I notice a few call signs in the postings on this forum

mine is WA2***: licensed since 1958

any others?

My call is NY4Y, licensed since 1980.

Bob Smith

K2KOQ ..1957

Is that the same Bob Smith I see on the NYRMB?

Pardon my Ignorance------What is the NYRMB????? Guess it must be a different Bob Smith!

U bet:

VE3OII here. Licensed since 1970 & active on the 3905 Century Club...check us out on the net for info.

Phil

Just a SWL here. Always had more fun trying to see what I could hear.

Pardon my Ignorance------What is the NYRMB????? Guess it must be a different Bob Smith!

It is the.. New York Radio Message Board

http://musicradio.computer.net/wwwboard/

So you are not the guy ... Bet there are a few "Bob Smiths" out there..(G)

KB9KXH, just been a ham a little over 10 years but ive been into radios and electronics much longer. my name is Randy

Jim NØJS in Rosemount Minnesota

N0OKQ since 1992 or so.

KF4FPU, although it *just* expired...

I have more hobbies than time or money, LOL, and never did really get into HAM like I wanted to.

My ONLY interest in HAM is HF, so I didn't use my no-code tech license much. My intenet was to learn the code, and quickly move up to General, but just never found the time. One day (probably when I am retired!)

Line-of-site, sat-com, SSTV, packet, etc.....none of that stuff interests me. But I LOVE shortwave/HF. Something about being at the mercy of good old mother nature...

-Alan

WB0CPF but haven't been on in ages.

Just a SWL here. Always had more fun trying to see what I could hear.
although i am a ham i enjoy shortwave listening, and have since i was a kid. i wish there was a forum for shortwave listening as good as this one is.

Just in case there are some Hams that aren't aware:

There are public databases that allow you to look up a licensee's name and address using their call sign. So posting your call sign is the equivalent of posting your name and address in this forum.

Just in case there are some Hams that aren't aware:

There are public databases that allow you to look up a licensee's name and address using their call sign. So posting your call sign is the equivalent of posting your name and address in this forum.
if someone wants to find me they will anyway, if needed ill shoot now and worry about it later.

we have had similar threads with call signs posted on AVS and I have never had a problem: still if anyone is concerned just edit your post :)

KXØZ Been licensed since 1990 or so. More privileges than radios at the moment..


Oh I forgot I have a General Radio Telephone Lisc as well..

There are public databases that allow you to look up a licensee's name and address using their call sign. So posting your call sign is the equivalent of posting your name and address in this forum. Which is why I won't, but suffice to say I've had my ticket since 82. Got it just so I could use the 2-meter phone patch.. ended up doing so much more. Great community and some of the best, lifeling friends a guy could ever have.

Licensed with Technician Class (N6BFU) since about 1978. Also have General Class Radiotelephone license. Started out on 2-meters. Now looking for a good HF transceiver.

Don

W1RH/6 - Sacramento. Very active on the airways and on the forum.

- Bob

Does anyone remember the 3898 group of about 15 years ago? It was always great SWL'ing with them. Are they still around?

KF4FPU, although it *just* expired...

I have more hobbies than time or money, LOL, and never did really get into HAM like I wanted to.

My ONLY interest in HAM is HF, so I didn't use my no-code tech license much. My intenet was to learn the code, and quickly move up to General, but just never found the time. One day (probably when I am retired!)

Line-of-site, sat-com, SSTV, packet, etc.....none of that stuff interests me. But I LOVE shortwave/HF. Something about being at the mercy of good old mother nature...

-Alan
i think there is a grace period where you can renew your license free of charge without retesting, it might be 6 weeks or 6 months i cant remember but go to the fcc website at www.fcc.gov and you can find out and renew it online before its too late and you have to retest next time and pay again

I wish to remain anonymous, but I've been a HAM since 1984 and hold an advance class license. Not as active as I would like, but operate on HF and VHF using PSK and voice. Really enjoy public service activities. Sorry to be secretive!

Well, I was wandering around looking to see if AV Forums had an HD Radio forum (yes!) when I saw this thread, so decided I might as well register with my call.

Jim
N7BFD
relative HAM noob
Seattle

Now to start an antenna thread...

KE7HDX Ham for almost 2 weeks.

