Ya, and you're not a 'real' bowler either unless you have a $500 bowling
ball.

And you're not a 'real' fisherman until you've caught a Marlin off the coast
of Mexico either.

It's only a hobby. If you don't like it, pick another one!



"Slow Code" wrote in message
nk.net...
Just thought you should know that.


Help save Ham radio and ignore Markie to save
usenet. Thanks


1- No more automatic renewals. Individuals must retest and pass all
elements required for their license class every ten years.


2- The passing score for written exams needs to be raised to 85%.


3- Code elements should be 13 wpm for General, and 20 wpm for Extra.


4- Make the no-code license one year non-renewable.


5- Cancel your ARRL membership until they decide to work to improve
things and stop them from proposing ham radio that is like CB.

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Ya, and you're not a 'real' bowler either unless you have a $500 bowling
ball.

And you're not a 'real' fisherman until you've caught a Marlin off the
coast of Mexico either.

It's only a hobby. If you don't like it, pick another one!




You use what you can afford. I bought my first ham set up for like $50
used - it was all I could afford at the time AND I had to fabricate some
things to boot. I got my feet wet with it and it kept me interested. Not
everyone can afford the "best". It doesn't mean they're any less of a
hobbiest in that particular field. "I" do not try to keep up with the Jones'
as they say. IF my friend comes home with a brand new radio - it doesn't
mean I'll run out to buy one. Same with a bowling ball, etc. That NEW radio,
bowling ball, fishing (equipment) / expedition, hunting rifle - isn't going
to promise a damned thing. Human intervention "still" counts. Take astronomy
as a hobby...... there are bigger and better(?) telescopes supported by
large universities or other groups. Still - many finds are done with the
smaller back yard telescopes. It's not the size - the cost that count. The
"user" has to do something to make it count. AND in many cases - be it
finding a rare station on the bands, an asteroid, bowling all strikes,
etc........ LUCK has a hell of a lot to do with it. Even the best in
esperience and equipment - fail - sometimes.

Given a choice between a new H.F. rig and either an old boat anchor OR a
homebrew rig to make a contact with, I'd pick the latter - hands down. It
tends to give you a tad more pride using such old equipment that maybe you
repaired or bought cheap OR built from scratch. Personally, I had an HW 101
and now have a TS440S (bought new when offered). If the Heathkit had as many
bells and whistles as the Kenwood - only in the extra bands - I'd take it
hands down. I love the audio of the tube radios over the newer radios. The
Kenwood had an Autotuner - I could tune the Heath with an outboard tuner
faster than that dumb autotuner did the Kenwood - in many cases. Point
being, those older radios are not as sophisticated as the new stuff, but
they sure still performed. Being new, being eh - better(?) isn't what it is
always about. And even the homebrew stuff, be it solid state OR tube - when
it comes alive with audio out of the speaker - or putting out that first
signal over the air waves - there is no better feeling.

You have a ham license and buy a used rig - you're a ham. Buy a used bowling
ball, go bowling as often as possible - you're a bowler. Go fishing as often
as possible even with a $10 fishing pole, you're a fisherman. Pitch a tent
with a sheet over a line - you're a camper. Too many people worry about
"impressing" others. Do you do code? IF so, is it at 5 wpm or 60? WHO
CARES - you're enjoying the hobby at your own level.

lou-ka3flu

"clfe" wrote in message
...
"Steve" wrote in message
...
Ya, and you're not a 'real' bowler either unless you have a $500 bowling
ball.

And you're not a 'real' fisherman until you've caught a Marlin off the
coast of Mexico either.

It's only a hobby. If you don't like it, pick another one!




You use what you can afford. I bought my first ham set up for like $50
used - it was all I could afford at the time AND I had to fabricate some
things to boot. I got my feet wet with it and it kept me interested. Not
everyone can afford the "best". It doesn't mean they're any less of a
hobbiest in that particular field. "I" do not try to keep up with the
Jones' as they say. IF my friend comes home with a brand new radio - it
doesn't mean I'll run out to buy one. Same with a bowling ball, etc. That
NEW radio, bowling ball, fishing (equipment) / expedition, hunting rifle -
isn't going to promise a damned thing. Human intervention "still" counts.
Take astronomy as a hobby...... there are bigger and better(?) telescopes
supported by large universities or other groups. Still - many finds are
done with the smaller back yard telescopes. It's not the size - the cost
that count. The "user" has to do something to make it count. AND in many
cases - be it finding a rare station on the bands, an asteroid, bowling
all strikes, etc........ LUCK has a hell of a lot to do with it. Even the
best in esperience and equipment - fail - sometimes.

