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K2KD here :) Glad to see hams getting involved -- disaster communications is one of the strong suits of amateur radio. I still have a to-be-implemented plan of
by nlh 12y ago
K2KD here :)
Glad to see hams getting involved -- disaster communications is one of the strong suits of amateur radio. I still have a to-be-implemented plan of getting a portable HF rig w/ solar charger for my to-be-implemented "go bag".
One of the big challenges the whole hobby has faced is the struggle for relevance in the Internet era. When I got my license (early 90s), there basically wasn't an Internet for kids like me, so the concept of switching on an HF rig and talking to someone from Australia from my bedroom in NYC was awe-inspiring.
That isn't really the case these days (considered I'm likely communicating with a bunch of people from Australia on this thread alone.) Communication from an "exotic" place like Nigeria or Eastern Europe was rare and exciting. Now it's a source of skepticism.
I haven't been following the hobby much for the past few years -- other than disaster coms, any thoughts on what the highlights are these days?
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- krupan 12y agoI've heard the same talk about declining interest, but in the U.S. at least the number of ham radio licenses is at an all time high: http://www.eham.net/articles/34155 http://www.eham.net/articles/34155
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- doom2 12y agoW3MCD here. I was fortunate enough to operate W2SZ during my college days, which really cemented my interest in the hobby. I actually do think talking to strangers from afar via amateur radio is still awe-inspiring, considering that you're not running your comms through large underwater sea cables. I think the highlights these days are contacting DXpeditions, working the space station, and satellite comms[1]. [1] http://www.amsat.org/ http://www.amsat.org/
- nlh 12y agoExcellent points. I totally agree - there's still part of me that wants to dive back into both DXpeditions and contesting, both of which don't really have a parallel in Internet-land. Locking myself in the bedroom and doing the ARRL 10m contest one weekend was still one of the most fun experiences I had as a ham. And yes - satellites / ISS are great too! Talking to a buddy - even next door - and knowing the signals are being directly repeated by a bird whizzing by overhead is still extremely cool :)