RunningWithBulls.com - The curse of Sanfermin

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I have been interested in ham radio since, well, I was about 13. I didn’t know what it was called then, but thats what I found out. I eventually got my license (EI8FDB) with SEARG in Waterford, and then moved to Dublin for work, and went silent. Not the way its supposed to happen.

Ham radio is just like fishing. Not my words.

“What do you do with ham radio?”

I enjoy contesting (the sport of trying to see how many contacts can be made within a defined timeframe - often with a score that is calculated by multiplying by a factor such as the number of countries contacted during that time) and DXing (the hobby of trying to contact as many “countries” as possible) - among many other aspects of the hobby.

“What’s the fun in contesting? Spending a weekend trying to talk to a bunch of places on the radio doesn’t sound very fun.”

Ham radio / fishing comparison #1: Ham radio contesting can be a lot like a bass fishing contest. The contestants in a fishing tournament aren’t out there fishing to put food on the table (what many would say is the primary reason for fishing). They are competing with each other and trying to see how well they can do personally - for the sport of it.

“This DXing thing… If you want to talk to someone on the other side of the world can’t you just call or email them?”

Ham radio / fishing comparison #2: This is a lot like asking a fisherman “why bother fishing when you can simply go to the store to buy fish?” It’s more about the art and science and love of radio… With HF radio propagation (and many other factors), you never really know what you’ll find on the airwaves. That’s what makes it fun.

“Do you really need to have a tower in your back garden? Don’t your neighbors think it’s ugly?”
Thankfully, I haven’t been faced with this one yet. But here is where I might use:

Ham radio / fishing comparison #4: Just like your friendly neighborhood fisherman keeps his bass boat in his backyard, I have to keep my tower and antennas in my backyard. In the event of an emergency (let’s say it’s a flood), your neighbor with the boat might be able to assist by using the boat to transport people or property safely. Likewise, ham radio operators may be called upon to use our equipment in time of an emergency. I am involved in community and national disaster preparedness drills in which ham radio operators use their skills and equipment to handle radio messages for the sake of the public.

I like his reasoning. I have tried to explain ham radio to my parents when I was a kid.

Why would you wake up in the morning at 6AM, just to try and hear someone in Australia talk to someone somewhere else?

Thanks Pat.

Eventually they just accepted it “he’s wired to the moon”, and let me get on with it.

Ham radio and blogs…that brings up one question-does anyone know any ham radio related blogs? I now know about this one, but does anyone have any favourites (assuming there is a Ham or two reading this)?

Finally I have the money (but not all the space, yet) to get back into it. Sure beats going to the pub and blowing €100 on overpriced beer. And it doesn’t hurt as much in the morning…well maybe if you get RF burn.

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