The biggest fear for me was being compliant, and making sure I said my call correctly. Once you know it as well as your name it gets a lot easier. Then you start to pick and choose when to break in, because you do indeed get "stuck."
Thanks for the comment. It's my hope that others might use this comments section to offer their own advice and share their experiences. Many thanks for getting the ball rolling.
“A reluctance to look foolish” is exactly what it is. I’ve made precisely two contacts in the month I’ve had my license. Luckily; the 2m band around my area has a ton of nets essentially every day and I’m listening to some local nets so I can learn proper procedures before speaking up. I’ve wanted to push the PTT during check ins on a local net several times but I’m still a bit hesitant given I still don’t know anyone on the net and I’m still nervous that I’ll get some terminology or procedure wrong…but, either way, the ham radio community is amongst the most friendly communities I’ve ever been involved in, and I’m excited to become more involved once I get a bit more familiar with local hams and nets.
You are my spirit animal. Haha. Thank you for all the TD-H3 videos, among others. You've been a tremendous help so far. I'm just a salty medic getting started in amateur radio. I went to Swannanoa, NC last month to help out after Helene. We were flying blind without cell phones or radios. Not having radios was on us. Even though I've used radios my whole 20 years in EMS, I never bothered figuring out how it all worked. It just worked. So here I am now, with a call sign I don't like much. lolol. KQ4YTP
Dude. I was just tuned to my local 70cm repeater that I have never heard traffic on (very rural WA). I use it almost every day to talk to my wife on my drive home from work. Someone threw out a call sign and said monitoring. I replied something like hey what's up and we started a 5 minute conversation. He asked my call sign, and I said "pirate operator". He said "well in that case I'm ending the conversation" in an angry voice! I told him that I can consistently pass the general ham test with a 95% or better and that I was using the repeater respectfully. He didn't respond. This was my first encounter with a "Sad ham"
Is THAT what a "sad HAM" is? Well... the very first person I heard EVER on my little handheld was a guy declaring "Anyone that even thinks about touching that PTT button should be licensed.". No contact made. lol
Hey, I'm anti-socialism too. 😂 Now that I'm fully retired, I should get on the radio more. I'll throw out my call on my way to a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
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The biggest fear for me was being compliant, and making sure I said my call correctly.
Once you know it as well as your name it gets a lot easier. Then you start to pick and choose when to break in, because you do indeed get "stuck."
Thanks for the comment. It's my hope that others might use this comments section to offer their own advice and share their experiences. Many thanks for getting the ball rolling.
I just imagine the guy I am talking with is wearing only underwear .
Aren't they all?
That might actually be true in some cases.
“A reluctance to look foolish” is exactly what it is. I’ve made precisely two contacts in the month I’ve had my license. Luckily; the 2m band around my area has a ton of nets essentially every day and I’m listening to some local nets so I can learn proper procedures before speaking up. I’ve wanted to push the PTT during check ins on a local net several times but I’m still a bit hesitant given I still don’t know anyone on the net and I’m still nervous that I’ll get some terminology or procedure wrong…but, either way, the ham radio community is amongst the most friendly communities I’ve ever been involved in, and I’m excited to become more involved once I get a bit more familiar with local hams and nets.
You are my spirit animal. Haha. Thank you for all the TD-H3 videos, among others. You've been a tremendous help so far. I'm just a salty medic getting started in amateur radio. I went to Swannanoa, NC last month to help out after Helene. We were flying blind without cell phones or radios. Not having radios was on us. Even though I've used radios my whole 20 years in EMS, I never bothered figuring out how it all worked. It just worked. So here I am now, with a call sign I don't like much. lolol. KQ4YTP
As a new ham, this is very helpful. Thanks!
Great video . Thanks for putting it out here.
Great video! Thanks Scott.
Dude. I was just tuned to my local 70cm repeater that I have never heard traffic on (very rural WA). I use it almost every day to talk to my wife on my drive home from work. Someone threw out a call sign and said monitoring. I replied something like hey what's up and we started a 5 minute conversation. He asked my call sign, and I said "pirate operator". He said "well in that case I'm ending the conversation" in an angry voice! I told him that I can consistently pass the general ham test with a 95% or better and that I was using the repeater respectfully. He didn't respond. This was my first encounter with a "Sad ham"
Is THAT what a "sad HAM" is? Well... the very first person I heard EVER on my little handheld was a guy declaring "Anyone that even thinks about touching that PTT button should be licensed.". No contact made. lol
What a good topic with great advise. Thanks 🍻👍
For those of us in the Tulare county Fresno area could you post the net you’re talking about on the Facebook page
Hey, I'm anti-socialism too. 😂 Now that I'm fully retired, I should get on the radio more. I'll throw out my call on my way to a doctor's appointment tomorrow.