One-way propagation

[ae9zh]

Is it just me or has there been a serious increase in ONE WAY PROPAGATION on VHF and UHF lately?

You know, the kind where you turn on your radio, and you can hear other hams talking, but when they finish and you try to call one (or any) of them, all you hear is static?

This kind of ignorance could be the death of amateur radio as many of us know it.

I know a young man (14??) in town, who happens to be an Extra class licensee. He has been told by other hams in the area that he should not be talking to certain other hams, or he can expect to be ignored by "the group".

I can only assume I am one of these hams that he is not supposed to talk to, since "the group" has stopped talking to me as well.

So discouraged I am by this behavior, I have erased these frequencies from the memory channels on my radios.

I should say I have noticed similar attitudes by other repeater groups elsewhere too (I travel much and always have radio equipment with.)

What ever happened to HAMS being brothers? All hams liked all hams, and all hams helped other hams. Just like the masons, or the moose, or any other large group of people with similar interests. We all stuck together, no matter how our opinions may have differed or whatever other minor differences we had that made us each unique and individual.


Well, I just thought I'd put my 2 cents worth in on this childish behavior, and I hope ONE WAY PROPAGATION doesn't plague your QTH any time soon.

In the mean time, if you want to find me, try the HF bands. That's where HAM radio's really at anyway. =)


AE9ZH/m 73

[wb6bcn]

Fortunately this kind of behaviour isn't every you go, however it exist. I don't care what group or club you want to be part of there is always a certain factor that wants to be exclusive, and if they feel you are not one of them, you will never be. In my area there are many repeaters and groups. For the most part they look at the ham community as being 1 entity rather than seperate parts. However, there are a few that want to be exclusive
I have seen this behaviour of which you speak 50 years ago as I see it today.

The ham community in general is united just as the Masons, Elks, and other groups. But even within these groups there are some that have to go out of their way to rock the boat.

The natural disasters this year proved just that. The ham community sticks together. There was of course that faction within the community that could care less that their friends and neighbors were in a parlous situation, but as a whole the majority pulled together.

It is sad that this kind of situation exist. I have seen it nearly everywhere I have been. Both here in the USA and in Europe. From a standpoint of the numbers, I can say I haven't seen a great percentage of change over the last 50 years, but since there are more people I have seen more of it.

I hope this doesn't discourage you from being on the air. If those people don't want your assocaition, there are many more people that will. As for the 14 year old Extra, I hope as he grows he will be able see it is better for him to select his own friends and people to talk to for what the are rather than because someone else hand picked them for him by others.
My 2 cents

[ai4ep]

i do not necessarily agree or disagree with the previous statements but for me, getting started in 1991 on 2 meter FM was all right, talking to various operators with in about a 75 - 100 mile radius ... of course I was among the group that was the FIRST "no-coders " in the Northern Alabama area, so we had to hear the "ugliness of the bad ops" #... the folks that maintained " we learned the code and YOU should have to, also ", but they got quiet rather quickly as THEIR friends and families who lacked the "intellignence #to pass the code test " got their NO CODE licenses and it was COOL for their friends & relatives to be NO CODE, so that stigma quickly passed over the next few months / years...and we now have branched out from just talking on the #2 meter FM repeaters to UPGRADE or use 2 meter ssb or 6 meter fm or 6 meter ssb or even 220 #or 440 Mhz for various uses #and on up in Ghz from there...the VARIETY in ham radio is part of what is so GREAT about it..kd4amg

[w7act]

Unfortunately there are certain individuals who for some reason who seem to be incapable or are unable to follow any form of Direction and are set on a coarse of self destruction.

I know of at least one case in my local area who has fallen into this catagory as he has been totally disruptive not only to the Local Repeater System, but to every and all repeater systems he is capable of reaching out to in the Puget Sound Area and as a result has been asked not to return to return to these systems. I know for a fact that over a period of time that any number of Hams have tried to be an ELMER to this individual to no avail.

It's one thing Help a new Ham, it can be Rewarding and most Hams will go out of their way to help the New Fellow on the Block, but it's another thing to try and help and individual won't take direction.

de 73's

KC7USZ

[wl7cqx]

I ran into one-way propagation while on a week-long stay in Phoenix. I tried every night to make a contact on the local repeaters I could access. The only "reply" to come back was from two "hams" who chuckled and said "I guess there's some QRM on the repeater, hi, hi". What a sad statement this is for ham radio.

Oddly, whenever I get on the satellites, everyone is courteous and we all have a good time talking.

