Ham operators are a small fraction of the general population, so I'd be surprised if there were many of us in the transgender community, but I've been licensed since 1998 and still get on the air today. Anyone else on Susan's licensed hams? If so, then 73 and good DX. If not, then warm hugs!!!
Danielle
I am, just a basic technician license. I generally stick to the 2M band and really am not as active as I ought to be.
I am as well. Amateur Extra, VE with both ARRL and W5YI, and an instructor for local licensing courses.
I am, alas, a condo dweller, which limits antenna deployment a bit. I am currently using a magnetic loop antenna on the apartment balcony.
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Awesome! I've been a licensed since 1998 and a General since 2000. I was running HF until my antenna came down. Hopefully soon I'll get another one out back up. Until then I'm on VHF/UHF. I love all my radio bands, but I'm definitely an HF'er when my station is up and running.
Extra.
Kinda funny that I see this on here. I was looking at FGPA boards https://www.altera.com/products/fpga/cyclone-series/cyclone-v/overview.html (https://www.altera.com/products/fpga/cyclone-series/cyclone-v/overview.html).
Anyhow I stumbled across a site that had a kit available to buy. Whoever bought it would have to assemble the kit themselves. I was tempted, but I'm more into the programming side of things.
Quote from: Michelle_P on July 27, 2018, 04:52:26 PM
I am as well. Amateur Extra, VE with both ARRL and W5YI, and an instructor for local licensing courses.
I am, alas, a condo dweller, which limits antenna deployment a bit. I am currently using a magnetic loop antenna on the apartment balcony.
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180727/028d52f3d74f70b8631cb7bb7631673c.jpg)
Your Kenwood is a beautiful radio. I used to prefer Yaesus, but the longer I'm in the hobby the more I slide into the Kenwood fan club. I have a few Kenwood radios and I absolutely love them. Great radios!
Sorry for my ignorance but what is ham radio?? I assumed it was something like SiriusXM or Pandora but the equipment in the picture looks ancient and not capable of satellite link up or internet streaming. So what do you do with it then?
Quote from: Julia1996 on July 29, 2018, 08:08:35 AM
Sorry for my ignorance but what is ham radio?? I assumed it was something like SiriusXM or Pandora but the equipment in the picture looks ancient and not capable of satellite link up or internet streaming. So what do you do with it then?
It's a way for people to talk to each other over long distances using radio waves. Similar to walkie talkies and CB (Citizen Band/Side Band) radios, but uses a different set of frequencies and requires a operator's license.
During the early Mercury and Apollo moon mission era, people could use them to listen to the astronauts talk to Nasa.
Yep, kind of like a cb radio just with way more powerful transmitters and longer range. If you time things right you can talk to people all over the world thanks to how radio signals bounce around the ionosphere.
It's a fun money pit of a hobby.
Quote from: Donica on July 29, 2018, 08:46:49 AM
It's a way for people to talk to each other over long distances using radio waves. Similar to walkie talkies and CB (Citizen Band/Side Band) radios, but uses a different set of frequencies and requires a operator's license.
During the early Mercury and Apollo moon mission era, people could use them to listen to the astronauts talk to Nasa.
Oh ok. But why would anyone bother with radio waves when you can text, Skype or Facebook with anyone anywhere? It seems inefficient. The astronauts used it to talk to earth? It totally amazes me that people actually made it to the moon with no computers or real technology to speak of. Those were some brave people.
With amateur radio / ham radio operator owns their own equipment, backup gear, and has the skill to work when the for profit networks of communication are down. I have been in areas with no internet and no cell service. Yet my Yaesu FT60 can find a repeater to talk quite a distance. More sophisticated gear can go around the world under the right conditions.
There are many examples of ham radio being the only means of communication with the outside world in local disasters.
Ham Operators also just enjoy talking with people all over the world.
If you have a bit of time it is not all that hard to pass the Technician exam, get a couple hundred dollar handy talky
and explore the world with echolink.
I am a less active ham.
