A little bit about my adventures in amateur radio.
Back in 1964, I passed the code and theory test to attain my Novice class amateur radio license. Like many hams, I recall my first contact on the air. It was with a guy in Nebraska. And, it was using the Morse Code.
Here I am as a youngster of age 15, using what even at that time was considered vintage radio gear.
Since that time, I have passed my General class and Advanced class examinations. All this means, if you as a non-ham are reading this, is that I became more knowledgeable of the hobby and, as a result of the other licenses, received more operating privileges.
Over these 30 plus years, I have had some very interesting experiences while operating the ham radio.
I recall for example on one occasion, as a teen, I was talking by voice over a microphone to a ham in South America. A ham in Central America "broke into" the conversation, as he heard me say I was located in New Orleans. He asked me to do him a favor. He explained that a social services agency out of New Orleans had shipped crates of medicine, food and clothing to his port in Central America. But, the authorities would not release th4e foods to him, unless he could produce a "bill of lading" number, which they believed would prove he was the intended recipient of the shipment. I was able to locate the telephone number of the agency and gave them a call. They listened to my story and gave me the number.
I gave the number to the Central American ham and wished him luck.
Some time after that, I was on the air again when this same ham contacted me. He said all was well. The local authorities had released the goods to him and distribution had taken place.
Another occasion sticks out in my mind.
During one of the hurricanes that hit New Orleans in, as best I can recall, 1966 or 1967, I and another ham were the links between the US Weather Service ands the outside world. We had a special number to call at the Weather Service to retrieve information on the storm as it approached New Orleans and while it actually "hit" the area. When we lost electricity, we operated the amateur radio from the 12 volt system in the car. When the telephone link to the Weather Bureau was interrupted, we relied on our own observations of conditions to report to the rest of the world. I recall distinctly being up all night...listening to the heavy rains and high winds as they belted the area.
This was quite an experience for a person in his teens!
In 1983, a youngster of five got to help his dad construct an antenna. Click here for that story.
Over the years, I have also had the privilege of talking with hams in over 175 countries of the world. Some of these talks [called "contacts"] have been using voice and others using the Morse code. Still, some have been using Radio TeleType [RTTY] and others using amateur satellites circling the earth. Such contacts are customarily followed up with a confirmation [QSL] card. These serve as momentoes of the occasion as well as evidence that the conversations actually took place.
In the last case, a signal is sent to the satellite and relayed by that satellite to another part of the earth, delayed only by the time it takes to go to the satellite and back! [A number of these satellites have been built by -and paid for by - hams over the years. Some even relay pictures back and forth!] Some of these contacts with foreign [called "DX"] countries were made by using the amateur radio in the car.
If you are interested in learning more about amateur radio or how to become a "ham", click here.
Why not let me know that you came across this page. E-mail me, please.