How I Started In Ham Radio, What Got You Interested?

Listening to an AM transistor radio that I got for Christmas at age 7, in 1971, is how I first got my interest in the radio hobby. Leave a comment below if you wish on how you first became interested!

[@thomaspressy3410]

hi larry thanks for another great video you and i seem to be alot alike i grew up with c.b. radio on my parents farm ive been hooked ever sence im a novice and have been a novice for 40 years i have a collection of old hf recievers and still have some of them in use today i love my hobby i have several realistic radios and a few that are made from g.e. and some old johnson radios im glad u do what u do you very informative in your video,s also im wishing u the best be safe ...and as always im praying for u and your family ...73 from thomas in north central missouri

[@keesvanoosbree5911]

16-year-old amateur radio operator here. I am currently a General class in MN and am very active....Actually, I was doing some antenna building when I saw this video! I got started with a museum in MN that had a ham radio set about 2 years ago...Never thought I would make contacts in other countries! 73 de W0AAE

[@keesvanoosbree5911]

I used to go to this place called the Pavek Museum located in St. Louis, MN. It is a broadcasting museum with a ton of vintage radio equipment, and even some very valuable collectibles that are extremely rare! They had a ham shack one time in the museum, and I remember going in and looking at the wall map of all the contacts that the station had made. I also remember seeing an Antarctic contact. I was definitely hooked then! Got my Tech then General, and working on my extra now. 73 de W0AAE

[@martinwinfield2935]

Ham is a type of meat, we are Amateur Radio Operators. Mostly given up these days, its ether attempting to communicate with a machine or some lost soul who is only interested in collecting postcards. 73 G7MKS.

[@Michael_A_MN]

Sometime in the mid '70's I was sick at home from school for a few days. I was looking around for something to do and started playing around with my dad's am/fm/sw radio. I didn't know what the SW1 and SW2 switch was but I figured out that if I clipped on a long wire to the antenna I got a lot of languages that I didn't recognize. I thought I discovered something that no one else knew about.(I was about 6 or 7 years old.) I got a transistor AM set for Christmas one year. I loved listening to baseball games at night and later years Larry King.

[@stevendrake6831]

Loved your story and how you got into ham radio. Always loved the videos of your shack. It's one of the nicest I've seen. My start in ham radio was unfortunately spawned by getting separated from my wife and youngest daughter while hiking in the wilderness area of Wyoming, and NO amount of cell phone calling let us know where the other one was. Looked for them until 1:15 in the morning, but was forced to give up as the flashlight batteries were spent. My oldest daughter and I were baffled as to how two people could literally vanish so quickly. As you can imagine, it made for a VERY LONG night. Was so glad to find them the next morning, but committed myself to following the advice of a close ham friend, and get licensed. Obviously cell phones were no good in this setting. Hard lesson to learn!

[@tookthe5th182]

When you ask Larry how many radios does he need, he replies "Just one more"! :)

[@georgefarris4915]

Hey, Larry. Great story on how you got into radio! It's always interesting to hear how people got into the hobby. I took an interest in my 20s but I never pursued it. Later on, in my 30s I was watching a movie and one of the characters had a room with a ton of radios, computers, etc, which reminded me of my prior interest. After that, I hopped onto KZbin and found a ton of videos - including your "The Fun of Ham Radio DXing" video! That single video made me decide that I had to get my license. Just randomly talking to guys in Europe and elsewhere seemed amazing to me and still is. I studied up and got my tech and general a few months later in April 2019. I'm enjoying the hobby a great deal and have upgraded to extra. So thanks, Larry, because you helped in part to get me into the hobby! 73 de W5WGF

[@nativetexan9776]

In early 1990s, an old Realistic scanner that accidentally scanned outside the business/police/fire range into the 2 meter band while a roundtable qso was in progress on a Dallas, Tx. repeater, caught my ear. I went to Radio Shack and asked how and where do I do this Ham Radio thing. The associate pointed me in the right direction. By 1995, I was on my way to the VEs.

[@1fanger888]

I used to listen to AM radio long distance as a young boy at bedtime. My favorite DX station was WWVA. Back then, they broadcasted the Grand ol` Opry. Imagine, a 12 year old kid from NJ listening to a country station all the way from W. Virginia up in the attic! Certain local regional stations could be heard in the daytime where I lived. After high school in the early 80`s, our circle of friends all got CB`s and used to go on convoys at sundown. I had a Craig 23 channel and Radio Shack rabbit ears mounted on the West Coast mirrors of my 1954 Ford pickup truck, which had a 6 volt, positive ground electrical system so I had an old 12 volt car battery in the cab to run the rig. In the late 80`s, I got into shortwave listening. and after more than 20 years, I heard Ted Randall on his WTWW radio program, talking about getting a license online. I got my Tech then my General in 2013-4. I run a humble outfit in the shack, with 100 watts and a wire up in a cherry tree, and a 2 meter mobile in the truck and don`t have any inclination to do otherwise.

