Jimmy,

I need to log back in then... :-)

It might take you a bit. We are in a stormy weather pattern here, but
we're not getting the huge flooding that Texas is getting...or the large tornadoes from western Texas north into Nebraska. Lightning dances
around my apartment like an ungrounded Faraday cage.

Even now, just like yesterday, storms are approaching from the west
and northwest...and it looks to be stormy much of the week. However,
come July and August, we probably won't be able to buy a drop of rain.

Yeah - didn't think about that - she's not interested in the 'chat' JA>anyway, just wants it for storm chasing, and most likely I will be
with her then. I want us both to have it for another reason though -
so we can still communicate when not together and the cell phones
go down. :-)

Years ago, one ham couple lived in Benton, Arkansas, about 20 miles
southwest of Little Rock. He worked at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, about an hour southwest of Benton...and she worked in
Conway, about 30 miles northwest of Little Rock. But, during the
commute, they communicated with each other via ham radio. He was
licensed the same day I was, and she got her license a little later.
Sadly, he passed away just over a year after he was licensed, and her
license has long since lapsed. She may not even be alive now, but I
don't know.

LOL - we've actually been using some free apps on our phones. They have JA>sample tests built in and give you immediate feedback.

One thing with the exams is that you will have to memorize some stuff...there's no way around it. But, whatever way works...things like
the color code on a resistor -- or Ohm's Law.

We are on the road now toward the beach... Our youngest son said they JA>were going and my wife and I decided to drive them... I'm a passenger JA>right now, which is how I'm doing this stuff. :-) We talked to the
local VE's and planning to take the tests Thursday. I'm confident I'll JA>get tech and general. She knows the tech stuff and is farily okay on
the General, but not confident she'll get that far. :-) We're confident JA>she'll pass tech, though, and that will let her use the HT's. I will
be the one who puts up an antenna, talks on HF, etc. :-)

As noted, she can still talk as "Third Party Traffic" if you're
licensed, and there at the control point, monitoring and supervising her operation. Of the 3 license exams, the Technician and General are much
easier than the Amateur Extra. The General Class exam has much of what
the Technician exam has, but it's in more detail. Also, the General
Class license is the one that most ham radio operators hold. It grants
86.7% of the amateur radio spectrum, on all ham radio bands...with only
500 kilohertz of spectrum on 80, 40, 20, and 15 meters "off limits".
Some who have passed the Technician exam, and haven't even looked at the General Class Exam Question Pool, still pass the General exam. One can
miss as many as 9 on the Technician exam, 9 on the General exam, and 13
on the Amateur Extra exam, and it still counts as a perfect score.

There are only 4 reasons to go all the way to Amateur Extra:

1) Full amateur radio privileges, although you still have to stay 3
kilohertz away from the band edge, to avoid going out of band.

2) Shorter 2x1 or 1x2 callsigns -- IF you can be LUCKY enough to get
them.

3) As a Volunteer Examiner (VE), they can give and grade ALL 3 exams (Technician, General, and Amateur Extra). General Class VE's can give
and grade the Technician exam ONLY...Advanced Class VE's can give and
grade the Technician and General exam, but NOT the Amateur Extra exam.

4) Snob appeal. <G>

Personally, I don't care whether a ham radio operator did a 5, 13, or
20 wpm Morse Code Test (or didn't do one at all)...or whether they are a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra...or whether
they have been licensed since before World War II, or they just got
their license today. To me, as long as they are licensed, that's all

(Continued to next message)
---
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þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

(Continued from previous message)

that matters.

Even if you get a General, and she stays at a Technician, all you need
for severe weather operations is the Technician license.

Lastly, while ham radio is a male dominated hobby, the women "clean
our clocks" when it comes to making "contacts"...on nets or otherwise.
I have 3 examples:

A) On the Arkansas And Missouri Railroad Memorial Day Troop Train I rode
in 2011, on the former Frisco line between Springdale and Fort Smith, Arkansas...we were working 20 meter HF railroad mobile. They had us in
the Conductor's cabin of a restored 1927 Harlan and Hollingsworth
passenger car. We used a 20 meter "HamStick" antenna, and an Icom IC-718 (what's known as a "no frills HF rig"). Anyway, one of the hams, Kirk
Seifert, W5KRK, couldn't make any contacts, or so it seemed. So, he put
his XYL (ham for ex-young lady...basically, his wife), Judy, KF5ERQ,
behind the mic. We were hauling in Pennsylvania like there was no
tomorrow!!

B) At a local Hamming In The Park event at Pinnacle Mountain State Park
a few years ago (it's located just west of Little Rock), we were using
the Special Event callsign "N5F" for the event. One ham, Geoff, NG5P (originally KF5HTK), couldn't make contacts. So, they put his girl
friend, Ashley, behind the mic...and here came the contacts. We were
also working QRP (low power, 5 watts). Ashley is now Geoff's XYL, and is
also licensed as KF5MUW.

