This is just my opinion. I’m an older Ham Radio operator (N4WTU). I joined the hobby in 1983. Back then to become a “novice” licensed operator you had to pass the technical part of the test and pass a five-word a minute Morse code. You could then use morse code to communicate all over the world. Later, you could take another technical test, and become a “Technician” class. That is when you got to use voice communications on local 2meter (think walkie-talkie) and a little on the worldwide High-Frequency radio, which were larger, desktop types. I fondly remember practicing for the Morse code part of the test by walking around the job site late at night and spelling out the signs and other items in Morse. Later, I would take another harder test, pass a 10 word per minute code test, and get my “General Class License”. It was an accomplishment, something to feel proud of.
Changes can be good, or bad.
Then, there was the talk of the hobby fading. So a push was mounted to bring in new members. The code portion was dropped, and you had a slightly simpler test to pass. You could get CDs and other materials to help you memorize the answers to the questions. Never mind you didn’t really understand what you were answering, as long as you got the answers right. There was a lot of grumbling from amateurs that had to learn code and know more about how radios worked, but at least this phase wasn’t a total disaster. It brought new blood into a fun hobby. The truckers never really got into it, so it didn’t turn into a CB land fiasco.
The Digital Death
Maybe I’m being dramatic. Or maybe I see the end of the true meaning of Amateur Radio as it was meant to be. We were the hobby that could provide communications during disasters, when the infrastructure was broken. No cell phones, no phones, and no regular broadcast radio. We were independent, mobile and could make an antenna out of an umbrella, or a piece of wire. Then came Digital..
In the late 70s there was experimentation in digital. This experimentation would ultimately lead to development of cell phones. Yes, we Amateur Radio operators could make phone calls over our radios wirelessly connecting to a “phone patch”. Packet radio was fun. Packet Radio was sort of a type of relay using digital. Your typed words were compressed into a packet and sent to another station that would relay it further down the line to another station. This was good for getting more information in disaster areas when infrastructure had been destroyed. It was also independent and portable.
Then the Digital Age happened.
Computers are all the rage, the old timers are dying off. The new blood is all about computers and digital communication. 2 meter radio is like a super CB for those not familiar with the Amateur Radio concept. Only 2 meter was Amateur, and therefore strictly controlled and had etiquette and rules you followed. These radios had a range depending on the terrain, or five or six miles, or 50-100 miles, depending on how you had used that knowledge you learned (antenna theory etc) “Repeaters” were also used (the precursor of cell towers). A person would provide a repeater at their expense, and allow other amateurs to use it. It would broadcast your voice communications much further, doubling or tripling your distance.
By the late 2010 era with computers and the Internet upon us, the experimenters searched for the “easy” way to do things. Forgetting the basic function of Amateur Radio, reliability. Digital modes such as simple, reliable packet radio gave way to many digital modes, that are dependent on the Internet.
Digital is the next frontier in ham radio. The spread of digital technologies has increased the options available for ham radio operators. Modes of digital transmission include multiple frequency shift keying (MFSK), wireless local area networks (WLAN), D-STAR, Codec2, and Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS).
Radio for Dummies
After about a year now, I dusted off my 2-meter radio that has been sitting in its new box and set it up. It is a mobile, that I run off of my solar battery setup. True Amateur fashion. I was dismayed to tune in and hear operators chatting about nothing but digital modes, I wouldn’t have even heard them, had they not be having a problem with the “digital” connections through the Internet. I couldn’t respond to them, because apparently in the last year, they have moved most of the “repeaters” to other locations and repurposed them to digital modes. Where I used to be able to connect to 5 local repeaters for regular conversations, these have been moved. I can reach one that is about 25 miles away but is not a real clear connection. The other four, are no longer in my range.
Digital may be the new direction of Amateur Radio, but it will never be as reliable as when the hobby based itself on redundancy, and mobility in crisis. It saddens me, but I am from the old days. I could join the Internet Radio revolution, but it’s just not the same as enjoying, building an antenna, setting up your equipment etc. I once talked to the UK, using a patio table umbrella as an antenna on the back porch of our home. Now THAT is what it was all about. I talked to Australia using a long piece of copper wire as an antenna. These skills will soon be forgotten in the bits and bytes of the digital world.
I listened for three hours last night, three hours so far this morning, Other than the short chatter last night, I’ve heard one normal conversation between two gentlemen on a repeater that I can’t reach. It’s sort of saddening.
