What is keeping you from going ham?

[W9WD]

Amateur radio operators are a cross section of society. Some are egotistical assholes and some are not. Some are snobby and some are not. Some are willing to help you and some are not. To try to generalize and say all "xxxx" are this way or that way is just plane stupid.

Being an amateur radio operator does not keep you from doing anything. It opens a million doors that allow you to do things that you can't legally do in the 11 meter band. It is, in fact, liberating

If you are unwilling to follow rules, guidelines and laws then perhaps it is just being an outlaw that you like and not just being a CB operator. If that's the case then probably it is best that you stay on 11m and raise your brand of hell there.

 

[ButtFuzz]

Just Do It..

I REALIZED ITS EASY ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ STUDY 15-20 MINUTES A NIGHT THATS IT!! Take a few practice tests which are free and there ya have it. I a few months later did the same with my General with the exact same results along with studying or helping my wife my 13 year old daughter and a 12 year old son with there tech license we all went in and all walked out smiling. I have a 9 year old daughter who is also studying for tech as the other 3 get ready for General.

Yessir, what he said.

Go to QRZ.com* (don't mention you're a cber if you post... that's another subject) and look for their online exams. They are taken straight from the most recent question pools. I GUARANTEE that if you take the exams, one every day at lunch for two weeks, you will ACE the test. Study and memorize the answers you get wrong. Do this AS CLOSE to two weeks before the testing session as you can. You'll begin to get 100% on the sample tests about tuesday of the second week of studying. Keep taking the tests, though... The weekend arrives and testing day is here... You blow the thing away. Ker-powee!!

I realize there are those who say this method should be illegal, because you're simply memorizing the answers and not being cognizant of the concepts or theory behind the questions. To that I say "who cares?". Not I. And you'll still retain the great majority of the concepts you're supposed to learn.

Q? Do you know what they call the person who graduates last in their class at medical school?
A: "Doctor"

Find the nearest testing station by Googling <your town> amatuer radio club, finding a nearby one, and look through their website for VE testing sessions.** One thing they almost always FAIL (EPIC FAIL) to mention is that they are allowed to charge a minimal "sitting fee" for time and materials for the test. Take $20 (four 5 dollar bills) and a couple of #2 pencils with you. The sitting fee, if any, is usually $15.

BEST OF SKILL.

And if you need any help of any kind, please contact me here. I'll be happy to research any information you need to the best of my ability.

* or eham.net - they have tests, too...
** there is also a site somewhere that amasses most all the testing going on...but the name escapes me at the moment.

ps. - <this in response to some of the other posts> -- the government already knows where you are...

 

[W9WD]

ARRLWeb: Exam Session Search

 

[Wire Weasel]

Up until they dropped the morris code requirement for the Tech license in the '90's....that dadburn morris code stopped me from becoming a ham.

Up until they dropped the morris code requirement for General and above, the dadburn morris code stopped me from upgrading.

Aw shucks morris code is great stuff, nothing against it, it's just that it stopped making any sense many moons ago to force folks to learn it just to become a ham or to obtain HF privileges. I simply don't like it and refused to be forced to do it. Didn't miss out on nuthin.'

I do both CB & ham

 

[fnkycoldmedina]

QUOTE
Those that did come from CB and now distance themselves can be looked at the same as a reformed drinker or smoker that now distances them self from those things that he knows were wrong in the first place. Face, whether you want to admit it or not CBer's have brought the negative image upon themselves with the blatant disregard for the rules such as freebanding and highpower along with the insane ranting and rambling that you hear when DX is rolling especially on ch 6 and 19. Many folks grew up and realise what they did before was illegal and now want nothing to do with it.It's not called being snobby,it's called being accountable.


this is exactly the kind of opinion that keeps me from wanting to ever be a ham .i would have to kick my own ass if i ever became such a prude.

 

[W9WD]

Up until they dropped the morris code requirement for the Tech license in the '90's....that dadburn morris code stopped me from becoming a ham.

Up until they dropped the morris code requirement for General and above, the dadburn morris code stopped me from upgrading.

Aw shucks morris code is great stuff, nothing against it, it's just that it stopped making any sense many moons ago to force folks to learn it just to become a ham or to obtain HF privileges. I simply don't like it and refused to be forced to do it. Didn't miss out on nuthin.'

