From a New Ham’s Perspective
Congratulations to Phyl! She passed her test at Tech Fest, and is now KN4AEZ. I know her very well. She is my XLY (wife). I was her Elmer. Coaching her through the testing process was an eye opener. It brought back memories of my early days as a new ham.
When your call sign appears in the FCC database, you are authorized to get on the air. The FCC no longer mails you a printed copy of your license. Neither do they email it. How do they do it now? I asked a good friend the following questions:
“Where do you look for your name in the FCC database?” http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchLicense.jsp
Click on “visit” at the end of the first line displayed, and then do a name search.
“How long does it take to get an actual license?” It varies and can be as short as a week up to about three weeks depending on how busy the FCC is.
“How do we log into the FCC database and where do we look for our license?”
- Go to the URL listed in the first question and do a name search – or –
- Go to QRZ and do a name search.
Now that you have that call sign or license, what happens next? Hopefully, you already have a radio. If you don’t have one, you might want to head to the internet or to the ham radio store for one. If you already have a radio, hopefully you have it programmed, at least for a couple nearby repeaters and a few simplex frequencies. Get an Elmer (mentor) to help you, if needed.
When you have your call sign and a radio that is programmed, (Don’t forget the antenna!) the time you have been waiting for has come! You press that push-to-talk button and throw out your call sign, “KN4XXX monitoring.” If no one comes back, wait a while and try again. When someone does come back, the adrenalin starts pumping and you key the push-to-talk button once more. This would be a good time to tell the other party that you are a new ham and this is your first QSO (conversation). He or she will understand. Remember that the other party you are talking to has also had a “first time” on the air, as well.
What do I talk about? Let the other party ask a question. If he or she doesn’t tell them about your equipment and how it feels to be a licensed amateur radio operator. Talk about your equipment. Ask the other party about his or her first time on the air and what equipment he or she has. Remember to give your call sign at the ten minute mark and at the end of your QSO. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Everyone has made some kind of mistake on the air at one time. We’ve all been there. No one will judge you. You can carry on the QSO for as long as both of you want to.
Whew! That first one was over! What next? Don’t hesitate to get on the air again. Before you try again, you may want to pause a moment and contemplate what has happened, but don’t stop there. Make it a habit to get on the air again and again! The more you get on the air the more comfortable you will be. Before you know it, you will be hearing some else on the air with their first QSO. Now, as a veteran, you can help them. That is what amateur radio is all about.
David Harden
KJ4CMY