Preserving the "Real" in _REAL_ Ham Radio?
 

That which differentiates the _REAL_ Radio Ham from
the CBer-Masquerading-As-A-Radio-Ham is his or her
habit of constructing, modifying and repairing radios. At one
time, the components that he or she was using were the same
components used by industry, but there is an increasing gap -
special purpose chips for which no info is available (or only
available under a commercial NDA) and tiny chips that are increasingly
difficult to deal with, especially BGA types.

The components which we use are those that are man-handleable,
but as these become less and less the one that industry use, their
rarity will increase.

Therefore I suggest that it is time to start hoarding old electronic
components and/or the circuit boards on which they come?

I think you have a point, here, and a possible business opportunity.

Because, as you quite rightly point out, these components are becoming rarer
and rarer. So if someone was to go into business "hoarding" these things,
then in 20 or 30 years time, they would have a nice business, supplying the
amateurs, with components to keep the "elderly" and classic radio's going.
It would be a nice little earner and a way to top up a pension !

So go ahead Mr Bean, fill your house with redundant crap, hoard it for 20
years and sell it on.

After all the majority of license holders in 20 or 30 years time will be
M3's or former M3's . You know, CBers who aren't technical.......who can't
solder ...who send their rigs back to be fixed !

So go ahead, hoard the crap, and see what happens.

If you are correct in your posts that M3's are not "REAL" Radio Amateurs,
then you won't have a business.....if you are wrong you will.

Does this mean you are retracting your comments about M3's ?

(PS, do let me know in 20 or so years if you are right).

Adrian
M1LCR



All those amateurs that is, that are still capable of using a soldering iron
! Or who hold a ticket.
Because in 20 or 30 years time, there may not be many amateurs left, at all.
"Airy R. Bean" wrote in message
...
That which differentiates the _REAL_ Radio Ham from
the CBer-Masquerading-As-A-Radio-Ham is his or her
habit of constructing, modifying and repairing radios. At one
time, the components that he or she was using were the same
components used by industry, but there is an increasing gap -
special purpose chips for which no info is available (or only
available under a commercial NDA) and tiny chips that are increasingly
difficult to deal with, especially BGA types.

The components which we use are those that are man-handleable,
but as these become less and less the one that industry use, their
rarity will increase.

Therefore I suggest that it is time to start hoarding old electronic
components and/or the circuit boards on which they come?

Airy R. Bean wrote:

That which differentiates the _REAL_ Radio Ham from
the CBer-Masquerading-As-A-Radio-Ham is his or her
habit of constructing, modifying and repairing radios.

[1] No-one needs a licence for these activities.

[2] If you want to preserve ham, try sodium nitrite.

[3] If you add some pork, you'll have some spam. LOL.

--
Binary Era