My amateur radio journey began back in the mid-1970s. I was about 12 at the time, with an interest in electronics that baffled my parents. With little to guide me and fear for my life as I routinely explored the innards of the TVs and radios in the house, they turned to the kindly older gentleman across the street from us, Mr. Brown. He had the traditional calling card of the suburban ham — a gigantic beam antenna on a 60′ mast in the backyard – so they figured he could act as a mentor to me.
Mr. Brown taught me a lot about electronics, and very nearly got me far enough along to take the test for my Novice class license. But I lost interest, probably because I was an adolescent male and didn’t figure a ham ticket would improve my chances with the young ladies. My ham ambitions remained well below the surface as life happened over the next 40 or so years. But as my circumstances changed, the idea of working the airwaves resurfaced, and in 2015 I finally took the plunge and earned my General class license.
The next part of my ham story is all-too-familiar these days: I haven’t done a damn thing with my license. Oh, sure, I bought a couple of Baofeng and Wouxun handy-talkies and lurked on the local repeaters. I even bought a good, solid HF rig and built some antennas, but I’ve made a grand total of one QSO — a brief chat with a ham in Texas from my old home in Connecticut on the 10-meter band. That’s it.
Obviously, there’s a problem. It’s not lack of understanding the art and science of amateur radio. More so than the average Joe who comes in off the street to sit for a license test (and there are far more of those folks than you might think), I have a pretty good grasp of the theory and practice of RF communications. It’s not a money problem, either. At least for now I have enough disposable income to spend on “The World’s Greatest Hobby.” It’s not time either, at least not really. My kids are old enough now to be self-reliant, so it’s not like I’d be working the bands while there are dirty diapers to deal with. And my wife is supportive too, so it’s not that either. So what’s my problem? Why am I not active on the HF bands and checking in on the local repeaters?
Because as it turns out, when you’re a ham you end up talking to other hams. And I don’t like talking to hams.
Lest this be construed as ham-hate, it’s not. Truth be told, I don’t really want to talk to anyone, face to face or over the air. But there’s really something off-putting about the ham style of communication, at least to my ears. Part of this is due to listening to public service radio all my life. My dad was a cop, and hearing dispatches on the radio in his cruiser was the soundtrack of my life from the day I was born. I later listened to scanners as a civilian hobbyist, then with a more professional interest as an EMT and volunteer firefighter. I even worked the other side of the mic as a dispatcher for multiple agencies. So I developed a strong preference in radio style — brief, clipped messages that minimize time on the air while maximizing information content.
In other words, the exact opposite of what hams do.
When I hear two hams chewing the rag, I find myself thinking, “Please, just stop talking and take your thumb off the mic switch.” It’s not so much what they’re talking about, although that certainly plays into it; lots of recounting what the “XYL” made for dinner and updates on everyone’s prostate woes. I could overlook the content choice if someone, somewhere would just unkey the mic once in while and take a breath.
I know, I know — that’s not what ham radio is for. The ham bands are for conversation more than anything else, at least from the sound of it. I think I might have a better experience if I explore the HF nets that meet regularly in preparation for providing emergency communications in disasters; they might be more my style. Or perhaps the digital modes would suit me better – being able to type brief, content-rich messages and make contacts without any of that pesky talking sounds pretty keen to me.
But as it stands, I’m pretty sure I won’t be hanging around the local 2-meter repeater to make sure everyone knows what I’m getting at the grocery store. I’m glad the local hams have built out the infrastructure to do so, and I’m heartened to know they’re practicing the craft. I just don’t want to talk to them that much.
So, active hams, what part of the craft to you find engaging? I’d love to hear your suggestions for ways I, or anyone else, can make greater use of the license and help keep the hobby fun for new and old hams alike.
You could always have some fun with the old men by giving an on-air prostate glad massage demonstration.
I was licensed in the mid 70’s also. I question why you would get a license, that can only be used on the ham bands, but don’t want to communicate with the only ones that can use those frequencies???
If your interest are not ‘talking’ then try:
Packet radio, either HF, UHF… or satellite – don’t have to talk
FAX, amateurs and commercial transmissions that deal with weather and such are around
There’s also slow/regular scan tv (don’t know what’s happening in the HD realm.)
use the frequencies to share data around the home, low power transmitters and receivers,
moon bounce, of course you’d probably have build some of this…
I have a QSL card from the shuttle when it passed overhead. On VHF up UHF down
Many things are what you make it and this is an endless list…
You never really stated why you got a license? Last shot at getting a girl? I think you just don’t want to talk to people. Hams are no different than any other group of say, 4X4 off roaders, gun aficionados, or gardeners that get together. Some can actually do two (or more) things at one time, such as drive a 4X4 and talk on the radio.
The list doesn’t end and many things that is in use today, especially the higher frequencies came from hams experimentation. This requires little talking as a general rule although you do speak milinialese fluently.
