Show notes
This episode was recorded live on Friday, June 26, 2026 on WNRI 1380AM & 99.9FM in Woonsocket, RI. It's Amateur Radio Week and Field Day weekend, so Nathan and Glenn go deep on everything ham radio — how to get licensed, what frequencies you unlock at each level, how repeaters work, and why this nearly century-old hobby is more relevant than ever. Nathan breaks down the three license classes (Technician, General, and Extra), the best study resources, costs, and what you can actually do on the air at each level. Nathan throws in a live sample question from the technician exam and they discuss DTMF tones, propagation, and the surprising accessibility of the hobby for beginners. Glenn opens the Ask a Mechanic segment with a new automotive trivia question — a quirky American-made vehicle from 1975 to 1980 with asymmetrical doors — and caller Sal from Texas answers it correctly. Glenn shares the story behind the design and the colorful nicknames the car earned. Later, Glenn shares the official Slate Auto pricing announcement — $24,950 for the base pickup — along with updates to battery specs, payload, and towing capacity. Two callers join: Sal with the trivia answer and Mike from Cranston with a cautionary tale about rental car insurance and loss-of-use charges. Glenn wraps with a tip about always photographing your rental car before and after — a habit that saved him from a false damage claim on his most recent return. ARRL Field Day is always held on the 4th full weekend in June. Learn more at https://www.arrl.org/field-day Find a Field Day site at https://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator Sponsors and Affiliates: Hillview Auto Body – Johnston, Rhode Island. Gold Class Certified, over 45 years of quality collision repair. Quality you can see, service you can trust. Lydia Smith, Realtor – Century 21 Stahirsky Agency – Over 15 years of experience in Northern Rhode Island real estate. Advertise with us: https://nathanmarkley.net/advertise Chapters: 0:00 Intro & Show Open 1:21 Welcome & Amateur Radio Week 3:05 Ham Radio Deep Dive – Licenses, Frequencies & Repeaters 15:08 Live Technician Example Exam Question – DTMF Tones 31:12 Ad Break – Hillview Auto Body 33:16 Automotive Trivia – American Car With Asymmetrical Doors 35:15 Slate Auto Official Pricing & Updates 41:02 Rental Car Camera Tunnel Story 42:39 Caller Sal – Trivia Answer: AMC Pacer 47:52 Ad Break – Lydia Smith, Century 21 Stachurski Agency 49:33 Caller Mike from Cranston – Rental Car Insurance Tips 54:51 Show Wrap-Up & Sign-Off Have an automotive question for our "Ask a Mechanic" segment? Submit your questions here: https://nathanmarkley.net/askamechanic Listen to the show every Friday night at 6:05pm EST on WNRI 1380 AM 99.9 FM or online at https://wnri.com and Call in: 401-766-1380 | 1-800-949-WNRI. Help Spread The Word Share this episode and podcast with your family and friends. If you dug this episode, head over to Apple Podcast and kindly leave me a review and follow the show! Follow The Nathan Markley Show wherever you listen to podcasts! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-markley-show/id1463188003 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eYdLQIaogTPzmYhQxA9vF YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nathanmarkley Website: https://www.nathanmarkley.net/ Follow Nathan on: Instagram: https://instagram.com/nathanmarkleyshow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanmarkley0