About Ham Radio

01/02/07

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.Introduction

This website covers several areas related to the amateur radio hobby. The hobby offers a variety of diverse aspects to get involved with. From talking around the world on 'short wave' to satellite communications. For an introduction to ham radio see ARRL website www.arrl.org .

I was first licensed as a Novice WN4TUR around 1971 and shortly thereafter as WB4TUR with a General class license. In the mid-80's I upgraded to Extra class. I have enjoyed this 'ham' radio hobby for over 30 years. From talking to people around the world using shortwave voice (SSB) and morse code (CW) to local repeater communications on FM.

I upgraded my WB4TUR call sign to W4XE in 2001.

I am now active in the ARMY Military Affiliated Radio Service (MARS). My MARS call sign is AAT4UU.
 

Some 'hams' like to collect older 'boat anchor' tube radios. You will find a selection of links related to tube BA's. Some say 'real radios glow in the dark'.

There is something friendly about the warm glow of the tube filaments lit up inside your radio on a cold winter night. One of my boat anchor radios is the highly acclaimed HF station a KWM-2A by Collins

 

This radio enables me to work local and long distance 'dx' around the globe using morse code 'cw' and voice 'ssb'.

An even smaller group of the boat anchor hams prefer to collect historical military radios.

  The R-390A receiver is arguably one of the best receivers ever built.

 This site contains information pertaining to this topic. These radios can span time from WWI to present day radios. Many of these radios overlap multiple frequency allocations the FCC has allotted to the amateur radio service. Thus they provide 'affordable' equipment that can be refurbished and put back into operation.

You can see a some of my military radio collection on display at the following museum:

Veterans Memorial Museum  2060A Airport Road  Huntsville, AL 35801      

See their website: http://www.alabamaveteransmuseum.com/huntsville_memorial.htm



Some hams practice the time honored tradition of home-brewing your own equipment. This tradition is very prevalent with ham repeaters. Older commercial FM equipment such as Motorola and GE are converted into amateur repeater service. These repeaters provide local communications during normal times and are invaluable during disasters scenarios.

Amateur Radio operators practice emergency communications once a year in June during a 24 hour period called 'Field Day'. We setup our HF stations and work continuously off portable equipment and antennas with an AC gas generator for power.

Our 2005 HARC K4BFT 15 meter and 80 meter SSB station. W4XE at the helm with CJ helping. An ICOM IC-756 Pro with 15 meter Quad and 80 meter dipole atop a 50' portable erected tower. The Huntsville Amateur Radio Club usually runs 5 separate stations plus satellite and Amateur TV.

Some of the past ham 'QSL' confirmation cards I've used as WN4TUR my first Novice call and WB4TUR my past General & Extra call sign. Amateurs mail these to each other to confirm a contact with another ham around the world. Certificates are available for working all 50 states in the US as well as hundreds of countries around the world.

 
QRZ from Sunny South Miami Fla.

 

 

       

 

 

 


 

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This site was last updated 01/02/07