What Use Is An F-call?

What use is an F-call? Nothing, nothing at all. Well, that is, unless you practice. You're sure to have heard the expression, practice makes perfect. In any environment, learning about the task at hand is only a very small part of the process. The learning part for an f-call for me was spent listening to a very entertaining lecture over a weekend. There was a practical component to be sure - I keyed the microphone a couple of times, adjusted a radio, used a multi-meter and connected a PL259 to it's SO239. The vast majority of time was spent reading, listening and looking at diagrams. Another weekend and a few exams and I had a foundation license. My official practical "air-time" could be counted in minutes on the fingers of one hand. So, why do I sound so confident on air today, if all of my practical time was so short? Well, I've had experience and practice in another area. I've conducted some 1500 radio interviews, lasting from 5 to 30 minutes each, so my "air-time" is a little hig