Nice. I thought about going for General but I just never really used it.
I'm going for extra for two reasons.
One, I want a shorter 1X2 or 2X2 call sign. Even after listening to other hams over time, I still have trouble following along with long call signs even when they spell it phonetically. I have trouble copying short ones too, just not as much. I have learned to appreciate shorter call signs as easier for me to understand. And the people with short calls are the ones on the Extra bands. And I'd rather own a 1X2 sign that I have some control over, than some random WN8LEBM string.
Two, I want to be able to go anywhere on the band chart without thinking about the interband separations between different ham classes. Fuck that shit.
I thought you were already an extra. You gotta get with the program so we can chat it up on 3.625 using USB just to defy accepted protocol.
I never really did much with the license, got it because the technician was easy to get and it helped at a RADAR place I worked one time.
Was going to ask a similar question, so thanks for the pre-answer.
I took general after tech because I scored well, even though I hadn't studied general. (Same test fee, so why not?) I passed but didn't do well enough on the General score to think I could squeak by on Extra, so I didn't bother.
FWIW, I'm going to have to renew in a couple of years, but I've never felt cramped by General. I've gotten used to 2x3, and it would be weird to learn a new call (and I suspect I would accidentally fall back to the one I've been saying for almost a decade anyway.) The longer calls a pain in the ass on CW, but for phone, you'll get used to copying and you'll stop noticing.
If I had to re-exam to renew, I would probably go for Extra, but I don't, so I won't. I'm thinking of starting an ARC at my church, though, and if we have a testing session at the end of class (I would probably end up teaching it, but I'm not a VC) I'll sit for Extra then.
Sounds like you're a seasoned expert!
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