Ham Radio? YES!!!

[kb7aqd]

Since 1987, I have been pleased and honored to meet some of the kindest and helpful people around via amateur radio. My elmers, Al, WD6ETH and Rick, NY7H were kind enough to not only give me the Novice exam -- but provided me with a variety of HF transceivers to get me on the air until I could obtain my own equipment.

Whether you choose Morse code, single-sideband, or data modes on HF, or chat on the local two-meter repeater, you will find exactly the information you are looking for -- whether it is an answer to your technical question, or the best place to eat in town.

The local Arizona Science Center has a demonstration station, W7ASC, open to the public. After over 100 hours of volunteering there, young people, and their parents tell us that ham radio sounds fun and useful, and best of all -- ham radio ties in with travel and many other hobbies. We also have the tradition of the "elmer", an established ham helping a newcomer to either start out from the beginning, introducing current hams to new modes of operation, new equipment, or tying ham radio in new and unexpected ways to what the ham already has as a hobby. As the other hams showed me how to operate PSK31, I showed them how to work FM simplex on 10M, 2M and 70cm...and received some great DX. In ham radio, there is always something to learn or to teach.

Thanks to the nature of ham radio, once you make a ham radio friend, you have one for life. You are never really far away, even if your friend moves out of town.

Even if I had a negative experience with ham radio, and stepped on the toes of a fellow ham unintentionally -- delving into politics, operating CW on 28400 kHz, or attending one meeting where the hams were lamenting the impending "death" of ham radio...there's always something to learn. Disagree strongly with another ham? Listen carefully. He or she may have a valid point. Listen and learn.

73
KB7AQD Robert
Phoenix, AZ

[K8ERV]

You think all hams are great? You have not met me yet!!! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

TOM K8ERV

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Oh YES, amateur radio operators are FANTASTIC !!

When I used to mess with C B...I had no less then 3 ( three ) rigs swiped out of my various vehicles over a several year period.

Since I got amateur rigs in my vehicles, no a SINGLE one has been swiped out of any of those vehicles through 12 PLUS years of amateur radio licenced operations.

need I say more ?

73

---ai4ep---

[n5tjd]

I agree, Amateur Radio is a great hobby, or I guess I should say service. You can run into a few bad apples, but for every one bad apple, there are 50 nice, friendly, and helpful guys and gals.

Others may look down on us, such as ConcernedFather, but me myself, I am immensly proud to be a part of this international "brotherhood" so to speak that is called Amateur Radio. I am 20 years old and have only been an amateur for a year, and a general for not quite 3 months, but there has never been a time I have felt unwelcome even in the company of those 3x+ my age. I hope the Amateur Radios Service is still around when I am their age.

Add me to the list that says YES to "Ham" radio.

[KD7WHQ]

C'mon, ERV..
I bet a couple of Guinness's and a rack of pool, and you'd be just fine, lol

Alternatively, how about hitting the range and killing some paper? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif with amateur radio, the hardest part is asking the question when you need help.

Every one is willing to help...and...IF they do not know...they tell you...and help you to FIND some one that does know a way to help.

It is a great " brotherhood " or friend ship or group.

This organization is the greatest, whether here in this forum, or on-the-air or in person or on the telephone.

Every one is willing to help every one else.

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

73

---ai4ep --- ( e p means extra polite ) http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[kb7aqd]

Whether ham radio, scanning, shortwave listening, or other radio pursuits, I have met many more excited and happy radio ops than otherwise. At the Arizona Science Center, many non-ham visitors tell us that they have a cousin, teacher, co-worker, or some relation who is a ham. Also, when I show a micro-HT, many visitors tell me that they are surprised at how small the radio is. They associate ham radio with mountaintop locations, huge towers, and stacked beams, fed with a roomful of radio equipment -- not a radio smaller and much better built than their cellphone.

I carry at least one HT with me at all times. Many people think it's a cellphone, and I do not try to change their minds. To my surprise, other people recognize it is an HT -- and identify themselves as yet another ham operator.

Ham radio ties in with scanning well! I once had a webpage with Arizona repeaters, and public safety frequencies -- and enjoyed going on scanner "DXpeditions" to mountaintops and small towns, seeking out new public safety frequencies. I only had to make a quick call on 146.520 MHz simplex, and usually snagged local hams on the first call wherever we went.

I presume if I was trying to find disgruntled hams, I would have to actively seek them out. They have not bothered me much since 1987 when I started, and the few minor incidents were just that -- minor.

