Congratulations Briggie

[jims-terrano]

Congratulations and well done to Briggie for passing his Foundation Radio Ham exam this morning

Jim

[supergnome]

Well done. Catch you some time on 2 or 70.

David.

[R1cho]

[briggie]

thanks jim for being so patient with a doddering old git

its amazing how much you forget over the years

special thanks to gerald and russel

and of course extra special thanks to your " daughter " jim

thanks everyone for the good wishes , i had to prove to myself that i could do it , not just the rsgb

regards

pete

[Terranoman]

posh CB'er now then

[jims-terrano]

Hi Pete, can't wait to take you through the Intermediate later this year if your up for it mate
As soon as you get that callsign drop me a txt and we'll arrange a contact.

All The Best
Jim

[jims-terrano]

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

Hi Pete, can't wait to take you through the Intermediate later this year if your up for it mate
As soon as you get that callsign drop me a txt and we'll arrange a contact.

All The Best
Jim

Wait until Thoma The Terrano see's this news he'll be dead jealous Pete

Jim

[briggie]

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

Hi Pete, can't wait to take you through the Intermediate later this year if your up for it mate
As soon as you get that callsign drop me a txt and we'll arrange a contact.

All The Best
Jim

allready got the course book jim

[briggie]

Originally Posted by terranoman

posh cb'er now then

.. - ... / .- / -... .. - / -- --- .-. . / - .... .- -. / .--. --- ... .... / -.-. -... /

[clivvy]

i have no idea what any of that means, but congrats Peter, I know you really wanted to do this, so againt well done mate im really pleased for ya!

[briggie]

Originally Posted by clivvy

i have no idea what any of that means, but congrats Peter, I know you really wanted to do this, so againt well done mate im really pleased for ya!

translated it means ......

its a bit more than posh cb

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

Originally Posted by jims-terrano

Wait until Thoma The Terrano see's this news he'll be dead jealous Pete

Jim

Hey not jealous, but really pleased for you.

Yes I must do it, if only for the love of the
gadgets!

Plus really want an aerial farm on the motor....

c'mon remind me where do I start?

[jims-terrano]

I'm planning the next Foundation course in Sept October time. Tend to run for around 2 or 3 days usually over a couple of weekends depending on how far we get on each session. The location is near Huddersfield. The new version of Foundation License Now will be out shortly as the sylabus changes 1st July.

Jim

[elpeede]

Well done! you will have fun.. there are so many branches to the hobby..

heres a little I wrote for my club site for anyone interested in getting started.

So Welcome first of all, if you are reading this then there is every chance you are looking to get started in amateur radio.

I was in the same position in September 2008, after years of promising myself I would get my license I finally bit the bullet.

One of the things that had put me off for years was the thought of learning Morse.

DON'T WORRY! You don't need to know it anymore!

That doesn't mean to say no one uses it but it is possible as far as the Morse is concerned to turn up on the day and complete the assessment which is more an appreciation of Morse than an examination. I will however learn more as time allows.

So what next?

Get off to your book store of choice and purchase a copy of "Foundation now"

You can order it here ;
RSGB Book store

You can learn all you need for the Foundation exam (we like to call it a quiz!). There is also a practical assessment aspect to the foundation license which members of the club can help you with. This will include simple things such as setting up a radio. Making contacts with people on HF (Worldwide) and VHF (More local), Morse assessment, and tuning an antenna (not difficult) and using a SWR meter.

The quiz at the time of writing consists of 25 multiple choice questions. Typically with two obviously wrong answers and two others that will test your learning.

So once your practical assessment sheet has been completed you can sit the quiz, the club will organise these from time to time and often provide a input prior to the quiz to help you through. But again if you read the book it has all you need to know. Its not a massive document either so it really is a case of you get out of it what you put in.

The next levels of the licenses are Intermediate and Advanced which basically give you more radio privileges such as frequencies you can use and power you can transmit. The purpose is purely to make you understand the issues of interference that you can cause to others. By understanding more you can use more power and are less likely to cause problems for others. More about these licenses later.

How long will it all take? Well it all depends on timing of the exams. How much you put yourself out. Sometimes you need to travel to sit exams if your local club isn't running one. I went all out and had my Foundation License in the November, My Intermediate in the December and My Advanced in the February. I have also become a tutor now for the Foundation and Intermediate licenses.

I found the Advanced was hard work, again you get out what you put in and I passed it purely based on home study with no other input. I have had an interest in electrics, radios and computers for a number of years, I also have severe dyslexia which shouldn't be seen as a disadvantage - in fact using my coping strategies helped me to pass. One of the reasons I did the exams back to back - so I didn't have time to forget what I had already learned.

Costs? Depending on where you go. The club SCARS doesn't generally charge for tuition for training. There may be costs for venues divided up between participants, and the tea / coffee. Like any other club should you choose to join there is a membership fee. But again - come along see if you like it and go from there. No need to join immediately!

Exam costs are set by the RSGB and can be found here along with lots of other useful information.

So there you have it. Its not a secret society, we don't hold the key to the answer to the question of life (we have to say that or everyone would want to join!) and there is no more mystery.

There are a vast number of areas to the hobby. Morse, Contest groups, SOTA (Mountain and fell walking to activate summits) , IOTA (Islands on the air) , JOTA (Jamborees on the air). Sport radio (fox hunts using beacons instead of foxes - nice if you are a fox), and loads and loads more!

Is it really that simple? Yes, my ten year old son recently passed his foundation license, and there are many younger radio amateurs out there to. So what are you waiting for!

Finally, remember, its a hobby, enjoy , have fun and make new friends.Lee
M0LPD

[jims-terrano]

Hi Lee, you really must change that piture on QRZ mate Green Oval indeed. "we like to call it a quiz" That's just what Dave wilson say's. We are all coming out of the wood work aren't we and the 857 is a cracking little radio, I bought the seperation kit but not used it in that configuration as of yet.

73's Jim