-ms
Hi Colleen,
Its primary purpose is to provide emergency communications. It doesn't get much press, but it is a great service to the community. For example, here in the southern states we have to face the threat of hurricanes. While many of the storms we face each year are relatively weak, some can be absolutely devastating. Such storms can render all forms of communication around the city and outside the affected area out of service. Telephones, internet, cellular service, and even radio communications used by emergence services like law enforcement, fire, and EMS can all be taken out of commission. This is where ham radio comes in. Many amateur operators primarily operate for the purpose of providing such service. Many have portable stations with battery power, generators, portable antennas which can easily be set up, and regularly practice passing emergency traffic under various simulated situations. Such stations prepare themselves for relaying vital communications on behalf of their community when all other forms of communications are down. As was stated before, ham radio covers a lot of distance, so not only can it relay communications around the affected area, but can also reach out for help to the rest of the world when no other form of communication is available.
That said, it is a hobby and it's most often enjoyed recreationally. Many people experiment with building ether own radio equipment; some enjoy experimenting with new ways to transmit data using radio; and others just enjoy contacting new people or just keeping in touch with their friends or family over the radio. There's really something for everybody in the amateur radio hobby. It's a fun hobby and very educational. There is always something new to learn. For me, there has always been a certain magic I can't explain when I transmit a radio signal and am heard by a station on the other side of the world on my own personal equipment using absolutely no internet or other aide whatsoever - just radio waves. While I do understand a little bit about the technical aspects of how radio works, it's still this magic that keeps me coming back for more!
73 (radio slang for "Best wishes")
Danielle
The interesting part is that ham radio does work in all kind of circumstances. If you think during Hurricane Katrina, Ham Radio was for days the only communication method into New Orleans.
It does not require any internet connection and depending on equipment allows talking around the world. In the end, it is a bit more reliable.
If you think about your dad's regular work communication: All emergency responders use two-way radios. Ham Radio is the same on steroids since you can talk much longer distances.
In the end, it is a hobby - think of may folks restoring cars. Not really necessary since you can buy a new one at every corner, but they enjoy it.
Hugs, Sarah
Quote from: Julia1996 on July 29, 2018, 09:29:20 AM
Quote from: Donica on July 29, 2018, 08:46:49 AM
It's a way for people to talk to each other over long distances using radio waves. Similar to walkie talkies and CB (Citizen Band/Side Band) radios, but uses a different set of frequencies and requires a operator's license.
During the early Mercury and Apollo moon mission era, people could use them to listen to the astronauts talk to Nasa.
Oh ok. But why would anyone bother with radio waves when you can text, Skype or Facebook with anyone anywhere? It seems inefficient. The astronauts used it to talk to earth? It totally amazes me that people actually made it to the moon with no computers or real technology to speak of. Those were some brave people.
Quote from: sarah1972 on July 29, 2018, 10:21:22 AM
The interesting part is that ham radio does work in all kind of circumstances. If you think during Hurricane Katrina, Ham Radio was for days the only communication method into New Orleans.
It does not require any internet connection and depending on equipment allows talking around the world. In the end, it is a bit more reliable.
If you think about your dad's regular work communication: All emergency responders use two-way radios. Ham Radio is the same on steroids since you can talk much longer distances.
In the end, it is a hobby - think of may folks restoring cars. Not really necessary since you can buy a new one at every corner, but they enjoy it.
Hugs, Sarah
Oh ok. But why would anyone bother with radio waves when you can text, Skype or Facebook with anyone anywhere? It seems inefficient. The astronauts used it to talk to earth? It totally amazes me that people actually made it to the moon with no computers or real technology to speak of. Those were some brave people.
Oh ok. Yeah, my dad uses a radio at work all the time. It's actually like attached to his uniform. Yes I know about car restoration. My dad has an old car he's restoring. It seems like a waste of time to me. He and my brother spend time messing with that old car and now even Tristan has taken an interest in it. Even when they get it restored it's still going to be obsolete. It won't have GPS, sattelite radio and no interface for your phone or other devices. It even has one of those gearshift things where you have to actually change the gears yourself. Who needs that extra bother? I will never understand why people love obsolete and outdated cars. Old cars are ugly too. All huge and clunky. To each their own though.
