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You're not a real ham if you never took or passed a Code test.
"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 |
#2
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You're not a real ham if you never took or passed a Code test.
"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. |
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