Rochester Hamfest (73 de N0PBS/AE)

At the Rochester Hamfest today, Dawn and I successfully met our summer ham radio licensing goals: she now has a US technician class license (pending, of course, processing), and I now have an extra-class ham radio license. I wasn't 100% ready for the exam, but I was... 78% ready. That's good enough. :-) I could have done better with more concerted study, but I pretty much just took it because I was there, it was free, and I wanted to show some spousal solidarity. For the curious, the hamfest was awesome. It's exactly what a hamfest SHOULD be: big flea market, decent food, full bar, free VE testing, $5 admission, and a handful of people I actually know. I bought a SMA male to UHF female pigtail to hook the HT up to a mag mount (we're about one antenna away from being able to pull people over on the Thruway), and did a lot of wistful wandering about, wishing I had more money to buy the toys I long for. Things I would have purchased included a Symmetricom CDMA time standard (with dead oscillator; $30), an oscilloscope or two, and... there was something else I eyed longingly but ended up passing on. Perhaps I'll remember. Anyway... next on the credentials list: becoming a notary public!