General Discussion

groundloop

(11,537 posts) Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:24 PM Nov 2017

Any other HAMS here???

I've recently gotten back into my ham radio hobby after over a decade long hiatus. I hear all kinds of discussions on the air, many related to radios, antennas, radio propagation, etc. I've noticed that, while the number of political discussions are very few, when I do hear a political discussion it's virtually guaranteed to be slanted far to the right with plenty of faux noise talking points etc.

I wonder how many hams we have here at DU and would anyone be interested in attempting to schedule a chat on HF? (If there's enough of us maybe we could see about starting a ham radio group here on DU.... although I'm not getting my hopes up on that).

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Any other HAMS here??? (Original Post) groundloop Nov 2017 OP

my other half is demtenjeep Nov 2017 #1

I have been licesned for 40 years but not active now Hokie Nov 2017 #2

Thankfully I don't hear very many right wing political discussions... groundloop Nov 2017 #4

Me. Yonnie3 Nov 2017 #3

I used to do mostly CW, but in my years away I've forgotten it groundloop Nov 2017 #11

I have kept my code up with practice on my PC Yonnie3 Nov 2017 #13

used to be the only game in town but so many other communication options now nt msongs Nov 2017 #5

Hamms Here Grassy Knoll Nov 2017 #6

Well played. think4yourself Nov 2017 #14

I am bakpakr Nov 2017 #7

Not sure I'd post my callsign here... very easy to find name and address from that groundloop Nov 2017 #10

Used to have a Novice license way back when, but never really used it. Thor_MN Nov 2017 #8

Hamilton the musical? kwassa Nov 2017 #9

I used to have a shortwave receiver as a kid and did a lot of lurking, but never had a transmitter. Snake Plissken Nov 2017 #12

demtenjeep

(31,997 posts)

1. my other half is

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:26 PM

Nov 2017

my nephew, one of my kids, my brother and brother in law all are

Hokie

(4,288 posts)

2. I have been licesned for 40 years but not active now

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:28 PM

Nov 2017

I might be getting back into HF at some point. I mostly listen. Yes, most of the discussions on politics are from the far right. Racist asshole in fact. It is a real turn off for me. I enjoy the technical side but have to avoid politics.

groundloop

(11,537 posts)

4. Thankfully I don't hear very many right wing political discussions...

Reply to Hokie (Reply #2)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:32 PM

Nov 2017

and when I do it's very easy to turn the big knob on the front of my rig and move on.

Yonnie3

(17,519 posts)

3. Me.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:32 PM

Nov 2017

I am away from my gear
I hope to get on again this spring.
I ran HF CW for the most part.

groundloop

(11,537 posts)

11. I used to do mostly CW, but in my years away I've forgotten it

Reply to Yonnie3 (Reply #3)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:55 PM

Nov 2017

I got my first license and subsequent upgrades when Morse Code was a requirement. When I got my novice ticket I did a ton of CW contacts with a crystal controlled transmitter.

Those were the days. I need to get off my butt and re-learn 'the code'.

Yonnie3

(17,519 posts)

13. I have kept my code up with practice on my PC

Reply to groundloop (Reply #11)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 11:15 PM

Nov 2017

I got my novice after they did away with the crystal requirement. I think it was around 1985 I was first licensed. Passed my extra a year later with 100% copy on the code. For some reason I found it easy to get the speed up once I was on the air.

msongs

(67,504 posts)

5. used to be the only game in town but so many other communication options now nt

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:34 PM

Nov 2017

Grassy Knoll

(10,118 posts)

6. Hamms Here

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:39 PM

Nov 2017

think4yourself

(839 posts)

14. Well played.

Reply to Grassy Knoll (Reply #6)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 11:26 PM

Nov 2017

Lol

bakpakr

(168 posts)

7. I am

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:42 PM

Nov 2017

KB3SYZ here

groundloop

(11,537 posts)

10. Not sure I'd post my callsign here... very easy to find name and address from that

Reply to bakpakr (Reply #7)

Fri Nov 3, 2017, 10:52 PM

Nov 2017

Although on ham-centric sites such as QRZ.com etc. your displayed name is your callsign, but I'm just thinking that someone who has a vastly different political worldview than you could grab your information and harass you.