CQ CQ CQ - Who's out there?

Well, how have I missed this little group for so long?

I’m John, VK2BZB. My original call was VK2VPG, a novice licence, in the late '70s (1979, I think). I upgraded to a full-call (unlimited) licence a couple of years later. In the intervening years I have held VK2FG, VK2IUI and then back to my original unlimited call-sign I now use.

In the early years I worked HF frequencies, the majority of that on ICW. Later, when I could afford it, I bought rigs for 2-metres and 70 Cm and spent most of my time on those bands. On 2-metres, apart from local chit-chat on repeaters, I concentrated on 2 M SSB. My rig at that time was a Kenwood TS711A (30W PEP on SSB) with a homebrewed amplifier to lift the signal to 100W) and a pre-amp, also homebrewed, with about 30db of gain and an S/N ratio of less than 1.5db. The aerial system was a pair of horizontally polarised 13-element yagis stacked vertically at about 1.5 wavelengths mounted at about 15 metres above ground level and excited via a hybrid 600 ohm/52 ohm feedline. With that setup I held briefly (for <5-minutes) the record for the longest distance Australian contact on that band. At least I can claim the first recorded contact on 2-metres which was from VK2 to VK6. Oh, such fame! :roll:

Since those halcyon days the pressure of work and periods of impecunity led to me not renewing my call - hence the later ones. Now, I’m virtually inactive on all bands although I still have the Kenwood 711A and a Kenwood 820 along with my 70 Cm rig, an Icom (something or other) which is capable of 75W output. My aerials? I’m too embarrassed to say. :frowning:

de VK2BZB SK

Carl here. Been VO2KDS since moving to Labrador, Canada in 1997. Started off as VE2KDS in New Brunswick after getting more interested in radio shortly free marrying into a family with a long history in Ham radio. Was stictly VHF until my father-in-law passed on his Kenwood TS-430. Worked a good number of stations in the last year or so, softly Europe and some in South America. He then gave me his Yaesu 757GX this summer and I

Hi, passed my UK foundation licence this week, my call sign is M6PKH .

teal

Username gives it away… Phil G7BZD, ex-south Birmingham, UK, Shirley. Now 11+ years located on the Isle of Wight.
Not far from The Needles, which when its blowing seem to get some good wind speeds recorded.
Have a slightly defunct WM-918 slowly failing, but now being replaced by a WMR-300, with 2 sets of sensors.

Not so active this year, re-discovered soldering kits and going walking with my cameras.
Hope to get the shack warmed up soon. FT1000mp mk5 and a couple of other bits of kit.

Phil - G7BZD

Just registered on the site. Have always had an interest in weather, as well as ham radio. Licensed since 1972. Awaiting a WS-2902 Ambient weather station, and hopefully will figure out how to get the date to APRS. Still learning in that regard.

I used to use CB back in the 1970s and 80s, then pretty much dropped the hobby and just about a month ago got my “Technician” license. I’m mostly on the 2m and 70cm bands (if I listen, it is on repeater WC8VOA which also has an Echolink hookup). Maybe I’ll add HF after getting my “General” license so I can use SSB on more bands.

N8AAA - Tom

Greetings to all. Ambient 2902A 7 miles south of Blue Ridge, Georgia.

73 de W4UCK
Jim

I passed my intermediate licence in July 2018 so my call sign is now 2E0PKH, hopping to get a full licence by the end of the year.

teal.

Congratulations :smiley:

“2E0” 8O Whatever happened to traditional “G” calls?

They run out, full licence holders now have M

I had a G8 and a G4 but it was a long time ago. G8’s were quite new, based on the letters there would have been about a thousand when I got mine.

Do you still use the radio ?.

No, but I do have a license just in case the bug ever bites again :slight_smile:

Never let the license lapse.

73
de w4uck

Not sure if you can use a UK licence in the US, if you have a UK licence it has to be updated every 5 years. I take it that you used to live over here in the UK then?.

teal.

I have a regular US license, renewable each 10 years.

Hi, hopping to take my full licence in October this year, they have now just started to make it harder to pass, so I have been told, so if I get it now I will be happy. For he sake of about

Go for it :thumbright:

Nothing to lose.

teal.

Hello from Central Pennsylvania. N3EBZ here. I