If you haven’t yet, please click here to log in/register! Please include your callsign as your user name; or, make an amateur radio related post introducing yourself to our community in the “Welcome – Introduce yourself” topic in our forum. Our “Bot Patrol” will delete most registrants who do not follow this protocol.
Please keep your behavior and language civil. Amateur radio is a fun hobby for all, including younger folks. Please act as if your mother, your father, and the FCC are reading your posts and listening to you on the radio. Politics, religion, and other potentially sensitive or divisive subjects are best avoided. Discussions about particular models and types of equipment are welcome but this forum is NOT to be used as a place to buy, sell, or trade items.
We welcome your questions especially those related to establishing welcome nets in your area.
Hello and thanks to everyone for the Net, and now the website!
What got me in the hobby 94 days ago was from rediscovering local CB use/listening. That lead me to SDR to catch 11m freeband channels, and before I knew it I was listening to hams on most all the bands (160m thru 70cm) and local FRS/GMRS/MURS.
I was drawn to ham radio after hearing locals KC9UNI and W9YEA talking nightly. The final straw was listening to N9DHX talk about new hams and repeaters and I wanted to be a ham. I started taking pretests on HamExam and watched the Ham Radio 2.0 Technician prep videos a few weeks before taking my test.
I received my Tech ticket April 20, 2021 (KD9SMB) and logged 1189 contacts and 8 countries. My vanity was granted on July 16, 2021 (K9ATS, yes 9 KATS but I own 3 cats 😆) and so far I've logged 156 contacts and 4 countries with it.
I am on VHF, UHF, DMR, CQ100 (QsoNet), EchoLink, D-STAR, Zello, The Peanut (PA7LIM), and perhaps a AllStarLink node. Also whatever else I'm forgetting.
Eventually I'll upgrade my ticket to General, but for now I'm busy enough with digital modes and waiting for funds for HF gear. In that regard I used the one Covid relief check I did get to purchase most of my current gear. I thought it was the best use of the funds.
If you want to know more about me, my gear, see photos, some of my other hobbies, how to contact me, etc view my QRZ page.
