Newish Ham looking for a good place to find some ragchew

[NA4BH]

If it's plantains you're looking for, here is the place to go.

[WA7PBE]

plantain chips are bommmbb

[NA4BH]

I tried making them, no luck. In one word, Mofongo.

[WA7PBE]

its really easy

[K7SGJ]

Funny, he doesn't look Newish...

That would put him a "cut" above so to speak.

[K7SGJ]

Welcome to the Island, I'm the only sane one here.

This statement must be what they call "Minnesota Bullshit".

[n6hcm]

Funny, he doesn't look Newish...

newish, nebbish ... potato, potato ...

[W9JEF]

Don't lose interest like many in your situation do, get involved
with a local club and you'll find a bunch of guys to elmer (teach) you and help you along.
One hint based on my experience, the best clubs don't have repeaters, those that do
often have an inner circle of repeater elite snobs, but you can ignore them on and off
the repeater(s). Not all clubs are ARRL sponsored, but they're a little harder to find,
so I wish you the very best of luck. Like a couple of old sayings go, keep on pushin'
and keep movin' on up, and sooner or later you'll be up there with the big boys.

Ahoy, WA7PBE...

A good thing we don't have those elite snobs here, where all Islanders are equal.
But alas, it seems some think they are "more equal than others." (Apologies to George Orwell.) ;)

You can make a high-gain antenna out of wire,
so don't fall for the high-priced commercial jobs.
https://www.google.com/#q=homebrew+h...n+VHF+antennas

I served a year on the Hancock (CVA-19) (out of Frisco),
Final year (1960) as FT3 (E4) on the Sperry (AS-12) (San Diego Harbor).
Made E5 on the day I got out; sewed on the new crow and went back
on board to harass a GM3 w/hash mark that had been flaunting his seniority,
but the a-hole must have got the word, and made his miserable self scarce.

I miss that Navy chow--really, especially the breaded shrimp.
Even the creamed beef on toast wasn't all that bad. :)

73, smooth sailing and following seas,

Jim

[suddenseer]

Welcome to the "Newish Ham". There are several former, and maybe current broadcast engineers here on the Island. There are several others like N8YX who have forgotten more technical stuff than I will ever learn. They are here to help. You don't have to spend several month's pay to get on the air. I lived on the 22nd floor in an apartment building next to Lake Erie. I bought an old Radio Shack (HDX202) 2m walkie talkie for $50. I used my cheap 2m car antenna mag mount on a pizza pan. There wasn't an open carrier 2m repeater in NE Ohio that I could not kerchuk. I am more of a simplex type of guy. I chatted with several stations 50-60 miles away on simplex with only 1 watt of power. Of course, being 220 ft. above the ground did not hurt.

You have come to the right place. Thread hijacking is encouraged. The forums in Alpha Hotel, you can cuss like a sailor. Beware of the old coots here, no matter where you are at, they think it is their lawn. Don't forget to have fun!