Have cards from both, and they replied pretty quick.

QCWA is the best way to get proof of an older expired license.

This company sells coax with connectors already installed. pretty reasonable, will get you on the air right away while you learn how to install the connectors. Since the cost of copper has gone up, used coax is better price wise. You can also buy it new off the reel and get the connectors and install them. Coax loss comes into play on VHF/UHF frequencies. You can get away with a lot on HF, not much loss there. If you are running an amp you need better coax to handle it.

This company has always done a good job for years:

http://www.cablexperts.com/cfdocs/cat.cfm?ItemGroup=6&itmsub=0&bskt=0&USA_ship=1&c=0

Here is a good loss calculator:

http://www.arrg.us/pages/Loss-Calc.htm

Congratulations on getting your license!

Take a look at Sharx cameras. They work over wi-fi and each one is an individual little server.

http://www.tesystems.com/am-radio.htm

TE 1454 is good for around 500 watts. The amp needs about 45 or 50 amps. i run mine with an Astron 70 A. That gives me the 70 watts of drive for the 910H and the current for the amp. And if you key the 910h at full output (100 watts)by accident, you won't blow the amp, it can take it.Occasionally it is fine, but that is getting the transistors close to saturation. You can get an amp that takes lower drive with a preamp. But the 1454 has too high a drive for a preamp. I use the Icom outboard preamp between the rig and the amp. Don't have to worry about relays or sequencers that way. Not as effective as mast mounting I know, but it does help. Plus you can turn the receive up on the 910H as well.

http://www.kb2ljj.com/data/icom/ic-910.htm

Molly was a 110% class act all the way around. The best customer oriented individual I have ever dealt with in ham radio. I think the world of her and Gordon, both as operators and professionals. I wish her the best. Those will be some huge shoes to fill.

73

I have a Citizen Blue Angel Skyhawk that is all titanium. it does everything and sells in the 400 to 500 range. Have had it 8 years now and very happy with it. 

21.295 usually has activity. 21.200-300 is good for dx ssb contacts.

What's up Dog? At least there in Socal there is actually a repeater on the air with a coordinated pair. Here in the South we have "paper repeaters". Pairs that are coordinated on paper only. Some over 20 years ago!

And on UHF we are a secondary user, with the military primary. I know Pavepaws has just about wiped out 440 repeater activity in Cali and New England. 1.2 is enjoying a renaissance in California. Used it in San Francisco in 2009. A linked system that went from LA to Vancouver. Imagine the thrill when WA4DOG is heard on 1.2 ghz up the entire west coast! You can do eet!

Both the AL811 and AL811h design are grounded grid. The great thing about grounded grid is if you lose a tube and do not have a replacement you just remove the tube and keep going. The dual 3-500z grounded grid amps are the same way.

Run a duplexer to keep 144 and 440 separate.

Some rigs have a menu setting to enable the tx relay in the rig. Not sure about the 590. If it is a used rig, the relay might be shot.

FT920 is a better radio. Finding parts for it are getting tough though.

Responding to a comment by VE7RF at the beginning:
Power Master meters have a SWR alarm that a keying line can run through to stop keying.

I saw several Palstar AT5K negative reviews disappear over the years. Paul refunded my purchase price on mine but it was trench warfare.

Nice to see Tom Rauch in the thread.

73
Jim

What I thought was cool about the new Kenwood at Dayton was the back of the rig. A large sheet of black construction paper. Just have to stick your cable or coax in there and it works! Sweet!