Quote from: Julia1996 on July 29, 2018, 09:29:20 AM
Oh ok. But why would anyone bother with radio waves when you can text, Skype or Facebook with anyone anywhere? It seems inefficient. The astronauts used it to talk to earth? It totally amazes me that people actually made it to the moon with no computers or real technology to speak of. Those were some brave people.
They did have computers. On the ground they used mainframe computers to do the orbital calculations and in the command module and the LEM they used the Apollo Guidance Computer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer).
There are sometimes advantages to do things the old fashion ways. You don't always have more modern stuff available and often the old ways can be far more reliable. When I was young, I was able to visit Barry Goldwater's shack and they had a special license where they could run 3.000 watts instead of the normal one for 1,000 watts. Because this was during the vietnam war, the shack was used to relay personal telephone calls for the members of the military as normal calls were very difficult to make. The length of the call was limited but often service men hadn't talked with their family for months and a call was very welcome.
Quote from: Dena on July 29, 2018, 11:25:44 AM
They did have computers. On the ground they used mainframe computers to do the orbital calculations and in the command module and the LEM they used the Apollo Guidance Computer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer).
There are sometimes advantages to do things the old fashion ways. You don't always have more modern stuff available and often the old ways can be far more reliable. When I was young, I was able to visit Barry Goldwater's shack and they had a special license where they could run 3.000 watts instead of the normal one for 1,000 watts. Because this was during the vietnam war, the shack was used to relay personal telephone calls for the members of the military as normal calls were very difficult to make. The length of the call was limited but often service men hadn't talked with their family for months and a call was very welcome.
Oh yeah, I forgot about those huge computers they had back then. But how much could they even do? Doesn't a smart phone have like 1000 times the computing power of those big computers? That's really nice that those guys got to talk to their families. But I thought the military had Sat phones. Like super powerful cell phones that they can use even when cell service is down everywhere or that still work after an EMP bomb detonates.
Sat phones don't always work and usage could be restricted because of cost or limited bandwidth. In the case of the vietnam war, they didn't have a satellite parked in an orbit where they could bounce telephone calls off it and the only other option would have been to lay an under the sea communication cable - something rather costly to do. If you wanted to make a land line call, the call would need to be routed through several other countries to connect to a cross ocean connection. Most likely the existing connections were already used for military communications and vietnam being a poor country had little reason to add additional telephone lines.
As for what older computers could do, they depended on clever programming and could often do amazing tasks with even limited computing power. Even now, much of the power of a phone is wasted doing the fancy graphical interface and the phone is doing very little real work.
Quote from: Julia1996 on July 29, 2018, 09:29:20 AM
Oh ok. But why would anyone bother with radio waves when you can text, Skype or Facebook with anyone anywhere? It seems inefficient. The astronauts used it to talk to earth? It totally amazes me that people actually made it to the moon with no computers or real technology to speak of. Those were some brave people.
Julia, interestingly enough in today's modern world ham radio does incorporate the internet and other modern technologies into radio operation. This certainly doesn't mean that all aspects of amateur radio use internet communications, but many hams use computers hooked up to radios and send digital messages through the airwaves. Some exchange amateur television signals. There are also internet-linked systems that enable hams to use handheld radios to talk around the world without the need for big antennas and high-dollar equipment. There are also applications on smart devices that allow hams to use their smartphones and tablets to link to amateur bands and repeaters. These internet applications would not likely be available during disasters where normal communications are disabled, but under normal circumstances it's readily available. On top of that, different strokes for different folks - some hams enjoy the modern digital and computer and smart technology incorporation intonham radio, while others enjoy a more classic approach. And some do both! As I mentioned earlier, there is something for everyone in the hobby. It all depends on what the person wants to do and what equipment they have.
