Scorpio64

You will be supporting the continuing education and training of America's youth in firearms safety. You will help your local range obtain insurance. You will help fund the defense of good people like Shaneen Allen.

Make no mistake Maks, GD is resisting joining because he is a brainwashed liberal. He is towing the party line because, if he meets his pals at Starfucks and mentions, over a half caf mocha latte, that he joined the NRA, he will be ostracized. He won't have any friends anymore. Well, libtarded friends anyway. NRA = bad evil baby murdering Nazis Everytown = Good, sensible rights grabbing, semi auto banning while you are not looking useful idiots. If GD wants to be a useful idiot, whatever. It's America, he's free to make that choice. Ultimately, it's survival of the fittest (and smartest).

Owning and shooting guns in America without an NRA membership is like, uuuh, masturbating. Sure, you enjoy it. But getting laid is a lot more fun. NRA membership opens doors and helps ensure Americans will continue to enjoy the 2A, but if you are happy with pulling your pud while someone else is paying for your right to do that, okay, I guess.

This should be a sticky..... Actually better than a sticky. Put it on the home page, top center. Not as an ad, but as a non 3rd party object, so ad blockers won't make it go bye bye.

Goood, gooooood, let the NRA flow through you. Seriously dude, just frigging join. You won't wake up a Nazi skinhead, I promise.

It's better to have an umbrella and not need it than to not have one when it's raining.

Okay, here's a general question for you old salty cured hams. Are ham operators allowed to communicate with military deployed overseas? Like, can we send them messages like merry christmas and happy new year and such? Are they even listening? I think it would be cool to send messages to them, let them know we are thinking about them back home.

If you have not already done so, I strongly recommend taking the on-line practice exams to establish a baseline. You may already know more about ham than you think. Wikipedia has a pretty good rundown on the basics without being overly technical. Read the linked page and use that as a springboard for more in depth research. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio I also learned a lot in two days just by researching the transceivers I was looking into buying. Reading the reviews was quite useful. It helped put into perspective what each band is used for, and what kind of equipment is required. Ham is not just one big fat radio that does everything. While some rigs will do two, three or even four bands, there is no one set or antenna that does it all.

Here are the practice exam sites I used. https://hamexam.org/ https://www.eham.net/exams/

I found a 160m-10m rig on CL that sold for over $1,000.00 not too long ago brand new, and is being offered for $275 because it's prone to a very easily fixed manufacturing defect. In spite of the ease of repair, the cost to have it fixed is too high for most folks, but if you know what you are doing, you can save a lot of dough.

This will be my first time taking it officially. Previous tests were web based practice exams. Anyone thinking about getting their tech should use them. just google "ham practice test" and several sites will show up. I kinda have a background in electronics and radios. I could read a schematic when I was 10 and built my first electronic gizmo around that time, had a CB in the 70s, had a CB with SSB in the 80's, worked at Bell Labs for a while, went to a tech school '99-'00 where I learned a lot more about electronics and other neat stuff. Had a couple jobs where we used business class 2way and I had to program them, just becuz I was the nerd. Having a background in electronics and radio helps, but is not necessary. I'd say anyone of average intelligence could pass the test with 6 to 8 weeks of study and active engagement with others in the hobby.

I need another expensive hobby like I need a hole in my head. Three days ago, I took the tech practice exam twice and scored mid to high 60's, then for fun took the general practice exam and scored in the low 50's. I didn't expect to pass either one, I did it to establish a baseline, and to see what kinds of questions they focus on. After two more days of researching radio equipment, reading comments on articles and some ham forum posts, I retook the tech exam and passed in the high 70's to low 80's. Just from two days worth of casual reading. The straight forward technical questions were easy, the answers to technical questions that involved unfamiliar equipment or concepts could often be extrapolated with a little logical thinking, but the regulatory questions were something else. I managed to answer about 60% of the regulatory questions right just by going with the most restrictive answer. There will be an exam 1-26-19 at the American Red Cross in Tinton Falls administered by GSARA. I'm gonna take it, and god help my bank account when I pass.

I've been reviewing Breaking Bad trying to find the episode where Walt makes the wobbler for the M60. I'll get back to ya.

The Gary Sinise Foundation does good work. I've directed my donations to the homes for disabled vets program. btw, the guy doing the GFM for the wall is a benefactor of the foundation and Sinise supports the wall and the GFM fundraiser.

Bulldot laser sight and rail Lansky deluxe sharpening system Western Electric 202 with oak subset Kershaw Cryo 1555TI

The dependent class has out bred the working class here. Our school system is making sure the dependent class is kept properly stupid and anyone with a brain is made to feel guilty in some way for being smart enough to succeed. Original independent thought is discouraged and often punished.

Dunno what you are selling pal, but we ain't in the buying mood here. Scram.

@Zeke make a note of this.

L8r G8r

Yeah, fer realz man. @Maksim you are treading on thin ice buddy. You are at risk for a temp ban, just because we are jealous.

afaik, it doesn't. Only a few old rifles with >10rd fixed (internal) mags were exempted.

To ensure private sale of handguns were tracked and registered.