Pleased as Punch!

As some of you know, I recently became a licensed operator having passed my foundation with the Essex Ham course which was recommended to me on this very site.

I am pleased to announce I have started making contacts with my very first one being the Stirling and District Amateur Radio Society GM6NX who were out portable on 2m at the peak of Ben Lomond (a good 50km away from me) with a radio, batteries, solar panels and a Yagi they hoisted all the way up there and I just made my first HF contact on 20m who was another recently licenced operator called Martin M7IMA down in Bristol.

To say I am pleased as Punch is an understatement, I wouldn't have done it without the support and encouragement from other Charlie Tango members on the forum, I really can't thank you enough guys for giving me the push I needed to take the test which I sailed through!

I meant to say my new call-sign is MM7AXH but I think 11m will always be my first love, it is where I come from and I will have no shame in telling others that either!

73's 

Alan

well done and please keep up the real qso's, dont fall down the FT8 hole and never come back

tigersaw wrote:

well done and please keep up the real qso's, dont fall down the FT8 hole and never come back

Thank you, although I am interested in setting up for the digital modes including FT8 and have the Data interface for my rig, my love of radio is based upon chatting to others on it when I DX I like to try and have a conversation with the person and not just a quick radio report as I hear many others doing at times.

Hi Alan,

Great to hear about your pass, getting your call sign and above all enjoying the experience.
Also nice to hear your great attitude regarding CB and the love of a real vocal person to person transmission.


All the best,
Victor

Thank you very much, I spent much of yesterday crawling about in my loft doing a stealth installation of a ZS6BKW upgrading from the half size G5RV antenna I had been using to listen on the various bands.

I am still waiting for a 1 to 1 balun to arrive but I have it connected up with a air choke at the moment and it tunes up great and has really lit some of the bands up for me.

Even though this is a compromise installation I don't think anybody would be dissapointed with the results I am getting which in this day and age of strict antenna rules and nieghbours who like to complain at anything at all should give others hope if they are facing strict regulations.

I am clearly a little long in the tooth for crawling around dark and dusty loft spaces as I have several aches and pains today but it has most deffinately been a very worth while endeavour!

73's

Alan

Congratulations Alan, I love being a Ham there is so much scope for different things to try. As you say I also love 11m as it’s where I started and also thanks to the encouragement of a CT member of yesteryear (M0WIT). I’ve never worked him but do see his APRS packets, lol.

Congrats Alan. Now get yourself registered on qrz.com.

Paul.

Nice one Alan and all good stuff 

Maybe catch you on the short skip 20m 


Well done  


Craig 73

Thank you guys, my 1 to 1 balun arrived and I finished fine tuning my ZS6BKW yesterday, this antenna resonates on several bands and I am really taken aback by it's performance so far.

I have been reprogramming my handies and CRT Micron with the 2M channels, 70CM, PMR and all the Scottish repeaters (you never know where you may end up) so far I have created image files in CHIRP for the Baofeng UV82 and CRT Micron with this line up so if anybody would like them it will save you a couple of hours of programming (at least).

Having invested in the Mini60 antenna analyser I now wonder how I ever managed without one, I am sure I would have managed but what a cracking bit of kit at a reasonable price too.

I look forward to catching each and every one of you across the bands at some point and will listen out for you!

73's

Alan

Congratulations chap.

Enjoy the wide world of the bands.

Adam
M7LRO

Well done Alan. Many congratulations.  Enjoy, now head for Intermediate License ..more power.



73s

Tony

2EOSBS

Hi Alan,
Congratulations, and I say that with a little envious tone LOL, CB is where it all started for me as well, been contemplating taking the foundation for a long time, so am now doing the Essex Ham course, I have booked my exam for October so fingers crossed.

Thanks guys, the intermediate handbook arrived the other day as electronics features a bit more I was thinking of picking up some hobby electronics kits, I used to build them as a kid but I have forgotten most if what I learned if honest.

I found a chap on Etsy who does lovely crystal and single valve radio kits they really are a thing of beauty something you would be proud to have on display. I will leave a link as I am sure some of you will appreciate these kits they really are very good indeed:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BORDENRADIO

With a background in CB/11m Amigo, I don't see you going far wrong, you will already have a good grasp of much of the curriculum, it was licencing conditions, band plans and call signs I needed guidance with and the Essex Ham course is very good indeed.

One pointer I would give is: pause the videos and make some notes, draw the diagrams out it really helps to imprint things on your memory, much more than watching the footage and reading the handbook alone I found.
I have every confidence you will pass they have an extremely high convertion ratio of students to licence holders!

73's

Alan