[K9STH]

I have operated on 2 meter FM since early 1960 (back when it was 147.300 MHz wideband +/- 15 KHz deviation as almost the only frequency in use anywhere in the country). The only area in which I have ever found what could be called "unfriendly" amateurs is the Panama City, Florida, area, and then only on one or two repeaters (even on them there are people who will work you). I would think that since the Panama City / Panama City Beach area rely very heavily on tourists that they locals would be more friendly than they are. However, once I moved from the 146.340/146.940 mHz repeater to the others, I haven't had problems making contacts. In fact, several times I have even been invited to the local amateur radio club meeting (haven't been able to go as yet, but maybe sometime!). My wife's sister lives 4 blocks from the beach in Panama City Beach, so we go down there usually every year for about a week.

As for the rest of the country, I have not had any problems working people on the 2 meter repeaters, and occasionally even on 146.520 MHz simplex. I haven't been in Phoenix for a couple of years, but I didn't have any problems while driving through, the same for Tucson. I seem to work as many old timers as newcomers, so there isn't any pattern there.

I have no idea as to why some amateurs seem to have problems getting contacts while others in the same area, with about the same length of time being licensed, have no problems at all. When "announcing" my presence, I usually just sign my call sign. Sometimes I say something like "anyone around, K9STH mobile". Also, I do answer other stations when they sign their call signs. So far, as long as I can remember, I haven't been ignored.

Thus, I have a hard time believing that everyone is ignoring a particular station unless that particular operator has done / is doing something that really "ticks" off the repeater users. There will always be people that will only work certain stations no matter what. But, even most of them will acknowledge your presence and some will even accept you into their "inner circle".

I believe operators who say that they cannot make contacts. But, I often think that there is more than meets the "eye" in most of these cases.

Glen, K9STH

[ka1kjz]

My favorite one I have often used is.... #"it not a --real-- good idea to ignore the control operator / owner." And in the case of my own repeaters "Brush up on the code and compare the callsigns."

Gets a response 99% of the time. And yes, I'm a control op / owner that actually --TALKS-- to my users.


http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[kf4jqd]

I live in the same area as AE9ZH. Let me tell you, there is a small group of Hams that believe they are Amateur Gods. I stay away from them. A few of us have started a simplex group. They listen to us and bad mouth us behind our backs. They are spineless fools.

I can't waite to move back to Eastern Tennesse where the people are MUCH more friendlier. Ahhh Southern hospitallity, gotta love it!


Andy

My G/F, KB9ZOE, tells me, "It's just a hobby!"

[kb9vbr]

There's no room in Amateur Radio for bad attitudes. Whiners and complainers will routinely be ignored by the movers and shakers. If you don't like some aspect, get involved and make a difference. Its easy to sit on your duff and whine and complain about the situation, but so much more rewarding to get up, go out and volunteer. Get involved with the clubs, take on responsibilities, lead the cause.

The biggest problem with amateur radio clubs is apathy among the members. Then the club gets run by a small group of motivated people. It doesn't have to be that way. Negativity breeds contempt. I've been involved with many committees and groups both amateur and non amateur related and I know how difficult it can be to get people motivated. It takes positive attitude by all participants. Get on the air with a positive attitude, get involved with club activities, and they will be clamouring to talk to you.

[K0YNE]

Being ignored on 2 meters is not an isolated matter. I belong to a small club in Nebraska and rarely if ever do I get a comeback when I say I'm monitoring the frequency. Yes, and just after I make my monitoring call, a club member calls another and chats for awhile. It is very rare that I actually get a conversation out of any member of this group. Back in the old days, 20 or 25 years ago, You would almost always get a reply. Different members today. Makes you want to forget about renewing your membership. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[ai4ep]

that is one thing I like about the local repeater here in North ALABAMA, the 146.960 repeater in southern Lawrence County. #There are NO strangers in that area, IF any one from the local club HEARS you give your call sign and the simple words "monitoring " or "passing through ". they will give you a shout, and speak to you, even if it is only for a few short minutes. The repeater it self has recieving / transmitting problems from time to time ( as all repeaters #do ) but I personally do NOT know ( from over 12 years of being an amateur radio operator ) of any one EVER being "snubbed " or "passed aside " by the group that maintains and uses on a regular basis, the 146.960 repeater. #It is located between several cities , not CLOSE to any large metro area, so folks can "get in it " from a good 75 miles or so radius ( IF you have a decent system of your own ).. it is located BETWEEN Florence and Decatur, and BETWEEN Russellville and Cullman and Jasper, so it is easy to access from parts of i-65 from near the Tennessee line to just South of Cullman. #It may be QUIET for hours at a time, but is it always OPEN for any licenced amateur radio operator to use. It is used by several "husband / wife " situations , along with "morning crew " from around 6 - 8 am on week days. #It is a GREAT group of folks that use it. So feel free when in North Alabama, to dial up the 146.960 repeater, key up, give your call sign CLEARLY and that you are MONITORING or PASSING through, and 9 times out of 10, some one will answer you, either a local, or another amateur "passing through ". That is one machine where there are NO strangers, just plain old fashioned southern hospitality. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif # k d 4 a m g