Were you once a HAM, quit activity, let your license expire and never looked back?

[AK9R]

People with blinky lights and orange vests should be turned away at the door.

While I understand the sentiment, that sounds like discrimination. (I'm being serious.) They should be invited in, offered training, and given the opportunity to learn how to be effective communicators if (and, yes, that's a big IF) public safety needs them. If they don't change their ways, then show them the door.

BTW, if I'm helping with a bike ride and stop along the road to help a rider, I will be wearing an orange vest. Hate me if you like.

 

[mmckenna]

BTW, if I'm helping with a bike ride and stop along the road to help a rider, I will be wearing an orange vest. Hate me if you like.

I wouldn't hate in that application, that's standard practice for most working on roads. Same reason we were issued bright green rain jackets with reflective bands.
The wearing of the safety vests in inappropriate places just screams "LOOK AT ME, I'M SPECIAL!!" It's similar to having an HT cranked up really loud in an inappropriate location. It's grandstanding.
Don't get me started on the blinky light whackers.
If you have a way of stopping them, that's great. Education is key. I'm just tired of dealing with the attitude.

 

[alcahuete]

@mmckenna nailed it. I can think of a lot of places where it would be appropriate to wear a yellow vest. Working on the side of the road would be one. Even doing parking or something like that as a ham, or working along a parade route. That doesn't say, "I demand attention." That says, "I don't want to get run over!"

There are so many pics out there of people sitting inside operating radios wearing the vests, or examples of walking into stores or Dennys or whatever with radios blaring. Not once in my life have I ever found a reason to have my ham radio turned on (at any volume level) while I have breakfast at Denny's. Just not a thing.

Seems like they struggled to find their place after cell phones came along and CB dropped off. I know some are active on GMRS (675/141.3), and that was a good plan, but at the time GMRS was too much of a niche radio service. Maybe starting that up again now that GMRS is gaining some popularity.

Some people out where I live started something similar, not affiliated with REACT or anything. We have people get stuck out here in the sand regularly (even worse in the mud after a rain), delivery drivers, semi trucks, even the mail carriers. Some of the sand is so deep just on the shoulders of the road that you get stuck just pulling off the road. With dirt shoulders AAA will usually not help, because they consider it to be offroad. So some neighbors pitched in, put up some signs. I believe they list GMRS Channel 1, and then a phone number for one of the old guys who basically monitors 24/7. Phone service is spotty too. People show up in their pickup trucks or tractors and pull you out. No yellow lights. No vests. No radios cranked up at Denny's. Just a bunch of neighbors helping each other, and other travelers.

 

[Lauri-CoyoteFrostbite]

I think this topic should be changed from-- Why did you leave ham radio-- to--Why did you ever get involved with it in the first place ??

Everyone has their negative stories- like they take some sort of bloody pride in bring a "better-than" sour grape.
Frankly I think those that have found their niche in this hobby ignore this &*##.

Me ?--- I got into it because I wanted to be a orange vest wearing Batman 'hobby-bobby' crime fighter with a vehicle like a Ghost Buster, with HT's on my hip.....



Lauri

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[mmckenna]

View attachment 127220

No, ECTO-1 is cool with me, especially with that siren and the low band whip. That gets a pass.

As for why? My grandfather was a ham back in the 1930's Canada. He built his own 20 meter rig. He hung out with some guys that were playing with the 'spinning disk' early television trials. It lead him to a career as an aircraft electrical engineer. The rest is history.

It taught me a whole lot along the way. It got me into the right place and meeting the right people. Gave me enough basic knowledge to allow me to step into a position where I eventually took over management of a trunked radio system. That spread into a 30 year career in telecommunications. 25 years this month at my current employer. Will likely retire from here.

Don't get me wrong, amateur radio is a great hobby when it sticks to its roots. Unfortunately some take it a bit too far and misunderstand the role.

As for screwing around on the bands and having a good time, there's no other hobby that comes close. I encouraged my wife and others in my family to get their ham licenses. I still continue to encourage others, if they are in it for the right reasons.

My only sour grapes are for those that besmirch the hobby with their emergency responder fantasies.

 

[Lauri-CoyoteFrostbite]

.

