Truthfulness -- and trends in Ham Radio

[AK9R]

Folks, while I get the sense that the OP has a tough skin, let's be careful about the labels you use to describe him. In any debate among reasonable people, the participants should attack the idea, not the person.

And, give the call-outs for spelling errors a break. Unless, of course, you are a 100% purfek spelur yourself.

 

[K7MEM]

Well, I don't want Bill to be the only one with with 50 years of amateur radio behind them in this discussion. Although I completely disagree with him on almost every point. I have watched all the same changes Bill has. But I see them to be for the good. The word that keeps coming up in all the posts is "hobby" but no one seems to really mean it. There were enough thing that I had to know, and had to do, with my work. I don't want a million restrictions on my "hobby".

When I first received my Novice license (1965), it was only good for one year and was non-renewable. It was either upgrade or your out. What kind of "welcome to the hobby" was that? So I upgraded to Technician. But they said "Sorry, that wasn't the upgrade we meant, so you lose all low band privileges". Granted, the low band privileges weren't great, but in what kind of world do you lose privileges when you upgrade. Yes, they then start pointing out that the Tech license was meant for something else. Well then, why was it in our upgrade path? Who exactly was the Technician license class for? I guess they realized that because within a few years, that was changed.

Well, I had a great time on 2 Meters AM anyway. But like most people, life got in the way (school, work, kids, etc..) and I let it expire. But a few years later I decided to try things again and retested for my Novice ticket. It was renewable and had privileges that worked for me. At the time I was living in Germany working as a contractor for the Air Force. That Novice license allowed me to get a German Class A reciprocal license. So I ran for several years as DA2EU and had a great time. I only had CW equipment, while I was there, so that's what I did.

When I finally returned to the US, I really didn't need any license, other the Novice. So I kept it and worked with it for a few more years. Then I started hearing about the changes. There was lots and lots of discussion about the pros and cons the changes. The big change in the air was reducing or dropping the Morse code requirements. I was sadden to see this coming, but I thought it was necessary and was convinced it was a good thing and that it was going to happen.

However, the Amateur Radio I knew had five written tests and three Morse code tests and I didn't want the changes to happen without experiencing them all. So as a personal goal, in 1999, I decided to get my Extra. I had been a design engineer for many years by that time, so I wasn't worried about the written tests. But because of the sheer number of questions, I did separate things into two test sessions. In January of that year, I paid my $8.50, took the Tech and General written tests, and 13 WPM Morse test. I walked out a General. Due to work requirements, I had to wait a bit for my second try. Six months later I again paid my $8.50, took the Advanced and Extra written tests, and 20 WPM Morse test. I walked out an Extra class licensee. Was there anything wrong with going from Novice to Extra in six months? Of course not. I already had 30 years of amateur radio behind me. It was my personal goal and I made it.

But in the end, I don't stay squirreled away on the lower 25 KHz of all the bands. I go right to the Novice bands. However, sometimes I do plug in a microphone.

The point is, it's a hobby. Nothing more, nothing less. It is what you make it to be. Stop living in the past, which isn't going to change, and start enjoying yourself.

 

[Jimru]

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAM RADIO WAS BEFORE IT WASN'T - WHEN THE HOBBY WAS DESTROYED BY THE CHARLESTONS ON THE ONE HAND AND BY THE "GIVE EVERYONE A TROPHY" ON THE OTHER.



Dude, before you go on your killing spree remember it's "CHARLATANS" not "CHARLESTONS".

Auto spell check error, I reckon!

 

[jhooten]

K7MEM,

I have had more interesting and enjoyable conversations between 28.3 and 28.5 than all the other bands put together.

(I am assuming that the members have a clue what that band segment is.)

 

[mm]

Saying cw and ham radio is dead only because you choose to operate as you do has no merit.

You either adapt, even learn older solid proven modes and new modes or you fade away, but there is no reason to limit yourself to only new modes of operation either, and this also applies to CW which is still very popular even with many ex no coders.

At times of low sunspot activity the most popular dx band is steadily becoming 6 meters, more HF and even bored 2 meter FM ops are coming up and using 6 meters because of the need for only small antennas and the 6 meter activity never seems to decrease.

I can make dx contacts on 6 meters all times of the year when all other bands are suffering from some type of SID (sudden ionispheric disturbance).

To make that really rare contact from the Northwest states to Africa, Asia or the south pacific on 6 many times requires using CW or even more rarer some kind of digital mode but CW is still the main dx mode on 6 meters.

A very fun 6 meter mode is Auroral E's and voice and digital modes just do not work as reliable as good old CW but for single antenna moonbounce on 6 meters digital is king.

If I didn't know cw from back in the 1970's then I would never have worked EA8DBM, FK8CP, ZL1RS numerous japanese and Australian station on 6 meter using CW whereas ssb was not useable with many of these stations.

