Newest amateur radio licensee!

[AlphaSigOU]

Took the amateur radio licensing exam here in Kwaj tonight... passed the Technician portion! Should be getting my call sign from the FCC in about 2-3 weeks.

Now to study for the General...

[FW]

Welcome to the world of Hams on (the) Air. 

(KA3VAC)

[Major Lord]

Congratulations! It should not take 2-3 weeks for the FCC to post your call sign, unless the VE's sent the materials by sailing ship! Is there much activity down there on Tech bands? Getting your General should open up the world a bit for you, and the test is not too hard.

73,

Major Lord
AF6OF (AE Class)

[Seabee219]

Congrats, keep going with the professional development   :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[JoeTomasone]

Congrats de AB2M / YI9MV!

[Larry Mangum]

Congrats AF6RG

[N Harmon]

Congratulations
(KC8DMU)

[flyboy76]

Welcome to the airwaves!

73 de W9MDC

[♠SARKID♠]

Welcome to ham radio!

KC9MJP

[RADIOMAN015]

Congratulations!  :clap:
Probably a good idea to carry your handheld ham radio with you even while performing CAP missions.  Although the radio can't be used for CAP routine mission type traffic, IF any emergency comes up, it's likely there will be many more amateur radio repeaters and radios listening than is possible with CAP.
RM 

[Pylon]

Welcome to the club.

73 de KC2BXV

[capchiro]

Congrats!!  KE4QBB       Anyone remember their old CB license?  KJD0785   (Boy, am I getting old..)

[AlphaSigOU]

Congratulations! It should not take 2-3 weeks for the FCC to post your call sign, unless the VE's sent the materials by sailing ship! Is there much activity down there on Tech bands? Getting your General should open up the world a bit for you, and the test is not too hard.

Ya gotta remember... I'm an 'inmate' of 'Kwajatraz Federal Penitentiary' - ahem, the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll - we only get mail flown in from Honolulu twice a week, and that's if the plane doesn't break down! 

I took the General immediately after the Tech test, but didn't pass this time. Hopefully, it went in the mail on tonight's C-17 from Hickam, if not, it'll go on Tuesday's ATI flight. Once it gets to Hono is when mail resumes speedy delivery.

[Brad]

Congrats!

Trying to get started on mine to augment my CAP Comms stuff.

[DBlair]

Congrats!


-N2ZJM

[maverik]

Hey congrats! So did most of you buy your radios right after taining? If so what did you get? A fancy one with like PACKET and what not or did you get just a hadnheld capable of a few bands?

[JoeTomasone]

Most new hams (myself included) buy either a 2m or a 2m/440 handheld (depending on the level of 440 activity in the area).    You can buy a mobile antenna and use the handheld in the vehicle as well until/unless you decide to invest in a mobile rig.

2m/440 will have the most activity pretty much anywhere, and is used at most (all?) public service type events that hams may be assisting at.

Afterwards, hams tend to branch out into whatever seems interesting to them - HF, microwave, moonbounce, etc.   

Pretty much any radio you buy can be made to work packet - just depends on what accessories you need to connect it to a TNC.   Some mobile rigs (all Kenwood?) have TNCs built in.

I always suggest to new hams that they try out the radios that they are thinking of buying if possible... Find someone at a ham radio club that has it and ask them to demonstrate how to do common things like enter a frequency, offset, and PL...  Some radios are more intuitive to a given person than others - and it's a Ford vs. Chevy mentality sometimes - some prefer Icom, some Kenwood, some Yaesu, some Alinco, etc, etc, etc.

One more "newbie" tip - if you buy a mobile antenna, you WILL get what you pay for...   Expect to spend around $100 for a GOOD antenna and mobile mount.   Spend the "extra" money over the cheapie antennas and get one that will perform much better and last much longer.    That being said, antenna construction projects can be some of the most rewarding, instructional, and useful "self-training" you can ever have - and those skills translate to CAP.  You can make a J-pole antenna from TV twinlead cable, a piece of coax, and (optionally) some PVC for ~$30 that will make an outstanding base station antenna at a fraction of the cost.   

