The Gunsmoke Attitude
from
John Wendt, WA6BFH
on
November 14, 2005
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
By John Wendt, WA6BFH
Many of you may not remember a television program known as "Gunsmoke". When I was a 5-year-old kid it was the most popular program on TV. It featured James Arnes as the marshal Matt Dillon, in a somewhat rough and tumble Kansas town. Gunsmoke was a leading television program of its day, and in fact set the leading statistics for TV programming for a record number of seasons run. The program was not equaled for ratings by any other TV show until the mid-1970's
The basic theme that was promoted within this sort of program stemmed from the ideals of the "westward "expansion", the ideal that hale and hearty folks made a rough journey west to start and build a new life. Of course along the way they encountered miscreant fellows, horse thieves, card sharks, gunslingers and general evildoers. It was the job of Matt Dillon to deal with these wicked men (and sometimes wicked women) and maintain the life style of the town, as its better citizens would desire. To this end, Marshal Dillon had to be a hard but fair dispenser of justice. He would size up a situation pretty quickly before it got out of hand, and tell the miscreants to leave town -- with the unstated understanding that if they did not heed his warning -- there would be consequences to pay. Of course the reward for his successful execution of this effort was a better life for all the townsfolk. -- So that the marshal and his lady "Miss Kitty", and old "Doc", Chester, and Festus, could have a good and peaceful life in the town.
Now you may wonder what all of this has to do with an article on a Ham radio web page, so fellow Hamsters I will tell you. I took down my old Yaesu FT-290 the other day and blew off the dust. I had not used this radio in probably several years, as it had been relegated to my radio lab where I was using it a stable power oscillator of enough ummph to turn on the base of a transistor. I fired it up on a local 2 Meter repeater after poking at the dipswitch on the internal CTCSS encoder. What I heard was reminiscent of the reasons that I had left 2 Meter FM.
The group of reprobates and degenerates that I heard were shocking to the ears. As I listened to this bunch of yahoos discuss the bust size of the women they knew at their workplace, as compared to the chest size of their wives I gained one perspective. When they discussed the merits of their Cobra radios and Antron antennas to what they now had on 2 Meters I gained another. I even learned that I could install a hairpin on the back of a D-104 microphone, so as to provide a unique sounding "roger beep". Now I'm no virgin to malefactors on the radio and have run into to enough over the last decade that 'just don't get it' but, I thought that we were beyond this. My understanding was that most of these No-code, no effort wiz kids had left our fair bands after discovering that Ham radio was not what they were seeking. Am I wrong? Is there still a bastion where these card sharks and horse thieves and evildoers of the airwaves still exist? Is it just that 2 meter FM is the "Bad Lands" of Ham radio, and that on other modes, and other bands we can live in peace.
I had hoped for better, so I'm pretty disappointed. Do you think we should call for Marshal Dillon?
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by PE1NPG on November 14, 2005
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Again someone who is generalizing. No-code has nothing to do with upbringing. There are a lot of no-code Hams with Ham-spirit.
73 de (No-code) HF-HAM Jean-Pierre, PE1NPG
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by N8NOE on November 14, 2005
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First OFF, Gunsmoke is on TVLand about 6:00am EST..
I like Festus, He's my hero!.....
Bet he smokes Cigars to!..
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by N8NOE on November 14, 2005
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What does my Previous post have to do with RADIO?......
Well, If you turn your Radio on, and fire up your Favorite Stogie, and just listen for a minute, You'll fine...... YEP, peace and quiet, no matter How bad it gets, I got me a SMOKE!... I have found a Good Cigar is to me what a Good Shot of Thorozine is to some I know NEED it!..
Moral: Sit down, And Just Relax, Life it too short to get your Undies in some sort of Bundle, about some 2 Meter BS (Bovine Scaffolding).. Had some trouble in this area, as some SOB's ( Sweet Old Boys) were doing the Same thing, once they find Nobody would talk to them in this mode, it stopped!..
End Comment: DON'T worry the Big Stuff (Term used loosly) And the little Stuff (Again) Fixes itself!..
NOW Back to my Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Robusto!
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by KB9YUR on November 14, 2005
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Why is/was the FT-290 in the lab ?!? It's a decent radio that should be outside doing
SSB QRP work !! Gunsmoke was a great show and I still watch it whenever I can.
George ...
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by N8NOE on November 14, 2005
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One MORE?...
George, Looks like you got a Ticket about a YEAR ago now, You been around the Bands long?.. I have seen the introduction of NO-CODE, and a lot of other things on the Bands. I'm NOT a Anti-Code, or whatever ( Code DON'T Make the operator ) but after 7 FCC licenses, I'd think this might give me some Idea. Just thinking at 6:30am after a bad weekend.. So George, give us some background..
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by KG2V on November 14, 2005
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Funny, on the 2m boxes I hang out on, you never hear converstions like that - more likly to hear offers of help putting up a tower, or someone asking directions, the occasional story of home repairs, or health, of vacation trips. Someone offering to go help someones XYL who's car is broken down, or stories of ne rigs in the car. Or planning for the next public service event
Maybe you should find a better repeater to hang out on? One where the repeater trustee will ask people to refrain?
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by W8JII on November 14, 2005
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Gee John--------time to dump on the no codes again? Class of license has nothing to do with aberrant behavior on any of the bands. I've heard Extra Class hams with no class at all on every band. Listen on 3945 for a lesson in how to use profanity in every sentence. Listen in the DX window on 75 for the idiot wide banders. 73, ron
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by KB1GMX on November 14, 2005
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Well if its illegal or impropper I say shootem. ;)
Seriously, must be a 6 land thing. Around here 2m
repeaters are buys and for the most part there's
a lot of great activity going on. Everything from
lighthearted jokeing and talking to serious public
service stuff. Users run from newbies to the old
timers. Generally I don't hear what your reporting.
Last time I'd heard 10-4 on the repeater it was a
few of the regular guys known for best operating
procedure jokeing around in a fun way. Though if I
do find something thats just not for me I still have
the option of twisting the knob labeled TUNE.
