Study guide for license exam in February

[W4KVW]

I've caught myself in the Extra portion of the band's a few times. Seems like I'm missing out on a lot of DX contact's o. I'm going to pass this sucker soon. IMHO the extra bandwidth is worth it to me. After that, I'm going to tackle CW. I would at least like to be able to decipher Beacons. I guess all this studying can't hurt this old brain.

I know it can hurt & why I avoid it at all cost. I dealt with it just long enough to pass the Code Test & that was long enough giving myself a headache from Hell. It was NOT in any way fun & many feel like a waste of time since I never use it but I did not want them giving me the General license without it so I forced myself to do it & check it off of my bucket list. I did not have it on that list to ever use it. I can't even pick out my own call sign any longer & it does not bother me one bit. I am a 100% Phone guy so I use great microphones on all my gear so I sound great. {:>)

SIX-SHOOTER

 

[Alan Blackmon]

My bro-in-law and i took our tests last night. He passed tech and i passed tech and general. He has wanted a license since he was a kid, he is now 74. It was nice to share the moment. Now comes the fun part, planning the shacks and setting up. YAY[/QUOTE

Congratulations to both of you. Yeah doing it together would be a good memory moment. Now the fun begins for the two of you. Getting a station set up. Hope you have as much fun as I am having. I have not got on the air yet as I have been errecting and tuning my antenna. I am just about done. I have been taking my time about it and shall we say savoring the moment. Again congratulations to you both.

 

[old goat 321]

Thanks Alan. Ive read your posts . You and many others here have been a inspiration for me. Congrats back to you . Maybe one day we will be able to put each other in the logs. YAY

 

[Beetle]

All of the above is not always correct now.

Especially if "All of the above" is the first choice listed. Just as bad would be "One of the above" as a final choice. And yes, I've seen "One of the above" on a test and I checked that block. Got it right! (The instructor asked me if I knew the other right answer. I did.)

 

[W4KVW]

Especially if "All of the above" is the first choice listed. Just as bad would be "One of the above" as a final choice. And yes, I've seen "One of the above" on a test and I checked that block. Got it right! (The instructor asked me if I knew the other right answer. I did.)

One of the above on A TEST but NOT an Amateur Radio Test Correct?

SIX-SHOOTER

 

[Alan Blackmon]

So I have been busy with the Hustler 5btv antenna. I have it cleaned some parts replaced. More caps have also been ordered for the traps due to age and cracking. I had to do some adjustment on the traps to get them tuned and then did some more fine tuning. I am familiar with tuning SWR on CB antennas and this was going to the next level in tuning. Had a great time. Took some time but it was a real good learning experience. I am waiting for the plastic caps for the traps to arrive tomorrow and I will do the finishing touches on final tunes and getting the traps sealed with new caps.

 

[Alan Blackmon]

So I thought a few pictures might be in order. Often there is those who say no pictures it didn't happen. So here goes.

I dug a hole for the pole. Pole is in ground just about 3 feet in a wide hole and a pad at the top. I was lucky to get down as far as I did. Soil here is very rocky here. Those rocks can stop any deeper holes. I was also very lucky in that the point I chose to begin the digging had no roots to get in my way. I was very fortunate.

 

[Alan Blackmon]

I did cut the pole down to about 18 inches out of the ground. As you can see there is a ground rod. It DOES NOT go into the cement. I mounted the vertical and as you can see it is hidden in some junipers growing in the back yard.

This hiding was for a neighbor who complains about the CB antennas she can see from her yard. My wife also wanted me to hide it mostly for the benefit of the neighbors sake.

 

[Alan Blackmon]

I ended up putting 28 radials in the ground. Behind the fence is a common area of the HOA. 8 of the radials found their way into that section. No one ever goes back there. It is a service area for the irrigation water company if ever they need to access a pipe for inspection. I have seen them there once in twenty years. So the only people that get back there is the lawn mowing company. The radials were buried during a rain storm. The rest were installed in my yard on the ground and will eventually the lawn will grow over and hide them. I did a make radial connector ring around the base of the antenna. I got the idea from a hams web site when he shared what he did. Mine isn't as fancy but I hope it does the job.

 

[Alan Blackmon]

How I made the ring was I used 3 strands of 12ga solid wire that I had from when my dad and I rewired a house we were living in decades back. I have held onto that leftover roll of wire and this antenna project used up the last of it. Some of the wire now is in ground as radials. I removed the insulation. I took three strands and placed one end in a vice. I then took the other end and put it in the jaws of a cordless drill. I wound up the three strands as tight as I dared. I formed a sort of ring and then a jumper was installed from the ground portion of the mast to the radial ring. I plan on at least one more jumper when I have the caps replaced and final tuning done. I will then also solder all the connections of ground jumpers and radials with silver solder and a propane torch.

 

[Alan Blackmon]

I am now setting up my station in a corner of the garage. More on that later if you would like. If not OK.

The corner it is going in had such easy access to house grounding point. My equipment will be grounded to this point. That project went pretty well.

There is so much to do. Coax to run. Maybe bury. Trying to decide what I want to do. The run will be with 150 feet of coax. Long run I know but it is what it is.

I have taken some time to listen in on all the bands this Icom 701 receives. My best reception to date has been in the evening on the 80 and 40 meter bands. Not a lot going on but some signals were very good and others were buried in the QRM that seems to be emanating from my house.

I had a CB antenna on the house and boy howdy is the house RF noisy. I will be looking into that more later when the wife is gone for a week to visit family. I have had to move the CB antenna off of the house (remember the neighbor who didn't like seeing my CB antenna?) and place it in a elm tree back away from the house. It did get the noise level from S5 to S7 down to S3. So her not liking the sight of the antenna turned out well in the end.

This antenna is a DIY antenna. Sort of a starduster type. It only has two counterpoise. Tuning is great. 1.2 across the CB band. Have not had a chance to do any contacts yet. CB here is still a bit slow. Guys on the band come and go and my schedule does not seem to match up with theirs. Oh well.

 

[Redbeard U812]

Alan, I built my 11m in the starduster fashion also. Used scrap aluminum tubing. Have horz. bracing with fiberglass elect fencing rods stabilizing GP Elements. Was taking it down to work on and tilt over ran away on me. Took out the top element. Replaced with a 102" whip and HD spring. Have 1.1 to 1.2 across band also. The whip is less visible and the high winds here don't affect it. Make contacts from South TX. all over with mine. Good luck with the new set up.

 

[Slamm]

https://hamexam.org

Flash cards, practice exams, question pool.

 

[old goat 321]

General license hit the database today. Yay. Taking the extra class exam on april 9. Im official.

 

[Riverman]

General license hit the database today. Yay. Taking the extra class exam on april 9. Im official.

Cool!!!