Subj : Re: US 2 metre licence query To : alt.ham-radio.vhf-uhf From : Doc Savage. Date : Tue Oct 11 2005 15:08:03 From Newsgroup: alt.ham-radio.vhf-uhf "an old friend" wrote in news:1128999568.357887.97640@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > >> When I mentioned having a Full (formerly Class A) UK Amateur licence, >> he said he also had a free, no code Ham licence but it restricted him >> to use of 2 metres *only*, which had a certain aroma about it, though I >> wasn't sure if the aroma was sour or sickly sweet. To test his >> reaction, I threw some simple CW 'shorthand' and a local K zero IRLP >> repeater node into the qso which he obviously didn't understand. > > no one using 2 m is required to understand CW I certainly don't unless > it was sos i would like reconize it But you know enough CW to recognise which repeater was outputting its' callsign, and you would know which local repeater was on 2m and which was on 70cm, surely? The CW shorthand I threw in was just a couple of "Q" codes and abbreviations in every day use on phone, key and CB, but there was no reaction or understanding in his reply, which is why I wrote the following; >> >> I believe the Iowa poster was lying in the name of 'one up on the >> Joneses', and given his track record, I'm being kind as well as polite. >> Many thanks for clarifying the callsign situation. Vanity callsigns and having several call prefixes per State does add to the confusion. In closing, I have to say how much I enjoyed meeting several radio amateurs when I was in the US recently. Just the mere mention that my antenna was held aloft by a kite made several guys come driving out to see this eccentric QRP loving Englishman with the proverbial wet string in one hand, and the mike in the other. Wonderful people, and great fun. Shame about the coffee 73 Daniel .