Allison
Kb1GMX
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by K0BG on November 14, 2005
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The question is, are you being objective or subjective?
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by KB7LYM on November 14, 2005
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After reading this fine article about the wild west,gun smoke, cigars etc I did contact my CW teacher and asked for help. He send me his latest picture and YES.... I could see now how one might become one of the greatest of our fine Hobby.
Here is THE GREAT MAN HIMSELF ......
http://www.armstrongfiles.com/files/archives/Idiot,Moron.jpg
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by WD8JMM on November 14, 2005
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It is the prerogative of the license trustee of the repeater to allow or disallow activity on a machine. I can think of several situations where a repeater has been shut off because the license trustee or control operator didn't like what was going on on the machine. If, in this case, the trustee or control operator is agreeable to the behaviour of the users, and they're not violating Part 97, I don't see where anybody has a right to complain.
Broadcast television (another mode regulated by the FCC) is rife with sexual innuendo, bad language, shady characters and poor role models. That is why I don't watch broadcast TV. I suggest that if you've a problem with a group of operators on a specific frequency, and care to make a complaint in a forum where results are possible, you join the club sponsoring the repeater and make your objections known to the license trustee. As president of a local repeater club, that's been my viewpoint for years - if you're not a member of the club, your opinion doesn't mean much to me. If my users aren't behaving in a manner suitable to your tender sensibilities, you always have the right to change the channel. Isn't freedom of choice a wonderful thing?
73
Alex, WD8JMM
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by SFD301 on November 14, 2005
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LOL, I should really not read most of the opinions that pop up here. Sir, what you are complaining about on your local 2m repeaters you are kinda doing here, but IMHO almost a little worse. While there is not excuse for poor operators, I feel that there is no excuse to sit at a keyboard and make a general statement, with a blanket insult to no-code hams, and the repeater crowds. Would you do this at a meeting attended by no-code hams?
It should not matter how I obtained my license, just that I did, and I am not represented by poor operators, just as you are not represented by some of the charcters in 6 land that I may find offensive.
Sure, I'm new, so what? Everyone was at one time, right? I find it funny that here on the forums and other internet places a lot of operators do not conduct themselves as they would on the air.
73 de KC2NMX
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by W5GNB on November 14, 2005
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WoW!!
You really caught my interest!!!!
Could you please explain to me how to install that Hairpin on my D-104??
THANKS!!
Gary - W5GNB
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by KU4UV on November 14, 2005
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It's not the just "No-Coders." Ever listen to 75 meters on a nightly basis? I wrote a letter that was published in the February 2002 issue of QST in the Correspondence section about an issue very similar to this.
73,
KU4UV
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by WW5AA on November 14, 2005
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Ham radio is just a less severe reflection of modern society in general. As society losses its thin veneer of civility, so goes HAM radio. Gun Smoke would be a loser in today’s TV market…no nudity, bad language, or indecent life styles. I guess I would classify HAM radio these days as “The good, the bad and the ugly”. The question is who do you want to be!
De Lindy
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by AA4PB on November 14, 2005
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You should mosey on down to 75M and get an "extra" ear full :-) It's not related to the band, or the class of license, or the ability to copy CW. This year at Dayton I couldn't monitor the talk in frequency because I didn't want my grand daughter to hear the language that was being used by the hecklers. Great way to introduce a kid to ham radio!
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by WILLY on November 14, 2005
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1.) A Hamster is a smelly little rat like creature. Please - - - I am not a Hamster.
2.) See the comments above from KG2V and KB1GMX. Those examples of conversations are great. Maybe they hear them because the hams having those conversations keep the repeater busy with those sort of conversations, leaving no room for the unpleasant ones. Good conversation breeds more good conversation, and bad breeds bad.
Maybe if more hams in your area would get on there, they could run off the no-goods. Then again, somebody has to do it, and you said, "...and blew off the dust. I had not used this radio in probably several years,...", so you are not helping to run them off.
Find some friends, and get started.
3.) Festus is my idol!
Little known fact: He was Samuel F.B. Morse's third cousin on his mother's side. >g<
73
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by N8VCL on November 14, 2005
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Just chalk up a "+1" in the column of hams that for some reason or other have never experienced this phenomenon...
Scott
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by N0IU on November 14, 2005
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WA6BFH closed his posting by saying, “I had hoped for better, so I'm pretty disappointed.”
I am also pretty disappointed in what has happened to ham radio, but not necessarily because of the language heard on the air. As so many others have pointed out, this is not a new phenomenon, but I do agree it is getting worse. So why am I upset? I feel like I have been duped. I feel like a parent whose child has asked for a puppy. You know how it works. They promise to feed the dog, take him on a walk every day rain or shine, clean up after the dog makes a mess in the house and so on. We all know this is a big fat lie, but we want our children to be happy and most parents ultimately give in despite the fact they know they will be the ones taking care of the dog. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, it is almost as if the ham radio community at large was asking for a puppy in the form of the No Code Tech license. Our kids promised to take care of the puppy, so what was the reasoning behind asking for this change in licensing? Probably one of the most often-heard reasons for creating this new class was that it would remove the barriers to ham radio. After all, we are not bound by international treaty to demonstrate Morse code proficiency for VHF and above. We were told that there are a lot of good folks out there who desperately want to get into ham radio, but find it difficult to learn the code. Once you remove these barriers, they promised we would see an explosive growth in ham radio now that incoming hams were no longer forced to learn an archaic mode of operation. (Oddly enough this was about the same time that Ronald Reagan challenged Mikhail Gorbachev, speaking in front of the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987, exclaiming: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!") The ham radio community was telling us, “Tear down these barriers!” and we bought it, hook, line and sinker.
Admittedly, for a time, there was a significant influx of hams, but they were not upgrading. During the decade of the 90’s, ham radio was becoming very bottom heavy with No Code Technicians. In order to upgrade to General (or even “downgrade” to get the Novice HF privileges), this involved demonstrating Morse code proficiency. Once again, the millennium was closing out with that familiar cry, “Tear down these barriers!” and once again we were handed the same line of garbage that the 13 and 20 WPM code tests were keeping people from entering ham radio and keeping them from upgrading. Oh, and while we were at it, eliminate the Novice and Advanced tests because they were barriers, too. Once again, on April 15, 2000, we obliged.