I have to concur, and the experiences described describe me to a “T” but it’s always been thus. In the good old days we had our share of “no lids, no kids” California Killo-watts” on SSB or the lower 15 Khz CW bands and they are still wander the either there like some radio version of Dorian Grey who will not die but just get uglier with time. My own gig is the digital bands and some of the low-power modulation schemes that one can see in “Whisper” net and other high performance digital modes, many of which were borrowed, hacked, and handed and down from NASA’s Deep Space Network protocols and then modified for terrestrial use. You can not literally now work the world in micro watts if you don’t mind one character a minute (or less) digital throughput speeds. Plus all the sub-centimeter bands now opening up and modifying old Motorola router firmware (and souping up the transmission power outputs because your a legal ham and what the heck) to make true cheap (relatively) high speed home-grown IP “last mile” Mesh networks that are independent of the “normal” commercial alternatives. Many of these choices do not require you to chew on rags and offer a lot of ground for a hacker community to play in, you just have to dig a little to find them and be creative when you do.
Introverted Hams (yes we exist) Unite (oh but will we?)
In my years as a ham since ’94 I’ve gone through many phases, but I rarely ever cared much to ragchew except for when I used to have long 2 hour commutes or I’ve had long solo trips across state it has helped to pass the time. Otherwise in recent years about the only ragchewing I may do is talking to 2 long time ham friends one a former neighbor and the other I worked with years ago.
Over those commutes I learned a lot about and met a few life long friends, many that enjoy some of my other hobbies (Motorcycling, Photography, Shooting, Fishing etc)
Like you a prefer the brief exchange of info, straight and to the point. I have found contesting and DXing to be two of the avenues that provide that. The new POTA (Parks on the Air) is fairly new (non contesting) avenue to promote brief 2way conversations. FT8 Digital mode has kept me engaged with amateur radio for a few years now.
Back when I had the time (before grandkids) I participated in ARES, I was in the weekly rotation of net controls and had a about an hour of dedicated mic time once a month.
In recent years some evenings while messing around on the computer I’ll tune across the bands / repeaters and occasionally find a conversation I find interesting, but rarely will I join in.
In many ways I am introverted after a day at work with all of the people I have to interface with I enjoy quiet time.
Dan it’sbeen 6 years since you wrote the comments that have stated this I am curious if yours stance on Amateur radio has changed?
73 Ben – ne5B
Back in the 70s I was a kid, and my dad’s job took us to Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands (that’s Kilo-Whiskey-Alpha-Juliet-Alpha-Lima-Echo-India-Norway). My dad built a Heathkit ham radio set, and I would overhear him talking to strangers on the ham bands at night. I also remember my mother’s displeasure with dad’s hobby (“Why don’t you talk to me instead”). Living there made his QSL cards much desired. He tried to interest my brother and I, but he was unsuccessful. I was told that if I mastered Morse code and the technical test I could eventually work my way up to use VOICE on the ham bands! Wow imagine that motivation for a young kid (not). I quickly got bored and put away the Morse code cassette tapes. There was no use case for this in my life, the phone was infinitely more practical (no one else I knew had a ham license). What do I talk about with strangers on ham radio? If my father’s conversations were a guide, the content was usually centered around a few exciting topics: Where are you located? How good is my signal? Let me tell you about the equipment I have (The model numbers of his equipment are permanently etched in my brain) and lets exchange QSL cards to document this most interesting conversation. Even as a nerdy kid, this seemed pointless to me. (How do I call someone who doesn’t have their radio on?) And now with today’s communications technologies I see Morse code as a quaint relic from the past, and ham radio as something used by those who have no other options available. As a hobby, I just don’t understand the appeal, but if that’s your hobby – It’s fine with me.
–_- –_ _-_- _-_ _-__ ___ –_ _— –_ _– _– _-__
.-.. .. -..
.— ..- … – -.- .. -.. -.. .. -. –. –… …– -..-. —.. —..
It seems those disenchanted with the hobby missed what a hobby is for. If you don’t like it, go back to your video games, ESPN, or Fantasy Football nonsense; none of which will land you a real job in the high six figures. My peers who aspired to be aesthetes or Rhodes scholars are where now? Self-taught, joined the Navy enlisted and came out an officer with a BSEE, advisor to a now deceased Saudi King, and returned to build the DDG 1000, In tell Systems, Radar Systems, various aircraft, and even a new Army gun-sight system … so my hobby of whitening to the Cold War signals, building my own equipment, and now nearing my second retirement as a Principal Engineer for a major global firm, I have more time to chase DX (contests are stupid) and meet some interesting people with an IQ above bean dip. What I have learned is that the Internet controlled and full of bull here has the same problem overseas. Anything these of value is just about suspect to propaganda and liberal bias. And during the recent tornadoes that swept thru Ohio, guess what was up and running when all else was down comm-wise? Not bad for a bunch of old farts. It is not for everyone as it does take a degree of tolerance listening to someone else’s life and value system. But then what are you doing differential in real life with people who talk about the same things only closer? It’s good to keep the grey matter working on antennae and equipment, and just finding out there are people out there just like you who have more going for them than a keyboard or cell phone 24-7.
I’m always amazed to see people who are very smart but not necessarily very deep thinkers.
Haha. You’re misled! All hams do is complain on the airwaves. And scare away younger hams. It’s a grouchy old guy’s hobby.
It’s the people who play video games who have a higher chance of ending up with more disposal income because they get into computer science.