[CadetProgramGuy]

73's, KC0RHY

[Major Lord]

Joe,

Yaesu makes a mobile and a hand-held with TNC's built in too. Like the Kenwood's, they are both a little too much radio for a brand new ham, since using the advanced features takes a lot of experience.

Major Lord
AF6OF
Y222

[BTCS1*]

Welcome to the world of ham radio!
73,
KC2ULR

[AlphaSigOU]

Thanks to all of you for the congratulations! Even got my name in this week's base newsletter, The Kwajalein Hourglass.

We do have a dedicated ham shack in Kwaj; most of the work we do is on the 10m band (which I can't operate on yet)but few use the 2m/70cm bands. We have a VHF repeater, but it needs repair. A few years ago many of the boaters on Kwaj used to get an amateur license to operate the phone patch; very useful to call the wife in case you were running late, (A good fish story!)

For us newbies, we'll probably provide VHF communications support for the Rustman triathlon next month. If atmospheric conditions are right, the Kwaj ham shack call sign is V73AX. We usually work the shack on the weekends.

[AlphaSigOU]

Just got my call sign issued today: KJ6GHO.

[DBlair]

Your call sign has a nice ring to it.




73,

N2ZJM

[Major Lord]

Are they doing APRS out there yet?

Major Lord
AF6OF
Y222

[AirDX]

Hi all,

I think I was first licensed in 1976... maybe 1977.  Current call is KH6A.

73!

[Spaceman3750]

Sorry for the bump, but I didn't see a point in a new topic.

I just passed my technician test today. Waiting to show up in the ULS .

[Major Lord]

Outstanding! You can use the time waiting for your license to post to start studying for that General Class test!

Major Lord
AF6OF

[wuzafuzz]

Sorry for the bump, but I didn't see a point in a new topic.

I just passed my technician test today. Waiting to show up in the ULS .

Congratulations!  I hope you have a lot of fun with it.  :-)

Eric
N6RFI

[starshippe]

. . congrats, i believe u will find ham radio a multi faceted hobby. i'm sure u will find a facet or two that u enjoy.
. . a general class license wud get u onto hf, where u wud find a few gazillion hams world wide who wud be most interested in talking to u, either as a kx6 or v73. ur in a very rare place.
. . from the looks of the island, u will probably be able to see all the folks u will be talking to on vhf, lmao. and, i don't see any echo link connections. persevere for the general and the world will open up to u.

73,
bill
k4tve

[indygreg]

I've noticed alot of amateur radio operators here.  Do you find it beneficial for CAP?

[jks19714]

I've noticed alot of amateur radio operators here.  Do you find it beneficial for CAP?

I guess that I'll be finding out soon.  I'm an old ham (W3JKS) and Army MARS-tian and SHARES member (AAT3BF/AAM3EDE/AAM3RE/AAA9SL/NCS207), but a brand new CAP member (as of 3/8!). 

Best regards to the new hams!

73,
john
Diamond Flight to-be-determined 

[JoeTomasone]

I've noticed alot of amateur radio operators here.  Do you find it beneficial for CAP?

Absolutely.

The radio training in CAP is very basic, and literally starts out with "here is the power switch".   This is great for newcomers to radio communications, but it stops far, far short (IMHO) of what is needed to actually keep a station on the air in less than perfect conditions.

Active participation and experimentation in ham radio can teach you many valuable skills that can directly impact a CAP mission. 


* Construct, repair, or better place antennas when required.    Antennas fall, fail, and are hit by lightning.  If you show up to the mission base and the antenna was destroyed, what will you do?   ("Sorry, sir, the antenna is fried, we're closing the mission base!").

* Understand and utilize emergency power.   Get that radio powered even when the power fails.    Hams naturally orient themselves to thinking this way and thus preparing for it. 

*  Gain valuable operating practice, both as a net participant and as a net control station.    I've been the NCS for dozens of CAP nets.   I've been the NCS for hundreds of ham radio nets, and during actual operations, not just a weekly-checkin type of net.    Public service events (like marathons, walkathons, etc) that ham radio serves offer tons of valuable experience in terms of learning proper operating skills.

* Ham Radio Clubs: Your communications graduate school.    Join a ham radio club.   If it's like most clubs, if someone there doesn't know how it's done, it likely hasn't been done yet.     Hams are an exceptionally friendly fraternity, and will gladly share knowledge and tips with their brethren.   