Lowering the code requirements may have sounded like a good idea at the time, but if the intent was to increase our overall numbers, it did not work! This last attempt to give ham radio a shot in the arm was a dismal failure!
In April 2000, there were 678,539 amateur licenses. As of about a couple of weeks ago, that number has dropped to 675,274, which is a loss of 3,265 in the last 5 and half years. Digging a little deeper into the numbers by class, those with HF privileges (General, Advanced and Extra) grew by 33,464 while the "entry level" (Novice, Technician and Tech Plus) licenses have gone down by 36,729.
These numbers tell me that the entry-level people have taken advantage of the code reduction by upgrading, but that has left a huge hole in the entry level. Assuming that the loss of 3,265 licenses is from Silent Keys and people letting their license expire, the bottom line is that we are not replacing them with new hams and there is a net loss in our numbers. Reducing the code speed and eliminating two license classes has not resulted in any sort of growth in ham radio! All it has done has shifted the entry level into the HF level.
So you see, there was no altruistic motivation behind the reduction in code speed as a means of bolstering the ranks of ham radio. If nothing else, these numbers should prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the only motivation for reducing the upgrading requirements was so that existing entry-level licensees could upgrade without having to learn higher speed CW and not have to take the Advanced written test.
I don’t know how to accomplish this, but what we need is a way to get people into this hobby, not continuously easier and easier ways to upgrade within it!
George K3UD further analyzed the numbers in this way:
Actually the number of unexpired licenses (not including club licenses) is 663,533 and has been on a steady decline since the all time high of 687,5500+ In April of 2003. This is a loss of almost 25,000 licensees in 2.5 years.
Remember, when considering trends in licensing, one has to look at a ten-year span since that is the term of the license. Because there were such a high number of hams in 2003, this means that there was a major influx of hams in 1993 and the numbers started on a downward spiral when those hams did not renew!
And still the question is asked over and over again why some of us are so upset. We gave you what you wanted in terms of eliminating the “high speed” code tests and two whole license classes. You promised a growth in our numbers, but have failed to deliver! Is it any wonder that 55% of the respondents to the NPRM were in favor of keeping the code? Enough is enough!
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by KI4LXE on November 14, 2005
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Why is the "good 'ol days" always seem to be so perfect? The miscreants never existed, the sun was always shining, Marshall Dillion always got the bad guy.
Absolutely so reflection on the real world; then or now.
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by AH6FC on November 14, 2005
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Not sure code has anything to do with it. Plenty of high speed cw lids. Unfortunately reflection of where our society has gone, i.e. lack of manners, respect, etc. Last night on 10 mhz cw, people sending runs of dots just to cause qrm on dx stations. I guess it has always happened but I sure don't remember it being like this in "the old days."
Still a great hobby but could stand a good house cleaning.
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by K7VO on November 14, 2005
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> Gee John--------time to dump on the no codes again?
> Class of license has nothing to do with aberrant
> behavior on any of the bands. I've heard Extra
> Class hams with no class at all on every band.
> Listen on 3945 for a lesson in how to use profanity
> in every sentence. Listen in the DX window on 75
> for the idiot wide banders. 73, ron
Ron, you have this absolutely correct. John, as usual, is throwing stones and bashing everyone who entered the hobby and hasn't upgraded since April, 2000. The folks who entered with the no code license are no better and no worse than those that came before them. They did what we all did: pass the entry level license exam as defined by the FCC at the time. Yes, there are some bad apples. Always have been, always will be. Just because you heard one rude and sexist conversation between idiots doesn't mean that all recent Technician class licensees, or even a significant number, are idiots.
Oh, and as someone else pointed out, a hamster is a rodent. I am *NOT* a hamster.
2m repeaters? In the Cincinnati area they're fine. No real problems from what I hear on the air. I prefer 222MHz, but only because the repeaters with the best coverage are on that band. I still get on 2 FM from the car now and again.
This license classism has got to go. All this ends up doing is discouraging the good newcomers who are made to feel unwelcome. Enough already.
73,
Caity
K7VO
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by KA4KOE on November 14, 2005
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I say pin their coaxes, like we did in the good ole' days....or for more serious offenders, bring the big guns to bear....anyone got a Wouff Hong they can spare?
Philip
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by KC8VWM on November 14, 2005
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...everyone who entered the hobby and hasn't upgraded since April, 2000. The folks who entered with the no code license are no better and no worse than those that came before them.
----
Yep, and I reckon all them there new no code techs out there will eventually be saddled up and operating on the HF wagon train when they drop the code requirement. They will most likely have the unique privilege of footing the blame for all the previous and prior possum problems that have ever existed on the HF bands for the past 35 years.
(Insert chewin tabacca spit sound here)
I suspect that this HF town isn't big enough for all of us and eventually all the Marshal Dillon gunslingers are going to form a posse so they can run everyone out of Dodge City.
(Insert bullet ricochet sound here)
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by AI2IA on November 14, 2005
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Here we go again! This article is nothing more, absolutely nothing more, than an opportunity for all the naysayers, good old days worshippers, and plain old grumps to preach their same old sermons about how bad it is now and how good it was in the old days.
You've got good and bad on all the bands. If every single grump out there took it like a ham, refused to gravitate to the level of the radio slobs, and persisted in operating by the goldern rule, we could keep those slobs a very small minority indeed!
For goodness sake, get on the 2 meter band and all the bands, display courtesy and patience in the face of crudeness, and when you get flared, change frequency. Refuse to react to all this nonsense including the bad responses to articles like these.
Ham radio is what you, yes you, make of it. Ham radio is what I make of it, and if we cooperate and do the right thing always, by golly, ham radio will never be what they want to make of it. Hold the fort! Amen.
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by AE7G on November 14, 2005
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< Is it just that 2 meter FM is the "Bad Lands" of Ham radio, and that on other modes, and other bands we can live in peace.>
Dunno.
