On Jan 27, 8:29 am, wrote:

Having to look at 100 houses after telling an agent what you want means
something's really wrong somewhere.

Having to fire three agents after telling them what you want means
something's really wrong somewhere.

Yes, there is, but it's what we have to work with. All the agents I
worked with were of the big picture on the billboard type. It would
veer way OT, but my XYL who works in the flooring industry and has
regular contact with contractors and RE agent, could tell you stories
that would make you hair stand on end. The closest comparison I can
make is that there is a strong "carny vs rube" relationship going on.
And they are the carney.


You had the resources and patience to go through all that. Many folks
don't. If you spent just 1 hour per house on research, that's over
2-1/2 weeks work before the actual job of buying and moving begins.

Thanks for proving my point, Jim. I spent a lot of time researching my
house. When a house reached "serious status", I took measurements, I
talked to the neighbors, I had my lawyer go to the courthouse to check
over the deed - in addition to the completely worthless deed insurance
they make you buy. And he found an issue that we made the owners pay
for. But the point is there is a choice, and if a person lacks the
patience to find out what they are buying into, then I don't know how
to advise them.

There's the old saying about buy in haste and repent at leisure.


1) Lots of people who live in restricted homes never pursue an interest
in amateur radio because they don't want the antenna hassle. Not every
restricted home has a suitable attic or yard where an antenna can be
hidden. Many restrictions are such that flagpoles, birdhouses, awnings
and other things are prohibited too. Plus Gladys Kravitz type neighbors
who look for *any* infractions (it only takesone).

hehe, I was wondering when Gladys would come up... 8^)

But you brought us back to Ham radio specifically, so that's great.

I agree wholeheartedly. Old Mr Bloom from up the road was my
introduction to two way radio. He had a tower with one of those triple
vertical dipoles on it that you could switch the pattern on - I forget
what they are called. But a friend and I knocked on his door, and
politely asked if we could see his radios. He told us to have our
parents call him to make sure it was okay, and then we stopped by
again to see his shack. Pure magic! Lights and glowing meters and that
electronic smell of tubes that whenever I smell tube equipment these
days it takes me right back.

Otherwise I agree with all those points.


For decades the trend in amateur radio has been to make the licenses
easier to get, the equipment less expensive, more reliable and higher
performing, and the choices of activities greater. But at the same
time, there's been a slow but steady trend to make more and more homes
ham-radio-unfriendly. That's not a good thing.

I'm not sure how to meet the challenge head-on; we don't have the
resources of the satellite-dish folks.

For as much charm as our introduction to Ham radio was, it is going to
be different today.

If we decide that we need to get young people interested in Ham radio,
it will have to be in a manner in which they are used to.

I had an idea about making a 2 meter HT that had texting ability, as
well as voice. The texting mode would be PSK-31. Note that PSK31
actually does work with FM - it isn't as useful as the SSB version,
but it still works. A kid with a Technician license and his/her
friends of like qualifications would use these things similarly to
cell phones, but it would be their own channels. After starting, the
more adventurous might look into repeater construction. Regular Ham
type stuff. Eventually they would likely gravitate to HF if they found
that interesting.

It would certainly be a different paradigm than what most people who
became Hams when very young went through. But we don't have novice
class any more, and have to come up with something else.

Some Hams I have pitched this to have been vehemently oppose to the
idea.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

"Michael J. Coslo" wrote

I had an idea about making a 2 meter HT that had texting ability, as
well as voice. The texting mode would be PSK-31. Note that PSK31
actually does work with FM - it isn't as useful as the SSB version,
but it still works. A kid with a Technician license and his/her
friends of like qualifications would use these things similarly to
cell phones, but it would be their own channels.

--------------

The beauty of that is that if the kids are close enough to work simplex, all
that may be required for an antenna is a small indoor one, and certainly a
5w HT isn't powerful enough to get into a neighbor's electronics. I once had
a Ringo AR-2 hanging from a hook in my apartment ceiling.

Howard N7SO

Michael J. Coslo wrote:

You had the resources and patience to go through all that. Many folks
don't. If you spent just 1 hour per house on research, that's over
2-1/2 weeks work before the actual job of buying and moving begins.

Thanks for proving my point, Jim. I spent a lot of time researching my
house. When a house reached "serious status", I took measurements, I
talked to the neighbors, I had my lawyer go to the courthouse to check
over the deed - in addition to the completely worthless deed insurance
they make you buy. And he found an issue that we made the owners pay
for. But the point is there is a choice, and if a person lacks the
patience to find out what they are buying into, then I don't know how
to advise them.

In some states, CCRs can be really hidden. For example a builder may buy a
portion of land already subject to restrictions. Doing a normal title
search usually won't find the restriction, since the builder will seem to be
the first to put Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions on that particular
piece of land. Incidentally a careful shopper also has to watch out for
easements.

I also have to note once again that not every potential home buyer even
considers CCRs or understands that a restriction on let's say additional
structures might bar a tower even if said tower is attached to the
residence. One other problem is numerous municipalities try to ban antennas
and fighting that ban can be expensive.

Finally let me note that in some states, a ham who loses a legal fight
against a Covenant can not only end up liable for his or her legal costs but
those of the party who (i.e. the neighbor or HOA) who brought the suit.

There's the old saying about buy in haste and repent at leisure.

I suspect most folks are more concerned about location, price and size than
antennas, that's true even for most hams I suppose. I don't know how much
haste is involved, but focus tends to shorten in such circumstances.