I Passed the General Test

This morning, after working the midnight shift, I took my General Class amateur radio test at the Coastal Amateur Radio Society VE session at Southside Fire Station #1. I managed to pass the test, missing only one question (I was tripped up on a question about parallel conductor feedline).

I tried to get some sleep this morning, but a yard crew next door made too much noise; it's hard to sleep when someone is running a blower right outside of your window! I decided to sleep after lunch and turned on the FT-897 to try out my new priveleges. First, I checked into the Georgia ARES Simulated Emergency Test net on 3.975 LSB. After listening to the net for a bit, I made contacts with two special event stations on 40 meters: the Thomas Jefferson Poplar Forest station N4J on 7.265 LSB and one of the Motorola 80th Anniversary stations K9MOT on 7.280 LSB.

Later in the evening, after waking up I tried my hand at 20 and 15 meters. I made two contacts in California via the California QSO Party on 20 meters: W6YI ad KS6T. I also made a DX Contact to the Azores, working CU2A on 14.291. Next I tried 15 meters, making a contact with Gene, TI2CCC in Costa Rica.

I also decided to try 60 meters. Research on the internet showed that a G5RV has only slightly more gain than a 60 meter dipole, so I dialed the power back to 40 watts and gave it a try. Many thanks go to Larry, KC0TPP and Jerry, KB0WVI for answering my call on 5.373.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net