Comms: Need to Know what you Know

[sellersm]

I saw this go out today on a ham mailing list:

Thanks ChadAmberg! Looks like just what I need to get started...

[Singlestack]

Well, I think I reached a crossroads of sorts in my ham radio investigation. After joining ARRL, I read the ARRL operators guide and talked to many ham operators. My conclusion is, at least at this point in my life, that I'm not putting together a base station or home HF rig. A mobile rig is to me a very different proposition, and I do believe I want a mobile rig, possibly with HF too.

The main reason I'm not putting a home rig together is more or less lifestyle related. My job is already extremely sedentary, and puts my butt in a chair for 40-50 hours a week. Add in normal email and internet usage, and that is a LOT of hours on my tail. I really don't need another hobby that sits me down for even more hours - I just physically can't do that. I have observed many of the members of state radio clubs, and observe that most members seem to be some combination of elderly, handicapped, or quite obese. For them, I get it - but I don't fit into those categories (yet).

The other thing I am discovering is the learning curve for effective HF comms is very steep compared to line of sight UHF/VHF. The dollar investment is considerably higher, as well.

I may well decide at some point that the station investment is worthwhile, but for now its on ice. My next area of investigation is likely to be line of sight semi-secure comms - and I'm getting further along that path. Anyway, just an update...

[asmo]

The main reason I'm not putting a home rig together is more or less lifestyle related. My job is already extremely sedentary, and puts my butt in a chair for 40-50 hours a week. Add in normal email and internet usage, and that is a LOT of hours on my tail. I really don't need another hobby that sits me down for even more hours - I just physically can't do that. I have observed many of the members of state radio clubs, and observe that most members seem to be some combination of elderly, handicapped, or quite obese. For them, I get it - but I don't fit into those categories (yet).

That and rag-chewing gets REALLY old REALLY fast.. I don't like people. Why the eff would I want to talk to more of them. Just to tell them how their signal is doing.

At least on the Interwebs the stuff is categorized and indexed so I can search for it later.

[hatidua]

I saw this go out today on a ham mailing list:

I'd make the drive down for that but have had something else pencil'd in for that date for months now.

[streetglideok]

Well, I think I reached a crossroads of sorts in my ham radio investigation. After joining ARRL, I read the ARRL operators guide and talked to many ham operators. My conclusion is, at least at this point in my life, that I'm not putting together a base station or home HF rig. A mobile rig is to me a very different proposition, and I do believe I want a mobile rig, possibly with HF too.

The main reason I'm not putting a home rig together is more or less lifestyle related. My job is already extremely sedentary, and puts my butt in a chair for 40-50 hours a week. Add in normal email and internet usage, and that is a LOT of hours on my tail. I really don't need another hobby that sits me down for even more hours - I just physically can't do that. I have observed many of the members of state radio clubs, and observe that most members seem to be some combination of elderly, handicapped, or quite obese. For them, I get it - but I don't fit into those categories (yet).

The other thing I am discovering is the learning curve for effective HF comms is very steep compared to line of sight UHF/VHF. The dollar investment is considerably higher, as well.

I may well decide at some point that the station investment is worthwhile, but for now its on ice. My next area of investigation is likely to be line of sight semi-secure comms - and I'm getting further along that path. Anyway, just an update...

Can't say I blame you on that. I've had my general for a little over a year now, and still do 2m/440 only. Now I, and you both have learned a little bit with working local events, etc, but HF is a different breed. It can turn into a lot of money really fast, and I already have a bunch of irons in the fire now. If or when I do get into HF, I think it'll be portable operations only for now. If we were in a seismically active area, or hurricane prone area I would look at it differently. Other than Yellowstone, we are pretty benign here. I think(call the fire dept) that getting something like the icom 718 or similar, a tuner, and stuff to make a dipole antenna or a couple of them, or wire antennas to run in trees would keep things rather inexpensive, but it's going to be a while, at least till we can get black jesus out of the whitehouse and get the country moving again.

[Singlestack]

You know, I felt both elated and saddened by this little epiphany I had. On one hand, it means I'm making the conscious decision to limit my time going down a somewhat bottomless pit but on the other hand it means I'm intentionally giving up experiencing point-to-point very long distance communications - which was the motivating factor for me going into ham radio in the first place. Kind of a wierd feeling...

[streetglideok]

I wouldn't completely scratch it off the list. I think it is feasible to get into HF without a ton of money, but it won't happen at home. Finding a radio that isn't an arm and a leg won't be hard, its learning to make your own antenna and save a lot there that will be. I don't think either of us fit the "contester" description,lol

[hatidua]

Having grown up being surrounded by parents/uncles/grandparents/etc. that participated in the HF game nightly, I guess the fascination-factor just isn't there for me. My dad, every night, would stay up into the wee hours of the morning communicating (sorry, "working stations"...) all over the world in a quest to get all those cute little cards with a photo and the other persons' call sign on them (QSL cards). For me, getting the license was strictly about being able to run 2M between my wife and I. I took the test last month, she takes it tomorrow. I have no interest, whatsoever, in hearing one-on-one, how some sheep rancher in NZ is doing, or working the station on Pitcairn simply to check that one off the to-do list. I wholeheartedly support those that do, but it was never my intent and remains outside the scope of interest for me.

[LeJerk]

or working the station on Pitcairn simply to check that one off the to-do list.

I had to zoom waaaay out on Google Maps for that one!

[streetglideok]

Couple of stories that popped up today about local hams. Some members of this site may have been involved with the recent activity.
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1035767

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingne...lp-emergencies