[DX-CHAT] [Fwd: Expeditions and Japanese Sponsorship]
Original Message Subject:Expeditions and Japanese Sponsorship Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:18:15 + From: Tom Wylie [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: DX-CHAT dx-chat@njdxa.org I was just looking at the list of sponsors of the forthcoming VU7RG expedition. I can remember back to my trip to T33C and again there were very few Japanese expedition sponsors. I dont know why this sould be as there must be more japanese ham radio operators than any country in the world except perhaps USA and yet look at the generosity of the American Hams and Clubs. Perhaps we do not know enough about Japanese Clubs and DX Associations or do they just ignore the please for sponsorship.? Yet there is always a never ending stream of JAs wanting to work your expedition. I have found that from every corner of the world even down in VP8. I see a few personal contributions from JA hams on the VU7RG web page but only one readily identifiable sponsorship from a Japanese foundation. It makes me think! 73 de tom GM4FDM (My last controversial post for the year) Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
[DX-CHAT] VU7LD
Am I reading the QSL info wrong? There is no mention of Buro cards and there only appears to be 3 QSOs per card? Kindly include a robust self addresssed envelope and enclose a MINIMUM of 2 IRCs (NEW BLUE ONES ONLY) or 1 green stamp (U$D) per card and help support the DXpedition. 3 QSO's can be confirmed per card. Donations may be sent to Joe W3HNK and he will pass it on to us. Please include your emails so we can thank you. So if you work 9 band / mode slots you need 6 IRCs?I know you can get QSL software with more than 3 QSOs per label Seems to me it smacks a wee bit of buying your QSL card. Tom GM4FDM Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
RE: [DX-CHAT] The New York Times
The New York TimesMuch better of an article than I expected. Thanks for the tip! What I don't understand, though, is this: Why is the dropping of the code element for testing automatically seen by so many as the imminent demise of our use of the code? Yes, testing will no longer be required, and yes, the exclusive CW bands have shrunk, and I'm sure in time the number of CW operators MAY drop... but then again, it may not... About 2 months ago, when I was struggling with a temporary vertical (wouldn't load on 30, that's another story), a friend, a recent Extra, called on the phone. Told him I was trying to work a particular DX station on 30; he tuned in and worked him in 2 calls, the stinker. Anyway, when we got back to talking, I told him I'd heard both ends of the QSO, so it was good; Randy asked me what software I was using to decode the signals, and I told him it was the organic one between my ears. He was totally astounded that I was able to copy really fast code in my head! (It was about 25 wpm or so, but that too is another story!) We talked about this again at the club christmas party 2 weeks ago. Randy stopped using the computer as a crutch; now that he knows it can be done, he's starting to do it. And he's finding out that he enjoys operating code even more! So... there's hope. So why all the doom and gloom? Yes, the FCC handed us a lemon. Want to make lemonade out of it? (Me? Nah, find me some tequilla and salt instead... g) 73 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of harris_ruben Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 8:44 AM To: dx-chat List Subject: [DX-CHAT] The New York Times Well, we've made today's New York Times n2ern
RE: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD
Best to ask Joe himself how to handle this. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Tom Wylie Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 9:17 AM To: DX-CHAT Subject: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD Am I reading the QSL info wrong? There is no mention of Buro cards and there only appears to be 3 QSOs per card? Kindly include a robust self addresssed envelope and enclose a MINIMUM of 2 IRCs (NEW BLUE ONES ONLY) or 1 green stamp (U$D) per card and help support the DXpedition. 3 QSO's can be confirmed per card. Donations may be sent to Joe W3HNK and he will pass it on to us. Please include your emails so we can thank you. So if you work 9 band / mode slots you need 6 IRCs?I know you can get QSL software with more than 3 QSOs per label Seems to me it smacks a wee bit of buying your QSL card. Tom GM4FDM Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD
Simple... Run off you QSOs three (3) per card and put 2 IRC's OR 1 USD per card. Bill - Original Message - From: Ron Notarius W3WN [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Tom Wylie [EMAIL PROTECTED]; DX-CHAT dx-chat@njdxa.org Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 9:48 AM Subject: RE: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD Best to ask Joe himself how to handle this. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Tom Wylie Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 9:17 AM To: DX-CHAT Subject: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD Am I reading the QSL info wrong? There is no mention of Buro cards and there only appears to be 3 QSOs per card? Kindly include a robust self addresssed envelope and enclose a MINIMUM of 2 IRCs (NEW BLUE ONES ONLY) or 1 green stamp (U$D) per card and help support the DXpedition. 3 QSO's can be confirmed per card. Donations may be sent to Joe W3HNK and he will pass it on to us. Please include your emails so we can thank you. So if you work 9 band / mode slots you need 6 IRCs?I know you can get QSL software with more than 3 QSOs per label Seems to me it smacks a wee bit of buying your QSL card. Tom GM4FDM Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] The New York Times