OMG! A ham radio thread!!! Any problems with the FCC during transition? Problems changing over your license?
Extra here :D
Nope, just fill out a form in the online portal and attach your name change order electronically. They had it switched in about two weeks for me
Quote from: Sarah1979 on August 13, 2018, 06:31:25 PM
OMG! A ham radio thread!!! Any problems with the FCC during transition? Problems changing over your license?
Extra here :D
Wow, I knew I was not the only transgender ham operator, but when I started this thread I didn't expect as many people to respond.
I've held a General since 2000.
73!
Danielle
Quote from: Colleen_definitely on August 13, 2018, 08:08:16 PM
Nope, just fill out a form in the online portal and attach your name change order electronically. They had it switched in about two weeks for me
Squee!! Now all I have to do is get my birth certificate change letter from my therapist, then I can see how big the pileups get for my YL voice :D TY girls *hugs*
Maybe we need a TG net...
Quote from: Steph Eigen on August 13, 2018, 08:30:22 PM
Maybe we need a TG net...
I would love that! I can't wait until I develop my YL voice and add it to the bands.
Quote from: Steph Eigen on August 13, 2018, 08:30:22 PM
Maybe we need a TG net...
"Ladies of the Net"
While not a TG net, traffic is light, and at least one Net Control person is trans. Checkins are welcome.
40M, 7.245 MHz at 10 AM PDT Monday through Friday.
https://www.qrz.com/db/km6cir (https://www.qrz.com/db/km6cir)
Quote from: Michelle_P on August 14, 2018, 12:27:34 AM
"Ladies of the Net"
While not a TG net, traffic is light, and at least one Net Control person is trans. Checkins are welcome.
40M, 7.245 MHz at 10 AM PDT Monday through Friday.
https://www.qrz.com/db/km6cir (https://www.qrz.com/db/km6cir)
I so wish I had my HF antenna back up. I'd love to check in. For now I'm on VHF/UHF. I do have 10M in the vehicle, but other than that I'm on 2, 220, & 440.
I have my technician license. My ham radio goes with me for any possible emergencies (especially tornado!). :)
Quote from: Michelle_P on August 14, 2018, 12:27:34 AM
"Ladies of the Net"
While not a TG net, traffic is light, and at least one Net Control person is trans. Checkins are welcome.
40M, 7.245 MHz at 10 AM PDT Monday through Friday.
https://www.qrz.com/db/km6cir (https://www.qrz.com/db/km6cir)
I wish I could get in on this, but my FT897 in the truck is feeding into an ATAS-120, and with the MASSIVE loading coil it needs just to get resonance on 40m, I'm pretty sure I'm not getting any ERP over 1-2W. The receiver is awesome though, I can hear anyone anywhere with it even though with the ultra high Q of the coil, the bandwidth on 40m is only like 10-20kHz. I really need to get a G5RV to take on the road with me. 73 girls :D
Quote from: Sarah1979 on August 14, 2018, 12:42:45 PM
I wish I could get in on this, but my FT897 in the truck is feeding into an ATAS-120, and with the MASSIVE loading coil it needs just to get resonance on 40m, I'm pretty sure I'm not getting any ERP over 1-2W. The receiver is awesome though, I can hear anyone anywhere with it even though with the ultra high Q of the coil, the bandwidth on 40m is only like 10-20kHz. I really need to get a G5RV to take on the road with me. 73 girls :D
I too have an FT897. Great little radio! I use mine as a base station. Right now I only use it for VHF/UHF however. I still need to put up an HF antenna. That's one of those things on my To Do list that I just haven't accomplished yet.
My problem is that I drive a truck for a living, and am only home about a week every month, so everything has to be portable :(
I have a technicians license and once in a while I will use one of my 2 HT radios on the VHF/UHF (2m/70cm) frequencies. I don't know if I want to make a huge investment in ham equipment, right now I have made a substantial investment in a 3d printer and that seems to keep me occupied and happy for the time being. I have participated in field day though. I have been on the air and I have a few friends that I meet up with that belong to an amateur radio group. There are probably 5 or 6 women in the group so I am not alone.
