Foundation Licence

[Zebedee]

I've changed my prefered call sign 100 times already LOL. I want one that is easy to say since i'll be saying it so often . Not many left like that in VK2 but have a couple in mind.

Yep - think of it from three perspectives, saying it alphabetically, phonetically and (if you're into that sort of thing), how easy it is to tap out in morse

The part that i'm not sure about is -- if i use my local repeater ( it has a node no ) and i link to another repeater, will i be stopping people on my local repeater from talking locally with each other whilst i'm linked ?. Dont want to upset anyone.

Yep, if your local repeater is node 1234 and you connect to node 5678, then the two repeaters become linked and whenever someone keys down, what they say can be heard coming out of the repeaters on both ends of the link.

So opening an IRLP connection in the middle of someone's QSO would be bad form and they'd throw sharp pointy things at you

But if you tune to your local repeater, listen for a minute or so to make sure it's not in use, then announce your callsign, say you're opening an IRLP connection, etc - then the repeater is essentially "yours". Of course it's the responsibility of whoever establishes a link to make sure they drop it again when they're finished. It's also polite when you've finished your IRLP conversation to ask if anyone wants to use the link before you disconnect.

If someone comes back and says yes - then they're now the ones with the responsibility to disconnect when they're done, and so on.

I've heard IRLP links work quite when in a group situation with a few people on either side, all chatting amongst themselves and across the link. It can get a bit confusing - you certainly have to concentrate on who's where and who's turn it is to talk next, etc. But it does work

[Tyranus]

you certainly have to concentrate on who's where and who's turn it is to talk next, etc. But it does work

I struggle enough as it is without having it done IRLP, then again usually when I'm listening I'm driving. Is it a major problem if you're not sure on who's next because you're concentrating on driving...or what's some tricks to knowing it all and the order??

[Zebedee]

I struggle enough as it is without having it done IRLP, then again usually when I'm listening I'm driving. Is it a major problem if you're not sure on who's next because you're concentrating on driving...or what's some tricks to knowing it all and the order??

Yeah I always seem to be in the car as well when that happens. I've put the car on autopilot a few times and gone in entirely the wrong direction to where I was meaning to go

Supposedly if you remember the person before you and the person after you, it's "easy" - but when more people join or leave the group, that always seems to fall in a heap for me. I've also heard others when they pass the QSO along to say "VK6ABC and then VK6DEF to follow" - which can be a help too.

[Tyranus]

aye, fair enough, well I had QSO's 1 and 2 today . Now that I've finished off doing my mobile kit. First lot was pretty easy, had VK6LED call back on my waiting. Which was good to catch up with him. Then met Jack 6JX and at the end of the trip as I approached SES I met FIVN. Coming back I chatted HAK and JX again I think it was JX that demonstrated that whoever was following after. I think a notepad and pen are on order for the car so that I can at least remember who's in the group! Might help with the order too.
Anyway first things first need to program in the frequencies to memory channels, and I think I may have been slightly illegal... need to check power output which I remembered when I got home! So that's one of the first things I have to do tomorrow is change the output. Then I need to study for my standard so that I can change the power output again.

[Zebedee]

I think a notepad and pen are on order for the car so that I can at least remember who's in the group!

Funny you should mention that, I only put a small notepad and pen in the centre console the other day for exactly that reason. Writing on your hand is just so undignified

[WPXZBP]

aThen met Jack 6JX and at the end of the trip as I approached SES I met FIVN.

VK6JX is John, not Jack.

[meg]

Jack 6JX and at the end of the trip as I approached SES I met FIVN

You mean JZ? I spoke to him on the weekend - he knew IW (the previous owner of my radio) - IW's daughters now want to say hello to him too!

[Tyranus]

haha there you go yep sorry JZ...the z and x are right next to each other on the keyboard I did get it wrong but I'm going to use that excuse while I can.

[razzle]

Sheeesh !!
So many things to remember and to top it all off i have to learn to use the radio whick looks like it belongs in the cockpit of a 747 jumbo.

As fo remembering call signs etc .
Yep, i intended on having a pen and pad handy. Its sort of like your first day in a new job when you get introduced to everyone and cant remember the first persons name after being introduced to the 3rd person

However i'm sure in a few months time i'll be talking to some cb'er like and old pro saying "oh its easy, get your F call "

Cheers
Razzle

[robbage]

Hey, Tyranus... I measured the current when transmitting on my max legal power and then put a circuit breaker rated a bit higher in line. If I accidently TX on high power - POP

Yes, you were coming in very well on reverse for <=10w

[VK6ZMS]

Funny you should mention that, I only put a small notepad and pen in the centre console the other day for exactly that reason. Writing on your hand is just so undignified

I am looking at getting this
http://tinyurl.com/6xg8s9

[Tyranus]

Hey, Tyranus... I measured the current when transmitting on my max legal power and then put a circuit breaker rated a bit higher in line. If I accidently TX on high power - POP

Yes, you were coming in very well on reverse for <=10w

I know which button i have to press tonight to bring me down to reality ...Don't want the radio police knocking on my door.

[Zebedee]

Its sort of like your first day in a new job when you get introduced to everyone and cant remember the first persons name after being introduced to the 3rd person

You need to learn the important skill of being able to have a full conversation with someone without once referring to them by name. I suffer name-itis as well and that's how I get by

However i'm sure in a few months time i'll be talking to some cb'er like and old pro saying "oh its easy, get your F call "

Too right. Take it from someone who's been there, done that, and is now looking at it from the training side, I'm sure you'll be fine. It's been just over 12 months now since I got my F-call, and it already seems like a lifetime ago

There's a few people around here who've recently got their F calls too, and they posted about their experiences a few pages back in this thread.

I am looking at getting this
http://tinyurl.com/6xg8s9

Haha - awesome!

[Tyranus]

Hey Zeb, question for ya...When you're paying your license you pay for a year, if I was to then go out and achieve my standard before that year is up, is the money I paid before effectively lost or do I get to pay an upgrade payment?

[Zebedee]

Hey Zeb, question for ya...When you're paying your license you pay for a year, if I was to then go out and achieve my standard before that year is up, is the money I paid before effectively lost or do I get to pay an upgrade payment?

Ooh, ooh, I know the answer to this!!!

What I did when I passed my Standard and Regs is just applied for a new callsign, which is a whole new $62. That meant my ACMA record then showed I had VK6FZDB and VK6LAN. Then I just let FZDB expire when the year was up.

The other way you can do it is to pay $42 and change the licence over, so you only end up with one. But I'm not sure if your "year's worth of licence" starts again from the date of the upgrade, or if you only get the remaining time from when you originally got your F-call.

For the sake of $20 it was easier for me to just pay for the new callsign