what a year

Wow what a year, in radio not covid 19.
March 2020 dug out my old midland and put a mag mount on a tin (DONT LAUGH).
April 2020 put up silver rod.
June 2020 CRT9900 from lamco.
August 2020 5/8 gain master went up.
As you can see I'm hooked by this point,
September 2020 yaesu ft450d from lamco(birthday prezzie to me ).
November 2020 got foundation licence.
January 2021 put up gwhip wire antenna.
march 2021 passed intermediate licence.
What's your radio story in the year of covid 19 ? 
As always stay safe,stay sane.
regards Mark
26CT3433

May 2020 worked 62 DXCC in that month alone on 10m SSB and finished year on 102 for band/mode.
Only got out portable on a handfull of days inbetween lockdowns/stay at home for whole year .

My year in Radio wasn’t as active as yours Mark in fact I had little radio time. I did manage a few hilltops at varying points between lockdowns and a bit of temp ops from home. So, hoping for better things to come soon I hope. Hi Kevin btw

Nice to hear about your year in radio Mark and a nice positive spin on what was a tumultuous year for most.

Congratulations on your Intermediate pass too, kept that one under your hat.

To get from your old CB and mag-mount to where you are now in just a year is fantastic to hear about and you thoroughly deserve a pat on the back for your efforts!


Like you I had an exciting year with radio and not all down to my own efforts but thanks largely to recognition and help from others. The admin team here on Charlie Tango invited me to join their team and I have found this personally very rewarding. I made my first CB DX contact almost thirty years since my last foray into CB radio. I also learned from fellow members about the RSGB online exam opportunities and pursued my interests further. A dear friend loaned me a laptop to complete online training with much thanks to the efforts of Essex Ham and their online course. My loving wife paid for my examination fee....

I passed my RSGB exam moments before receiving the news that my youngest daughter had given birth to a little girl, our fifth grandchild. (Just a few short weeks later we welcomed our sixth grandchild, another girl from our eldest daughter!)

My new licence enabled me to speak to others on the Ham bands and I even became reacquainted with an old colleague and friend thanks to those transmissions. I have built test gear, restored radios, experimented with antennas and made more transmissions than I believed possible but with many more avenues to explore presented to me.


The last year is one we will never forget due to obvious reasons, but it also presented opportunities for some of us.

After becoming housebound after injury and ultimately disability in 2014, experiencing pain, misery and financial hardship, we all unfortunately experienced a year stuck at home and this helped some recognise my own difficulties faced. But my seventh year housebound has seen more smiles, more people spoken to, more friends made, more things learned and travelling great distances on the radio airwaves than I ever thought possible.

So I will always give my unending thanks to all of you here at Charlie Tango, members and admin alike for giving me a great year.


I look forward to more conversation, debate and discussion, humour, laughs and camaraderie with you all.


All my very best to everyone,
Victor

hi all, I think its safe to say its been a strange year, the radio has been a constant for me. I've had a lot of help along the way, Essex hams,gm6dx for the intermediate and of course you crazy lot who keep me entertained with your posts, not to forget RSGB for the online exam and the good people watching me on web cam.I thank you all.
hi victor, I do like to keep it positive. negativity is everywhere, sitting in my little shack(yes I even got my own room in the last year) i switch of to the world, while listening to the world. If you thing that's irony, I saw someone on an electric bike with an energy drink lol. back to radio,i did keep the intermediate under my hat, not for fear of failure but as an experiment.
let me explain.
I have no technical experience, didn't know a resistor from a diode but just did the maths.
needed 28/46 to pass.
14 tec questions leave 32 question's, now 28/32 its a bit tight until you factor in knowledge gained and the odd guess, which gave me 36/46.
i spent 6 weeks and £32?.
this is not a gloat, its how i see things, I look at the end game and work back, not the beginning and go forward.it seems to work for me.
hope this helps anybody thinking of moving up, but i only did it for the 50 watts to be honest.
also just ordered a SDR dongle if any one has advice, may start another tread.
As always stay safe, stay sane, radio friends
 Mark 26ct3433 and 2e0(what ever postman brings)

Honestly, well done Mark!

Yes, I saw your nice shack on your QRZ page, far tidier and more modern looking than my radio room.

Thanks for going into detail of your efforts in going through the Intermediate, that may very well help others achieve their goals.
I still personally think the electronics side of Amateur Radio licencing is a bit outdated or perhaps should be moved up to the full licence. (This coming from a qualified electronics engineer!) Not many 'Hams' actually build much in the way of electronics nowadays, (much cheaper and easier to buy prebuilt Chinese manufactured items!), and those that do tend to assemble kits more than anything.
(I'll wait for the tirade of the few 'Hams' that do still build stuff! )


Whatever, you aimed for Intermediate, reached your goal due to your own hard work and study finally reaching an Intermediate licence. Considering your own admissions into a lack of 'technical expertise' I think you did marvellously well!

It's just great that despite what was going on in the world, individuals like yourself pushed themselves to achieve goals. It does put a nice smile on your face.


I know what you mean though, going into my shack and turning on the radios then listening to the world is a little piece of heaven. 'Weird' to some, but luckily a sheer pleasure for those of us that 'get' radio.


I shall listen out for your SDR adventures, been thinking along those lines myself.


All my best to you Mark and all the other 'radio weirdos' here at Charlie Tango!
Victor