Advantages of Upgrading?

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ETMegabyte

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I've had my Amateur license for almost 20 years now. Way back when, there were a group of us from the CB (I know, please don't think less of me for it!) that actually respected the radio, and wanted to get away from the riff-raff on the Chicken Band, so we all got our Tech No-Code licenses together. Life was good...

I hear they got rid of all the code requirements nowadays. I was never interested in code, really. I know some of it, just from hearing it over and over on the 2m/440 repeaters and such, but it's not something I have any intention of using on any kind of regular basis...

Now that the code requirements are gone, is there anything I'm missing that's super-cool? I still have a 2m radio at the house (though at the moment, the base antenna is connected to my feed scanner), and I have a 2m/440 radio in the car that I used to talk on the local repeaters... To date, I haven't found anything I'm dying to do on ham that my license doesn't let me do...

So, for all you Extras out there, is it really worth it to upgrade my ham ticket?
 

ab8sn

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Camden On Gauley WV
Upgrading

I've had my Amateur license for almost 20 years now. Way back when, there were a group of us from the CB (I know, please don't think less of me for it!) that actually respected the radio, and wanted to get away from the riff-raff on the Chicken Band, so we all got our Tech No-Code licenses together. Life was good...

I hear they got rid of all the code requirements nowadays. I was never interested in code, really. I know some of it, just from hearing it over and over on the 2m/440 repeaters and such, but it's not something I have any intention of using on any kind of regular basis...

Now that the code requirements are gone, is there anything I'm missing that's super-cool? I still have a 2m radio at the house (though at the moment, the base antenna is connected to my feed scanner), and I have a 2m/440 radio in the car that I used to talk on the local repeaters... To date, I haven't found anything I'm dying to do on ham that my license doesn't let me do...

So, for all you Extras out there, is it really worth it to upgrade my ham ticket?

Hey ET

If you are currently happy and satisfied with your current priviledges than no you don't have to upgrade however upgrading your license allows you to get on the HF bands and communicate all over the world which is a blast.

73s

Chad
 

mass-man

trying to retire...
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Parker Co., TX
There is really ONE big reason to upgrade. You can serve as a VE with a General on up. Giving back to a hobby that you have enjoyed for all these years is a very good thing. I know, I do it. That and working HF! Dipoles are simple and effective...rigs that run 100watts are the norm. Now you can work just about anywhere you hear, even it if is casual operating. Something about making new friends on the HF bands that you would never talk to on VHF is pretty cool. I got the Extra several years ago, and really don't use those little slices of spectrum that I have exclusive use of. Go for the General and it will be worth the studying and your time.
 

GSPD

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I think you answered your own question......or are you thinking that someone will talk you into it?
 

ETMegabyte

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I think you answered your own question......or are you thinking that someone will talk you into it?

No, not really. I've been using VHF so long, and it does what I intended it to do, so I never bothered upgrading. But with all the changes, I was just kinda wondering if there are any cool things I'm now missing out on because I haven't upgraded.

I don't even know my official class of license. It used to be Tech no-code, but since it's all no-code now, does that make me a straight tech now?

I considered HF for awhile, but my house is in a HORRIBLE location for radio-related stuff, so I rarely do much of anything at home (hence why my scanner feed is hooked to my ham antenna - and has been for 9+ months now)... 99.9999% of all the radio stuff I do is in the car...

I will probably upgrade anyway, even if I don't use any of my new "privileges"...
 

LtDoc

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Oklahoma
Are you missing something that you might like? Probably. All kinds of stuff on the HF bands, you name it. If you think you might like to try some of that 'stuff', up-grade. If you decide you don't like it, who says you have to do it? Suit your self...
- 'Doc
 

zz0468

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Feb 6, 2007
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...I was just kinda wondering if there are any cool things I'm now missing out on because I haven't upgraded.

CW, DX'ing, ragchewing, paper chasing, HF mobile, QRP, QRO, CW mobile, building huge antennas, contests, special event's stations, HF portable, digital modes, SSTV, boat anchors, AM, top band... whew.

I could probably come up with more.
 

IowaGuy1603

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Jun 2, 2006
Messages
994
Location
Jones County Iowa
No, not really. I've been using VHF so long, and it does what I intended it to do, so I never bothered upgrading. But with all the changes, I was just kinda wondering if there are any cool things I'm now missing out on because I haven't upgraded.

I don't even know my official class of license. It used to be Tech no-code, but since it's all no-code now, does that make me a straight tech now?

I considered HF for awhile, but my house is in a HORRIBLE location for radio-related stuff, so I rarely do much of anything at home (hence why my scanner feed is hooked to my ham antenna - and has been for 9+ months now)... 99.9999% of all the radio stuff I do is in the car...

I will probably upgrade anyway, even if I don't use any of my new "privileges"...

I recently retired & had a bit of time on my hands so I studied and upgraded to General.

Still haven't bought any HF rigs-----------but just might one of these days.

I also had and have no interest in CW.....................so 10 yrs ago when I got my Tech ticket I was pretty well resigned to not upgrading-----------------------and only considered when they took the CW requirement away.

We will see what retirement brings ---------I DID have a lot of fun at field day this year (which I have participated in for several years) so the interest got peaked again.......
 
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