By David Harden, KJ4CMY<\/p>\n
\u00a0 I would like to thank the editor of the GARzette and web site for giving
\n me this opportunity to start this column. I will try to provide some information for all the new hams in the club.
\n Getting your Amateur Radio license is an accomplishment,\u00a0but it is only the beginning of a fun and rewarding hobby.\u00a0I had been exposed to Ham Radio since my Cub Scout
\n days. A Ham Radio operator came to out pack meeting\u00a0and had several HF QSOs (Contacts) with several other\u00a0hams. Being a radio geek, it never struck me that I could\u00a0be a Ham Radio operator, as well. Fast forward to the present. I had been a medium wave radio DXer without even
\n knowing it. This was back when the good music was all on AM radio. I would listen to stations all over
\n the eastern half of the country. After returning from a two-year stint in England, I wanted to keep abreast of what was happening over there. I knew that the BBC broadcast on short wave, so I pulled out the\u00a0cheapie multi-band portable radio and found them. I found other stations, as well. I became both a short wave listener and a DX-er. I was hooked!
\n Well, all good things are supposed to come to an end, and short wave broadcasting is one of them. What is a confirmed radio junkie to do?
\n I remembered my exposure over the years to Ham Radio. I was also
\n interested in learning emergency communications. Amateur Radio entered my life. I was licensed in 2008, and have enjoyed it ever since.\u00a0When I got into Amateur Radio, I pretty much had to \u201clearn the ropes\u201d by myself. I have heard that half of\u00a0all Amateur Radio licensees never even get on the air. What a pity! I knew that I was going to be active in my new found hobby.
\n I had a background in radio and electronics, and that sustained me.
\n After being active in the hobby for a few months, I wanted to give back to the hobby. Remembering my early days in Amateur Radio, I was determined to help other new Hams.
\n Got my license, now what?
\n Now, this brings me to my first point. Every new Ham should have an Elmer. What is an Elmer?
\n According to Wikepedia, the term first appeared in the March 1971 issue of QST Magazine, the official\u00a0publication of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Rod Newkirk, W9BRD, coined the term:
\n ‘Oh, I almost got a ticket, too, but Elmer, W9XYZ, moved away and I kind of lost interest.'” Newkirk went on to say, “We need those Elmers. All the Elmers, including the ham who took the most time and trouble to\u00a0give you a push toward your license, are the birds who keep this great game young and fresh.” \u00a0I believe the first order of business for all new hams is to get themselves an \u201cElmer\u201d. How do I get one? GARS is a club that is new ham friendly. Just ask any club official. He or she will point you in the direction of the person in charge of the Elmer program.
\n More to come.<\/p>\n
73 de David Harden, KJ4CMY\u00a01-14-2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Beginner\u2019s Corner Jan-2014 By David Harden, KJ4CMY \u00a0 I would like to thank the editor of the GARzette and web site for giving me this opportunity to start this column. I will try to provide some information for all the new hams in the club. Getting your Amateur Radio license is an accomplishment,\u00a0but it is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[17,18],"class_list":["post-146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beginners-corner","tag-beginners-corner","tag-newbie"],"yoast_head":"\n