How Representative is Qrz.com of Radio Amateurs?

Hello Fellow Amateurs,
I`m interested to know peoples views on how Representative Qrz.com Users are of Radio Amateurs who Actually Use Amateur Radio and what you think might be the Impression the General Public and Amateurs to be might think of us?

People have said that the Internet is Not Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio is Not the Internet.
I AGREE.

But this will not stop people who come across Qrz.com or any other Amateur related website looking for information about Amateur Radio from being influence by what they read here?

Do you think that we as users of the Website portray a realistic view of Amateur Radio in General?

Your thoughts on this will be most Welcome, Flames and All,
73s de Samantha 2e1dau

Edit:
A Non Amateur hears or reads a news story about Amateur Radio being used to Save life’s in the Hurricane Katrina Disaster and decides to find out a bit more about Amateur Radio and their searching brings them Here.
What Impression of Amateur Radio do we give to that person in General?

[KD6NIG]

QRZ is the area where we can vent and not worry about it. On the air, its not like this.

In a way, QRZ preforms a public service by letting us vent our ham radio frustration and anger on here. But, I really haven't noticed a change on the air. Course, so far I'm still above 50MHZ so I can't speak for HF.

[AB8MA]

"Do you think that we as users of the Website portray a realistic view of Amateur Radio in General?"

You are asking the wrong question. This website is not quite as technical as some. In a site discussing the bits of an issue with Java Library Objects, you will most probably see a lot of focus on the topic and little or no flaming.

If proper navigation were used and one only looked in the Question and Answers section, I believe that this website is strictly representative of Amateur Radio.

Otherwize, this website could be considered strictly representative of the Internet.

But my XYL has seen flaming on sites dealing with issues concerning sewing machines, go figure.

[KF4LNE]

Quote[/b] ] It is clearly an "ego thing."

HEY! I am offended by that! I come here all the time to add more inflation to my ego! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Now, I wonder how representative QRZed.com (http://www.qrzed.com) is...

[KA4DPO]

Samantha, I would never say on the radio the things that I write here. I try to avoid serious topics unless they strike a nerve and instead, just have fun here. If you work me on HF you'll see (hear) a different person than you might expect if you only read these web pages.

I would say that these pages are a poor representation of "on the air" amatuer radio. I hope that anyone who looks here to find out more about the hobby has a good sense of humor.

[KG6YTZ]

Well, if one reads QRZ and tries to apply it to the real world, one might easily assume that hams spend their time obsessively and heatedly debating the merits - and/or lack thereof - of CB, CW, the government, the ARRL, and poop-related news items. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[AG3Y]

If I wanted to find out about amateur radio, I would go out and buy a radio, and listen to the bands, myself! I certainly would NOT go and use this, or any other forum on the internet for my example!

Using the internet to try to figure out what amateur radio is all about, is like reading a book about the Grand Canyon, and trying to figure out what IT is all about ! You can't really experience it, until you are THERE !

73, Jim

[K6BBC]

Monsters from the id.

[G3OZN]

QRZ.com is one of my favourite sites, along with a good DX Spider/Cluster (quite a few to choose from)
Most hams are decent ordinary "hobby" enthusiasts, ranging from the local yokel to the professional radio engineer (and those few who do not subscribe to the "Protestant Work Ethic")
The casual eavesdropper (with more than a single braincell) listening to an amateur contact can soon pick out the hobbyist;the dx merchant;the PMR types (what would you like on your sandwiches tonight dear?) and worst of all the egotistical (one who make frequent use of the pronoun "I") self opiniated barrack room lawyer.
I think QRZ.com is an allround balanced (as far as that can be obtained) scenario of amateur radio.

[K6UEY]

Any similarity to the real Amateur Radio world and what some one may see on QRZ is purely coincidental.
QRZ is a portion of the cyber world,the internet,Alice in wonderland,it is not real,and all one has to have is a paid up ISP to qualify as a member,altogether different from the World of Amateur Radio. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[AD4MG]

QRZ is like amateur radio with the volume turned up WAY too loud!

[K3UD]

Some of the seemingly permanent Good Ole Boy roundtables on 75 and to some extent 160 begin to approach what goes on here, and sometimes exceed what goes on here. The Liberty Net, IMHO far exceeded anything that has ever went on here. Other than 75 meter phone, the other bands are rather calm.

73
George
K3UD

[W5HTW]

Quote[/b] (K6UEY @ Sep. 10 2005,03:01)]Any similarity to the real Amateur Radio world and what some one may see on QRZ is purely coincidental.
QRZ is a portion of the cyber world,the internet,Alice in wonderland,it is not real,and all one has to have is a paid up ISP to qualify as a member,altogether different from the World of Amateur Radio. :)
Pretty much the way it is, Orv.