[RADIOMAN015]

I've noticed alot of amateur radio operators here.  Do you find it beneficial for CAP?

Absolutely.

The radio training in CAP is very basic, and literally starts out with "here is the power switch".   

Active participation and experimentation in ham radio can teach you many valuable skills that can directly impact a CAP mission. 

* Construct, repair, or better place antennas when required.   
* Understand and utilize emergency power.   Get that radio powered even when the power fails.   
*  Gain valuable operating practice, both as a net participant and as a net control station.   
* Ham Radio Clubs: Your communications graduate school.    Join a ham radio club. 

Well put, as you know in CAP it's usually the "minimum" requirement that is met by many and there's some pretty dumb people walking around with "radio operators cards" and even worse "mission radio operator" designations.   One CUL even had an issue with an arrogant, fool of an IC that couldn't understand that with the altitude restriction imposed within the region, without a high bird it would be impossible to communicate with some aircraft.
At least IF we recruit some ham radio operators they have common sense to know what the limitations are and if there's any way to work around the limitations  Many CAP'ers are more interested in getting as many ratings as they can rather than really understanding how things operate and how to solve problems.
I have a great time now in CAP comm since I recruited another amateur radio hobbyists and we are able to do a lot of things ham as well as CAP radio wise.  HOPEFULLY, we can get others motivated enough to want to learn things and perhaps even get their amateur radio license.   Remember the motto for ham radio ARES "amateur radio is there when all else fails!!"  (We've been especially interested in simplex operation as well as long distance repeater access via radio "hot spots").
Good luck and welcome to the amateur radio hobby!!! :clap:
RM
 

[Eclipse]

"Mission Radio Operator" is all the average CAP member will ever need - in fact even that exceeds the need.

Here is what is required of 80% of radio operators in CAP.

Power Switch.

Push to Talk Button.

Channel Selector (occasionally).

The average field asset, air or ground, has no reason or need to understand "why" or "how" their radio works any more than
they need to understand how their cell phone works.  Ask your average PD or FD person how their radio works and they will
show you the above.

Recruiting more people with a HAM license won't fix arrogant IC's.

[Persona non grata]

 :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[GroundHawg]

Congratulations! It should not take 2-3 weeks for the FCC to post your call sign, unless the VE's sent the materials by sailing ship! Is there much activity down there on Tech bands? Getting your General should open up the world a bit for you, and the test is not too hard.

Ya gotta remember... I'm an 'inmate' of 'Kwajatraz Federal Penitentiary' - ahem, the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll - we only get mail flown in from Honolulu twice a week, and that's if the plane doesn't break down! 

I took the General immediately after the Tech test, but didn't pass this time. Hopefully, it went in the mail on tonight's C-17 from Hickam, if not, it'll go on Tuesday's ATI flight. Once it gets to Hono is when mail resumes speedy delivery.

Im considering a position with KRS. How is the quality of life for "accompanied"?

[indygreg]

I've noticed alot of amateur radio operators here.  Do you find it beneficial for CAP?

Absolutely.

The radio training in CAP is very basic, and literally starts out with "here is the power switch".   This is great for newcomers to radio communications, but it stops far, far short (IMHO) of what is needed to actually keep a station on the air in less than perfect conditions.

Active participation and experimentation in ham radio can teach you many valuable skills that can directly impact a CAP mission. 


* Construct, repair, or better place antennas when required.    Antennas fall, fail, and are hit by lightning.  If you show up to the mission base and the antenna was destroyed, what will you do?   ("Sorry, sir, the antenna is fried, we're closing the mission base!").

* Understand and utilize emergency power.   Get that radio powered even when the power fails.    Hams naturally orient themselves to thinking this way and thus preparing for it. 

*  Gain valuable operating practice, both as a net participant and as a net control station.    I've been the NCS for dozens of CAP nets.   I've been the NCS for hundreds of ham radio nets, and during actual operations, not just a weekly-checkin type of net.    Public service events (like marathons, walkathons, etc) that ham radio serves offer tons of valuable experience in terms of learning proper operating skills.

