Guru312 0 #1 March 3, 2010 I noticed recently that a number of skydivers are radio hams. I'm curious how many actually are willing to step up and admit to it. I just reconnected with a guy on DZ.com form the mid-70s. [Hi, Scott!] I've had an amateur license since I was eleven years old. My original call was W3ZLU and current call WB2ZTE. The hobby is about as far from skydiving as one can get. I once operated in freefall from 12,500 with a throat mike. I had the pleasure of working a U S naval station at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica where two of the operators were jumpers who had recently jumped onto the South Pole. My QSL card from them reads: "Stay stable and always land in the peas." When I was flying jumpers I flew for a guy who jumped into Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia. We used ham radio to coordinate the jump with me working the tower and ATC on the plane radio and a ham/jumper on the grounds at the stadium. I love working DX on CW on 15, 20 and 40. How about you? What is your call and your favorite bands and mode of operation? If you've been interested in ham radio but afraid of the code requirements you can rest easy: no code, no more. Tnx es 73, WB2ZTE.Guru312 I am not DB Cooper Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #2 March 3, 2010 .. / .-- .- ... / .- / -. --- ...- .. -.-. . --..-- / .- -. -.. / .-.. .- - . .-. / .- / - . -.-. .... -. .. -.-. .. .- -. --..-- / -... ..- - / .-.. . - / -- -.-- / .-.. .. -.-. . -. ... . / .-.. .- .--. ... . / .- / ..-. . .-- / -.-- . .- .-. ... / .- --. --- / .-- .... . -. / - .... . / ... - ..- .--. .. -.. / ..-. -.-. -.-. / ... - .- .-. - . -.. / -.. .. ... - .-. .. -... ..- - .. -. --. / -- -.-- / ... ... -. / - --- / - .... . / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. .-.-.-"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PolluxSJ 0 #3 March 3, 2010 QuoteI once operated in freefall from 12,500 with a throat mike. I was wondering how well that might work... I've seen some people testing throat mics in the tunnel, and how well they function seems to be based largely on the quality ($$$) of the mic. I was actually just about to start looking up the legality of operating at altitude. It's been a while since I took the exam, but I thought there was an altitude limit... I've had a couple projects in mind... I'm mostly one of those VFH/UHF (...and higher) hams, so most of my projects will be things like APRS and ATV. 73s Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guru312 0 #4 March 3, 2010 QuoteI was wondering how well that might work... I've seen some people testing throat mics in the tunnel, and how well they function seems to be based largely on the quality ($$$) of the mic. I was actually just about to start looking up the legality of operating at altitude. It's been a while since I took the exam, but I thought there was an altitude limit... What I used was a surplus military WWII throat mike. It worked well. Receiving wasn't as easy because of wind noise overriding the headphone audio. The throat mike eliminated any rush sounds. I know of no regulation relating to an altitude restriction. A number of astronauts are hams and have made QSOs from space,Guru312 I am not DB Cooper Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muff528 3 #5 March 3, 2010 WN4GRG a long time ago (late 60's). Built my xmtrs and used an old Zenith black-dial radio chassis from a big console and later a BC-348 for receivers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
377 22 #6 March 3, 2010 Count me in too. Extra class licensee. Extra "lite" actually, no Morse Code on my exam. I am learning code though, but slowly. Like surplus radios from WW 2. Have a BC 348, ARR 15, ARC 5, ART 13 and ARN 7. I have modern DSP HF SSB gear, but I favor the old tube stuff and still like AM nets on 3870 KHz. Have done parachute mobile HAHOs in October 2009 making VHF and UHF comms and also using APRS with GPS data telemetry plus heart rate and blood oxygen levels from a pulse oximeter. Telemetry worked great, was received 60 miles away without going through repeaters. 73, 3772018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guru312 0 #7 March 3, 2010 What a huge pain in the ass it is to read Morse typed out. I can copy about 1 word per minute or less that way. I renewed my license on line are you saying that the FCC is releasing SSNs to the world through that service? Why would they make yours available? That's some serious stuff. I'm going to check their website and see what's available. Thanks for the agony of copying dots and dashes like that. -. --- - Guru312 I am not DB Cooper Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #8 March 3, 2010 Quote What a huge pain in the ass it is to read Morse typed out. I can copy about 1 word per minute or less that way. I renewed my license on line are you saying that the FCC is releasing SSNs to the world through that service? Why would they make yours available? That's some serious stuff. I'm going to check their website and see what's available. Thanks for the agony of copying dots and dashes like that. -. --- - You don't think I did that by hand, do you?I used this: http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html The &)($*)(@*@)_!!! FCC distributed my SSN along with my name and call sign, for my Tech license which I got in the mid '90's. I found it when googling for my own SSN. Correction: I just looked it up. That license was issued on 01/07/98 and expired on 05/10/04."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonyfellows 0 #9 March 3, 2010 I had a no code tech license back in 1998. KB9TVV ... Expired in 2008 and I never renewed it. Never did anything beyond 2 meter and 440.Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonyfellows 0 #10 March 3, 2010 QuoteCorrection: I just looked it up. That license was issued on 01/07/98 and expired on 05/10/04. I thought they were all good for 10 years. My Tech license was issued 12/14/98 and didn't expire until 12/14/08.Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #11 March 3, 2010 QuoteQuoteCorrection: I just looked it up. That license was issued on 01/07/98 and expired on 05/10/04. I thought they were all good for 10 years. My Tech license was issued 12/14/98 and didn't expire until 12/14/08. I think the odd length of time may have been related to filing a change-of-address notice that doubled as a renewal."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
