RadioBanter - View Single Post

October 25th 04, 12:26 PM

In article ,
(Len Over 21) writes:

In article . net, "KØHB"
writes:

"N2EY" wrote

Corrupting it in the process. "Handle" used to simply mean "name", and it
wasn't even strictly a piece of ham jargon. cb folks changed its meaning
to "a
made-up name to avoid using call letters or other means of positive
identification".

Whatever! 60 years ago Clinton DeSoto wrote:

"Among radio amateurs there is a genuine brotherhood and informal
camaraderie. Everyone is called by his "handle" -- his first name
or nickname. The president of the Chicago Stock Exchange and the
mechanic in a Birmingham garage are just "Paul" and "Joe" when
they meet on the air."

I guess I'll continue to use the term 'handle" --- seems to have good
roots.

Etymologists into common American idioms can tell us all that the
term "handle" predates the first demonstrations of radio as a
communications medium. That is, prior to 1896. Its use was
widespread in the sun belt areas of the USA.

Of course, Len. That's what I wrote:

" "Handle" used to simply mean "name", and it wasn't even strictly a piece of
ham jargon. "

But, as the PA Raddio Kopps say (flashing their very important
badges), the word "handle" is an evil despicable nasty word
uttered by unspeakably bad "CBers" just to defame certain
amateur radio extras.

Where do you come up with that, Len?

Meanings of words can change over time. cb folks changed the meaning of
"handle" when applied to identification of a person. Rather than simply meaning
"name", they changed it to mean "a made-up name to avoid using call letters or
other means of positive identification".

"Handles", on cb, were and are used in an attempt to *avoid positive
identification* by others, particularly the FCC.

That's not something any radio amateur should do. It's a bad thing.

The use of "handles" by cb folks for the purpose of evading positive detection
dates back years before FCC stopped issuing licenses and call letters for cb
users. In fact, one of the reasons (not the only one) FCC gave up on cb
licensing was that few cb users were using call signs.

cb folks started using the terms "personal" and "first personal" to mean "name"
and "first name" in part because the meaning of "handle" had changed.

All of that is plain, simple fact. Hard for you to take, though. Too bad!

10-4, good buddy? What's *your* handle, Len? How many Bird watts does your
radidio dead key?

Perhaps your love of "handles" is why you can't seem to call people by their
names...

Meanwhile, back to the "meaningful" discussions by the Architects
and Master Mariners (of the landlocked kind) into the WTC,
airliner handling, engineering safety, and navel maneuvers. All of
which have enormous impact on amateur radio policy matters. :-)

They have more impact and relevance than your oft-repeated stories of watching
teletypes at ADA 24/7, or your claim to fame of writing for a defunct magazine.