[@SDSpike]

Also what makes it fun is contacting you ,Larry, on 2M simplex, 180miles away and talking all night on tropo. We did tv band scans and broke each other's squelch with our handhelds. That was a heck of a opening. I think I contacted OK that night. All on a vertical antenna and 50 watts max. That night we could talk on 5 watts on our base stations.

[@Davidjb37721]

I have the same fever as you do I can’t stop buying radios. Ke4hpq

[@26tm9999]

Very interesting story and I have to say its very similar to mine. I had a small transistor radio my parents bought for me as a child and I used to listen to Radio Luxembourg on AM throughout the night under my sheets, I was always knackered for school but thats how it all started. I actually saw a identical radio to that one I owned on ebay and purchased it and although its not working it will when I get time to play around with it one day. A few years later a friend asked me to come round and take a look at his new found hobby, it was CB radio and his parents bought him a Cobra 19X totally illegal at the time in the UK 70'S, we were 10 years old and I was hooked. I eventually got my first cb a Kraco followed by a colt 510 and I loved the low band (graveyard) nets throughout the night in the late 70s again keeping me from doing my homework lol. CB radio became legal in 1981 and I got my first legal set a Mustang CB 3000 but for me this is when CB went wrong, to many kids not knowing how to use them it completely destroyed the illegal AM cb culture. Eventually I got my first SSB set a secondhand Ham International Concorde 2 I was well happy, then sold it on and bought a superstar 3900 but always wanted to own my favourite set that I could never afford and Cobra 148 GTL DX. Thankfully I now own four of them in very good condition. I went in for the amateur licence about 15 years ago maybe and I loved playing around the HF bands and VHF too but it just never was the same for me like the good old CB days, to much snobbery in amateur radio although I still love to watch and keep upto date I never transmit on any of the bands. I'm in the middle of building my own shack/pub in the garden so who knows I might get back into it some day. Keep up the vids mate really enjoy your stuff especially the radio pirates at Halloween. Daryn, NE England

[@northdakotaham1752]

I also enjoy Larry's coverage on those pirate stations! Reminds me of being a kid trying to pull in the most distant stations, listening for an hour to get identity...then watching the band shift and the station disappear without any getting the id. Frustrating!! Lol!

[@jerrydaugherty3781]

Back in 1957, I was watching black and white TV, a movie had a short wave listener was tuning across a transmission a SOS from a ship at sea. He reported it to the authorities and a rescue occured. I found a shortwave receiver from my aunt, and while tuning around I turned across ham on a reservation talking to a NY city Cop, I was hooked! A few months later at the age of 13 I became KN9PFV, other calls I've had W4RXU, W9FTI, DL5GI, and now. W9FS

[@radiow0wtf100]

Enjoyed the story, Larry. Yours mirrors mine with the exception of the local ham when you were young. My dad was big into the CB craze of the 70's, with a Moonraker antenna on the roof and everything. I enjoyed watching him DX for hours every night. I didn't get my ticket until the ripe young age of 46 though. Enjoy the hobby immensely nonetheless, and I'm beginning contstruction on my new shack tomorrow! Talked the wife into dividing our big basement in half, with a family room on one side and my shack on the other. FUN! Keep up the great videos and look forward to the next one! 73 de W0WTF

[@dankucera6568]

I got started in the hobby about 6 years ago after inheriting radio equipment from my father-in-law. I was hooked the first time I hooked up a wire antenna and turned on the radio and was able to hear California. Great video Larry!Nice shack! WO0Z 73

[@SDSpike]

I started by listening to AM stations on a 50's tube radio when I lived in New England as a kid. Listened to the Twins win the World Series. Favorite station was 1010 WINS with their teletype banging away in the background. It still does btw. Moved to the Midwest and John, N0MEA, seen something in me and started bring me to ham class. Went from Novice to General in 4 months in 92. Never had the radio bug though till I pickup my handheld in Upstate SC, ten years later, and heard people talking. I joined in. They were friendly and would talk about anything as long as you wanted. It was the people not the technology that sparked my interest long enough for me to like and learn the technology itself.

[@ortizramon]

I still got my first CB radio when I started in 88 it was a cobra 19 gtl classic. I remember my uncle used to broadcast on amateur t.v. and I believe he still have all the equipment in his shack. Thanks for the video.

[@algross3338]

Loved the video. Similar stories. Started as DXer, then shortwave, listened to police, fire, utility. When I discovered that I could key a mic and talk worldwide I was hooked. I’ve been licensed forever. I can lecture by the hour the physics of radio waves. When I key the mic in Missouri and talk in Europe, Latin America or even across the country it feels like a minor miracle.

[@skycarl]

Well Larry, I always enjoyed electronics, but after I was introduced to aircraft radios in my teens, did I start to really look into them. I had CB radios off and on and looked at ham as a distant thing. Wasn't till later in life, after watching John from Arkansas get his ticket, that I figured I'd give it a try.,,,, 73 pal.

