Ask the Elmer ( or "stump the radio geeks")

[georgel]

I have to agree that many of the most annoying bad operator habits come from old timers who should know better.

If I had ONE piece of advice for noobs , it would be : Don't affect any radio "jargon" .... just talk to people like you'd talk to them face to face.

10-4 Good buddy!


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

[noway2]

But for me, the spirit of ham radio is doing more with less.

Ham radio is one of the last bastions of amateur DIY electronics. My first experiment was making a j pole out of a piece of copper pipe. I acted as net control for the High Point club's Christmas morning roll call (a >30 year tradition, I'm told). I was full quieting at 1 watt on my HT and could wake up a repeater about 80 miles away and receive it, though it was a bit staticky it was intelligible, with 5 watts. I was impressed. Now I want to build a Yaggi.

 

[JohnFreeman]

I have to agree that many of the most annoying bad operator habits come from old timers who should know better.

If I had ONE piece of advice for noobs , it would be : Don't affect any radio "jargon" .... just talk to people like you'd talk to them face to face.

10-4 Good buddy!


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

That's ok , I'm destinated, Roger? ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

[georgel]

Ham radio is one of the last bastions of amateur DIY electronics. My first experiment was making a j pole out of a piece of copper pipe. I acted as net control for the High Point club's Christmas morning roll call (a >30 year tradition, I'm told). I was full quieting at 1 watt on my HT and could wake up a repeater about 80 miles away and receive it, though it was a bit staticky it was intelligible, with 5 watts. I was impressed. Now I want to build a Yaggi.

My copper pipe slim-jim is in my car as we speak. Transporting it down to the farm.
I used to run a net, The Hornets Nest Net on our club repeaters. Some nights we would move over to HF. It covered preparedness topics. I've had a lot of requests to bring it back. Once I'm fully set up at the new location I'll get it going again.

 

[georgel]

I have to agree that many of the most annoying bad operator habits come from old timers who should know better.

If I had ONE piece of advice for noobs , it would be : Don't affect any radio "jargon" .... just talk to people like you'd talk to them face to face.

10-4 Good buddy!


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Qsl

 

[WZ4I]

MFJ is great for the money. Sometimes the equipment seems crude and basic, but it's functional. Great way to start because it doesn't require a bank loan and resale is always good. This let newbies decide if they want to go on and invest toward higher dollar equipment. But for me, the spirit of ham radio is doing more with less.
BTW, I plan on experimenting with a full wave loop and ladder line. But it's not my first antenna experiment either.

Friend of mine is using (or was until the ice got it!) a loop that was over 1000ft in size. Pretty sure he was feeding it with ladder-line. Very strong signal on 160.

 

[WZ4I]

I have to agree that many of the most annoying bad operator habits come from old timers who should know better.

If I had ONE piece of advice for noobs , it would be : Don't affect any radio "jargon" .... just talk to people like you'd talk to them face to face.

This is very sound advice. Over the past 10 years radio jargon (mostly from the 11M band) has infiltrated the amateur service.

My elmer from 30+ years ago instructed me to speak on the radio, as you would over the phone, or FTF as John has stated.

Contact and First Personal seem to be the latest bits of 11M radio jargon that is now present on-air.

Advice.

If you wish to enter an on-going QSO, simply say your call sign in-between the transmissions. Contact is for airplane pilots.

First Personal. LOL. Folks, simply say my name is......

Q signals are great, when operating CW/Digital. On phone for the most part they are not necessary.

Leave the CB jargon and bad operating habits on the CB, and you'll blend in well.

 

[noway2]

I have to agree that many of the most annoying bad operator habits come from old timers who should know better.

If I had ONE piece of advice for noobs , it would be : Don't affect any radio "jargon" .... just talk to people like you'd talk to them face to face.

This is very sound advice. Over the past 10 years radio jargon (mostly from the 11M band) has infiltrated the amateur service.

My elmer from 30+ years ago instructed me to speak on the radio, as you would over the phone, or FTF as John has stated.

Contact and First Personal seem to be the latest bits of 11M radio jargon that is now present on-air.

Advice.

If you wish to enter an on-going QSO, simply say your call sign in-between the transmissions. Contact is for airplane pilots.

First Personal. LOL. Folks, simply say my name is......

Q signals are great, when operating CW/Digital. On phone for the most part they are not necessary.

Leave the CB jargon and bad operating habits on the CB, and you'll blend in well.

I'm guilty of occasionally saying "for ID". Very rarely will I use an expression like hitting the QTH,