anyone any suggestion i need to fill my time

for the last 4 years I've been looking after mom, now she gone into a care home her home now emptied I've got a lot more on my hands and im feeling low because i now have nothing to do.
regards
dave

Hello Dave mate,

Sorry to hear about your Mother, you must be feeling rather at a loss after dedicating so much time looking after her.

It can make you feel rather guilty when you start thinking about what to now do with this apparent free time even if it might seem a somewhat welcome respite.

There's always the radio interest to fall back on and maybe start exploring other avenues of the radio hobby you haven't tried before. I fell into the so called FT8 'trap' but I know that there is always some action going on anytime of the day and night on different bands so always something to keep me occupied. Fills the log books up quick too!

Of course there's always other interests or hobbies to keep us occupied too depending on what you are able to do or is available to you.

The most important thing is to try and keep an active mind rather than pondering on current events but do allow yourself some time to adjust and even go through a certain grieving process if needed. Just make sure that after dedicating so much time for the care of a loved one that you don't forget about caring for yourself. It can seem difficult at first but you must remain healthy even if just for the fact you'll need your strength to go visit your Mother in the care home if and when you can.

You'll get through this Dave, just give yourself a little time and don't expect everything to miraculously fall into place at once.

I wish you all the very best there and do look after yourself,

Victor

Just noticed my presumptuousness there Dave, I don't even know if you have a Ham ticket or not?
(Re the FT8 suggestions.)

If you don't then that may be one avenue to explore and occupy some of your time. It's not as hard (or so easy) as some make out but with excellent course run by the likes of Essex Ham it's certainly makes it more doable. Even if you just sign up for the course and follow along for a little while it might be something to just simply occupy your time for a while. Certainly would keep your mind busy too!  

Failing that see if you can at least reach out to other family members, friends or others in the community. It doesn't all have to be radio....(Although for some of us it is a welcome affliction! )


Again, take care.

All the best,
Victor

Sorry to hear about your mum Dave.
I lost mine 24 years ago next month but still look at the clock at 1pm on a Sunday as i phoned her then she wouldn't answer the phone at any other time lol.
Did go and see her when i could but it was a 250 mile round trip.
As Victor said above go for your ticket if you don't already have it.
Chin up m8.

thanks everyone for your suggests and support, you i dont have a ham ticket so that will be something im going to at ill keep you all up tp date. do you still have to know mores code? thats what put me of in the past
regards
dave

teapot wrote:

thanks everyone for your suggests and support, you i dont have a ham ticket so that will be something im going to at ill keep you all up tp date. do you still have to know mores code? thats what put me of in the past
regards
dave

 I agree with what others have said. Keep your mind active is the key.

No morse requirement for the ham ticket nowadays, which means you get to use HF as soon as you get a callsign.

Best wishes
Deb

thanks deb
dave

Get your name down for the Essex Ham online course.
Fantastic bunch and you can always ask for help on here.
I am dyslexic and though that would be my downfall but our Victor kept me at it and i passed first try.

As Deb has already mentioned there Dave there's no more Morse requirement.  

You don't have to be a genius either, they're looking for good radio operators not the next level radio techs.

The Essex Ham course does come highly recommended by many here and brilliant that you can do it all online. Once you get even that basic Foundation licence the radio world is open to you including HF privileges and nowadays at 25W too! That might not sound a lot but you can regularly chat into Europe on those power levels at say 40m and some of the bands ranges will be unbelievable to you after just using CB frequencies.

We're always here to help out if you need mate, there's a very fine bunch of people that frequent this here CT and always willing to offer a word of advice & support.

Alan thought that his dyslexia would prevent him from ever obtaining his licence and I didn't help him with any technical matters just gave him the kick up the backside that he could do it on his own merits. (Via a few PM's on here to start with and he's become a very good radio friend since.)

You can do it mate and it will definitely be something to keep your mind occupied and fulfill your interests.


Take very good care of yourself there Dave and I wish you nothing but the very best.