CW will die a slow death, at least in the US. The no-code license is a dead end. It will be the rare no-coder that takes the time and effort to learn CW and stick with it long enough to become proficient for on the air use (i.e., 25-30 WPM.) As we OFs get older and disappear, nobody will be taking our place on the CW bands. When I was in Macedonia last year, at the High Speed Telegraphy Championship, I was amazed at all the young kids there from eastern EU. Some of them are CW ops only, and not real hams, but if CW survives anywhere, that's where it will be. Barry, W2UP Ron Notarius W3WN wrote: Much better of an article than I expected. Thanks for the tip! What I don't understand, though, is this: Why is the dropping of the code element for testing automatically seen by so many as the imminent demise of our use of the code? Yes, testing will no longer be required, and yes, the exclusive CW bands have shrunk, and I'm sure in time the number of CW operators MAY drop... but then again, it may not... About 2 months ago, when I was struggling with a temporary vertical (wouldn't load on 30, that's another story), a friend, a recent Extra, called on the phone. Told him I was trying to work a particular DX station on 30; he tuned in and worked him in 2 calls, the stinker. Anyway, when we got back to talking, I told him I'd heard both ends of the QSO, so it was good; Randy asked me what software I was using to decode the signals, and I told him it was the organic one between my ears. He was totally astounded that I was able to copy really fast code in my head! (It was about 25 wpm or so, but that too is another story!) We talked about this again at the club christmas party 2 weeks ago. Randy stopped using the computer as a crutch; now that he knows it can be done, he's starting to do it. And he's finding out that he enjoys operating code even more! So... there's hope. So why all the doom and gloom? Yes, the FCC handed us a lemon. Want to make lemonade out of it? (Me? Nah, find me some tequilla and salt instead... g) 73 -Original Message- *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of *harris_ruben *Sent:* Wednesday, December 27, 2006 8:44 AM *To:* dx-chat List *Subject:* [DX-CHAT] The New York Times Well, we've made today's New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/27/business/27morse.html?ex=1167886800en=b53d88e01be66bb6ei=5070emc=eta1 n2ern -- Barry Kutner, W2UP Newtown, PA
Re: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD
Simple... Run off you QSOs three (3) per card and put 2 IRC's OR 1 USD per card. Bill For those of you lucky enough to have more than ONE QSO! Such a delema! :+) 73 de Bill Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It Fell Off The Truck
About 10 years ago my landlord came up with a 40 foot telephone pole that he thought would make a nice tower for me. He had it setting in his yard and we were just about to transport it to my place and put it up as a free-standing pole in a big hole I'd dug when someone stole it out of his yard! In the middle of the day while he was gone! I just hope no one does that with the HG-37SS I have setting in the yard before I can put it up next spring. 73, Zack W9SZ On Wed, 27 Dec 2006, Ron Notarius W3WN wrote: How do you lose a tower? Seriously? [snip] So, Randy gets a call from his warehouse people, telling him that Roadway had come and gone... no tower. He starts making calls. The official word: They lost it. He called Tash Towers, talked to their shipping people. First words they said: They lost it? How could they lose a tower? Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
RE: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD
Fairly simple reading...the VU7 card has room for 3 qso's and it will be a donation of 1 dollar per returned 3 qso card...the card sent to Joe could have 100 on it or 1...even just the calls , times and dates on a piece of loose leaf would do. Seems they would like individual email addresses too for thank you replies of the donation you make. Pete -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 10:33 AM To: dx-chat@njdxa.org Subject: Re: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD Simple... Run off you QSOs three (3) per card and put 2 IRC's OR 1 USD per card. Bill - Original Message - From: Ron Notarius W3WN [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Tom Wylie [EMAIL PROTECTED]; DX-CHAT dx-chat@njdxa.org Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 9:48 AM Subject: RE: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD Best to ask Joe himself how to handle this. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Tom Wylie Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 9:17 AM To: DX-CHAT Subject: [DX-CHAT] VU7LD Am I reading the QSL info wrong? There is no mention of Buro cards and there only appears to be 3 QSOs per card? Kindly include a robust self addresssed envelope and enclose a MINIMUM of 2 IRCs (NEW BLUE ONES ONLY) or 1 green stamp (U$D) per card and help support the DXpedition. 3 QSO's can be confirmed per card. Donations may be sent to Joe W3HNK and he will pass it on to us. Please include your emails so we can thank you. So if you work 9 band / mode slots you need 6 IRCs?I know you can get QSL software with more than 3 QSOs per label Seems to me it smacks a wee bit of buying your QSL card. Tom GM4FDM Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
