K1OIK comments on amateur radio.

[Opcom]

I think the $$ radio on his desk qualifies him as a big gun which he seems to despise, or something. It was pretty funny especially the yellow raincoat part.

I am hardly a big gun. The radio is cheaper, after inflation than the Swan 240 I bought in 1964.

I think the $$ radio on his desk qualifies him as a big gun which he seems to despise, or something. It was pretty funny especially the yellow raincoat part.

I am hardly a big gun. The radio is cheaper, after inflation than the Swan 240 I bought in 1964.

Ok, well you get points for having an expensive-looking radio then. Inflation aside, I do believe something like that cost over $2000, which to me makes it expensive and a candidate for gunnery nominations. I always considered a "big gun radio" to be either a very advanced or expensive radio or something on par power-wise with a KW broadcast transmitter. Something that either took alot of effort and makes alot of power or as you said reflects a conspicuous expenditure. The term "big gun" could mean alot of things. I agree that it could mean a soldier or a hero. That's the challenge of the vernacular; the meaning is subject to change and interpretation.

I did enjoy the video as it was but don't agree with alot of it. Doesn't it cast a negative reflection on the hobby? You picked a few silly looking people and sort of made them out to be the average operator. I believe that could be misleading to people who know nothing about how rewarding it can be to build something from parts and have it actually work, or how much edification can be had by passing emergency traffic as I have done during a few hurricanes here in Texas. Ok, I suppose all are free to make their video responses if they wish.

[Opcom]

From Burt:

"Troll?" A term that comes from the days of BBS and SYSOPs. I did not Google my call. On You Tube you can see where viewers come from, and it pointed me here. I am not unhappy with the hobby (and it is a hobby, not a service), I despise some of the traits of hams. However I doubt that would apply to any hams who operate AM as they clearly are into technology.

============================

BBS and SYSOPs, those were the days. When the home PC cost $12,000 and sucked so much juice out the wall, you had to turn the lights off so to keep the screw-in fuses from popping.

While your vid point's out some of the more amusing idiosyncrasy's of amateur radio, what you failed miserably at is the fact that it's a hobby that has something for everyone. Contester's, rag chewers, repeater junkies, and even "piss and moaners" such as yourself; there's room for everybody. People are all different and they're behavior on the radio reflects that particular individuals' personality, and these thing's are what keep the hobby interesting.

On this forum, we stick together, it's the AM way. You probably won't get yourself escorted to the door unless you become belligerent.

Please stop dwelling on the qrz listing thing and the "hobby vs. service" thing, because we all know the difference and nobody really gives a sh!t.

Put some content in your posts that matters and you'll get conversation. If that's not what your looking for here, then gtfo.     

You really do have some valid points. I need to conform more to the "AM way" as I have a great deal of respect for AMers. I would love to find an old broadcast transmitter. I bid on one in Ebay but could not figure how to get it here.

I have a BTA-250 available. It has a short in the wiring harness, so you'd have to repair it. Texas might be too far to drive for it? Pretty much it's cheaper to go get them than to have them shipped. Last one I went for was in Kentucky. There has got to be plenty of them up north there.

[ka3zlr]

Being Active is good, it's good for the waistline, good for yer health..don't have to worry about embarassment at the Flightline....Raincoats optional...

[Burt]

I did enjoy the video as it was but don't agree with alot of it. Doesn't it cast a negative reflection on the hobby? You picked a few silly looking people and sort of made them out to be the average operator. I believe that could be misleading to people who know nothing about how rewarding it can be to build something from parts and have it actually work, or how much edification can be had by passing emergency traffic as I have done during a few hurricanes here in Texas. Ok, I suppose all are free to make their video responses if they wish.
[/quote]

The hobby deserves the negative rebuke HOWEVER if I do another video I will point out the positives and there are many. The ARRL seems to do that just fine so I needed to do "The Real Truth" The ARRL has its negatives, particularly headquarter politics. I was a VE and the ARRL removed me because of my comments re: Luck Hurder, an employee that did not kiss Dave Summers butt.

[Burt]

so, uh, Burt- do you consider yourself to be Hamsexy? do you touch yourself while you call CQ Contest? what size raincoat do you wear to the hamfest? what do you wear under the raincoat? do you wear a bowtie when you serve as net control? the World wants to know...

Compared to most hams I am Hamsexy. Compared to the general population, of course not.
As far as your other questions, they provide humor but I do stroke my coax. What about your whip? Do you tune your transmitter for peak excitation? Where do you use your probe?

