LISP DE DEDI JEKI
Congratulations! I was bitten by the ham bug some many years ago. Not good at "CW" (Morse Code). Was licensed as a Novice twice (first at 11), and passed the General theory exam at 15 (self-taught logarithms to do this). In 2000 they dropped the morse code requirement to 5 words per minute for all classes and passed Technician, General and Extra with 100% each in 3 successive months. Many years of frustration finally boiling through.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Tried various radios and modes. I had a pair of Heathkit twins (separate transmitter and receiver from the early 1970s), a Kenwood TS-2000 and then a TenTec Orion II. Decided that what I like best is RTTY (radio teletype) contesting. I won a couple of minor contest awards. SSB (voice) is fun, but it tears up the throat in contests. Straight Key Night is fun. One of the things that's fun is to go to the 20 meter band (hams name bands by the length of the radio wave, not the frequency -- so 20 meters = 14 Mhz) slow-scan TV frequencies on Christmas or Thanksgiving just to see all the color pictures people send over the air. I used the ARRL course books and would recommend them to anyone starting out. In particular, the Technician and General books are useful when setting up a station (like building wire antennas from scratch). Also,
http://www.arrl.org/shop/Operating . I would recommend anyone starting out to get the ARRL Technician and General license manuals, plus the Operating Manual. The Operating Manual is good because it explains what kind of activity is on the different bands at different times of day, and at different points in time during the sun spot cycle. Then, try a little bit of each kind of operating before putting too much money into a station. After all, it helps to know what kind of station you want to build. And then prepare to trade postcards (QSL cards) with your new friends from all over the world (if you want to).
BTU LISP DE DEDI JEKI K ..
(Dedi Jeki is the husband of Veronika, just borrowing this computer for "ragchew" (long conversation)).
NOTE on Language: Most radio contacts (particularly teletype and morse code ("CW") are done in a form of "mini-English" consisting of a small handful of abbreviations, so language is never a problem. Even in voice, really. Here are about half of them.
BTU = back to you (your turn to speak)
DE = This Is
QTH = location
QRZ = who is calling me (I didn't hear your name correctly)
QSL = OK / I got it / I understand
CQ = Calling Anybody ("Seek You")
73 = Good Bye
K = OK, You Talk Now
KN = OK, You (and nobody else) Talk Now
NOTE on Frequencies: The AM band on your car radio goes from about 500 kc to 1.7 Mhz. The ham Global bands are at 1.8, 3.5, 7, 10, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28 & 50 Mhz. So, the ham bands with global reach are located between the AM and FM bands on your car radio. Broadcast TV is above the FM band.
TEST DRIVE: Anybody with a car radio can test drive ham radio and shortwave listening by tuning around on the AM band starting about 2 hours after the sun goes down. Try to figure out the farthest station you can hear during the bright light of day (100 miles?) and then try again a couple of hours after sundown (1,500 miles?). So, what'd you find out?