Curiosity seems to be a trait of many Hams. We are curious about how something works or functions. We are curious about new and innovative things and processes. We are curious about how we might use, change and improve various things that come into our hobby and, for that matter, our lives.
That trait has been good for our hobby and good for our minds. We grow when we exercise our minds and experiences. This hobby has grown from spark gap CW to modulated speech; AM, FM, SSB; to specialized communication modes such as RTTY (Radio Teletype), SSTV (Slow Scan TV), Satellite and bouncing signals off the Moon’s surface (EME), digital modes such as PSK31 and FT8. Those are just a few of the technologies hams have come up with and there are many more developing using UHF and microwave technologies.
Hams are also looking for challenges. We try to accumulate the highest number of something. For some that is equipment … “How many radios do you really need??” “Just one more …” For others it is contacts, they collect the number of contacts they make for countries around the world, the various states within our country, the counties within each state, contacts from Grid Squares, Parks (County, State, National), SOTA (Summits on the Air), lighthouses, islands, you name it.
One ham I met was so proud of the QSL cards he had collected that all of the walls of his ham shack were covered with them. An impressive array which took years to accumulate and probably weeks to organize and place on the walls.
Part of this blog is about curiosity and part of this blog is about diversity. Hams are individuals who have some group interests and traits but also hold a wide variety of interests and abilities. For instance, not all hams have the ability or desire to build, modify or repair electronic equipment. Not all hams have the patience to tune up and down the bands listening for a call sign from a faraway place (DX). Not every ham finds the challenges of accumulating the most points during a contest fascinating. Not every ham wants to train to provide communication during emergencies but the satisfaction of public service and being there “When All Else Fails” is a lure to many in our midst. Some like maximum power and some get pleasure from contacts on the least power (QRP).
To me, after nearly 30 years of Army service, the phrase “Be All You Can Be” is more than a recruiting slogan. I find satisfaction in becoming an Extra class operator. Not that it provides me any sense of status; but, rather it was one more challenge to meet and allowed me to provide certain things like testing as a VE for all levels of license. Many of the things I do as an amateur radio operator are simply for my own satisfaction. Isn’t that one of the reasons we humans have hobbies?
So, I challenge those of you who might read this blog, stretch yourself, don’t be afraid to try something new and different. Obtaining a higher class license may not make a significant difference in your ham activities but perhaps it will give you self-satisfaction. CW is something that has been a difficult skill for me. Perhaps I’m too old to become really proficient but I’m exploring developing some CW skills to satisfy my personal bucket list. Is it easy? No, it is very frustrating and I have started and stopped more times than Wile E. Coyote has tried to catch the Roadrunner and with about the same success rate. But the challenge is still there and maybe one day ….
Remember Field Day is coming up this June and will be held in the parking lot of Oregon Coast Community College in South Beach. Hope to see you there and as always hope to hear you on the air! 73!
Chuck W7CRG