[@kd1s]

Mine was CB when I was a young teenager. Knew about the Siltronix mods to get on 10m. This was in the late 70's. Fast forward to 1992 when I noticed the Gordon West study guides at Radio Shack. Got the no-code tech book, and then the general study guide and the 5WPM code practice tapes. It's how I got my first call N1MPQ, then upgraded later to advanced to KD1NR, and finally KD1S. and the cell phones - they do fail on occasion. The Boston Marathon Bombing proved that. If you know anything about telecom infrastructure you know the old POTS stuff was a 4:1 ratio. And cell just rides on top of that.

[@majack82]

I have been interested in radio for as long as I can remember. My obsession started when my dad introduced me to shortwave when I was about 6 or 7. WWV was the first thing he showed me, lol. I went on to find all kinds of neat things out there later on and that had me hooked. I got licensed as a ham last December and am still very new to everything, but I've enjoyed my time with it so far. I am eager to upgrade and get on HF soon to see who all I can "meet" on the airwaves. You mentioned KAAY - "The Mighty 1090". I live in Central Arkansas about 40ish miles away from where the transmitter was. My mom has told me stories about how she listened to KAAY on her little green transistor radio, and especially late at night when Clyde Clifford would host Beaker Street which was also heard all over the country. Clyde is still hosting Beaker Street all these years later. It comes on every Friday night on a local FM station. 73 W5UST

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Larry, I have the same Bearcat scanner. Started out with CB in a similar fashion as you. I was clearing out my storage unit and found my old CB license KBDV3018. I started attending an amateur radio class at the local high school and passed the Novice exam in 1976. Had to drive two hours to the closest FCC office. My first ham rig was a Heathkit HW16 with the HG10B VFO. In 1979 bought the Yaesu FT901DM transceiver. Was on the air for a few more years, then life intervened. Saw an episode of Ham Nation in 2014 and sparked the ham bug again. I had kept my license up to date as a Tech Plus and discovered I was grandfathered as a General. I am now a Extra and having fun. You and your family stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@RamLaska]

I'm impressed that he has all of his old equipment, even the walkie-talkies! I can scarcely think of anything I still have from my twenties. Maybe a book or two.

[@buzzsah]

What got me started. I owned a 6k sf CB shop, CB was big then and the exports started coming into the hobby in a big way. So, listening to 10m on an export, and a bet with a friend that I couldn't go from no ticket to an extra in one shot. Hmm!! Well, I heard the ARRL which is in my State was holding a test day at a college in my shop's town. This was all happening within 3 weeks of the bet, I never saw the study guide but have been repairing radios plus for years, nor did I know the code. I figured the worst is I walk out with nothing other than a good day. First was the extra written, which at first one of the examiners wanted me to take all, but after ARRL talked with him it was a go. I passed the written/theory, now the code after lunch, never knowing it I ordered 2 test keys and for the past 3 weeks, my wife and I did nothing but code when we communicated using a code chart and key. Code test next, 11 of us were in the room, the examiner said once the tape starts no one is to talk, get up, move their chair, nothing but listen and copy. About 2 minutes in a guy decided to ask the examiner to restart the tape, shit, that brief interruption throw off everyone. 3 out of 11 passed, 4 of us missed by 3 & 4, the rest failed. So I walked out with an Advance as the other 3 did. That was in 1982.

[@kengrey7263]

I am in the UK. I started as a SWL with the family radio that had SW when I was 9 (1956) and built a couple of receivers to hear more. I was on a farm so antennas were no problem (my 1,000ft LW was my favourite). A local ham gave me his old ex WWII AR88D receiver and suggested I went for my licence. Passed my written exam and morse test mid sixties (no other route back then) and my first ever contact was on 160M CW with someone just outside NY. Imagine that, it was all Christmases coming at once, trans-atlantic on the most difficult of bnds. I went on to work more US stations that night, including CA. This was with 10W which was our limit on that band back then (to avoid interference with shipping). I was hooked and dedicated to the greatest hobby in the world. Over the years I have worked well over 300 countries (you think you are near working them all and they add more!). I have worked the famous and the rarest and today it is still as exciting as it was those many years ago. Thanks for bringing back some fond memories. Ken G3WNR - Over 50 years burning the airwaves.

[@Emotator]

I started out with cb-radio in the late 80,s early 90,s when i was a kid. And i had a relative to the family wich was a full licensed hamradio operator (Sm4ony) with alot of equipment and antennas on his house rooftop up in Dalarna in Sweden. Remember visiting them during the summers and he kindly let me sit in his shack in front of his Transceiver all night long listening to interesting conversations between hams all around the world. Then i Was hooked and it lasted until 1997 when i finally took my novice licence. Upgraded to cept 1 in 2001 to get on the HF bands. He really showed me what ham-spirit is all about. 73 Larry de Sm5wqg

[@jamespeshak5058]

Hi Larry. What got me into Amateur Radio is the public service/SKYWARN side of things. I’ve been an active Storm Spotter since 2009. Back on May 25, 2008 got me interested in becoming a Storm Spotter right after the Tornado hit the town of Parkersburg, Iowa After being involved with Emergency Management for sometime my Emergency Management Coordinator approached me and asked me if I have ever considered getting my Amateur Radio license and I said “I’ve thought about it off and on for the past few years but I didn’t know how to get my license” and then got me in touch with several other Amateur Radio Operators. And he told me get the book and take the damn exam and get your license!! First I got my Technician license in I believe it was in 2016 and then in 2017 I got my General Class license. Then watching your videos Larry lit the fire in me to get my General License. 73’s James KE0NNO

[@JaxWatchesandEDC]

Now 41 but my story starts around 1988. I started out with CB when I was a kid and played with that into my teens. I didn’t get into amateur until about 8 years ago. I currently have a Kenwood TM-V71a in my truck along with a Galaxy 979f CB with SSB. I like options for the mobile.