C) During Field Day in late June a few years ago, at the Radio Amateurs
Club of Knoxville Tennessee Field Day site, they were using their club
call W4BBB. This female (not sure if she was single or married), got
behind the mic, and she had a sexy, sultry, voice. She said the callsign
suffix stood for "big, blond, and "beautiful". The loggers couldn't keep
up with the contacts!!

Indeed, if you got a Field Day operating team with just women behind
the mic, and the men logging, it'd be "game over" when it came to
contacts.

There is even an organization called YLRL -- for "Young Ladies Radio
League" -- for the female amateur radio licenses, whether they're
single, married, widowed, or divorced.

Over in the community of Almyra, Arkansas, near DeWitt...Randy, K5NDX,
had passed his Amateur Extra, and his XYL, Tonya, KE5SNS, had just
passed her General. He told her that "she didn't need to worry about an
Extra Class license", but when he was making "juicy DX contacts" in the
Extra Class bands, he said "her face was so red toward him". :) She
eventually upgraded to Amateur Extra as well, and both of them are also Volunteer Examiners (VE's).

I would like to eventually get a good mobile unit, but my first priority JA>is to get HER a good mobile that she can still communicate with the fire JA>department dispatch, etc.

The mobile rig I'd recommend is the Yaesu FT-8800R. It's 2 meters and
70 centimeters...main frequencies used by storm spotters, storm chasers,
and severe weather spotter nets. It is 50 watts max on 2 meters, and 35
watts max on 70 centimeters, but a dual band (2 meter/440) magmount
antenna will work very nicely with it.

WOW - knew it was all paperless now, but didn't know it made that much
of a difference! So if they get the test results in by the weekend,
I could have my license by the next weekend? Will cut it close, but it JA>might work... :-)

It depends on when the Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) group
receives it, and how busy they are with other license exam session
results.

The VE Teams have 10 days from the completion of the exam (usualy held
on a Saturday, but some hold theirs on other days) to get the results to
the VEC...who then enters the data, and forwards it to the FCC, who
grants the license.

There are 14 VEC's across the country, with ARRL/VEC and W5YI/VEC the
largest one. Some charge no fee at all for the exams; but right now, the
max fee is $15 per exam element. If you pass one exam, you can take the

(Continued to next message)
---
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þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

(Continued from previous message)

next one in line for free. I've had some examinees walk in with nothing,
and pass their Technician, General, and Amateur Extra, in one sitting,
for only one exam fee.

However, if you fail an exam (there is NO DISGRACE IN FAILING), you
can re-take the element, with a DIFFERENT set of questions. If it takes
someone a dozen tries or more to pass an exam, even if just
barely...they have as much right to be on the air, as someone who made a perfect score the first time. And, once someone has their license and
callsign, as far as anyone else is concerned, it's NONE OF THEIR
BUSINESS how many times it took you to pass an exam, or what your scores
were. I treat someone who aced all 3 on the first try, the same I treat
someone who took multiple tries to pass just 1 exam.

Daryl, WX1DER

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ 100% of people who breathe, die.
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

DARYL STOUT wrote to JIMMY ANDERSON <=-

I need to log back in then... :-)

It might take you a bit. We are in a stormy weather pattern here, but we're not getting the huge flooding that Texas is getting...or the
large tornadoes from western Texas north into Nebraska. Lightning
dances around my apartment like an ungrounded Faraday cage.

LOL - interesting visual there :-)

Even now, just like yesterday, storms are approaching from the west
and northwest...and it looks to be stormy much of the week. However,
come July and August, we probably won't be able to buy a drop of rain.

No rain while we were at the beach, but it rained off and on on the drive
back home yesterday.

Years ago, one ham couple lived in Benton, Arkansas, about 20 miles southwest of Little Rock. He worked at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, about an hour southwest of Benton...and she worked in
Conway, about 30 miles northwest of Little Rock. But, during the
commute, they communicated with each other via ham radio. He was
licensed the same day I was, and she got her license a little later. Sadly, he passed away just over a year after he was licensed, and her license has long since lapsed. She may not even be alive now, but I
don't know.

Interesting! Again, cell phones are too easy to use, and minutes are
'nothing' anymore, but look at it this way - I'm communicating with
YOU on a keyboard typing a message OFFLINE to upload later, then it will
travel who knows where (well, someone know, but *I* don't - LOL) before
you see it on your end. I could just give you my cell number and we could
text, but this is more fun. :-D

LOL - we've actually been using some free apps on our phones. They have
sample tests built in and give you immediate feedback.

One thing with the exams is that you will have to memorize some stuff...there's no way around it. But, whatever way works...things like the color code on a resistor -- or Ohm's Law.

