Subj : Taking the plunge
To   : Roy Witt
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Sat Mar 17 2001 03:21 am

Roy Witt wrote in a message to Sean Dennis:

 RW> I prefer the Icom HTs, myself.

So do I.  Those are nice, but I just don't have the money right now.  I have a 
friend that has had a few Alincos and he said they're good radios for the 
price.  I'll save up to get one of those one of these days.

 RW> Uh, no.  It's not an investment, as you'll never be able to sell it
 RW> for what you've paid for it.  That is, unless you're speaking of a
 RW> different kind of investment, as in;

Yeah, that's what I meant to say.  It's a personal investment as I don't ever 
plan on selling it.  What's cool is my apartment manager said he didn't mind my 
putting up an antenna in my room to work with.  I'd like to get an ICOM mobile 
I saw though for my home use (it's mostly all 2M here)... $170.

Speaking of antennas, I used to have a paper with a simple J-pole for 2M made 
out of 300 ohm TV antenna wire.  Ever heard of it?  I'm going to go search on 
the 'net tonight (well, I may stop by a few ham-friendly BBSes first).

 SD>  and I thought of it this way: what good is a license when you don't
 SD> have any equipment to enjoy it? :)

 RW> Very true.

Side note: I called my parents, whom even at my age (I'm 28), I still call for 
advice.  Money is very, VERY tight for me, but I've had my license since 
November 1997 and only had a radio for three months' time.  I am planning on 
moving back home to Portland (Oregon) at the end of the year.  I'd love to get 
the ARRL Repeater Handbook and hit a few on the drive home from here.

 RW>   That's why I've still got my Kenwood TS520, from the
 RW> late 1970s.  I haven't used it since the fall of 1985.  How do I
 RW> know that's the last time?  I'd just gotten back to San Diego from
 RW> a vacation in Illinois and there had been an earthquake in Mexico
 RW> City.  If I hadn't taken that train ride, the event wouldn't have
 RW> been burnt into my mind. Upon my return, my MIL was babysitting the
 RW> animals and the house and she mentioned that the news said
 RW> something about HAMs helping out in the communications.  I had to
 RW> turn on the rig to find out what was going on. There's also a Yaesu
 RW> 80m - 10m, 1200 watt linear in a box out in the garage somewhere,
 RW> haven't seen it in a few years.  But, once I'm retired, I'll be
 RW> dragging that stuff into the computer room.

Heheh, sounds like me and my computer equipment.  I'd like to find a place out 
in the country so I can put up a small shack.  I'm learning CW so I can upgrade 
to my General license.  I really would like to work 10 or 20 meters so I could 
talk to my parents in Nevada; they don't have licenses, but evidently a 
neighbor does.

My birth father, KA4VVA, was recently commended on his ARES work in the Seattle 
earthquake.  He's a sherriff's deputy for Thurston County, Washington and was 
able to provide communications for the county via his 2m HT until more could be 
done.  I think it's cool... I'd like to get involved in ARES.

73,
Sean

--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Outpost BBS // Carbondale, IL // +1-618-529-3176 (1:115/776)

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