It really started with me as a distraction from the dysphoria, I really do like it though, but, for now the investment into more equipment has to take a backseat to my transition. Once Sarah is fully in the driver's seat (driver joke), I'll be more comfortable getting fully active again. :) 73 girls
I'm a little late to this thread, licenced since 2001, fully upgraded 2015.
Built a few repeaters.
Sent from my P00A using Tapatalk
Quote from: Sarahthenerd on August 31, 2018, 07:36:51 PM
I'm a little late to this thread, licenced since 2001, fully upgraded 2015.
Built a few repeaters.
Sent from my P00A using Tapatalk
Welcome to the thread! And congratulations on the upgrade. I've been licensed since 1998 and upgraded to general in 2000, and been one ever since. I've never had any repeater before. That's really cool. I'm getting ready to put an HF antenna back up so I can get back in the air. I have VHF/UHF gear up and running, but I am an HF'er mostly, at least until my antenna came down.
Danielle
I'm not on the air as much as I used to be, apartment living has a few disadvantages. Every now and then I go qrp. But most of my activities are all done on the bench anyways. 73'
Sent from my P00A using Tapatalk
Quote from: Sarahthenerd on August 31, 2018, 08:25:19 PM
I'm not on the air as much as I used to be, apartment living has a few disadvantages. Every now and then I go qrp. But most of my activities are all done on the bench anyways. 73'
Apartment life does that. I'm experimenting a bit with a magloop antenna on the condo balcony. Plastic vines and a bogus pot 'base' should disguise it a bit from the HOA police. (Bored older residents who have a hobby of looking for real or imagined infractions.)
I just ordered a new HF antenna today. I could have built one, but I'm usually too busy and if I'm not busy, then I'm too lazy. It should arrive in about two weeks. My plan is to put it up as soon as I get it. I miss HF and can't wait to get back on the bands. Once I'm back on the air I'll check out "Ladies of the Net." I haven't developed my YL voice yet, so my "male" persona will have to do until I'm further along in my transition. Oh well, at least I'll get my HF back! I'm so excited!!!
Danielle
Not long ago, I bought a Buddipole which is supposed to be quite good all the way from 20m to 70cm, and will also work all the way down to 80m, but I just haven't gotten it put up yet. My YL voice is not bad, (wish the rest of my transition was that easy :) ), but I feel like I shouldn't use it on air until further along (after name/gender change)
Quote from: Dena on July 29, 2018, 11:25:44 AM
I was able to visit Barry Goldwater's shack and they had a special license where they could run 3.000 watts instead of the normal one for 1,000 watts. Because this was during the vietnam war, the shack was used to relay personal telephone calls for the members of the military as normal calls were very difficult to make. The length of the call was limited but often service men hadn't talked with their family for months and a call was very welcome.
This was the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS). In the 1960's there were not many communication satellites, no internet, no nothing. Overseas telephone was by under sea cables. The MARS system allowed service members a few minutes of personal talk time with their family.
There were many other MARS stations in use at the time, but Senator Goldwater's station paid for the domestic long distance telephone call once the link to his stateside station was established. This was before cell phones where any call outside your area code was charged as long distance. Other stations made a collect call to the service members home to complete the communication link.
Tech since the late 70's, grandfathered into Tech Plus, but haven't been active since the early 80's. Don't even have a working rig any more.
Changing the name was a breeze on FCC's website.
Stephanie
Some years ago i whas helping as volunteer on a lokal radio station in the netherlands for some special lhgbti programs, one of de technicians who helped us have a licence too he's now a good friend of mine his call pd1ahr or ph5c ( don't know exactly ) i've visit him lots of times and also his private radio studio, ive been interested it's a very nice hobbie iv'e seen the study books but my gosh what difficult i think it's not a study for me.
But i have a sdr shortwave radio on my computter ( sdr play ) and a wellbrook active antenna and it's great to listen some times to radio amateurs shortwave broadcaast and aeroplanes.
