Paul Huff wrote:

I got my Technician ticket the summer after I graduated from high
school, bought a little 2M handie-talkie and had a bit of fun with it,
but for any number of reasons, left the hobby behind shortly
thereafter. Now, I'm getting notices about my 10 year high school
reunion and I'm realizing that it's time to renew my ticket.

Whatever else you do, renew your ticket. It's easy and free. When
you're 90 days away from expiration, visit the FCC web site and request
a renewal. Don't put it off thinking that you're going to upgrade and
then end up with no license at all.

So, here's the point of my post: I'm trying to come back to the hobby
after a long absence. I have a limited (read hardly any) budget, and
an older handie-talkie. I think I'll need more than just local repeater
rag-chewing to get me into it the hobby all the way. Anybody have any
suggestions?

Ham radio is really many hobbies rolled into one. The aspects that
interest me may not interest you, and that's just fine. I agree that
there's much more out there in the hobby than the local repeater, and I
think you're on the right track exploring the other aspects of ham radio.

Go to the library and spend a little time reading the ham-radio
magazines. I'm not suggesting that you read every article carefully,
but more that you use the magazine as a way to see what is happening in
the hobby these days and what aspects pique your interest. You might
think that trying to work DX using low power is interesting, or digital
modes might catch your eye.

There's a lot of current information on the hobby available via the
Internet. This Usenet group is an example; as you read what others are
interested in you may see things that sound intriguing. There are many
other web sites on various topics. Of course, you want to employ the
same filters that you would use for any topic that you're researching on
the Internet; there's some garbage out there too.

As for low-budget equipment, one place to check is eBay. Usual
disclaimers apply, but there are some bargains there. (Just be sure
you're really getting a bargain; there are some ripoffs there, too.) I
recommend eHam for figuring out what all the model numbers really mean;
there's a valuable part of their site that you reach by clicking on
"Product Reviews" in the left navigation pane. There are other sources
for used equipment, including locals who have upgraded their gear.

Also appreciated would be suggestions on beefing up my technical
knowledge. I'm afraid I'm probably not even close to having myself up
to the level I was at when I took my Technician test... So, I
probably have to start from close to a clean slate.

Is there a local club in your area? If they have license classes,
that's a possible way to beef up your technical knowledge and have a
good time. It's always more fun to learn in a group. However, be aware
that some of these classes are geared more towards reviewing the
specific questions in the exam pools than in actually learning the
theory behind the questions.

If you want to actually learn something useful, I'd suggest that finding
a knowledgeable local and putting a station on the air would be a great
way to accomplish that. Studying the formula for the length of a dipole
is one thing; getting out there and building the antenna is an entirely
different experience. This may be the best use of that handheld -- if
there's an active repeater that you can hit, get on it and meet some of
the locals. If you're lucky you'll find someone who is willing to be
your elmer.

Good luck, and welcome back. I hope you find a niche in the hobby that
interests you; that's what makes the difference between someone who just
has a ticket and someone who is actually active in the hobby.

73, Steve KB9X