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Ham radio job

Discussion in 'General Announcements' started by KE4PMP, Feb 28, 2015.

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  1. N4EGA

    N4EGA Ham Member QRZ Page

    Last year, I and my former employer needed to part ways, mainly due to a huge layoff. (there were some other contributing factors)

    After laying low for a few months and being the "house husband", which was awesome, I began to discuss starting CQmaps with my wife.

    It took quite a few months to go from idea stage to full blow operation stage.

    It is worth it.

    CQmaps has more than lived up to my expatiation's and has surpassed most of what I imagined.

    If you really want a job in Amateur Radio, you only have two options. Work for someone else or work for yourself. I choose to only work for me. Working for others is fine, but my drive is too high to sit back and wait for others to make a decision.

    Is there something that you are good at that you think you can do as a career in ham radio? If so, the only person that can tell you "no" and really mean "no" is yourself. Lots of people out there who don't like others to succeed. Brush that off. I had several people tell me that the ham radio community is too small, or too stingy or too whatever. That's fine. I just adjusted my target and am now succeeding. I even had another "CQ" tell me that I could not use my name. I don't believe that I will be hearing back from him.

    Lots of No's out there. Be your own Yes and do it.
     
    N8AAE likes this.
  2. K0SDZ

    K0SDZ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Yea...The possibilities are endless...teach, work for a ham organization, for a ham equipment retailer or manufacturer (research,design, test, or be a rep, etc etc.) Come up with a product and sell it. Or work for a ham publication or magazine, do writing, do freelance equipment repair, or for an existing shop, ask around, brainstorm with other hams about your dream, talk with hams that are already employed in some way related to amateur radio...until you find the niche that fits your interests and skills. Good luck...Bill K0SDZ
     
    KM4KWO likes this.
  3. N7GH

    N7GH Ham Member QRZ Page

    Well, here is an idea... back a few years the FCC made it legal for HAMs to get paid to operate HAM gear at their jobs, like if you are a police officer, fireman, nurse, and etc that is impacted by emergencies and a first responder type. If you are interested any of those fields for a career you can and should list your HAM radio credentials as part of your resume.
     
    KM4KWO likes this.
  4. N4NJJ

    N4NJJ Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    You have to ask yourself what it is that you want to do? Talk on the radio? Service radios? Play with the newest stuff that's not even out yet?

    From there, you'll figure out what type of job suits you. Tech. Dispatcher. Sales. Etc.

    With ham radio, I doubt there is all that much available... but I'm sure there's tons of stuff in land mobile. Every place in America needs a radio shop.
     
  5. K4PIH

    K4PIH Ham Member QRZ Page

    HRO in Woodbrigde hired a guy from California last year and he moved to the NoVa area but last I heard about a month ago was that he didn't work out. Last I was in the store they had a help sign in the window. Call them and ask. the crew there is really top notch. I thought about working there part time to sup my regular gig. Send them your resume and ask. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

    Also have you thought about a federal position in the SHARES HF radio system? It's not amateur but a large majority of the people are hams. They work with some pretty top end equipment. Go on USAjobs.com and search for SHARES.

     
  6. WA9WVX

    WA9WVX Ham Member QRZ Page

    A lot of cities have their own radio shops for the Land Mobile Two-Way Radios that they use in Public Safety Networks and even Toll Highway Departments have their own Radio Maintenance Shops to service their Base Stations, Mobiles, Computerized Consoles and Microwave BackBone (Links). About the only thing they require is a GROL & a Microwave Endorsement which add to the Pay Check.
     
  7. WJ6R

    WJ6R Ham Member QRZ Page

    Here at HRD, we have 7 full time people on staff... we have a few contractors and part timers too.

    Anyone who is full time with HRD is paid at a good living wage.. the reason, Hams are supporting us with their $$$ for good software and that makes us able to hire the best people for the job, no matter their location.

    After Dayton, we have a UK ham we are bring on to increase our support hours... HRD is worldwide and it has been an amazing ride.
     
  8. K3UJ

    K3UJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Don't forget the railroads and maritime industry.
     
  9. WA4SIX

    WA4SIX Ham Member QRZ Page

    VHF/UHF & Microwave industries are doing well. A very good friend of mine wasn't happy at his UHF/Microwave antenna test job & after putting out his resume, had several offers with moving expenses & temporary housing. He doubled his pay & is in a better work environment.

    Ed
     
  10. WA6MHZ

    WA6MHZ Ham Member QRZ Page

    I wish a job for a Ham would crop up here in San Diego. I don't want to COMMUTE to LA, that kinda commute would really SUCK! (and drink a tank of gas a day!!!)
     
  11. W6OGC

    W6OGC Ham Member QRZ Page

    Doing something as a business that you enjoyed doing as an avocation or hobby for free, often kills both the money and the fun. This afflicts professional athletes sometimes, more so back when it wasn't so incredibly lucrative at the highest levels. Think of golfers. Millions of them play for fun, and few ever become good enough to qualify, let alone earn a living, as a pro.

    Professional musicians mostly make next to nothing, unless they are in the Rolling Stones or something, no matter how superb a musician they are. I know many like this. The idiotic hours and miserable pay come to be drudgery pretty quickly. There are a few who succeed beyond the dreams of avarice and they do very, very well, but not many.

    OTOH, find something you love, and never work a day in your life! If you are talented and find a need to fill, it might pay off. How many Halligans, Collins, Drakes, etc are there?
     
  12. G7FQW

    G7FQW Ham Member QRZ Page

    This is along the lines of what I was going to say, if you get a job doing something do you really want to come home after a busy day and continue doing it?

    Keep the hobby & the job separate - unless your lucky enough to get a job with an employer that will sponsor your ham activities :)
     
  13. G3YRO

    G3YRO Ham Member QRZ Page

    For what it's worth, after University I became Service Manager for the main UK Yaesu importer.

    As well as being in charge of the department that tested and repaired all the equipment we sold or had in for p/x, it also meant helping some customers that came to the premises, as well as going to all the big Rallies & Coventions to help set up and man our big stand.

    Although it was quite a nice job, after a couple of years I got a bit fed up of it, and it was putting me off the hobby a bit! (as others have suggested, working doing what you enjoy as a hobby is not always the best idea)
     
    2E0TZX likes this.
  14. AC0TX

    AC0TX Ham Member QRZ Page

    For commercial, one needs a GROL with radar endorsement, which is necessary for work on aircraft and ships NOTHING else needs a GROL Yesteryear, back in the 1970s any work done on commercial radios needed what was then called Radiotelephone license.
    Then to work on marine equipment requires two GMDSS licenses.

    Can you work heights? being a tower guy might be the ticket for you.
    Can you repair electronics?
    Being a Field Service Engineer but one has to have experience with customers. For instance a customer barks at you, can you still remain calm?
    Lots of jobs but now the requirement is to know PLC Programmable Logic Controllers, motor controls and such
    For the past twenty years with two different companies, I worked on plasma that required working on equipment that could generate up to 2 kilowatt 40 mHz RF. With the advent of surface mounted electronics , component troubleshooting is almost a thing of the past. It is far cheaper just to replace the module and be done with it. This is especially true for Field Service Engineers.
    These are just a bunch of dis-jointed ideas
     
    2E0TZX likes this.
  15. K9WIS

    K9WIS Ham Member QRZ Page

    that sounds interesting..I am retired embedded systems engineer looking for a way to spend some free time and stay current in the industry..can you send details?

    Brian K9WIS
     

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