N4WTU
General Class
It all goes under the name “progress” Ron … or at least it masquerades under the name “progress”. Our species always seems to be moving in the direction of simplicity, and seemingly away from challenges and potential satisfaction. I am sure that we are pretty close to being slaves of our own design. It is wonderful the things we can now do with technology, but what will happen in the event of a major problem. What would happen if circumstances in our galaxy took out our entire satellite system? Your radio would be worth a fortune! 🙂
I feel you are quite right, Colin. We are becoming to dependent on the computerized facets of life. Easy, isn’t always the best path to take. We all saw how new tech worked for Texas, when an unprecedented natural event occurred.
If we were to have another Carrington Event such as happened in 1859, it would wipe out most of our electronics, in orbit and on the ground. We barely missed an event of that magnitude in 2014, but just one week’s timing in the rotation of the sun. I’ll keep my radio, and have it in case of a crisis. 🙂
I know nothing about Ham Radio, but I have a family connection. My cousin Debbie was married to a guy who had a huge radio setup in a purpose built shed at the end of their garden in Essex, southeast England. The aerial he used had to have special planning permission, as it was so high. It even had a red warning light on top! He would sit for hours on end in that shed on his own, talking to people as far away as Vladivostok, and Tokyo.
When they split up, he moved into a small flat (apartment) and couldn’t take his stuff there. So he sold it all, and dismantled the aerial. She now uses the shed to house chickens. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
How interesting, Pete. So here is some trivia for you. The shed he had built for his setup is called your “Shack” or radio shack. Many hams would do that so as not to disturb the missus. We still call them our “Shack” even today inside the house.
Thanks for the comment, Pete.
It was quite large, Ron. He once proudly showed me inside it, and he had a list of ‘callsigns’ of people from all over Russia, Germany, and even Japan and South America. He said that Englsh was the preferred language used on the system, but he did know Morse Code too. I was impressed by the sheer distance range of his equipment, though he said that was affected by weather and atmospherics.
I suppose it is not unlike me sitting in my 8 X 8 office alone, blogging away to the world! 🙂
That was the fun part, The “QSLCards” QSLstood for a contact. I have a folder with many cards from around the world. Sunspots, weather and atmospherics do make a difference in the propagation of a high frequency signal. That is part of the study you had to do, to pass the test.
QSL Card Often referred to as simply a “QSL”; similar in size to a postcard, it is used to “confirm” (or show proof of) having made contact with another station on the air; applies to both “two-way” and “one-way” (SWL) communications; the QSL card is filled out by the issuer/sender, and by convention it contains (1) the station contacted, (2) UTC date and time of contact, (3) frequency/band, (4) signal report (RST), and (5) callsign and address of issuer/sender. QSL cards are commonly used as proof of fulfilling various operating awards such as DXCC, WAS, etc.
You are watching the passing of an age, and it is sad. However, I look at the old typewriter I used, and I’m thrilled I no longer need to use it. Of course, if I had lived in Texas, I could have used it to write the history of my personal blackout. I’m glad there was no need to do that.
I agree, I remember typing investigations on old typewriters. Using the white-out for mistakes.
Both sad and frustrating for you now, I would guess. It’s always sad when it’s the ‘end of an era.’ Sometimes I miss BBSes, my fun hobby in the few years before the internet took over. I wrote about this in a blog post, if you want to take a peek: https://crossedeyesanddottedtees.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/before-the-internet/
Yes, I would very much like to read that post. I ran my own small BBS for a time before the Internet. It was fun.
Oh good for you! ?
That sad that a hobby and worthwhile endeavor like being a Ham Radio Operator has gone by the wayside because it is too easy to do things digitally and not have to memorize the info needed for proper credentials … this is the way with everything now. And, digital will fail – look at August 2003 when so many people overtaxed the electrical grid and we lost power for several days. Sure, you can rely on your wireless phones … but how will you charge them up again. Interesting that tall pole you had for reception – even more interesting, using an umbrella for reception.
Yes, as long as the mismatch of an object wasn’t too much, you could use many different metal things to transmit and recieve a signal. We have what is called antenna matchers, that help absorb the mismatch so that it doesn’t damage your radio. You lose a little power, but you have the advantage of using something out of the ordinary for an antenna.
I see – that is amazing. I like how you learned the Morse code and gradually learned a little more as you went along, now a lost art it seems by cutting corners.