Amateur Radio & GMRS

Welcome Experience and Training

I see you have decided to know more about who I am, as an Amateur Radio Operator. I will keep it short and get to the points. I want to thank you for wanting to know more about Amateur Radio. If you would like more information about Amateur Radio, please visit the ARRL Get Involved website.

I have been a Ham (Amateur) Radio Operator since September 2013. I started with my Motorola HT1250 and talked on a local repeater in Alpine, NJ. There are two repeater sites that are visible on 9W, the Palisades Interstate Parkway NJ and various locations in NY. After seeing the large towers, it peaked my interest. It was more interesting and I found myself studying for my Amateur General License.

I would spend my days at work, in the ambulance, studying for my general ticket. I spent weekends volunteering and gaining the money needed for my radios. They weren’t that expensive, but who has $3,000 to pull out there back pocket? Sure not me! I found myself working hard and studying until March of 2014. I passed my Amateur General License exam and changed my callsign. My first callsign was KD2EQZ or KD2-Equalizer. I thought long and hard, then decided N2JDH would be the best! I picked JDH for my oldest daughter’s name(Jalena Denise Hunt). It can also mean, Nice 2 Just Drive Home! While I was at it, I also scored on my VEC exam. I was a General Licensed Volunteer Examiner in less than one year in the hobby.

I spent as much time as I could building antennas and making contacts. It wasn’t until I was Captain of Englewood Volunteer Ambulance, that I started making better antennas. I was getting out into Europe. YES! EUROPE. I know big deal. It was an accomplishment and pushed me to learn more. Sadly, I was not able to get the antenna to work for the Army MARS program. I ended up stepping down. Yeah, I kind of miss it.

After many changes in living situations, I moved out of my hometown and into another. I worked hard and learned more about long wires. With the help of members of the After Midnight Amateur Radio Association, Bergen Amateur Radio Association and the Fair lawn Amateur Radio Association, I was able to get on the air. Oh, by the way, I was Vice President of the After Midnight Amateur Radio Association, since the founding date.

Today, I am still running my Icom IC-718 with a home-brew End Fed wire antenna that has a 16:1, 9:1 and 4:1 Unun and an Ugly Balun. I switch between my auto and manual antenna tuner for testing purposes. I still have my 4:1 Balun with the Off-Center Fed and Center Fed legs. It takes up too much real estate for me! After moving a few times, I am at a point where I have an 9:1 End Fed Wire antenna with more than 200 ft. I cheated! I coiled 140ft on a 1 1/2ft length of PVC tube. I also upgraded my IC-718 for an IC-7300. I will have the IC-718, which will be apart of my Go-Kit Build!

My main focus right now is working on a table and rack mounting system for my radios. I am running a Kenwood TM-V71A Dual Band and an Anyone AT-5888UV, both for 70CM (440MHz) UHF and 2M (144MHz) VHF. I purchased a TYT TH-9000D 1.25M (220MHz) VHF radio, just need to find a stinger or buy a new antenna. The only band I can say I am missing is 6M (54MHz) VHF, but it is on my IC-7300. Not to point out all my toys, but I feel good with the 8 HTs and 11 mobile/base unit radios and made 14 working antennas.

After moving to my current apartment, I have since enjoyed my new upgrades. I will be looking into the Icom IC-9700 , as a SSB VHF/UHF rig, with the IC-7100 as a light weight thought for a lighter Go-Kit.

I recently ventured into General Mobile Radio System (GMRS). You know it as the small radios sold at Walmart, Radio Shack, Shop-rite, Staples and other stores. It is the dual radio pack that looks like a kid’s toy. Well, there is a license for most of the frequencies on it.

Well, that is what I do for a hobby. GMRS and Amateur Radio. I enjoy it. And I hope you do too!

Thank you for getting to know more about me.

Until next time, I bid you a wonderful 73′

Andre

N2JDH

---

Here is a list of countries I have made contacts with.

Argentina

Azores

Belgium

Belize

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada 2x

Canary Islands

Colombia

Cuba 2x

Czech Republic

European Russia 3x

France 3x

Germany 3x

Hungary 4x

Italy 2x

Japan

Latvia

Lithuania

Madeira Islands

Poland

Puerto Rico

Slovenia

Venezuela 4x

Wales

---

Welcome Experience and Training