so ive been studying for like two months and passed my technician exam last thursday and today i finally worked up the nerve to actually key up on the local 2m repeater and someone actually came back to me which i was not expecting at all honestly i kind of froze for a second and forgot what to say

the guy was super patient though and we chatted for maybe 10 minutes about nothing really, he asked where i was located and what radio i was using and told me a little about the club they have on thursdays. im using a baofeng uv-5r i know i know everyone has opinions about those but it got me on the air so whatever

anyway just wanted to share because i feel like i actually did the thing finally. been reading forums and watching youtube for months and it feels different when theres a real person on the other end

congrats man, that first QSO feeling is something else. i remember mine i was shaking a little which is ridiculous because its just talking on a radio but somehow it felt like a big deal. the baofeng is fine for getting started dont let anyone give you grief about it, most of us started with something janky

welcome to the hobby. Thursday night nets are usually pretty friendly if you want more practice, low pressure and people expect newer operators to be on there. also look into getting your general soon while the material is still fresh, opens up a lot more of the bands