The last time I used my 2 meter rig was on a packet cluster for DX spotting.
Bob
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by W5LJM on November 14, 2005
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Ta heck with "Gunsmoke attitude" or Matt Dillon attitude.
What is needed is "Miss Kitty" attitude!
Now there's a woman with spunk!
The red headed feline. Meowwww!
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by WA0DTH on November 14, 2005
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Yea Im an old gunsmoke fan too. I was probably 7 or 8 when it was on black and white tv at first.
Dad and I spent many evenings watching each episode.
Anyway I think it was miss kitty we need. hi hi
And maybe Festus.
Or call Marshall Riley.
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by KD6NIG on November 14, 2005
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I wonder where the repeater trustee was when all of this was going on. Oh wait, he may have been participating.
All I know is that around here, such conversation would have resulted in you unkeying and the repeater not being there, and maybe 5 minutes later it coming back with a stern warning from the trustee.
I mean, not everything I discuss is tied to Ham Radio, per se, but we keep the lowball commentary, cursing, etc etc OFF the repeater.
And the 2 times I have heard it, what I said above is exactly what happened, and it didn't take long for it to occur, either.
Don't let one repeater experience jade you, there are a few out there that basically allow anything. I allow myself to not use said repeaters :)
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by SAIL_AWAY on November 14, 2005
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it's probably because i come from a family that has a lot of truck drivers in it, but i have always had a soft spot for drivers using higher power transmitters on cb as well as using the amateur bands on occasion. and it is often times truck drivers doing this, let's face it. there is a lot of foul language, the topics aren't always the most interesting, far too many "radio checks", too much holding the mike up to the stereo speakers to force their favorite tune on everybody, etc. it can be annoying.
however.
these people are actually working. they use the radio like most people use their normal speaking voice at the office. except their office cubicles have 18 wheels and are seperated from one another by miles of pavement. they can't just lean over to the cubicle next to theirs and say how's it going. they can't yell that loud. so they have to use a radio to talk to the people around them. and talk they do, you can listen to them talking all day long and you'll hear them talking about the hazards of their profession, recent events with people they know, accidents, complaints about dispatchers, giving each other directions to destinations, talking about employers, basically the same thing you talk about in the office. and sure, they talk about personal things too, and there are a lot of colorful characters out there in the freight moving business, but that's true of a lot of professions. these people work long days, travel long distances, and their only companions most times are the people they find on the end of the transmit button. and there are actual reasons that people migrate over into the amateur bands, the most obvious being that the cb band is narrow and extremely crowded, it's natural that there would be some using amateur bands as they want to talk with more distant co-workers and friends.
what do hams do with the radio, what purpose do they usually serve besides their own amusement ? there is an educational aspect to ham radio, surely, and hams provide an emergency service to the public when normal communications break down, and hams operating out of repressive countries certainly do their bit, etc. but a lot of hams complain about communications on the bands when the worst crime the offending transmitter is doing is interupting someone's serenity while they enjoy their recreation. hams should be protective of their "space" just like any other group, but sometimes the complaints about language and things sounds like people at the golf course complaining about the view of the neighboring industrial area, when that industrial area is the economic power driving the city. recreation is important, and i'm not a proponent of handing out amateur radios to every company truck that needs a radio, but i am for tolerance of the folks who choose to press the transmit button. around where i live here in the virginia mountains i'm lucky to find someone transmitting on a lot of bands, colorful or not, so that might be another reason i don't get upset about a little profanity.
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by KC8VWM on November 14, 2005
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Now before you start 'bustin yer way into the Dodge city saloon blazin yer guns, or calling up the confederate officers and before ya start sendin' a telegram over to Marshal Riley every time one of dem dere wooden tooth types gets on yer local repeater, we all need to do some considerin'.
We already have enough Dodge city shoot-outs, train robberies and cattle rustlings going on without havin' to stir up a thunderin' herd of cattle.
When an outsider comes to town on yer repeater wagon train, you should try elmerin' them before you start blazin your guns and start shooting their mules or puting a hole in their 10 gallons hats.
See ya'll at the Dodge city hamfest:
http://comp.uark.edu/~tsnyder/gunsmoke/images/group2.jpg
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by K0RGR on November 14, 2005
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They smoke a lot of locoweed way out west. And consume a lot more rotgut whiskey.
Two meter FM in Southern California has always been in need of a posse or a lynch mob. From your description, it sounds down right civilized compared to the 70's and the old 'repeater wars' days.
Sadly, the ham tests are not, and never were, an IQ test. It sounds like you found some guys whose IQ's were about the same as the bra sizes they were discussing.
I saw a Gunsmoke episode not long ago where Old Doc shot a man who was about to slap his wife. "You killed him, Doc!" they said ' "Yep, I meant to" he replied, and that was that. We REALLY need to bring back Gunsmoke, and I ain't kiddin'.
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by VE3ECMW2 on November 14, 2005
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I had hoped for better when I clicked the link to this article, but I was sadly disappointed...
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by WB2WIK on November 14, 2005
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Thankfully, 2m FM isn't ham radio. Unfortunately, some people get licensed believing that it is, and then get discouraged and leave the hobby.
Might as well let them know in advance: 2m FM isn't ham radio, although it's one teeny, tiny, insignificant aspect of ham radio. It used to even be "fun" back about 35-40 years ago, when we mostly built our own stuff to get on the band and then tinkered with it until it worked better. Now, it's like licensed FRS. Oh yeah, we have GMRS for that.
But not everybody loved Gunsmoke so much. I remember it, and occasionally catch a very worn re-run on one of the "TV shows for old people" cable or satellite networks, and it's pretty yawn-inspiring. B&W TV shows of similar age that have more merit (at least for me) include Perry Mason and Route 66.
WB2WIK/6
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by WA6BFH on November 14, 2005
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I certainly liked the comments and analogies of a few here, particularly N0IU!
For those who think that I should be using my FT-290 on SSB, I agree that would be a better use. Just because it has gained a certain sheen of dust sitting in my lab, does not mean that I can’t get on 2 Meter SSB or iCW from my radio room. In fact while the FT-290 is a pretty cute little radio, its single conversion receiver and maximum 3 Watts of output are pretty limiting for serious DX work. Shoot, it barely has enough output to drive a single high mu tetrode!
