For what it's worth, I used the ARRL's General Exam Study Manual and went from Tech+ to General in 2 weeks.  Yeah, I know it sounds like an ad, but it really does work.  Using the material in the book and taking practice exams online really helped me to hone my knowledge.


Good luck!

Tom

I went to the 2002 Tailgate swapfest this year and had the pleasure of doing business with Tag Me Engraving of Northfield, MN.  I'd heard of the company once before, and the process that makes them somewhat unique among tag/sign makers.  They'll do the usual engraving and hot stamping, but they also have dye sublimation in their arsenal of tools.  I ordered a bright orange Skywarn tag with my call and id number on it, with the magnetic back (which, may I add, was only $1 extra).  While Mandy punched my information into the computer and printed off the sheet that would be used to make the badge, she was talking to me about the company and the process they used.  When I asked how long the tag would take, figuring it had to dry, I was told that they only take about two minutes.  Mine took slightly longer than that as my callsign was entered wrong, giving me a 3x3 call rather than a 2x3.  I didn't even notice this, as Mark caught it before handing pulling it off the machine.  A new tag was generated at no cost, and just a few minutes of my time.  Their prices were (and still are, as I checked their site the other day) quite reasonable.  
An added plus...while I was browsing their available products, I was told to sit under the tarp and cool off...most places want you on the other side of the counter....period!  A class act all the way around...I'll definatley do business with them again.  

Here's one for you all to ponder.
I'm certified in First Aid and CPR and will be (hopefully) an instructor in said skills.  Part of our instructor training included Automated External Defibrillator usage and how to teach the class on their use.  Obviously we used training units which will not deliver a shock, but will run through the simulation in the same manner that the "live" units do.  My understanding is that AED's are serviced yearly and have new batteries placed inside them every four years or so.  The batteries supposedly last that long, under usage, without being charged.  I think they're Lithium Ion batteries.  Now, someone correct me if I am wrong, but could these possibly be another source of emergency power for ARES/RACES/Portable operations (power an HT?)?  I don't know if the defibrillators that Emergency Departments use are powered in the same manner, but I am pretty certain that the AED's that some first responders, fire crews and public places have (as well as some companies, such as the airlines), as well as most every ambulance crew I would imagine (someone correct me if I am wrong again) would be powered in this manner.

Comments?

Tom, KB0LIV

Okay gang-
I've got a PIII 450/128 MB dual booting Win98SE (The only way I can run the word processing package I need.  If KOffice worked, I'd go with that) and RHL7.1

I tried to unzip and install SatTrack v 3.1.5 (I think).  It chokes and complains and kicks back an error code 1.  It seems to be whining about a file called "sattrack.o" which on my machine should be located under /usr/local/SatTrack/obj/  However in looking for the file to see what the problem is, it doesn't exist!  I have no idea what to do.  I tried installing from an RPM, but that didn't give me a graphical display and was acting funny, so I chose to download the source and compile it by hand (well, using make all).  Any suggestions on what I can do?
If you need more or better information from me or files to see what I've setup or screen dumps, let me know, I can post them.

Thanks and 73
Tom DeYoung, KB0LIV

Ah yes....
and how could I forget

Eagle Scout, Class of 1997

I never brought a rig to scout camp, but one of my friends will bring his HF gear to camp when his troop goes.  The only problem he's run into is that since his dipole is held up on one end by the flagpole, he has to stop transmitting during flag ceremonies (which isn't a problem, as he's out there taking part).  I remember that when I went to camp my first year, the camp naturalist had his HF gear and got us on the air.  The bug bit HARD!  Been licensed for almost 9 years, scary!

I do wish we'd brought HT's to camp for our licensed leadership.  Of course now that I am a member of a Venturing Crew that does ham radio....:-)

73, and YIS (Yours in scouting)

Thomas "Tom" DeYoung, KB0LIV
Asst. Scoutmaster, Troop 64, Minneapolis, MN
Associate Advisor, K0BSA Amateur Radio Scouting (just changed crew numbers)
BSA National Council employee

Yep, though I wasn't here for that.  I did work a radio in the volunteer coordination center.  Classmates kept telling me "You didn't do anything!" to which I responded, "I sandbagged, as did you.  However, as a licensed amateur, I also responded to a need for trained operators and helped take incoming requests and information and pass them to the coordinators.  I've worked a five hour shift, I'm tired and hoarse and worried about each person whose information I heard come in over the air or status reports called in."

   As for towers 80 feet is pretty danged nice.  For me, at this point in my life, that's plenty of tower I'd think.  But then again, we all have different needs.  Your mileage may vary.

This is in Fargo, North Dakota (though I go to college in Moorhead, MN)
I was reading the local paper, specifically an article about a proposed apartment complex....blah blah.  Then I noticed this blurb

"In other business Monday, commissioners:
Amended the city's Land Development Code to limit amateur radio enthusiasts to one tower per property.  It also limits the height of the towers - and the antennas on top of them - to 80 feet in most areas of the city.  
Radio operators wanting to erect more than one tower on their land - or one higher than 80 feet - could apply for a special permit, which would be reviewed by the Planning Commission but could be denied."
Taken verbatim (more or less) from the April 2, 2002 edition of the Fargo Foolem, er Fargo Forum., pages A1 and A8.

Comments?

Hmmm...perhaps I should check the Kenwood G707A out (though the idea of not being able to get replacement faceplates gives me pause).  Of course, the major issues now are saving the money for the rig (whatever I get), picking a rig (if Yaesu came out with a SIMPLE dualbander that allowed dual receive, remote mounting, computer programming, and such, without many bells and whistles, I'd think about it), and finally, installing it in the car without destroying anything.
Come to think of it, has anyone had experience installing in Toyotas?  How difficult are they?  Better still, has anyone installed a rig in an Echo?

73
Tom

Okay gang,
   I'm new to eham.net, but seeing how helpful you guys are to everyone, I'll throw this out.  I've got a 2002 Toyota Echo, 4dr, w/AC and the six speaker stereo system, as well as a manual tranny.  Now onto the important part.
   I'm graduating from college in May and will hopefully have some money to play with this summer or next fall.  I've been looking at Yaesu's current crop of 2m/440 mobiles and am not inclined to purchase one due in part to the reviews I've read.  
   I've got a vx-5r (had an ft-50 before that, which I loved) which I like (knock on wood).  Dualband repeat isn't essential, however I would like to be able to receive two frequencies at once, and have the audio come through (ie: audio for both the vhf and uhf sides, useful when I run event ops.).  I was looking at the old Yaesu ft-8100 (potato head mic?) and trying to procure a used one.  Being able to remote the faceplate is a plus, as this car isn't that big, and I don't want to tear the dash apart, or punch holes where they're visible.  Suggestions, ideas?
   I'd like to keep the price under $300, $250 would be better still and approaching $200, well, I can dream.  I'm not going to buy just yet, but I want to get opinions and ideas so I can do research and make an educated decision (and hopefully not have to ship the rig to the shop for service).  I like Yaesu and Kenwood from experience, but I'm pretty willing to consider anything that is normal sized (I'm avoiding the micro rigs, simply because they're small and can be somewhat difficult to use in a car.  I've got not the best eyesight, and like a rig I can use without looking (aside from setting a memory or configuring settings).

Thanks and 73,
Tom, KB0LIV