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I always considered a "big gun radio" to be either a very advanced or expensive radio or something on par power-wise with a KW broadcast transmitter.

The term big gun radio is really a misnomer. It's not the radio that makes a station or op a big gun, it's the antenna(s). Look at any of the big guns or contest stations in the DX world. They all have kick a$$ antenna systems. Yes, they probably have some pretty nice radios and shack accessories. But so do many who are not big guns. What separates them are the antennas.

[Burt]

I always considered a "big gun radio" to be either a very advanced or expensive radio or something on par power-wise with a KW broadcast transmitter.

The term big gun radio is really a misnomer. It's not the radio that makes a station or op a big gun, it's the antenna(s). Look at any of the big guns or contest stations in the DX world. They all have kick a$$ antenna systems. Yes, they probably have some pretty nice radios and shack accessories. But so do many who are not big guns. What separates them are the antennas.

I should have responded as you did. Of course you are correct. I would rather have 10 watts and a kick a$$ antenna system than an Alpha. I have never seen an amp that helped on receive. My antennas are a 3 ele A3 at 30 feet stuck NW and dipoles no higher than 30 feet. I am a pee shooter gun!

[k4kyv]

Ok, well you get points for having an expensive-looking radio then. Inflation aside, I do believe something like that cost over $2000, which to me makes it expensive and a candidate for gunnery nominations. I always considered a "big gun radio" to be either a very advanced or expensive radio or something on par power-wise with a KW broadcast transmitter. Something that either took alot of effort and makes alot of power or as you said reflects a conspicuous expenditure. The term "big gun" could mean alot of things. I agree that it could mean a soldier or a hero. That's the challenge of the vernacular; the meaning is subject to change and interpretation.

Back in 1980 I moved back to my present QTH, and decided that the 80m dipole 25 ft high, strung between two trees was not enough, even with my homebrew KW AM transmitter driving it.

So I purchased the material, mostly brand new (the only time in my life that I ever spent a significant sum of money for new ham equipment), to build my present antenna system, which includes 127' of Rohn 25 on a base insulator, and enough wire to lay 120 quarter wave radials for 160.  I already had the radial wire on hand, as well as the guy wire insulators, and picked up the base insulator used from a broadcast station, but the tower sections, guy wire and the rest of the hardware were all purchased brand new from Rohn.  I bought new tower sections and hardware because at the time, used tower material was nearly impossible to find; this was the tail end of the CB boom and the good buddies had sucked up any used or abandoned towers just like audiophools have grabbed all the triode transmitting tubes to-day.

As I recall, the whole thing cost me about $1600 (1980 dollars).  At the time, that was about the same as what you would have paid for a top-of-the-line transceiver.

Looking back, I could have spent my $1600 for the best new slopbucket appliance money could buy, and what would I have to show for it to-day?  A 28-years-old radio that would be little more than worthless junk (even if it was still working), a crappy antenna, to put out a crappy signal.

Instead, I chose to invest in a first-class antenna system, and continue using my ancient homebrew transmitter made mostly from WW2 and pre-WW2 parts, which has allowed me to have a signal that straps all over N. America on 160 and 75 to this day.

I think I made the better decision on how to spend my $1600.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Ain't a slopbucket in North America......

Further, if you amortize that initial investment over the number of years in service, it probably works out to less than $60 a year!! Most hams at the typical hamfest spend more than that on crap that doesn't make them 1 dB louder.

[Opcom]

yes, but their purchases made my return load at hamcom 300LBS lighter! :ROTFL:

[ka3zlr]

Oooh No..."Kiss Butt"...Refusal too, I like him already...

Hey Burt....

[Tom W2ILA]

If a ham with a small antenna and an old radio sets up a big barbecue in his back yard during field day and accompanies it with a tub of iced adult beverages, would that nominate him to be considered a big gun?

Tom
for ID

[Burt]

If a ham with a small antenna and an old radio sets up a big barbecue in his back yard during field day and accompanies it with a tub of iced adult beverages, would that nominate him to be considered a big gun?

Tom
for ID

I am told the antenna is what classifies his gun size. The beer signifies his belly size.

[Burt]

...CQ White Folks....

Finally a family man (see third sentance):
Original owner, non-smoker.  Amplifier works perfectly and in like new cosmetic condition.

Unit was purchased new from HRO, Atlanta less than two months ago.

Winning bidder will receive amplifier, original packaging, and manual.

Getting out of ham radio for awhile to focus on the family.

Good luck bidding.

K4MCG

[W1RKW]

Burt,
Let me be the first.  Welcome to AMFone.net

Bob