AB4UG Radioblog

Amateur radio licensing tests

Did you know that here in Charleston SC there are ham radio licensing tests (VE testing) administered on a regular basis? That makes it pretty easy to get your amateur radio license once you’re ready.

The Charleston Amateur Radio Society (CARS/WA4USN) holds licensing tests on the second Saturday of every other month (even numbered months) up at Trident Medical Center starting at 9AM.

The Trident Amateur Radio Club (TARC/W4ANK) holds their licensing tests the third Wednesday of each month at the Goose Creek Masonic Lodge starting at 7PM.

In addition to the regular VE testing sessions, both groups will conduct classes followed by testing if there’s sufficient interest. Just contact them to make arrangements.

So, once you’re finished studying, just head on over to the next VE testing session, show your IDs, pay the fee, take the test and walk out with your new/upgraded amateur radio license!

TARC swap meet

Planning on heading out to the TARC swap meet this coming weekend to see what it’s all about and maybe pick up a few things so I can get CC1 on the air. It’s up near Moncks Corner, so it’s a bit of a drive. No idea how large it is or how many people to expect to show up, but it will be a good chance to meet some more hams.

A good way to get volunteered

A good way to get volunteered to do something is to mention that something needs attention or doing. The radio club I’m a member of (CARS) is no exception.

At the last meeting, I mentioned that searching the ARRL website for clubs didn’t bring up CARS, or any of the CARS VE test sessions, to which the club president replied (paraphrasing here) “So does that mean you want to look into it?”

Sure, what the heck. I figure it will be a good chance to find out al little more about the club and get my feet wet with helping out with the club.

CC1 completed

Got the last of the toroids wound and put onto the board. Now CC1 is complete!

The BNC connector was put on after I snapped these photos.

Everything sounds like it works when I apply power. I need to get a BNC/SO-239 adapter so that I can connect it to the antenna to test the receiving and then try to make myself a dummy load to test the transmit. After testing everything out, (haven’t worked out yet how I’ll test the power output, but I’ll think of something), it will be time to work on drilling holes for the end plates of the enclosure.

CC1 almost complete

The CC1 kit is getting closer to being completed. All the tiny bits are soldered on, and now there’s just the toroids left to wind. I put T1 and L4/L5 on last night and now there are just 8 inductors left to wind. No lost pieces, only one extra part (which was extra to begin with) and only two fried components.

I discovered when I went to install R50 that I had accidentally installed it in the R26 position. They’re both the same resistance, but R50 is a larger resistor. In my haste, I must have just grabbed the first 100 ohm resistor that I saw and put it on. Fortunately I was able to get it off the board without too much fuss and put it where it belonged.

I also found that installing U2 and Q9 is a whole lot easier with lots and lots of flux on the board. Wish I had known that when I installed U1 and U5.

I better get cracking on learning Morse code!