The first of the series, I talked to John 2E0IYB about his involvement in the hobby, with a focus on the foundation licence and how he obtained this. I asked John a series of questions, to which he replied:

Q: Why are you interested in radio in general, and what encouraged you to get licenced?

A: I have loved radio forever. I used to monitor the Airband as a young child and when we moved to East Africa I was fascinated by the World Service on shortwave and strung up a longwire (with a counterpoise) in the garden for better reception on a Grundig Satellite, which I fed with old tv coax!

While at school I joined the CCF and was a signaller using old VHF (45 -60 MHZ VHF) and Larkspur C12 and C13 Radios. I made several tuned dipoles for 75 and  60 metres (5.330 MHz and (6.915 MHz) and 1:1 coils to prevent knocking out local TV! I also had an 11m vertical 1/2wave dipole and a 5/8 wavelength Vertical stuck on the top of a guyed “Majestic” 36 ft mast. That worked really well on my old 4 watt Rotel CB.

I then got a sidebander (a Cobra 148 )and a linear amp (Bremi valve mains powered 100-200W )  and worked all over the world! Then life took over (work etc.) and I was in my 50s when I finally got a foundation licence! I then upgraded my license to an intermediate.

Q: Which resources (if any) did you use to study for your licence?

A:RSGB books, my O and A level Physics text books.
Essex Ham online course for my Foundation and 
Gettin tae Grips with gm6dx for my intermediate callsign.

Q: Did you use the online (remote) examination or did you sit it in a club?

A:Online

Q: How did you find the experience?

A:Seamless and very simple!

Q: How long ago did you sit your exam?

A: 4 years ago (2021)

Q: What is your current setup?

A:I have a 450D and an MFJ Tuner.
I use a 4 band wire multiband homebrew yagi  40 20 18 15 ( single dipole on 40m) and 12-10M Vertical 2xhomebrew  “gainmasters”

I am planning a 4 square for 40m in the summer.

Q: Which operating mode is your favourite and why?

A:I’m old school! Morse and VOX  mostly, SSB, occasional FM and limited AM.

Q: What is your favourite band and why?

A:20m as its a world wide option, 15m as it’s quiet, 12 and 10 as they are brilliant when the “skip is rolling”.

Q: Tell me about your best (or most memorable) QSO. What made you remember it?

A:UK-New York on 10W SSB using a Starduster 1/4 wave vertical and 3  ground plane elements a Cobra radio…. I was 13, it was amazing…no one believed me till the second time!!
UK- ZK using a beam and 10W on 20M a week after passing my foundation, I screamed!!

Q: Have you used any of the “emerging” technologies in amateur radio? (echolink, DMR, allstar, etc.). If so, what’s your experience and opinion of them?

A:Digital voice and dTV are fun!

Q: Is there anything you think the RSGB or OFCOM could do to improve the examination and/or licencing process?

A: Awareness from RSGB
Speed from OFCOM ( I want my M8 callsign!).

Thank you to John for sharing his story. If you would like to participate in this series and share your story, you can click the link HERE to submit a webform and I’ll be in touch.