* Ham Radio Clubs: Your communications graduate school.    Join a ham radio club.   If it's like most clubs, if someone there doesn't know how it's done, it likely hasn't been done yet.     Hams are an exceptionally friendly fraternity, and will gladly share knowledge and tips with their brethren.

You've reinforced what I already thought, but it's nice to hear it confirmed.  I have been considering getting my Tech license, ane we have a club here that is very involved with county EMA.  Only problem is, no extra cash for equipment right now.  I may go ahead and get the license anyway just for the educational value.

[JoeTomasone]

Here is what is required of 80% of radio operators in CAP.

Power Switch.

Push to Talk Button.

Channel Selector (occasionally).

The average field asset, air or ground, has no reason or need to understand "why" or "how" their radio works any more than
they need to understand how their cell phone works.  Ask your average PD or FD person how their radio works and they will
show you the above.

Granted, but PD/FD have comms folks to fix things that go wrong.    CAP essentially doesn't, certainly not on the local level.   Therefore, radio knowledge and a certain degree of Macguyverism are always handy things to have.    Consider this:  Wing DC sends radios to Group DC who assigns them to Squadrons who may or may not have a DC.   Who installs the radio properly if all anyone knows how to do is Power/Channel/PTT?

Only problem is, no extra cash for equipment right now.  I may go ahead and get the license anyway just for the educational value.

You don't need to start off expensive.   You can pick up a 2-meter handheld for $100 or so.    Build yourself a J-Pole antenna for it with parts from Radio Shack and experiment as you save some money versus buying one from a store.     That's part of the fun.   

I definitely concur that you should get the license anyway - many clubs have club stations that can be used by their members, and I wouldn't be surprised if a club members sold you an old HT they had laying around cheap -- or even just gave it to you.

[Eclipse]

Granted, but PD/FD have comms folks to fix things that go wrong.    CAP essentially doesn't, certainly not on the local level.   Therefore, radio knowledge and a certain degree of Macguyverism are always handy things to have.    Consider this:  Wing DC sends radios to Group DC who assigns them to Squadrons who may or may not have a DC.   Who installs the radio properly if all anyone knows how to do is Power/Channel/PTT?

I didn't say CAP did not need qualified technicians for install and setup, I said the average member has no need for those abilities - the radios are programmed and issued by the wing, and if they break, you return it for a trade-in and wing worries about the repair, which is what essentially happens in many wings now, anyway, that have strict "no program / no fix" on the corporate assets they have issued.

[RADIOMAN015]

"Mission Radio Operator" is all the average CAP member will ever need - in fact even that exceeds the need.

Here is what is required of 80% of radio operators in CAP.

Power Switch.

Push to Talk Button.

Channel Selector (occasionally).

The average field asset, air or ground, has no reason or need to understand "why" or "how" their radio works any more than
they need to understand how their cell phone works.  Ask your average PD or FD person how their radio works and they will
show you the above.

Recruiting more people with a HAM license won't fix arrogant IC's.

Well of course those using the radios have to be able to comprehend what is being said (even in less than ideal receiving conditions e.g. static etc) and actual comply or relay the information to those that need to make the decision.  They also have to have some fundamental knowledge that if you are in a valley versus on a hill  it is likely that your communications range will be impacted.  They do have to remember to plug in the antenna wire to the radio and also make sure the wire is connected to the antenna.   I've noted with EF Johnson that some adults are totally clueless after 2 months on how to change channels and have to be retrained.

It's unfortunate for CAP that many that hold radio operators licenses and/or mission radio operator status really are not getting sufficient practice on the radio on a regular basis and this impacts proficiency.  As an an amateur radio operator, most hobbyists are talking at least once or twice a week under various comm conditions, so retain knowledge and a certain 'radio ear' that others will not have.

I'd encourage CAP members to get their amateur radio license at least at the tech level.  There's 5 watt combo VHF/UHF portable on the market now for $99.99.  Locally we even use simplex for non CAP emergency services activities to coordinate at times.
RM   

[Eclipse]

I'd encourage CAP members to get their amateur radio license at least at the tech level.  There's 5 watt combo VHF/UHF portable on the market now for $99.99.  Locally we even use simplex for non CAP emergency services activities to coordinate at times.

$99.00?

In these tough economic times who has $99 to spend on something like that?

Much better to just use the phone.

In these tough economic times.