Just wondering who-all here is an amateur radio operator? I first learned about it when my grandfather gave me my first scanner when I was 12 or so, and I've wanted to get my license for a few years, but I never looked into how to go about doing that. Just earlier today I took a practice exam that Industry Canada offers on their web site, and I got 80% - not only a pass, but a pass with honors, which would give me extra privileges. I also learned that one of my professors at school is an accredited examiner, so I think I'll speak to him very soon and look into finally getting my license. There's a local net on the 2m band I've been listening to for years - it would be great to actually be able to participate.

Never really gotten into HAM, shortwave, etc. but I am an avid AM/FM DX'er.  What do you pick up at night there Trent?

What do you pick up at night there Trent?

I assume you mean on the commercial AM and FM bands? I don't even listen to them. A few years ago when I had my Realistic MTA-8 radio out of the closet I was able to pick up stations from Boston and New York (some 500 mi away from me), though.

I. dX am and Fm radio as well and have a scanner too
  I still pick up Analog TV from Mexico.  That will be swiched off in 2017.

Took the online practice exam again and got 81%. This is quite exciting. The last time I had any interest in getting my amateur license was about 3 years ago, and I consistently failed an online practice exam (from a third party - Industry Canada didn't have theirs online at the time). Three years of Electrical Engineering has improved that - the questions are about 1/2 basic electrical theory and 1/4 common sense, and then 1/4 of actual technical radio theory. And the practice exam is actual questions from the real exam, randomly selected from IC's bank of ~1000 questions.

Just for fun I also took the practice exam for the Advanced Certification, and I failed by one question - not bad for not even having the Basic Certification yet.   

I'm a licensed ham here in the UK I'm on HF and VHF if anyone fancy a contact please let me know. I also enjoy AM band DXing

I spoke to my prof today. Unfortunately exams are only held on a pre-scheduled, occasional basis, and the next one is in January. I had the most awesome time though - he brought me up to the school's amateur radio station, and we were up there for over an hour while he showed me everything. He demonstrated linking and unlinking some of the province's various repeaters using a VHF handheld, and then we actually made two long-distance contacts on HF SSB. One in Ontario and another in Costa Rica. It was totally awesome. But boy am I disappointed that I have to wait until January to get my license. 

I have General class ham license here in the US. Mostly active on VHF/UHF. Good luck on getting your license.

Some of you may know the ARRL November Sweepstakes currently took place. I didn't participate, but I did pay a visit to the station last night near the end of the contest. My prof was at the controls, trying to make contact with someone in Montreal. He had been trying to reach him for half an hour but couldn't get through to him. He offered me the mic. I gave out our call sign and reached him on the first try! My prof took back the mic to say all the contest-related stuff, but unfortunately the guy only heard parts of it after many repeats. In retrospect I should have kept the mic and done it!

This morning I took the exam and passed with 76%.  Nothing is finalized yet but my callsign should be VE9EN. Now I'll be hunting on eBay for a handheld transceiver!

Congrats from K0CTR

Trent, does that mean vegan?

Trent, does that mean vegan?

Haha.  VE9 is the amateur callsign prefix for the province of New Brunswick, and I chose the letters EN because their phonetics (Echo November) roll off the tongue nicely, and at the same time the letters themselves take a short amount of time to say. For weeks I was set on VE9TA, but about 15 minutes before my exam I decided I liked EN better. 

My friend who also took and passed the exam today chose VE9FQU - apparently his grandfather originally had that suffix, and he reportedly chose it because of the resemblance to the phrase "f*** you".  So he's happy to continue the family tradition.

Ah lol @ the f you thing.
If you were a vegan, the great Henry Rutherford Hill world say "being a vegen is a huge missed steak".

Everything was finalized today. I am now VE9EN and legal to go on the air. I spent some time at the station at school and threw out my callsign on the repeater a few times, but nobody was around.