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| CONTENTS: About Me Picture Gallery Amateur Radio Work Annual Halloween Party Interesting Links |
The Amateur Radio Page of Brian Bodnar, N4BJB |
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| The current date and time at the QTH of N4BJB: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't know what amateur radio is? Your 'ticket', as it's called, to the hobby is an FCC Amateur Radio License. You must pass testing to obtain an amateur radio license, and there are various licensing levels. Study materials and even classes are available to help you pass the testing. You don't need to have a background in electronics or radio communications to become licensed as an amateur radio operator. You may even recognize some famous people who are hams, like the entertainers Patty Loveless or Joe Walsh. Amateur Radio is a fun hobby with many different aspects to explore. Some still use Morse Code, if not for the nostalgia then because this simple form of communicating can still be used to get through interference. Amateur Radio Operators ('hams') also communicate by use of repeaters, satellltes, and even bouncing signals off of the Moon. You can talk to someone next door or halfway around the world. Some hams are involved in the technical side of the hobby, and some enjoy the challenge of the many operating contests held each year. Collecting "QSL cards" (written confirmation of contacts) from different parts of the world is a favorite hobby within the hobby. Hams also attend "HamFests", which are basically flea markets to buy and sell ham radio equipment and related items. At some HamFests, amateur radio classes, seminars, or testing sessions may be offered. Hamfests also provide one with the oppurtunity to meet other hams. Hams also perform many public service funtions, such as emergency communications during natural disasters. If you'd like to know more, email me or visit the American Radio Relay League's (ARRL) website, and maybe even begin at this ARRL page about how to start out: http://www.arrl.org/hamradio.htm You can also look up amateur radio at your local library or look up your local amateur radio club. You'll probably find that the members will be happy to help you out in any way they can. |
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| I have been a licensed amateur radio operator since January of 1999. I presently hold a General Class license. I am a member of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the local Chesapeake Amateur Radio Society (CARS). I am most active on HF 20, 17, 15, and 10 meter bands using SSB Phone, and on the local Chesapeake club repeater at 146.820MHz, -600kHz offset. As far as DX so far, I have had QSO's (contacts - for you non-ham types) with over 80 countries, though I have not completed exchanging QSL cards with most. My rig (equipment) might still consist of an ICOM IC-706 running less than 100w, through an antenna tuner to a wire antenna at a height of 10.5 meters. I am also slowly getting together everything I need to finish installing a Cushcraft A3S 3 element trapped Yagi antenna on top of a 50 foot tower in the the back yard. Take your time to look around the rest of the site including my Picture Gallery... and hope to hear you on the bands! 73 DE N4BJB, Brian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| My E-mail address [email protected] |
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| Talking to the world... |  |
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| Below Left: my new rotator awaits installation on the top tower section. (some retrofitting is needed) Center: an 'azimuth map' for N4BJB. (used for finding compass headings to other parts of the world.) Right: Some of the stages in constructing my first "Ham Shack" in the attic space above the garage in my house. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Some of Brian's Favorite Amateur Radio Links: American Amateur Radio Relay League Chesapeake Amateur Radio Service qrz.com Ham Radio Callsign Server DX Summit |
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| Contents :: About Me :: Picture Gallery :: WebCam :: Amateur Radio :: Work :: Halloween Party :: Holiday Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||