Morse Code

One of the big things that kept me from getting Amateur Extra earlier, and one major stumbling block that many people have had historically with Amateur Radio, is Morse Code. The requirement to learn it for the Technician level was removed in the United States in 1991, and for all license in 2007. I should make this very clear before I continue any further, Morse Code is not required for ANY amateur radio license in the United states, nor is it required by the ITU. Still, it is a common form of communication for amateurs, and if one knows it well, it can allow for communication through methods other than the voice that it typically represents.

Talking on Simplex on 2m

For the upcoming Virginia QSO contest, I will have to learn to make simplex contacts. Simplex is simply direct communication between two stations. There is only a small portion of the 2m band devoted to simplex, most it is rather crowed with repeater inputs and outputs. There is a certain challenge to getting in a simplex contact, you can make it happen.

Mission Accomplished!

As I've mentioned here a few times, I really have wanted to get an antenna up in my attic. This has a few really nice advantages. First of all, it allows me to have a permanent home for my antenna. I've been having to manually position my antenna closer to the window when I need to use it, causing a potential trip hazard. Secondly, it gets it above the aluminum siding of my home. There are all sorts of issues with that, but basically, it really blocks signal badly. Lastly, I wanted to use my new Arrow J-pole, which doesn't require an RF ground, as it is a balanced antenna. That allows me to greatly simplify my set up.

The Quest for Cable

As I've mentioned a few times, I'm looking to put antennas in my attic or otherwise in a high location. In order to really do that, I'm going to have to find some good quality cable. Cable is perhaps the unsung hero of amateur radio. You can have the worlds best antenna, and 1500 W out of your transmitter, but if your cable isn't up to snuff, then you can lose a significant portion of your power before it even hits the antenna.

Logbook of the World and QSL Cards

Historically, Hams wanted a way of showing other people that they had talked with people all over the world. At the time, the method chosen was the QSL Card.

Essentially, a QSL card is something received in the mail acknowledging that you had contact with someone. When I used to make satellite contacts, I would get them all the time. These cards cost money to print, money to send, but are cool notices that you talked with someone far away. Here is a sample card that I received some time ago, when I was in to doing satellite contacts.

Road to Amateur Extra

After I made my decision to upgrade my license, I started by taking an online practice test. I should say that I had a bit of an advantage over many people taking the test. I have a masters degree in Electrical Engineering. I currently work as a Satellite Engineer for a small satellite communications company. With those two advantages, and having a working understanding of amateur radio from my previous work with it, I was able to do pretty well. Just a few things I realize can get you most of the questions. If you can memorize these facts, then you are well on your way.

Virginia QSO Pary 2013

One of the big things that Hams like to do is contests. During these contests, the best operators will make thousands of contacts from over a hundred countries. I'm not able to do that, quite frankly. While I have the license for HF that is capable of world wide communication, I don't have the transceiver or antenna for it... Still, I've been interested in doing a competition of some sort. So, what options are there?