Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I was wondering how many ham radio enthusiasts are involved in the FIRST robotics program? Mentors, Students?

73,
Brian - K9WIS
Programming Mentor FRC #1675

Note: For those coming to the WI regional I hope to hear you on the 146.31/91 repeater.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Not a Ham operator but very active in Citizen Band radio.
Long time scanner bugger too.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

In case you didn't hear. they morse code requirement for obtaining a ham license has been eliminated as of Feb 23rd. All you have to do is take a written test on electronics theory and some regulatory issues. If you can Build a FIRST robot you can cerrtainly pass a ham radio exam.

Brian K9WIS
k9wis@arrl.net

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

KB9VQF since 1999. I haven't been very active lately, though.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I am!

My Callsign is KB1NBN and i am a general!
Located In Montpelier, VT FN34
Love to setup a contact!

73! Chris

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Check out this thread:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=50790

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Yes, there's quite a few of us.

73,
Don

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I'll be taking my technician license over spring break in a few weeks, I'll post back with my callsign, anyone in the Potsdam area should try our repeater, 443.350/850. Also, we're IRLP enabled at 4747 I believe.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

We have about 15 atudents in the robot club with licenses. 5 teachers and one of our mentors.

Although ransmitters are frowned on at FIRST events, there a hit at demos.

Driving a robot via Amateur Television is the ultimate video game!

Allan

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I have been involved with metalinmotion - Team 343 - for eight years and I am an active ham. My callsign is KS4YX.
We also have two other "hams" as mentors but I am uncertain of their calls as they are new this year. As soon as I find out, I will repost.
73, Gil:cool:

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

WB9UVJ, licensed in the 70's and now an Extra but I get to play with really big transmitters all the time, one digital, one analog and one FM (plus a few 2GHz and 7GHz low power microwave links) with antennas at 1800 ft. above average terrain.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I am a technician class with code call sign - KC2QPK
Mentor Mike Siegel of 375 EXTRA class- W2RT
life member ARRL
Life member AMSAT

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

What does it take to get a ham radio? I have heard of them before and thought it would be fun to do, but I am misinformed. Can anyone help?

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Eric,
It is pretty easy. All you have to do is study a little and take a test. The test is a variety of electronic questions mixed in with some operations questions. The test is intended to make sure you know enough to operate a transmitter and not interfere with anyone else or their enjoyment of the other public services. There are many local clubs that will help you study and obtain the license. There are several license classes, and each class gives the operator some privledges on different bands. The higher the class of license the more priveledge and the more questions asked. A Technician class license has 35 questions, the General an additional 35 questions and Extra an additional 50 questions. There is no longer a morse code requirement. You can find more info here... http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/license-requirements.html
or search for FCC under US government. A local club will also help you locate equipment and set up a station. Many hams start out with a very simple station, an antenna strung between two trees and a borrowed radio is all it takes. Operating is just like writing here on CD for the first time. You listen around and find how others operate and then you just jump in. It is actually pretty cool because it takes some finesse to tune the radio and find someone. It isn't as simple as just typing and hoping someone reads what you typed. Sometimes the weather is against you, sometimes the sun is against you but sometimes under just the right conditions, you can talk to someone in the jungles of Africa, or downtown Barcelona or a previously closed(radio) country like the Czech Republic. I like a particular facet of this hobby known as QRP. This is where I use a radio with less than 5 watts output. That is lower than CB radios and sometimes I even use less than a watt on CW or Morse Code. Imagine sitting on a beach with a wire strung between two coconut palms while talking to another ham on a beach in St. Thomas who has the same kind of portable station and operates from batteries or solar cells. That is the kind of hobby some hams enjoy. Jump in the water's fine.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I am a ham too! KD7WKD and 15 of our robots kids are too!!!

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Anyone wanna setup like a net thingy on 20 meters on saturdays or somthing. That would be kinda cool "the FIRST robotics net" :D

if you wanna do more with this idea email me at cctoast@gmail.com

73! chris

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I'm only a Technician, but I will probably get a general, if not an extra, now that code got dropped.

I'm the only ham on my team.

Brian, I'll be on that repeater tomorrow. If I can remember

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Eric Anderson - KD7TXI

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Make it Sunday afternoon so we don't interfere with regionals, travel or church.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

N8UOB here, licensed since 1993-ish, though I haven't been active with it for the last few years. Currently I'm a "tech plus", but I plan on upgrading eventually.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

N7UJJ Allan Cameron
KD7WKD Fredi Lajvardi
KE7JKC Angelica Hernandez
KE7JKA Cynthia Botello
KE7CKH Adam Burch
KE7JLK Nilo Thomas
KE7JLL Kelly Morris
KE7JLM John Harris
KE7JJZ Will Freer
KE7KRX Marina Acosta
KE7KHN Leonardo Penuelas
KE7JKB Yvette Torres
KE7CKJ Daniel Federle
KE7CKI Mike Brown
TBA Janet Ramirez

Here are the call signs of our team, Sunday sounds good! we all have 2 meter handhelds
and we usually use 145.67

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

KB9WTE since 2000, hoping to upgrade this summer. I mostly do APRS and FM voice in my car, but I'm hoping to venture below 50 MHz in the near future.

