CQ...CQ...CQ...any hams out there?

I was big into CB radio back in the 70's. Those were fun times!
 Received my technician license for HAM a few years ago and played around with 2 meter for awhile but just didn't hold my interest for very long. Never went any farther with it.

Wondering how the digital age and the internet have affected Ham's ? Never got into it, but I was an ardent Shortwave enthusiast and the digital age knocked that pastime into oblivion.

Ham will always be wonderful for "off the grid". My complaint is the difficulty in going through a test that is rarely given and given in less places.

That is mostly my point. I could see paying a fee and accepting some sort of set of rules. Ham is used more and more for people off the grid and in homebound cases. It shouldn't be brain surgery.

And for all those truckers out there.. ya all remember this guy?

having been an active CERT for 10+years, was always interested, but too lazy to put in the required effort

Obviously just CB stuff, but I was going through some files and found my first CB handbook that came with a midland back in the 70's.





"Green stamps" got cut off in the pic= money




CB'ing was much better back in the day, people used to "break" allowing you to turn the stereo down and "come back" to them...now typically the few that use them just key up and gripe about someone, so most that have them leave them off... If you try to give heads up to a hazard like a freeway shut down miles before, they drive blindly into the mess, turn the radio on and ask "Hey, does anyone know why we are stopping?


I usually tell them that they missed the boat options on me giving them an alternative route ended a few miles back, as I am making my way on that route.




When I moved to Arizona, I brought a crank up antenna tower by Hygain that was like new for $60.00! I never put it up, because the HOA forbids antenna towers....about a week after I sold it on Craigslist, the president of the HOA told me that if I could have installed it and kept it lowered when transmitting, I could have used it. 


I Have an Antron 99 antenna all the coaxes and filters along with some vintage radio's, and a lighted "on the air" sign if I ever get around to assembling a radio shack. A buddy of mine has several aerials, one being a moonraker, he talks all over the world....but he doesn't live in an HOA either.

David, what city are you near? Many of the VE teams that give the tests will will set up special testing sessions for those who cannot get out to the regular testing site. As an example, one of our local teams went to a person’s home to give him the tests. He had taken the classes our club taught (free for members, $10 for non members to cover the cost of materials) and then got sick and had to have an appendectomy before the test sessions. He wanted to take the test once he got home from the hospital so we took the test to him.

If you’re interested in doing it, check with your local club to find out who is the team lead for the VE team and ask about getting the test session done.

I have that radio and it’s the best value for the dollar in the DMR field. DMR didn’t hold my interest as hardly anyone uses the Virginia statewide and it’s depressing to listen for hours and hear no one.