Concur, the local club has those type of nasty guys. I visited the club and was appalled and disgusted how one of the VEs treated this teenager that failed the test by ridiculing him in front of the entire session. This boy was very hurt, and made it clear to his father his disinterest and would not be back to take the test. As a VE myself and having studied hard and taking those tests, I am very compassionate about seeing people being successful, and to those that did not pass, to encourage them to keep studying, keep trying.
Your Gen can’t read the hands of a clock OR use a hand-crank can opener.
I’ve been a Ham since 1973 or 4, I really don’t remember the exact date.(doesn’t really matter anyway) I am also a professional radio technician and have, for as long as I remember, been fascinated by electronics and the magic of radio. However, I view Ham Radio as a means to an end, not so much as an all consuming hobby or lifestyle. I ‘ve done my fair share of projects, done RACES, SAR, nets of all sorts and am in the process of doing more, but I’ve also used the radio as a means to find and get involved in something that catches my interest. Talking to friends who rebuild motorcycles, sail, scuba dive and shoot for their hobbies is only part of the fun. Ham radio gives me a window to the outside world, full of all sorts of really neat interests that have little or nothing to do with electronics or propagation. When I get on H.F. and hop around the bands I’ll find a huge variety of conversations and people with a huge variety of interests. My thing is that noone is going to hand me fulfillment in my life, I’ve got to find that for myself, and that takes putting yourself out to the world and take some bad with the good. Ham Radio is all part of a grand social experiment in humanity and I’d rather jump in than drop out.
I’ve been a ham since 1956, when I was just starting in junior high school, and have met some really interesting people and made many lasting friendships. But, and I guess I share this with the disenchanted ham who made the original post, have worked at avoiding the lids and curmudgeons who hang out on 75 and 40 meter SSB and spend most of their time cussing about how bad the government is, how much they hate folks who aren’t white, and on and on, ad nauseam. No, I don’t give a flip about talking trash with people who make that their main objective in life. But, that said, I’ve never ceased to be amazed at all of the technical areas that amateur radio lets me explore and I continue to be an active operator completely fascinated by the good that the hobby has to offer. I learn something new every time I make a digital or satellite contact, still enjoy the challenge of CW, and also find value in participation in Skywarn, emergency communications activities, and activities like the Maritime Mobile Service Net.
Bravo!
Ham is a tool to use. Nothing more, and sometimes, ALOT less. Skywarn is filled with too many rules and cranky old men who only lurk, not respond.
Like don’t report a bunch of limbs down blocking the road, only a complete tree. WTH. I had an F0 on the ground@ night a 1/4 mile away. Small twister but still dangerous. Silence. Brought it up : the weekly net. Old Fart said “YEAH, I heard ya’ BUT didn’t seem important/didn’t affect me.”. I stated “I rest MY case”
And left the hobby for the next 8 years.
Amen.
Sound like the problem isn’t ham radio or anything else. You simply don’t stick with any interest long enough to benefit from it. That’s particular true of hobbies since there’s no weekly paycheck to keep you going.
“I didn’t stick with ANY interest long enough”? – No need to assume I’m ADD or ADHD. I just didn’t find ham that useful. Several years later I discovered the Apple II in our high school and instantly realized the fun and potential of personal computing. I went on to graduate with a BSEE and a minor in Computer science. I believe it’s important as a kid to drop interests that seem like a dead end (like my other interest in playing baseball). Google search for “The Upside of Quitting” and you’ll find a very interesting podcast episode by the Freakonomics guys. If I would have joined the ham radio club in high school rather than spend my lunch hour in the computer lab programming, I would have missed an early start in the computer revolution. No regrets here.
Hear, hear, I gave up fishing, it seemed like a pointless method of cultivating a survival skill when it was far more efficient to spear them, tickle them, or net them.
Your computer and so-called ,”skills”, won’t mean squat in a SHTF grid-down situation. Companies can hire 3 immigrants to do your “job” cheaper together. ( should’ve went to tech school and learned a real job TRADE)
ANYWAY, what was said about you is ALL true. You wanted a kick-back button-pusher position. You lack dedication and discipline.
I have been licenced for about 25 years , first with a UK class B licence (VHF and up), then progressing to full licence (12wpm CW test).
Since then, the requirement for a Morse test for access to the HF bands has been relaxed, and the two-stage licencing has been replaced with three (Foundation, Intermediate, & Full).
This has opened up the hobby, and allows people with very limited prior knowledge to progress to whatever level they like, at a speed they are comfortable with. I believe this is lowering the average age of Amateurs in the UK.
At Foundation level, emphasis is given to good operating practices.
My Interests currently include APRS, HF DXing (I currently can only operate mobile), and RAYNET.
The hobby for me is all about self-training: trying new digital modes, better voice procedures for emergency Comms, using the bands we’ve been allocated, building kit where necessary.
Not everything will appeal to everyone, but there’s plenty of scope to find a style of contact you can relate to.
The Hobby isn’t dead yet: the influx of young licencees can only be good, and new technologies such as the Raspberry Pi and Arduino are encouraging experimentation with electronics (with some crossover into radio).
My suggestion to hams that don’t actually care much for rag chewing (this includes myself), is to give WSPR a shot. I used to love seeing how far my meager 5W or less signal could go and how many countries it could be heard in, while simultaneously listening to see how many other hams around the world I could receive.
