticket came in the mail I went down and took test to upgrade to Tech-KA6BRX. And there I sat for 20 years on and off again. Moved from California to Mass and meet some one that had the same taste in old cars/motorcycles and Ham radio. Never thought that I would fine someone like that in the gay world. Well 30 years later we are still together and I am more active in the hobby. Seems that the old guard before did no want to encourage a gay ham so my activity level was low in California. My uncle was a ham W6TCO (tired code operator) as well as my mom was a radio operator (navy) during WWII. The radio Bug is deep in me.

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The other post I almost challenged you and pointed out that I assumed that you were straight. LOL. The gay thing never affected my radio fun. No one asked, I did not bring it up. I was also an N call WN8YUD in 1976, which later upgraded to WB8YUD. I took my Novice exam at a ham couples home. I forget their names. I took the General at Detroit. Back then, it really was a pain in the royal ass to take the exam. Detroit field office offered it once a week. I remember being all nervous as I took the code exam from Mr Cotton W8DX. I took the first Phone from him as well. He was very intimidating to a kid.

Well it is more fun to have someone to talk with about the hobby and it is easier to put up antennas. Plus I was just out of High School and decided never to go back to the closet. Sweated that question on my DOD secret clearance papers. My local FCC office was Long Beach, Ca. Small wooden table on hard wooden bench and hard rubber headphones.

Over the winter holiday break I got the triplets (FL-101, FR-101S/FR-101D) sounding darn good on AM via some Timtron-inspired mods. Will have to look a few folks up on 75/40/20.

The only AM rig I have now is a HE-45a and it needs repair (found a few factory missed/cold solder joints so far). I use to have a Hallicrafters SX-101a/HT-32b/HT-33 set up.