Thoughts on HAM Radio

Flint · 06-12-2007, 09:00 AM

Just got an e-mail, my corporate masters are offering a free Amateur Radio Operator course that includes taking the licensing exam. The goal is "to have a minimum of two licensed HAM operators at each entity" to "complement current disaster communication response plans" ...

I think this sounds like something I should do. I mean, I'm on call 24/7 as it is. Sure, I'd be volunteering for an extra duty, but it would make me look good, raise my visibility. Plus it sounds extra geeky, and I get the HAM license. Whatta you think?

SteveDallas · 06-12-2007, 09:03 AM

So they're going to provide the course.. that's nice. Are they going to buy radios for you also??

Flint · 06-12-2007, 09:07 AM

"All entities will have base stations (provided to us by the ___ Hospital Council) installed directly following the training."

Shawnee123 · 06-12-2007, 09:08 AM

A free chance to learn something new? Why not? You will be a hot commodity after globothermonuclear war.

Rexmons · 06-12-2007, 09:11 AM

Excelsior!

Flint · 06-12-2007, 09:16 AM

I got an Out of Office AutoReply from the people I'm supposed to register with. Hope they check their Blackberry(s).

Kitsune · 06-12-2007, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Just got an e-mail, my corporate masters are offering a free Amateur Radio Operator course that includes taking the licensing exam. The goal is "to have a minimum of two licensed HAM operators at each entity" to "complement current disaster communication response plans" ...

I think this sounds like something I should do. I mean, I'm on call 24/7 as it is. Sure, I'd be volunteering for an extra duty, but it would make me look good, raise my visibility. Plus it sounds extra geeky, and I get the HAM license. Whatta you think?

Depends on what you want to get out of it. I've been licensed since '94 and have really enjoyed it, but it wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be, initially.

Find some local clubs and go to some meetings so you can get a feel for it. People in the hobby are incredibly friendly and many of them love to teach, so you are sure to get quite a bit of hands-on experience even without a ticket.

Flint · 06-12-2007, 09:21 AM

Any personal enjoyment would be a bonus, the way I'm looking at it. I'll be licensed in something new, have a new reason to meet more people within my organization, get more involved in the corporate culture, play a bigger role in disatser recovery/business continuance, etc.

Shawnee123 · 06-12-2007, 09:25 AM

You just make sure it doesn't cut into your Cellar time, young man.

Flint · 06-12-2007, 09:27 AM

I don't think it will take any actual time at all, I'll just be available for something I'll probably never have to do.

glatt · 06-12-2007, 09:42 AM

Why are you even asking? Do it!

Flint · 06-12-2007, 09:43 AM

I did! I did! I read the e-mail and then I replied, like, five minutes later.

Kitsune · 06-12-2007, 09:53 AM

If you enjoy little projects and tinkering, this hobby is wonderful. If not, the hobby is so commercialized that you could buy everything and not have to endure a single whiff of solder fumes.

My only disappointment comes from my local area club that was completely opposite what my old Atlanta club was founded on: getting people interested in radio, being ready for emergencies, helping the public, and having fun. Make sure you avoid organizations that are highly competitive and are only interested in getting their group callsign on an ARRL Field Day results page -- you won't learn from them, nor will you get any airtime.

Sidenote: if you get a ticket that enables you to get into the HF bands and you happen to live in an evil neighborhood with an HOA, make sure you check on antenna restrictions before you start out. There are interesting ways around them, thankfully, but they require some tricks...

wolf · 06-12-2007, 10:42 AM

Few hobbies bring the same high level of pissing off the neighbors.

Enjoy.

Flint · 06-12-2007, 12:03 PM

Am I correct in assuming that HAM radio is analogous to a pre-internet internet, IE social networking infrastructure?
This is just a point of curiosity for me, as the whole intent of pursuing this is to supprt DR/BC, not recreation.

06-12-2007, 09:00 AM	#1
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Thoughts on HAM Radio? Just got an e-mail, my corporate masters are offering a free Amateur Radio Operator course *that includes taking the licensing exam. The goal is "to have a minimum of two licensed HAM operators at each entity" to "complement current disaster communication response plans" ... I think this sounds like something I should do. I mean, I'm on call 24/7 as it is. Sure, I'd be volunteering for an extra duty, but it would make me look good, raise my visibility. Plus it sounds extra geeky, and I get the HAM license. Whatta you think? __________________ *************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-12-2007, 09:07 AM	#3
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	"All entities will have base stations (provided to us by the ___ Hospital Council) installed directly following the training." __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-12-2007, 09:08 AM	#4
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	A free chance to learn something new? Why not? You will be a hot commodity after globothermonuclear war. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

06-12-2007, 09:11 AM	#5
Rexmons - Kavkaz United - Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 613	Excelsior! __________________ "Life's a bitch but God forbid the bitch divorce me..."

06-12-2007, 09:16 AM	#6
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I got an Out of Office AutoReply from the people I'm supposed to register with. Hope they check their Blackberry(s). __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-12-2007, 09:03 AM	#2
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	So they're going to provide the course.. that's nice. Are they going to buy radios for you also??

06-12-2007, 09:21 AM	#8
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Any personal enjoyment would be a bonus, the way I'm looking at it. I'll be licensed in something new, have a new reason to meet more people within my organization, get more involved in the corporate culture, play a bigger role in disatser recovery/business continuance, etc. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-12-2007, 09:25 AM	#9
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	You just make sure it doesn't cut into your Cellar time, young man. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

06-12-2007, 09:27 AM	#10
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I don't think it will take any actual time at all, I'll just be available for something I'll probably never have to do. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-12-2007, 09:42 AM	#11
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Why are you even asking? Do it!

06-12-2007, 09:43 AM	#12
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I did! I did! I read the e-mail and then I replied, like, five minutes later. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-12-2007, 09:53 AM	#13
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	If you enjoy little projects and tinkering, this hobby is wonderful. If not, the hobby is so commercialized that you could buy everything and not have to endure a single whiff of solder fumes. My only disappointment comes from my local area club that was completely opposite what my old Atlanta club was founded on: getting people interested in radio, being ready for emergencies, helping the public, and having fun. Make sure you avoid organizations that are highly competitive and are only interested in getting their group callsign on an ARRL Field Day results page -- you won't learn from them, nor will you get any airtime. Sidenote: if you get a ticket that enables you to get into the HF bands and you happen to live in an evil neighborhood with an HOA, make sure you check on antenna restrictions before you start out. There are interesting ways around them, thankfully, but they require some tricks...

06-12-2007, 10:42 AM	#14
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Few hobbies bring the same high level of pissing off the neighbors. Enjoy. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

06-12-2007, 12:03 PM	#15
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Am I correct in assuming that HAM radio is analogous to a pre-internet internet, IE social networking infrastructure? This is just a point of curiosity for me, as the whole intent of pursuing this is to supprt DR/BC, not recreation. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

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