Salinas, CA. Ham Club?

[KJ6VIP]

HI all.

I was wondering if anyone from Salinas, CA knows of some clubs and or places for me to take the test(s) for my license. Been interested in radio communications for many years.

Unfortunately recently moved here in Salinas and can't seem to find any clubs, or to take a test around here. According to the ARRL if read correctly closes test site is about 50+ miles away. I'm disabled with no vehicle =(.

Any help and or information to steer me in the correct direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

-Rylak

 

[KJ6VIP]

Sigh... No responses to my question. That can't be a good sign. With that said, what does a person do in my situation if there are no clubs or test sites to get a license? Me being disabled without transportation, beyond local transit buses only amplifies my problem.

If I was able to take the test right now, I would pass. Would someone in my situation really have to go out of their way to drive say 5+ hours to take a test? What is required to take the test? I really want to get my license and be able to meet new people, enjoy a better life, and even participate in social gatherings and events.

I am so frustrated, as there really isn't much to do here where I live. Is there any hope in me getting my license?

-Rylak

 

[kma371]

I would check ARRL web site. I'm sure there's more references there. This is more of a monitoring site than a amateur radio site.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk

 

[KMA367]

Monterey County Amateur Radio Group

HI all.

I was wondering if anyone from Salinas, CA knows of some clubs and or places for me to take the test(s) for my license. Been interested in radio communications for many years.

Unfortunately recently moved here in Salinas and can't seem to find any clubs, or to take a test around here. According to the ARRL if read correctly closes test site is about 50+ miles away. I'm disabled with no vehicle =(.

Any help and or information to steer me in the correct direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

-Rylak

The Monterey County Amateur Radio Group looks like a good place to start; apppears to be a sort of "umbrella" page for Hams around the county. Here's their page with some basic "becoming a ham" info, and links for three Ham clubs in the County:
http://n6spd.com:8000/newham/newham.htm

The middle column on this page has some good local links:
http://n6spd.com:8000/links.htm

Hams tend to be a helpful lot as a rule, so it would surprise me if someone wouldn't be able to help out with that if necessary. Good luck!

 

[KJ6VIP]

Thank you KMA367. I fired off a couple of emails to those links. Awaiting responses now in hopes of getting closer to my objectives.

By the way, didn't the L.A.P.D. use that KMA-367 call sign back in the day? When I was a volunteer working with the L.A.P.D. they used KJC-625.

We're you affiliated with that agency in some way, shape, or form?

-Rylak

 

[KMA367]

Thank you KMA367. I fired off a couple of emails to those links. Awaiting responses now in hopes of getting closer to my objectives.

By the way, didn't the L.A.P.D. use that KMA-367 call sign back in the day? When I was a volunteer working with the L.A.P.D. they used KJC-625.

We're you affiliated with that agency in some way, shape, or form?

-Rylak

Oh yeah. I was a Police Student Worker and then an RTO (RadioTelephone Operator) between 1968-76, and my wife was an RTO (job later reclassified as PSRs - Police Service Representative) from 1967 until 1998. I don't know how she lasted there so long. KMA367 was the main callsign, for all mobiles and the metropolitan area transmitters, voice-broadcasted every 15 minutes, from 1949 until 1981 when they went to UHF with KJC625. I always worked downtown, except for one or two "Valley Communications" Christmas Party nights, when we filled in for them, and tried to understand all the odd street names out there We were used to names like 4th Street, and Main, and Grand, but out there had to contend with words like Citronia, Sister Elsie Drive, the intersection of Variel & Valerio (say it fast 3 times)., etc. I did, however, once have a downtown (Hollenbeck Div) officer tell me he was "in foot pursuit eastbound on Via Los Pimenteros from Paseo El Rio toward Paseo Los Alisos..." By the time I repeated the words back, he had caught the guy. True story. Kinda sorta. :roll:

Down below in my signature block is a history of the callsigns and other related stuff.

Good luck with the ham test - I got my "ticket" in 1989, but I'm not on the radio a whole lot these days. Way too busy being retired.

 

[KJ6VIP]

Right on friend. Pleasure to meet you, and again thank you for sending me that information. I'm sure we will see more of each other in the forums.

-Rylak