Congratulations Rosemary!! You're an amazing woman (seriously!!)! Sorry the men treated you that way.

Good job; I loved the "best of both worlds" photo.

Good for you!!! What inspired you to do this?

My son has been a ham radio operator since he was 14. By now (he's 32) he's taken all the tests and has his advanced license. Over the years he's asked me several times to get my license. I love the idea, but don't want another activity to distract me from what I'm supposed to be doing: writing.

We go to a bunch of hamfests every summer, where we see quite a variety of people. Not too many women with their licenses, and not too many young people. Some professorial types, some computer geek types, and several . . . um . . . eccentrics. :-)

Every March my DS and DIL drive down to Maryland to attend a big hamfest for several days. He's given workshops in satellite communication.

Here's my son dismantling a tower in NJ a few years ago. He brought it home and set it up here.

I tried (unsuccessfully) to sell some "ham radio art" on eBay recently. Here's the 120' tower my DS built completely on his own. The only help he had was an excavator to dig the holes for the cement anchors for the wires.

And a passing resident:

At this point my property is an antenna farm! Even my TV antenna sits on a ham radio tower way above the house. Best TV reception I've had in years.

Have fun with your license!! If you need advice on where to look online for used equipment, etc., I'm sure I can find out for you.

Great - now are you going to erect a tower behind your house or will you be able to get decent reception without one?

Well a big congratulations, Rosemary!

(I wanna know the answers to the sample questions you posted. LOL)

Congrats. I was totally surprised by the post and pictures. I expected to see some pictures of you "hamming" it up. Not a Ham tower and house. LOL

It would appear that Ham-sters (?) could use more normal folks (and females) added to the mix. Susan's son and Rosemary appear quite unlike the Ham Hermits I imagine living inside the three antenna-bedecked houses I see. These houses are sealed up, with every window shuttered and draped, yards bare of plantings, exteriors with flaking paint. (Perhaps a warning to me about how much time *I* am spending online! lol)

Nice going, Rosemary!

Thanks for the responses. I'm just now getting my feet wet in this and it's all pretty fascinating.

My motives for doing this are:

1) Radio was my first love. When I was 14, I attended a special vocational school and I took broadcasting and got my FCC 3rd class radio operator's license.

2) I find radio fascinating, and I would love to learn more about how Ham Radio works.

3) I saw the movie "Testament" about 25 years ago and realized that the real hero of the movie was the old man who was a ham radio operator. I think with all the talk of an internet kill switch and all of us so dependent on so many delicate electronic modes of communication (cell phones and such), that it's wise to know how to use a Ham Radio in times of emergency (natural emergency or terrorist troubles). During Katrina, the Ham Radio operators were the helpers. I find that very appealing.

4) Learnin' is fun! :)

Oh - Bee asked the answers:

What are the names of the two electrodes of a diode? *Anode and Cathode.

What is the function of a mixer in a superheterodyne receiver? *To shift the incoming signal to an intermediate frequency

What type of filter should be connected to a TV receiver as the first step in trying to prevent RF overload from a nearby 2 meter transmitter? *Band-reject filter

Now I need to buy a Ham Radio and find a Ham Club and hook up with someone who knows about this stuff. I passed the test, but honestly, I don't feel like I know anything about operating a Ham Radio!

Here is a link that might be useful: More about the movie

Rosemary, I recently started reading a book entitled On the Air With Ham Radio: Your Guide to the Fascinating Ways Hams Communicate!. It's supposed to be for beginners, but it's a little too technical for me. However, you passed the test, so you'd probably breeze through the book. Finding a group is a terrific idea, though!

I have another movie suggestion: "Frequency." The somewhat supernatural plot centers around ham radio. Good movie!

Oh, and PS: Rosemary, earlier today I left you a little message in the "I'll Show You Mine......" thread. :-)

yea! I got the answers right!

congratualtions!

woohoo!