Given a choice between a new H.F. rig and either an old boat anchor OR a
homebrew rig to make a contact with, I'd pick the latter - hands down. It
tends to give you a tad more pride using such old equipment that maybe you
repaired or bought cheap OR built from scratch. Personally, I had an HW
101 and now have a TS440S (bought new when offered). If the Heathkit had
as many bells and whistles as the Kenwood - only in the extra bands - I'd
take it hands down. I love the audio of the tube radios over the newer
radios. The Kenwood had an Autotuner - I could tune the Heath with an
outboard tuner faster than that dumb autotuner did the Kenwood - in many
cases. Point being, those older radios are not as sophisticated as the new
stuff, but they sure still performed. Being new, being eh - better(?)
isn't what it is always about. And even the homebrew stuff, be it solid
state OR tube - when it comes alive with audio out of the speaker - or
putting out that first signal over the air waves - there is no better
feeling.

You have a ham license and buy a used rig - you're a ham. Buy a used
bowling ball, go bowling as often as possible - you're a bowler. Go
fishing as often as possible even with a $10 fishing pole, you're a
fisherman. Pitch a tent with a sheet over a line - you're a camper. Too
many people worry about "impressing" others. Do you do code? IF so, is it
at 5 wpm or 60? WHO CARES - you're enjoying the hobby at your own level.

lou-ka3flu

Code - CW........ a big argument over someone doing it or not........ WHY?
When I got into Ham, I got into CW for a while, but then as now, I'm NOT in
love with it. At that time, RTTY (Radio Teletype - for those who may not
know) was still fairly big. Packet came in as did other modes. I "tried"
RTTY - to me, as CW/Code is to some of you - it was BORING. You could also
argue how RTTY could save a life. Any mode "could" under the right
conditions. Someone may be aware of a situation and have had ONLY an RTTY
machine - send the message to another with other equipment who then gets the
help enroute to help the distressed. Let's say someone in a lighthouse seen
a sinking ship and they only had the RTTY working. So - yes it may be far
fetched but show how a "single" mode "could" "help" save a life. To bring it
all together - again I say - you use what you have and to your level. IF you
help save a life - congradulations. If you merely spend a quiet evening
getting enjoyment out of it, more power to you. I would have found packet
boring too, but it was before the internet got going hot and heavy - and it
allowed me to get and receive "typed" messages to my friends who were
licensed and so equipped.- just like e-mail for those of you who aren't
familiar with packet. Pick a mode, try it - if ya like it - use it. If not,
try another one. To each - his/her own.

"Steve" wrote in
:

Ya, and you're not a 'real' bowler either unless you have a $500 bowling
ball.

And you're not a 'real' fisherman until you've caught a Marlin off the
coast of Mexico either.

It's only a hobby. If you don't like it, pick another one!


It's not just a hobby, read part 97 again. If you wanted just a hobby you
should've stuck to CB and Stamp collecting.


Help save Ham radio and ignore Mark to save
usenet:


1- No more automatic renewals. Individuals must retest and pass all
elements required for their license class every ten years.


2- The passing score for written exams needs to be raised to 85%.


3- Code elements should be 13 wpm for General, and 20 wpm for Extra.


4- Make the no-code license one year non-renewable.


5- Cancel your ARRL membership until they decide to work to improve
things and stop them from proposing ham radio that is like CB.

Slow Code wrote:
"Steve" wrote in
:

Ya, and you're not a 'real' bowler either unless you have a $500 bowling
ball.

And you're not a 'real' fisherman until you've caught a Marlin off the
coast of Mexico either.

It's only a hobby. If you don't like it, pick another one!


It's not just a hobby, read part 97 again. If you wanted just a hobby you
should've stuck to CB and Stamp collecting.
sure it is a hobby with service related aspects rather the Boy Scouts
are supposed to be


Help save Ham radio and ignore Mark to save
usenet:
if one wants to Help save Ham radio SC needs to get a life

an old idiot wrote:

sure it is a hobby with service related aspects rather the Boy Scouts
are supposed to be

Cite one place in part 97, which defines amateur radio, where it is
called a hobby.

interesting thread,

I gues I could be considered a real ham ^ 3 power,

it took me three times to pass my cw test...

but I got my general written the first time.

I enjoy cw and all modes. lets use what we like to use.

73 to all

In 1964 I passed the 13 WPM test on the first try at the Dallas FCC office.
I was 14. There are plenty who can top that, I'm sure.

The rulemakers "stabbed themselves in the back with their own ballpoints"
(To quote an article from Electronics World in 1962.) when they created CB.
But, as said article went on to point out, the industry needed a shot in the
arm. That article has stuck in my head to this day.

This isn't about creating the best operators, it's about selling the most
junk and having the most votes.

73
H.
NQ5H

On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 11:36:06 -0500, "H. Adam Stevens, NQ5H"
wrote:

This isn't about creating the best operators, it's about selling the most
junk and having the most votes.

But "the hobby will die" and "we need qualified operators" sounds so
much nicer than "the manufacturers need more money".

Al Klein wrote:
On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 11:36:06 -0500, "H. Adam Stevens, NQ5H"
wrote:

This isn't about creating the best operators, it's about selling the most
junk and having the most votes.

But "the hobby will die" and "we need qualified operators" sounds so
much nicer than "the manufacturers need more money".
the hobyy is dying have you been following the threads about ars
numbers have you looked at the ages of folks at hamfests

although yes the copmanies need a bigg enough market to stay in busness
too