Adam, welcome to the forums and feel free to ask if you have questions.
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Hello world. I’m a little delayed in getting into the discussion but decided to get caught up. My name is Zach, KD9TQP, and I live in Appleton, Wisconsin. So last year I visited my dad in Wyoming and got to see his Icom IC-718 setup with a straight key. He mainly does morse code contacts and loves collecting QSO cards. I showed interest and at my mother’s dismay he jumped on and started tapping away in the middle of dinner. It took a bit but he finally made a contact. I got so excited about doing that too I went out and got my own Radio setup with the same exact equipment as my dad’s. I have my technician license now and still working on my general and also studying morse code. However, I’m mainly using my Icom ID-5100 in my car and making contacts on the local repeater on VHF/UHF. I setup my HF radio and have listened but have not been brave enough to transmit in fear of doing sometime I’m not licensed for yet.
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@Zach198 we already know you around here haha 
Thanks for the intro. I am also looking at the IC-5100 for my truck, I believe that is what @JimWRL has too!
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Hello all, I’m Jim, I’ve been licensed for just about a month and half. I sat and received my technician and general on the same session. I live in the Central Alabama area. I’ve been active on the 2m band with my HT. I’ve just gotten my HF rig installed and in the process of using it and trying out 20m and 40m. I’ve become involved in my local radio club and local ARES group. Looking forward to being out onto airwaves in HF . I’m learning FT8 and studying to upgrade to Extra Class.
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I’m Kyle KK7FJO and I live in southern Oregon, about 30 miles from the California border along I5. I received my license about a month ago. I started my radio journey in 2015 after being inducted into the US army signal corps as a 25Q multichannel transmission systems operator/maintainer. I have trained on line of site radios but mostly worked on big satellite terminals called STTs.
As I am just getting started on the hobby, I only have a baofeng UV-5r and a mobile btech 25x4. I am only capable of working vhf/uhf at the moment but hope to get a HF basestation soon. I have also been getting into software defined radio listening. I am slightly overwhelmed with the amount of Information I have been trying to learn but I think that I am getting a better grasp of the basics. I am excited to learn more about the hobby and radios I general.
73,
KK7FJO
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Welcome to the club @bakerkyle13 and thanks for the intro! Very cool background, US army signal corps 
We’ve got quite the few ex military folks here. @K1CSM comes to mind!
I’m sure there will be a lot of opinions here on best base station options, lots of folks seem to be going for ICOM for the transceiver. I’m currently looking at the ICOM 5100 for my mobile rig!
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Welcome Kyle! As @N0WRL mentioned I also started in the Army Signal Corps. Been hooked on ham ever since. My first HF rig was a Yaesu FT-450D but last year I upgraded to an ICOM 7300 for HF and an ICOM 9700 that I use mainly for satellite work. I would be happy to help you however possible. Stay tuned!
Steve - K1CSM (CSM, USA RET)
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Hello. I am Damon Cottrell. I am still studying to get my technician and general licenses. I like Yaesu radios. Specifically, the ft-70dr ht and the ft-991a.
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Welcome Damon! I started off with a Yaesu radio, the FT897D. It had a lot of appealing features. The 991 looks like it’s successor. I haven’t played with that or the handheld but they look like good solid choices.
It’s a good time to get General, I hear from a lot of my friends on a daily basis that they are getting more rare DX as the solar cycle improves. That will be a big benefit the next few years.
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I am new to the Ham Radio community and look forward to obtaining my licenses. I am also a member of American Contentgency and being a ham operator is imperative in order to keep communication lines open
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Hello everybody. I’m Scott and at 58 years old I can honestly say I have been interested in Amateur radio since I was a kid, but never around anyone who actually was involved. Recently the spark was reignited when I found out a very close friend and my younger brother both had a license radio set-ups. Got on HamRadioPrep went through the Technician and General course and last weekend passed both the Tech and General tests with 100% on them. Waiting for the FCC to send the pay link and issue my license.
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My name is Malcolm Davis K4XMD in Lexington SC. I got started in amateur radio in 2021. Passed Tech in May, General in June and Extra in August all at 63 years old. I used Ham Radio Prep classes for levels. I am an accredited ARRL VE and WCARS VE. I have a Yaesu FTdx10 and FT-891 for HF operations, Yaesu FTM-7250 for digital operations. Have a Yaesu FTM-3100 for back up and a Yaesu FTM-2980 in my truck. Have four HT’s Yaesu FT-70, FT-4V, FT-4X, and FT-65. Really enjoy the amateur radio hobby.
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Welcome, @AD8JB! We’re so glad you studied with us and hope that license application gets moved along soon so you can get on the air!
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Welcome, @scsmokey! You’ve got some nice rigs and it’s great to see you giving back as a VE. Thanks for being with us here!
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@doitghj Be sure to check the GUIDES & INFO tab at the top of the page to see all the great articles and videos we have available to help you along on your amateur radio journey. We’re trying to make it easy for anyone to get their license and ON THE AIR! Reach out to our ARC staff on here at any time if you have questions. Welcome!
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Hi, My name is Bonnie. I am 60 yrs old and just getting started with radio. When I was a kid I used my dad’s CB radio all the time but I am quickly learning that this is nothing like that! I have my Technician license and am studying for the General and Amateur Extra. I am really new to all this. I live in Oregon and got interested in radio because I had to evacuate due to fires. The phones weren’t working and I could not contact anyone. So, I decided I needed to find another method to add to my emergency actions.
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Ham radio is the perfect Swiss army knife when it comes to communications that will get through. You’re on a perfect path. Welcome to amateur radio and enjoy the club here. Holler out if you ever need help with anything, as we have our own Elmers here and plenty of other folks, too!
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Welcome to the club!! CB radio is a great gateway into amateur radio, but there is so much more you can do with amateur radio. We hope you really enjoy the American Radio Club. Happy studies for General!
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Hi ARC!
I’m a military veteran & retired waste manager (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, “say no more.”), who became an American Red Cross (another ARC) volunteer and CERT coordinator in the County of Riverside, CA. Aside from my volunteer work, I’m a consultant for “Fishmore & Dolittle.” At F&D, I garden, play with my radio gear, go glamping in our Class “A” motorhome, cruise the backcountry trails in my Jeep, and I also do some fishing…
Thanks for allowing me to join the club!
TTFN
Ray C. G-J de N6KZM
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Welcome Ray! I also noticed that American Red Cross also has the same initials lol!
Welcome to the club, hope you really enjoy it
And we need some stories behind those photos!
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