wrote in message
...
On Tue, 7 Feb 2012 17:20:37 -0000, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

Words fail me really, are they giving these folk licenses in corn flake
packets now or what?
I mean, I wonder what his transmitting aerial is like?

More than likely bought his aerial in a packet, like most of them
nowadays.

In the 80s - on GB3MH 2M repeater -

"Is that an electret mic?"

"No, it's a Yaesu."

On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 13:36:23 +0000, Bill
wrote:

In message , Bill
writes
As far as the exams go there are ways around your situation, if you
call the RSGB 01234 832700 and go for option 5 on the automated
system you can speak to a guy called Carlos, he will be able to answer
all your questions. You could even mention my name to him, he may hang
up !! but worth a mention.



PS
whatever you do, DO NOT join the uk.radio.amateur news group, it is
populated by people with very big axes to grind and a very blinkered
view of the hobby. The image it portrays is not the majority view.

My first ever Usenet post was to that group 13 years ago.
I can tell you I didn't post many others there.

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

Graham. wrote:

whatever you do, DO NOT join the uk.radio.amateur news group, it is
populated by people with very big axes to grind and a very blinkered
view of the hobby. The image it portrays is not the majority view.

My first ever Usenet post was to that group 13 years ago.
I can tell you I didn't post many others there.

This group has been a lot better for a while now than it used to be.

Bill

On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 13:33:34 +0000, Bill
wrote:

In message , Ian Jackson
writes
In message , Brian Gaff
writes
I can wire up a coax plug, but not actually solder it, for temp use tend to
put a little crimp in the inner centre pin.

I never did understand when I could see why certain manufacturers of plugs
made the insulator melt at a lowe temperature to the solder...

To sort out the sheep from the goats? Or maybe that should be "the men
out from the boys"?



But first they have to own a soldering iron!!!!

Many years ago I was doing a job in the field and totally unexpectedly
had to solder something. I didn't have an iron, but I did have couple
of inches of solder. I took the unit to my car and made quite a
respectable job using the cigar lighter.

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

On Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:24:33 +0000, Bill Wright
wrote:

Graham. wrote:

whatever you do, DO NOT join the uk.radio.amateur news group, it is
populated by people with very big axes to grind and a very blinkered
view of the hobby. The image it portrays is not the majority view.

My first ever Usenet post was to that group 13 years ago.
I can tell you I didn't post many others there.

This group has been a lot better for a while now than it used to be.

Bill

Yes. Perhaps it's the cold winter nights. I have also seen an
increase in traffic on another of my haunts, uk.telecom.voip




--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 01:55:55 +0000, Bill
wrote:

In message , Brian Gaff
writes
On a ham radio band last night.
I got me new freeview box last night from switchover folk.
Second ham.
Does it work?
back to first, no I have no aerial, so I'll let you know, Seconnd one. Mine
is very picky. I bought a set top digital one from the high street and it
was all lop sided so we cut them poky out things all the same length as the
wife said it looks silly like it was, but its not working any better.



Words fail me really, are they giving these folk licenses in corn flake
packets now or what?
I mean, I wonder what his transmitting aerial is like?

Brian


I am one, since 1970ish I cringe too Brian. I blame the government,
society and every one else too. If people can't manage what they aspire
to, let them have it anyway, don't want to upset them by saying they are
thick do we?????

I have one amateur friend that I have to wire up coax plugs for. Not
really his fault that he can't do it though, main reason is that he
doesn't own a soldering iron.

Don't get me going or I will be here the rest of the night..............

A few random thoughts.
I got my "A" licence in 1971 (G3ZVT), it never occurred to me to get a
G8 even as a stepping-stone all my mentors were G3s (and one was a G2)
and that's what I aspired to.
Now, apparently, you can't jump streight to a full licence, so an
electronic engineering graduate would have to do the "boy scout badge"
course first.

The RAE was a proper C&G exam, you had to answer the questions with
words, and draw diagrams, and know the difference between a Hartley
and a Colpitts oscillator and stuff like that.

I am not a ham I am a radio amateur. Apart from the title of a
Hanckock Half Hour, UK amateurs avoided the term "ham".

When I got interested in the hobby as an SWL you had to be proposed by
a licenced member in order to become an associate member of the RSGB.
It was like the bloody Freemasons, not a good idea.
Now it's just the opposite, completely commercial.






--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

In message , Graham.
writes
On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 01:55:55 +0000, Bill
wrote:

In message , Brian Gaff
writes
On a ham radio band last night.
I got me new freeview box last night from switchover folk.
Second ham.
Does it work?
back to first, no I have no aerial, so I'll let you know, Seconnd one. Mine
is very picky. I bought a set top digital one from the high street and it
was all lop sided so we cut them poky out things all the same length as the
wife said it looks silly like it was, but its not working any better.



Words fail me really, are they giving these folk licenses in corn flake
packets now or what?
I mean, I wonder what his transmitting aerial is like?

Brian


I am one, since 1970ish I cringe too Brian. I blame the government,
society and every one else too. If people can't manage what they aspire
to, let them have it anyway, don't want to upset them by saying they are
thick do we?????

