You can build a really good ground-plane antenna for just a few dollars in parts--it'll work as well or better than a store-bought antenna that costs 7 times as much as you homebuilt, and you'll also have the fun and satisfaction of making your own antenna!  There are millions of plans on the web, like this one:

   http://www.hamuniverse.com/2metergp.html

I've built a dozen UHF/VHF antennas like this over the years; the measurements are NOT critical--just try to get them relatively close to the diagram and you'll do fine.  Hang it from a tree or put it up on a pole, whatever is easier for you.  Have fun and good luck!  73!  --ken ac4rd

This is a VERY good point.  I've got some inline fuse holders with powerpoles on each end; it's easy to pop them in line any time I'm doing a new hookup.  And I have them on any radio gear that doesn't have its own power-line fusing.  You can see the fuses in the back right of this photo of my portable QRP station:

 http://people.duke.edu/~kuzen001/ac4rdportable1.jpg

There are probably better ways I don't know about, but the way I do it is:  Slingshot.  Fishing pole with 10-lb line.  Snap-swivel on the end of the line.   Five-foot piece of nylon seine twine, with a snap-swivel or loop on one end and a 1.5oz lead sinker weight on the other.  The weight line snaps onto the fishing line, fishing rod is standing up 10 feet away from me (to avoid tangles), and I shoot the weight into a tree with the slingshot.  If it goes where I want it, I go to where the weight came down, disconnect the weight and its line, and put the end of a long roll of nylon seine twine on the fishing line's snap-swivel.   Back to the fishing rod and I haul the line back in.  The long nylon twine goes up into the tree and follows the fishing line back to where I'm standing.  Attach one end of an antenna to the nylon line, then go back to the landing place and wind the twine back on the roll, lifting the antenna end up to the tree (stop it 5-10 feet short of the actual tree branches.)  Bit of a bother but it works for me.  HTH; GL 73!  --ken ac4rd

1.)  I sure do agree with you about _The Complete DXer_ by W9KNI.  It's a great read!  A great guide for a new ham, and a fantastic learning tool; the writing is simple and direct, and the stories that illustrate Bob's points are always entertaining as well as educational.  I re-read a chapter or three every few months--it's always fun!

2.) A few years ago I got a QSL from an FO that had some beautiful pictures on it, of gorgeous scenery and some pretty girls who didn't have any shirts on. :-)  I don't have to worry about having my license suspended, but I *did* put the card where my wife wouldn't see it. 

This is pretty obvious, but have you tried running the microphone gain a bit higner?

I had a corner shack for a few years; had a big cheap desk from an office store that was L-shaped and fit in the corner.  I sat in the center of the V, transceiver and PC monitor in front of me; keyer and paddles to the right, PC keyboard slightly to the left of center; power supplies, LP filter, and some other stuff on a small bookcase on top of the desk, to the left.  Worked pretty well, all in all.  ("Your mileage may vary!")  GL!

Requiring a callsign will keep out the people who aren't licensed yet.  How about if we require a thumbprint and retinal scan on every post?

Rick is right!  Alan's site at www.k0bg.com is a treasure trove for any mobile operator.    Also, eham has a dedicated "mobile" forum--it's a good place to browse old posts and post new questions you might have.   GL 73!  --ken

And we know it CAN'T be hard, because I managed to do it recently without any bother.   Did the online submission, printed the form and gave it and my cards to my friendly local checker (Thanks again, K4CIA!), and added around 50 entities I only had on paper, to my DXCC count.  It went great!

Don't bother--they don't QSL worth a darn. 

If you had bought the "ground plane," he probably would have tried to sell you some magic beans next.  :-)   "Triples your output power without any more current draw, enables earth-to-moon communications, cures bad breath--buy some MAGIC BEANS today!"  :-)

I don't know of any changes, but I guess it's possible.  Best bet is to call the DXCC desk at the ARRL and ask them about your QSO.   GL!

I don't know about the place in Haverhill, MA, but just in case it helps anybody, High Sierra Online (the site is something like hamcq.com ) has crimpers, strippers, fittings, etc.  Prices seem good and the service is always top-notch.

I soldered for years and years, but once I got this "andy crimp" set from High Sierra, I realized I had been wasting some time and effort.  :-)

I don't see what's 'hilarious' about a product review; the complaints about the customer service are an entirely different matter from the quality of the Idiom Press products.  The two aren't related. 

I've got two of their keyers (K-1 and K-3) and like them more than any other keyers I've owned. If I ever see a used K-5 cheap I'll probably buy it, just to have another.  (Though it's true that several months ago, I emailed Idiom asking what ham stores stocked their keyers, and I never got a reply.)

Darn.  I would not have made that mistake if I had remembered to put on an itchy plaid skirt and my clip-on red beard before writing.  I shall do penance by facing toward the holy shrine of Snandrews and saying the mystic words 'och aye the noo' three times to a photo of Sir Jackie Stewart.