General license

[Brucek]

Well I finally got my General. This has been a long standing promise to Dave K6DTK and this New Years he called in his marker so I went ahead and did it. I had been procrastinating for some time but I try not to make false promises. I hate to toot my own bagpipe but I got 100% on the test. Now I just have to figure out how to afford a new HF rig and select that "just right" 200 foot antenna for the Jeep so I can call Hans in Germany and tell him I'm "STUCK IN THE EAST MOJAVE" and to come pull me out.

[cruiserlarry]

Well I finally got my General. This has been a long standing promise to Dave K6DTK and this New Years he called in his marker so I went ahead and did it. I had been procrastinating for some time but I try not to make false promises. I hate to toot my own bagpipe but I got 100% on the test. Now I just have to figure out how to afford a new HF rig and select that "just right" 200 foot antenna for the Jeep so I can call Hans in Germany and tell him I'm "STUCK IN THE EAST MOJAVE" and to come pull me out.

Well, let me be the first (on this board, at least ) to congratulate you for attaining your General License status. To me, the General ticket signifies dedication and fascination with ham radio beyond just a means of communication. A Technician license is desirable and commendable, and allows you to communicate with others in a more technically advanced fashion, the General ticket shows an interest outside the local area, and requires that much more motivation and studying to obtain. Have fun with it.

And about purchasing an HF rig for your JK - no problem, it's only money....

[DaveK]

Bruce:


Excellent. WTG

[toms]

Congrads Bruce! Very good job.

[Brucek]

Thanx for the congrats ! It is always fun to accomplish something. I'm just glad the studying is over.
Someone remind me not to promise Dave to get my Extra Class

[BlueFJ]

Congrats, Bruce!

[unwiredadventures]

Well I finally got my General. This has been a long standing promise to Dave K6DTK and this New Years he called in his marker so I went ahead and did it. I had been procrastinating for some time but I try not to make false promises. I hate to toot my own bagpipe but I got 100% on the test. Now I just have to figure out how to afford a new HF rig and select that "just right" 200 foot antenna for the Jeep so I can call Hans in Germany and tell him I'm "STUCK IN THE EAST MOJAVE" and to come pull me out.

Congratulations!

I've been promising myself I'd do this for about a year.

Just budget a few weeks of online research and I'm sure you'll find the right radio

[Brucek]

Again, thanx to everyone for the congrats. For anyone who is looking to get your general or the technician for that matter, Gordon West's book is a must and QRZ.com has one hundred practice tests that can be accessed online. Many years ago when I was studing to become a pilot, I had a wise flight instructor who told me that studying to learn something was entirely different from studying to pass a test and I believe that he was right. My suggestion, given the fact that you learn Ham radio by "using" your radio and asking questions of others on frequency or friends that are already involved; is this: Get Gordon's book. Read it thru and absorb his explanations of the answers. They are very helpfull. As you read, mark the correct answer with a yellow hi- liter. Try to make sure that you in fact mark the correct answer. Believe it or not you may make a misake or two. The next time thru, read the question and check again that you have hi-lited the correct answer. When you are sure of the correct answers, begin reading thru the questions concentrating on the correct answer ONLY. The reason for this is when you begin to take the QRZ practice tests and the FCC test your eye will recognize and go to the correct answer. In the practice tests you will make mistakes, that's natural and that's what their for. Dave (K6DTK) gave me an additional suggestion; take small post-it notes and put them on the pages of the questions that you're having trouble with so that when you have a number of areas "down pat" you can find the questions that you are having trouble with. That way you don't waste time on the areas you already know. After a couple of weeks with the book, start the QRZ practice tests. Go thru all the tests and record the number of the test and your score. Repeat the tests that you are scoring low on. We all have areas that we are good at and those that we are not, but remember that there are only a certain amout of questions devoted to each catagory. When you get to the point when you are consistantly scoring in the 90's with about 30 % 100's you are ready to take the FCC test. Find out where the testing is going to be in your area and try to "peak" just before the test will be offered. You will know when you are ready. It's a commitment but it's worth it. If you don't go on to get your general at least get your technician license. Your safey and confidence in the off-road environment is greatly enhanced by good communication recources. GO FOR IT!