My record was being heard in Perth, Australia on 2.5W, while hearing his signal strongly here in New Hampshire.
I’ve been off HF since moving, but I’m looking at ways to get back on sometime soon.
Take a look at contesting and/or DXing. The QSOs are extremely short and you’re moving on to the next one, while adding a level of competitiveness to it. I’ve always hated rag chewing. It was probably because I got licensed as a kid, and most of the rest of the ham world was old men (especially by a 12 year old’s standards). As I’m not one of those “old men” I still hate having full conversations with them over the radio. I’ll sit and chat with them at the club meetings and stuff, but not on the radio. I contest, that is my focus. In between contests, I work DX contacts, most of which are short like contest exchanges.
My problem is finding people with similar interests to mine to talk to on the bands (SDR/FPGA/RTOS) so I am pretty much an Internet only Ham now. When talking to people face to face I try to gauge their level of knowledge and aim my responses at a level they can understand but I have come to the conclusion that most people are simply not interested in anything the least bit technical. I also find it difficult to understand people that are doing exactly the same thing now that there were doing 40 years ago when they first got their licences. I guess I just live in a different world from them.
Dan Maloney, you didn’t post your Callsign, so I don’t know where you live.
However, have you tried volunteering for Public Service in your community, so that you can put your Ham Skills and Equipment to good use?
I’m not much of a fan of “just talking” on the radio either, though when I’m driving between appointments in the Seattle area, I do engage in fairly short conversations with some of my team-members and friends in the area.
ARES/RACES/ACS is a lot more meaningful and rewarding that “just being a Ham”, and, in fact, that’s why we’re given all of these bands, modes, and goodies to play with and learn how to use.
I receive a great deal of Validation and Pleasure, from putting my skills to work for the Seattle Office of Emergency Management via SeattleACS.org
I also volunteer with the Western Washington Medical Services Team (WW7MST.org) and the Seattle Red Cross Comm Team.
Bill Thomassen
N6NBN
Seattle Washington
I also am a ham who finds little social reason to attract me to the airwaves. I am amazes at how boring the average ham is. I’d love to play chess, hear news read, etc. – something to hold my interest, and also at the same time engage in my hobby. In the absence of these things, it’s kind of pointless for me. Cell phones and the internet have been such stiff competition that unless something really interesting is happening on air, there’s no reason beyond emergency preparedness and general technical interest to make it worth the effort. I can get almost all the technical stimulation I need doing things on my own and fairly cheaply, without taking a test. There needs to be something extra to make ham activities worth the effort. Now you might say, well then, “You should be the one to initiate it.” I have tried, and failed. I don’t know that that’s an indictment of the field – it might be my fault.
I sympathize. I got my General Class license about 40 years ago and only had about a year of activity, then lost interest. I mean, I like electronics and antennas and talking about them but doing it on ham radio became so tedious.
Dan,
Your story reads much like that of my own. Started young build Shortwave Receivers, was seven years old when I built my first Crystal Set. Worked in high tech and have watched the minicomputer evolve to the micro and now to the smart phones and wearable. I have restored Heath kits, Drakes, Nationals, love the tube rigs, but I don’t like to talk, rather I marvel at the magic of radio that brought us the broadcast age and now the age of the internet.
I’ve been to the ham-fests, local club meetings, yawn… unless you happen to get a couple of the members that goof on radio and are not predisposed to flapping their jaws it can be difficult to get passionate about it – unless you like jaw flapping. I find much stimulating and down right fun in the digital side of it all. I’ve found a few others who enjoy the digital side of ham. We refer to ourselves as the digital guys and work projects like, local mesh networks, SDR, APRS, Satellite… AMSAT is a real kick and the organization has volunteer opportunities toward launching Satellites. And I have become the local Search and Rescue Radio Communication “goto guy” lots of fun and its a nice feel good to put both my mountaineering skills and radio communication skills to practical use.
..that’s my shot at inspiration anyway.
Find a new club!
Here in Orange County California we’ve got tons of those “1 repeater WIN system talk about cats for hours clubs” AND a handful of really great clubs that work digital modes, satellites, experiment, build, make, and discover. Where the average age is still pretty high, but it’s full of smart Elmers that you count on to know the best MOSFET to use for your power circuit off the top of their head, and can lend you a 1 kilowatt amp for “testing stuff”. I too tend to stay off the repeaters, but I’m out at special events, field day, and meetups throughout the year!
I learned a while ago that no one wanted to talk to a 2×3 on 20M.
Also consider volunteering at a: Parade, Bicycle Race, Marathon, Car Rally, etc. You usually get front row seats to the action and you get to use your license and equipment.
If you’re looking for a new challenge try SOTA (Summits on the Air). Basically it’s ham radio + hiking. It’s my excuse to get out of the house /and/ use my radio.
https://faradayrf.com!
For people who claim they don’t like to Rag Chew sure seems like a lot on this Blog. My only gripe is the 2 meter big mouth who thinks he is the Ham Police here and thinks he is in charge of local repeater.
