HAM Radio FAQ

that 25w midland doesn't look too bad. Midland isn't big in the ham world like they are in CB, but I wouldn't avoid it because of the 25w thing. Most mobiles are 50 watts, and you won't seem much coverage difference with just a doubling of the transmit power (inverse square law).
 
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Zorba said:
You can't anymore. They're completely obsolete, and all records of them were lost in some big fire years back. BUT - they state in "the rules" that you can still use one, so I use my late father's.
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Ha I can't believe you triggered a long-buried memory that I had a CB callsign issued about a hundred years ago, KOX 0748 which was issued in 1965. I can remember useless shit like that old CB callsign but not important things lol.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
Ha I can't believe you triggered a long-buried memory that I had a CB callsign issued about a hundred years ago, KOX 0748 which was issued in 1965. I can remember useless shit like that old CB callsign but not important things lol.
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Tell me about it. KPA-3937 - which is why I know how many inches are in 1 meter. I can remember login codes for the college Univac 90/70 system - the one they got rid of in 1980, various addresses for the TRS-80, etc, etc, etc - but what did I have for breakfast this AM?
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
I used to work for Univac, the 90/70 system came along well after I started there in 72. 😊
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The Jr. College bought this one from DisneyLand. The campus rumor was that Mickey Mouse was still living in it. Xmas break of '79, the computer room HVAC first froze up, then thawed - dumping water onto/into the mainframe. It was offline for months! Slightly flakey before, monumentally scrozzled afterwards. They ended up dumping it after trying unsuccessfully to get it to work reliably again, replaced it with an IBM 370 if I remember correctly.

It was the first computer I ever touched, learned BASIC (EXEC $BASIC) on it - and how to kick other people off the system (STA L then CAN). Had ADM-3 terminals @300 baud scattered all across campus, except instructors and the computer center had 1200 baud as well as a collection of DEC-Writers. I can't remember the command to erase a file, SCR or KILL I think.

There was a main console printer, that anyone could send a message to using the "TYPE" command. I knew my next door neighbor's elementary school aged kid was going to be there at a certain time on a certain day with his school class. I got there just at the absolute correct time - looking in through the window at the mainframe, the class was gathered around the console printer. I sprinted into the computer center, all terminals were occupied, even the DEC-Writers. Shit! I managed to talk my way into using one that a girl whom I had a passing acquaintance with was using. I sent "(Kid's name) is a nerd!" using the TYPE command, then sprinted back to see the reaction through the window! It was classic!

You didn't happen to know a guy at Univac named "Ed Pio", did you?
 
ovrbrdonammo said:
Congratulations! Are eyeing any radios yet?
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I already have two, the requisite Baofeng handheld (with upgraded antenna) as it only costs $19.99/shipped. Then I bought a Retevis RT-95 (Aka Anytone 778UV or CRT Micron) for the jeep, but don't yet have an antenna for it (I have a Diamond in my Amazon cart), and I have to get it installed which is going to be a bit of a project what with the CB and GMRS radios already in the Jeep.

I'd really want to work 10 meters with vintage equipment. Its just "what its all about" as far as I'm concerned. Maybe glowbug QRP as well.

I'm still rather in shock that I passed the General...
 
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Zorba, I just sent you a PM with a attachment that migh thelp with your "too many radios" dilemma. Your rev RT-95 can do more than whats on the surface.

AWESOME ACCOMPLISHMENT! General. That is hard to do.

Did you get the part about "uncontrolled environment"? What you don't know won't hurt you is what I got from it.
 
Zorba said:
I already have two, the requisite Baofeng handheld (with upgraded antenna) as it only costs $19.99/shipped. Then I bought a Retevis RT-95 (Aka Anytone 778UV or CRT Micron) for the jeep, but don't yet have an antenna for it (I have a Diamond in my Amazon cart), and I have to get it installed which is going to be a bit of a project what with the CB and GMRS radios already in the Jeep.

I'd really want to work 10 meters with vintage equipment. Its just "what its all about" as far as I'm concerned. Maybe glowbug QRP as well.

I'm still rather in shock that I passed the General...
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Yep pretty cool. You think the $150.00 for a mobile gmrs is worth it? Do you get any daily use?
 
ovrbrdonammo said:
Yep pretty cool. You think the $150.00 for a mobile gmrs is worth it? Do you get any daily use?
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I paid way less for a GRMS, I think it was about $60 - although it isn't the most advanced radio available. I bought it for trail use, but I've squawked with my granddaughter on her FRS a time or two.
 
ovrbrdonammo said:
Try Hamexam.org study guides and practice tests all free.
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I used hamstudy.org - but its the same idea. All free, very effective!

The thing is, I studied like crazy for the tech exam. I knew I'd ace it, if I didn't have a brain fart and miss one from mis-reading the question. What I didn't study for was the general. I took exactly four practice tests for general (I took a couple dozen for tech), 3 of them I failed, 1 I passed just barely. What I did do was review the questions I had failed. I learned just enough to be able to pass the actual test. I knew some of the material already, learned a tiny bit more from the 4 tests I took, figured out more from common sense, took a SWAG at several, and a WAG at the rest! I got "just the right test", obviously - I would have failed otherwise.

So *NOW* I get to study the material more, so that I'm actually deserving of the license I got largely by dumb luck! Oh, and get this: When I took the tech exam, somebody had written the correct answers inside the test booklet - or at least the first three were correct. I raised my hand and made the VE aware of it, so he gave me a fresh booklet. When he was handing out the General test booklets, I told him "NOW would be a good time for a test with circled answers!". He laughed!
 
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I studied like crazy for the tech. as well. There is no way i would have passed the general i`m sure of that. If i do decide to get a general i will study questions and correct answers only.
 
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ovrbrdonammo said:
I studied like crazy for the tech. as well. There is no way i would have passed the general i`m sure of that. If i do decide to get a general i will study questions and correct answers only.
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I was an electronics tech and sometime engineer in a former life - that and being around hams and deploying commercial radio gear gave me "just enough" I guess. The operating rules and conventions were the hardest for me - they're somewhat convulated.
 
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