Tag: bored

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Who Gets Bored As A Ham Radio Operator?

November 30, 2010

Probably all ham radio operators get bored from time to time.  I know that I have been there from time to time.  My adventure into ham radio started, like most ham radio operators, with a two meter mobile radio and a two meter hand held radio.  My first contacts were amazing, scary and satisfying.  I had DONE IT – I was a HAM RADIO OPERATOR!  I had done something I didn’t think I would be able to do.  And soon, I was bored.  I had no idea who these people were that I was talking to.  I knew nothing of local customs.  I knew nothing of local ham radio operator networks.

Reaching out, I attended a local ham radio club meeting.  I just invited myself in.  I found out about it I believe on the internet.  I decided it would be nice to be inside a structure and it would be nice to make some new friends.  I was surprised that when I went to the meeting I immediately recognized a fellow ham radio operator that worked at the same business that I worked at.  Something felt right about that.  I felt at home and knew that he would be someone that I could ask some dumb questions to from time to time.  This co-worker eventually helped me tune my ham radio antenna and we had some good on-the-air chats.  With a freshly tuned antenna I was off to conquer the world of HF ham radio.  And any boredom was gone!

Now on HF – I again knew no one.  I knew little if anything of operating customs.  Sure – I had read the training material on the internet and listened to the training audit cd’s.  But NOW I  had to do it FOR REAL.  And I did it by myself.  People I met were quite nice and I soon became at least competent at it.  I do OK breaking pile-ups for some nice DX (long distance) contacts.  And – after I got used to it and did it now routinely – I got bored again.

I tried different frequencies.  The boredom was gone as THESE contacts were now in Europe – from my CAR!  I was quite amazed and pleased.  And soon bored.

Feeling bored, I decided to challenge myself with types of contacts that I had never made before and with methods I knew little about.  It took a bit of trying, but I did actually contact the International Space Station from my home base station!  Not bored any more!  Turns out there are quite a few amateur radio satellites to use for ham radio communications.  That is one of my current challenges.

The story goes on and on.  I set-up and A.P.R.S. tracker in my car and use if for a few different things including severe storm spotting.  The National Weather Service in Green Bay suggested some of the trained storm spotters know how to use the technology.

So WHAT is the POINT?  Just this.  Ham radio is a vast area of frequencies, transmission modes, equipment and techniques and customs.  And as we become bored with one we can grow relatively easily and we don’t have to remain bored.  The will to explore will keep us from being bored – for long.

I encourage you to encourage others to explore new areas of ham radio operation.  Some hams will not do this on their own.  They may not know what it takes to accomplish a certain method of ham operations that they may be curious about.  They may have a fear of failure.  A demonstration or conversation about what you have been up to can encourage people without being pushy.  This has worked for the people that I had conversations with and they probably don’t fully realize the impact they had on me.  To those nameless people – thank you!

Stay tuned!

Jon Kreski – AB9NN – Appleton, Wisconsin area

http://www.HamRadioResources.com

http://www.Twitter.com/AB9NN

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About the author

AB9NN (Jon Kreki) is an Extra Class ham radio operator and Auditor / Financial Analyst. Jon loves HF mobile as well as 2 meters. Jon is a trained severe storm spotter, active ARES / RACES and Skywarn member in Outagamie County (Appleton, Wisconsin) area. Jon's lovely wife is Jane, KD8KRS!
www.hamradioresources.com