<p>This is Dave <a target="_blank" href="https://www.qrz.com/db/G8BKG">G8BKG</a>.</p><p>I popped over to his QTH to take a look at some issues he was having issues with the GPS settings on his radio. While there I recorded this audio on my phone.</p><p>Dave has been around long enough to have done the RAE (Radio Amateurs Examination) which was designed to test an individual's knowledge of radio theory, regulations, and operating practices. </p><p>The RAE was first introduced in the UK in 1919 and administered by the British government's Post Office. It was a written exam, covering things like radio wave propagation, circuit theory, and Morse code. Over the years, the RAE evolved and eventually became a multiple-choice exam that could be taken at various test centres around the UK. </p><p>Dave took the exam in the 50’s but didn’t pass the Morsecode side of things so focused on girls till some years later when he picked up a licence restricted to UHF and VHF. This is really when he made up for lost time and got stuck into amateur radio.</p><p>In 2003, the RAE was replaced by the certification system we now have in the UK called the Amateur Radio Licence. There are currently three levels of licensing: Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced. Up until recently, these licenses were obtained by passing a practical assessment and a written exam. In fact I did a basic practical for the Foundation licence in 2019 but shortly after the practical was scrapped so the exams could be taken entirely online.</p><p>Dave and I chatted around a few things. From how he started in radio, building his first radio, the <a target="_blank" href="https://quantumtech.club/amateur-radio/its-a-golden-year-for-trevor-g4cle/attachment/heathkit-hw17a">Heathkit Hw17A</a> as well as experiments in <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_and_FM_DX">TV-DX</a>. He also gives a shout out to Willy’s net on 80m with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.qrz.com/db/G3BYG">G3BYG</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://sadars.co.uk/wp/">Shefford and District Amateur radio Society</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://hunts-hams.weebly.com">HARS</a> plus the now silent key Ron <a target="_blank" href="https://www.qrz.com/db/G8GRT">G8GRT</a> and his spidery radio constructions.</p><p>Thanks to Dave for his time.</p><p><strong>FINALS</strong></p><p><strong>And thanks to you for listening/reading and I hope subscribing.</strong></p><p>There is an RSS feed for this podcast but also some episodes for <a target="_blank" href="https://g5doc.substack.com">supporting subscribers</a> only. </p><p>I’d like to do more face to face conversations with Amateur Radio operators. If you are interested please let me know. </p><p>Feel free to comment on the web version of this email. Also, please share this wherever you think it might resonate.</p><p>Thank you for your time.</p><p>Till next time.</p><p><strong>Over</strong></p><p><strong>73 de Christian G5DOC</strong></p><p><strong>_._</strong></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://g5doc.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">g5doc.substack.com/subscribe</a>