Amateur Radio

Introduction

Hello, you may have come across my site for many different reasons but now you are viewing the Amateur Radio section of my website/blog. I am a licensed amateur radio operator, or Ham as some may call us, and have been licensed since December of 2008. I took the test and received my Technician license, and station callsign “KJ4IKD”, on the first attempt. In June of 2009, Field Day, I had studied and felt prepared to take my General license exam. Thankfully I passed on the first try again. Most people prepare over the course of weeks and even then they may not pass on the first try. Anyone with a basic understanding of Physics and elementary Electronics should be able to receive their General Class License without too much stress, and I’d encourage you to do your best either way.

Some people think of Amateur Radio as a “dying hobby” and I most certainly disagree. Ham Radio may not be as prominent in the bleeding edge of technology as it used to, but there is a lot of new technology that finds its roots in Amateur Radio. Much of the latest and greatest technology Hams deal with nowadays are digital operating modes, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), satellite communications, Software Defined Radio (SDR), and so much more. To get a better look at what “Hams” do, hop on over to ARRL’s “We Do That” at http://wedothatradio.wordpress.com/. I cannot begin to tell you all of the interesting stuff you can do in the broad hobby of Amateur Radio.

Why Amateur Radio? Even if you aren’t interested in working with the many new technologies an Amateur Radio license affords you, or talking large distances without using telephone, there is a large humanitarian draw to the hobby. In every single disaster worldwide there are Amateur Radio services deployed to provide emergency communications in an otherwise zero communications area, or to bolster existing stressed communications methods. Hams were in New York City in the aftermath of September 11th assisting the emergency services. Hams were in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina assisting the National Guard, FEMA, the American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army. Hams were assisting in message relaying after the large scale earthquakes have hit in all of the regions of the world. Even local Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) groups are deployed to assist in Search and Rescue operations in my area.

My Equipment

Handheld Tranceiver(s) and Antenna(s)

1. Yaesu VX-8R - Handheld 6M/2M/220MHz/440MHz 4-Band Transceiver with built-in AX.25 TNC Modem for APRS Communications.
   • Ext. Mic – Yaesu MH-74A External Microphone
   • GPS Unit - Yaesu FGPS-2 12-Channel GPS Receiver
   • Battery – Yaesu FNB-101LI 1100mAh Lithium-Ion Battery Pack(Standard)
   • Battery – Yaesu FNB-102LI 1800mAh Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
2. Comet SMA-503 – Low-profile flexible 146Mhz/446MHz Dual Band Antenna
3. MFJ MFJ-1702S – High-Gain “Flexiduck” 6M/2M/440Mhz Tri-Band Antenna

Mobile Transceiver(s) and Antenna(s)

1. Yaesu FT-1500M – 2-Meter FM Transceiver with selectable (5w/10w/25w/50w) power output.
   • DTMF Microphone - Yaesu MH-48