Jack, KD9LCB recently joined the club. I’ve been working with him to get a VHF/UHF station up and running. After he made a few on-air contacts I asked him for some thoughts his experience so far with ham radio
What got you interested in ham radio?
I got interested in ham radio by watching my son operate his radio and seeing all the new people that he made contact with and all the different areas of the United States and the world that he connected with. I realize that with some nice equipment and the knowledge and skill for operating it the opportunities seemed boundless to make connections with people all over the world.
What did you use to study for the exam?
I used the book I called Now You’re Talking [from the ARRL]. I read the book cover to cover and then I started to use the practice exams online I studied for about 6 weeks, an hour or two hours a day and took practice exams and when I got to the point where I was getting 30 or more correct on a regular basis I took the test. This was somewhat difficult for me because I have no electronics background, being in corporate media sales for 25 years, but it was fun. I’m retired now and I had the time to do it.
What did you find interesting at the first meeting you attended?
I was very impressed by my first meeting at the Schaumburg radio club. It was very well organized and everyone seemed to contribute something in a positive manner. The members I chatted with were extremely nice. I found the presentation about the emergency Weather Service [Skywarn] very interesting. And the upcoming events showed that this is a club that not only talks but takes action by being involved in community service and other activities.
