Amateur radio - please read all :)

[vk6hgr]

Awesome...actually wait there goes more of my time, more stuff to study and more money to spend...typical really how I pick the expensive hobbies! Thanks to the 2 of you, I had a feeling you 2 would be the most likely to respond!

No probs

Amateur radio has a habit of getting expensive quickly but it doesn't need to be expensive - less than $70 all up will get you on air on 2 metres FM with an ex-commercial rig like a Philips FM-92.

[Tyranus]

I suppose so, but I think the thing that will get me hooked with amateur is more freedom with channels compared to UHF CB. Wouldn't mind being able to hop on and have a chat to people around the country or the world. But we'll see.

[Fastlane]

Yagi antennas are what most tv antennas look like (ie view from top down is |-|-|-| ) There's many types of antenna useable from the venerable vertical, to the dipole, quad, delta loop, log periodic to the spiderbeam, just to name a few.

spiderbeam, spiderbeam, does whatever a spiderbeam does..

(sorry, couldnt resist )

[WPXZBP]

I suppose so, but I think the thing that will get me hooked with amateur is more freedom with channels compared to UHF CB.

There's no such thing as "channels" per se in AR - in most cases it's choose a frequency and start transmitting.

[Tyranus]

I suppose so, but I think the thing that will get me hooked with amateur is more freedom with channels compared to UHF CB.

There's no such thing as "channels" per se in AR - in most cases it's choose a frequency and start transmitting.

Well there you go, you highlighted something I've always noticed but just haven't thought about much so to speak.

[VK6ZMS]

Alright I suppose this thread'd be the best one to ask in rather than starting a new one.
I'm interested in doing the standard license for the technical aspects,

Ham college is about to start this years standard course.
I did both the standard and advanced, there great fun and you learn a lot.
Check out their webpage.
http://hamcollege.com.au/wordpress/

[Tyranus]

Thanks, looked good up till the fact that it went over a number of weeks which makes it hard for me with my job, as I work till 10pm every third week. I think the books from the WIA may be the best way to go.

[VK6ZMS]

In that case try the correspondence course. It's pass rate is high.
http://www.radioelectronicschool.net/in ... d=standard

[Tyranus]

... it is done ... will be contacted by the course manager shortly apparently

[vk6hgr]

... it is done ... will be contacted by the course manager shortly apparently

So we'll be looking out for VK6FTYR sometime soon, eh?

[Tyranus]

That or WDH which are my initials, but had thought about the TYR. I understand the VK6 is required but I've noticed that you have just hgr afterwards but I think I've seen someone with 4 letters afterwards, such as your suggestion FTYR is there a requirement with the last 3/4 letters including the number of letters there are??

Oh and this makes post number 1000

[vk6hgr]

That or WDH which are my initials, but had thought about the TYR. I understand the VK6 is required but I've noticed that you have just hgr afterwards but I think I've seen someone with 4 letters afterwards, such as your suggestion FTYR is there a requirement with the last 3/4 letters including the number of letters there are??

The VK6 is mandatory (Australia, Western Australia) and the letters afterwards specify the class of license the callsign is. Foundation calls are issued 4-letter prefixes - VK?Fxxx. My H (and N, P and some others I can't remember off the top of my head) signifies a standard license. R for repeaters and beacons and pretty much everything else is advanced (full call).

Oh and this makes post number 1000

Congats!

[VK6ZMS]

scroll down to call signs.

http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1301

[WPXZBP]

Congrats Tyranus on 1000 posts.

Happy Oz Day to all too.

[Tyranus]

Thanks guys. 3 it is and it looks like my 2 options are restricted to advanced. I'm after a standard licence oh well. Can't find the callsign availability thing that I saw a little while ago.