Maybe my perspective is simply wrong. I know that the bands on 2.3 GHz and higher are so chock-a-block full of activity that maybe I should spend some more time on bands like 2 and 80 Meters. I know that these bands are seriously under utilized, and I even heard a rumor the other day that possible re-allocation of 80 may be under consideration. It seems that some company would like to start a new wiz bang digital service at 300 baud!
So I guess many of you are right. I will get back on 2 Meters and take a more active roll. I think it would have been pretty difficult though to explain Tropospheric Ducting to the guys I heard on the radio that spurred this article. They do have some of the hardware though, if they would just flip those 13 element Yagi’s to horizontal polarization, and stop pointing them at the repeater building that can be visually seen above their houses. They could also make better use of those TE Systems 400 Watt amplifiers too!
Of course they would have to buy (or should I even suggest build) an SSB capable radio. If they were to buy such a rig it might strain their budget. Of course they could sell their 3 band FM only TS-742 ($1200.00 Dollar FM radio), their Kenwood “Blue Face” (gotta have it for “cross-banding” don’tcha know), and if they sold that, it might even free up some space in the satellite sub-band where they conduct their un-coordinated and often unidentified “cross banding”. They could also sell their cute little VX-5, 6, or 7 (cross band handheld). I figure that’s about $2000.00 Dollars worth of radios. That would build a pretty nice 2 Meter SSB capable station!
So, I’m sure most of you are right. When I’m not on 2 Meters (or 80) explaining and discussing the better points of VHF/UHF DX’ing, I will seek you guys out on the SHF bands for more tips and ideas on how we can help Amateur Radio to survive and prosper. We might even discuss promoting the reinstatement of the Novice license, an idea that was a good means for Ham radio inculcation!
73’zzzzzzzz, and keep the greasy side down, twang!
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by AA4PB on November 14, 2005
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Gunsmoke was a lot better on radio. You do remember radio, right? It's like a TV set without the picture. But you do need the warm glow of tubes to round it out. :-)
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by W9WHE-II on November 14, 2005
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If ARRL has its way and FCC dumbs down the standards, those guys will be on HF and will be heard world-wide.
W9WHE
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NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :)
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by G3SEA on November 14, 2005
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Just one of the nice things about Hawaii is the Aloha spirit shown on HF and especially repeaters.
I have never heard any of the ill manners mentioned above here ( Except on some of the Mainland 80m nets that can be monitored here ):(
KH6/G3SEA
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by W6GMT on November 14, 2005
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I spend my summers in Northern MN where repeaters are used for skywarn, Famlies keeping in touch and the phone patch is used daily (cell coverage is poor) The repeaters there are family rated all the time. If one lives in the greater LA area the nuts and crazies are part of the deal.
As far as the 290R goes sell it to me the 2.5 watts will drive my mirage B-310-G to about 90 watts for roving or I can use it with my transverter for 10 gigs
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WOUFF HONG
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by W4XKE on November 14, 2005
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>W8JII wrote: "I've heard Extra Class hams with no class at all on every band. Listen on 3945 for a lesson in how to use profanity in every sentence." <
For several decades amateur operators have encouraged the use of the WOUFF HONG to control the scumbags that foul the airwaves. It is reportedly more effective than reporting to Riley, having an on-air rebuttal contest or even complaining to fellow hams on internet web sites.
I suggest we replace the "OO"s with a group of volunteer vigilantes, each armed with a stout wouff hong. (An adaptation of an Irish shilaylee) These volunteers could keep a list of degenerates that needed a bit of an attitude adjustment and then the volunteers could pick names from the list by locality for visitation on Tuesday nights. (Kind of like the Baptists do with their evangelism teams.)
Vulgar Vargis, N4SIK might thumb his nose at Riley but he would surely be more reluctant to point an obscene gesture at a group of vigilantes bearing wouff hongs.
It is time that the hams policed their own operators. Bernard Goetz is my hero!
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by W7SMJ on November 14, 2005
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What's the point of this article? No laws have apparently been broken so what's Marshall Dillon supposed to do?
I remember listening to an exchange between two Extra class hams back in '81 that denegrated into a challenge to duel. This was back in the 20 WPM days so I don't follow your no code argument.
Bashing new hams that may have CB background serves no purpose, many have this background.
I expected more from an "Elmer".
73,
Scott
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RE: Smoke them out, smoke them out.
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by W6TH on November 14, 2005
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.
..What is usually found at the bottom of the barrel?..
.....................Yes, bad apples................
W6TH ( A non vanity call letter).
.:
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Now you know what happened to "Chester".
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by WB4M on November 14, 2005
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Chester got fed up with the CB'ers on 2 meters and walked off into the sunset. (Little known secret: the reason Chester limped was because he had a 2 meter whip up his pants leg.)
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RE: NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :)
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by WB2WIK on November 14, 2005
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>NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :) Reply
by G3SEA on November 14, 2005 Mail this to a friend!
Just one of the nice things about Hawaii is the Aloha spirit shown on HF and especially repeaters.<
::Really? I know plenty of Hawaiian hams who are very nice, but trying to meet one on a repeater when you're a visitor from the mainland can be a lousy experience -- which I've experienced each one of the six times I've visited the islands.
Howlies don't get a lot of answers from the locals when they announce they are "listening" to the local repeaters. Actually, I don't ever recall getting any.
WB2WIK/6
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by KR4JY on November 14, 2005
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I can't speak for your part of the Country, but 2 meters is not like that in Montgomery, AL. We really have great bunch of hams in this area of the State and State-Wide for that matter. Maybe things will get better there on day.
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RE: NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :)
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by G3SEA on November 14, 2005
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To WB2WIK/6
My point was there is none of the ill mannered activity mentioned in the posting.
Whether you got a response depends on several factors :
1. There are not that many active hams in Hawaii.
2. Time of day you called.
Next time in Honolulu try the EARC ( Emergency Amateur Radio Club ) Net on the 146.800 Mhz Diamond Head repeater any night at 7.30 pm. There is always a friendly group on and they can point you to other repeaters.
