New Guy Here.....

[dixieboyfl]

Hi All,

Let me start by saying I have been lurking here for a few months and caught the scanning bug, again. Of course I had the CB Bug 30 years ago as well.....

I've had a few receivers over the years and had them put away until recently and decided to purchase a BC898T as well.

Thanks to some very helpful members on this forum, I was able to figure out how to get the damn thing programmed for trunk tracking scanning.

I also have an ICOM R7100 that I bought a few years ago when my interest was peaked then as well. And I just ordered a BC996T and expect it to be delivered next week.

I currently reside in SW Florida - Lee County..........lol.........see newbie faq...

Having said all that, since I'll be retiring in the near future, I have also decided to finally work on getting my HAM Radio License. (Heck, I'll have to have something to do with all my time....)

So, I'm looking for some pointers to attain my license and suggestions for equipment and antennas to get my feet wet in the hobby. Nothing too elaborate for now as I'll be moving to SE Tennessee or NE Georgia within the next couple of years. Hopefully by then, I'll know more about just what I want to do in the hobby.

Let the information highway open and I thank each and everyone of you in advance for any positive information you might share with me.

Enjoy the Weekend,

Mike - Cape Coral, FL (LEE COUNTY)

 

[K9GTJ]

Licensing is not too hard with plenty of online study materials and practice tests. http://www.qrz.com and http://www.arrl.com

When you get into HF, there are lots of radios. My suggestion is to not get a menu driven radio but one with more knobs. The iCOM 746 Pro is a great example at a reasonable cost.

You can also usually find better pricing at a hamfest which has several new equipment dealers. Sometime the dealer that is furthest away has the best price.

When you move, get a property on a hilltop to take advantage of mother nature’s natural advantage. Also look for something that would allow you run wire antennas radiating east and west.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[RESCUE4NFD]

Welcome to RadioReference...

 

[dixieboyfl]

Kokomo1

Licensing is not too hard with plenty of online study materials and practice tests. http://www.qrz.com and http://www.arrl.com

When you get into HF, there are lots of radios. My suggestion is to not get a menu driven radio but one with more knobs. The iCOM 746 Pro is a great example at a reasonable cost.

You can also usually find better pricing at a hamfest which has several new equipment dealers. Sometime the dealer that is furthest away has the best price.

When you move, get a property on a hilltop to take advantage of mother nature’s natural advantage. Also look for something that would allow you run wire antennas radiating east and west.

Good luck and enjoy.

Thanks for the response and advice. Where would you look for a nice used iCOM 746 Pro to purchase as your first unit and what antenna recommendations might you offer?

Best Regards,

Mike