I know many new ex codeless hf and 2 meter ops who migrated to 50 MHZ because the inability to put up large HF antennas nd in the time frame of under one year the were able to teach themselves CW as a necessity, and fun, of operating this band.

On the other end of the spectrum many of the same 6 meter ops also operate 6 meter JT65 for moonbounce using single yagi antennas and also many of us use DMR and P25 voice on VHF and UHF, so there are still many of us who use all available modes, new and old as required.

 

[jhooten]

RDCV of this thread: My version of amateur radio is the only valid version of amateur radio and if you don't do it my way you are not a real ham.

 

[MTS2000des]

if the O/P spent more time looking at himself and asking, "what I have done for ham radio" versus "what has ham radio done for me" maybe they would see what their true issues lie: within thy self.

It's easy to point the finger at no-code, question pools, generation gaps etc but at the end of the day, one only gets out of something what one invests.

The one thing I have noticed about ham radio being in it 30 years since age 9 is that hams are our own worst enemies. We choose to be elitist, separatist snobs then complain that "the hobby is dying" and blame it on anyone and everyone else. We can all be some of the most selfish, arrogant people on the planet and then cry and whine why no one wants to play in our sandbox, why repeaters are devoid of activity, or that HF bands are only full of drunk CBers playing radio hero having turf wars.

After reading the ramblings of the O/P, if I were a prospective ham, I would certainly say "check please" and go back to Facebook, InstaGram and all the other modern ways people nnow spend hours a day bragging, boasting and insulting each other. I certainly would not go out and take tests, spend hundreds/thousands on radio equipment, just to be talked down to.

We all need to THINK about how we speak of our service and look at what WE are doing to project it in a positive light. This thread is proof of how our bitterness and disdain for those who are joining our ranks will be our demise, not new technology, or someone's refusal to cobble together a CW transmitter from a pile of old parts.

 

[Denverpilot]

I get copies of the renewal comments (or non-renewal as the case may be) of a repeater club I am the past President of, and still sit on the BoD.

Recently we got this one:
"I'm not renewing because I don't hear anything on the repeaters I care to listen to anymore."

My thought when reading it was, "Mic broken? Seems pretty easy to fix..."

Secondary thought was: "It's pretty impressive he thinks the club tech crew and leadership can control the content of discussions on open repeaters available to all bans, with or without a membership."

Heh. Sometimes in the club leadership/volunteer business you just have to shake your head and smile.

I don't mind him "leaving" really, it's his $25. Annually. Less than two people eating out at a restaurant. And yeah, there's probably something more interesting for $1200/year on the satellite dish or cable, or for half that on the Internet...

... if he won't key up and talk to folks about things he's interested in, anyway.

 

[K7MEM]

The one thing I have noticed about ham radio being in it 30 years since age 9 is that hams are our own worst enemies. We choose to be elitist, separatist snobs then complain that "the hobby is dying" and blame it on anyone and everyone else. We can all be some of the most selfish, arrogant people on the planet and then cry and whine why no one wants to play in our sandbox, why repeaters are devoid of activity, or that HF bands are only full of drunk CBers playing radio hero having turf wars.

This isn't something that is unique to ham operators. You can go to any hobby and find the exact same thing. Try the audio groups, camera groups, or the car groups. They are always sure that they know everything and will tell you so. Yet, these are the guys that go out an buy the $500 power cords or the chrome muffler bearings. I still own a 35mm stereo camera, and have used it a lot in the US and Europe, but I would never go near any of the camera groups. These kind of people are always going to be there, so its your job to look past them and make ham radio what you want it to be. That's what I have done for the past 50 years and I am still enjoying ham radio.

 

[DaveNF2G]

In response to and partial agreement with the 50-year hams, I will add that, while I don't have 50 years in ham radio, I do have over 50 years in life experience and these issues are pervasive throughout modern society (American and others).

 

[N8IAA]

In response to and partial agreement with the 50-year hams, I will add that, while I don't have 50 years in ham radio, I do have over 50 years in life experience and these issues are pervasive throughout modern society (American and others).

+1 Dave.
Larry

 

[ab3a]

Before I launch this screed, allow me to dispel any fears:

I'm in my 50s. I earned my Extra Class license when I was 14. Yes, I had to go to the FCC office and take a 20 WPM code exam. Yes, I had to study extra hard because my math classes didn't cover the material I needed. Yes, I'm one of those "uber-Extras". I also have a degree in Electrical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University.

That said: The Amateur Radio license is intended to be a license to learn. If something on the air isn't up to snuff, do not despair. Gently, without sneering or looking over your nose, mentor, teach, train; but do so with compassion, understanding, and grace.

One might think that a license like the Extra would be a super duper know-it-all license. It's not. It can't be. I know there are many things that I learned as an engineer that are not in those old license tests.

