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I got into ham to increase my level of self-reliance. POTA has made it fun and I’ve learned (am learning) a ton about HF propagation in the process.

I like it because I don’t play video games ! There I said it !

I do a lot of volunteer work where there is no cell coverage. This lead me to GMRS. Most of my friends were not bitten by this has HTs work better in Hollywood. I then moved in to get my Tech license. Science teacher nerd then immerged. I wanted to know more of what i thought i knew. Now, as an extra, I know more and more as I learn more and more. I give back with social media sites, while learning what I did not know, and as a VE. Enhance your understanding of things, enhance ability to do things, and enhance ability help others. 73, KF0NNQ.

Okay, let's cut to the chase. I'm 68, twice retired from Federal Service (USAF/USPS). My wife is married to her phone, there, I said it. Learning new things, and seeking knowledge is my passion. There is SO much to learn about Amateur Radio. So many different facets of the hobby. Some I'm intrigued with, others not so much. And, that's the beauty of Ham radio! I'm definitely not a "techie". I got my General license last fall and have been exploring all of the different aspects available to me. I just started POTA hunting and plan on activating a park or two this year. It's fun! Yes, I was a bit intimidated at first. Who isn't? I'm learning something new every day, meeting like-minded people, and researching the vast amount of equipment that I can employ. Does it cost a lot of money? Not necessarily, although after getting a small taste of ham (no pun intended), I went whole hog (okay, that was intended). And, I love it.

2 Transmit ! Blows my mind ! Everybody has listened !!!

These guys are “Sad Hams”. Unfriendly. Looking to jump on you if you’re new and commit an “error” that gives you away. No one wants to put up with an elitist snob. I’m 70 years old and now decided to get back into it . I had a CB base and mobile stations. Wasn’t going to learn Morse code for anyone. Don’t know how long ago Morse code was eliminated as a requirement. No one hears or sees Ham radio operators. No where can you see an advertisement for long distance radio communications between two young people, smiling and having a good time. We need marketing.

I just recently got into the hobby. I found my father's old equipment in storage back from the 1960's and it peaked my interest in something he enjoyed as a teen.

Ive been fascinated with radio since I was young. It was natural for me to get into ham radio eventually. I think the best thing about the hobby is that it is so broad and open ended. The one aspect of ham radio that gets you started introduces you into another aspect, mode, and so on. So many challenges to keep you interested. Another thing is if you have to take a break for family or work reasons, you can come back to it and get back right where you left off. 73 AA8NN

Cause walkie talkies are cool

So what is in the Bucket antenna! Is it ready to sell? Should I just build a dummy load in a Home Depot bucket and call it quits?

Because a frugal geek like me can spend just a few hundred bucks on radio gear, solder together some wire and parts to make a balun or unun, hang the thing in a tree with some antenna line and paracord, and contact people all around the world. Even though I don't have a lot of time for ragchews, I never get tired of seeing how far my modest rig can reach. It's an affordable hobby to ease into -- though one with LOTS of opportunities to get less afordable if you're not careful! 😅

Talking through a satellite repeater to someone else in a different state / country, using 2m / 70 cm! For me it's like guys who love fishing, its a challenge to see who else you can reach. The time you respond to someone calling CQ in Africa and getting a response on phone at 100w and they acknowledge you!

I look at what got me into ham radio back in the early seventies. Even as a kid, I was a techie. At 17, in high school there weren't any others that were interested in ham radio and as far as I know, I was the only ham, but loving electronics and especially radio electronics got me into the communications field that I am now retired from. Now, that field is basically internet technology and far different from 1973. We need to appeal to today's techies equivalent, at least for that side of ham radio. I wish the folks of ham radio welcomed and included changing technology as well as the changing interests and social aspects. I'm a 99% CW op, but hanging on to that as a gatekeeper as long as we did, did long lasting damage to our recruitment of young people and changing attitudes through the 90's. Even today you hear from hams that it's dying because we didn't cling on long enough and do it like we did back in the fifties.... Encourage data ham radio, encourage building digital communications with Adurino and other modern methods. Those are the crystal sets and one tube radios of our days. Computer programming and internet technology is too. Attitude is the most important and we must have welcoming attitudes and invite new ideas. And like the old Bob Dylan song says, if you can’t help, at least don't block up the halls and get out of the way for those who can! (Paraphrase of "The Times They are A-changin")

Able to talk to people all over the world and actually enjoy it.

