PSA for HAM Radio license holders

[LuckyDuck]

Just wanted to share a quick reminder that if you hold an Amateur Radio license, you're required to keep the FCC updated if you move. I just went through it myself yesterday and it's easy enough- you need your FRN and password but no cost to update your address. Details can be found at the below link in case anyone needs it.

Common Amateur Filing Task: Changing Address

Licensing Filing Electronically using the Universal Licensing System

www.fcc.gov

-LD

 

[GIXXER2000]

I am good till 2026.. I have the highly coveted 1x2 call
K7XS since 1996.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

I doubt I will need to worry about a gov issued piece of paper when mine is due next.

 

[LuckyDuck]

I doubt I will need to worry about a gov issued piece of paper when mine is due next.

I just looked at mine- I have about 4 years before I have to renew it (as I understand that'll now cost me some money with the FCC changes from a couple of years ago).

Truth be told- I really haven't done much with my license. I may have shared it here previously but I primarily signed up because I had a depth of radio experience and figured it'd be better to spend a weekend learning something than drinking beer. I got my money's worth and got my ticket, just never 'used' it.

I must be a glutton for punishment because I've been thinking that if I have to now pay to renew it otherwise, I mid as well just upgrade to the next class and kill two birds with the same $20 or whatever it is. I've got some time to figure out my next move but I'm leaning towards the upgrade option and hope that I learn something new in the process. Not too concerned with the piece of paper as much as I'd just like to continue learning/growing in this world.

-LD

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Get the extra, its worth the education for whats coming. Plus the extra knowledge & related will help in building your own gear, or buying what others say can't be fixed,...Laughing. My last boat anchor cost 20 bucks, and took 85 Cents to fix. The ability to build your own shit from other peoples throwaways/junk, might come in real handy at some point. Besides, buying 300 bucks worth of parts, for 5 bucks is a win any/everywhere.

 

[Ronws]

My step-grandfather was big into ham radio. His local club in Plano, Texas would try to see who got the farthest contact.

In fact, my study of electronics started in 1975 with his back issues of The Radio Amateur's Handbook. Then, of course, books on transistors and the new hot thing, VLSI.

When I was in 12th grade, he gave me a high school level primer on Einstein's fearing of relatives, I mean Theory of Relativity. And taught me the short-cut to single variable differential calculus.

That was all neat but I also liked playing guitar and started teaching myself to do that in 1974. I only had my mother's old folk guitar given to her by my father who had been a music major at the University of South Dakota before transferring to UCLA. A new set of nylon strings and Mel Bay's Book of Chords.

But I would also study operational amplifier circuits and astable multivibrator circuits. And he built a bread-board computer that programmed in hexadecimal with an H-P kit.

He had a nice Kenwood base station and a 20' tower in the back yard,

 

[higginsworksforme]

I don't use my radios at my house.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Transmitter finger printing to call sign is a real thing,...