[@wb0zur]

I had a cousin that was a ham, tat got me interested. Then at Farm Fest I saw the local club Mankato had a station there. So I got in with classes I got my call sign in March 1977

[@SevenFortyOne]

I followed a very similar path as you did, albeit about 15 years later. And like you, I still have most every radio I ever owned from transistor pocket radios to CB radios to Ham radios. The few radios I have sold over the years I regret selling and always keep an eye out for copies of them at hamfests. Great video! 73! N1NUG

[@northdakotaham1752]

Thanks for the video and cool history Larry! I started out much like you did only my first experience with radio was a crystal set which was a kit, Christmas present, that I assembled when I was 9 years old, 1967. My bedroom was on the 2nd floor of our old farm house and I use to stay up half the night logging how many stations I could hear. Never satisfied, I strung long wire antennas out my 2nd floor window, several hundred feet to nearby trees and used a rotary switch. My mother never went near my bed bc she thought she would be electrocuted by all the wires running every direction. Lol! I built a few crystal sets for friends who were always amazed at how they could run without battery power. Eventually it was multiband radio, walkie talkies and CB mobile then ham radio. Took me 20 years to get my license, same books you have there. 73 KB0BRY

[@animaloverload7465]

My first alarm clock that I got from my dad that he had as a kid I could hear the cordless phone conversations in the house clear as day.

[@frankwc0o]

Great story. I got into radio in my Junior High School. I built a radio and for many years I used it to talk to people. Sad that in middle school, children are not exposed to this anymore.

[@kevinokeefe7796]

Listening to my grandads scanner when I was a little kid. Then of course cb radio in the 70s

[@w4mkh]

Kids these days have no idea of what Monkey Wards was or even real Radio Shack. I have a half brother that came to live with us in 1969 and he is the one that got me interested in Ham radio, SWL, and electronics. But I didn't get my ticket until 2006. The Army and marriage/kids kept me busy for a long time before I got back into it.

[@LuisRodriguez-417]

I think it is awesome how you have every radio still that you got started out with. It was very cool to see how you kept upgrading. Great video I really enjoyed it.

[@bhager]

Hi Larry when I was a teenager I spent my paper route money on buying a Radio Shack PRO-43 scanner. I happened upon a ham radio net on Long Island and was intrigued. Many years later I got my ham license. The video of you and your friend on your back deck hitting Germany with a ham stick encouraged me to get my general license! KD2JVL

[@patrickwall8517]

I first got interested through my dad, between the time he finished highschool and was drafted he went to electrical school and became a certified radio repairman and growing up I was always in the basement helping him repair various electronic devices, (by then he'd graduated college and was a teacher so electronics had become a hobby). He helped me build a crystal radio and a year or so later he got me a transistor radio and I discovered AM DXing. My grandmother had a Montgomery Ward console Victrola which in addition to the turntable had an an AM/FM radio with two shortwave bands, One of the things i heard on the shortwave bands were people talking to each other and using strange calls signs, (SSB hadn't taken over yet so there were still plenty of hams on AM.) , I asked my dad if he new what this was all about and he said they were ham radio operators. I would find out shortly there after that there was a ham in our family. My mom's sister's husband was a retired but had been a telegrapher on the railroad. He was a ham, K9AWP SK and while I don't recall him ever being on HF he and his buddies from the railroad would often rag chew on 2 mtr cw, he got me hooked on ham radio, and a couple of years after that while working my way through college at our parish church a priest was assigned to us and he was ham. While helping him move into the rectory I let him know that I was familiar with ham radio and once he got his station set up he gave me a tour and I showed him some of the CW that I had learned from my uncle. He became another elmer and a year later dad and took a class through a local club I passed but dad didn't, dad didn't give up and passed the following year, he's now 91 and still active. I'm still active on the air and in the club that offered the class, the club still offers classes and I'm proud of the fact that I have paid it forward by teaching some of the classes. 73, Pat KB0CCN.

[@kodx1]

Very happy to have you make another video.

