Why buy radios if you are not going to use them?
February/22/2011 09:21 AM
Each and every year I attend the Dayton Hamvention. I don't think I have missed a year in the past 20 years. I watch people buying new handheld radios like they are going to stop manufacturing them any day now.
Then, when Dayton is all over, the repeaters are relatively silent. What are you people doing with these radios? Just listening to nothing? I don't get it.
Hams are in this hobby to communicate. So why aren't we talking on the repeaters anymore?
Not to mention, when I go to the meetings of my local ham radio club, the room is usually filled with 50 or more people, and you're lucky if you hear even 10 of those people on any of the club repeaters at any time during the week.
Come on people, get on the radio. Talk and make friends. Learn something interesting about others. Communicate something interesting about you. If you are going to be a ham, then act like a ham and use the flipping radios!
Then, when Dayton is all over, the repeaters are relatively silent. What are you people doing with these radios? Just listening to nothing? I don't get it.
Hams are in this hobby to communicate. So why aren't we talking on the repeaters anymore?
Not to mention, when I go to the meetings of my local ham radio club, the room is usually filled with 50 or more people, and you're lucky if you hear even 10 of those people on any of the club repeaters at any time during the week.
Come on people, get on the radio. Talk and make friends. Learn something interesting about others. Communicate something interesting about you. If you are going to be a ham, then act like a ham and use the flipping radios!
Comments
SunSpots - Are they back?
February/19/2011 09:20 AM
I am not on the HF radio every day, but Russ (WB8ZCC) sent out an email yesterday that 10 meters was open. So I turned on the radio and did hear a number of Western Europeans on the air being worked by countless U.S. hams obviously starved for a DX contact.
Maybe after a prolonged wait, Mr. Sun is finally starting to cooperate with us patiently waiting hams. Now I can start working on my endorsement for 200 countries confirmed. Right now as I recall, I am at 118. So with a little help from the Sun, I might be able to get it this cycle.
Maybe after a prolonged wait, Mr. Sun is finally starting to cooperate with us patiently waiting hams. Now I can start working on my endorsement for 200 countries confirmed. Right now as I recall, I am at 118. So with a little help from the Sun, I might be able to get it this cycle.