- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 83
Warning, this is a long frustrated rant..
I got my ham license almost 4 years ago, got the Canadian Basic+ so I had HF privileges from the start, a year later went to Advanced, more for bragging rites so to speak and thinking I'd be more accepted by the locals, which I never really have felt like part of the group.
I first decided to to go after my ham license after posting on here 4 years ago (http://forums.radioreference.com/cb-radio-forum/170581-getting-cb-again-maybe.html ) asking if CB's were still used much, because I had seen a show on TV about using CB in a disaster ("Apocalypse Man" on History channel) and it was suggested that I skip CB and go ham, which I did.
I wanted to get involved with emergency comms and the like. But was stoned walled by the local ARES head for 2 years til I just stopped even trying to join ARES at all. For some reason he just did want to be bothered with me. I once seen him in the grocery store and head just turned and walked off on me. Which never made sense to me since I had a long standing history in security work and experience and training in handling emergencies, even put a guy on fire out once.
Even after giving up joining ARES I keep checking in to most of the repeater nets and even simplex nets. But noticed I was never getting invited to o places with the others. Like when a bunch would go to a ham fests together and so on.
Now in my late 40s, I haven't worked for 3 years due to stress/depression/etc problems my doc put me on the disabled list permanently. I have talked about it on the air a few times, and noticed after that less people seemed to want to talk to me. No, I don't act strange or talk weird on the air. Never said anything out of way, no worse then anybody else talking about a health problem.
And at this point, I don't see it being any good for me listen to some wind bags bragging about all the expensive things the are buying and doing. As I type this I have on a net and one guy was talking about getting a generator for his house, that it was "inexpensive".. "only about $6000"... That's more then I paid for my last 2 cars combined.
And I know I just don't fit in with these people being on assistance, and basically broke.
Ok, this is a rant, I could go on.. and on.. I like the tech of the radios, but I don't fit in with them.. I haven't been on the air for a month+ now, and have listened to some of the nets and never once heard anybody notice I'm gone for nets I was on constantly before.
Part of me wants to keep at it, but it's frustrating, depressing trying to fit where I don't. So do I just pack it in and ebay everything.. or what.. Maybe just get a new scanner and go back to just listen to trains and fire calls on it.. I just don't know what to think about it. Right now I've programed my Yaesu VHF radio to trains and a few old police frequencies and using it as a scanner more then for ham. Only a few have been outright give me the brush off rude to me, some are "polite" but I just don't feel accepted as being part of the group..
I have HF as well, but being in an apartment have a very limited antenna and pretty much only do JT65 digital mode on HF now since it doesn't need big power. But it's not that exciting except when I pick of a DX contact, and I have worked most US states and about 60 counties using a piece of speaker wire stretched across my balcony for 20 meters.
ok, I'll wrap this rant for now.. I don't mean to offend anybody, just had to babble out loud about it..
I got my ham license almost 4 years ago, got the Canadian Basic+ so I had HF privileges from the start, a year later went to Advanced, more for bragging rites so to speak and thinking I'd be more accepted by the locals, which I never really have felt like part of the group.
I first decided to to go after my ham license after posting on here 4 years ago (http://forums.radioreference.com/cb-radio-forum/170581-getting-cb-again-maybe.html ) asking if CB's were still used much, because I had seen a show on TV about using CB in a disaster ("Apocalypse Man" on History channel) and it was suggested that I skip CB and go ham, which I did.
I wanted to get involved with emergency comms and the like. But was stoned walled by the local ARES head for 2 years til I just stopped even trying to join ARES at all. For some reason he just did want to be bothered with me. I once seen him in the grocery store and head just turned and walked off on me. Which never made sense to me since I had a long standing history in security work and experience and training in handling emergencies, even put a guy on fire out once.
Even after giving up joining ARES I keep checking in to most of the repeater nets and even simplex nets. But noticed I was never getting invited to o places with the others. Like when a bunch would go to a ham fests together and so on.
Now in my late 40s, I haven't worked for 3 years due to stress/depression/etc problems my doc put me on the disabled list permanently. I have talked about it on the air a few times, and noticed after that less people seemed to want to talk to me. No, I don't act strange or talk weird on the air. Never said anything out of way, no worse then anybody else talking about a health problem.
And at this point, I don't see it being any good for me listen to some wind bags bragging about all the expensive things the are buying and doing. As I type this I have on a net and one guy was talking about getting a generator for his house, that it was "inexpensive".. "only about $6000"... That's more then I paid for my last 2 cars combined.
And I know I just don't fit in with these people being on assistance, and basically broke.
Ok, this is a rant, I could go on.. and on.. I like the tech of the radios, but I don't fit in with them.. I haven't been on the air for a month+ now, and have listened to some of the nets and never once heard anybody notice I'm gone for nets I was on constantly before.
Part of me wants to keep at it, but it's frustrating, depressing trying to fit where I don't. So do I just pack it in and ebay everything.. or what.. Maybe just get a new scanner and go back to just listen to trains and fire calls on it.. I just don't know what to think about it. Right now I've programed my Yaesu VHF radio to trains and a few old police frequencies and using it as a scanner more then for ham. Only a few have been outright give me the brush off rude to me, some are "polite" but I just don't feel accepted as being part of the group..
I have HF as well, but being in an apartment have a very limited antenna and pretty much only do JT65 digital mode on HF now since it doesn't need big power. But it's not that exciting except when I pick of a DX contact, and I have worked most US states and about 60 counties using a piece of speaker wire stretched across my balcony for 20 meters.
ok, I'll wrap this rant for now.. I don't mean to offend anybody, just had to babble out loud about it..