[FARC] Less than two weeks...

[ARC]

S'cuse me for my excitement but, I can barely wait until the fathers' day
hamfest... I'll be taking the technician test and it's been driving me nuts
not being able to participate in the nets that I've been listening to on 2m
and 80 meters (when I upgrade to Gen) over the last couple months while
studying. I'll prolly get stage fright and forget everything when I sit down
to take the test!!! I just put together my first jpole today from a site on
the internet for 2m and it's working real nice so far. The plans set it up
for a center freq of 146 MHz and that was close enough for me (at this
point). I don't have a SWR meter or antenna analyzer so, I put it up on the
mast temporarily at around 25-30' that's strapped to my deck railing and I
heard a few more repeaters than with the mobile antenna. I even built my
first coax cable today from 30' that was left coiled around my power meter
by the cable guys. We use DIRECTV so I won't be needing 30 extra ft of coax
(for that anyway). I'm sure what they use is probably not the best to use
but, I got the PL 259 soldered on there the first try... I consider it a
step in the right direction (even though it's not the nicest job). I do have
to find a more permanent place for the mast since the wife is already
saying..."You're not keeping that thing there...permanently...are you?!?"
Gotta keep the wife happy... 

 

I believe (if my memory is correct) I heard the net in Frederick, one out of
West VA and the Panhandle net and another that I can't remember now...

 

I'll be listening...

 

Anthony