I think the FIRST ham community is growing :]

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

kc9iae, technician. I need to upgrade to general/extra, and get myself an HF rig. Too bad ham stuff tends to cost you.

Edit: Hah, just noticed that this was my 73rd post. Weird.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

WI Regional attendee local repeater information:

Brian has already mentioned 146.91 (CTCSS 127.3Hz), WI9MRC, located in New Berlin approximately 15 miles SW of the event location. It has multiple receive sites throughout the metro area, including one about 1 mile west of the event. Those needing local directions or assistance can usually find it here.

145.270 (127.3Hz), W9HHX, is located at the Milwaukee School of Engineering just a few blocks from the event. The system has two off-site receive locations in the metro area, including diversity receive on-site, and provides excellent coverage to those operating downtown Milwaukee. MSOE is a FIRST sponsor.

147.165 (127.3Hz), W9WK, is located just east of the event on the US Bank building and has two additional receive sites in the metro area.

443.800 (123.0Hz), N9GMT, transmits from US Bank, and has many high profile receive sites in the metro area. This is one repeater in a much larger network covering Southern and Eastern WI, and North Eastern IL. Permanantly connected to IRLP reflector node 9204, others are welcome to link in. More information can be found here

145.130 (127.3Hz), N9LKH, transmits from the UW-Milwaukee campus, and has several receivers located throughout the metro area. This is another good source for local information.

147.045 (127.3Hz), WB0AFB, transmits from the MATC broadcast tower located approximately 5 miles north of the event. MATC is a FIRST sponsor.

These are all open systems and attendees should feel free to use them.

Additional information regarding these and other WI repeaters can be found here.

DE - KA9FUR

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I'm no Ham, but my professor David Mills (I was his TA last semester) is a major one, callsign W3HCF. Every time someone brings up the FCC he make this observation:

Unfortunately, that is the progression of many things in this world. :rolleyes:

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Fredi,
A very impressive list and a lot of consecutive calls. Congratulations!

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Is there an Echolink or IRLP node anywhere in your area, would love to setup a net on Echolink for FIRST hams. If you have echolink or are willing to download he free software ( www.echolink.org ) Please post.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

KB1GTO - Steve Rugoletti, team mentor/science teacher - technician
N1RCA - Lou Broad - team mentor/science teacher - extra

We're both on team 350 from Timberlane HS in Plaistow, NH. Our team will be attending the Boston Regional. None of our team is licensed, but that's going to change since we plan on starting a radio club after FIRST season is over. We recently had some modulars installed and there are some new telephone poles in a perfect spot outside Lou's classroom. The poles are at least 20' high and will be perfect for mounting one, maybe two antennas. Probably a nice Yagi and maybe a dipole between the two of them...

Thanks for asking about us!

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Havn't been active recently, but I'm KG6NJT

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I've been a ham radio operator since 1960. Licensed at age 12. Currently KD6UY. My Dad (KD9I) and son (KN6TJ) are also long time hams.

Ham radio as a pre-teen led me into the Boy Scouts (Eagle '66) and into Electronics Engineering as a profession.

It's a good thing.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

KI6DYY here. I'm the only one at my school, though I keep trying to get some of my students interested. I'll be upgrading to General right after Nationals.

Chris Vivo
Team 974

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Congratulations!

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I got my license, new callsign at KC2RGZ, I was slightly off on the frequency of the repeater, the transmit shift is at 448.350 MHz, and the IRLP is at 4747.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Congratulations!

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Congratulations, nice CW call too!

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Are you Hams planning on bringing your radios to Atlanta? If so there are several IRLP enabled repeaters in the area, it would be cool to get everyone on one frequency (2 meter maybe? or 70 centimeter?) and I can dial in from Potsdam :) or if you can get local IRLP access, we can dial to some reflector and have a FIRST Ham party for those of us who can't be there. (I'll be studying for finals that week)

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

Is there a website or a specific place I can contact to get involved in that? I'm pretty interested in doing something like that.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

See this thread.

Both machines have fantastic coverage downtown (being on the tallest building in ATL helps) and both are conected to IRLP. For specifics on the nodes see http://www.w4doc.org/arc/irlp.html

Looking forward to seeing everyone here next week.

73 de KF4JVD

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I have the 1964 ARRL Radio Amateur's Handbook sitting right here, read up when you come home this weekend :)

You can play with the BC-348-Q also....practice listening to code....if it feels like working, that is. the band switch is a bit flaky.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

I took the test here in Ontario two years ago and found out the hard way that you really have to study for it and know you're stuff, no morse code but they took away my blackberry and advanced calculator and left me sitting there in the exam room with paper and pencil.......let's just say study and passing the ham radio exam will be THIS spring's project for me:)

mark

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

348 still in working order? Pretty cool! I thought I was living in the dark ages with an HW-101. Do you have one manufactured by Wells Gardner? I worked summers for them while going to school, they are out of business now as far as I know. Interesting company, learned a lot about production while I was there and also how to drive a forktruck.

Re: Ham Radio and Radio at FIRST
 

my 348 is from Wells Gardner, although it's not quite all original...someone swapped out the dynamotor for a homebrew 120vac supply many years ago.

I should put some pics of it on my web page (the typewriter museum) when I have a chance.....so much junk, so little ambition!