Normal Hams ??

[n2ize]

I remember when I first got involved in ham radio a friend who was into the hobby longer than I used to get on the air. Every now and then when we spoke on the phone, or in person, we might mention a particular station and we might say, "he happens to be a pretty normal person too.". It was as a result of meeting so many hams who were odd, into strange ideas, eccentric, weird, or just plain nuts, it was considered by us to be a positive attribute if a person was able to manage being a ham and being a normal person as well.

Has anyone noticed this ? Out of all the hobbies I have been involved in some of the strangest, oddest, and most bizarre came from the radio world. How many normal hams have you met ?

[WØTKX]

None. :monkeydance:

[W1GUH]

It's been pretty much a general cross section of humanity for me. I've met all types across the board.

[kb2vxa]

Normal? It all depends on your POV, what do you consider normal? They call us Misfits but who are they to talk? We consider ourselves normal, they don't fit into our world... POV. Me, I'm a Mugwump. I enjoy being a Mugwump, I can poo on both sides of the fence.

[N8YX]

The allure of radio is something that most modern-time folk simply don't get. Advanced telecommunications devices are literally taken for granted from the cradle onward these days - and few stop to think about what goes on "in the box".

[WØTKX]

Me, I'm pretty weird about "everything wiggles". Resonance resonates with me
Like one of my favorite heros... Tesla. He was a pretty weird dude.

[N8YX]

Tesla. He was a pretty weird dude.

He was with the Russians too.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Out of all the hobbies I have been involved in some of the strangest, oddest, and most bizarre came from the radio world. How many normal hams have you met ?



IZE OM, you're in the speculative ballpark of something I've thought about all my radio life. Probably not the most active of hams over time, I did spend a couple of years worth of Saturdays behind the counter at Ham Radio Outlet in Salem NH, an experience something akin to being a weekend Star Wars bartender. As a 60s kid ham, I hung out with an Our Gang of hams and CBers. I was also a kid member of a typical local club, and reupped with a very active, hard-charging 21st century club as reinlisted graybeard. Strictly speaking, I think the terms normal and ham are mutually exclusive. In my experience, it's more about socialization, and all its signs or lack thereof. Some of us skew Full Blown Pigpen Radio Weirdo, while others, with varying degrees of success, try to keep their FBPRW gibbering in the closet, AKA the shack. What's so cool is how the germ of this bug goes back,back,back....not just to history's electromagnetic hotshots, but to all the farflung weirdo kiddos who heard tell of the magic and rubbed together whatever scraps they had at hand in Wannabe hopes lightning might strike. Lightning? Like some Eureka discovery? Not necessarily, in fact I'd submit seldom if ever. By lightning, I mean a secret shot of power, a taste of sheer hacker kicks, like the proto hams who mucked-up Marconi's Message Service. No big deal, just a lot of adolescent electromagnetic wheelie-popping that becomes habitual and eventually, a pastime for life. There's an also an aspect of knowing the worst before everybody else. If there was going to a nuclear war, I wanted to hear it first on Radio Moscow. If ships at sea were sending distress signals, I wanted to intercept their frantic calls on my Ocean Hopper. Okay, yes, mea culpa. Strange, odd, bizarre. But you guys know what I mean, right? Of course you do. Don't you?

[WØTKX]

Right on. I loved to SWL weird stations as a kid. :lol:

Drape tinsel across your fingers like an old school electroscope. Shuffle your feet walking on the carpet. As the "leaves" of tinsel start to separate, give that finger an upward toss or flick. Levitation! Till the tinsel hits the ceiling and discharges... dropping down to do it all over again.

Favorite Christmas fun when I was a kid. 'Lectricity. :yes:

[Jeff K1NSS]

He was with the Russians too.

HA!

[W3WN]

But... what is normal?

[KG4CGC]

There's a custom hobby shop up the road a patch. Been there a couple of times looking for odds and ends. The owner isn't in it for the money but he has a huge customer base since he holds races on an outdoor paved track. The employees seem pretty level headed and helpful.
Some of the customers ... there's a research psychiatrist's book writing wet dream. One guy who participates in the races is also a survivalist and he uses RC vehicles with cameras mounted on them as a part of his wilderness compound surveillance. Then you have the usual bunch of neurotics.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Normal is functional incuriosity. The functionally incurious are just curious enough to more often than not look both ways before they cross streets. They get along, go along, drink regular coffee, pump regular gas, love to belly-up to a familiar lunch counter and request the usual. The abnormally curious wonder if there's a way to safely cross the street without looking, some predictive modality brought about by mixing household chemicals, pouring them over old waffle iron parts in the basement, and then carrying said parts in their pockets, for purposes of crossing streets blindfolded. Not very necessary behavior, but as much, maybe more about the fussing over which waffle iron parts might work best with which household chemicals, than getting across a given street. Shall I forward this to the American Psychiatric Association to update their PDR?

