The second step, finding your way and an elmer

[WA2UQG]

Hi Jim,
I would recommend that you join the ARRL ad subsribe to QST.....also, that you join a local club that involves itself wth community service work, which is really cool! Finally, I would recommend that you get the highest class license you can, in order to broaden your privedges in this amazing hobby of ours. Good Luck!

Gene WA2UQG

[W4RKG]

Bill, I myself am truly a newbie to Ham Radio. I haven't even had my callsign issued yet. I just took and passed my tech exam this past saturday. I although am not unfamiliar with radio use having been in the Emergency field for most of my adult life. Why would you even say that he should quit now. Maybe most of the hams you are talking about not being friendly have the same attitude as you do. Maybe yours is because of the way you perceive them. I for one don't really care where there are some not so friendly people out there. There are a whole host of others that are willing to advance the future of Amateur Radio. The people I have met so far between the Examiners I met Saturday and the people in the club that I just joined are very friendly and offered to help me advance in any way they could. I don't know where you live or even who you associate with in the HAM world, but I really think that negativity towards a hobby is really best kept to ones self. I hope that he sticks with it and maybe he won't turn into a "Haughy HAM" like the ones you are familiar with....NUFF Said 73s Keith George

[N7QH]

Point well made! Staying on just 2 mtrs or 440 is like saying that you would like living in an elevator. It has it's ups and downs, but doesn't really go far. There is a big world out there, upgrade and investigate it! You will find that there are operators out there that can talk to you about such tech stuff that you will be bewildered, and many, many that will just be willing to chat about thier lifestyles. Please for your own sake, don't settle. The local hams are great I'm sure, but they haven't lived the lives of others around the world.
My High School coach used to always say, "when you are through learning, you are through" meaning that when you quit learning, you are finished (kapoot).
Good thoughts to live by if you ask me.
Rich Bough N7QH (now an extra class licence)and thinking about a Pilots licence at the age of 41.

[N7QH]

You looking for an ELMER? You might find one locally, but if you don't, just e-mail me. I am willing to help anyone that wants to learn. Any time. I had no help, and remember the heck I went through and no one deserves to go through that without help. Not to mention, many parts of the process are sometimes rather vague. I am even willing to give you tips on studying and code. I can do about 30 wpm on CW and am an extra class licence (highest you can get on amateur radio and I am not trying to impress you or anyone else) but still remember the hard to grasp stuff. I am also willing to try and put it in language that you can understand. ;-)
Drop an e-mail to me and be sure to include the subject line of ELMER and that way I won't just delete it.
Address E-mail to N7QH@AOL.COM
Any others are that want to learn are welcome also.
Please read my radio story here, just scroll to the top of the page, and enter my call sign, N7QH and do a search on my call sign.

I DON'T claim to know it all, I would just like to help if I can. I have played with many of the available modes and am willing to offer my experience to anyone. I would like to give back to radio as much as it has gave to me. It has enriched my life greatly. I live in the Phoenix, AZ area if there is anyone locally.
73's all.
Rich Bough (N7QH)

[N7QH]

I think that idea might be a bit much, how about the idea of hanging around a few of the meetings (or testing sessions) in your area, come early and stay late, get the idea? Most meetings are rather formal to help avoid confusion, can you imagine all those guys that enjoy talking for a hobby all going off at once? ;-) The best tips I have learned have been from the hams that have gone through what you are now, and learned from the experience. Some are VE's, some aren't. If nothing else to shake hands with thier buds. Trust me they all still show up. Some of the best ideas and minds work overtime, you know what I mean? Patience is a virtue.

[N7QH]

Sir,
You get out of any hobby anything you put into it. You have been on the wrong and misunderstood side of ham radio (in my opinion) for a long time, and I truely regret that you haven't recieved any satisfaction from the hobby. Maybe you should loosen up a bit. We may have declining numbers, but we are still advancing with knowledge. I personally know (at least) 10 times more about radio that I did just one year ago. Maybe you have forgoten about advancing. If you sit idle, you will surely, like stagnent water, go sour. Happy Holidays and PLEASE TRY TO REGAIN THE IDEA OF GOODWILL TO MEN! There has to be a good side about you, want to show it? 73's
Rich Bough (N7QH)
N7QH@AOL.COM

[KQ6Q]

There ARE Elmers around, some are easier to find than others! In my club, ARALB, there are four of us who are officially 'Elmers', and we meet newcomers at our monthly VE sessions (we're all VE's too), actively solicit questions before and after our club meetings, and make presentations at our club meetings. Two of us regularly publish articles in our club newsletter. If your local clubs don't have anything like this, then on-line Elmers are available - check out the HamNet forum on Compuserve, and the forums here at qrz.com and at eHam.net. Don't just look, post a question, or join an ongoing thread! Also, watch QST for HamFests within your travel radius, and ask at your local ham radio store (if you have one locally!) And if you haven't joined ARRL, do so!
Check out www.aralb.org, look under committees for the Elmer page, and also download some of our club newsletters (The Oscillator) for 2001. Let me know how you are progressing, and what questions are currently befuddling you!
Fred Wagner, KQ6Q
KQ6Q@arrl.net