Silly hams. :) I've taken the test twice, failed by 1 point both times, diffrent questions. I like to listen more than anything anyways. :)

I'm not a ham, but I own a Sangean ATS 909, and a 200ft longwire antenna. I mostly do daytime AM DXing. I also like DXing Lonwave navigational beacons. I also like tuning around on the shortwave bands, and listening to HAM chatter.

I sort of left Shortwave listening a couple of years back, because the content available was extremely boring, or just absolutely crazy (patriot radio).

I think the AVS forum should add a Ham/other radio section where radio in general can be discussed.

I just found this topic, and the HD Radio forum because I just ordered a JVC KD-HDR1.

Yep, I am a ham... Licensed since 1991, right after the "no-code" license was made available. What a tease that was... As soon as I got home from passing that test, I started listening to the ham bands on HF. "Wait a minute", I realized, "If I want to get on HF, I will have to pass a code test". So, over the following six weeks, I upgraded to Amateur Extra. It has been a great hobby, and an excellent way to meet friends. I have met more truly friendly, nice people via ham radio (and local meetings and clubs) than anywhere else.

There are public databases that allow you to look up a licensee's name and address using their call sign. So posting your call sign is the equivalent of posting your name and address in this forum.

With 2000+ posts here on AVS, including many very opinionated ones, over almost six years, that has not yet been a problem.

Edit: This was my post #2273. :)

I've been a technician class ham for about 12 years. originally a New York City transplant, I decided to keep my N2 call intact even though I'm emersed in N8 land! I pay my taxes so here goes: N2ZUD.

Good to see this thread bumped again

when I first took my General class test, I was 11 years old: I could do code at over 35 WPM and remember my mother had to drive me to New York to take the test:

I passed the code test easily but failed theory: had to study some more and passed it on the second try :)

My father was a ham, but I waited until I was about 30 to get my license. I got my Novice, hit the code hard for about 3 months, and went down to Miami, passed the code test for 20WPM, and passed the General, Advanced, and Extra tests at one sitting. All I studied was the ARRL license Manual. Can't imagine how I ever did that, I have trouble finding my glasses now---

By the way, Any of you guys still active? Maybe we could all meet on 20 meters and chew the fat about AVS stuff some time!

By the way, Any of you guys still active? Maybe we could all meet on 20 meters and chew the fat about AVS stuff some time!

Inactive for a few years, but I still keep my license current

recently got back into OEM work for my town and deal with RACES groups

Surprisingly, I have read reports of a resurgence of interest in the hobby, and a lot of new licenses being issued

I sure hope some new guys get interested. Now that everyone has a cell fone to talk to anyone in the world, some of the mystique is sure gone.

I don't get on nearly as often as I used to, but I do have a beam at 60', and 1.5KW available from my Alpha 87, so if you've got any kind of rig at all, I'm sure we could make contact!

Bob

p.s. guess we're getting a little off subject, but an AVS net might be kind of fun!

C'mon Mark, blow the dust off your transceiver. I'd love to talk to someone with 8K posts on AVS forum!

I got my Novice license when I was in the sixth grade in the late 70's. I got my Technician's licence in the ninth grade. I was thinking about getting my General license but those new affordable personal computers suddenly took up all my time and promised more career opportunities.

I sold my 2 meter stuff before I went to college. I forgot Morse code and Ohm's law shortly after that.

Forgot Morse Code??? I thought you LIKED digital radio!

Dahditditdit dahdahdah dahditditdit

E=IR: It's the law!

An AVS chat on 20m sounds good. I have a tri-bander up 55 feet, and a Heathkit 1KW amp if necessary.

Forgot Morse Code??? I thought you LIKED digital radio!
5 bps digital radio doesn't make for high sound quality!

Morse became a little bit of fun to listen to in the 90's when software to read it became available. It sounded like lots of hams were beginning to send and receive Morse with their computers considering how quickly and perfectly they were sending without ever making a mistake. The software also interpreted RTTY, FAX, FEC, and lots of other strange noises I heard all the time on shortwave but had no way of receiving before that.

CW is still the mode I enjoy most. You really can hold a conversation as easily on CW as you can on fone (believe it or not). I usually cruise along at around 35-40WPM, and that's kind of like slow talking! You eliminate so much verbage using the shortcuts (kind of like Text Messaging), that the conversation flows as well as a regular one.

