My sentiments exactly -

First off - this is a scanner forum.
Second off - they never gave his call sign.
Third off - just because a person hold a call sign, does not make them a ham radio operator - as in world class ham radio operator.

There is plenty of LIDS in this world, who's only goal in life, is to check into the Rooster Net every morning, crow like a chicken and make a fool of themselves and then talk about their aches and pains and complain about how expensive everything is and then leave.

That does not make the Hiram Percy Maxium.

At the same time, a person does not move and then after moving say - oh and by the way, I would also like to expect to use my amateur radio equipment and put up my own tower.

The world does not revolve around you, and even if it did, if you were the only ham there, what would they do with that tower in a couple of months after you died?

There are rest home communities and even who developments that involves senior citizens who operates their own ham radio equipment.
One such town in Arizona - has 3 or 4 ham radio clubs just in their one town alone - and fully manned and maintained stations which all members of their gated community is allowed to operate anytime they wish.

Negative publicity isn't going to get you any brownie points - when we already have 700,000 licensed hams - most of which are only Technician class license holders, who walks around with their $50 - $150 handi talkies - who does not understand how amateur communications really works.

All they understand is that their cell phones and their cordless phones works on the principal of wireless - and so they do not need to invest in all kinds of radio equipment, antenna's, power supplies, SWR meters, coax, towers, computers for logging etc.
All you need is a walkie talkie and a local repeater so you can jabber like a monkey in a tree.

If this person was a real ham - as others has said, they would have already invested in a computer - ( I know - taboo to stupid old folks who refuses to learn anything ) and a mic and a head set and internet access and they could literally check in to thousands of repeaters all over the world.

Even that does not make them a real good ham, but at least it allows them to stay active...
This topic is several years old
I know because I saw the same newspaper article a year or more ago.......