Tell ABC you want more Ham radio on Last Man Standing show

From the Last Man Standing's Mike Baxter, KA0XTT's facebook page, We can show some support by going to the link below and posting comments to try and get more amateur radio tv time.

Please, for the hobby's sake, keep comments constructive and on target, this is the first foray into amateur radio that I can remember seeing on national television which is not a documentary or similar. Yes mistakes were made on the show, but, at least they are trying.
From the post:
Can Mandy be saved from a life of Radio Piracy? Will Mike Baxter ever get on the radio? Will Kyle figure out which Amazon PY8 is? Only you can help. Tell us you want more ham radio on the official "ABC LMS" site.

http://www.facebook.com/<wbr>LastManStandingABC?fref=ts

73
Gary
K4GHL

 

Only if it isn't portrayed as it was as some reincarnation of the old party-line telephone which it seemed on TV. Why perpetuate the CB metaphor most people equate us to?

 

What was on TV was illegal operation. I would love it if they would show more but with FCC approved operating methods.
Joe - KB1SSA

 

I am living a real life. I have a life. I've learned to turn off the TV and get away from it to do other things. There generally is plenty to do in the average persons life other than sit in front of the "boob tube". Yeah, we know what the show did and we also know that it's portrayed as "Storytelling" and it's fictitious. TV is supposed to be the LAST thing you do or turn on after everything else has been done for the day.

I think it's wise just to leave it at that, and move on. There are plenty of other things worth considering than some silly TV show. Ham radio is real and we know what it is and how to use it. Lets get out there then and use it.



'73

 

I'm betting it would be a much more enjoyable experience for you all if you realized the show is NOT a frickin' ham radio documentary!!!

How can it be an illegal operation if IT IS NOT REAL?!!!!

It's entertainment!!!

Make some popcorn, grab a beer, and just enjoy a little escape from reality!

 

Nice to see Ham Radio on TV but lets be a little more realistic and not so CB'ish. The way it was portrayed was at best an insult to most Hams and not very encouraging for us Hams or new Hams. How about a more realistic example working some rare DX or handling a public service event or maybe an emergency . Thanks for the effort anyway. Rick K6ZWB

 

We're lucky ham radio got portrayed at all. There have never been any indications that ham radio shown on TV or the movies has brought on any number of pirates or poorly licensed ham operators. A first run show on a network is all about ratings.

Likely, if anyone heard what the audio was like out of an HF rig, they'd likely run in horror.

Enjoy the fact that some of your non-ham friends & acquaintances may not give you a look when you start talking radio or holding that HT to your ear. if they saw the episode.

 

I think it was great they showed how even the most remote region of the Amazon has VHF/HF phone link systems. Oh wait, you mean that 6" collapsed telescopic whip in the FT-817 wasn't reeeaaaaal?? I did like that ham radio was portrayed as a more advanced from of Twitter. No typing needed.

 

I've got it! Start your own show!

Even better, how about become an Elmer to someone who may be motivated to get licensed as a result of the show? Teach them the correct way!

Seriously. Who watched the episode of Ham Nation on TWiT recently where they interviewed the producer of the show?

http://twit.tv/show/ham-nation/88

Do you realize what kind of accuracy they put into the ham radio segments? I think they're doing a great job, and every hobbyist -- no matter what they love to do -- should be so lucky to have the lead character of a television series share their hobby on the show.

What are there, 700K+ hams in the United States? Guess what? The show is not targeted, marketed, or built around hams. (We have Ham Nation, Ham Radio Now, and Amateur Logic to name three that will give you all the accuracy you need!) Get over it guys.

(Sorry, but someone had to say it.)

 

After seeing the show I am now leaning toward an Icom Ic-7700! Say what you want about the realism of the episode but man oh man that radio looked good on TV!

 

My problem with the episode wasn't inaccuracies or illegal operation, but the perpetuation of the stereotype of ham radio being just "old people". Granted, this is a pretty gray hobby nowadays but that image of amateur radio doesn't help get young people interested in it, "advanced version of Twitter" or not.

I found all the senior citizen stereotypes insulting, and I'm only 46!

Jim K7OSX

 

Yeah, fine, it wasn't exactly true to real life. But it was a POSITIVE depiction of ham radio on a NATIONAL TV show, and it might make some young folks interested in finding out more about ham radio. I'd say it was GREAT, and three cheers to the ABC people for doing it!

 

What I objected to was the show description on my Dish DVR... it said she talked on 'Mike's old ham radio'. If that radio was old, my Kenwood TS-680 is a dinosaur!!!

I don't care that much about the level of realism of the actual radio operating as I am just glad the people using it were not portrayed as complete nerds or dorks as is often the case! AND that it portrayed ham radio as something current... not the whole, 'Do people still do that?' attitude. My neighbors have thought my ham antennas were for anything from satellite TV reception to calling down aliens to trying to (I kid you not) 'Talk to God'. Dare I tell them what my ham callsign is?!!!

What I really want to do is get one of those ham T-shirts to wear on my daily walk... one with the picture of a shack and a billion antennas on top of & all around it with a caption that reads, "What antennas?!!" - Yeah that'll do...


EDIT: Oh!!! A five second blurb at the end of the show just before credits... "What to find out more about real ham radio today? Visit ARRL.org" over a logo with the URL. That'd be nice.

 

It IS good... but the IC-7800 has TWO receivers, so its better. Otherwise , if you keep the power down well below 200 watts on the 7700, its super-duper

73,
Chip W1YW

 

I confess I have never watched the show.

Remove the ham radio bit for a second...is it worth watching? If so I will take a peak.

73,
chip W1YW