The thing that is so cool is that it's like fishing, you never know who you're going to run into, or what their circumstances are. They're usually a bit above average ambition wise, because they did actually have to go to the trouble of getting a license, and most of them have a good story to tell. The backbiting and Span don't exist because most of the guys are above tht (though fights DO sometimes break out). There's even a group on 20 meters whose big thing is High Quality Audio (I can hear you laughint Scowl). Their thing is making the audio quality as good as possible in the 3KHz BW they have available.

Chris, I think we'd do better on 40 meters, since you are in Hayward, and I'm in Sonoma. Heck, if the fog is thick enough, we could do it through direct conduction!

Bob

I just found this thread.....

Licensed since 1994 as KC5***(last letters omitted). Main interests are 2m SSB, HF digital (mainly PSK31), and occasional phone. I"m planning on getting back on 6m soon :)

Bob, 40 meters would be good. I am sure we could even find a 2m repeater that we both could hit, like maybe 147.33 in Marin County.

Licensed since 1966 as KG6AQZ, WA7JJR, WB5UIJ and KD4AO since about 1977. 73 Bob

I've been remodeling my 'shack' for the past month or so, so my rig has been stashed away. I'm getting close to getting it back on, so we should all arrange a sked. Where in 4 land are you? I got my 4 call when I lived in Cocoa Beach.

Bob

Just in case there are some Hams that aren't aware:

There are public databases that allow you to look up a licensee's name and address using their call sign. So posting your call sign is the equivalent of posting your name and address in this forum.

After hearing the threats when someone got into a fight on a repeater I changed my license address to my P.O. box.

After hearing the threats when someone got into a fight on a repeater I changed my license address to my P.O. box.

I didn't think that was legal. The FCC has to know where you are physically located to track down interference.

They took it without complaint. I thought it just had to be somewhere you got mail so you could receive interference complaints from them. I'm rarely on the air at home anyway.

In the fight I mentioned one of the guys looked up the others address online and said he was heading over. I don't know if it happened but who knows these days.

Got my ticket in 1975 at 16 years old, but always lived in apartments so was limited to VHF except for summer visits to my Uncle's cottage in New Brunswick. Finally bought the big ol' house in the country about 8 years ago, and the beam has yet to be placed on the tower. One of these days!

Jonathan
VE3JIB

Just found this thread while reading about the JVC RS1. Originally licensed in 1954 as W7ESU. Now as W6JJW. My wife and daughter are also hams. Got my extra class when the daughter went up to the FCC in SF to pass her general a number of years ago.

Mostly inactive but have 45' tower triband beam and the standard VHF/UHF stuff. Bob or Chris, let me know if or when you guys try to work a sched on HF or VHF and I'll try to get on. I think I may be able to hit the 147.33 repeater from San Jose. Also, anyone else going to CES?

Sid

I'm going to CES Tuesday through Thursday. What's your QTH?

I'll be there Monday thru Thursday. QTH? do you mean in Las Vegas?

CW is still the mode I enjoy most. You really can hold a conversation as easily on CW as you can on fone (believe it or not). I usually cruise along at around 35-40WPM, and that's kind of like slow talking! You eliminate so much verbage using the shortcuts (kind of like Text Messaging), that the conversation flows as well as a regular one.

I agree...I am an old school Extra. I have been a ham for 13 years and spent many hours in my basement listening to my first HF combo...R4B/T4X and MS-4 speaker/PS combo. The ARRL and FCC let the ham community down by dropping the CW requirement for the Extra class ticket. I am OK with it for lower class operators but the Extra ticket used ot mean something.

Anyway...if you guys get together on HF let me know... I collect JRC gear as I am a little eclectic and it has the best RX audio I have heard next to my ProII.

73 es KF** Darren

A 2X1 Extra for many years.

Hi everybody and thanks, Mark! I've been lurking here for at least 3 years and
recently joined so I could post comments in the currently hot high-end LCD area.

I was first licensed in January 1960 at age 12 as KN4SMX and have been K4SMX
since 1961, first in Charlotte and then as Amateur Extra in ATL. And yes, my dad
drove me over to Reynolds High School in Raleigh where I was the first guy to
pass the code test and sit for the written (the real written!) amongst a bunch of NC
State guys with slide rules in their back pockets who just couldn't copy code in that
big echo chamber.

