Subj : 6m To : Andy Ball From : Roy Witt Date : Fri Jan 26 2001 08:16 am Hello Andy. 22 Jan 01 11:20, you wrote to me: RW>> My folks live up North of you in Freeport. AB> I think I've spoken to a ham in Freeport, but that was via the AB> Internet, not over the air. My middle school best friend introduced me to radio back in the 50s with his Novice license. He moved to Missouri after graduation, and I moved to California just before he moved. I had just gotten my Advanced license and mentioned it one time in a letter to him and his wife. Up until this time, he hadn't been active in radio, although he owned a TV/Radio repair shop. A few weeks later, I got a letter back that he had gone to Kansas City and had passed the exams and now held an Extra Class license. That was sometime in the early 80s, and we've yet to meet each other on the air. RW>> That's not to say there aren't any HAMs in the area, >> just that they're probably busy with life. AB> That's probably the case, QRZ.com threw up a fair old list of hams in AB> my town. I've even met some of them, but for the most part 2m and AB> 70cm are pretty silent. Just the opposite here. There's a waiting list for repeater coordination space on every band, 6m through 1.2Ghz. 10m is open... RW>> I didn't have any 2m transmitter at the time, just a >> scanner. AB> That's my situation now. I think I've picked out a 2m HT, but it's AB> not like there's anyone to talk to if I buy the thing! =o( RW>> I'll be visiting there again this spring, and I plan >> on taking a 2m walkie talkie this time. AB> Will you be coming through (past?) Charleston, IL? =o) Hmmmm, I don't think so. If we take the train, it enters Illinois and it's first stop is Galesburg. A wee bit NW of you. If I decide to drive, I may enter Illinois through St Louis, but the closest I'd come to you would be due West, just south of Springfield on I-55 and that'd be only if I decide to stop off and see my friend that I mentioned above. Otherwise, I'll enter Illinois at Davenport/Rock Island on I-80... RW>> 6m is sporadically used around the country. Not very >> popular, somewhat like 220Mhz... AB> Understood, thanks for the info. RW>> I haven't looked at license privileges lately, but I >> was under the impression that Tech's were allowed to >> use voice on 10m... AB> Probably once we pass the 5WPM Morse test. RW>> ... Real radios glow in the dark! AB> You'd best read my web site before I demolish it. It can be found AB> at... Read it... AB> http://grex.cyberspace.org/~ball/ .... Keynotes Beat Six Phonetic Imitations... --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000 * Origin: KB6PI's Antenna Farm * Santa Ysabel, CA * (1:10/22) .