QRZ.com is good for us, and good for ham radio. But it isn't ham radio. Anyone visiting this site does so on the internet, not on 20 meter sideband, or 30 CW. I can't imagine anyone anywhere thinking this is ham radio, but the bad thing is a few really do. How sad for them.

Ed

[G3OZN]

I cant see how anyone CAN see this as amateur radio, but as an adjunct and a forum (providing folk use there own callsigns! and dont hide behind some pseudonym), both for comment and the best callsign lookup database in the world, its the tops.
If some have to be facetious (and why not?) better on here than clogging up the airwaves, where some unsuspecting member of the non amateur radio fraternity may drop across some half wit expounding their own particular brand of propaganda to further their own (often hidden, but known to some!) agenda.

[G0GQK]

Hello Samantha,

I'm sure you realise that 99.9% of the comments made on QRZ.com are citizens of the United States. If you find radio amateur homepages which are used mainly by British amateurs I think you will notice that there is a difference.

73, Mel

[K0RGR]

QRZ is where I go when I can't be on the radio, which, unfortunately is a lot more than when I can.

However, it is not much like real ham radio at all. You don't run into the arguments there that you do here.

Right now, the solar flares are killing HF, and I'm not hearing much on VHF either, though occasionally somebody connects to EchoLink. So here I am. I beats watching TV.

Hi ya,
Thanks to all who have replied to this thread so far,
Your comments are interesting and varied as i would expect, but like any other topic it is nice to hear (see) others views.

I was communicating recently with a gent via e-mail who happened to be into electronics ect, Anyway i brought up the subject of Amateur radio and as it turned out this person had been thinking about Amateur radio for some time but did not know how to get involved and get licensed ect and finding a club and a training course.

So i gave this person lots of info about Amateur radio and found some clubs near him and supplied links to their websites ect and also sent various computer files i have regarding Amateur radio to him.

The one thing i did Not do was send a link to Qrz.com?
Why you may ask? Well even after all the positive things i done to help promote Amateur radio to this person and give as much help as i could, In my opinion i believe that what is available to read in some of these forums (nprm ect) does not do much to show us in a good light?

I also note that someone said that mostly American amateurs post in Qrz.com? I would agree with this to a certain extent, but at the same time i wonder why that is as it is an international website used by Amateurs world wide.

Although i have been licensed for some time now, i have only recently registered with the site because 9 out of 10 Amateurs i work world wide are also registered with Qrz.com and are available to look up.
It seems that American Amateurs are listed Automatically so that might account for so many American users?
Not that it makes any difference to me.

Topics of interest regarding Amateur radio are an Interest to me no matter what part of the world it concerns.

But like the person i recently had contact with via e-mail, i hope that if he or anyone else comes across this website or another like it then he/she has an open mind?

I`m not talking joe bloggs who has been a Swl for x amount of years? I`m talking about the Virgin newbie looking for that Interest in Amateur Radio!

Qrz.com should be reserved for those who have gained there Amateur licence and have spent some time Operating so that when they come here they can then Tell the Difference??
73s de Samantha 2e1dau

[AG3Y]

Samantha , there is nothing like a one on one relationship with another ham to quickly learn the basics and "pick up the ropes" of ham radio. This relationship has for years, been known as "Elmering" another person.

Unfortunately, in this age when jobs are an hour or longer commute away, and so much of our lives are taken up with the rigors of just surviving from one paycheck to the next, the luxury of that spare time to work with an "Elmer" is not a reality for all of us.

There is also the very real danger that two people of the opposite sex might be put together in a very undesirable situation, which keeps many from seeking out an individual to personally "Elmer" them.

For this and other reasons, forums such as this CAN be used to help a prospective ham overcome the initial hurtles! But as with all internet activity, care must be exercised to keep the experience positive and benefitial !

Best to you, 73 and 88, Jim

[AI4EP]

FYI... as our numbers slowly dwindle through the months and even through the years...qrz begins to represent an even HIGHER number of the total amateur radio population.

But then, you folks already knew that, didnt ya ?

So that means that what you say here is more/less the opinion of the amateur community as our total numbers equal less and less.

Aint that great ?

Hi ya,
Someone once said to me a long time ago that,

You Never get a Second Chance to Create a First Impression!!

I think this applies to many things in Life and is also appropriate to Amateur radio?