73,
Victor

thanks victor there is no reason why i should fail ive been around radios since the am day when i was about 11 tears old
dave

daft question i know you can only push 25 watts would i be allowed to use my 840 with the power turned or would have to buy a radio that will only do 25 watts
dave

It’s all completely on a trust basis nowadays Dave.

I have the Yaesu FT-710 which can do 100W but turn it down to 25W. In fact I often run it right down to 5W with my QRP interests for FT8 achieving contacts as far as Chile and New Zealand.  

No need to fret about such stuff nowadays.

Enjoy the possibilities, it’ll make you want that ticket even more!

73,
Victor

just to let you know I've enrolled and start my course on the 3 November. let you know how im doing as the course goes on
regards
dave

Well done there Dave.  

That's the very first step out of the way and I hope you enjoy the course and more.

The only thing I can suggest that may be of help is to half forget what you already know about radio and concentrate on what they're after for the exam. Many have been confident that they know all they need to know and unfortunately fail the examination through that over confidence. 

There'll be some really interesting material on the course along with stuff that won't make much sense unless you think about it. Such things are ladder safety but material to those considering climbing aloft to erect antennas as well as the Charing Cross question which shows you understand legislation and can look it up. Plus some other seemingly strange stuff that only makes sense after the fact.

It might seem like you have to remember a lot but you will also have a reference sheet you can look at during the exam such as a band plan and other snippets of information.....so you won't need a "photographic memory".

If you're enrolled on the Essex Ham course there are little quizzes as you progress that will really help out.

I do wish you the very best with the course, enjoy yourself with it and I'm sure you will pass the Foundation without problem.  



Good luck!

Victor

thanks victor and everyone for helping make this decision and give me something else to focus  instead of mom
regards
dave

Victor and myself are on the 4 year mark now and loving it.
You will wounder why you didn't do it years ago.
Any help you need ask we will do out best but our Victor will have the answers i bet he helped me well pushed me along lol.
Dyslexia and short term memory where holding me back but i got there.

Doing the course is a good idea.

I did a course at Worthing Tech way back in 1984.
Got to meet a lot of other radio enthusiasts, truck drivers, train drivers, postmen, lots of CBers etc.

I also helped a mate that could not attend, he was quite negative about passing but
with help he got his ticket.

Good luck.

thanks alan i know victor will have the answer and would explain it in his own way in essays form  (very long winded) lol but it would all the information you need on that topic(no offence in tended)
regards
dave

I can't help with the exam questions and procedure as I passed the C&G exam in 1983!

But I wish you all the luck in the world and look forward to catching you on the bands.

Deb

i had Module 1 come into my email today and at the got 4 out 5 would have got all right but second guess myself. since i decided to do this ive been using YouTube and studying so when each module arrivers in my in box i have already studied it
regards
dave

When you do the exam take your time you will have plenty.
Read the questions 3 times and any you are not sure on leave them you can go back to them at the end.
Some questions might look too easy so read them again and you might even get one you never seen before i did.
You will pass just take your time and Victor is laughing at me saying that.
I also got an App on my ipad with mock tests but i think i was over thinking it all.
Get it booked for the end of the month.

Well said Alan mate, great advice there.  

(Not laughing but do have a smirk remembering that you thought you'd have such difficulty. )

Dave, as Alan mentions don't overthink it but do take your time to learn what's required remembering that they're looking for good radio operators.....not the next genius or radio 'guru'.

alan ive done the same mock test watched everything a can find on you tube all the stuff on ham train i like o be prepared i want to pass and put my license on here for all to see if can anyone can 
regards
dave
 ps thanks for joining in on my other tread

Dave if i can pass first try then anybody can lol.
Like Victor said don't try to over think it all.
The Essex course will take you through all you need to know.
Get it booked i booked mine when i started the Essex course.
You can pick the time and date from what is available i picked 8 ? or 9.30am to get it over with lol.

Dave, i've taken your lead and took the plunge the same time as you. i think reading your posts inspired me to try.

I've done a few mocks, im hopeful so far. But I'm old and thick as two short planks so please pray for me