This article describes me to a tee… I had been a wanna-be ham since high school in the late 60s, but like the author of the article, found that 16 y/o girls and ham radio didn’t work well together.. So fast forward to 1976, about 10 years after high school, I got the bug again, and passed the tech test and got WA6QNW. I played on 2m for a while, but again, like the author, was bored to tears by the inane conversations on the local repeaters. So I kinda went inactive for a while. In the meantime, I left the Army and got a good job as an electronics tech with a large government contractor. Fast forward again, to 1998, when after changing jobs from an electronics tech to a computer systems admin, and the FCC dropping the code requirement, and since I’d passed (barely) a 5wpm code test waaay back in 1976, I decided to go and get the General license and give HF a try.. The VEC suggested I try the Extra test just for grins, as it would cost the same fee for a “paperwork” General or an Extra. So I figured, what the heck!! Totally blew me away when they told me I’d passed.. So now, I have ALL the ham bands to play in… wooohooo.. Got me a cheap HF rig and put up an antenna.. Sigh.. Same issues as earlier.. inane conversations, old farts (like me) talking about their ailments, and I never figured out the allure of contesting or collecting QSL cards.. Where I found my niche was building stuff and putting it on the air, and getting into EMCOMM (Emergency Communications). Back in the 90s, when I still lived in San Diego, I got involved with ARES/RACES and found my place in ham radio..
I build Arduino digital mode endecoders and real soon now, some Pocket CHIP and probably Raspberry Pi versions. My interest in QRP as a prep motivates me to keep on trucking. I made contacts outside the U.S. from Nevada (to Rome, Germany, and Canada) using 5 watts and an indoor Miracle whip antenna using PSK31 (on 10 and 20 meters). I’m also interested in making an automated, portable and cheap Morse transceiver so Technician licensees can play. It would double the number of eligible users due to the CW rules. Useful for emergencies, too. Ragchewing on digital is only so annoying.
Well you’ve run into what we euphemistically call the Geritol Net. Around here it’s a bit of that, a bit of political inanity, and yes food talk. It’s all good natured stuff. The political can be a bit nerve wracking because I’m left liberal and have a way of shredding the shit out of people verbally.
I hear ya . . . but I’m Deaf so I don’t “literally” have to hear them. Comes in handy sometimes (Smile). (KE0EBP)
When I had a radio in the car, and spoke to some ham somewhere else in the world…. My XYL would ask me why I liked to talk to strangers when I could talk to her instead? Hmm…
Could be worse. My Ex used to refer to my radios as my mistress . . . (connect the dots).
Is HAM a tool for you or a destination?
I’ve been a ham since 1977 so that’s what…. coming up on 40 years. I’ve done a little bit of almost everything you can do with a ham license in that time. Almost. I agree, the state of QSOs are miserable. But I don’t get on the air much anymore either. When I do it is almost always PSK or some other digital mode.
When I first heard about SSTV years ago, I thought it would be cool to talk to someone and say, “Oh, here’s a picture of my dog” or something. But that’s not how it works. Everyone camps on one frequency and sends little graphics out. A year or two ago I was on one of the odd digital modes that allows for slow picture transfer. And I had the QSO I always wanted. I “talked” (well typed) to another ham for about 90 minutes. We’d be talking about stuff and we’d send pictures to each other to punctuate it. Here’s my shack. We talked hobbies and cars and pictures went along with it all. Very cool. One time in 40 years ;-)
I think of a ham license as a membership to a country club. I have it, but it isn’t to play golf. It is to hang out at the club and network with the other members. I do a lot of work with schools and often use ham radio as an entree into that. I will grant you having your ticket doesn’t have as much street cred as it used to but in certain circles it is still at least a mild form of recognition that you have something going on.
Oh, I also wrote PSKGNR which was heavily used back in the dawn of PSK31. That was a blast then having QSOs with people who were using my software. I would get little mini-pileups of people waiting to say hello. That was fun.
Besides, Dan, Hackaday is a harsh mistress. Neither of us have time to be on the air. Back to work!
73 de WD5GNR
Dan:
TRY QRP!
Have you tried JT9/JT65, WSPR, or QRSS?
The QRP folks are a very different bunch. Also, many enjoy using ham as an excuse to visit the top of mountains with low-power, lightweight radio equipment.
I think JT9, in particular, is amazing. Specific QSOs are made with an absolute *minimum* of communication. WSPR doesn’t even require a conversation. People track balloon flight with WSPR. It’s just… cool.
QRSS, to me, is absolutely amazing. Incredibly low power, very long distances.
I haven’t gotten my license yet because I have so much fun just /listening/ and learning about obscure digital modes.
Heck, now you don’t even need a HAM radio, per-say, to listen. You can fire up WebSDR, route the audio through “Virtual Audio Cable” or another piece of software (`pulseaudio`) if you’re a Linux nerd…
My license is going to be my Christmas present, and I’m a younger guy. I think software defined radio has made ham incredibly exciting.
If some want to rag-chew, fine. That might be nice once in a while.
I’d rather overcome engineering hurdles.
73,
-Jeff (SWLW7)
Try contesting. Rapid-fire exchanges are the norm. The emphasis is on speed and accuracy. Also try computer sound card digital modes, like PSK31. No talking required!
