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First Contact
Posted By Leo On August 17, 2011 @ 9:27 pm In Ham | 10 Comments
I made my first ham contact last night on the Ham Nation show. Man was I nervous. Fortunately I had three 25+ year to coach me. Matt KE6LPO of the Redwood Empire DXers was driving down the street outside (I think this might have been a set up!) and was the first to respond to my CQ. I understand there was quite a pile up a minute or two later as more than 25 hams tried to say hello!
Thanks everyone. It’s great to be a ham!
It’s kind of cool to have video of my first ham contact!
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10 Comments To "First Contact"
#1 Comment By awstott On August 18, 2011 @ 5:29 am
Leo well done! If you’re ever on DSTAR look me up – VA6AWS. Congrat on getting your license and I know you will ace your general exam!
#2 Comment By Nicholas Young On August 18, 2011 @ 5:31 am
You’re over the hump! The first contact is the hardest – and everything else is easy.
My first QSO lasted for a solid hour… and I loved every minute of it.
#3 Comment By mangofire263 On August 18, 2011 @ 8:16 am
congrats on first qso, remember mine, was to scared to get on, look at my rado for weeks, but finally bit the bullet and keyed up
#4 Comment By Scott Newland On August 18, 2011 @ 11:15 am
This is exciting. I have always wanted to know about HAM Radio. Any possible segments or part of the show for NEWBIES’s? Thanks.
#5 Comment By Gordon On August 18, 2011 @ 12:30 pm
Leo, Long time follower …. Really long time
I wanted to thank you for your recent venture into HAM Radio. This is something that I have been considering getting into for over 20 years. With you involved and your new show, I feel that it is time.
Now to my reason for writing …
I have been looking around to try and figure out what you got started out with ….. The equipment list including antennas. Is there anything like that available? I see that at the heart of it all is a 7800. But what are the rest of the pieces?
#6 Comment By Bill P. On August 18, 2011 @ 2:28 pm
Congrats Leo!!! Nice set up. I use an older Icom 756 here. Long time follower here too.
Bill
KC4KMG
Hendersonville, NC
#7 Comment By Anthony Burokas On August 18, 2011 @ 2:38 pm
“It’s quite a station!” is an understatement. I don’t think I’ve known anyone who’s “first” setup was so high end. My first setup was a borrowed rig, then after using that a couple months, I figured out what I wanted, and bought something used from someone locally (that had already been passed through a few hams) and when I look at my shack now, the only things in it that are new are a power supply and battery charger- and I have four different rigs on the desk.
I think if I was put in front of a completely new setup like yours, I’d be pretty nervous to touch it too, especially with the mic glowing like that
that’s pretty freaky if you ask me.
Oh, and upgrade to a foot pedal for PTT, if you have to give up one hand for PTT, you might as well use a hand mic and get rid of the clutter of the desk mic- especially on such a small desk. Hi Hi
73′s.
#8 Comment By thevidiot On August 18, 2011 @ 3:55 pm
Welcome to the hobby Leo! I’ve loved every minute of it. Hope to catch you down the coax!
73 de Mark
W6MW
#9 Comment By Wayne Sykes On August 18, 2011 @ 7:49 pm
Welcome to the wonderful world of Ham Radio!! I’ve been licensed since 1986 and currently hold an Amateur Extra Class license. Hope to catch you on the air sometime. I’ve been watching and listening to you since The Screen Savers and I love the TWIT podcasts!! Keep up the excellent work!! 73′s OM de Wayne, KB4ZLE, Antioch, TN.
#10 Comment By Joyce Donahue On August 19, 2011 @ 3:37 pm
Brings back great memories! My Dad was a ham – he used to stay up late and talk to people from all over… had a wonderful collection of ham call station postcards on his bulletin board. Glad to see the old tech is still cool in this age of Skype, etc. Go for it!