Are you a Ham Radio Operator?

[JohnD.]

Hi Guys/Girls,

So I was wondering if anyone on the forum was a ham radio operator. I am one but I have not been on the HF frequencies due to no outside antenna but I am working on getting one outside in the next couple of weeks.

Who knows maybe we can start a ThinkPad Net?

John

[BillMorrow]

i guess no one around here IS a HAM operator..

when i lived aboard i had a SEA HF radio and a ships station license..
with an automatic antenna matching thing (I forgot what ther are called, now) which would match the existing antenna to the frequency..
on a sailboat i used one of the stainless shrounds (insulated, of course) and a grounding plate on the outside of the hull below the waterline which was copper foam and gave something like 100+ sq. ft. of area in a 8x14 inch plate..

on the motoryacht i used an 18' whip antenna and the engines as the grounding..

i HAD intended to do something with fidonet at that time but never did..

the story continued when i moved ashore but thats another story..

establishing a thinknet net would be fun but now i leave that sort of thing to others with more time/energy/$$ to bring it to fruition..

did you get your antenna rigged up..? ground plane..?