Amateur Radio Callsign AB1OP - A timeline

Winter 2010-2011 - Studied for Amateur Radio License Test(s) using FREE online study guides and practise tests

January 2011 - Brought a 1993 "ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs" from eBay ($9.46) 

March 27, 2011 - Took the VEC exam during the Androscoggin Amateur Radio Club

"AndyFest" 2011 passed the Tech, General and Amateur Extra.

April 4, 2011 - Official FCC ULS Grant Date of callsign AB1OP to Ralph L. Mills, Town of Greenwood, Oxford county, Maine  USA.

August 2012 - Brought a practise Telegraph Key off eBay ($5) assuming I would have to home brew a basic QRP CW transmitter and Receiver if I was going to afford to get "On the Air" Started to use Android Apps on my tablet to learn Morse code.

November 2014 - Ordered a BaoFeng BF-UV-5RE HT Radio because "A BaoFeng in the hand is better than an Icom in a warehouse". Could only successfully connect to local repeater while outside standing on the metal shed roof!

February 11, 2015 Brought a Callsign Name tag from Lake Region Awards.

March 2015 - Brought an ICOM IC-2300H VHF 2 Meter Xcvr to use as a base station because "standing outside on a metal shed roof in the middle of Winter just in hopes to talk with someone was NOT something I could make into a "Standard Operating Procedure"."

Antenna:  The Tram 1185 Magnet Mount 2 Meter placed on the metal roof was replaced by the N9TAX "Slim-Jim" roll up. 

Power: Using my salvaged PC-XT power supply 12V rails proved to be inadequate for any output power greater than 5 watts on the Icom. (Supply protection tripped requiring the PS need for a reset.)  Brought a Chinese bare 30A(?) Switching PS 12V adjusted to 13.8V. This supply was able to run the Icom on its' 5,10 and 25 Watt output levels. The 65 Watt output power setting caused the Voltage from the cheap PS to sag, so it is not used as the 10W power level works for the local repeater..

(To be Continued)