[@F9FCJ429]

Hi Larry, I enjoyed hearing your radio history, not in the least because our origin stories are almost identical, in my case it was a an Admiral six transistor pocket radio that I got for Christmas as a seven year old and spent many late night listening sessions pulling in WLS from my little town in southwest Missouri. Naturally in the morning I would wake up, check the volume switch and realize I had left the radio on all night long and I would be pedaling my bicycle down to the Western Auto for another $.19 Wizard battery for it! When I was 10 years old my mentor, Woody Hardison, K0HPX, decided to clean out his attic and I ended up with a pick up truck load full of World War II era radio gear. That led me to build a 6C4 triode based regenerative detector shortwave radio as my science fair entry for sixth grade. You could tell Woody was an old-time radio guy because he referred to the circuit as a three circuit tuner, and he scribbled out the schematic for me on a piece of yellow legal paper! Sadly most of it was lost when the basement of my parents house flooded due to a French drain failure and heavy rains one year. Knowing me, had that not happened I would probably still be lugging around dynamotors and ARC-5 transmitters! I heard you call out WHB and KAAY, two of my regulars! I was groundwave distance from Kansas City so it was WHB, Phil Jay, Johnny Dolan in the daytime and either the mighty 1090 KAAY or John Records Landecker on WLS after sunset. During the CB radio craze I mounted a six channel Radio Shack crystal controlled transceiver on my bicycle using a couple of gel cell batteries salvaged out of a neighbors kiddie car after their kid outgrew it. Fun times! unlike you I had a nasty habit of popping the back off of radios and experimenting so my gear had a way of ceasing to function. I was fascinated with the guts inside of them, I would start experimenting on them and inevitably things would hit the ditch. When eBay was new I was able to re-purchase all of the transistor radios I tore up as a kid! I got out of radio and got into the business of going deaf in the car, experimenting with my own audio amplifier designs and switch mode power supplies, which I also was designing for Rockwell telecom during my day job. Peak car audio hobby was a 2000 W 9 channel tri-amped system centered around a JBL 18 inch subwoofer, this was back in the days when you couldn’t go to any Best Buy and get that amount of power for $500! Alongside the radio and audio hobbies was photography. First analog then digital and now a mixture of both including developing color film in the kitchen sink to the bemusement of my resident cats. The photography has dominated my spare time when I’m not at my day job as an analog circuit design engineer for a little company you might have heard of based in Massachusetts and well known for popularizing operational amplifiers, now probably better known for their top of the line A to D converters used in all manner of software defined radios. Random clicking around on KZbin and the rise of SDR has found me interested in the radio hobby again, so it will live along side the refrigerators full of photographic film here at the house! Thanks again for sharing your origin story!

[@CharlesTersteeg]

as a kid, i had a short wave radio and heard morse code. that seemed like magic. hogan's heros also had a morse code guy. my uncle was a morse code radio operator in wwii. that's the short story, 73 aa0na/chuck.

[@gregday7188]

I really enjoyed your video. I also listened to the radio at night. Back in the early 70s there used to be detective mysteries they played at night. I loved listening to them. Then one time my Mom was talking on a cb radio in our friends farm truck. She let me talk on it also. Then for Christmas she got me a regency scanner. That was it. I was hooked. I'm currently studying for my Tech license. Wish me luck. I've been collecting different types of radios over the years also. Again thank you for a great video and I really enjoyed seeing your collection of your radios

[@ianharling9569]

Hi Larry.Great story on how you got into our amazing hobby.Its nice to see that you have still some of your old equipment including the CB walkie talkies.I got into the hobby much the same way. 73 from the UK . G7HFS.

[@SefaradiTal]

My dad is a HAM radio operator of getting the license. I hear one of the astronauts on the international space station is a HAM as well. I’ll always remember that should if phones should go out during a natural disaster, HAM folks are our best friends when it comes to comms...

[@1958johndeere620]

I started watching videos on youtube. A guy called RadioHamGuy. I asked questions, you answered. I'm now an extra, have 2 towers, and a full wave 160 loop. Thanks!

[@RadioHamGuy]

That is great to hear! I hope you are having a lot of fun with radio!!! 73...Larry

[@jmcnallyua]

I got into CB radio my self because of my grandpa who passed away before I was ever born he used to talk on a Cobra 2000 with a Moonraker antenna and then after hearing about my grandpa being in the CB stuff I got very interested in the CB radios and stuff like that and I'm still running a CB radio in my vehicle and I talk to the locals and stuff all the time I'm going to keep the CB radio rolling far as long as I can it's fun because the radio I'm running is very nice it's got Echo and all the bells and whistles in it

[@K3KTB]

My journey into ham radio mirrors yours.

[@Littlelewie151]

Great story man. Glad to see you still have ur childhood units!!!

[@rogerschanz8811]

Very interesting. I started my radio hobby at 14 years old, career in electronics all my life. Electronics is fascinating.

[@perojunak6949]

Always great to hear how guys got started and I have to say your story is damn near exactly as mine Larry. Good job as always!

[@crestfallenwarrior6996]

Larry , you’re the man. Your videos pushed me to get my tech. Now I’m sitting for my general in July -- I’m having a blast.

[@RadioHamGuy]

Thank you very much and glad you enjoy the videos! Congrats to you, very happy to hear that you became involved in this fun hobby. Best of luck on the general ticket also and have fun with radio!!! 73, Larry

[@enriquediaz7547]

Cool trip down memory lane!