Note : The word is Haole ;)
Aloha :)
KH6/G3SEA
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by K8MHZ on November 14, 2005
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What I don’t understand is why the author is crabbing about a local problem here on eHam. What could possibly gained here?
I hear much worse on HF than on any 2 meter repeater, including the traffic described by the author. I repeatedly hear W5DBG on 40 meters using profanity, causing intentional interference and telling people to ‘get off his band.’ The responses are mostly considerate, but a good majority are not and also include intentional interference.
I could see bringing something like an HF problem up on eHam, but certainly not a local 2 meter problem.
So, I see that nothing could be gained here except that is allows JJH to spew his “no-code, no-effort” crap on an Internet soapbox….for free….to me no cost means no effort.
I was a no code tech for ten years and I would quickly wager that I put more into ham radio while I was an NCT than JJH will in a lifetime. I personally know many NCTs and the very vast majority of them are fine hams and fine people.
Wait…hold ‘er Newt…I DID hear traffic like you describe on a 2 meter repeater once. The 147.435 in Los Angeles. So I guess your problem is a local one in more than one respect. Perhaps calls are needed, not to Marshall Dillon, but to whatever maid it takes to clean up your own house.
73,
Mark K8MHZ
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RE: NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :)
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by K8MHZ on November 14, 2005
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"Howlies don't get a lot of answers from the locals when they announce they are "listening" to the local repeaters. Actually, I don't ever recall getting any."
How often do you reply to a call thrown out with "listening" unless you know them.
Try this sometime.....Throw out your call suffixed with "Listening." If you don't get a response in a few minutes, try throwing out your call suffixed by "Is anyone one around tonite?" or something similar. Or, really do something unique and call CQ.
To many people "Listening" and calling CQ are quite different. "Listening" might mean to some that you are not only "listening" but they may feel that you are so content in doing so that you have announced it on the air.
And shake the "Howlie" thing. Please. That might help a little, too.
73,
Mark K8MHZ
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RE: NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :)
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by K8MHZ on November 14, 2005
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"Howlies don't get a lot of answers from the locals when they announce they are "listening" to the local repeaters. Actually, I don't ever recall getting any."
How often do you reply to a call thrown out with "listening" unless you know them.
Try this sometime.....Throw out your call suffixed with "Listening." If you don't get a response in a few minutes, try throwing out your call suffixed by "Is anyone one around tonite?" or something similar. Or, really do something unique and call CQ.
To many people "Listening" and calling CQ are quite different. "Listening" might mean to some that you are not only "listening" but they may feel that you are so content in doing so that you have announced it on the air.
And shake the "Howlie" thing. Please. That might help a little, too.
73,
Mark K8MHZ
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by WA6BFH on November 14, 2005
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Mark, this was actually the point of the article.
Think about it!
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by K8MHZ on November 14, 2005
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John you lost me on that one!
Your posts always get me thinking....maybe too much....is there something between the lines I missed?
It could happen.
And some of my best friends are NCTs. But my relatives are all CW endorsed. ;)
Just curious, was it the '435?
73,
Mark K8MHZ
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by WA1RNE on November 14, 2005
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John;
Evildoers??? Do we have those on HR??
I can see GWya saying it ....yikes.....
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by W4CBL on November 14, 2005
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You know, I keep hearing these complaints from Grumpy OM's, but I never hear the behavior they are griping about on ANY 2M repeater that I use.
Go back to your 75M aches and pains net, Grandpa.
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by WA4DOU on November 14, 2005
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Interestingly, W4CBL has no respect for grandpa but covets grandpa's old call.
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by N6JSX on November 14, 2005
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Even though John says he doesn't remember me we use to talk on the Nohl Ranch 220 system that I think was 224.060.
What you guys are ignorant about is the 2m world of THEE Los Angeles area (+50K HAMs) and the infamous 147.435, followed by 146.610, 145.220, & 147.090.....
Until you have listen and tried to talk on 435 or 610 you will never understand what John is talking about. If Riley really wants to make a difference and make a statement he would TRY and clean up LA. Ha ha
How do I know all this I lived under 147.435 when it was on the Puente Hills, I was the MWRA T Hunt Master with great partners like ADC, KYW & TEY. Ultimately I became the LA Section OOC for two years (1986-1988) that gave me nothing but solid frustrations. It was frustrationg listening to Arney munipulating the number one LID right into Lompoc and not being able to bust the real LID - Arney. I heard and hunted JAC, HDB, JOY, BUZ/UZS and many more. But it did no good. They wore the OO Notices like merrit badges - the SM was worthless and the FCC were overloaded and to busy to care about HAMdom.
But before all you do-gooder's with such vast HAMdom knowledge cut-up and crap-on this article you need to walk a mile in our shoes. Try to understand before proving how ignorant your responses can be. Of course a few of you must crap-on any/all articles as it is the only substance to your crummy existance on this site.
N6JSX /8
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How to build a "Twanger"
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by N7BUI on November 14, 2005
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A paperclip is rolled into the shape of a spring on a pencil. One end is mounted on the microphone head of a D-104 and the other end is made to be struck by the "chicken choker" PTT switch on the neck of the microphone. Then you adjust the paperclip until you get the right volume and pitch of "twang" at the beginning of your transmission.
Told to me by a good friend who had his roots in CB and is now a General class ham who is very active.
I thought it was quite creative. Sounds like it might be easier to use than than the electronic echo/reverb that I keep hearing on 75 meters!
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RE: How to build a "Twanger"
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by AI4KK on November 14, 2005
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>A paperclip is rolled into the shape of a spring on
>a pencil. One end is mounted on the microphone head
>of a D-104 and the other end is made to be struck by
>the "chicken choker" PTT switch on the neck of the
>microphone. Then you adjust the paperclip until you
>get the right volume and pitch of "twang" at the
>beginning of your transmission.
Sounds like for folks that want the performance of ham and the ambience of an old Golden Eagle.