Spent 20 years in Atlanta and did a lot of DXing. Had stacked 4 el 20m yagis, a
Signal One CX11A, and a - er huh - rather large amplifier. Next 20 years on FL
"Treasure Coast," and it was raising kids, flying airplanes, and computers. Still
got all the ham gear. Now the kids are grown and my mother-in-law would dearly
love for me to get that ham gear out of her garage. Wonder what still works?

HT gear is a long succession of warranty replacement Samsung LCD's culminating
in the current LN-S4696D, DirecTV HD, clear QAM HD, and a VERY large OTA UHF
antenna (which I always prefer!)

73, K4SMX (Dxpeditions: 1S1DX, VS5SW, KP6BD, KP6AL) (And I don't even know
if I'm still on the DXCC Honor Role anymore, but I might be. At one
time all I needed was Burma........)

Stew in Florida

Hey, if the Code test is gone, and we get an AVS'er Net going....
maybe I'll get my ticket, load up the old rifle, shoot out some bad power line insulators and neon signs in my area, and join you guys ;) .

Hey, if the Code test is gone, and we get an AVS'er Net going....
maybe I'll get my ticket, load up the old rifle, shoot out some bad power line insulators and neon signs in my area, and join you guys ;) .

You think it's bad in SLC? You should try the coast of Florida. I've got the main
15 zillion KV lines running right down Highway A1A a half a block away. When
the humidity >50%, which is most of the time, I can hear those insulators singing
every time I walk my dog down the street. It would be 20db over S9 for sure.
A real shame, too, since all the neighborhood utilities are buried. I need to move
to an old orange grove out in the middle of nowhere to work you 6's and 7's on 40!
But then we have the WAF. Oh, well. She didn't like my A36 Bonanza either..........

Stew in Florida

I have a bad noise problem here that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge on my spectrum display. It has really damaged my HF abilities for the last year or so. I am making progress on finding its source and getting it fixed, then I can get on HF again...

I have a bad noise problem here that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge on my spectrum display. It has really damaged my HF abilities for the last year or so. I am making progress on finding its source and getting it fixed, then I can get on HF again...

Well Chris, what do you think your spectrum analyzer will look like if they ever get
that internet over power line thing going? When I lived in Atlanta, the Southern Co.
subsidiary, Georgia Power, actually had a dedicated truck they would send out,
complete with a rotating TV antenna on the roof (which of course was useless for
HF problems where all the noise was!) I just got 'em to follow me around with my
AM car radio on 1600khz, and they replaced many a leaky insulator. You could drive
right to the offending pole. You might try that. These guys are usually pretty helpful
if you lead them by the nose to where the problem is..... Good luck with your problem.
I don't see getting mine fixed here. These are main lines with 3 foot long
insulators. Each steel pole has 3 insulators, one for each line. When it's dense fog
you can actually see the corona as well as hear the bacon frying! I doubt if I could
talk 'em in to replacing 'em all, even if I could isolate the offending pole.....

Stew in Florida

I have a bad noise problem here that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge on my spectrum display. It has really damaged my HF abilities for the last year or so. I am making progress on finding its source and getting it fixed, then I can get on HF again...

Chris, I'm having problems here in Sonoma. On the CW end of 40 meters, there is some kind of broadband digital signal that comes and goes, it's raising havoc with trying to talk to my friends in Florida on CW. Gives me an S7 noise floor. Used to be quiet as a church mouse here in Sonoma, now it's all but unusable. I wonder if they're implementing some kind of BPL here? I have exposed 3 phase high voltage in front of the house, but I've never had problems before.

What does your noise look like on the scope, broadband or in individual frequency 'bundles' ? Mind look like several broadband carriers all through the band.

Bob

You think it's bad in SLC? You should try the coast of Florida. I've got the main
15 zillion KV lines running right down Highway A1A a half a block away. When
the humidity >50%, which is most of the time, I can hear those insulators singing
every time I walk my dog down the street. It would be 20db over S9 for sure.
A real shame, too, since all the neighborhood utilities are buried. I need to move
to an old orange grove out in the middle of nowhere to work you 6's and 7's on 40!
But then we have the WAF. Oh, well. She didn't like my A36 Bonanza either..........

Stew in Florida

Stew, where are you located in Florida. I got my license in 1980 while I lived in Cocoa Beach (The Plainum Coast), and it was really rough on HF. Heck, when I first moved to CB in 1971 it was impossible to get FM due to the power line noise. I always attributed that to the fact that the insulators running down 520 had insulators about the length of an FM dipole.

