The way hams are REALLY perceived

[k1oik]

Saw this as part of this article http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_s...de-enforcement-

Old Time PR
|
10 Hours Ago


Take a look at the comments from hams posting here who proudly attach their call sign. Their attitude is confrontational and combative. The majority of you hams obtained your amateur radio license in the last two or three decades, entering the hobby in what is called the post gentlemen era. You do not have the slightest idea what the Amateur Radio Code is, and no, I am not talking about Morse code. The very hams who run down CB most likely entered ham radio via CB radio, and you brought all your bad habits and attitudes with you. Take a look at any gathering of hams, and you will find elderly males in poor physical shape, not exactly what would be considered first responders. What is a ham's favorite activity? Simple, sitting in front of a microphone, talking about themselves. The public image and perception of amateur radio has deteriorated in recent years, and hams have only themselves to blame. This newspaper article gets directly to the root of that problem. Hams are self-centered, spending huge amounts of money on far more equipment than they require, while at the same time convincing themselves they are some sort of public service and relevant in today's world. There was a time when a person was required to pass a lengthy difficult technical licensing examination, administered by a federal official, in order to become an amateur radio operator. Such is not the case anymore. A ham radio exam today can be obtained quickly, requiring only a few hours of study, and it is administered by another ham, with no government oversight. In an earlier time, a ham radio operator prided himself in being an important member of his community, not so today. Take a look at the comments here. They reflect the selfish self-centered attitude of today's amateur radio operator. I will have as many towers as I want, and I don't care what my neighbors think, and I will fight my local government officials toward that end. Yup, full speed ahead, ham it up guys. This incident will have a huge negative impact on what little positive image still remains of the amateur radio community. Disagree all you want, public perception is everything.


Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Amateur radio operator clashes with code enforcement

[KK4AMI]

Saw this as part of this article http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_s...de-enforcement-

Old Time PR
|
10 Hours Ago


Take a look at the comments from hams posting here who proudly attach their call sign. Their attitude is confrontational and combative. The majority of you hams obtained your amateur radio license in the last two or three decades, entering the hobby in what is called the post gentlemen era. You do not have the slightest idea what the Amateur Radio Code is, and no, I am not talking about Morse code. The very hams who run down CB most likely entered ham radio via CB radio, and you brought all your bad habits and attitudes with you. Take a look at any gathering of hams, and you will find elderly males in poor physical shape, not exactly what would be considered first responders. What is a ham's favorite activity? Simple, sitting in front of a microphone, talking about themselves. The public image and perception of amateur radio has deteriorated in recent years, and hams have only themselves to blame. This newspaper article gets directly to the root of that problem. Hams are self-centered, spending huge amounts of money on far more equipment than they require, while at the same time convincing themselves they are some sort of public service and relevant in today's world. There was a time when a person was required to pass a lengthy difficult technical licensing examination, administered by a federal official, in order to become an amateur radio operator. Such is not the case anymore. A ham radio exam today can be obtained quickly, requiring only a few hours of study, and it is administered by another ham, with no government oversight. In an earlier time, a ham radio operator prided himself in being an important member of his community, not so today. Take a look at the comments here. They reflect the selfish self-centered attitude of today's amateur radio operator. I will have as many towers as I want, and I don't care what my neighbors think, and I will fight my local government officials toward that end. Yup, full speed ahead, ham it up guys. This incident will have a huge negative impact on what little positive image still remains of the amateur radio community. Disagree all you want, public perception is everything.


Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Amateur radio operator clashes with code enforcement

Hams are not the only thing that the neighbors complain about. I live out in the country for that very reason. Truckers that park their rigs, motorhomes and trailers at home get grief, people that want to shoot or hunt close to home get grief.I got yelled at for spray painting bike tanks with lacquer in a garage because the neighbors could smell the paint. Hell, I know a rich guy that bought a helicopter and built a landing pad in his backyard. He flew in and out daily over neighborhoods and got complaints from everybody.

If you want to be happy in your life, you need to get along with your neighbors or get out. That is the most important law to live by.

[kb2crk]

Burt
I have seen one of your youtube rants. talk about being part of the problem.

[k1oik]

Burt
I have seen one of your youtube rants. talk about being part of the problem.

[kb2crk]

I rest my case.

[k1oik]

I rest my case.

And proved mine

[kb2crk]

And proved mine

proved nothing except that you ego is way bigger than it needs to be.

[K7SGJ]

Saw this as part of this article http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_s...de-enforcement-

Old Time PR
|
10 Hours Ago


Take a look at the comments from hams posting here who proudly attach their call sign. Their attitude is confrontational and combative. The majority of you hams obtained your amateur radio license in the last two or three decades, entering the hobby in what is called the post gentlemen era. You do not have the slightest idea what the Amateur Radio Code is, and no, I am not talking about Morse code. The very hams who run down CB most likely entered ham radio via CB radio, and you brought all your bad habits and attitudes with you. Take a look at any gathering of hams, and you will find elderly males in poor physical shape, not exactly what would be considered first responders. What is a ham's favorite activity? Simple, sitting in front of a microphone, talking about themselves. The public image and perception of amateur radio has deteriorated in recent years, and hams have only themselves to blame. This newspaper article gets directly to the root of that problem. Hams are self-centered, spending huge amounts of money on far more equipment than they require, while at the same time convincing themselves they are some sort of public service and relevant in today's world. There was a time when a person was required to pass a lengthy difficult technical licensing examination, administered by a federal official, in order to become an amateur radio operator. Such is not the case anymore. A ham radio exam today can be obtained quickly, requiring only a few hours of study, and it is administered by another ham, with no government oversight. In an earlier time, a ham radio operator prided himself in being an important member of his community, not so today. Take a look at the comments here. They reflect the selfish self-centered attitude of today's amateur radio operator. I will have as many towers as I want, and I don't care what my neighbors think, and I will fight my local government officials toward that end. Yup, full speed ahead, ham it up guys. This incident will have a huge negative impact on what little positive image still remains of the amateur radio community. Disagree all you want, public perception is everything.


Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Amateur radio operator clashes with code enforcement

Blame the internet, Burt. Prior to that, we didn't have to put up with all this bullshit. Yours and theirs. Ham radio wise, everything was pretty much done over the air and via QSL cards. No problems and very few confrontations. Now any one with a computer and internet access has an venue for their cause, an instant audience, and of course, everyone can now be a critic. This is one of those days where, for me, this kind of shit is tiresome, along with politics, gun threads, religion, and all of it. I doubt I'm alone.

We should have a 7 day moratorium on all this crap, and have nothing but tech stuff, fun stuff, jokes, puns, and everything else that is un-rantable, un-spinable, and non-controversial. Shit, that right there is a fucking pipe dream.

Whatever to happened to jocularity and having fun, and not being so GD serious. Sheesh......................

[NQ6U]

I agree, Burt. Amateur radio sucks and hams are all a bunch of self-centered jerks. If I were you, I'd turn in my license immediately rather than continuing to associate with such riff-raff.

Please do this as soon as possible. At the first opportunity. Please.

[KG4NEL]