Contests and Nets Are NOT Killing Ham Radio
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- Опубліковано 29 січ 2024
- Here is how I have used contests and nets to help me improve my amateur radio skills, as well as learn and try new things. #HamRadio #SOTA #POTA #WinterFieldDay #JS8Call #RTTY #AM #AmateurRadio
Learn more about the AM Rally at www.amrally.com/
I also forgot to mention the QRP Net Livestream. This is a fun and great way to try out different antennas and low power levels. You can even check out the video after to hear how your audio sounded. Tune in and see how low you can go at / @qrpnet-livestream
Good video. Winter field day encouraged me to get my general last year. 👍 73 KE8VIK
That's great! I think they're doing a good job with WFD and the additional objectives they threw in this year (encouraging ops to try multiple bands, different antennas, Winlink, satellites, etc.) were fantastic.
Because of POTA and contesting Ham Radio has become more of a family activity for us. It also gets me out of the easy chair and outside trying new radio techniques and skills. I still enjoy a good rag chew in the easy chair on winter days. There is room on the air for everyone to do other stuff.
There are lots of ways to have fun in ham radio. POTA is one of my favorites. Thanks for watching!
Good points, Mike. What gives contesters a bad rap is not listening for an ongoing POTA activation or QSO and just calling "CQ CONTEST". WInter Field Day was full of contester lids QRMing POTA activators. Please listen and listen some more before calling CQ. And keep to the 3kc spacing, too. As to nets, some certainly are useful, but the majority I've heard are nothing more than a couple of hams talking about the weather or their medical issues. That's not a net to me. If ask nicely, I'll move. If not, I'm going to stay. Keep up the videos, Mike. 73, KE8UKX.
We got 2 ears and one mouth so we can listen more. We could always use more considerate operators, especially when the bands are packed. Thanks for watching and I’m glad you liked it!
..There was a time when nets actually served a purpose. Before cell phones, texting etc., a guy would call in, with actual traffic. "I'm looking for VE3xxx etc." The purpose was to leave a message with the controller, who would look for VE3xxx. The next controller would be informed of this, and he would call out periodically for VE3xxx. This would be passed throughout the day from controller to controller, until VE3xxx showed up, and given the message....
I got a couple radiograms when I was a new ham and thought those were the coolest thing. Sending one is still on my to-do list.
Great video. Repeater nets are what got me talking as a new ham. The multitude of modes keep ham radio exciting. I'm looking forward to the AM Rally and hope to get you in the log again.
You bet! I enjoy learning and trying new things. It keeps the hobby fresh and fun. Hope to get you in the log again soon too!
Very nice video Mike, enjoyed watching that 👍 thanks for the show plug too 😎
You bet, JB. Thanks for checking it out and I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Great job talking about the way to grow ham radio. Too many of the “old guys“ want to keep it a small club but that doesn’t know any good especially in the long run.
Great points Mike! Not to mention that the occasional contest also can be fun just by itself.
I completely agree. There’s a lot to enjoy in this hobby. Thanks for watching, Morton!
Very Good Video, thank you!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for checking it out too.
Nice video Mike, I'll look into the AM rally, that sounds pretty cool. I agree that nets and contests are not ruining ham radio, nor is POTA/SOTA, FT8, no code licensing, appliance operators who don't build their own equipment from the kitchen junk drawer, etc. I think ham radio is alive and well despite what the gloom and doom people say. I think the biggest threat facing ham radio today is just a general dilution of technical interests. For example, my 4 sons have been talking with their friends for years over the internet while playing games, they really don't care to try ham radio. Others playing with drones don't benefit from a ham license like the model airplane operators who used 6 meters and didn't need to "wait their turn" at events. There is a tremndous amount of things to tickle the technical fancy for young people today, so ham gets pushed down the stack. I try to keep ham radio visable, like ham license plates, all the antennas on my car, and speaking positively about it when someone asks. And you're right, if you think ham radio is dead, just try to find a clear frequency during some of these contests! 73 KB3JC
Amen brother. There’s something for everyone. Attracting and retaining youth in ham radio is certainly a challenge though. But a doom and gloom attitude won’t help the hobby at all.
Great video!
Thanks, Shane! Trying new things, like AM, is fun and I’m even learning a little too.
