so i just got my technician license about three weeks ago and i've been sitting on my baofeng too scared to actually key up on anything. finally worked up the nerve to try the local repeater last night around 8pm and some guy came back to me right away. we talked for like 20 minutes about nothing really, just my setup and where i lived and whatever, but man it felt so weird hearing someone respond to my callsign for the first time.

KD9 something, i forget, he was super patient with me stumbling through the whole thing. i kept forgetting to say my callsign at the end of transmissions and he reminded me like twice lol. anyway just wanted to share because i've been lurking here for months reading everything and it feels good to finally be on the other side of it

haha that first contact feeling never really goes away, at least not completely. i remember mine was on 2m too, back in like 2011, and i was so nervous i basically read off a script i had written out beforehand. the other guy definitely knew but he was cool about it. welcome to the hobby man, it gets way easier after the first few times you key up

congrats. dont worry too much about the callsign thing, everyody forgets at first. once it becomes habit you wont even think about it. whats your setup right now, just the baofeng or did you get a proper radio yet?