Aviator,

[Pogo]

I messed up your post about Baefong handheld radios when I tried to edit my reply. Make your post again.

[aviator]

It's alll right, I was just telling you that after 47 years off the air, I bought one of those toy transceivers, the little box seems to work all right, I was able to raise a few repeaters right from my house. I did get a longer antenna though. fun little thing for only $17.00

[Pogo]

I have one of those Baefong handheld transceivers. They work good considering their price. I also have one made by Kenwood. It has a much better speaker and the battery lasts longer. You probably haveplenty of repeaters in your area.

[ColonelKorn]

I like my Baofengs but we only have 1 GMRS repeater in our area and I don't have my Ham ticket so I can just listen.

[aviator]

I have one of those Baefong handheld transceivers. They work good considering their price. I also have one made by Kenwood. It has a much better speaker and the battery lasts longer. You probably haveplenty of repeaters in your area.

Too many and some are linked to others. There is one frequency that links most of the state. Things have changed since I was active. By the way my license expired about 10 days ago so I had to renew it. Colonel get at least a Technician ticket and you can use them legally.

Years ago I had a Yaesu FT 227R for 2m , it was a nice unit, it had a bad crystal in it and I never replaced it so it missed a few frequencies. I gave it away to my cousin, don't know if he ever used it, he died years ago. Also had a Heathkit HW101 with an electronic keyer and an antenna tuner and a heathkit QRP set HW8 I think it was.

[Pogo]

What Aviator said. Everyone should get a technicians license. It's not that difficult.

If anyone wants to look me up: KQ9U

'

[aviator]

What Aviator said. Everyone should get a technicians license. It's not that difficult.

If anyone wants to look me up: KQ9U

'

That's right, in case of a real emergency, hams out there and some repeaters have backup power, in Miami the Emergency Center has volunteer ham radio people manning the radios and you can check in and be on call if something needs to be relayed. Or you can go to HF and get a message across the world. Not as a technician though, you need at least a General. Pogo I've out of the loop for too long, did they do away with the morse code part? When I was active I was doing about 20+ WPM

WB4VVC,

[55chevy]

Yhes they did away with Morse code. But many still enjoy it and that is the only mode they do.

[Pogo]

That's right, in case of a real emergency, hams out there and some repeaters have backup power, in Miami the Emergency Center has volunteer ham radio people manning the radios and you can check in and be on call if something needs to be relayed. Or you can go to HF and get a message across the world. Not as a technician though, you need at least a General. Pogo I've out of the loop for too long, did they do away with the morse code part? When I was active I was doing about 20+ WPM

WB4VVC,

Morse Code is no longer required for any class license. My radio has a LED readout for morse code. And I can send code with my computer.
You can look up call signs here: https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/Uls...rchAmateur.jsp
There is also some other websites you can use to search.

'

[4thIDvet]

At our vet reunion coming up we have a good sized tent and lot of radio equipment with a sign 'MARS'. Lot of guys going in using it with the staff their but what is it? Tent loaded with radios, trucks with tall antennas, etc..
Guessing it is some form of HAM radios?

[aviator]

I love CW (Morse Code), that small low power (4W) transceiver took me all over on a long wire antenna. Even with a small antenna inside a room, strung up from corner to corner I got someone in NY. BUt I haven't used it in 40 some years, so I'm very slow now. My grandfather taught me the code when I was a kid, he was a train station telegrapher at one point in is life.