RE: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It Fell Off The Truck
Here's the 'official' word on what happened with Roadway Express... must be run by former FCC personnel... - I am happy to say that the Tilt-Over Section and base plate of the tower made it to Pittsburgh in 1 piece. However, the tower is nowhere to be found. While on its way from California to Pittsburgh, it appears that the two packages somehow got separated. How you ask? I have no idea and neither does Roadway Express. It seems that the 12 foot X 36 X 24 CRATE got lost. Roadway tells me that it never made it to Akron or Pittsburgh; the last 2 stops it made. Anyways, Roadway is looking for the crate with our tower in it and Tashjian Towers has filed a missing cargo claim, just incase they have to build us a new one. Thank Goodness for Shipping Insurance!! I have made all the necessary phone calls to the shipping company and the manufacturer to ensure we get what we paid for. If it is truly lost, Roadway will pay Tashjian Towers and they will build us a new one. I know that is not what I or you all wanted to hear, but at least our investment is protected. -- de Randy N3ZK - Well, at least we'll still have our tower, it will just take longer than we thought. Would have been very nice to have it in time for our hamfest on February 25th, but unless it shows up pretty soon, I wouldn't expect to get the replacement tower in time. (And that's assuming that they not only find it but find it in good condition... I'm beginning to wonder if it's sitting in pieces in a warehouse or transfer facility somewhere because some putz running the forklift dropped it, or something like that!) I've heard privately from a few of you that this may actually not be that uncommon with Roadway Express... they seem to have a reputation for losing things or not delivering them, and finding creative excuses to blame someone else. Still, this is ridiculous. And I also hope that if Roadway Express does have to pay to replace the tower, Tashjian Towers uses another carrier to ship it. And if it costs more, that's OK -- Roadway can pay for it! Sorry if I'm venting a little guys, but I'm steamed. Randy worked his butt off, literally, to get this project moving; he's personally invested a significant amount of time in creating the wooden callsign plaques that have helped fund it, and personally arranged for two of our big corporate donations. He could have walked away with his hands thrown up in the air in disgust, but he stuck to it, fought for it, SUCCEEDED... and now this? 73 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Ron Notarius W3WN Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 1:49 PM To: DX Chat Reflector Subject: [DX-CHAT] Don't Tell Me, It Fell Off The Truck How do you lose a tower? Seriously? My local club, the Wireless Association of South Hills, has spent the last 18 months plus raising funds to purchase a mobile tower (see www.n3sh.org for details). When we had enough funds for the tower itself, it was paid for and ordered from Tashjian Towers (formerly Tri-Ex). Tower and base mount were assembled, tested, and shipped, due to arrive today. The person who has been organizing the project, Randy N3ZK, had arranged for the tower to be delivered to his workplace so that there would be enough people to unload the tower properly -- and sign for it too. So, Randy gets a call from his warehouse people, telling him that Roadway had come and gone... no tower. He starts making calls. The official word: They lost it. He called Tash Towers, talked to their shipping people. First words they said: They lost it? How could they lose a tower? All I can say is, Roadway had better find that tower -- or get on the horn to their insurance people.Meanwhile, I may have to have a word with one of the newest members of the club... who recently passed the bar and is now an attorney... How can you lose a tower? I'm just flabbergasted! 73 Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
RE: [DX-CHAT] The New York Times
The NY Times again proved its grey lady of the newspapers distinction with a really great article about CW and ham radio The best I have ever seen on our beloved topic. 73 Charles Harpole, HS0ZCW [EMAIL PROTECTED] _ From photos to predictions, The MSN Entertainment Guide to Golden Globes has it all. http://tv.msn.com/tv/globes2007/ Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
[DX-CHAT] I just have to say this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to send this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to say this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to say this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to send this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to send this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to say this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to send this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to say this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
[DX-CHAT] I just have to say this....
