To anyone considering getting a license: the address you use does NOT have to be your actual home address; just one you are able to get mail at. But yes, rememb

To anyone considering getting a license: the address you use does NOT have to be your actual home address; just one you are able to get mail at. But yes, remember that the address will be publicly available, along with your name, so choose carefully. I've yet to actually have a verbal conversation on amateur radio; I've been having enough fun playing with WSPR. Those folks are generally pretty nice. I've received some signals here in Germany from US callsigns that, upon looking them up on qrz.com, turned out to be older men I would absolutely cross the street to avoid, but others from old guys I would happily buy a beer or coffee to get their stories, such as one long retired Chicago-area broadcaster who runs a website of Chicago TV history, including footage of a young, carefree-looking Obama. The former usually are transmitting with waaay too much power for Weak Signal Propagation Reporter; the latter are playing by the spirit of the thing and are doing cool nerd things into their 70s and 80s.