Going nuts waiting for my call sign.

[KJ6OJL]

LOL. Anyone else suffer this, Checking fcc search engine a few times a day waiting for their Call sign to be published?.
I have been, No radio yet, I just want to know what My sign is.
also thinking about putting in for a vanity one something easier to remember
but personalized..


Still waiting.. And anxiously,
If all goes well I will have a 3 / 5 watt HT by the end of the week.
its a older unit, but was told works great.
It will be a ic o2at
Any thoughts or input on this radio?
how much would YOU value one of these for??
Its radio battery (they say it holds a charge) and power adapter.

[N5MDT]

If all goes well I will have a 3 / 5 watt HT by the end of the week.
its a older unit, but was told works great.
It will be a ic o2at
Any thoughts or input on this radio?
how much would YOU value one of these for??
Its radio battery (they say it holds a charge) and power adapter.

Unless you have a specific need for an HT I would advise against it. A good dual band mobile radio can be either a mobile or a base.

Unless it's free or your needs require an HT then I would try and explain your requirements here and you will get lots of recommendations.

Welcome to the hobby.

[N5PAR]

I agree with N5MDT. Having an HT as your first amateur radio can be disappointing. While they have their uses they have limited capability. Unless you are with in a few miles of a repeater or one with really high antenna you will be very limited in who you can talk with.

As mentioned a dual band VHF UHF mobile is a good choice for your first radio. If one of these is a little too pricey you can buy a new 2 meter mobile for about $130.00. A good mag mount antenna will be about $40 or $50 and you are ready to go.

Welcome to amateur radio, it is a fun hobby. Just don't let the few grumpy old hams you will meet discourage you.

[KC9SQR]

I'd have to agree as well against getting an HT as your ONLY radio for a first radio, as that is what I did due to budget constraints (not currently working)... Which it was all I could afford to get on the air with at the time... Granted thankfully to where I am, and the fact we have a few WIDE coverage repeaters with excellent receive I do okay... But its really not the way I would've liked to have started into the hobby... A mobile will do a lot more for you without the limitations of an HT... Granted I've done a lot with my Wouxun HT... But it really was kind of a uphill start so to speak... Convenient sure but at a trade-off for power and talk time as well...

If you happen to have some decent wide coverage repeaters near your QTH (home location) you'll be pretty well set with a mobile AND an HT for added convenience.. But for any simplex work a little power can make or break a contact...

And Yes I was going nuts waiting for my callsign to appear in the database... Thankfully mine only took a few days really, but I had checked probably 10 times that day before it finally came up the day it did... It'll be there soon I'm sure..

Good luck, welcome to the club and most importantly have FUN.. Enjoy the adventure
73
Will

[KJ6OJL]

Thanks for the replies so far, a friend of mine is giving
His old icon 229, it's a mobile unit. Until a few nights ago he thought he
Had everything, as of now he discovered the mic is missing.
There is one on fleabay. Inam watching it for the next day or
So. as of now I am hunting for thAt mic, a power supply and
Will probably be building my first antenna.

Budget is also an issue here on my end, as of now I have not
Worked in two years myself, had work related surgery which left
Me with a couple of job restrictions they state they can match up
A job for. So I am tryin a dirt cheap start up as of now. But thanks for
The welcomes.

And if anyone knows of a dirt cheap power supply 25 - 30 amp
And a icon 229 mic send me a messAge. I am in the L.A California
Area, this is all other than a home brew Antenna to get me on the air
And off and running.

I do plan on studying for the general, not sure if I will have
Enough time to study and take it before the changes take effect.

Call sign pending publication
73
Don

[KA9VQF]

I waited patiently {at full speed} for six weeks before my official novice license came from the FCC. We didn’t even have the internet then.

An outfit that sold QSL cards sent me a brochure with my call on it a full week before I got the official thing from the FCC.

I didn’t know it but once I had the call sign I could have started operating but I wanted the ticket in hand before I got on the air.

The IC 02A is a decent if old handheld rig. They are quite tough, can be dropped several feet with no damage. The biggest problem I’ve encountered with them is the BNC antenna connector is a real bugger to replace and the center conductor in them tends to break a lot.

One of my pals uses one as his home 2M rig with a TV tape J-pole and small regulated power supply.

I have been using my HTX-202 in a similar manner for many years now and he thought that was a cool idea. He didn’t get his license until some years after I got mine so he did not have to go through the novice thing at all went straight to tech and bought his 02A at the first hamfest he ever went to.

Its had the BNC connector replaced at least three times and we rebuilt the NiCad pack with NiMH cells a few years ago now.

[AC4UT]

As soon as your call sign is published all things will become clear. The true meaning of life and the universe will no longer be a question to you. You will know all things radio.

[N3HQN]

LOL. Anyone else suffer this, Checking fcc search engine a few times a day waiting for their Call sign to be published?.
I have been, No radio yet, I just want to know what My sign is.
also thinking about putting in for a vanity one something easier to remember
but personalized..


Still waiting.. And anxiously,
If all goes well I will have a 3 / 5 watt HT by the end of the week.
its a older unit, but was told works great.
It will be a ic o2at
Any thoughts or input on this radio?
how much would YOU value one of these for??
Its radio battery (they say it holds a charge) and power adapter.

Welcome to the hobby. I started off with HF gear but, my first 2 meter rig was the Icom o2AT. Great brick of an HT. Good rig to start out with on 2 meters. I used it as a base rig with a exterior vertical ringo. Mobile with a 5/8 Mag mount and as a portable with just the duck. I live in a semi rural area in SE PA and had no trouble hitting repeaters out at the 75/100 miles mark. Great rig. Your gonna be hard pressed to find a more durable HT.

[W5WN]

LOL. Anyone else suffer this, Checking fcc search engine a few times a day waiting for their Call sign to be published?.
I have been, No radio yet, I just want to know what My sign is.
also thinking about putting in for a vanity one something easier to remember
but personalized..


Still waiting.. And anxiously,
If all goes well I will have a 3 / 5 watt HT by the end of the week.
its a older unit, but was told works great.
It will be a ic o2at
Any thoughts or input on this radio?
how much would YOU value one of these for??
Its radio battery (they say it holds a charge) and power adapter.

I took my Novice test in November 1961. The license didn't arrive until April 1962. It's a good thing we weren't used to instant gratification in those days. If waiting a week now is killing you just think about if you had to wait in 1961/62. You'd have been 6 feet under for quite a while and never had an opportunity to use the license!

[N8CPA]

I took my Novice test in November 1961. The license didn't arrive until April 1962. It's a good thing we weren't used to instant gratification in those days. If waiting a week now is killing you just think about if you had to wait in 1961/62. You'd have been 6 feet under for quite a while and never had an opportunity to use the license!

Okay. You had it worse than I did. I took my Novice in February and got my ticket in May, wanting to mug the mailman everyday.