[@joshbstevens]

Larry thank you so much for doing these videos! This was by far my favorite video hearing your personal start and stories, so inspiring! Iv commented a few times but i'v watched almost all your videos. Thanks for the way you preserve and relay this wonderful things we call "Ham radio" . Blessings Larry, Happy Thanksgiving & hope you can get on the air.

[@vhfgamer]

My story starts at a pretty young age too. I was somewhere around 6 or 7 years old when I was watching this tv series called Stargate SG1. A radio didn't play a MAJOR roll in the show, but they were using them all the time and it caught my interest. Shortly after that, I got my hands on a pair of cheapo FRS radios which didn't seem to go much further than a hundred feet, but I had so much fun pretending to be someone from that TV show. Then after that, I saw shows like Combat with Vic Morrow, and I thought it was cool how they could take that radio and call back to base. Checkmate king two, this is white rook! A little while after that, I bought my first pair of real walkie talkies which actually had decent range. They were motorola and cost me my whole dang savings at the time! Meanwhile, while this was all going on, I had a budding fascination with all things electronic. I was one of those kids took a screwdriver to everything, just to see what was on the inside. But much to most people's shock, I usually could put it back together again correctly when I was done. So I was always messing with cheap electronics I found at garage sales and thrift stores. Wouldn't you know it, I got my hands on an old radioshack CB radio for 4 bucks? Yeah! And I proceeded to immediately blow it up. :( But I ripped it apart and my interest in radios grew. I also tore apart and assembled all kinds of AM FM radios too. Eventually I turned 18, and I started looking for something new and electronic where I could cause more chaos. I knew about ham radio for a long time, because of the y2k survivalist movement, but I hadn't started pursuing it until years later when I could actually afford a radio. I might have been a ham at a younger age, but when my mom and I went into HRO and saw how much the (brand new at the time) icom 7000 cost.... yeah... we walked right out and never came back. I knew absolutely nothing about the used radio market, I thought they ALL cost that much. Thankfully I learned better much later. So when I turned 18, I saved up and bought the study guide for the technician, and finally got it in 2014. I got the general and extra a couple months later. My excuse for getting the ham radio license is.... "If I want to build something electronic, I want a way to use it legally. So ham radio is my testing ground."

[@joeddejohn]

Gosh similar beginning. C.B. Midland was my first and it had 23 channels. From there I saved up enough money mowing lawns to buy a handheld 40 channel Radio Shack TRC-225. Then life got busy for 20 years and eventually got my Tech license in 2018.

[@anselb2000]

I built a Space Spanner and an Ocean Hopper radios. I still remember Barry Goldwater coming in on 20 meters from the Valley of the Sun!

[@jeffpixelated]

I had downloaded a police scanner/radio app and found a few repeaters to listen to. One of them was in Phoenix, Arizona which had the nightly 2100 Net. After listening to them for a while I thought it would be neat to be able to talk to people like they were doing... And in 2015 I got my Tech & General licenses. I had a few walkie-talkies when I was a kid and my parents had CB radios in their cars in the 70s. Those were my first few experiences with radio when I was young. It’s a shame that I had a habit of taking thing apart and being unable to put them together. Ugh... The CB radios were stolen out of my parents’ cars in the early 80s. They both left their doors unlocked and out of the garage one night. SMH.

[@Gravelbomber]

My story is similar to your's, Larry, except I was born in 76. My dad had a messenger 2, and after the cheap walkie talkies, I saved my paper route money to buy a realistic 40 channel try 207, which I still have. I also still have my grandparent's shortwave radio, that was on 24 hours a day for as long as I can remember.

[@eogg25]

I was a radio OP in the Army but did not get a License until 20 years later. I saw an article about a local radio club.

[@dancosminmarza2974]

hy larry good video about your life .i started 96 from love to electronic circuits and building stuff .started in 98in hamm radio as a reciver level 3 licence in 2000 class 1 licence in 2010 hobby job and savior

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Radio gets in your blood Larry. I still like restoring vintage CB sets. 73 de EI7KO

[@kg5ubb478]

