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Home › Forums › Back to the hobby › This is not your grandfather’s hobby anymore

  • Back to the hobby

    This is not your grandfather’s hobby anymore

    Posted by wn3r on 2024-01-09 at 16:54

    I’ve been licensed for a mighty long time. This is my 66th year. As I face downsizing and the inability to put a dipole in a tree, I think about how to keep going. I found the answer a couple of years ago. Being “on the air” has a new meaning to me.

    I used to be a purist from time to time. CW and wire antennas were my favorite operating conditions. Now, it’s something different. It’s DMR with a tiny hotspot connected by wi-fi to the internet and a small inexpensive UHF DMR HT.

    It’s far from “real” radio for some, but for me, it’s a way to keep talking around the world to people who share the same passion I’ve had for decades.

    Don’t give up your friends and your hobby. Stay in touch by any means possible.

    Jim replied 7 months, 3 weeks ago 4 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies

  • ns7x

    Member
    2024-01-23 at 18:49
    39
    5W posting rank

    Dick,

    Thanks for your post.

    I am a dinosaur, and, as such, I don’t even know how to spell DNR. I’m to trying to catch up with the digital world. I guess you could say that I’m an old dog trying to learn new tricks.

    Having said that, I understand that amateur radio is a lifeline in whatever mode one has the opportunity to operate. I may be old, but I can still excite a few electrons…

    73 de MaryAnn, NS7X

  • Jim

    Administrator
    2024-01-31 at 11:04
    163
    25W posting rank

    I just had a conversation with an operator who had been out of the hobby for 25 years. He was in absolute shock at the advances but, to his credit, decided he would spend six months catching up. He’s happy he did. I guess the question becomes, are operators who are unfamiliar with new technologies willing to take the time to familiarize themselves with it. I think it’s worthwhile, some do not, fortunately many do.

  • N8TGQ

    Member
    2024-02-02 at 10:22
    13
    5W posting rank

    Hello-new member here.

    One of the main reasons I like ham radio is that it’s so many hobbies rolled into one.

    I tried packet way back when and I’ve seen people doing the digital modes at field day, but they’re not for me.

    My passion is still for good old CW ragchewing. I do like the modern technology that allows me to have a QRP station, the size of a deck of cards set up in the living room of my retirement apartment! No more going to the basement or back room.

    • Jim

      Administrator
      2024-02-02 at 10:26
      163
      25W posting rank

      You just said something that I had actually never thought of, at least not in those precise terms. Indeed, amateur radio is a multitude of hobbies rolled into one. I’m actually going to start a separate thread to discuss that. I wonder how many ancillary hobbies we can come up with. 🤓

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