TailGator911
Silent Key/KF4ANC
I know there are a few here on this fine website, like me, that are in the 'senior citizen' phase of your lives - grandchildren, in our 60s, veterans, semi-retired snowbirds, and all of the highs and lows in-between - that love this great multi-faceted hobby of ours - amateur radio, shortwave radio listening and scanner monitoring - who remember the cost differential from when we first started to find interest in the radio hobby to now 40-50 years later as we attempt to keep up with the technology. What did a 'police' scanner cost then, as opposed to now? What percentage of your yearly income was devoted to your hobbie(s)? How much have your buying habits changed from then to now? Interesting, huh.
I started the new year off with a few add-ons to the radio desk, and it got me to thinking, which is dangerous. A few days ago, I slapped down $2500 for the Icom IC-8600, paid $700 in advance for a Uniden SDS200 digital I/Q scanner, and another $500 buckaroos for a G-800DXA Yaesu antenna rotor system. Plus coax and fittings and adapters. When I looked at the total amount I almost had to slap myself. When did the amateur radio hobby get so expensive? I am officially retired now, we are Florida snowbirds just getting into the RVing experience and taking it slow, one day at a time, and we have been blessed by our Lord to be able to afford a comfortable lifestyle and provide the same for our children and those in our family circle who need a helping hand. Not a millionaire by anyone's standards, but retirement is certainly comfortable, and I have long ago justified the whims of my income so as not to feel wracked with guilt every time I write a check. The fact is, I make an obscene amount of money for what I do (soundtrack recording), and I have only recently come to terms with it. So, long story short, as I balanced my bank accounts and went over the figures, I looked at how much I actually spend yearly on my own personal hobbies vs family functions and vacations, church tithing and charitable contributions. A wave of guilt ran over me as I tried to mentally justify spending nearly $4000 in one transaction for radios and equipment. Wow! Had to ask myself, just how much is too much? Where does it end? But, instead of any cancellations or stop payments or second thoughts, I immediately thought about how I could pad the impact and distract so she wouldn't take much notice. Easier said than done. I went and purchased his & hers mountain bikes. I booked a Carnival Caribbean cruise for May. I bought her (ok, me, too) a new Nikon Coolpix P900 digital camera. Some new outfits for her to wear in the Caribbean. I took a deep breath at my desk - where does it stop? It is now the domino effect. Now I am scrambling to paint camouflage over everything radio so as not to be noticed. (hah!). She doesn't blink at guitars and recording equipment for the studio, because she knows that provides the income. So how do we justify that radio desk nook that grows and grows and grows and soon demands a room of it's own?
Is there a support/help group for this, I wonder? lol I am kidding, of course. If I didn't think I could afford it, I wouldn't spend it. This is all about my wife's lifestyle and philosophies versus my own. This is considered frivolous spending by her. A waste of money and time by me over something she does not entirely understand nor is able to rationalize. So, the only thing I can think of to do is counter-punch with travel and bling and what she likes. I am sure many of you reading this are in the same situation. How do you justify the expense? I can usually sway her if I can convince her that this all pertains to family safety and survival. We have bugout kits and emergency gear and all that goes with that, so communications was, at one point, a justified expense...but now? She knows better. I was bitten by the bug years ago and it is now coming to light just how bad this radio hobby (ok, obsession) infection has grown. I have one wall in my studio dedicated to radio, and now thinking of converting in the basement. Anybody in the same boat? How do you justify? lol
How much is too much and where does it stop?? Love to hear your own situations
JD
kf4anc
I started the new year off with a few add-ons to the radio desk, and it got me to thinking, which is dangerous. A few days ago, I slapped down $2500 for the Icom IC-8600, paid $700 in advance for a Uniden SDS200 digital I/Q scanner, and another $500 buckaroos for a G-800DXA Yaesu antenna rotor system. Plus coax and fittings and adapters. When I looked at the total amount I almost had to slap myself. When did the amateur radio hobby get so expensive? I am officially retired now, we are Florida snowbirds just getting into the RVing experience and taking it slow, one day at a time, and we have been blessed by our Lord to be able to afford a comfortable lifestyle and provide the same for our children and those in our family circle who need a helping hand. Not a millionaire by anyone's standards, but retirement is certainly comfortable, and I have long ago justified the whims of my income so as not to feel wracked with guilt every time I write a check. The fact is, I make an obscene amount of money for what I do (soundtrack recording), and I have only recently come to terms with it. So, long story short, as I balanced my bank accounts and went over the figures, I looked at how much I actually spend yearly on my own personal hobbies vs family functions and vacations, church tithing and charitable contributions. A wave of guilt ran over me as I tried to mentally justify spending nearly $4000 in one transaction for radios and equipment. Wow! Had to ask myself, just how much is too much? Where does it end? But, instead of any cancellations or stop payments or second thoughts, I immediately thought about how I could pad the impact and distract so she wouldn't take much notice. Easier said than done. I went and purchased his & hers mountain bikes. I booked a Carnival Caribbean cruise for May. I bought her (ok, me, too) a new Nikon Coolpix P900 digital camera. Some new outfits for her to wear in the Caribbean. I took a deep breath at my desk - where does it stop? It is now the domino effect. Now I am scrambling to paint camouflage over everything radio so as not to be noticed. (hah!). She doesn't blink at guitars and recording equipment for the studio, because she knows that provides the income. So how do we justify that radio desk nook that grows and grows and grows and soon demands a room of it's own?
Is there a support/help group for this, I wonder? lol I am kidding, of course. If I didn't think I could afford it, I wouldn't spend it. This is all about my wife's lifestyle and philosophies versus my own. This is considered frivolous spending by her. A waste of money and time by me over something she does not entirely understand nor is able to rationalize. So, the only thing I can think of to do is counter-punch with travel and bling and what she likes. I am sure many of you reading this are in the same situation. How do you justify the expense? I can usually sway her if I can convince her that this all pertains to family safety and survival. We have bugout kits and emergency gear and all that goes with that, so communications was, at one point, a justified expense...but now? She knows better. I was bitten by the bug years ago and it is now coming to light just how bad this radio hobby (ok, obsession) infection has grown. I have one wall in my studio dedicated to radio, and now thinking of converting in the basement. Anybody in the same boat? How do you justify? lol
How much is too much and where does it stop?? Love to hear your own situations
JD
kf4anc