I really enjoyed this video. My ham radio journey started in 2017 when I got my tech license in order to tinker with transmitters and antennas for FPV systems used with RC airplanes in the 5.8 GHz band. After I got my tech license I didn't really explore much of the hobby since I was weary of cheaper radios because of all the horror stories of cheap handhelds (it's harder to justify high prices when you aren't addicted yet :)). This started to change when I started watching more and more ham radio content on KZbin and began experimenting with radio and SDR outside of the 5.8 GHz band (WebSDR is an amazing tool for new/aspiring hams). After a few months of being licensed with no contacts to show for it I ended up stumbling upon my local ham radio club at a maker fair and was able to make my first contact with some help from the members at the booth who tossed a radio in my hands and told me to key up on 146.52 (if I remember right, this was a little nerve-racking for me at the time). After that contact I was noticeably hooked, and one of the members kindly gave me a baofeng to start experimenting with. I ended up upgrading to general the following summer and during the next summer I upgraded to extra days before I started my junior year of high school. Just this past summer I saved up enough to buy the FT-891 which I have enjoyed operating on HF. Ever since first getting my tech license, every moment of my days not occupied by schoolwork has been filled with ham radio and electronic design projects. All things considered, my ham radio journey has been nothing short of amazing, from diving deep into electronic design/theory, having a great local club, being part of so many great online communities, meeting all sorts of interesting people, and having the chance to be an assistant teacher for my club's ham radio classes, this hobby has transformed from being a legal obligation to enjoy my RC aviation hobby to a full on obsession that helped inspire me to pursue a degree in electrical engineering and gave me an excuse to learn more about my lifelong fascination with electronic gizmos. Sorry for the wall of text, it's just that this part of my life has been extremely enjoyable and has had a fairly large impact on my life that has recently come into focus during the college application process. Have a great day and 73s. -David KG5UBB

[@davidxbeats]

Great story Larry. Mine is similar... right down the listening to the transistor radio under pillow! :)

[@JT-py9lv]

My story parallels your story. Very similar. Except I didn't take the plunge into Amateur Radio until I was 40. Thanks for the video.

[@robertbernhardt9228]

Another great video Larry. I still have a set of those G-E Walkie Talkies from when I was a kid! Happy Holidays!!! AC9JU

[@minermike61]

We had one of those AM/FM/Shortwave radios but then my brother got started using one of the base station radios they made for kids. Maybe not just kids but they were a cheap CB as I remember. Somehow or another he connected with an older ham who is now a silent key. He got his Novice then moved to General. We grew up in separate homes but he tried to get me interested. I would study 5 watts to 1000 now and then but I lagged on code study. Sometimes your brother isn't the best code tutor. A few years out of the Army I got the bug again and studied in earnest once I got SuperMorse for PC. My brother kept telling me to go for the brand new No-Code Technician but I couldn't. Code was my obstacle so it became a grudge match. I passed two elements and 13 wpm to get my General. A few years later, Advanced. Tried the Extra code but couldn't swing it. I lived in a small mining town so I had no convenient Elmer. I played around with 2 meters and bought an Icom 735 but never made a contact because my antenna sucked. Left radio for quite about 20 years and just now came back. Passed the Tech and got credit for the General. A month later passed the Extra since there was no reason not to. Ham Radio is a little weird lately because of Covid. Hams don't meet up like they used to and then there is the politics surrounding Covid and the vaccine, masks etc. Looks like thangs are about to get weirder.

[@marythornhill4699]

I got into radio much the same way and went on to operating many pirate broadcast radio stations over the decades . A few years back I got out of pirate broadcasting and setup a part 15 am radio station.

[@markparkesswl1674]

Same as you I got a small am radio when I was ten mark Leeland great video

[@pd1rwk825]

This hobby got me by accident. This hobby had so many aspects.

[@tys3456]

I got started when I had my bubble pack radio randomly on channel 18, and heard people talking over the air. Eventually figured out they were talking on a repeater (thanks to Google). Bought a Uniden Scanner to see what else is out there. I'm lucky to live by a really powerfully GMRS repeater so I'm having fun with that while I'm studying for my tech license. All this has happened within 2 months of hearing that random chatter on my walkie talkie. I currently have 2 scanners, 3 mobile radios, 6 HT's, and 6 mobile antennas. I wonder what's going to be next!

[@Medic-ui9ms]

Nice video Larry! Happy thanksgiving! 73, KB0VXN

[@kevinwiss6011]

Enjoyed the story of how you got started... Me, almost mirror copy of how you sent thru the changes. All the way up to being a ham. But still have not pass that stage! Nowadays I listen to my frg-7 . Enjoy the hobby!!!

[@enriquediaz7547]

Thanks for sharing.

[@DD-gd3fr]

Same path cb was great now I have a general love radio in all its forms👍

[@TREEHUGGAH1]

love those radios. its great to see ya again. 73, davy kb3aum

[@Team-fabulous]

My story is very similar to yours Larry, started listening to my dads Shakespeare transistor radio under my pillow when I was a child, then CB came along when i was 14 and blew my mind, i later of course got into ham radio. The house is coming down with radio pruck!!! Brilliant video...

[@vkradio1656]

Great video Larry, really enjoyed your journey.