[N7YA]

I find most hams to be a walking Fruedian field day with a big moustache and glasses.

[kb2vxa]

Enter Abby Normal...

[OldFatSailor]

I evaluate abby-normal for a living. A side benefit is you get to look at people that think they are normal-hah! Hams are makers and fixers, they appreciate the tech not just accept it. And Jeff don't give the APA ideas-they already want to make grumpy old farts who do not play well with others a diagnostic category in the DSM-V. Social Isolation Disorder my ass!

[N8YX]

But... what is normal?

'Normal' is an amateur radio operator who realizes that ham radio will not or cannot save the world.

[W3WN]

'Normal' is an amateur radio operator who realizes that ham radio will not or cannot save the world.well,, duh.

But... despite that... one thing I'm not is normal. Normal is routine. Normal is boring. Normal is mundane. Normal is a number; I am not a number, I'm an overtaxed man.

[N2CHX]

I will be the first to admit that I'm anything but normal. Normal is WAY overrated.

[Jeff K1NSS]

I will be the first to admit that I'm anything but normal. Normal is WAY overrated.

Just like Keith...Hey! 98.6!

[KB3LAZ]

Normality is merely a perception. Ive never met anybody that truly fits into the social 'norm'. We all have our flaws and quirks which is what makes us special. :)

[kb2vxa]

Norm who?

[Jeff K1NSS]

Normal is a town in Illinois.

[W3WN]

Norm who?Oh, Norm! Norm Peterson. You can find him in Boston, down at a little bar called Cheers.

[WØTKX]

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/blog/norm.png

[n2ize]

But... what is normal?

I would say it is reflective of someone who holds a job, is engaged in a career or profession, or is at least capable of some sort of work or ability to at least function in some capacity that may be useful to either himself/herself or to others in some way.shape,or form. Also someone who is balanced and not obsessive. One who can balance his/her responsibilities with his/her hobbies and interests. One who is not locked into a particular mode of bizarre thinking or strange obsessive beliefs that defy reality but rather who can think logically, critically, who can reason deductively and who applies sense and reason over obsessive/compulsive beliefs. With respect to radio directly one who can enjoy radio in a manner that is productive and serving to his/her interests yet is not excessive or compulsive to the point where it inhibits other functions or aspects of his/her life or compulsive, i.e. one who knows how to use the vfo and/or the on/off switch and go and do something else when the need arises or when things get out of hand. This is my idea of a normal, sensible, individual. Mode and more I find myself categorizing people as "sensible (normal) people, and silly people.

[n2ize]

I will be the first to admit that I'm anything but normal. Normal is WAY overrated.

It's hard to judge anyone via an Internet forum and I am not one to really judge anyone. However, you seem to have sensible well thought out perspectives and realistic and balanced, rational views on things. I would say most people I have spoken with here seem to be sensible and clear thinking.

[KB3LAZ]

I would say it is reflective of someone who holds a job, is engaged in a career or profession, or is at least capable of some sort of work or ability to at least function in some capacity that may be useful to either himself/herself or to others in some way.shape,or form. Also someone who is balanced and not obsessive. One who can balance his/her responsibilities with his/her hobbies and interests. One who is not locked into a particular mode of bizarre thinking or strange obsessive beliefs that defy reality but rather who can think logically, critically, who can reason deductively and who applies sense and reason over obsessive/compulsive beliefs. With respect to radio directly one who can enjoy radio in a manner that is productive and serving to his/her interests yet is not excessive or compulsive to the point where it inhibits other functions or aspects of his/her life or compulsive, i.e. one who knows how to use the vfo and/or the on/off switch and go and do something else when the need arises or when things get out of hand. This is my idea of a normal, sensible, individual. Mode and more I find myself categorizing people as "sensible (normal) people, and silly people.

In this day and age wouldnt normal be the inability to hold a job?

