HAM and C.B Radio?

[Dak]

Hello Dakota here again... Just wondering if any brothers or sisters here are interested in HAM and/or C.B radio.

Dakota

[Brother_Bliss]

Hello Dakota here again... Just wondering if any brothers or sisters here are interested in HAM and/or C.B radio.

Dakota

My helper at work is a brother and likes CB radio. He's not a member here though because he does not have internet at home.

What is interesting, is that as technology progresses, CB radio continues to be popular. But it is not like you can read and type while driving.

[Dak]

Thanks for the reply bob, I was hoping there would be someone interested in talking on the radio that was a brother or sister for wholsome association, maby disscuss meeting frequencies/channels and such.

Dakota Müller

[boodles]

Hi Dakota,

Sorry to say I am not a HAM, but my dad is. (He's not a witness, though.) I tried for my basic license when I was a teenager, but i really didn't understand anything. Actually, I did pass half the test, but I didn't pass the morse code part. Seems like it should have been the other way around! My dad used to go T hunting with a club and he would listen to radio stations from other countries and somehow they would send him a QSL card, if my memory serves me correctly.

I sometimes think it would be useful to know about and use in case of emergencies.

[Dak]

Hello boodles, they removed the morse code from the test now, you used to have to tap out five words a minute I believe to pass the code portion of the test. QSL cards are to prove that the operator has contacted another operator they exchange them along with there meeting frequency and the conversation that it happpend on are also on the card.

Dakota

[Catalyst]

Wow this topic takes me back a ways. When I lived in England I was an amateur radio enthusiast.

I didn't take the morse code part of the exam so at that time was restricted on the licence to VHF/UHF bands.

It was great fun until the time when the Japanese electronics companies jumped on the bandwagon and started to produce

equipment that was far superior to what we could make. Until then I enjoyed conversation with other enthusiasts on how to build or improve equipment. That all changed when people could just pass the exam, buy a transceiver, plug in and just ramble on about anything they liked. It became quite boring and more like having a telephone in the house rather than feeling that you were doing something challenging. So I gave it up.

However, I remember one incident that was exciting. I lived in a valley so getting a VHF signal out to a fairly good distance was difficult. A friend of mine who lived on top of a hill had a far different experience. He could get almost up to Scotland sometimes on just 15 watts. I was limited to a much smaller radius. But one day I heard an Italian voice calling CQ. I though it was some breakthrough but I called him and he answered. I wondered what was happening but then realized it was a phenomena of sudden ionospheric disturbances (SID) caused by sunspots and rather than my VHF signal going out in to space it was reflected back to earth. So for a few minutes I enjoyed an international conversation on VHF. Of course the band went crazy when everyone realized what was going on so it became really crowded. After about 10 mins the phenomenon faded and everything was back to normal. And yes I did get my QSL card from the Italian guy.

But now I don't have a license anymore after moving to Japan but it was an interesting hobby.

[Samberr74]

i prefer ham and cheese!

[GrumpysWife]

i prefer ham and cheese!

:lol1:Cake??

[Catalyst]

I remember now. it was called Sporadic E propagation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporadic_E_propagation

I didn't have the chance to talk with any witnesses while on the air

but I am sure there are some who either, were (like me ), or are currently

using Ham radio.

Anyone out there with some interesting HAM ( cheese is not required) experiences ?

CQ CQ CQ..........