(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGE)

On the 2nd day of Hamming, my radio gave to me:

Two license upgrades, and a license, callsign from the FCC.

Starting with the Technician Class license, the other two licenses
available are General...the one that most hams hold, and the Amateur
Extra Class license.

While Novice and Advanced Class operators are still around, no new
licenses for these are being issued...but holders of these licenses
may renew them at the appropriate time.

Also, once you have your license and callsign, if you pass a higher
license class exam at a test session, you can use your new privileges immediately, with special suffix identifiers, when you are on the
upgraded bands...until your upgrade shows up in the FCC ULS. Once the
upgrade shows up in the FCC ULS, you no longer have to use the special
suffix identifiers. There is NO FEE for a license upgrade, or a change
in your sequential callsign...but there is a $35 fee if you want to
apply for a vanity callsign, as noted earlier.

Plus, General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra Class licensees can also
apply to become Volunteer Examiners, who give and grade the exams...as
long as their ham radio license is valid and unexpired, it has never been suspended or revoked, and they are at least 18 years of age. Once they
have passed the accreditation process by the particular Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC), they can serve at any license session done by that VEC, providing the Test Session Liaison OK's them to serve. The VE's license
class determines which exams they can give, and grade.

As a side note, being a Volunteer Examiner is the most rewarding thing
that I've ever done in amateur radio...because you are giving back to
the hobby, and getting new hams licensed. If you remember how thrilled
you were when you got your first license, you can imagine how thrilled
the Volunteer Examiners are, when you do pass the exam.

**

On the 3rd day of Hamming, my radio gave to me:

Three different radios, two license upgrades, and a license, callsign
from the FCC.

The "main bands" in ham radio are now HF (which has 160, 80, 75, 60, 40,
30, 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters)...VHF (6, 2, and 1.25 meters), UHF
(70, 33, and 23 centimeters), plus SHF (everything above that). There are
other bands as well; but these are the main ones, on frequency charts of various license class privileges.

Many Ham Radio Transceivers, whether base station, handi-talkie, or
mobile, are transmitting in just a single band. However, others now can
have transmitting capabilities via dual band, triband, or even quad-band.
And, the way that technology is advancing, in the not too distant future,
more transmitting bands in a radio may be covered.

Some radios even have"out of band receive", where you can listen to such
things as aircraft, railroads, NOAA Weather Radio, regular broadcast
stations, and more.

**

On the 4th day of Hamming, my radio gave to me:

Four sets of antennas, three different radios, two license upgrades, and
a license, callsign from the FCC.

G5RV's, J-Poles, Yagis, and Magmounts, are among the many types of antennas available to work the various bands. Some are very small and simple to
build, set up, and work with; while others are on huge towers of stations
that literally "work the world" with amateur radio.

**

On the 5th day of Hamming, my radio gave to me:

5 Band DXCC. Four sets of antennas, three different radios, two license upgrades, and a license, callsign from the FCC.

One of the most prized awards in amateur radio...and one of the most
difficult to obtain...it's gained by making contacts in at least 100
different countries around the world, on 5 different amateur radio bands,
using the desired mode...voice or digital.

**

On the 6th day of Hamming, my radio gave to me:

6 Meter Clean Sweep, 5 Band DXCC. Four sets of antennas, three different radios, two license upgrades, and a license, callsign from the FCC.

Called "the magic band", the area just above HF, and at the low end of the
VHF spectrum...when tropospheric ducting occurs, inducing skip; one can literally work coast to coast, or even across the ocean, on 6 meters. Technician Class licensees and above have full access to this band. In
some areas, when foggy weather conditions are present, the "skip" can be enhanced.

(CONTINUED NEXT MESSAGE)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (1:2320/33)