Daddy what did you do while the world was going to hell in a handcart ? "CONTEST" . Lol.
I’m just trying to stay positive.
Mike,
I really enjoy your channel. Well done videos that are a lot of fun. Couldn’t hear you on the AM livestream last week on 40m but will try again.
73!
Thanks! I'll definitely be out for a POTA on AM sometime this weekend during the AM Rally.
I agree, great video. Contests do get a bad rap. But it does hone your skills of operating in "stressful" conditions which can be put to use in emcom situations. Nets as you say are a great way for a new ham to learn and get over mic fright. And a crowded band is a good thing. 73
Totally agree. Use it or loose it. Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Great video sir, new tech here currently working on my General. All good points, there are many avenues to explore and I plan on trying a bunch of them. 73
Thanks! You are right--there is so much to explore. You never stop learning in this hobby. Good luck on the General!
Great video Mike, all true!
Thanks, I appreciate it!
I like ur attitude, have fun! 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸😃
Thank you! There’s so many ways to have fun with ham radio-something for everyone.
When you can only operate the weekend due to work, and their another contest on its then you decide that you want to take another hobby up i know some people injoy them but as far as i am concerned there to many
There are a lot of them, for sure. I was just trying to point out to that some might be a good opportunity to try something new or different, like RTTY or VHF, when there's more opportunities to make contests on a band or mode that isn't as widely used. I'm primarily limited to weekends too, aside from some late night POTAs on weekday. It can get frustrating on the bands when they're overcrowded, especially if you're QRP.
The WARC bands are a contest-free oasis and I hope they’ll stay that way too. They also could do with some more activity so spare them a thought next time your usual band is too crowded 👍🏻
They are supposed to be contest free only by gentleman's agreement I think, I have heard a few contesters on there though. Weary of ALL the contests myself, I enjoy rag chewing personally.
I participate in both VHF and HF nets. But if I’m doing a park activation and HF net decides they want to operate on my frequency I tell them to go somewhere else. They do not own the frequency. Maritime Mobile Net is the worst.
I’ve had Nets be polite about it a few times, but more often than not, we’ve all had experiences with rude ones, which is unfortunate.
Anyone that's been on HF for a while knows that 14.300 is the MMN and I don't think it's an unacceptable practice to keep away from that freq. However, I totally agree when 4 dudes want to run their daily colostomy bag net on some random freq they think is "theirs because we've been here since 1963". Sorry bros, I was here first.
They don't own that frequency. They can find another if the frequency is in use when they start their net. @@SIGINT007
Contests kill it for me. I switch off when I hear one. I don't want 5.9. 265, good luck, 73. QRZ.
I want to know the operators name, QTH, power, aerials and so on.
I guess I did SOTA before it was formed. I took a Pye Bantam ½ Watt a.m. xtalled on 70.26 MHz out to the hills in the 1980's and worked back to usually two stations at a prearranged time, usually 1 p.m. and get on a hilltop with a ¼λ telescopic whip aerial.
G4GHB.
That sounds like fun! I’ve done a few SOTAs and it’s always need to see what you can do with elevation. I’m assuming 70.26MHz is 4 meters, which I think would be fascinating to try out sometime (if we had here in the US).
@@MikeN2MAK Yes, 4m. With a 3 el h/b Yagi at 1200' elevation just off the road I worked a guy in the hills near Glasgow so about 200 miles.
G4GHB.
Contests don't have to kill Ham Radio to be a nuisance when there seem to be several worldwide contests on all non WARC bands most weekends. Could the contests at least require logging frequencies and disqualifying contacts that are outside the contest preferred sections? I can spin the dial, yes, but to the non harmonically related WARC bands which can then become crowded and may not have the best propagation that day. Were there so many contests before the Internet I wonder?
Point well taken about the nuisance factor. I think we’ve all been there before.
To each their own. I aquired my license so that I could experiment with radiation patterns and later radio astronomy.
On the otherhand contesting seems to me pointless now that nearly all in the contest are using manufactured rigs msde by the likes of Kenwood, Icom, & etc. To this I say what then is the contest? Apparently it is who spent the most money on the newest greatest Rig & Antenna. It is certainly not about the individual's own skill to create a radio & antenna that allows for long distant communication. i.e. The achievement is much like the guy who said I built a new house where his only part was making the phone call to the contractor and paying the bill. In the case of Ham contests one may as well be calling other countries with a cell phone because it has nearly become just that.