Yep - some of the stuff comes easy to me - some of it I just remember that
one keyword in the correct answer and move on. :-)

Some who have passed the Technician exam, and
haven't even looked at the General Class Exam Question Pool, still pass the General exam. One can miss as many as 9 on the Technician exam, 9
on the General exam, and 13 on the Amateur Extra exam, and it still
counts as a perfect score.

Yeah, the General wasn't that far out for me to start learning after 'mastering' the Tech stuff. Haven't even looked at Extra since the
question pool will be expiring soon. Plus, until I get something more
than the HT's we own it's kind of a moot point. :-)

There are only 4 reasons to go all the way to Amateur Extra:

1) Full amateur radio privileges, although you still have to stay 3 kilohertz away from the band edge, to avoid going out of band.

Yeah, and again that could come later. Plenty to do on General AFTER I
get a HF radio and mount an antenna. :-)

2) Shorter 2x1 or 1x2 callsigns -- IF you can be LUCKY enough to get
them.

Was thinking about what I would want a vanity call to be, but then
realized I just want to get on the air - don't really care about
the call. :-)

3) As a Volunteer Examiner (VE), they can give and grade ALL 3 exams (Technician, General, and Amateur Extra). General Class VE's can give
and grade the Technician exam ONLY...Advanced Class VE's can give and grade the Technician and General exam, but NOT the Amateur Extra exam.

Yeah - if I decide to go into VE... I have enough hobbies withouth
scheduling something else. :-) Speaking of which, my wife and I are the "opening act" at a 'music on the square' event tomorrow night in Bolivar,
TN!

4) Snob appeal. <G>

LOL

Personally, I don't care whether a ham radio operator did a 5, 13, or
20 wpm Morse Code Test (or didn't do one at all)...or whether they are
a Novice, Technician, General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra...or whether they have been licensed since before World War II, or they just got
their license today. To me, as long as they are licensed, that's all

(Continued to next message)

... (Tagline under construction)
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DARYL STOUT wrote to JIMMY ANDERSON <=-

(Continued from previous message)

that matters.

Yep!

Even if you get a General, and she stays at a Technician, all you
need for severe weather operations is the Technician license.

Right, cause we figure it will be with HT's or maybe mobile one day,
but all the others will, I'm sure, being using Tech level repeaters
and such...

Lastly, while ham radio is a male dominated hobby, the women "clean
our clocks" when it comes to making "contacts"...on nets or otherwise.
I have 3 examples:

A) On the Arkansas And Missouri Railroad Memorial Day Troop Train I

<snip>

LOL - something about hearing a woman's voice I guess. :-)

B) At a local Hamming In The Park event at Pinnacle Mountain State Park

<snip>

Cool - and cool she's still in it herself!

C) During Field Day in late June a few years ago, at the Radio Amateurs

<snip>

LOL - very nice! :-)

Indeed, if you got a Field Day operating team with just women behind
the mic, and the men logging, it'd be "game over" when it came to contacts.

The local club is already planning Field Day here - I have it on my calendar, and my wife is scheduled to work the ambulance that day, so I may be able to make it... Have something else tentatively booked, so not 100% sure.

Will you be doing any Field Day stuff this year?

There is even an organization called YLRL -- for "Young Ladies Radio League" -- for the female amateur radio licenses, whether they're
single, married, widowed, or divorced.

Nice! I'll tell her about that!

Over in the community of Almyra, Arkansas, near DeWitt...Randy,
K5NDX, had passed his Amateur Extra, and his XYL, Tonya, KE5SNS, had
just passed her General. He told her that "she didn't need to worry
about an Extra Class license", but when he was making "juicy DX
contacts" in the Extra Class bands, he said "her face was so red toward him". :) She eventually upgraded to Amateur Extra as well, and both of them are also Volunteer Examiners (VE's).

LOL

I would like to eventually get a good mobile unit, but my first priority
is to get HER a good mobile that she can still communicate with the fire
department dispatch, etc.

The mobile rig I'd recommend is the Yaesu FT-8800R. It's 2 meters and
70 centimeters...main frequencies used by storm spotters, storm
chasers, and severe weather spotter nets. It is 50 watts max on 2
meters, and 35 watts max on 70 centimeters, but a dual band (2
meter/440) magmount antenna will work very nicely with it.

Ok - great info! Thanks! The HT's we use now also serve as her 'talking
to dispatch' for fire & EMS - I assume that rig would work for that as
well? VHF/UHF?

Looks like that is an old model? Amazon has ONE for $695 - ouch!

Replacement looks like FT-8900R ? $365 on Amazon - $329 from DX Engineering.

WOW - knew it was all paperless now, but didn't know it made that much
of a difference! So if they get the test results in by the weekend,
I could have my license by the next weekend? Will cut it close, but it
might work... :-)

There are 14 VEC's across the country, with ARRL/VEC and W5YI/VEC the

The paperwork says ARRL on it - saw it already...