I got into it was fun my family was into it. Was a way to get closer to my dad. Love making new contacts. See how far I can get that signal.

Stop slapping your meat

Hello Eric, how I got into HAM was for drone use. You need a minimum of a Technician class to legally fly. I don’t fly much but that was the main reason for me to get a license. I’m an extra class and I am glad I did. It allows me full access to the band plan if I need it. I enjoy playing radio every so often via phone. I may venture into digital at some point. I enjoy your videos, keep up the good work… Bob K.

POTA.

I support local events in Montana in areas that do not have cell phone service. If a participant in these events have an accident (we had 2 this last weekend). There is no way to get emergency services to those individuals without ham radio. That and also, we have 3 generations of hams in the family.

I originally got into the hobby because there's no cell phone service where I got hunting. Fast forward 4.5 years later, I'm an Extra and got several radios from HF, VHF&UHF, handheld, mobile and base station like most other hams. Mostly do data on HF these days and some SSB every now and then. I prefer to ragchew and chase DX, not into contesting. After getting out of the Marine Corps and moving back to Tennessee from California, my circle has gotten pretty small. Since getting into the hobby and talking on local repeaters, I've made more friends and get out of the house more often.

I am in Amateur Radio because I am geek and I love FT8, or AllStar Node, or APRS, or listening and talking through the ISS Repeater when overhead, all these things on top of field days and fellowship of other Amateurs - that is why I am an operator! You know as well. And I love now that you can do many of these modes with $30 radios and one good HF radio - or any combo you desire. And over time, you can have radios in your car/truck, radios at home, radios at work, radios while working in the yard, etc.

No, don't throw away the direct TV dish. You can modify it to be a slot antenna. It can definitely be modified to have a slot for 2m and 70cm, and it could probably also have a slot for 1.25m if you space them right (but I've not seen that actually done).

4

For me the fun currently is in building different antennas and recently a tuner and then seeing how well they perform in getting my signal out there. When I have time I also like to get out and do a pota activation and get to be the "dx" and work big pileups and you get to meet some really nice people and share in the fun of the pota community.

Heard u on Sarnet be4 sorry i missed ya

That’s the amazing thing about our hobby. There are so many different things you can do. Digital modes, satellite, POTA, vintage gear, emergency comms… I think if people knew all the different aspects of the hobby, it would break the perception people have of ham radio. I think it’s great what you’re doing and you have an awesome platform and audience to hopefully draw some new people into the hobby.

There's nothing particularly fun about ham radio for me now that I'm well into my 60s and too many other things occupy my limited time that I either have to do, or rather be doing. BUT, had I started in ham radio when I was much younger, I would've deep dive into it as a teenager back in the 70s and my 20s because I always wanted to learn electronics and build kits/home brews. At that age it's learning technology, having the opportunity to be creative, working with both your hands and mind, and being inventive is what makes ham radio fun for a young me. It's something you can sink your teeth in as a young'n because that's when you're full of boundless energy, creativety, and all the time in the world. At that age you know knowledge is power and can build a future for you. I tried to learn electronics back in the 70s at a JC, But I was bored out of my living mind because it was so stale because there was no examples of doing something with what you were being taught. But had I known about ham radio, that would've made learning electronics so much more easy and interesting instead of boring.

The fun in amateur radio for me is playing with all the tech. Satellites, sstv, data, phone links, making networks, spectrum scanning, aprs, dstar, dmr, moon bounce, hitting long distance with skip and stuff. I dont really talk much on repeaters

Being a “ Ham” myself for many years it was something that got my interest when I was a child. Now, 80:years old it is still a lot of fun and enjoy the ability to meet new friends. What I don’t like is the fact the FCC is making HAM radio enthusiasts jump through hoops and limiting what can be said and done !

parks on the air ....gets ya outside and portable ...i think its awesome you can at times...talk around the world on a wire/alum. pole....

I love doing POTA unfortunately I had to sell on my ham radios to buy food

I got to the point where you mentioned the demographics of your viewers and started laughing my butt off. You should have seen our GOTA station in Raleigh... we had an 11 y/o and a random 20 year old WOMAN (that's important) making over 50 QSOs each. It was amazing. We had so many younguns on the GOTA station this year. We're going to start working more with the maker spaces to get fresh blood into the hobby.