Kc2wvb
Radio astronomy is cool. I’m reading about radio propagation on Mars for fun and plan to present to my club on it later this year. I’m not a scientist but ham radio is what made me curious. There are certainly lots of ways to learn and grow in the hobby.
Its actually the digital spectrum that is killing ham radio. Many no longer want to speak to anyone they just want to text people (ft8) with their computer. This is absolutely no different than texting or email.
I see lots of value in digital modes, especially for emergency communications.
@nealbeach4947 I couldn’t agree more. FT8 is the lazy stations mode. I akin it to watching paint dry. Don’t get me wrong, it has its purpose but to be the only mode to do. Why bother? People use it to test antenna performance, but it’s so skewed. Just because an FT8 signal makes it somewhere, doesn’t mean a CW or SSB signal is going to make it there. You can send a test CW message, which most radios will allow these days. Then look at the reverse CW beacon network and see where your signal goes. In most instances the map will be a lot less crowded with stations that heard you and would give a better gauge as to where your SSB signal would go.
I don’t have anything against contesting or nets. But does there need to be a net every weekend? Between the regular contests and state QSO parties it makes it impossible sometimes to find a clear frequency. Nets are what they are, but they seem to be entitled, pompous ass hats that think they own a frequency. Back in the day most nets were at least amicable to shifting up or down 3 kHz to hold their nets. Now they just come in and demand you move. At least be nice about it and ask the station to move politely. I’ll be more than happy to move if asked politely.
I've had nets be polite a few times, but only a few. I'm usually willing to move to--to another frequency or another band--but just be nice about it and patient (give me a few minutes). It's unfortunate that there are discourteous operators out there ruining it for others.
Some things can be done in excess and nowadays that is done in Ham radio. An occasional contest or net is fine but when it gets to the point where every moment of your down time is spent calling a contest by making up some foolish label for a "contest" just to collect wallpaper, that is uncalled for. The overachiever and over competitive will call a "contest" just to fill out a log for no reason. It is almost classified as an illness.
You make an interesting point about excess. In this video, I just tried to focus on the positives and opportunities out there, especially for newer hams.
I can’t stand the comtesting.
It’s definitely not for everyone.
Meanwhile, I love working contests. I don't want your name, your weather, your health, your dogs name, etc. I want to reach as many places as I can as quickly as I can. Radio is my career, so radio as a hobby needs to check other boxes for me.
SOTA, POTA, nets, contests and high speed digital (FT4, FT8, JS8Call, etc.) are about the only useful thing happening on HF for the most part. The hours of incessant colostomy bag babble are pointless. Ham radio has something for everyone, but the old codgers camping on freqs and NCOs unwilling to "give up their freq" are driving people out...which I think is on purpose.
Some people are definitely resistant to change. People can do what they like, but it stinks if they try to ruin it for others.
Computers & Internet will ultimately destroy ham radio.
I sure hope not. They’ve had decades to do it.
digital garbage is killing ham radio.
dmr, dstar, c4fm have killed vhf uhf and killednfeatures like cross band full duplex.
ft8 has killed hf, people dont know how to listen anymore
I haven’t done any D-STAR, DMR, or C4FM, so I have no idea what those are like. We do have an active VHF group in WNY, which is nice. Starting a simplex net is something that would be interesting to me.
People unwilling to change or adapt like you are killing the hobby, not technological advancement. People said SSB or FM would kill the hobby...look, we're all still here.
No the GD FCC is. There is NO free speech allowed on the Amateur bands. I can't count the number of times that Nets openly state that you can talk about anything other than politics. (one of the most important topic in the world IMHO.
Then add in all of the FCC BS and you might as well be in North Korea.
You NEVER hear anything of importance discussed on the amateur bands because of the FCC terrorists.
Hasn't anyone read the fuking 1st amendment? (It applies to radio guys no matter what the psychopaths in government say)
I work in politics, so ham radio is my escape from the job, LOL.
We made a P2P in October when you were at Erie Canal. POTA ON! - KQ4GUY
Hope to get you in the log again soon. Maybe even on AM! POTA on!!