Please forgive me, but I just have to send this. I started ham radio at age thirteen, the time when young people are seeking simultaneously two opposing goalsadult independence versus group belonging and bonding. Ironically for a medium devoted to communication, ham radio blends these two goals uniquely. Ham radio fulfills my need to belong while definitely keeping my desired isolation: radios have an on and off knob and, during contacts, the flavor is, at once, both intimate and distant, friendly like a brotherhood and yet mostly transitory and ephemeral. It perfectly fits my personality. Ham radio, for me, has outlived my parents, my first marriage, my youth and my middle age. It is a constant in a turbulent world. And, yet, like me, it is nearing the end of its life. It appears that there is just no way to pass on to todays teenagers the wonder of radio, the adventure, the shared fraternity of instant friends, the code of honor, or the simple delights of getting on the air. Everything changes and acceptance of that lets one live happier, but I still want to record a little part of this amazing phenomenon, ham radio, while it is still vibrant. The wonder and adventure part of ham radio is like that arising from looking at maps that still had unknown territories marked on them. Now, GPS will tell you to the square meter about any place on earth. But, turning on a ham radio transports the operator back to that sense of unpredictable adventure, blending wanting to know with anticipation and appreciation of what may come by chance and skill. There are times, when I am deep into the zone, totally concentrating on hearing and tuning, that the band becomes, for me, an actual place that is alive, a location, a space inhabited, from one turn of the knob to the next, by living signals from somewhere beyond me. The not knowing what will happen next is so much a part of the adventure of ham radio. Remember that time when the rare DX actually called you? The shared fraternity of friends likely had its origins with early radio when the sparks shack kept ship passengers alive and when the operators were sworn to secrecy. Do we remember the old dictate that ham radio operators never divulge the content of messages heard? That code of honor to both keep secrets and to be a very real lifeline bonded radio operators to each other. That, and shared difficultieslearning the code and electronics, making and keeping a station, helping each other. The bonding comes as the older ham patiently taps out CW for your struggling brain. Brotherhood comes, too, from holding the end of a rope that secures a yagi at one-hundred feet, knowing that if you slip, your ham buddy above will suffer. And, doing it all purely for the love of the activity; that is, truly being an amateur in the fullest sense of the word. Ham radio is leaving Florida and arriving half way around the world in the airport in Nepal and having a smiling face there holding a placard with K4VUD on it. Or, again in the Delhi airport with three hams to greet me, drive me to a Pizza Hut, and then to my hotel. Or, there and in Thailand, have local hams deliver the impossible-to-get operator license for me, and in three days! Ham radio is, at a Field Day, worrying as the operator spills an 807 down onto a 6146 in a Johnson Rangerand delighting that I know what all that means! And then there is the joy of knowing you can actually help people. Ham radio is, as a teen, being saluted by a uniformed soldier because youyoung youjust gave him a ham radio message noting his buddy was ok coming out of flood waters. Or the mother who, because of you and your radio, now knows her son survived the tornado. Or the world knows conditions following a massive tsunami. And, then, there are the rag chews. The simple joy of indulging in ordinaryor is it extraordinary?talk. The surprise when the other guy also shares your exact health symptomsgives helpful coping hints. Or, the detailed description of an operators sheep ranch in New Zealand when you yourself have just ventured to the next State. Or the man who recounts his having actually talked with both Barry Goldwater and the King of Jordan. Or the operator proclaiming himself in radio free Lithuania following the fall of the Soviet Union and then telling all about his feelings. The combined intimacy and isolation imparts the phenomena of a stranger on a train which brings out the delightful personality and memorable stories from the ham in all of us. And at those times when we open up and talk, we know our little confidences will be kept even while the whole world could be listening. And what about ham radios instant friends? That phrase seems improbable but, remember the eye ballsI finally meet the guy I have talked to for years I have never heard of you before, but sit down and let me get you a
Re: [DX-CHAT] I just have to say this....
It appears that there is just no way to pass on to today's teenagers the wonder of radio, There's no opportunity. I would imagine that ham radio was much bigger in the general public conciousness in 1956. I just stumbled upon ham radio in 1995 at 15 years old as a result of thorough geekery and a little bit of CB. DX hooked me. None of my friends got it. You can turn the radio on and let them listen to the beeping or the donald duck voices and tell them that they're coming in from faraway Place X and they just don't get it. I think it's because DX isn't about distance, but that's all you can really talk about... it's not about contacting foreign nations; you can do that on the internet. DX is about the quality the band has when the K index is zero and it's four in the morning and the lake effect snow is howling outside... It's about staring out the window into the darkness as you spin the knob and you're not in the shack; not really, anyway. You're out *there* somewhere, looking for the DX. DX is about the emptiness of a quiet open band. It's about the potential to trip across a new one faintly bleeping a CQ and being the only one up to answer. I get it. Not many people these days do. I think the magic is there but it's changed and it's more subtle. Instant contact with any point on the globe is routine but you have to know how to get a hold of them. My girlfriend gets it. There used to be a phone booth out in the middle of the Mojave desert. It was for some mining town; they'd drive four or five miles out to the booth to use the phone if they needed to. Most of the time it was an empty phone booth in the middle of the desert with no one around for miles. She used to call it and listen to it ring... Put a signal out there, see what comes back... Dan Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
