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Clever old me!

theeldergeek

By theeldergeek
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theeldergeek

theeldergeek

Posted
Posted

I passed my Radio Amatuer exam at Foundation Level yesterday, realising a 20+ year 'dream' of becoming a licensed 'ham'

 

Just blowing my trumpet here in the hope someone appreciates the level of effort etc that has to be put in, as I received nothing but blank stares when I shared my good news in the office this morning!

 

Philastines.

 

Going to start learning Morse Code next, for the challenge if nothing else :)

jamesb

jamesb

Posted
Posted

Congratulations!

 

And that's a sincere, impressed congratulations. I've never put the effort in to learn myself, but I did used to (not quite legally) listen in on a set I built when I was younger. Got your callsign and everything?

theeldergeek

theeldergeek

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Congratulations!

 

And that's a sincere, impressed congratulations. I've never put the effort in to learn myself, but I did used to (not quite legally) listen in on a set I built when I was younger. Got your callsign and everything?

 

Got to wait a few days for the result (got 24 out of 25 questions correct on the exam) to filter through from the Examiner to the RSGB to OFCOM. You apply for your callsign online these days, and can choose your own if the one you want is still available. Got all the kit, and the mic has now been connected to the rig as it was hanging on a hook 'teasing' me up till now!

theeldergeek

theeldergeek

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Posted (edited)
-.-- --- ..- + .... .- ...- . + .-- .- -.-- + - --- + -- ..- -.-. .... + ..-. .-. . . + - .. -- .

 

:p

 

Commitment my young friend, which I'm sure you appreciate! How's the car project by the way? Now that is commitment!

Edited by theeldergeek
theeldergeek

theeldergeek

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Well done, something I keep thinking about but never quite get round to doing.

 

Foundation Level isn't hard - it's not walk off the street and pass though, you do need to know your beans!

I did a 2 day course at a radio club an hours drive each way from me, so I was defintely committed to it!

 

Got all the kit, ready to go, just got to play around with a couple of hundred feet of wire now!

webman

webman

Posted
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Congratulations! I know it's become more challenging now, and it's a great accomplishment.

 

I took the foundation test in 2002 when they were first introduced, and soon after did the "old" full RAE - one of the very last tests before you had to take the Foundation > Intermediate > Advanced route.

 

73 de M3UHP/M0PHP :)

 

P.S. You can now officially join the group EduGeek Radio Hams - EduGeek.net if you want :)

theeldergeek

theeldergeek

Posted
  • Author
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Congratulations! I know it's become more challenging now, and it's a great accomplishment.

 

I took the foundation test in 2002 when they were first introduced, and soon after did the "old" full RAE - one of the very last tests before you had to take the Foundation > Intermediate > Advanced route.

 

73 de M3UHP/M0PHP :)

 

P.S. You can now officially join the group EduGeek Radio Hams - EduGeek.net if you want :)

 

Group joined! Will definitely be progressing to Intermediate in the future, but looking forward to operating QRP for a while. An online friend of mine has QSO'd into Canada and USA on 10w via a very 'bent' G5RV!

daedalus

daedalus

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Good for you! I did the same a few years back after thinking about it for 25 years! I went on to do the Intermediate and Advanced courses, which I can recommend.

 

I wished I could get my old brain around Morse. My Grandfather was a signals officer in the Royal Navy in WWII and as a kid we used to listen to morse on the radio together with him telling me what they were saying to each other!

 

dah-di-dah

M0GVW

witch

witch

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Posted

Well done!

I am a qualified Marine Radio Engineer and have my Maritime Radiocommunications General Certificate (yes, really) and I used to be able to read morse at 25 words a minute. The odd thing is, I still 'read' rain on roofs or people tapping! I have a real problem reading the above morse posts though, as morse is something I listen to not look at.

GNOM

GrumbleDook

GrumbleDook

Posted
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Absolutely fantastic piece of dedication.

 

You lot are all nuts you know ... all this dotting and dashing ... I consistently stick a letter in most of my posts and none of you ever comment about it ...

:getmecoat:

rad

rad

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According to the Gadget Show you can get an app to do Morse Code...

 

As for me, I have my VHF license, so can do my phenetic Alphabet,

Echo, Delta, Uniform, Golf, Echo, Echo, Kilo, over

theeldergeek

theeldergeek

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
Well done!

I am a qualified Marine Radio Engineer and have my Maritime Radiocommunications General Certificate (yes, really) and I used to be able to read morse at 25 words a minute. The odd thing is, I still 'read' rain on roofs or people tapping! I have a real problem reading the above morse posts though, as morse is something I listen to not look at.

GNOM

 

One of our course tutors said that decoding morse becomes something you listen to rather than write down (although the latter is something you do initially of course!) and he hears whole words rather than letters now, as he recognises the 'rhythym'. He even has a wristwatch which beeps the time in Morse!

 

I now have to get the cost of a decent morse key past Senior Management (a.k.a the wife)!

 

One thing I didn't realise, is that a lot of Morse heard in films, is actually nonsense, and only there for effect.

Edited by theeldergeek
witch

witch

Posted
Posted
One of our course tutors said that decoding morse becomes something you listen to rather than write down (although the latter is something you do initially of course!) and he hears whole words rather than letters now, as he recognises the 'rhythym'. He even has a wristwatch which beeps the time in Morse!

 

I now have to get the cost of a decent morse key past Senior Management (a.k.a the wife)!

 

One thing I didn't realise, is that a lot of Morse heard in films, is actually nonsense, and only there for effect.

 

I have an old brass Post Office morse key which works well . I have always wanted a 'side' key which involves a very different form of sending.

As for morse in films - actually in my experience it is actually roughly right but of course the person reading it always speaks as if each bit was one word - the actual morse has spelt out one word and the reporter has said a whole sentence!

 

*edit* - I want that watch!

theeldergeek

theeldergeek

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I have an old brass Post Office morse key which works well . I have always wanted a 'side' key which involves a very different form of sending.

As for morse in films - actually in my experience it is actually roughly right but of course the person reading it always speaks as if each bit was one word - the actual morse has spelt out one word and the reporter has said a whole sentence!

 

*edit* - I want that watch!

 

Indeed, the side (or electronic paddle type keys) are seemingly far more accurate, as the timing is usually spot on; dits are spaced apart correctly and dahs are all the same length. Obviously, this relies on the operator accuracy too!

 

He said he got the watch off eBay. It is also retro in design, having a blank face which displays red numerals on the press of a button.

witch

witch

Posted
Posted
Side keys may be more accurate, but as they involve a sound at each end, as it were, they are MUCH more difficult to use - I remember the lecturers could all do it but we struggled when offered a go!!

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