Triple Play - Greenhorn Extra Checking In!

[WE3M]

Hello all, just wanted to introduce my self. I'm Bob - AK4XM and I've enjoyed radio for a long time but never pursued it after joining the USN in 1984. My first bite of the DX bug was as a kid listening to the new super-whammodyne transistorized AM radio late at night and tuning in stations from many states away.

I retired from the Navy in 2004 and now working for the Navy as a civilian, I recently got bit again and took and passed all three exams on Aug 11th in Alexandria, VA! (Thank you Laurel VEC!) I missed 7 total and finished all three exams in 45 minutes, including time between tests for grading! I do have a lot of background with electronics from the Navy, but hadn't used it in many moons. I took the test on Saturday and had my call sign by 0830 Monday morning - can't beat that!

For anyone interested, I used the HamTestOnline (HamTestOnline™ - Ham Radio Exam Courses and Ham Radio Practice Exams at HamRadioLicenseExam.com) free test service for practice as it showed my progress. I used the ARRL books for Tech and General but didn't really finish the books as much of it was refresher. With about three weeks until the exam, I figured what the heck, might as well go for it all, right? I bought the Gordon West Extra Class book and 6 audio CD's and hit it hard. That book and audio CD's were fantastic! I listened to nothing but them everyday while commuting and drive my family crazy with them on weekends.

Now, I'm thinking about getting my GROL + Radar just because. I've heard it's better soon after passing Extra as the theory is still fresh in my memory. Picking up the book/software this week and diving back in!

Right now I have an IC-7000 with LDG tuner and a home brew 20m dipole in the attic in my HRO restricted home so I'll be playing with antennas soon enough. Thankfully, I have neighbors that are cool and were comms guys in the USAF. I absolutely LOVE this rig and will be using it as a mobile/go-radio once I get a formal base rig.

Already worked St. Vincent, Hawaii, and a few other DX stations and doing a lot of listening and learning.
Hope to see you on the air!

73's,
Bob
AK4XM

 

[AK9R]

Congratulations!

Already worked St. Vincent, Hawaii, and a few other DX stations and doing a lot of listening and learning.

Atta boy! Keep listening and learning. The greatest compliment payed to me when I was a new ham was the evening when one of the local, experienced hams was surprised to learn that I was newly licensed. He guessed, based on my on-air manner, that I had been around a long time. I got that from listening...a lot.

 

[powerhouse]

I did the same thing about 2 years ago or so. I practiced with the on line tests and studied Gordon's Extra book and passed all three. I think I only missed about 3 questions in all. I took the Grol+radar test about a month or two later because, as you said, all of the formulas etc were still fresh in my mind. I think I only missed three questions on those tests as well.
Anyway, congratulations on your accomplishment.
BTW, I used W5YI's GROL prep. software which made the tests pretty easy.

powerhouse
AB3JP

 

[mancow]

That hamtestonline site is the only way to go. I used it and breezed through the Extra in like 15 minutes. It was easier than when I took the Tech in 1994.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Congrats on passing all three tests at the same time! And welcome to RadioReference.

 

[WE3M]

Thanks all! Powerhouse, thanks. I read your account and being in DC will probably test in California, MD - prolly the same site you did?

 

[powerhouse]

Actually, I took my GROL+Radar tests at the National Electronics Museum in Linthicum. That was the closest test site to me. I'm not sure if the COLEM's use it any more or not. It's right around the corner from where I work and since the museum is free, I took a little tour after the tests. They have some neat things there.
NEM-USA Home Page

powerhouse
AB3JP

I see they charge an admission of $3.00 now but it is still worth it IMHO.

 

[WE3M]

Not sure it that one's still in use. Thanks for the info. I pick up the book and software tomorrow.

Saw you work a power plant. I'm a retired Gas Turbine Senior Chief (GSE by trade). Now working for the Navy building our new ships the LCS. Nice RR MT-30's on the LCS1 variant, 36mw, I believe!

 

[powerhouse]

The previous plant that I worked in was for a large, 2.2 million sq.ft. manufacturing plant. They decided to go COGEN and installed 2 natural gas marine engines, Wartsila 18V34SG's, which were the drivers for the generators. We produced about 11.75 MW which was about 3/4 of the total plant load. BGE would not let us black start or island, so we always had to import a set KW or we would be in the dark very quickly. I remember several instances where we would be running right up to the limit and suddenly, one of the four, 1000 ton chillers would trip off causing us to exceed our max generation plunging us into darkness. It was chaos trying to light off our old Superior boilers and bring them up to pressure all the while restarting the chillers, several 1500 hp. centrifical compressors and vacuum pumps, restarting the gen sets, while trying to maintain NOWL's in the 2 HRSG,(heat recoverry steam generators), located on the third floor of the generating house and restarting related equipment in a building 1/4 mile away all by myself.
I also remember racking in 2300 volt engine breakers on the roof in snow storms when the power went out and trying to secure a tripped deluge fire suppression system around our 33,000 volt step up transformer in the dark, (I always worked the night shift alone). It was fun, challenging and frightening all at the same time.
I really, really enjoyed that job and I loved being able to do it all by myself while 1500 employees stood around waiting for me to bring the plant back up.
We were also responsible for plant fire protection and medical/ security response.
Where I'm at now, we just have 3 large boilers for process and comfort heating and humidity, a few chillers and 4 air compressors but the pay and benefits package is far superior to the other site which, sadly, ceased operations last year and is being turned into a retail shopping center.
I'm trying to talk them into a cogen system but I don't think there is much interest at this point.

powerhouse
AB3JP