Me too sort of.
I have the type of brain that just doesn't get morse code. I tried like hell in the 70s and just could not get it.
I was so glad to hear the code part was dropped.

 

[ButtFuzz]

ARRLWeb: Exam Session Search

Thank you!
Thank you very much!

<flatus..>

Elvis has left the building.

QUOTE this is exactly the kind of opinion that keeps me from wanting to ever be a ham .i would have to kick my own ass if i ever became such a prude.

See? <regarding quote above...> Not all hams are uptight... nor are they prudes. Look, folks... don't let what you think of others (or what you perceive others think of you) keep you from FURTHERING you own education regarding RADIO. Or whatever addiction/pleasure/vice you have. I am PLEASED that people have different opinions than I do, and I am very happy when they can state them in a manner that makes me consider their side of the debate (or argument). It allows me do do some research and exercise my brain prior to exercising my mouth. (or fingers, as the case may be whilst keyboarding or writing...)

As I love to say...

Open your mind...
Just don't open it so far your brains fall out!

 

[W9WD]

Wish me luck
I take my "Extra" exam tonight

 

[undertaker]

I would have to sell all of my export stuff!!! Lose to much money on it.

Plus I swore to myself I took the last test I was gonna take when I took the National Board Exams to be a Funeral Director/ Embalmer!! That was hard enough................

 

[ButtFuzz]

Wish me luck
I take my "Extra" exam tonight

Good SKILL, dude. I know you'll do just fine. And then you'll have that extra little bitty portion of bandwidth here and there.

Just had to poke you on that one...


Seriously... Godspeed.

Rob

 

[ButtFuzz]

I would have to sell all of my export stuff!!! .

Who says?

No you don't... In fact, you could use it, "legally", on 10 meters. What you do with it "elsewhere" is no concern of mine. There is NO rule at all saying you can't use it on 10 meters. If the mod limiter is clipped, or if the ALC is wide open or defeated, one jerk in 100** will give you some lip service, but SO WHAT? Turn it down a bit and you're done. I've talked all over the world on my Magnum 257.

Go for it, man...


** and you can't tell me you can carry on a conversation with 100 people on the CB without a much higher percentage of people giving you some shizzat. I talk on the CB every night and I know it to be true...

 

[W9WD]

Yah I'm using my 2950DX on 10m (for now) No problems

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Becoming a ham is a lot like having to register your guns in my view. And the less the government knows about what I have or don't have, the better I feel.

What is it that the government will know about you if you got a ticket?? As far as anonimity goes, I hope you don't have a drivers licence. That's all the government needs to find out about you.

 

[ButtFuzz]

<this in response to some of the other posts> -- the government already knows where you are...

See above...

Or, as my father wrote on a "how's our service?" survey in a motel room in Atlantic City one time that was full of roaches: <he squished one ... and literally taped it to the survey ...>

"Your rooms are teeming with Periplaneta Americana"
"SEE ATTACHED"

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

QUOTE
Those that did come from CB and now distance themselves can be looked at the same as a reformed drinker or smoker that now distances them self from those things that he knows were wrong in the first place. Face, whether you want to admit it or not CBer's have brought the negative image upon themselves with the blatant disregard for the rules such as freebanding and highpower along with the insane ranting and rambling that you hear when DX is rolling especially on ch 6 and 19. Many folks grew up and realise what they did before was illegal and now want nothing to do with it.It's not called being snobby,it's called being accountable.


this is exactly the kind of opinion that keeps me from wanting to ever be a ham .i would have to kick my own ass if i ever became such a prude.

I am not a prude. Some people just have a hard time accepting reality that's all. Like it or not but I spoke the truth. I have freely admitted here that I got started in CB when I was 14 years old. I even ran outside the band and with a little power (100 watts). I haven't done it for over 20 years since I got my ticket. I also do not berate anyone that still does it it's just that it no longer interests me. Amateur radio has SOOOOO much more to offer.As for the ass kicking, your right. Someone needs their ass kicked but it is not the ones speaking the truth,it is the ones that fail to listen or accept it.

I shall refrain from any more comments in this thread as I am afraid things will end up exactly as Moleculo hoped they would not and I do not want to be a part of that scenario. Flame away if you want but I shall only be reading from this point on.