"....................... As for why? My grandfather was a ham back in the 1930's ..............."

I like this much better (and I was not being critical about anyone when I suggested it) - and a nice story MM .

I would, myself-- far rather hear things positive, and then draw my own conclusions about a person's interest in this hobby -than all the reasons they left it. It seems to me anyone who would take the time to come in here and bit*ch has more on their agenda than than they are letting on.

I quoted from Hamlet before but its worth say again--

"The lady(s) doth protest too much, methinks"



As for me---I had to get rid of my Batman Cosplay rubber suit --- a bad latex allergy.
(I kept the HT's)

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[mmckenna]

I like this much better (and I was not being critical about anyone when I suggested it) - and a nice story MM .

I would, myself-- far rather hear things positive, and then draw my own conclusions about a person's interest in this hobby -than all the reasons they left it. It seems to me anyone who would take the time to come in here and bit*ch has more on their agenda than than they are letting on.

Sounds like an excellent topic for a new thread. I'd be happy to participate in that, and I promise I'll keep it clean.

Sometimes we do like to vent.

If you want to see some truly Whack-Tastic stuff, just do a search on Jeremy DeWitt, Police Impersonator. While not a ham, he epitomizes the mindset that leads to whackerism. Fortunately he's currently a resident at the gray bar motel in Florida getting 3 hots and a cot at Florida taxpayer expense.

 

[GlobalNorth]

I'll never be cool enough to wear the Mother Moto dual radio shoulder holster with an APX8000 VHF/UHF/700 & 800 bands, with the big 4400 mAH battery and the AN/PRC-152 portable for every possible civil and military emergency response need in my black 2022 Suburban; complete with SCBA, protective wear, and MREs.

Everything from a DULL SWORD, EMPTY QUIVER, BENT SPEAR, BROKEN ARROW, to the rarified NUCFLASH.

 

[mmckenna]

You forgot your call sign on the bio suit.

 

[JM707]

Do you think some of these Hams might get more respect if they ditched the yellow vests and just painted their radios green?

 

[Boombox]

I'm in a city of about 200K and the local club/members have all kinds of 2m, 70cm, 6m and 1.25m repeaters in the area but you can go hours and not hear anything. I guess it's no different than the rest of the country because, when I travel, I hear 99+% dead air there, too. I have a radio in the car but I seldom turn it on anymore locally simply because there's nothing to hear.

I've noticed that in my area. In the 80s-90s the 2 Meter repeater scene was active here, through the day and through much of the night. A couple years ago, there was a severe weather event in the area that set off the Emergency Broadcast System on local radio, and I tuned to 2 meters to see if any hams were talking about it -- and it was a dead band. Just one example.

 

[k7ng]

I could have a lot of fun with a suit like that. And could have had even more fun back in the pandemic panic.

 

[AK9R]

There are so many pics out there of people sitting inside operating radios wearing the vests...

I think it's ICS exercises that promote this. I've been to exercises, mostly table-tops, i.e. indoors, with professional public safety people and the exercise leader insisted that we wear the proper colored vest so that our role could be easily identified.

Sounds like an excellent topic for a new thread. I'd be happy to participate in that, and I promise I'll keep it clean.

Sometimes we do like to vent.

The venting can stay in this thread.

 

[KK4JUG]

I've noticed that in my area. In the 80s-90s the 2 Meter repeater scene was active here, through the day and through much of the night. A couple years ago, there was a severe weather event in the area that set off the Emergency Broadcast System on local radio, and I tuned to 2 meters to see if any hams were talking about it -- and it was a dead band. Just one example.

Actually, in my area, severe weather will bring out quite a few hams but that seems to be the only time. One particular ham will usually open a net. As many as 30 or so "check-ins" will give weather, power outage and damage reports. I think the net leader assesses the information and passes pertinent reports on to the NWS. The air waves are relatively active at this time but when it's all over, it's dead air until the next storm. I've noticed these reports are generally better than the local media information.

 

[ladn]

There is one group that comes to mind when talking about the "misguided ham with a radio" and that's REACT.

Is REACT really still a thing? I thought it faded away with the CB craze of the 70's and 80's.
Talk about Wackerdon!

 

[AK9R]

Is REACT really still a thing?