Like you, I tinkered with ham radio in my early teens. I couldn’t get my head wrapped around code. My Dad was a drop/gunner in the 15th AF in WWII told me that some people just can’t do code. Girls and cars attracted my interest. Years later after heart surgery, my wife suggested that I get back in SQL. I discovered that code was no longer required. I passed my Tech and General on the same day. Since then I wondered if it was worth the effort. On 80 meters the good old boys would crew away and ignore any participation. And right wing red neck! Wow! Cussing out “that N***** President”. I went to the local ham club and was asked not for my ticket but political affiliation. I was the wrong one. I sat down for coffee and most left. Later at another ham club, the whole focus was on the tower. Anything other than 2 meter was ignored. No ARES, Skyward nothing. I’ve off most of my gear and get listen, occasionally making contact. It’s a disappointment and a pathetic shadow of a vital hobby.
I got interested in Ham radios by building a few QRP transmitters (Michigan Mighty Mite, Rockmite,) and antenna tuners and rf probes and such. Then got my technician certificate but then came back to China where I can’t legally transmit. But still am learning Morse Code cause when I go deaf and blind I will still be able to ask someone to turn me over.
Morse is interesting in itself and very satisfying to do. 73 KE8BSH
and dumb but some say I already got there.
Thank you, Dan and Commentsrs, for expressing everything I’ve felt about the hobby.
Cool. Agreed. I was in it because of CW and where else is that? Truly, my fun QSOs were about NOT ham radio. Like maybe engines. Or their latest RC build, or RDF foxhunt having jogged 5 miles and what shoes? New Balance, Nike, ASICS, Brooks? Teva? Or it was about what happened when he loaded up a chainlink fence. Finding out on the next round I am learning this via 4W to a homebrew tuner, 600 ohm windowline, riveted to his bonded metal gutters, NVIS (7Mhz) and his signal is a real 569 to 579. That’s fun. Or I’m hearing his goat trail buddies are feeling antsy but he’s not ready to put the Buddipole away just yet. Even though it’s 17F and he’s at 5200 feet on a mountain top and his paddle fingers are numb. Or maybe a 2m CW QSO that lasted 2 minutes is exciting, coast to coast via meteor scatter. Or an AMSAT QSO would be cool, too! These days I bet it’s even harder to find an intersting such QSO on CW at conversational speed. But I hope not. Okay feeling the urge to get my license back AGAIN. I appreciate this article. I really have often felt the same way. RST, name, QTH, RIG, what was eaten, what will be eaten next- boring. 75m phone though, often so much modulation is used in saying mostly nothing. I get how one can loose interest given the banality of most rag chews and the personalities of those who sit at the mic for hours and hours and not much more besides eating and visiting their cardiologist. No goal except to be loud, be wide, while saying mostly nothing. G however, I have found lots of interesting people on the bands, and monitored some great conversations on 2m, and even sometimes on 75 and some on 160. Okay. This article has somehow reverse psychologized some sort of rekindled interest. Perhaps I’ll reobtain my license sooner than I imagined.
72 73!
ex NT4XT, +several other call signs
Darin, I can commserate with you on the actual boring parts of ham radio, yet my -lifetime- interest has taken me more places than I’d ever dreamed. My experience lately was with “Hurricane Harvey”, which has idled me quite badly. I’m not “young” anymore, now past 75 years, yet the 60 years of licensing has been far from boring.
To my surprise, with not much contact with anyone, I find a new world of digital control, communications, et all, that keeps my interest up. Just reading “new specks” of our radio gear can get so wierd that I wonder what planet we’re on! Lots to learn, gear to obtain, “old” rigs to set up for today’s world. Quite glad for learning science, with digital school in the Air Force during the quite early days…. fascinating!
Never say never about anything, you will have to learn/relearn a whole new sertup!
Good luck from an “aged ham” who has to redo a lot, from the base. ’73s, from Gil WA5YKK
If readers are interested in tactical-mode comms with brevity and clarity in mind, consider getting involved with ARES and work some congested events. There are some skilled net controllers out there that might impress you. Furthermore, it sounds like Mr. Maloney might have some skills of his own to offer the community: his experience with operation of critical service nets would be useful to others wanting to help but not having a model to follow. During a crisis or civil emergency, people with these skills can be supremely valuable to society. Just be sure that you have practiced with your equipment and know the teams you might be asked to work with so you actually have something to offer. This doesn’t require you to get on the air every day and yammer out conversations you don’t want to have – just work a few events in your area.
+1. I took passed all three exams in 60 minutes several years ago and have yet to get on the air. I bought an R-75 to listen to HF but my plans to get an antenna up are continually derailed by work issues–when you work for yourself, the job is never done. I guess I just have to find something interesting that requires ham radio skills (or licenses). HAB, rocketry, and beacons come to mind, but until I have the time, I’ll just lurk.
73,
AF7HH
Hi,
I’m ON4LOL – Maarten from Belgium and I got my license at the age of 18. I’m 32 at the moment and I still love my hobby.
HAM is a beautiful hobby but it’s dying. Young people don’t see the magic of operating a rig and communication to the other side of the world. They are so used to smartphones and the internet that they find it obvious that you can talk to somebody 1000 miles away. It is very difficult to get young people interested but we can not stop trying. Whenever there is a big disaster, hams are there to help to rebuild the communication and get things going again.
