Originally Posted by jonc123

Continue to study and pass the exam. Good for you to purchase the rig. You have to PASS the test now, or else you just have an expensive paperweight. No, I do not take a radio on tour. I've had a couple periods where I have got into the hobby, got bored. I'm out of the hobby right now. That HT must have many bells and whistles. I'm sure you are familiar with repeaters. Most of my operations were simplex on mountaintops across the country while on vacations camping, etc. when I had my technicians license. It was a blast. I have a General license now.

You've probably already located some amateur radio forums. You mentioned antenna setup. The one thing I would do is to figure out a portable antenna for your HT that will perform much better than the one that comes with the HT. Plenty of folks that backpack, mountaintop, etc. with radios that carry portable antennas for use with a radio like yours. They will perform much better than your rubber duck. It's more complicated on your unless you are 2M all the time. Just 2M requires simple antenna.

Nice rig by the way, probably fairly complicated. RTM. I noticed you are in Arkansas, I have operated from Mount Magazine which is the high point in your state.