All of the below suggestions are VERY good. I would like to also add that you should turn on that radio, tune into a QSO and just listen for a bit. Then another and another... The idea is to get an idea of the lingo and pace of the conversation. That with the extra education you will get from someone showing you the ropes will do wonders. Even if you don't see anyone, listening to different QSO's will give you a great sense of what and how to conduct yourself on the radio.
Lastly, GET ON THE AIR. You have to jump into the water sometime. Send a message out on this email chat and say "hey, I'm going to be on X freq at X time. Someone come talk with me to get familiar." I'm sure you'll end up with a pileup within a short amount of time. Mike - KG4NDS From: BVARC <bvarc-boun...@bvarc.org> On Behalf Of gshockxcc via BVARC Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 8:13 AM To: BRAZOS VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB <bvarc@bvarc.org> Cc: gshockxcc <gshock...@pm.me> Subject: [BVARC] How to HAM? First, let me preface my request for help by saying that I am a Mechanical Engineer and I still have no idea what is going on. I collect lots of data on rotating and fixed equipment, and I understand Control systems just enough to be dangerous. That said, I have had my General license for almost a year, and I still have no idea how to operate a ham radio, how to communicate with anyone or find channels to communicate on. I freely admit that the amount of time that I spend trying to learn is minimal, because of other priorities at the moment. I don't have any friends who are into ham, and I am rarely able to make BVARC functions like the POTA. How in the world do you get started if you don't know where to begin? Sorry, I am just lost. -Kristan Sent from Proton Mail<https://proton.me/mail/home> for iOS
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