One idea could be that when we click to submit a post that a box pops up and asks if you are Sure you want to submit the post as it will be available to view by Anyone World wide?
73s de Samantha 2e1dau

[WA2ZDY]

Quote[/b] (G0GQK @ Sep. 10 2005,16:42)]I'm sure you realise that 99.9% of the comments made on QRZ.com are citizens of the United States. If you find #radio amateur homepages which are used mainly by British amateurs I think you will notice that there is a #difference.
Shall I be offended?

And out of my personal curiosity, could you give us some links to the British pages that are better? Or at least different? I'm sure we could all use some expansion of our horizons.

Thanks.

[AA0CX]

I like this website because it's a cross section (and I DO mean CROSS-SECTION) of amateur radio.

The debate sometimes is rancorous (especially when it comes to CW/no CW) but, despite the sometimes petty name-calling and childish posts, the exchange of ideas is healthy, and toward that end, we can all get a better understanding of where we all are coming from.

This website is like an open "Letters to The Editor" page in your newspaper. #You're not going to agree with everything (or even much of anything) but, as I said before, healthy debate is good. #

Kudos to the QRZ staffers, moderators, etc.

[W4ROT]

Quote[/b] ]But my XYL has seen flaming on sites dealing with issues concerning sewing machines, go figure.
That really, I mean really freaks me out.
I think I'm getting a headache.
w4rot

[WA9SVD]

I would say QRZ represents Internuts who are also Hams. But it's not necessarily an accurate cross section of Amateur Radio Operators any more than Internet forum users of ANY type are representative of society as a whole.
For better or worse, the Internet forums bring out trolls, flamers, and other miscreants. But you learn who they are and recognize them for what they are. And of course, (thank goodness) you also have the helpful crowd that know how to act with common courtesy and common sense, make no personal attacks, and are well behaved.
But I believe QRZ, like ANY Internet forum, tends to bring out some fanaticswho go to extremes, and emotions that are less controlled than in general society in public.

[KG4CGC]

I don't think 179 registered members even represents a miniscule cross section of the Ham community. Out of those 179, how many are regular posters with the loudest voices? Very few. Very very few.
If I'm wrong on the numbers then please correct me.

[KI6ADA]

Quote[/b] (w4rot @ Sep. 11 2005,11:40)]
Quote[/b] ]But my XYL has seen flaming on sites dealing with issues concerning sewing machines, go figure.
That really, I mean really freaks me out.
I think I'm getting a headache.
w4rot
won't be long before the attack of the crochet needles, watch out for flying yarn................. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[AC4BB]

I look #at #points of #view #on QRZ. com #and #decide #for #myself based #on what #others write if I agree #or#disagree #with the #threads #and the #respective #authors. I #do the same #on #air. #However,I#don't use #opinions #from #just #one #source #to #justify any opinion #I might have #concerning #a subject. #And as far as #EGO's #are #concerned #that's #even in #public with #any #one whether #they be amateurs #or #not. I watch TV and I don't agree with a lot of what I see. #However , unless the subject being disussed happens#to #be a subject #of mainstream #coverage #I #don't bring that #here #either.

[G3OZN]

I would not want any decent ham to read one of the popular ham sites in UK, it would certainly broaden your horizons over there, but not in the way that would put UK amateurs in good light.

[LB1UE]

QRZ.com is 100% amateur radio.

Although, you will still find a few amateurs on the ether which doesn't use DX-Clusters and qrz.com to verify the callsign they received.

You may split amateur radio in a few basic operation modes:

1 - Using a radio, DX-Cluster and lookup databases to get QSL cards
2 - Using a computer to run different modes (including CW, through your radio)
3 - Using a computer to run different modes through internet connected to a few radios
4 - Contest operators
5 - CB Dudes
6 - Real Radio Amateurs -> No DX-Cluster, No CB chat, no computerized cheating, only voice / ear / pump.

---

I use eQSL because it's there, and I always send a papercard as well.

[G8ADD]

Quote[/b] (WA2ZDY @ Sep. 11 2005,07:28)]
Quote[/b] (G0GQK @ Sep. 10 2005,16:42)]I'm sure you realise that 99.9% of the comments made on QRZ.com are citizens of the United States. If you find #radio amateur homepages which are used mainly by British amateurs I think you will notice that there is a #difference.
Shall I be offended?

And out of my personal curiosity, could you give us some links to the British pages that are better? #Or at least different? # I'm sure we could all use some expansion of our horizons.

Thanks.
Here you go:

www.electro-clash.com/amateur/index.php?act=idx

www.sotaforum.co.uk

Different, yes - better? not really.

73

Brian G8ADD