I passed the Technician (31/35), but failed the General (19/35). Not surprising as I didn’t study for the General exam. Should have used our new site www.hamtests.net (although site wasn’t finished at the time).

Anyway, yesterday I was granted my vanity requested callsign.

I am now (when I visit the USA) WØTZO.

I must thank Adam, WY4N who suggested the callsign and also warned me when I mucked up the application for the vanity call.

I was for about 3 weeks KJ4ISR, but was not for me.

Hoping to use the WØTZO moniker in May as I am planning to go to Dayton.

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So I already have some plans for the coming year.

Firstly in the next few days I should have my new USA Technician Callsign. I will then apply for a Vanity call as I know which one I want.

I am saving some money in the form of Thomas Cook vouchers so I can hopefully get to Dayton in May. Adam WY4N has offered to pay for the hotel room (and his guests help with a small monetary donation, which is cool to me). Also need to save some spending money.

In the next few days I should be getting my newly purchased Yaesu FT-817. OK, it’s only 5w, but if at the time years ago I couldn’t have afforded the FT-897 I would have got the FT-817. I guess I have always wanted one.

Now, D-Star??? I was thinking about getting a D-Star radio, but as it’s still in it’s infancy I will leave this technology for now. Maybe later in the year I might look at this again, but for now D-Star is not for me.

Finally before I go some websites I am working on or am hosting, please check em out:-

• www.10metre.net Site for Home Counties 10 metre UK Net
• www.hamradioforum.net It’s a Ham Radio Forum
• www.hamtests.co.uk Our Award Winning UK Ham Radio mock test site
• www.hamtests.net Our new USA Ham Radio practice test site (launching soon)
• www.dxanywhere.com be informed of that elusive DX you need anywhere you are
• www.lidmag.com So bad, it’s good

And many more!

Have a Happy new Year, and keep reading.

a