Why am I having so much trouble logging in? Took me 6 tries.
Anyway, this is a pic of my Brother while operating in Barbados on the tower. When there he is 8P9DX In Canada VA3DX
He loves contests so we would go to Barbados each year while he operated in a contest there.

rosemaryt- First off, let me give you a hearty pat on the back and a warm welcome to ham radio. I have been a ham operator since 1974 and as was mentioned to you by the guys where you took your test, we don't see many ladies in the hobby, not meaning to say that ladies are not welcome.

Although the test requirements are not nearly what they were 30 years ago, none the less, I think you will agree that they are still very technically oriented and something that most ladies don't seem to find interesting.

Allow me to offer you some information that you will find very helpful to get more involved in the hobby.

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) at 225 Main Street, Newington, Conn, is sort of the headquarters of amateur radio.

They have a website at www.arrl.org

You can browse the website and get a good overview of all the features and opportunities in ham radio.

I would recommend that you hit the "contact us" button and send them an email.

In your email tell them you have your "ticket" (license) and give them your call sign.

Tell them this is all new to you and you would like information of finding an "ELMER" and a list of local clubs in your area.

In ham radio an "Elmer" is a ham radio operator who volunteers to take you under their arm and guide you along, through the exams, helping you decide what kind of equipment you need, help you set it up and get you on the air. In most cases the Elmers will have you come to their shack and operate some of their equipment so you can see and feel how it works. Believe me, if you just set out to find the equipment on your own it is scary. Some of the new top end HF gear costs as much as a lear jet, but you don't need that. In fact, you can get up and running for about $150, but once you get into the hobby, the sky is the limit, but then maybe that is not so either because I have talked to two space shuttles and the international space station...LOL

If I can help you in any way please do not hesitate to email me at LazyPup@yahoo.com

Your friend lazypup--KC8UXZ general class

Back in the 70's I drove truck and here is a pic of me sitting at my radio bench when I first came in after 6weeks on the road.

Notice there is no microphone in that shack, I was sending morse code, which is still my favorite mode of operation

Interesting! and congratulations! I like electronics so this is facinating.....

Yoo-hoo - Mr. Lazy Pup, I sent you an email but didn't hear back. I have just a couple quick questions.

Rose

My husband and I are both hams and have many many friends. There are not as many women as men in the hobby but trust me when I tell you that there are lots and lots of women. I hold a General class ticket and my husband is an Extra. I took my test back in the days when you couln't pass unless you copied Morse code at 13 words per minute. My husband copies at around 35 words per minute ..He is very good at it. We have a tower in our back yard that is 130 feet high and he just finished a contest where he talked to people all over the world. We have lots of friends who travel the world setting up stations to work in contests, lots of them are women. {{gwi:1602442}}

Here is a link I forgot to add to my post. You can get any info you need or want through this organization and there are probably local clubs nearby.....We have lived in many places and have always had a local club that we enjoyed. Many of the non ham spouses are active in our club too. The President of our club is a woman and one of the better operators is a woman....so don't sell the women short. We have members also from High School kids to a 95 year old...It's a nice hobby.

Here is a link that might be useful: American Radio Relay League

Sorry I didn't notice you had linked to the ARRl.....Here is our club web page.......

Here is a link that might be useful: HCARC

Ps .....I didn't say congratulations. It really is an accomplishment. I told my DH that you had just become a ham and he said to Congratulate you as well. Our friend Ann WA1S is a world renowned Morse Code Contester. She travels all over the world.....

Congrats Again .......It isn't an easy test and you deserve a pat on the back.

Are you ready for me to shut up yet?

Ruthie, I knew about your DH, but I didn't realize you were a Ham, too. I'm impressed with all you guys!

Rosemary,
You already did the hard part, now you are off in search of the fun part...

After you passed your test the volunteer examiner sent your application with their endorsement to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Within about 2 to 4 weeks you will receive a letter from the FCC with your actual license. Your call sign will be printed on the license form. When you get the letter from the FCC you will see that is has both a Station License, which should be framed and hung in your radio shack, and a wallet size that you must have on your person when operating ham radio transmitters.

