Any HAM's on the BBS? Just got my tech license (no call sign yet). I grew up doing this with my father and now want to get back into it so my Dad and I can talk more. Interested to see who else is into Amateur Radio.
Just curious and not being a smartass at all, but with the exception of the zombie apocalypse, what is the attraction to HAM nowadays since you can instant chat with anybody on the planet damn near through the internet.
Not a Ham, but they do help with disasters and such for those in need, when and where there's no internet available. I started to get my lic. in the 80's and sorta gave up on it..
What are you going to do when the zombies take out the electrical grid, your generator ran out of gas, the internet is nothing but a blank screen and the cell towers are jammed with soccer moms calling their friends seeing who is the latest to get their brains eaten? The ham radio guys can work off of a car battery if they need to. You would be surprised at how much info can be disseminated by the ham radio guys in disaster situations. With that said, I grew up with my dad and grandfather into ham radio. It made for some bitchin' towers to climb in the yard when I was a kid.
Ditto on what these guys said. Cell phones/internet wont work in a time of disaster. HAM operators also help with local events (parades, fairs, etc). As for talking to anyone online. Yes, you can do that. But my father is 67 and doesn't chat online, but he will sit at his radio on sunday afternoon and talk to operators all over the world. This is one of my draws to the hobby. Its a hobby most of the time, until its needed in an emergency. There are contests (how many contacts can you make in a given time period) or field days (camp somewhere and make contacts in the field).
I know nothing about it, but I have a friend that's going to some ridiculously huge Ham convention in Dayton, OH this weekend. I guess is a big swap meet of sorts.
My dad uses the internet for looking up stuff, etc but when it comes to 'chatting' he only does that on his HAM. He loves it. I know, because everytime I call him, I hear recaps of all his HAM convo's.
I am working on my smoke signal certificate. Screw all you guys with your electronics and such. What are you going to do if you break something on your radio Hmm? All I need is a fire and something to smother it. Going back to basics for the upcoming Zombie invasion.
Done properly (in code) it is one of the only secure forms of comunication left, isn't it? (not the blanket routine, limited reach, but I like the way you think)
I had a tech liscence but it expired; KD4DZM I think was my call letters. My dad is a HAM and has been into radios since he was in HS. I got my liscence because he wanted me too but I never really used it.
Extra Class ticket here. Been a Ham since 1981, got a Tech in '84. Converted it to an Extra a couple of years ago before I lost the code credit. Not terribly active these days. Don't do much with HF since I don't have much in the way of antennas. No cool towers to climb in my yard these days. However, that leaves more time for working on/riding the bike.
If it didn't mean having my name and address available through the FCC online database I would consider it. For now I'm content just listening to my scanners.
I've got a license from way back in the 4th grade. I was in a gifted class and we spent one semester learning all about HAM and studying to pass the license exam. I'm somewhat ashamed to say I've not practiced it since, although I'm still good enough at Morse to figure out what someone is saying.
This thread really brought back some memories for me. When I was in college my father in law was a professor there. Every Sunday night he and I drove from home back to school for the week. He was studying for his license and had to learn morse code. He had this little practice key thingy that was battery operated. He would dot dot and dash dash all the way to school. KA4BSQ was his license. I miss him a lot.