What the Extra class test proves is that you know just enough to stay out of trouble while exercising the full limit of what a ham radio license can do. It does not imply any formal understanding of the technology, It does not mean that the operator has any particularly good skill with anything. It does not mean anything other than they responsible for knowing how radiate a decent signal that ought not interfere with other legitimate activities.

That's it. It was never more than that. Those of you who sneer at the brand new Extra operators need a serious attitude adjustment. So if someone memorizes the test and passes, congratulate them and then help them transition from memorization to understanding.

I know from personal experience that even when I passed my Extra at the age of 14, there were many things that I didn't fully understand. Some things I didn't understand until years after I received my Engineering Degree. There is no shame in this. Again, this is a license to learn, not something to get snotty about.

Jacob Brodsky, PE
Amateur Radio Station AB3A,
First licensed in 1975

 

[n2nov]

A "license to learn" is something that I have said at the beginning of any of the Tech or General classes that I have taught since the early 90's. More is learned by doing and not merely memorizing. Every organization/group/population adheres to the 80/20 rule (or in most cases the 90/10 rule), where most of the work/effort is expended by the minority while the others coast along.

Each person needs to determine their path and goals in amateur radio. This is not different than other activities or employment. Don't "diss" your elders because they do have experience on their side. Conversely, the newbies might have some technical know-how since they grew up with the X-pods and I-devices. Not all amateur radio is relegated to the rubbish heap if it is not the latest technical wonder. Let's use our brains to see what fits where and what is appropriate. We may no longer buy buggy whips since the horse and carriage are not the main mode of transportation. But that does not mean that you can't have a horse and carriage if that's what you want to do.

 

[pb_lonny]

The amateur radio hobby is different today to what it was 25 years ago, it will be different again in 25 years time. The only constant is change, while we might not agree with changes we need to make the best of them.

 

[K2JK]

The reason I've been about 90% CW since the beginning of the year is the higher percentage of bad operators on the other modes.

For the most part those who are newly licensed are not learning CW, and that's fine by me.

 

[pdiddy24]

This is exactly the kind of attitude that has put me off HAM radio for so many years. I have a real job and a busy schedule and how I wish to use my radio that I have invested hard earned dollars in is MY business as long as I have the license and the qualifications to do so. The reason why YOUR hobby is dying because of dinosaurs like you. I don't want to learn or care for morse code because I need a medium that is tangible and practical for my day to day life. My only reason for ham is Emergency comms and S&R. I will not sit here and listen to old geezers like you talking down to someone in my position because you feel like I'm not worthy to play in your sand box.

 

[ab3a]

I will not sit here and listen to old geezers like you talking down to someone in my position because you feel like I'm not worthy to play in your sand box.

This is precisely what most of us seek to avoid. To be fair, there are curmudgeons in every endeavor. I've seen it. If you let the curmudgeons make your decision for you, we have all lost.

We need to move past this CW argument. It's over. It did serve a purpose once upon a time and it did it pretty well. However, I would no more suggest keeping morse code as a requirement for the license than have new driver's license applicants demonstrate proficiency on a horse.

I say this as someone who can still copy W1AW CW bulletins. In contests, I can run 25 to 30 WPM. Yes, I passed that 20 WPM code. Like riding a horse, it's fun, but not particularly practical for much of anything in today's world.

To all those who enjoy Morse Code: Please continue to do so; but it has no utility as a barrier to entry.

 

[pinballwiz86]

This is just a hobby.

I think the people that want to make licensing more strict to keep the "riff-raff" out are the kind of people that derive some perverse sense of self importance by being a ham. "whackers" is the term.

 

[mmckenna]

This is exactly the kind of attitude that has put me off HAM radio for so many years. I have a real job and a busy schedule and how I wish to use my radio that I have invested hard earned dollars in is MY business as long as I have the license and the qualifications to do so. The reason why YOUR hobby is dying because of dinosaurs like you. I don't want to learn or care for morse code because I need a medium that is tangible and practical for my day to day life. My only reason for ham is Emergency comms and S&R. I will not sit here and listen to old geezers like you talking down to someone in my position because you feel like I'm not worthy to play in your sand box.

This is an excellent post. I think it needs to be posted all over sites like QRZ, ARRL, and even this one.

It's sad to hear of this happening, but like others have said, its not limited to amateur radio. Some individuals are just permanently cranky, and there isn't anything you can do to appease them. They live in their own little world where they are king and no one else will ever be up to their standards.

It's OK with me, I've dealt with a number of people like this at work, in hobbies, in the service and in personal life. Once you learn to recognize what it is it's kind of interesting to watch. They go through their entire lives with a huge chip on their shoulders. It's actually kind of sad and I honestly pity people that live their lives like this.

 

[AC2OY]

Ham radio humbled me and showed me that even at 50 years old I can still be taught things. I want to continue in this hobby and continue to learn! I'm not worried about the chip people I've dealt with them all my life. I'm having too much fun for anybody to reign on my parade.