so i finally passed my technician exam after studying for like 3 weeks and honestly i was terrified to key up for the first time. my uncle is W5 something and he lent me his old Yaesu FT-60 handheld and just told me to find a local repeater and go for it. i sat there for probably 20 minutes just listening before i finally worked up the nerve to say my callsign and ask if the frequency was in use

some guy came back to me right away, a retired teacher from like 40 miles away, and we talked for maybe 10 minutes about how i got into the hobby and he gave me a bunch of advice about getting an HF rig eventually. it was honestly way less scary than i thought it would be. anyway just wanted to share because ive been lurking here for months and everyone seemed really welcoming so figured id finally post

congrats man, that first QSO feeling is something you dont really forget. i remember being so nervous i forgot to say my callsign at the end and the other guy had to ask me to repeat it lol. you'll get the hang of the format pretty quick though. def start thinking about HF when you get comfortable, thats where it really opens up

welcome to the hobby. the FT-60 is a solid little radio to start on, your uncle gave you a good one. i ran mine for almost two years before i upgraded to a mobile rig. once you get your general you should look into some of the digital modes too, FT8 is a great way to make contacts without having to worry so much about what to say on voice