Every time I toss out my call on many of the busier Calgary repeaters, I get silence... often followed a few minutes later by somebody else checking in and a long conversation ensuing. It's an ongoing trend I've found common among Calgary's ham community.
I usually just hang out on the VE6ARA repeater. It's run by a group of Filipino hams here in town.Good conversation, at least when it isn't being crashed by people telling those listening to get the hell out of Canada. That's *another* trend I've found common among Calgary's ham community.
On the first topic, I did discuss this on another Thread, but did not look for it. But this got me thinking about the good old days when CB radio was similar to amateur radio. When we turned our radios on, we would give out our call sign and "10-8 or 10-10". This was not a desire to talk but more to announce that we were now "on air" and "available" should someone have the time and need to begin a conversation. Today, when I hear someone say their call, or "monitoring" or "listening" it does not cause me to think they want to get into a conversation. It is just letting me know they have their radio turned on. If someone comes on and asks for a radio check, then I know they may want a response. Thus, what is the best way to say that one desires to get into a discussion? As I work full time, I do have a scanner at work, and a hand held monitoring the FARS frequency. I cannot transmit without chopping up, so do not go back to anyone. However, if someone has an urgent situation, I can go to my vehicle and help out. Which I did when High River flooded. I have heard a couple of times when an amateur requested a phone call be made [persons cell phone was dead], or some one was in an accident and had lost their cell phone, people always responded. I have seldom heard a person asking for help where no one responded. Seldom is a call sign given out during the drive home road show that has gone unanswered. Does someone respond all the time, no, but certainly about 75% of the time. If someone throws out their call sign at midnight, I doubt if many or any one would respond. If there was a true emergency, you may be surprised how many people are listening and could respond. I know some people on the drive home show hang up their mics because of the high volume of traffic. But they are around. Over the past couple of weeks there has been a US trucker going through on his way to Edmonton and back to the US that has put his call out and it is only on the odd time that he has not had anyone respond. In fact, this afternoon he was on there for about 2 hours with various people talking to him. A couple of hams recently were asking for radio checks in preparation for the road rally and I think on only one attempt did no one respond. I also hear people come on around 1900 and in discussions with another ham or hams, say the radio has been dead. Well, the last half hour was quiet, but the 2 hours previously was a constant back and forth, round table discussion. We do have a number of new hams. Some will only talk with people they know. But then again, we have some old timers who say repeaters aren't for talking on. There are a number of other reasons that I feel it seems like no one wants to respond, but I have said enough for now.
As for the VE6ARA repeater, I did have their frequency in my memory bank when they were on another frequency. But when they went to the 145.15 frequency, I didn't add it to any scanner or radio. The main reason being, there is no one in my family that is from the Philippines, nor can anyone in my family speak the language. I really don't have anything in common, thus, there was little need to put this frequency in my radios. Haven't listened to the repeater for the past number of months. Might have to start listening to see just what is happening with the comments mention. I hope that it is not a common "trend" in the Calgary ham community. I certainly feel that the hams I hear and have talked with on the CARA and FARs repeaters have always been very helpful and friendly. Certainly, this has not been happening over the 20 years I have been involved in amateur radio. Other than one episode a few years ago. So, to me, it is generally isolated and far from a trend.
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