Bob

Kf4bsx Name's Steve

My dads wu4s

Hi All fellow hams

Hi Steve and WELCOME! And Bob - I'm in Vero Beach

And also for Bob, NY4Y: the XYL just advised that we'll be back out in CA again
this August for another wedding, this time in Sonoma, so maybe we can have an
eyeball QSO. At our age we're really racking up the weddings, so maybe this can
be a "Skymiles" trip.

Stew in Florida

You could drive right to the offending pole. You might try that.
Thanks, Stew. I did some direction finding, and I have seemed to trace the noise to one or another of a few nearby townhouses. I suspect the problem is some kind of switching power supply or other device, and I plan to investigate further.

What does your noise look like on the scope, broadband or in individual frequency 'bundles' ? Mind look like several broadband carriers all through the band.
Bob, I doubt they would be testing BPL without some kind of notice going out, like when it was tested in Menlo Park a couple of years ago. The noise problem I have is a series of hissing carriers or spikes about every 81-84 kHz, I forgot if it starts below 7 MHz or not but the strongest spikes (S9+) are in the 12-13 MHz range. They get weaker going up in the 18-26 MHz range, but then they come back (or harmonics?) above 26 MHz, and they continue past 30 MHz. Through the 10m band (28 MHz), instead of distinct spikes there are broader peaks every ~84 kHz, with noise between them, thus the "GG Bridge" appearance with my Icom 756 Pro II set for a 100 kHz spectrum display. Sometimes, for a period of several minutes or more, all of a sudden the "hissing peaks" break up and turn into a strong bunch of crackling noise all across the 10m band, S5-S7 all through a band that used to be nearly silent maybe five years ago before they built all those townhouses... :mad:

Kf4bsx Name's Steve

My dads wu4s

Hi All fellow hams
Hi, Steve!

Thanks, Stew. I did some direction finding, and I have seemed to trace the noise to one or another of a few nearby townhouses. I suspect the problem is some kind of switching power supply or other device, and I plan to investigate further.

Chris - I agree. "Hissing" sounds more like it might be a piece of electrical equipment rather than utility company insulators breaking down. Any way to pick up a small 120VAC inverter to run that signal analyzer in your car (local truck stops usually have them) and drive around that town house project? I would also check to see if they have some type of private CATV distribution system, particularly one that incorporates one of those entry cameras that appear on an unused CATV channel. Also, I would check their pool equipment for some type of "new-fangled" devices. Basically anything they might have there that's not standard power/TV/tel distribution. You can turn off your ignition to eliminate noise caused by your own vehicle.

Stew in Florida

Yup, 80 KHz or so sounds like the rep rate for a switching power supply, you're probably hearing multiples of that. Some new supplies are also pulse density modulated, so that could explain the 'hissing' sound, they start switching above a threshold, and stop below. This function is probably not periodic and would manifest itself as noise.

Bob

And also for Bob, NY4Y: the XYL just advised that we'll be back out in CA again
this August for another wedding, this time in Sonoma, so maybe we can have an
eyeball QSO. At our age we're really racking up the weddings, so maybe this can
be a "Skymiles" trip.

Stew in Florida

Stew, let me know. BTW, we have a rental apartment here on Sonoma we rent on a day to day basis for the wine lovers who show up in town. If you want a place to stay you can try some DXing on my rig--Icom Pro II to an Alpha 76 to a Force 12 at 60'.

PM me.

Bob

Inactive for a few years, but I still keep my license current

recently got back into OEM work for my town and deal with RACES groups

Surprisingly, I have read reports of a resurgence of interest in the hobby, and a lot of new licenses being issued

Mark, are you the 'Mark Rubin' in 'Mark Rubin audio'?

Bob

I just become a member on this site,and would like to say hello,from a very cold south yorkshire ,England... :)

Check out my forum on my user name all welcome to join. Thanks.... ;)

Mark, are you the 'Mark Rubin' in 'Mark Rubin audio'?

Bob

nope: not me :)

I just become a member on this site,and would like to say hello,from a very cold south yorkshire ,England... :)

Check out my forum on my user name all welcome to join. Thanks.... ;)

Welcome to AVS

I like your forum too!