Garth Almgren wrote in news:5mrc2nFem6taU1
@mid.individual.net:

I'm also thinking about
studying up and adding ham to the list.


Oh, do get your ham license, Garth. I've been a ham since 1957. I was
11...(c; It's been a helluva great ride. I don't use ham radio much any
more, but would never give up my license and vanity call....

Come join us! Find your local ham club, who also does licensing and
testing. You can get your license through their volunteers. I used to
be very active helping new hams get licensed. My record was a 7-year-
old. He flunked the code test you no longer have to take because he ran
out of paper to put the BIG letters on during the test and was afraid to
raise his hand for more...(c; He passed, easily, with more paper and is
now an Amateur Extra Class licensee with an MSEE from Georgia Tech. I
probably ruined his whole life. He came up to see me at a hamfest
convention and said, "Do you remember me?" Hmm...no, sorry. He was
about 25 by then. Somehow, he looked a lot different...(c;

I'm working on 2 yachties with HF aboard at the moment trying to get them
to interrupt their busy lives chasing dollars long enough to get the
General Class license, at least. They are fascinated when I come aboard
and work Europe or Hawaii or Russia on their boat radios. Some shortwave
listener heard the boat and sent me his QSL card for mine a couple of
weeks ago. He's in Arkansas. I always return SWL QSLs with my card to
encourage them to get their licenses.

It's a great hobby. I have QSL cards from all over, including King
Hussein's and his wife Nina. I made contact with her on 20 meters in the
1960's MOBILE TO MOBILE from Charleston, SC, to Amman, Jordan. The cards
were gold edged and simply beautiful from the palace.....JY1 and JY1B

Larry
--
You can tell there's extremely
intelligent life in the universe
because they have never called Earth.