EAR Supports The Greatest U.S.A. Amateur Radio License ever earned.

Novices are restricted to 200 W below 28.5 MHz.

10 Meter HAM Band Information For The Novice Class HAM.

An introduction to the 10 Meter Ham Band
Includes a few helpful websites for the Novice 10 Meter Ham Radio Operator!

I was first licensed in 1987 as a Novice class operator at the beginning of  the peak of an 11 year solar cycle. I was lucky enough to have just taken my Novice test, yes including 5 wpm CW, and was awaiting the arrival of my new license. This was the week before the Dayton Hamvention. At the time I was living south of Dayton in Hamilton Ohio. There was only one thing to do. My Dad was in Spencer, Indiana, Get the OM and go to the Dayton Hamvention. It was the first time either of us had got to go to Dayton. Before the weekend was over I had bought an HF Rig, a Kenwood TS-530S from NK8T, and Dad bought his first 2 meter Handheld a Kenwood TR-2500, Speaker Mic and a Hustler mag mount antenna. This was a change for him as well. Until then when ask what kind of mic. he used his answer was a Straight Key. Weeks passed and finely the license came in the mail. In those days you had to wait until your license arrived by snail mail before you had a call sign or could operate. No looking it up on the internet. I now had the privilege of being able to operate on the HF bands. We Novices had just received our new privileges to operate Phone on the 10 meter ham band as well as on the 1.25 meter band, (220). Using phone (voice) and being able to talk around the world on HF was overwhelming. I had waited for my Amateur Radio License to arrive and now I had it!

My first Ham Radio contact was on the 10 meter HF Phone band using the Kenwood TS-530S a 102" long 11m whip (Donated to me by my next door neighbor) attached to a section of TV mast placing it at roof line with the metal roof of the house for the ground plane making the tip about 20 ft. above ground.

Some of the best times and QSO's I have had have been on the Novice HF bands. To this day I still favor CW. I prefer slow CW and I very much miss the Novices. I do not call CQ very often on CW as when I do at a slow speed all I get is some LID trying to impress me with there speed instead of answering my slow CQ at the same speed as sent. I would very much like to hear our Novices back on the air enjoying their licenses instead of just letting them lapse. And to those who think they are only Novices just remember to be a Novice means you Know Code the first digital mode. This means you carry a license with an endorsement above our current No Code Extra's . I kept my 2X3 Novice call when I upgraded to Technician and General. I changed my call to a 2X2 when I returned to my home state of Colorado and upgraded to Advanced. At times I feel this was a mistake I found that the good times with the Novice operators fell off rapidly with the new call. I know as a Novice it seemed that all other class operators wanted to talk about was upgrading or try to talk over my head to make themselves out to be better than me. This attitude is not impressive nor is it acceptable operating practice. No matter what class license you hold when you are on the Amateur Radio Bands you are still only an Amateur Radio Operator just like everyone else.
It is time we remember that Novice Class Operators are and always will be Amateur Radio Operators. And they have passed a 5 wpm CW test. Have you?

Being a Ham since 1987, I can still feel the excitement that I had then and you can have now. A new sunspot cycle is bringing back the fun of 10 meters. It is just getting started so be patient and have a great time like myself and so many others enjoyed when I held the best ticket ever, NOVICE.

Have a Great time on 10 meters and don't let your interest in ham radio die!
You do not need to upgrade. You are an Amateur Radio Operator. If you want to upgrade then by all means do so. You can and will do it! After all you are a Know Coder!

I would also like to add that I have been involved in HAM radio all my life as my Dad, Bill W9GWD (ex KØIID, K5PNE) taught me to solder at the age of 6 and I started helping him build Heathkits, Knightkits and many home brew items as well. But I just never had the desire to obtain an operators license for myself. I was living in Ohio and I got the urge to be able to communicate with my dad on HAM radio. Thanks to the, Butler County VHF Association, W8CCI, located in Hamilton, Ohio, that was made up of  Ham's who were interested in teaching (Elmer's) new comers. I was on my way. (Special Thanks to Tim Johnson, KA8DZU, CW Instructor, and Ted Wilson, K8TCR, Theory instructor),

Hope to work you on 10 Meter CW or Phone.

Dave, KFØJY (Advanced 1990, /Novice at heart) (ex KB8CPC Novice 1987, Technician 1988, General 1988)