Once had a Hallicrafters HT40 transmitter, and a crystal that tuned up nicely on 28400 kHz, but my rig only sent CW. So, I called CQ, and received many intrigued replies from hams either answering me in CW or SSB. One ham even asked me to relay priority traffic to Phoenix, and I did.

He thanked me, then we heard a breaker. An unidentified ham, calling himself "a concerned Extra", without giving his call told us to both use SSB, or go down to the CW-only portion of the band. Did I argue? I just sent, OK, and left.

It was that easy. No name calling. No grumbling. We just cut it short, and came back after our friend left.

I still say, "Ham Radio? YES!!!"
73
Robert KB7AQD
Phoenix, AZ

[N8CPA]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kb7aqd @ June 20 2004,22:02)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Whether ham radio, scanning, shortwave listening, or other radio pursuits, I have met many more excited and happy radio ops than otherwise. At the Arizona Science Center, many non-ham visitors tell us that they have a cousin, teacher, co-worker, or some relation who is a ham. #Also, when I show a micro-HT, many visitors tell me that they are surprised at how small the radio is. #They associate ham radio with mountaintop locations, huge towers, and stacked beams, fed with a roomful of radio equipment -- not a radio smaller and much better built than their cellphone.

I carry at least one HT with me at all times. #Many people think it's a cellphone, and I do not try to change their minds. #To my surprise, other people recognize it is an HT -- and identify themselves as yet another ham operator.

Ham radio ties in with scanning well! #I once had a webpage with Arizona repeaters, and public safety frequencies -- and enjoyed going on scanner &quot;DXpeditions&quot; to mountaintops and small towns, seeking out new public safety frequencies. #I only had to make a quick call on 146.520 MHz simplex, and usually snagged local hams on the first call wherever we went.

I presume if I was trying to find disgruntled hams, I would have to actively seek them out. #They have not bothered me much since 1987 when I started, and the few minor incidents were just that -- minor.

Once had a Hallicrafters HT40 transmitter, and a crystal that tuned up nicely on 28400 kHz, but my rig only sent CW. #So, I called CQ, and received many intrigued replies from hams either answering me in CW or SSB. #One ham even asked me to relay priority traffic to Phoenix, and I did.

He thanked me, then we heard a breaker. #An unidentified ham, calling himself #&quot;a concerned Extra&quot;, without giving his call told us to both use SSB, or go down to the CW-only portion of the band. Did I argue? #I just sent, OK, and left.

It was that easy. #No name calling. #No grumbling. We just cut it short, and came back after our friend left.

I still say, &quot;Ham Radio? #YES!!!&quot;
73
Robert KB7AQD
Phoenix, AZ[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I would not have responded to an unidentified &quot;concerned extra&quot; in any way. The only Amateur freqs where CW is illegal are the channelized 60M band. If you had a good cross mode pileup going, you should have continued just because it is such a blast. You were there first. &quot;Concerned extra&quot; should have spun his VFO to a clear freq to use his yackrophone.

I remember the first time I heard a cross mode QSO about 26 years ago. There was a round table of 3 or 4 hams, and one was recovering from some kind of oral surgery. He participated with the group by using audio MCW. The others kept good naturedly ribbing him about his condition and he kept right up with 'em by keying back at 'em.

[w6ez]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I remember the first time I heard a cross mode QSO about 26 years ago. There was a round table of 3 or 4 hams, and one was recovering from some kind of oral surgery. He participated with the group by using audio MCW. The others kept good naturedly ribbing him about his condition and he kept right up with 'em by keying back at 'em.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

This is EXACTLY the kind of thing that makes ham radio so much fun and such a great hobby!

Anyone who has the misfortune to run across one of the few &quot;hard cases&quot; on the air who have to gripe about everything please remember, these folks were messed up before they got into ham radio. Ham radio didn't make them that way. Some folks are just born with a missing &quot;fun&quot; strand in their DNA.

Just enjoy the radio. HAM RADIO YES!

[KD4REE]

I like ham radio. I have met many friendly people both on two meters and on HF.

Even with a modest setup, I can talk to people in the next city and across the world!

I am a member of the Vienna Wireless Society. Some members have helped me assemble my station and provided operating tips. The president even sold me his old Kenwood TS-440s that he bought at a hamfest.

The hobby offers so many things that everyone should be able to find something that they like. Some like CW, others are into APRS while mobile. I like HF phone, handling traffic and helping with skywarn.

kb7aqd, I to bring my HTs wherever I go. Only one person noticed my VX-2R. That's ok though. Some people might think it is an FRS radio.

73

I am a new Technician and still working on my code! Argggh! I have been lucky to meet many nice people. I am just really happy to have my license.