How much time on the air

[XV2PS]

I confess I am a bad husband / father.

- I often go on the air when it is time to take care the kid to clean and go to bed. I put earphones on so I am sure I do not listen to all the mess I escape;

- My son had a ringing bell on his new bycicle that he enjoyed. Once, I went down and disassembled it to quiet it.

- I rarely replaced the batteries of his rc cars (RFI).

- My wife decided breeding pigeons. I obliged to cut the wing's feathers to protect my antenna.

- I threw away cloths hanging on a grounding wire.

- I am not sure about my antenna + mast system. When there is a thunder storm, I ask my wife & kids to move out of the living room, above which the mast is beared (even I followed Glen's instructions, my wife would not understand). Note that my house also looks dirty with all groundings and guywires.

- Then add all the $ spends.... and all the lies I say about the costs...

- there are more I could not confess...

Really, sometimes I am a piece of s#.. Family would really desserve more respect.



And you, how bad are you? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif
(help me, tell me you also did similar.....)

[kn6z]

At least you are on the air more than you are on QRZ.

Long ago, and far away, I made the choice between family or ham radio (electronics)...

Family lost... (it wasn't even close !http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[XV2PS]

Get the callsign of Kg4KdH. See his picture. Isn't it beautiful? No ham stuffs, just smiles. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[WB2WIK]

I'm on the air about 10-12 hours a week, usually.

But when I'm operating, I'm still with my family. The ham shack is a spare bedroom adjacent to the family room and kitchen, and I'm only a few steps from everyone else -- and remain involved in all the family goings on, even while operating.

I frequently help the kids with their homework while
scouting the bands. Multi-tasking is easy. Of course, occasionally my 12 year-old daughter brings in an English paper that has "BQ9P 7020+5" or something written on it....

WB2WIK/6

[w3sy]

Dood, unless your entire family is licensed, and you are operating a multi-multi contest station, ANY time you spend on the air is spent away from your family.

There's time for EVERYTHING, in moderation of course. Dearly as I love my family, Daddy's gotta relax and unwind SOME time. Granted, this on-air time is usually after the kiddies are in bed, but that's beside the point.

Better that Dear Old Dad is in the shack, knocking 'em dead in the ARRL November Sweepstakes than prowling the local taverns and Strip Clubs.

The "Amateur's Code," written sometime before the Lincoln administation, suggests the radio amateur (or "HAM," to those of you licensed in the past two years) should be "balanced." That means he makes time for his job, his family, his community, etc, AND for hamming. No matter WHAT you do in life, you should be balanced. That's been good advice for decades.

I liked the humor in the original message in this thread, but sensed some regret, some remorse. Then I saw the followup post suggesting we look at the pic of the happy dad and his kids. I agree, it's a very touching sight to see, but XV2PS didn't look closely enough -- The amateur in the photo is a Tech, and his ENTIRE SHACK was in the photo! Every piece of ham gear he OWNS! ... Simply hidden in his shirt pocket.

HAW!!!!!!

[w5alt]

Ham radio, or any other hobby doesn't have to interfere with life - it's all a matter of perception.

My first wife complained about me getting on the radio, messing with my computers, etc. She even complained to my mother, who asked her: "Would you rather he be out drinking and chasing women?"

She became history, I raised my 3 children alone and they are all doing fine and raising grand children.

When someone asks my current bride if my radios and computers bother her, she replies: "Why? I know where he is, we can spend time together whenever we want to, and he's not out drinking and chasing women."

I knew there was something I liked about my YL. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

73,

[w8ob]

My time is limited, I usually get 3-4 hours a week usually on 40 CW between 4:30 and 6http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif0 AM when I am in my office planning the start of another great day. Internet time is usually limited as well, When I am not working I am spending time with my family and I must be doing a fair job as my son is in the top 10 of his class and dual enrolled to boot. I also gave my first wife the boot over 22 years ago and there is not a morning that I get up that I don't give thanks for the very excellant wife of 21 years I now have. Best thing is she never gets upset over radio

[AG3Y]

I remember a Husband and Wife team of hams from my teenage years. She was constantly running traffic for MARS and various traffic nets on the regular ham frequencies. He was constantly involved with maintenance and upkeep on the station. Together, they made up the "ideal" ham radio couple.

The only problem was that they had stairstep children ( obviously didn't spend ALL of their time on the radio, Heh ! ) and the house was an upside-down disaster area. It looked like a hurricane had blown through it, and smelled of dirty diapers etc.

I was over there visiting them one afternoon after school, and while "Mommy" was frantically trying to get yet another piece of traffic through on the net, the little 3 year old was tugging on her pants leg as only a 3 year old could. About that time, she looked down at the tike with a withering stare that could have melted an icecube, and hollered , " Quit it, can't you see that Mommy is handling TRAFFIC ? ? ? "

I left that house, bound and determined that I was NEVER going to handle traffic for MARS, the ARRL or any other organization! ( and I haven't, either ! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif )

73 from Jim AG3Y

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif hey we all have BAD seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and even bad years...and I got hollared at as a child and I DESERVED every spanking I got ( if I got one at school, I got one at home that evening ) .......but marriage is a SHARED experience...you only go around ONCE in life, make the most of every minute ( it wont come back tomorrow like it does today ) http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif ...like the song sez " if you cant be with the one you love, then love the one you are with "

[XV2PS]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I liked the humor in the original message in this thread[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Sadly enough, all points, (except partly RC cars batteries) are true facts...... Hep, anybody wants to come to see is welcome.

But it is true I have a very dry sense of humor.

[KG4ROT]

Hey..don't fret...We're a big time dysfunctional family! Just tell them you love them when they need to hear it...all the rest is just BS.
w4rot