[@m0dad]

Many thanks for posting this great video Larry. I had some very similar experiences to yourself growing up here in England. It all started with a family portable radio in the 1970`s leading to walkie talkies and meeting some great friends which I still have today. Also got into CB radio and shortwave listening before finally taking the Amateur radio exam. This video brought back a lot of happy memories for me. Thanks again, best wishes from the UK and stay safe over there 73 de M0DAD (David)

[@jimkodysz5404]

Hi Larry, thanks for telling us your story. I was always interested in radio since I was a kid. My dad got me into crystal radios back in the 50s and I would lay in bed at night with the alligator clip on light fixture listening to my crystal radio. Back in 1975 I was big into the CB radio craze but then when my son was little the language on the CB radio was terrible. I told a friend of mine at work how I hated CB for that reason. He started working on me to try ham radio and he finally won me over and was my Elmer. He is now a silent key and when I upgraded my license I took his old callsign and the rest as they say is history. You and your family have a great Thanksgiving! Jim K8NBZ

[@RedNeckSurgeyTech]

I did enjoy the video and gave it a thumbs up. Interesting story. It's cool that you have had this interest from a very young age. I got interested in ham radio about 3 years ago at age 56, right before covid started. We were in a solar minimum at the time. But I didn't know any thing about solar cycles. Now that sun spot activity is ramping up I can really tell how propagation has improved. I've built several antennas. Ham radio is not just getting on the air and talking. There are so many interesting thing to learn. 73 KF0ALT

[@RadioHamGuy]

Well thank you and glad to hear you are having fun with radio. Yes, things are getting much better on the bands again now so you are getting it at a great time. Thank you so much for your post and best of luck and keep in contact if you wish!...Larry

[@captbart3185]

Started reading Boy’s Life and they had many radio stories. My dad taught me to fly and that meant radio also. I noticed all the Boys Life radio photos showed a bug (all Vibroplex I think) so I had to have one. Here 58 years later and I’m still active as WB5JWI and on CW.

[@nivid01]

Nice memories mate!!!

[@tom-ehill2713]

Neat stuff Larry! I did the same with transistor radio! 890 WLS came in best! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours- awesome video.. PS . 740 “Zoomer” is my fave now..😁

[@tom-ehill2713]

Happy Thanksgiving!!😌

[@artdodd2932]

The Bearcat 101 had a great receiver. Binary programming. My first scanner. Thanks for the memories

[@barefooboy17]

Great video! KO6JAY San Diego and 73

[@hirohidetokoro9423]

Just subscribed your channel. Your first radio, the case looks similar to mine on FT-690 made by Yaesu. Only 5w or something 6m used to be domestic only in Japan. Never bought HF stuff because it was hard to get license in our country and also I still was a kid so could not afford. Never thought to be able to communicate like this on the internet. The only international call which I made was with New Caledonia in the summer.

[@RadioHamGuy]

Hi and thanks for subscribing, I really appreciate that! That is interesting to hear, thanks for sharing that information.

[@byronbrake3620]

I got in to radio was cb radio first in Feb 1983 then I got Ham radio lenses in march 2002 call sign is VO1OBB Building a good ever sence I've talked all over the world

[@zeddzhou5996]

Very impressive story, Larry!

[@zeddzhou5996]

I actually don't know how I get started with ham radio, I just thought radio is a really cool thing to do. I've passed the exam and waiting for the callsign

[@ethancrouch7253]

I am just starting out in radio I currently use cb radio here soon I am going to get in to classes to get my ham license

[@Steven-re7xt]

Us army radio op. Then cb, then ham. Then moved to Hickman county TN. All at once! Found my self calling my back side off. The locals had been cutting my lines. Also found a insult. Phones were handed out by the dozens no test Beeing required. Then enforced inspection of my equipment and log books. Wasn't exmiting a peep. Dust on every thing. So after 20 years went silent. I kept the. Homemade receivers. And be came a super SWL. ITS EASY STOP and toss a loop on the picknik table. W/a phone to verify the calls. Happy I am hi hi. Former kv4li 73

[@cyberbadger]

In my high school they had an Amateur Radio Club.

[@DK5ONV]

Cooliooo video. Keep up good work and stay safe. 73's de Günter

[@williamlindielindie162]

K9NCO says 73 + 88 .... GREAT Meeting you... >

[@brianfletcher9774]

CB radio is where I started too. Seems to be a common thread...

[@nr3rful]

Radio Shak Laffeyett realistic walkie talkie. Then CB and at that time you needed a license. Call sign then KKG2713. Then went into radio in the military.

[@mich4203]

Is there a video on how to get started, pls? Would love some advice.

[@travisclack4734]

Looking at getting a ham radio I started in probably 200 as a kid with dad listening to his cb Radio on the big truck he told me ham radio is important cause emergencies so now 28 I’m going to License so I can start talking on 2 meters

[@RadioHamGuy]

That sounds great. Good luck with the test, you can do it, I have been having fun with it for many years and still enjoy it as much as when I started out. So many different things you can try.

[@travisclack4734]

@@RadioHamGuy thanks for the advice I’m looking at testing next month I am on KZbin looking for good mobile and base station I subscribed to your Chanel it’s one of the better ham pages thanks for the information and I really look forward to getting involved in the hobby

[@qrplife]

I wonder if OM Larry has ever sold a radio?

[@cmvb69]

What model was the 23 channel walkie ?

[@ronnyv.d.b.8152]

i was 16jears old i had my first radio iam now 55 old so also i long time,sorry for my verry bad englisch riding,,73's 16wrc0666 greets from belgium europe

[@MaricopaJeff]

Have you ever thrown anything away? You must have a very full storage locker.