Call Sign Request (Issued)

Hi,

I would like to request a Charlie Tango call sign please.  

My name is Will Harley, I am based in Blakeney on the North bank of the Severn betwen Chepstow and Gloucestershire.  My home location is not the best for getting out (SE/NW facing valley) but I have some great spots very close by which have line of sight to a large area.  I am interested in CB, PMR and hope to get my foundation license at some point when I have time (I have two young kids!)

Many thanks in advance...

Will

Hi Will,

Welcome to Charlie Tango.


Call signs are usually issued most days but our Admin responsible for them is taking a well deserved break for a few days. As soon as he is back he'll no doubt get you a call sign as soon as he can.


I wouldn't worry about being in a valley so much for radio work, I live in a deep dark hole surrounded by high ground on most sides and still able to enjoy my radios. On CB frequencies when the propagation or 'skip' is favourable your signals are mostly bouncing off the ionosphere, so although low take off angle is favourable for long distances you'll be surprised how far you can get! (Summer skip on CB is awesome!)

I took my Foundation last year which has been great in giving me so many frequencies and bands to explore. With lower HF frequencies you can easily work NVIS, (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave), so radio signals going upwards can bounce some 400-500 miles away and even in my valley location I've had contacts in the 2000-3000 mile range!

VHF and UHF is supposed to be 'line of sight' but you can often get much further distances than thought possible. Those radio signals also 'bend' and tropospheric conditions can carry them a hundred plus miles away. Even UHF frequencies can hold some excitement and I've been able to fire 70cm signals, (433Mhz, so just below PMR frequencies), through 'gaps' in the hillsides.

I'd love to do some high ground work however disability prevents me from doing such things, but it hasn't held back the radio possibilities.

As for studying for Foundation around family commitments it can be done as you can pretty much study as and when you wish. The final exam, (remember they are available online nowadays too), is a maximum of 50 minutes and usually available almost any day from 8am to 8pm so can be squeezed in with even the busiest of lifestyles.


It doesn't all have to cost a fortune either, I have all this radio fun with a 40 year old HF set and a £20 Baofeng along with some home made antennas......

....and it all started with joining Charlie Tango and simply asking for a call sign.


All the best,
Victor

Hi Will, welcome to the CTDX group 
73s
Steve.

Hello and welcome, Will.

73s John.

Hi,

Thanks very much for the welcome and lots of detail!  This does look like a great/supportive community!  I am very much at the beginning of the process of getting involved but my next step is to get a decent portable Ariel together (probably a T2LT) and get up my local hill.  I need to get familiar with the most usable local Nets also.

73 to you all and hopefully meet some of you on the air!

Will

Hi Will, welcome to the group.

Hello Will, welcome to the forum.

I am delighted to allocate you 26-CT-4066 may you have good luck with it.

73's Gary.

C.T. Admin.

Thanks very much for processing the ID, I will get my kit together and head off up the hill soonest and start using it!

73s!

Will