Ordered a new radio.

[SteveShannon]

5 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

I want to learn CW but I also want to start studying for my Extra test too. And I have radio projects in the shack going on too. Decisions decisions.

 

2 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

Same here.

In my opinion, get the extra first. You can do it in two weeks of studying, especially if you just recently got your general. I say that only because it builds on the foundation you built studying for the general. CW is learned completely differently (for me personally at least) not hard, but a different part of my brain, related more to hearing sounds and pattern recognition. 

[WRQC527]

15 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

I want to learn CW but I also want to start studying for my Extra test too. And I have radio projects in the shack going on too. Decisions decisions.

Get the Extra first. It's much faster to achieve, and it's much more useful than knowing CW. You never have to worry about what portion of a band you can use, and once you have it, you never need to test again. CW is more of a novelty that takes much longer to learn and has limited usefulness in the real world of amateur radio*.

*The opinion expressed here is strictly my own and does not represent that of a dwindling subset of octogenarian amateur radio operators who believe only real amateur radio operators know CW.

[WRUQ357]

The Amazon radios are flying off of the shelf. I just had a left hip revision done and will be studying for the technician license during my recovery. I was able to find a few radios on Scott's radios and he will be shipping mine out tomorrow. I don't know when Amazon or Radioddity would have more in. I'll have to look into taking the test online because I won't be able to for 6 weeks or so.

On 8/16/2024 at 6:06 AM, nokones said:

Also, some, not many run both a CB and GMRS. The GMRS channel will vary depending on the group/club. When I am alone, I scan all them without any tone. As for the CB, I'll monitor Ch. 16 AM. The other days on my run to Crown King I actually heard some off-roading radio traffic on CB Ch. 16. There were a few Side-X-Sides on the road and I did notice a CB antenna and an UHF antenna on one of them.

 

On 8/26/2024 at 12:14 PM, warthog74 said:

Well, i know people still using the original 6666 that came out a decade ago. In todays throw away world, i say 10 years out of a CCR is pretty damn good. Also 90% of the President radios now come from China. Only a few “flagship” models still come from Vietnam. At any rate the QT80 is a great rig. Just talk some SSB DX and you’d be amazed how many are using AnyTone/Radioddity products because they are spot on frequency with great audio for a respectable price.

 

[WRUQ357]

Update on my radio and surgery progress. The surgery went well, I'm walking better than I have in years. I lost interest in the ham stuff. Couldn't rap my mind around what band is what. I finally got my QT-80 installed in my truck and after having some issues with the placement of the antenna, I finally figured it out and have the swr's at 1.3 to 1.5:1. I also picked up a used QT40 from Scott's radios and replaced and installed a new 4' Firestik and cable in my TJR with the QT40. The swr's are running 1.1:1 on the jeep install. Now I have gmrs and cb in both rigs. 

[SteveShannon]

7 minutes ago, WRUQ357 said:

Update on my radio and surgery progress. The surgery went well, I'm walking better than I have in years. I lost interest in the ham stuff. Couldn't rap my mind around what band is what. I finally got my QT-80 installed in my truck and after having some issues with the placement of the antenna, I finally figured it out and have the swr's at 1.3 to 1.5:1. I also picked up a used QT40 from Scott's radios and replaced and installed a new 4' Firestik and cable in my TJR with the QT40. The swr's are running 1.1:1 on the jeep install. Now I have gmrs and cb in both rigs. 

Good news about the surgery!

I have a friend who gets turned upside down trying to understand the inverted relationship between frequency and band wavelength. I keep trying to figure out how to make it click for him.

[wayoverthere]

Truth be told, since I don't have much time to play radio, I don't remember all the limits either, even 3 years in.

unless I'm doing something on a set frequency like ft8, I have a printed copy of the ARRL band chart near my "shack" (desk in the office) and a PDF copy on my phone and double check myself regularly.

[WRUQ357]

I've done a lot of googling and boobtubing. Both of my new radios are capable of 10,12, and 15 meter. If I ever figure out how , I may try and listen in and see if it peaks my interest. I'm more afraid of changing the radios and not being able to fix them. A big part of it is my mind doesn't retain the information I try to feed it. 

[nokones]

9 hours ago, WRUQ357 said:

Update on my radio and surgery progress. The surgery went well, I'm walking better than I have in years. I lost interest in the ham stuff. Couldn't rap my mind around what band is what. I finally got my QT-80 installed in my truck and after having some issues with the placement of the antenna, I finally figured it out and have the swr's at 1.3 to 1.5:1. I also picked up a used QT40 from Scott's radios and replaced and installed a new 4' Firestik and cable in my TJR with the QT40. The swr's are running 1.1:1 on the jeep install. Now I have gmrs and cb in both rigs. 

That looks more like a 5 Ft Firestik.

[WRUQ357]

2 hours ago, nokones said:

That looks more like a 5 Ft Firestik.

It's on a spring and quick disconnect, helping it look taller 

[Davichko5650]

On 9/1/2024 at 5:25 PM, WRYZ926 said:

I want to learn CW but I also want to start studying for my Extra test too. And I have radio projects in the shack going on too. Decisions decisions.

Multitask!

Seriously, do whichever of these you feel to be most important to achieve first.  Extra Class ticket gives you more frequency allocations which works well for cw and phone, especially DX.  Radio Projects completed may play into honing your cw skills on the air.  Choice is yours, but any of them is worthwhile to pursue.

[nokones]

1 hour ago, WRUQ357 said:

It's on a spring and quick disconnect, helping it look taller 

Hmm, I guess it does and is kinda optical.

[nokones]

5 minutes ago, Davichko5650 said:

Multitask!

Seriously, do whichever of these you feel to be most important to achieve first.  Extra Class ticket gives you more frequency allocations which works well for cw and phone, especially DX.  Radio Projects completed may play into honing your cw skills on the air.  Choice is yours, but any of them is worthwhile to pursue.

Are you sure you're on the right channel or was this just bleed over from an adjacent channel or intermod?  I'm pretty sure that this is not co-channel traffic!

[Davichko5650]

Just now, nokones said:

Are you sure you're on the right channel or was this just bleed over from an adjacent channel or intermod?

Specious emissions!

[Lscott]

14 hours ago, WRUQ357 said:

The surgery went well, I'm walking better than I have in years.

That’s good to hear. I had a full left knee replacement done a year ago last August myself. Wore out the old one, meniscus was gone in part of the joint, bone on bone contact.