Now to answer your question on how to find an Elmer.

Contact the ARRL via email and tell they you just passed your test, still awaiting your "Ticket" and you would like ot meet an elmer or get info on the local radio club in your area.

Contact the volunteer examiner who gave you your exam. He/she will be able to set you up with somebody or at least tell you when & where your local Ham Radio Club meets.

Stop by your local Red Cross chapter house and talk to their emergency service director. Whenever a major disaster occurs generally the local electrical service and commercial commnunications systems are knocked out so the Red Cross works very close with hams to be able to get a commincations network up and running immediately. In addition to home stations most hams have radio equipment in their vehicles so if a disaster occurs a ham could drive up and provide world wide commnunications within moments. In fact, after most major disasters the only news we get for the first day or two is via ham radio.

Now to answer your question, where do you get the equipment? Sadly, due to the high cost of the equipment and the limited market ham radio dealers are few and far beteen.

When the FCC issues your license they will also notify a number of dealers who will be sending you catalogs, but I would strongly advise you to hold off buying anything until you meet someone who can help you select what you need.

For the moment I would encourage you to look for a 2meter Hand Held Transceiver. With that you could add a mobile cigarette light cord and a mobile antenna, then you could use that radio both as a hand held portable or a mobile in your car. You could also get a small 12volt power supply and a base antenna and use that radio at home.

You can find brand new 2meter handheld transceivers on Ebay for about $150 to $200 and that would be all you need to get started. (I would not encourage you to buy a used radio on Ebay until you know a bit more about them, but if you meet someone in your local club who has a used rig they will sell cheap ask them to give you a working demonstration and if it works grab it.)

When you contact the ARRL you should also order a copy of the ARRL Repeater Directory.

The ARRL Repeater Directory is a small vest pocket sized book that lists all the VHF & UHF repeaters in the USA. You can then look up locations near where you live, or along your route when traveling and find the operating frequencies of the repeater towers. VHF & UHF is what is called "line of sight" communications, which means your range is to the optical horizon plus about 20%. In order to extend the range we have a newtwork of repeaters set up on high elevations or towers which will allow you an average of 75miles or more with a simple hand held radio. Keep in mind that is 75miles from you to the tower but you could also be talking to someone that is 75miles from the opposite side for a total of 150miles (In open terraine such as Texas, Oklahoma or the southwestern desert the range is sometimes 300 miles or more.)

Actually hams started using repeaters back in the late 50's and it took ma bell well into the 80's before they copied the technology to give us cell phones. In fact, nearly all ham repeaters have a "Phone Patch". You key your transmitter and say...This is (your call sign) opening the patch, then hit the * on your radio keypad. Release your transmit button and you will hear a dialtone, now key your radio, punch in a phone number for a phone that is within the local dialing range of the tower and you make a phone call, then when finished you announce you are closing the patch and hit the # key, the patch is off.

The limitation is that the number you call must be a local number from the repeater tower and it must be a personal phone. You may not call a business, but the up side is, the call is free..

Actually it is not exactly free. In ham radio it is considered a matter of respect to be a member of your local "Repeater Association" at about $30/yr (the ham radio club) and it is an unwritten rule that when your traveling you may use another clubs repeater.

I have a call sign! I'm KK4APV.

Now how cool is that? I just showed up on the FCC database. I am a legal girl.

BTW, thanks so much for the wonderful comments.

Ruthie, what a surprise to hear that you have your General license. I'm going for that in about 30 days. What inspired you to do that?

So interesting the thing you learn about the ladies here at KT. So very interesting!!! :)

Rose, or as I'll soon be known: KK4APV

Man, I love the sound of that.

:)

Nice towers you got, but those do make good lightening rods. So, how do you handle the lightening strike problem? I've hesitated putting up an elevated TV antenna at my house due to numerous strikes we get in the summer.

I was going to put in an attic aerial, but decided I did not want a strike through the roof to the antenna. Almost every tree near my house has been hit.