The hobby is so versatile and you don’t need to be interested in everything. Just do what you like. You can just talk to people, do contesting, activate castles – mills – mountains – fauna & flora, foxhunting (ARDF), APRS (tracking), communicate over satellite, high altitude ballooning, amateur television (analog or digital), homebrew, (extreme) low power transmission, CW, digital modes, microwaves, DX, …. There is so much you can do.
Because youngsters are scares we have introduced “December YOTA month” in Europe. During the whole month, youngsters will come out with a special event call. the goal is to get them more active and attract other hams to join us next year with some youngsters.
There is also an award for the hunter among you.
I hope you find something you do like in the hobby and I hope you share your knowledge and hobby with your kids, neighbors, boyscouts, … so this hobby can stay alive.
more info: http://www.ham-yota.com/december-yota-month/
Hope to see you on the airwaves
73
ON4LOL
You might enjoy the CW side of the hobby. No talking, just beeps…
http://www.hamradioqrp.com/p/learn-morse-code.html
I have a very similar “career path”, but have found the opposite situation.
On VHF/UHF, very few hams seem to have even mediocre conversational skills. You can throw out three topics and get a curt “copy that” in response.
On HF, I’ve always found it to be about 20% rag-chew and 80% brief, meaningless contacts — the Three Minute QSO. Weather, rig, location and then it’s off in a rush to find another meaningless contact. And those rag-chews that exist get pretty cliquish.
Want to talk to strangers about nothing, use a cell phone and dial random numbers. You will be told to F*&%#$ off and rightly so unless you manage to snag a ham operator. Then watch your phone minutes vanish as you babble about the mundane and boring trivia of technology and life of the lonely.
I feel the same way. I find phone annoying, excruciating in fact, unless I’m talking with a local friend, and even then I’d prefer to talk with them on the telephone. But if you like brief and/or efficient transmissions without all the BS of voice QSOs, I’d strongly encourage you to take up CW. With CW it’s too much work to talk about laxatives and medical procedures. It’s a bit of an art, too. I took up CW about 15 years ago after exclusively doing phone since I was licensed 20 years prior. I’ve also found another way to enjoy amateur radio more, without getting on the air. I write open source Arduino code so that others can use it to automate their stations.
I could have written this word for word. I’ll add my own .02 — I’ve been an EMT, a volunteer firefighter and a volunteer deputy sheriff. One of the most irritating and teeth-gritting experiences I’ve had was listening to a few members of the “Communications Posse” in Phoenix under then Sheriff Joe Arpaio for Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. These guys almost gave the rest of us coronary seizures.
Why?
Because to communicate with dispatch meant, as the OP said, quick, meaningful transmissions. Why? Because some other deputy may need the air. Some other deputy might be in a world of hurt and your crespecular olde farte Ham was chewing on the bare remnant of that tattered rag explaining to dispatch where he is and who he’s with and why they’re out helping some poor hapless civilian change the tire on a VW, in the spoken equivalent of 5WPM morse code.
I dreamt of arresting one of them. It was a happy thought.
Step awaaayyy from the microphone.
One-watt cw with my Heath HW-8 and PAR EF-20 Doesn’t land many QSOs lately But, it is fun to see if any one on the RBN picks me up. Gives me the opportunity to use my 1920’s Western Electric 2000 ohm phones, too. Nearly 40 years amateur and ex-op USAF before that. I never cared for chat and my present ops suits me fine.
Ham radio is whatever you want to make it be, just like life. If you don’t like a particular aspect of the hobby, like ragchewing, just don’t do it. There are so many other facets to ham radio (again, just like life …). You can just try out something else that you might find interesting, such as digital modes, weak signal VHF/UHF/microwaves, satellites, amateur TV, contesting, building, public service, volunteer exams, teaching others what you have learned, EME, and so much more. In the end, if you find nothing else fun to do with ham radio, then move along to something else.
Oh yes! This article definitely strikes a chord with me here in G-land.
Hey Dan
if you like hill/mountain walking consider trying SOTA – Summits on the Air
There are hams taking to the hills every day all over the world with their /p stations
See the alerts and spots on Sota Watch
http://www.sotawatch.org/
You will soon get a pile up, no rag chews, just an exchange of details and onto the next contact.
It can be quite satisfying and another excuse to get out in the fresh air
vy 73 de Emyr 2W0MWM
Well i can see there are plenty of comments, but I dont feel like reading them all. (Un-keys mic. Takes a breath) I’ve had my ticket for 11 months now and really dont talk on the air much, but through my participation and curiosity in things ham, i was awarded our local ARES Ham of the Year. My current projects (thus suggestions) include SDR, Hitting birds (AMSAT), packet radio, Digital (FLDIGI), public service (ARES/RACES), and HAB (high altitude ballooning/near space). Most of these have probably been suggested already, but my caveat to them is that I am trying to do them all with a raspberry pi. Hope you find something that fits.
