Welcome to my radio logbook. After passing my Foundation licence here in Canberra, I finally have a callsign and a reason to write things down — so this is where I’ll keep notes as I learn.

The station so far

It’s a modest start, and that’s the point:

• A Quansheng handheld covering 2 m VHF and 70 cm UHF, which I’m using thanks to the support of CRARC
• The Canberra repeaters, which get me a lot further than my little rubber-duck antenna could on its own
• Membership of the Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club (CRARC) and the ACT Scouts Amateur Radio Team

What I want to do

The Foundation licence is a doorway, not a destination. A few things I’m keen to try:

1. Build my own antennas. First up is a half-wave “flower pot” for 2 m — cheap to make and a genuine upgrade over the stock whip.
2. Work the repeaters properly and understand how they extend my range across the ACT.
3. Help with Scouts radio, including Jamboree on the Air (JOTA).
4. Explore HF and study toward the next licence. In Australia, my Foundation licence already lets me use selected HF frequencies at up to 10 W, so I want to get on the air there — and study toward the next licence to open up more of the spectrum and reach further afield.

Why write it down

Half of learning radio is doing the thing; the other half is remembering what you did and why it worked. Writing build logs and notes keeps me honest, and if any of it helps another newcomer, even better.

More soon. If you hear me on a Canberra repeater, say hello. 73!