Category: Social

Our “Antenna Farmers” Fall Planting Season?

Scott KG6ABF and Chris KI6AMK Have been doing what they do best, Getting our Editor Vic KM6RWB On The Air with the loan of an Icom IC-725 and a Palomar Bullet 80 End Fed Half Wave antenna, an afternoon of fighting the concrete at Vic’s house while installing a ground rod. I’m sure they will share their experience at the general membership meeting on October 8th.

Vic is now putting his General privileges to work on the HF bands and learning that HF work is a little different than simple repeater contacts and radios without spectrum scopes and waterfall displays make the operator tune around the band to listen for traffic. Vic, this is the way I operated when I was first licensed, it makes me appreciate the SDR based radios but I also understand how the simpler radios work which will make us better operators when we only have a “Go-Kit” and it really counts. Good Luck and have fun with it. My best advice is Listen, Listen, Listen, it will train you to be a better communicator when you key that microphone.

Extra, Extra !! Congratulations Chris Argueta on passing Element 4 and gaining your “Extra” Privileges!

The GOTAhams would all like to say Congratulations on you passing your exam! and gaining your Extra ticket. Those of us that attended the upgrade class that you did know how hard you worked and the knowledge you shred in those sessions. It is well deserved and we couldn’t be prouder of you, next step? VE of course!

Dave Casler adds GOTAhams to his dcasler.com webpage

Prior to Field Day, our secretary Kathi, KD6CAF sent some photos and GOTAhams tokens to Dave Casler wishing him a great Field Day with his local radio club. Dave responded with a typewritten letter (yep Dave is Old School) ask permission to post those photos on his page. Of course Dave!, you have been a great friend to Kathi and I since we met at Quartzfest and the best advocate we could have hoped for. Thanks for all you’ve done to promote GOTAhams and the kind words you’ve had for Kathi and I.

to visit Dave Caslers website “dcasler.com” click here and check out his YouTube channel for some in depth “Ham Radio Answers”

Caution… Elmer Alert

KUDOS to Ken KC6WOK who helped me get started with my new portable antenna, for the loan of the antenna analyzer and for the encouragement to keep at it until  I figured it out. 

Afterwards I stumbled into a QSO party and was able to make 6 contacts on 40 meters from around the US. 

Bend, OR

Coquille, OR

Virginia City, NV

Coventry, Connecticut 

Salt Lake City, UT

Biggs, CA

Not bad for a first effort with a little portable antenna sitting out on the front lawn.

Thanks again Ken, for being a terrific Elmer. 

New HF Station KM6UNQ

Jack Sklar KM6UNQ posted in “Workplace” that he has acquired a new Yaesu FT991A!

Congratulations are in order Jack, I know some folks say “Why now during Solar minimum” well I say get proficient now in bad conditions and imagine how much fun you’ll have when propagation is good or great. Yes Solar maximum is coming and it was in full swing when I was first licensed, imaging talking coast to coast on 10 meters during the day! That will get you really exited about Amateur radio!

It is VERY timely that our friend Eric KG4YZI from HamRadioConcepts earlier today posted a comparison between the Yaesu FT-991A vs the Icom IC-7300, I’ve posted the video below. I believe that in GOTAhams fashion WE will be able to do our own comparison (if Jack is willing to share) and see what we like about each rig. I’ll remind everyone that the GOTAhome does sport a dual band antenna for the VHF/UHF side of that Yaesu.

I think they look like twins!? Can’t lose either way…

Congratulations Bob Hardcastle!

Bob Hardcastle KM6OWV, Passed his General exam on Saturday 4/27/2019! He wrote a nice note letting the GOTAhams know the great news and thanking our club for the gift of his new tri-band handheld radio.

Great job KM6OWV, now we need to recruit some new technician class operators as all our technicians have upgraded!… OK folks, time to “Teach One” (c;

Congratulation Vic! new General

Vic Corrella KM6RWB passed his Amateur General test… The GOTA’s were all rooting for ya! Now we have one Tech and a few “Goat Kids” (yet to be licensed) and our new generals are setting that bar pretty high! Can we expect a newsletter article about your journey to General? We did miss you at rookie roundup, sounds like you had a good excuse. (c;