Mpfsr
Member
Hi Ladies and Gents,
I live in CT, in the New Haven area, and while I've always had a knack with computers and electronics, my wife didn't have the patience for some of my hobbies and interests. She was okay with the SciFi and reading and firearms, and she barely, and I mean barely, tolerated my interest in computers and electronics.I had my own area from it that didn't intrude on any of her space (depending on where we lived, basically the attic or basement) and I didn't ignore or neglect her or our kids in any way, in a nutshell, she hated the computers and while I always wanted to get into amateur radio, it wouldn't be worth the divorce it would have caused.
Well, things change in the worst and most unfortunate ways, and this past March she passed away at 40 years old just a few months shy of our 20th wedding anniversary. Coping with the grief has been a day to day process and even after 4 months it hasn't been easier. But, things can't stay stagnant, and I have to go forward.
One thing I can now pursue, though, is HAM radio. I understand that I need to get a Technician license. I did look to see where there are any testing sites in my area and it didn't look good, most of them were not far, but our vehicle blew the transmission and what money I had was used towards funeral expenses for my wife, so right now I am dependent on public transportation.
If anyone reading this in the CT area, do you know of any tests that might be administered, say, like at a city library in the New Haven area on a Saturday? Most of the tests were done at night way off the bus route with no chance for me to get there, and the only other weekend class is in another county and as it is it also isn't close to the bus line and even though its closer I would have to leave out at like 500am and they do not run that early on weekends.
I'm hoping that somewhere in this area there is a test administered on a weekend that can be served by a bus.... I'm sure a public library would allow the use of a few tables for the test to be taken in it's facilities and it is central to more people, and not as intimidating as going to a club house or someones home. I've heard all sorts of bad rumors over the years, a few friends who were going for testing back in the late 80s when you needed to learn code said some of the old timers who gave the tests passed you on whether they liked you or not or based on who you knew or if you looked like a crew cut,coke bottle glasses pen pocket protector kind of guy rather than a guy with (back then) his hair a little too long, a couple of earrings and tattoos.... yes I know it sounds ridiculous but this was the kind of things we were told as young men back then looking to get into ham radio that we would be dealing with.
Now, now I'd just like to find a test I can actually get to, never mind the rest of that baloney....
If anyone knows of anyone in my area that might be of help, or if there are organizations that let you test online, that would be great. There so much info that comes back from google you don't know what is real what is a scam.
Thanks!!!!
Mike
I live in CT, in the New Haven area, and while I've always had a knack with computers and electronics, my wife didn't have the patience for some of my hobbies and interests. She was okay with the SciFi and reading and firearms, and she barely, and I mean barely, tolerated my interest in computers and electronics.I had my own area from it that didn't intrude on any of her space (depending on where we lived, basically the attic or basement) and I didn't ignore or neglect her or our kids in any way, in a nutshell, she hated the computers and while I always wanted to get into amateur radio, it wouldn't be worth the divorce it would have caused.
Well, things change in the worst and most unfortunate ways, and this past March she passed away at 40 years old just a few months shy of our 20th wedding anniversary. Coping with the grief has been a day to day process and even after 4 months it hasn't been easier. But, things can't stay stagnant, and I have to go forward.
One thing I can now pursue, though, is HAM radio. I understand that I need to get a Technician license. I did look to see where there are any testing sites in my area and it didn't look good, most of them were not far, but our vehicle blew the transmission and what money I had was used towards funeral expenses for my wife, so right now I am dependent on public transportation.
If anyone reading this in the CT area, do you know of any tests that might be administered, say, like at a city library in the New Haven area on a Saturday? Most of the tests were done at night way off the bus route with no chance for me to get there, and the only other weekend class is in another county and as it is it also isn't close to the bus line and even though its closer I would have to leave out at like 500am and they do not run that early on weekends.
I'm hoping that somewhere in this area there is a test administered on a weekend that can be served by a bus.... I'm sure a public library would allow the use of a few tables for the test to be taken in it's facilities and it is central to more people, and not as intimidating as going to a club house or someones home. I've heard all sorts of bad rumors over the years, a few friends who were going for testing back in the late 80s when you needed to learn code said some of the old timers who gave the tests passed you on whether they liked you or not or based on who you knew or if you looked like a crew cut,coke bottle glasses pen pocket protector kind of guy rather than a guy with (back then) his hair a little too long, a couple of earrings and tattoos.... yes I know it sounds ridiculous but this was the kind of things we were told as young men back then looking to get into ham radio that we would be dealing with.
Now, now I'd just like to find a test I can actually get to, never mind the rest of that baloney....
If anyone knows of anyone in my area that might be of help, or if there are organizations that let you test online, that would be great. There so much info that comes back from google you don't know what is real what is a scam.
Thanks!!!!
Mike