... Eeeeuw... You mean you actually *talk* on the phone?!?!
--- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49
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DARYL STOUT wrote to JIMMY ANDERSON <=-

(Continued from previous message)

However, if you fail an exam (there is NO DISGRACE IN FAILING), you
can re-take the element, with a DIFFERENT set of questions. If it takes someone a dozen tries or more to pass an exam, even if just
barely...they have as much right to be on the air, as someone who made
a perfect score the first time. And, once someone has their license and callsign, as far as anyone else is concerned, it's NONE OF THEIR
BUSINESS how many times it took you to pass an exam, or what your
scores were. I treat someone who aced all 3 on the first try, the same
I treat someone who took multiple tries to pass just 1 exam.

That's basically what I told my wife - there is no 'scale' - you either pass
or you don't, doesn't matter if you 'barely make it' or ace it - you passed. :-)

Well, going after work, so wish us luck!


... WWhhaatt ddooeess dduupplleexx mmeeaann??
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Jimmy,

It might take you a bit. We are in a stormy weather pattern here, but we're not getting the huge flooding that Texas is getting...or the large tornadoes from western Texas north into Nebraska. Lightning dances around my apartment like an ungrounded Faraday cage.

LOL - interesting visual there :-)

Considering I'm a 2 time indirect lightning strike survivor, yes. But,
I carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely. <G>

Interesting! Again, cell phones are too easy to use, and minutes are JA>'nothing' anymore, but look at it this way - I'm communicating with
YOU on a keyboard typing a message OFFLINE to upload later, then it will JA>travel who knows where (well, someone know, but *I* don't - LOL) before JA>you see it on your end. I could just give you my cell number and we could JA>text, but this is more fun. :-D

But, around here, if weather is an issue, the cell networks are the
first things to crash.

As for texting, the batteries run down as fast on the cellphones as
they do on the ham radio handi-talkies.

Yep - some of the stuff comes easy to me - some of it I just remember that JA>one keyword in the correct answer and move on. :-)

One has to do some memorizing...there's no way around it. You have a 1
out of 4 chance of getting the question right, and if you've studied
well, you can eliminate 2 of them quickly, and it's a 50/50 shot then.

Yeah, the General wasn't that far out for me to start learning after JA>'mastering' the Tech stuff. Haven't even looked at Extra since the JA>question pool will be expiring soon. Plus, until I get something more JA>than the HT's we own it's kind of a moot point. :-)

For those on HF, the General Class license is the one most of them
hold.

Was thinking about what I would want a vanity call to be, but then JA>realized I just want to get on the air - don't really care about
the call. :-)

There is no fee for a vanity callsign, but there is a 21 day waiting
period after you apply, before it's granted. Technicians or Generals can
get a 2x3 or a 1x3 callsign, but they'd have to upgrade to Amateur Extra
to get a 2x2, a 2x1, or a 1x2 call. The latter two are very difficult to
get, though.

Yeah - if I decide to go into VE... I have enough hobbies withouth JA>scheduling something else. :-) Speaking of which, my wife and I are the JA>"opening act" at a 'music on the square' event tomorrow night in Bolivar, JA>TN!

Interesting. Hope the weather is good for you. I've got thunderstorms approaching from the south as I type this, so I'm frantically trying to
finish this before they arrive.

Daryl

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ Auto correct has become my worst enema.
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

Jimmy,

Will you be doing any Field Day stuff this year?

Except for helping with a license exam session in the area that day,
probably not...since I have to run the Skywarn Hurricane Prep Net that
night on Echolink.

Nice! I'll tell her about that!

Quite a few women involved in that.

Ok - great info! Thanks! The HT's we use now also serve as her 'talking JA>to dispatch' for fire & EMS - I assume that rig would work for that as JA>well? VHF/UHF?

Well, I saw that the FT-8800R was being discontinued.

Looks like that is an old model? Amazon has ONE for $695 - ouch!

Replacement looks like FT-8900R ? $365 on Amazon - $329 from DX Engineering.

DX Engineering has good prices.

The paperwork says ARRL on it - saw it already...

That's the one I work with.

Daryl, WX1DER

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ An Electrician gets into people's shorts!
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org

Jimmy,

That's basically what I told my wife - there is no 'scale' - you either pass JA>or you don't, doesn't matter if you 'barely make it' or ace it - you passed. JA>:-)

The guy or girl who graduates dead last in Medical School with a D
Minus, is STILL a doctor.

However, I'd be leary in having them do a prostate check or a pelvic
exam. :P

Well, going after work, so wish us luck!

Good luck. Storms are likely here overnight through Saturday, so it
may be a bit before I get back to the BBS.

Daryl

---
þ OLX 1.53 þ Windbreaker: A Poot Suit.
þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org