You've read the book and now your ready to take a license exam for a ham license, but don't know where the next licensing session is? Having trouble studying for the Amateur Radio license exam on your own?  Find a class or an exam at the website of the Amateur Radio Relay League (known informally as "The League").  This is the largest organization in the U.S. advocating for Amateur Radio, with approximately 160,000 dues-paying members.  The web site is free and so are most of the classes in the database. The fee to take an Amateur Radio Operator's exam (Tech, General, or Extra class) is currently $15.

www.arrl.org

Want to consult the rules governing the use of Amateur Radio?  This link leads to the current FCC Part 97 rules:

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/news/part97/

The ARRL's field organization in emergencies is ARES -- the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. The Connecticut Section website is www.ctares.org  Click on Membership on this site to fill out an electronic application to join ARES.   This will put you on the notification tree of the ARES leader in your area.

Within Connecticut, ARES is broken into five Regions, same as those for the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.  The BEARS mostly live in Region 3.  The Region 3 website is www.ctarea3.net

Haven't used packet for a while because you hated dealing with the cryptic command line?  Try this Windows-based front end for packet radio:  www.outpostpm.org

BREAKFASTS and DINNERS links

Monthly meetings are preceded by dinner at the Hometown Buffet in Manchester

Biweekly breakfasts could be at any one of the following, or at a new venue:

Chez Ben Diner , Manchester

Chuckwagon, Ellington

Country Diner, Enfield

Emeralds, South Windsor

Hotcakes, East Windsor

The Mustard Seed Cafe, Glastonbury

Mitchells, Vernon

Spicy Green Bean Deli, Glastonbury