I have one amateur friend that I have to wire up coax plugs for. Not
really his fault that he can't do it though, main reason is that he
doesn't own a soldering iron.

Don't get me going or I will be here the rest of the night..............

A few random thoughts.
I got my "A" licence in 1971 (G3ZVT), it never occurred to me to get a
G8 even as a stepping-stone all my mentors were G3s (and one was a G2)
and that's what I aspired to.

When I were a lad, G8 (Class-B) licences hadn't been invented.

Now, apparently, you can't jump streight to a full licence, so an
electronic engineering graduate would have to do the "boy scout badge"
course first.

Regardless of whether you do any formal courses, to get a Full licence
you have to have passed what you call the 'Boy Scout Badge' (FL or
Fools' Licence) exam, and then passed the IL (Indeterminate Licence)
exam, and then passed the so-called 'Advanced Licence' exam (except that
there ain't no 'Advanced Licence' to be had). I believe that there are
actually certain occasions when you can sit all three exams together on
the same day, in sequence. However, the one thing you DON'T have to do
is actually take out FL and IL licences. You can save yourself for the
'real thing', and only get the Full licence.

The RAE was a proper C&G exam, you had to answer the questions with
words, and draw diagrams, and know the difference between a Hartley
and a Colpitts oscillator and stuff like that.

Dave Pratt (G4DMP, ex-G3KEP) has collected the past RAE papers on his
website:
http://www.g4dmp.co.uk/rae/

I am not a ham I am a radio amateur. Apart from the title of a
Hanckock Half Hour, UK amateurs avoided the term "ham".

Hancock's classic, 'The Radio Ham', should be compulsory viewing for all
aspiring radio amateurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bz2110fOyA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW3Fe...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq-dc...eature=related
It's excruciatingly so close to the real thing (well, at times it is).

When I got interested in the hobby as an SWL you had to be proposed by
a licenced member in order to become an associate member of the RSGB.

You actually needed two proposers, who had to be corporate (ie full)
members. Failing that, two 'persons of standing' were acceptable.

It was like the bloody Freemasons, not a good idea.

Really? Presumably it discouraged frivolous membership, but it was
certainly no obstacle to those really interested.

Now it's just the opposite, completely commercial.

Can't say I totally disagree. It certainly seems a bit hat way.
--
Ian

In message , Graham.
writes

A few random thoughts.
I got my "A" licence in 1971 (G3ZVT), it never occurred to me to get a
G8 even as a stepping-stone all my mentors were G3s (and one was a G2)
and that's what I aspired to.
Now, apparently, you can't jump streight to a full licence, so an
electronic engineering graduate would have to do the "boy scout badge"
course first.

The RAE was a proper C&G exam, you had to answer the questions with
words, and draw diagrams, and know the difference between a Hartley
and a Colpitts oscillator and stuff like that.

I am not a ham I am a radio amateur. Apart from the title of a
Hanckock Half Hour, UK amateurs avoided the term "ham".

When I got interested in the hobby as an SWL you had to be proposed by
a licenced member in order to become an associate member of the RSGB.
It was like the bloody Freemasons, not a good idea.
Now it's just the opposite, completely commercial.

I'm sure that when I became licensed, just after you I was looked down
upon by some of the old timers. Unlike yourself I didn't take the morse
and became a G8 a bit strange as I knew enough G3 and G2 call signs
that would have taught me, I was OK up to 6 wpm but that was it. Had
many happy years playing with 2m and 70cm with a bit of uWave thrown in
for good measure. I actually married a G4 and so had use of her call on
HF, under supervision of course!

My gripe now, sounding a bit like an old timer, is that access is
offered on a plate. At least the C&G was a "proper" qualification that
I was happy to add to my CV and employers understood what it was.
Hancock was good, but I'm not sure he helped the cause :-)

Now if they wanted to get people to take more of an interest in
improving their skills and qualifications there should be a time limit
on the early stages of the license structure. It is all too easy to get
a call and then do what ever you want, power limits? HA!! A local M3
was asking for a 60A 12V psu a while back to run his rigs and PA off in
his shack, a heck of a lot of spare capacity for his 10W limit.

The RSGB has lost its way a bit over the years and I have the occasional
friendly discussion with one of its employees, one of the very few at
their H.Q. that actually goes on the air, (even the late general manager
was licensed but not active). But they seem to feel that the latest
form of licensing is the way to go, not sure I agree, but what the heck,
buy 2 cornflake packets and away you go........

I did say don't get me going, darn it I have.

What has this to do with digital TV? There are amateurs transmitting
their own DTV now, so vaguely OK, maybe.

PS,
The RSGB building at Bletchley Park is just about finished and will be
opening in a couple of weeks if anyone is interested. It may not be
quite what a few of the members were hoping for, but as a basic history
of radio through from the very beginning to the present day it is quite
good, plus of course it has an operational shack for HF and VHF/UHF
satellites.

--
Bill

On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 13:10:37 -0000, "Max Demian"
wrote:

What do hams talk about, apart from the weather and their latest piece of
kit?

There used to be a right old moaning group in the afternoons... some
of it was interesting, but the guy who regarded himself as group Big
Noise really didn't like his opinions being challenged.
Not much different from real life, or usenet