Respectfully comparing Public Safety/Service and./or LMR traffic to Amateur Radio traffic is an exercise in comparing apples to Oranges; the former is workaday communications, the latter a leisure time activity for the majority of the time. My interest in electronically as well as considering a career in broadcasting as a Station engineer and or a LMR tech let me to Amateur radio as a learning ground. While there are many who become Amateur Radio operators to speak or otherwise communicate with other persons of all make and models, to state the obvious how engaging and mundane the conversations are depends on those holding the conversation. Traffic on the various amateur radio telephony bands was Facebook like, long before Facebook existed, with many amateurs forgetting Amateur radio is one big party line system. I have no recollection as to how quickly it occurred threads on the world wide PBBS usenet like verbal free for all brawls. As with all leisure time activities one is free to make it their own,ignoring any criticisms. I know one ham who made a point of identifying what foreign countries with who is likely to make contact with, and writing to the US embassy of those countries requesting information. That way if he makes a contact with a ham in that country he can open that file and be prepared to learn more about that person he is speaking to. I70 is local to several are repeaters. Because I was at work I only answered calls from travelers only if they where requesting assistance. There was a day I had to ignore a general call, but another ham driving his farm tractor in circles answered it The traveler turn out to be Steve Roberts of BEHEMOTH http://microship.com fame, on his way to to the Dayton Hamvention to give a presentation. That was an interesting conversation to monitor. My guess is those listening in got more details about Steve and his travels that weren’t included in the official presentation, as Roberts was giving his undivided attention to one person and their questions. IMO current and prospective hams aren’t doing themselves any favors if the dismiss any ham activity out of hand. Not saying to go full bore into everything, just give everything a fair study.
73
The hobby is getting watered down. Xmit licenses are all that count now. EME used to be the thing. Is it going to become ESE? EJE? EUE? EPE?
We gotta have a place to go with this stuff or it’s gonna be legislated to cease.
Translations: Earth-Saturn-Earth. Earth-Jupiter-Earth. Earth-Uranus-Earth. Earth-Pluto-Earth.
C’mon! Where are we going?
Open Forum…. hackaday pls allow.
Ham Radio represents different things to different people. As many have said before me there are many ways to communicate with this hobby. No one person is right or wrong. Some just do EmComm while others like to chew the fat about their latest purchase. Bottom line is make it what you like and use it accordingly.
Well said. Here Here.
I agree. As an introvert, ham radio is not about rag chewing. It is about theory and circuits and learning CW. It also connects to the physical world of ionospheres and distant lands. Currently my passion is WSPR modes where I look for open bands on the net, fire up the low power beacon and then search google earth to see where my signal lands. Last couple of days Fenwren Atol in the south pacific has been trading signals with my station from 16000 km away on 80m. No rag chewing involved, just the wonder of it all. KB3EOF
Dan, give contesting a go. It sounds more up your alley. There are also other things you might enjoy because of the brevity of the exchanges, SOTA, WWFF, IOTA, chasing DX. Most of these exchanges are YourCall 59 thanks 73. Thats it, no dinner menus, no rambling on about health problems and angry white men privilege. Just an exchange of signal reports and nothing more.
73, best of luck
Discussions on air should only be about the technical aspects of radio. You are right, mention of recipes and medical problems by contrast have no place on the Amateur Radio bands.
Those discussions sound so much better than.. “Testing… Testing…. Can you hear me?”. There isn’t a lot to say otherwise. 5×5?
Just keep that radio working…
I recommend a review of the FCC rules part 97 for you my friend. The technical aspects of ham radio is only ONE of the reasons it even exists.
Ragchewing is essential to emergency communications. Which do you think will be of use in a natural disaster — a station that is well-maintained for daily, long-winded QSO’s or one that is stored away in the attic because the licensee put it on the air once and became bored by amateur-radio communications?
I disagree. I am involved in two ARES groups, an Official Emergency Station for the state, an ARRL registered instructor and Mentor, and an ARES EC in two teams. I NEVER ragchew. My station gets plenty of air time with drills, exercises, weekly emergency nets, public service events, parades, marathons and on and on. Which is going to be better in an emergency, a person who doesn’t know ICS, any protocols, isn’t trained in Emergency communications, has never been in an EOC let alone worked an emergency net or been a net control or an educated, well practiced emergency communicator. I’m not against rag chewing but let’s be real, if you aren’t trained, practiced and certified in ARES or one of the other emergency communications groups, you won’t even be let into an EOC to do emergency communications.
I didn’t see the point to being a ham either, looked like just talking a lot… so Uncle Kenny, uniquely qualified and educated on just this subject, explained to me his view on the subject. The Govt supports HAM’s through education, testing, certifications, licensing, standards, plus sets aside valuable bandwidth to play within and has even launches satellites for Ham’s to play with… because through individuals it builds a technically strong backbone that survives and operates in all manner of disasters. It gives this nation a strategic and widely dispersed surety of communications that time and time again is pressed into service when emergencies cut normal communications lines. Major Federal, State, and County entities do maintain ham rigs and licensed staff for those times.
It’s a nice hobby, but more than a hobby.
Uncle Kenny is President of this state’s Society of Broadcast Engineers, and at one time or another was the Broadcast Engineer of Record for just about every Radio and TV transmitter in the lower half of this state. Age and health are taking him. Last time we spoke he expressed astonishment at what we have available and can accomplish today.
Thank you for your service.