What is Amateur Radio? Well I could tell you but the ARRL does it so much better. You can find out what it is by clicking Here
What I can tell you is that it is alot of fun and that I have met alot of really great people on the airwaves! You can talk to people all over the world. AND most importantly it doesn't take a rocket scientist to get a license!
There are classes that other Amateur Radio operators provide and even test sessions. If you're interested, get ahold of me, I'm sure I can find a class somewhere for you! OR you can simply purchase a Study guide and study on your own.
As for us, My husband Rick is an extra class operator, WU8S (Formerly N8MKP), I am also an Extra Class, N8LVD (Formerly N8MST). I can be found on the K8CLA repeater, 145.350, Rick sticks to HF. My Father who recently passed away, N8LVD, Bill, was an advanced class. So it's a family thing! Upon his passing, I filed to get his callsign so that through me, he would always be on the air.
This is a picture of Ricks truck with his Tarheel Screwdriver Antenna (model 300), he runs a Yaesu 857D out of the truck. As for me, I run a Kenwood Dual Band with a glass mount antenna. At home we recently purchased a Kenwood TS-2000 which I love! Totally awesome radio. I'm currently using a 13 element Cushcraft Beam for 2 meter, but this summer we will be putting up a set of stacked 15 element beams! Ought to be fun! LOL
The people on the 145.350 (the Big 535 as we affectionately term it) have quickly become sort of like a family to me. It's owned by Tom and Debbie, K8CLA and N8BVI, totally awesome people. The hams that frequent this repeater are all genuinely funny, warm and caring people. Of course if you tell them I said something good about them, I will deny it to my death! LOL....they give me alot of grief, but if they didn't, I'd think they didn't like me! Seriously though, I consider them to all be brothers of mine, bratty brothers, but still brothers!
Check this out, on the 145.350 repeater, We had a Color Contest. There were 140 Crayons, whoever wanted to participate was given a crayon color. The object was to contact as many different crayons as possible, log them and show your log at the Annual Christmas party. The one with the most contacts won a 2 meter handheld radio! Just one of the many fun things to do! This was caught on video by Mike, one of our regulars on the repeater!
Here is Part 1 of the Video of our Christmas Party for the 145.350.