On a more serious note being normal is reflected by the social belief of a set society. Is this being judged on the American society or more of a geo norm?

[OldFatSailor]

I would say geo, I get cases that, if they lived, say, in NYC or LA would never be noticed but in this area stand out.

[kf0rt]

Normality is merely a perception. Ive never met anybody that truly fits into the social 'norm'. We all have our flaws and quirks which is what makes us special. :)

Yeah, but some of us are WAY special. :yes:

[WV6Z]

Weird, silly, strange, these are like sub-categories..... I find that we are all a bit eccentric. So as far as finding normal hams goes, ummmm, these would be those who are coerced into taking the test by eccentric friends, getting their ticket as it were, and dropping off amateur radio within months of their first getting on the air. Now, I am not talking about those of us who live in or move to areas where displaying of antlers is forbidden, necessarily, but those of us who just couldn't really be bothered with the misery and drama, or to take the time and effort to hobble some sad shyte together on a whim to get on the air from their otherwise non radio active apartment building or gated community. There are those of us who go to great strides to fabricate mobile and portable ops stations and off they go to a park or mountain top to play for the day, or for the weekend. The afore mentioned are always viewed by outsiders as nerds, freaks, weirdos or eccentrics by outsiders. Fellow hams however, would view such operators as active and ambitious, those that go the extra mile.

So, indeed, 'normal' hams? I am thinking that the most of us would think we ourselves are the normal ones and that all of the rest of the participants are nut jobs to some degree, so yeah, everyone here likely has the misconception that the person who stares back at them from the mirror is 'normal'. Other than that the myth of the normal ham is simply that, a myth with no substantiation in reality.

[KK4AMI]

As I travel down the "road of life" I find normal defined by which pothole you get stuck in. As a kid I had nothing but my family life and parents to define normal. In College it was the fellow students I surrounded my self with. My school specialized in aviation and electronic related disciplines. So we were all geeks, engineers and future Military Pilots. Then came 32 years with the DoD. Basically we were taught to all be alike and to not keep up with clothing styles. Individualism is discouraged. We were a small group of Society that only saw ourselves as normal. Now that I'm retired, the Government life style is gone and I realize there are other people out there. Getting into Ham Radio (product of a bucket list acquired during my geeky upbringing) I find I can sample even a larger cross section of people. You could say while I'm now sitting in my retirement pothole, at least I can communicate from my pothole to other potholes. So what does all this crap mean? We are all normal, just stuck in different potholes in the road of life

[N8YX]

We are all normal, just stuck in different potholes in the road of life

...and for some it's more than mere potholes:

5109

[WV6Z]

Indeed

[KK4AMI]

Indeed

Whoa, did I mention some potholes are deeper then others? :roll:

[w2amr]

There seems to be a disproportionate number of introverts involved in ham radio, which seems strange . Introverts involve in a hobby that is all about communicating with and meeting new people. Go figure.

[NQ6U]

Yeah, but some of us are WAY special. :yes:

As in special bus special.

[KK4AMI]

There seems to be a disproportionate number of introverts involved in ham radio, which seems strange . Introverts involve in a hobby that is all about communicating with and meeting new people. Go figure.

I don't think its unusual or disproportionate. Certain hobbies just run that way. Computers, Amateur Radio, Astronomy, Photography? They all seem to attract the introvert (person more interested in observing the world). I could also say radio was the way to go for me cuz I don't have a face made for TV! :)

[NQ6U]

I could also say radio was the way to go for me cuz I don't have a face made for TV! :)

I think you've hit on something right there—most of us hams have faces made for radio.

[KB3LAZ]

I think you've hit on something right there—most of us hams have faces made for radio.

They make a cream for that.

[N7YA]

Gross.

[kb2vxa]

On the road of life stay out of potholes and especially ruts. To use an old fashioned word, when a wheel comes along you're in trouble.

> As in special bus special.
"We're all bozos on the bus so relax and enjoy the ride."
Wavy Gravy

And you thought it was Proctor and Bergman? (Firesign Theatre)

[W7XF]

As in special bus special.

5113

Is this your daily driver, Pope Carlo??? :mrgreen:

[suddenseer]

I always thought "normal" was a math term. I drink therefore I am.

[kb2vxa]

"Is this your daily driver, Pope Carlo???"

That looks like the Henry Yell AAARRRrrr Pus Bus, ANYTHING but normal.