I'm in my late 50's and just getting into HF. Been into UHF/VHF for 7 years now, but not hardcore. I am not real interested in making HF contacts for the sake of making the contact. I'm not interested in contests. I want to have a real conversation with people around the the country and around the world. I do hear some of that going on, but mostly just some guy making as many contacts as quickly as possible.

Imagine if kids, their parents, came across this as one of their first ham radio exposure videos. If ham radio presents dramatic old guys, how is a 14 year old girl going to think she'll fit in? Especially if "ham radio is in the sh**" ??

there must be a heaven for mfj spare backs

I speak to many people who have never heard of Ham Radio.

Great intro !!!

You are correct. But when there's a Field Day and local clubs in different areas do not advertise , put signs up whether printed or hand written its hard to find out what a "Field Day" is all about. I tried to go to the "Field Day 2024" here in Manitowoc Wisconsin and could find Noone at the park where it was supposed to be held on Sunday. Nor any information posted on the entrance door to the local club if it was still being held or canceled !!! Disappointing !!!

Eric, I literally feel that heat over there trough the video lol 😅 Yes, we need new young people, but TikTok, Facebook and other stuff makes this all even worse for us, because today there is nothing so special any more to contact anyone, even on an opposite side of the Earth in a blink of an eye and they don't need to build antennas or buy a new radio. It is sad, but this is what most youngters will tell you. Everyone will open his eyes only when one beautiful day something will shut down the internet and they will be suprised... 73, Paul OM0ET

I'm 76 years old and have always had electronics for a hobby. I got my ham license about a year ago and have a nice setup. I listened for a week or so when I first got my transceiver. I found it got very boring to me. The reason for that was you can only talk about Ham radio related equipment or the weather. You cannot talk about the things going on in this world. Thats what turn me off of this hobby. Guess I will just use it in an emergency.

I got my ham radio licence when I was in my mid-20's, and I _really_ enjoy this hobby. We definitely need more youngsters interested in ham radio. 73 VE7NDE

I cannot believe I wrote an article in regards to this tutorial, and someone downsized it to allow only what they wanted to have shown, how do you expect people to get a good understanding of the answers to what you are asking, by minimizing their answers to your questions, just sayin.

ive got a handheld ham BF-8HP IT HASNT BEEN PROGRAMMED YET

70-yr old ham licensed in 2014. Field radio is probably one of the better avenues. Not just Field Day, and not off in some isolated site for POTA. Be visible and radio-active. And with SSB or a digital mode other than CW. Hook with the science and technology, with at least a touch of SHTF "how's that phone working for you.". I got in because of CERT, but I think too many entering that way stop at Tech level. I think one needs General to have some serious fun building stuff and trying it out. Antennas are the one area where solid state electronics have't gotten in rhe way of real experimentation.

You're wrong 55-65 is not me....I'm 44.

There's a fundamental problem with the nature of the hobby itself as far as attracting young people, at least as far as HF goes. Young people generally have less access to the necessary funds and space (property) to make use of the HF bands. The occasional field day isn't going to be enough really. There are plenty of young people on on HTs that may open the door to further exploration one day when they have some money and a yard.

25 years old here. Love radio

Any thoughts on the difference between the pro stick and the xpro. I see tight now its only a 60 dollar difference. Would you buy the xpro over the pro for 60 dollar difference. Ty

********** You are are 100% correct on all points !! I was a CB'er in the 1970's and had a few friends who were Radio tech's during WWII and Ham radio guys, well they convinced me to get my Ham Radio license with another CB Friend. This was about 1985, So I took the "New" No code test and passed and some Old Timers made some Rude comments about "No Coders not being REAL HAMS, I ignored them . Here it is 35 years plus, I still have my Original call sign, I'm still a "Tech" , the FCC gives me enough priviliges, why upgrade !! My pleasure is building and using radios ( EBay is my Toy store. With the advent of Cell phones, Kids don't want to do "HAM !! or anyone else!! Take a Test to talk on a Radio, people will laugh !! I also have had a GMRS license over 20 Years, and own two GMRS Repeaters with many users !! ............ PEOPLE ENJOY THAT !! *********

Any worthy activity is a challenge and learning process. Music instrument, hunting, ham radio, sports etc. If people want to invest time rewards are knowledge and experience