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RE: How to build a "Twanger"
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by W6ONV on November 14, 2005
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I'm glad to report that the repeater I frequent is excellent! A great group of individuals both young and old (age is not a factor) who share the repeater and are friendly towards all. Again, the attitudes and actions of a few ruining it for the masses.
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RE: How to build a "Twanger"
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by K7VO on November 14, 2005
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N6JSX wrote:
> But before all you do-gooder's with such vast HAMdom
> knowledge cut-up and crap-on this article you need to
> walk a mile in our shoes.
After reading your comments I decided to reread John's article to see if I had been unfair. I handn't been. John implies all of 2m FM is like this. He doesn't say it's only this way in southern California. He also does take a rather broad swipe at all no code Techs. So... my comments stand.
I also find your comments to be a pretty broad swipe at all who post here. John, who often posts in the Elmers forum, is doing a great job of discouraging newcomers with this article, perhaps even driving them away. Perhaps that was the point.
One more comment which you probably won't like: Here we have an article drawing parallels between ham radio and a 1960s TV series that dealt with fictionalized life even further in the past. Way too many hams are living in the past. The "good old days" weren't any better than today, nor are older hams any better or worse than younger ones. The technology has certainly improved.
Do-gooder? I'd rather be that than someone who does harm to amateur radio or insults thousands of hams in a single sentence as John did.
73,
Caity
K7VO
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by WPE9JRL on November 15, 2005
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I wish I would hear ANYTHING on 2 Meters. Here, all I hear is silence or the same eight boring people talking about the same things day-to-day.
Could you send me a tape of what you heard there....it sounds interesting! Reminds me of what I used to hear on 75 Meter AM about 40 years ago. Good to know ham radio hasn't changed that much over the decades.
Also.....where were you in the 1930's? Get a hold of an old QST from that era and read about all the 5-Meter bootleggers. I think they all made the ranks of ham after getting licensed. Sound familiar Mister Holy'er Than Thou?
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by AI4IT on November 15, 2005
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Now fellows, to be fair to all and but a fool to almost everyone else; CB just "h'aint'" that much different from Amateur Radio. When I use my 10-10 numbers on 10 meters, I follow protocol and subsequently, use 10-4, 10-20 (QTH) and ad nauseum...
At any rate, this is pointless discussion and to the extent I've found myself ankle-deep in it, I must recognize what a "RUBE" I am at this very moment.
"What we have here is failure to communicate. Now, I don't like it anymore than you do, but some men just can't be reached." -Cool to Luke Cool Handed Luke (it be from one of them there movie pictures) hahehaduh!!!
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by W4KTX on November 15, 2005
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I have heard some stuff on 75m that makes the ole CBers sound pretty pleasent. I don't think this is limited to what many term as No-code Techs. There is a lot of junk on the HF bands as well
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by KF4VGX on November 15, 2005
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Moderan day topics ?
The Gunsmoke Attitude
Helpless Hams !
So this is what Amateur radio is becoming on Eham .
A place to whine.
I heard something on 2 meters WHAAAAAAAAA!
I had to help repair a radio WHAAAAAAAAAA!
If your not having fun with your hobby its your fault.
Here's a tip,
Find something in this hobby that you enjoy.
That will put a smile on your face :) .
Perhaps the atricles will be of fun cheer and informative then.
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by K8XF on November 15, 2005
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I have also heard a lot of lame qsoes on 2 mtr fm.
I have also heard a lot of technical subjects regarding antennas and basic electronics that made me wonder how some guys ever passed their exams. On HF (CW) I do not hear this sort of chatter.
I hope it remains so......
73
Mike, K8XF
Viva CW
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by KB9WXL on November 15, 2005
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yet another code vs. no code issue , I guess it's like a home its all location location location.
There are a great number of no-code techs in the midwest with alot of knowledge , so what they don't know code , I bet alot of generals don't know anything about working satellites but you don't hear us whinning and crying about it. So what ? you heard a couple of new hams talking on 2m , so their conversation wasn't desireable for the airwaves , but remember one thing about a radio , it does have a on/off knob , if you don't like it, either jump in the qso and change the subject or turn your radio off and quit crying !
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by KB4QAA on November 15, 2005
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Well I don't know about your area, but Maryland and Eastern Virginia has plenty of active and polite repeater communities.
And, not to be snarky, but if you haven't been participating on the repeaters and helping to shape the activity, you haven't done anything to improve the situation.
The no-code techs in my ham club are awesome. They are some of the most enthusiastic and active hams. I see them scratch building, running nets on the repeater, teaching traffic handling classes, upgrading and, wonder of wonders, actually learning the code. I welcome all good people into the ham community, whatever their license class.
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by K8MHZ on November 15, 2005
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Has anyone decided to bother the FCC as much as bad operation bothers them?
If I contact the FCC and go through the trouble of e-mailing them, following up with a signed letter and recording conversations I certainly don't want my time wasted. If all of us wrote to the FCC as much as we post on eHam I think our problems would be fewer.
If I don't get results I keep e-mailing, calling when I can, asking why they are not helping me, asking why they present a charade of enforcement, and what usually gets their attention is mentioning that the way they handle valid complaints will be outlined in classes I teach.
If that doesn't work, the entire case is shipped off to my Congresspeople. With facts in hand, along with copies of signed requests for help, all I ask is that my elected state officials ask the FCC why they are pretending to work on a case and nothing has been done.
I have found it is much easier to ignore a regular citizen than an Congressperson.
There is also the ITU. On HF we have a world-wide responsiblilty for our traffic. The FCC would probably get a bit uncomfortable if a representative from the ITU were to start asking questions.
Whining to each other won't help. Our government is there for us to use....and on multiple levels for checks and balances.
I have gotten great results with the above technique, not only in ham radio, but with other forms of legal problems not worth going to court over.
Just think if more of us were to do the same.
Hams are humans and humans are not self-regulatory by nature. That is why EVERY civilization I have ever known about has both laws and religion. (The Nazi's were not a civilization) We just don't seem to want to behave unless we are threatened with a jail cell or a pit of burning sulphur.
