Took the Tech. test today!

[Mako1a]

WooHoo

I just passed the technicians test!!

Took the test in Radford, VA (now to find a good repeater).

Easy as pie. Nice bunch of people. I took the VX-8R and they all played with it.

Now I wait for the call sign and then off to DMV for my personalized plate.

Not bad for an old guy with an engineering background and geek wannabe.

Dave

 

[longhaireddwb]

well congratulations!

I took the test last Saturday and found my call on the web site on Wednesday so its not that long of a wait.

 

[Sonwatcher]

Congrats !

 

[Mako1a]

Thanks all

I didn't even know what a FRN was when I went in to test.

Had to use SSN. ewww Now I'm going to check daily for my call sign.

A couple months of listening to how it all works then it's off to the races.

LH, glad you let me know it only takes days instead of weeks to get on the register. That will be nice. I wonder what the sign will be. 2 1 2, 2 1 3??

Dave

 

[longhaireddwb]

You know it has to do with your location and then there will only be one number in it. You should know this from the test you took.

 

[Mako1a]

Now that the test is out of the way the real education starts with listening time to see how the big boys do it.

I may be off on the call sign stuff. I remember A,K,N and W from the test as the first letter. What comes after that still eludes me. I used a 1997 book so I never knew what was current and what was no longer relevant.

My book still listed Novice, Tech Lite and Tech Plus as license possibilities.

Now we need to give Triple Nickel a little encouragement so he can get the test out of the way. He sounds like he has experience. Sometimes all we need to do is jump in the pool and try to swim. You'll likely do just fine.

Dave

 

[AD8T]

Everyone was nice? Things have certainly changed.

--You must be thinking of the FCC days! :tongue:

33 yrs ago I took a day off work and drove 150 miles to the Pittsburgh Federal Bldg to take the General. There were maybe around a hundred people testing. After each round, the examiner would call each person up front, and if they didn't pass, he would make a big ceremony out of tearing up their application. Good times. No pressure! It's a wonder if he still had air in his tires after that session. Those who have only experienced VEC testing can't fully appreciate what a great thing it is.
Oh, and when I went to Chas. WV (another 150 miles) to take the Extra, the examiner forgot the exam key, so we had to wait over a month to know if we passed. l am happy for today's hams, that they don't have to go through that stuff. CONGRATS TO THE O.P. WELCOME!