Quote from: Dani on September 20, 2018, 10:07:06 PM
This was the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS). In the 1960's there were not many communication satellites, no internet, no nothing. Overseas telephone was by under sea cables. The MARS system allowed service members a few minutes of personal talk time with their family.
There were many other MARS stations in use at the time, but Senator Goldwater's station paid for the domestic long distance telephone call once the link to his stateside station was established. This was before cell phones where any call outside your area code was charged as long distance. Other stations made a collect call to the service members home to complete the communication link.
We had a MARS station aboard my ship in the early 1970's. A couple of my shop mates made calls home on that. The antenna was mounted off of the "Vultures row" section of the island. One night it was arcing at the base as I heard the operator through open doors just CQ'ing away. When I got out I worked for a shop that 2 fellows were operating. One of them was in the Air Force and he operated a MARS station in Laos. He was picking up a lot of interference on 3.579 MHZ. He was picking up all of those color burst crystals being tested in the color TV factories in that part of Asia. I don't have a Ham license, but a commercial one. I repaired transceiver radios and cellphones.
Joelene
My HF antenna is up and running. I'm back on the air!!!
Very nice!! What modes are you using? Rig?
What call signs do you use?
May be can i reicieve your signals with my swl radio equipment an can i send you an swl report by mail
Quote from: RobynS on September 25, 2018, 09:43:37 AM
What call signs do you use?
May be can i reicieve your signals with my swl radio equipment an can i send you an swl report by mail
BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT POSTING CALL SIGNS!
Call signs point to your full name and address as filed with the FCC, all a matter of public record and easily found with a Google search. Posting a call sign here can lead to very unpleasant results.
Quote from: Michelle_P on September 25, 2018, 10:43:18 AM
BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT POSTING CALL SIGNS!
Call signs point to your full name and address as filed with the FCC, all a matter of public record and easily found with a Google search. Posting a call sign here can lead to very unpleasant results.
O i dont know this that you can find calls easely on the net.
I have a swl number can they find this numbers as well easy by internet
Quote from: Sarah1979 on September 24, 2018, 08:16:48 PM
Very nice!! What modes are you using? Rig?
I'm running a Kenwood 430S through an 80 meter inverted v up about 30 feet. Eventually I want to get on digital modes such as PSK31, but for now I run SSB. Mainly I'm on 75 meters mid to late night.
Very nice, I have a G5RV that I never use, and the aforementioned buddipole, but usually I use a ATAS120 mounted on my truck fed from a FT857. On 40 meters and below, the loading coil is too big to get any decent power out of it, but it works ok on 20m and higher. I have used it pretty well on JT65 and PSK31 though.
73
I'm glad to hear the name change is easy on the fcc website. I think I'm due to renew in a few years anyway.
Sent from my P00A using Tapatalk
Quote from: RobynS on September 25, 2018, 09:43:37 AM
What call signs do you use?
May be can i reicieve your signals with my swl radio equipment an can i send you an swl report by mail
I won't post my call sign, but I will say that I'm a Texas station and can be heard regularly at the lower portion of the General Class segment of 75 meters.
73
Quote from: Danielle Kristina on October 04, 2018, 10:56:40 PM
I won't post my call sign, but I will say that I'm a Texas station and can be heard regularly at the lower portion of the General Class segment of 75 meters.
73
I've got my Buddipole with me, but I have to get some other parts to make it usable on 80 meters, currently it's stuck only being effective at 20m and up :(
Quote from: Sarah1979 on October 05, 2018, 04:44:48 AM
I've got my Buddipole with me, but I have to get some other parts to make it usable on 80 meters, currently it's stuck only being effective at 20m and up :(
I'm on 20 fairly often, but mostly on 75. Hopefully soon I'll have a 40 meter antenna up so I won't have to use my 75 meter antenna on 7 MHz. I don't go above 20 much since the propagation is so lousy for those upper bands, which is a shame because I miss 10 meters.