Funny experience

[cadpat]

I have a distant background in radio, I used to do morse in the Sea Cadets and I was a radio mechanic in the Fleet Air Arm for ten years but after I left the RN, I didn't really bother with it too much until I bought a couple of Baofeng UV-5Rs a few years ago and I recently decided to take my Foundation exam.

After I left the RN in the 80s, I worked on a few vessels in the North Sea, Irish Sea and Mediterranean and when working a night watch on the bridge, you would often hear the pre-internet equivalent of spam, bored seamen broadcasting expletives to the world.

As I am preparing to take my exam, I'm just sitting with both Baofengs on the windowsill monitoring four frequencies in the background to familiarise myself with local traffic. Yesterday, from one of them, I heard a female voice say what sounded like 'robo-t*ts'. I immediately thought it was some kid pranking like when I was at sea. Then it happened again and again until I was curious to know what frequency they were broadcasting on but when I looked, neither of the radios screens were illuminating when I heard the voice - though I figured out which one it was. It got more and more frequent and I got more and more puzzled to the point that I put my glasses on and took a close look at the screen and saw the battery indicator flashing. Only then did it dawn on me that the voice was saying, with a Chinese accent, 'low voltage'.

[rik_uk3]

Why don't you do the Foundation License test for ham radio? Its very simple, some good free online courses you do in your own time and these days the test is done online via a video link. You are limited to 10w but with morse code I've worked Japan and South America on 5w.

Any questions feel free to ask.

[Arzosah]

As I am preparing to take my exam, I'm just sitting with both Baofengs on the windowsill monitoring four frequencies in the background to familiarise myself with local traffic. Yesterday, from one of them, I heard a female voice say what sounded like 'robo-t*ts'. I immediately thought it was some kid pranking like when I was at sea. Then it happened again and again until I was curious to know what frequency they were broadcasting on but when I looked, neither of the radios screens were illuminating when I heard the voice - though I figured out which one it was. It got more and more frequent and I got more and more puzzled to the point that I put my glasses on and took a close look at the screen and saw the battery indicator flashing. Only then did it dawn on me that the voice was saying, with a Chinese accent, 'low voltage'.

With the best will in the world, that's going to happen sometimes Since we're anonymous on here, I'll share the fact that when I spoke to my sister in law over my brother's phone, because he was driving, I couldn't understand a word she said partly because we were in the car, on the move, etc, but mostly because of her strong accent. We're both from Liverpool

[cadpat]

Why don't you do the Foundation License test for ham radio?

I just passed my Intermediate today.

[Mad Scientist]

Well done on passing that!

[cadpat]

Thank. I'm hoping to take my Full License exam in October.

[TheOldHObbit]

Yep, I can associate with this except I thought it was a "load of old T*Ts". Some of the guys at the local club had a proper old giggle at this