Make sure you get the date, time, freq and call used. Get a recording if you can. If you can't make a recording take accurate notes. Use UTC time, not local time. Be prepared to follow up with a signature.
I sure could use the help.
73,
Mark K8MHZ
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by THERAGE on November 15, 2005
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"I had hoped for better, so I'm pretty disappointed. Do you think we should call for Marshal Dillon?"
HEY, CHICKEN LITTLE...THE SKY IS FALLING!!!
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by W9WHE-II on November 15, 2005
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We should employ the same approach that the French have used with the thugs that have been burning cars for 17 days.....FULL SURRENDER WITH A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM!
So....FCC should give every Tech full HF priveleges, an HF radio, a 3 element tribander, 1 KW amp, rotor and a life membership in NCI and ARRL. NOW, will that make all you lazy whiners happy?
W9WHE
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RE: NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :)
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by WB2WIK on November 15, 2005
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>RE: NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :) Reply
by G3SEA on November 14, 2005 Mail this to a friend!
To WB2WIK/6
My point was there is none of the ill mannered activity mentioned in the posting.
Whether you got a response depends on several factors :
1. There are not that many active hams in Hawaii.
2. Time of day you called.
Next time in Honolulu try the EARC ( Emergency Amateur Radio Club ) Net on the 146.800 Mhz Diamond Head repeater any night at 7.30 pm. There is always a friendly group on and they can point you to other repeaters.
Note : The word is Haole ;)
Aloha :)
KH6/G3SEA<
::Okay, I'll try that next time, although I'm positive I already have. I get to KH6 about every two years, so I'm not there that often, but do usually stay 10-14 days each time. Other than getting "talked up" to the Mauna Loa WX station on the Big Island once to meet a couple ham friends who were already there, I've never worked anybody on VHF-FM while visiting Hawaii. No big deal, I'm not there to work VHF, anyway. And as for spelling "Haole," that must be the native Hawaiian way, since they have a small alphabet lacking some consonents we use. But I think if you go back to old Hawaiian, Haole is a fictional creature without a soul, so you can spell it any way you like.
>RE: NO Gunsmoke Attitude in Hawaii :) Reply
by K8MHZ on November 14, 2005 Mail this to a friend!
"Howlies don't get a lot of answers from the locals when they announce they are "listening" to the local repeaters. Actually, I don't ever recall getting any."
How often do you reply to a call thrown out with "listening" unless you know them.<
::Always. As someone who's been using VHF-FM since the mid-1960s, and having built and owned my own repeaters on both coasts (several of them, still own two) since the early 70's, I'm pretty tuned into the protocol, and how to get people to answer in a non-emergency situation. If I'm near a radio, and somebody I don't know announces they are "listening" on one of my machines, my call rate is about 100%.
>And shake the "Howlie" thing. Please. That might help a little, too.<
::It's a common term in the islands. I've been called it, several times, and never took it badly. By the local definition, I am one!
-WB2WIK/6
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The Gunsmoke Attitude
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by CASPER669 on November 15, 2005
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Mail this to a friend!
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It would appear that this article has stirred everyone's interest. Is it a troll? I think not... Is it written well enough to get the point across? It could have been better written, but it did get its point across. Did it catagorize all Tech Class licensees? Unfortunately, it did. Did it generallize by saying that the 'old days' were better? Sure. Lest we forget, the article was written with the intention to 'stir' the masses. It did just that, and perhaps more.
I believe that as licensed operators, we will all have different experiences - likes and dislikes - to share with each other. The author (in my opinion) was conveying his disappointment in the fact that the folks using the repeaters near him - after X number of years - have not performed any better, or have gotten worse. We all have our bad experiences on one repeater or another. Sometimes, as some have already mentioned, the HF frequencies can be quite challenging. Having said that, it is obvious that one's class of license does not make them a good/bad operator. Like any tool, it can be used for good or bad. I think it was Chris Rock who said, "...guns don't kill people! Stupid people with guns kill people!" A hammer in the wrong hands can be lethal. An automobile driven by someone who's been drinking is almost always lethal. Thus, it is not the 'tools' fault that people don't know how to use it. It's not the class of license - just the class.
As each of us get older, we begin to dwell on the 'fun' times we had growing up. Sometimes, this nostalgia blankets our persona on a large scale - causing us to listen to the music we listened to when we were growing up, and someimes even behaving the same way. When each of us hits a certain point in our lives, we start to publicize how 'modern' day was nothing compared to when WE grew up! It's actually pretty funny when you start to see yourself doing what your parents did. You start to say - sometimes, out loud - to yourself, "My God, I sound just like my mother/father!" Thus, we will all make the claim (one day) that the old days were better - whether we've already started to say it, or we've got a few years before we blurt it out!
It's true... No matter where we go, there will always be one or more persons that will make our goal more challenging than we believe it needs to be. This is an unfortunate part of life. I consider jammers and people who feel the need to behave in such terms to be crying out for help. Not too unlike a child before the child learns to speak. Sometimes, there is an actual need and attention must be given. However, there are many times where you just need to let them cry it out. Ignoring the cry creates a means by which the 'cryer' recognizes that they either need to shut-up, or fix whatever their problem is on their own. This also incites independance, self-nurturing and resourcefulness.
Don't get me wrong... We all started at the beginning. There is always a learning curve. When I meet someone who's new on the air, I don't attack them for doing something wrong. Remember - the more of us on the air, the more difficult it is for us to lose the frequencies? If I start bashing newcomers, I'll be encouraging the death of Amateur Radio. No, I will not be a part of that. I have Elmered only three people since becoming a HAM in 2002. I had challenges and I had easy times with all three of them. I figure one a year is not bad - perhaps not as good as some, but better than others. If time permitted, I'd definately Elmer more. Enough about that, though.
This is not to say that we should all live together in perfect harmony... That might be more dangerous than what we have now! However, we should learn to control our emotional reactions and think intelligently. Is it worth...etc, etc. As I learned in a seminar once, "You may not be able to control the other person, but you can still control the outcome of your encounter with them!"
Chris KC2KFW
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RE: The Gunsmoke Attitude
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