Depends on where you are, I think. In my area REACT is still a thing and they mostly use GMRS.

 

[BMDaug]

Actually, in my area, severe weather will bring out quite a few hams but that seems to be the only time. One particular ham will usually open a net. As many as 30 or so "check-ins" will give weather, power outage and damage reports. I think the net leader assesses the information and passes pertinent reports on to the NWS. The air waves are relatively active at this time but when it's all over, it's dead air until the next storm. I've noticed these reports are generally better than the local media information.

Ya lots of hams take severe weather very seriously, which is generally a good thing! However, just last night, I was monitoring one of the linked repeater networks, which was having problems with the hub that links everything together. They temporarily moved the link to the severe weather talk group as a last resort to keep the entire state linked up. I listened as one of the (very frustrated) severe weather guys went on and on about how the group is not a backup for the linked system and to unlink ASAP.

The administrator of the network explained that this had been cleared with the proper people, that they were building a hot swappable backup for future incidents, and that things would get back to normal ASAP… He also pointed out that there WAS NO SEVERE WEATHER and that the linked system of repeaters provides a significant amount of support to the severe weather group… The guy was so upset and was reminded multiple times that “it’s just ham radio, please calm down” and that “again there is no severe weather to talk about”… I guess the guy just wanted his talk group to be silently unused!

We have to remember a hams that working together to facilitate all types of communication is paramount!

-B

 

[k6cpo]

While I understand the sentiment, that sounds like discrimination. (I'm being serious.) They should be invited in, offered training, and given the opportunity to learn how to be effective communicators if (and, yes, that's a big IF) public safety needs them. If they don't change their ways, then show them the door.

BTW, if I'm helping with a bike ride and stop along the road to help a rider, I will be wearing an orange vest. Hate me if you like.

I have lights on my truck for just that reason. They are mounted in such a manner to be unobtrusive when not operating and they are disconnected when not in use so they can't be turned on accidentally.

@mmckenna nailed it. I can think of a lot of places where it would be appropriate to wear a yellow vest. Working on the side of the road would be one. Even doing parking or something like that as a ham, or working along a parade route. That doesn't say, "I demand attention." That says, "I don't want to get run over!"

If you look around, you'll notice police and other non-sworn personnel wearing vests at places like accident scenes. San Diego City has a group of non-sworn personnel that come out for traffic control during events and they all wear yellow vests when out in the streets.

I think it's ICS exercises that promote this. I've been to exercises, mostly table-tops, i.e. indoors, with professional public safety people and the exercise leader insisted that we wear the proper colored vest so that our role could be easily identified.

That's standard ICS practice and is used in most EOCs as well.

Is REACT really still a thing? I thought it faded away with the CB craze of the 70's and 80's.
Talk about Wackerdon!

They are still around and most have embraced amateur radio. Many groups have turned to event communications as a mission rather than their original purpose of motorist assistance. Some still cling to the old ideas, but it's not the organization it once was.

 

[StoliRaz]

Did the hobby no longer seem "cutting edge enough" for you?
Did it get too "commercial"?
Did your favorite hang out or mode dry up and fade away?
Were there local politics that put a damper on your enthusiasm"?
Were too many of your buddies dying off?
Was it getting too expensive?
Was the XYL an issue?
Was it due to lack of time?
Did the Internet play a part in leaving Amateur Radio?

This sounds like the first part of a sales pitch, but I'm left here wondering where's the rest of it? Something like...

"For 16 easy payments of $199.99 YOU can talk to space aliens with this new radio!"

 

[Falcon9h]

Sounds like an excellent topic for a new thread. I'd be happy to participate in that, and I promise I'll keep it clean.

Sometimes we do like to vent.

If you want to see some truly Whack-Tastic stuff, just do a search on Jeremy DeWitt, Police Impersonator. While not a ham, he epitomizes the mindset that leads to whackerism. Fortunately he's currently a resident at the gray bar motel in Florida getting 3 hots and a cot at Florida taxpayer expense.

Wow-talk about ultra-wackerific! Loads of Youtube videos, like watching a train wreck-apalling but can't stop watching 😜. And I thought I was bad in my whacker days! (decades ago)