How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
from
Grant, KB3QFQ
on
November 8, 2009
Website:
http://www.w3sgj.org
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Just by reading the title, you will know this is a debatable subject. Your opinion may differ. That’s fine, and I’d love to read your opinion of this article on our blog, www.w3sgj.org/blog
I am the editor of our local radio club’s newsletter, so I have decided to write an article about how social networking can actually help, not hinder, amateur radio. Although I’m familiar with most of the major social networking sites (FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter), I’m going to focus on Twitter, and I’m also going to include blogging.
Now, why can Twitter help amateur radio? Because it is a great event tool. Use Field Day as an example. Some members of the radio club can’t make it to Field Day, but they own a computer or cell phone. They can follow the club’s twitter account for up-to-the-minute updates from the event. Now you’re commenting, “but none of the club members at the event are going to sit at a computer and Tweet every minute!” That’s where Tweeting from your cell phone comes in. You can send updates to your Twitter account by simply texting Twitter. I think this is a great tool for radio events, and can bring in more people into the radio world. Why? Because anyone can read the club Twitter, and they will probably like what they see. They might even join their local radio club.
Now, on to blogging. This will help because the writers of the blog can send out information to anyone in a speedy manner. This can compliment the once-a-month club newsletter, and can include information that cannot make it into the newsletter in time, or that cannot wait until the next month. It can also include thoughts on what is happening in the radio world, and can let anyone comment on the newsletter articles, or the club website. If someone that stumbled across the club blog because they were searching on Google read the blog and liked it, they may contact someone to see what an amateur radio operator actually does. If they like what they hear, that leads to more club members and more radio operators.
Many people are going to disagree with me on this. That’s fine by me, and I’d love to hear your opinion!
73
Grant, KB3QFQ
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by N2UGB on November 8, 2009
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Testing one two three four five. Can you hear me back there? Nuts to Twitter, blogs ok as can make interesting reading...sometimes.
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by KE4ZHN on November 8, 2009
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Heres an idea....get on the air and make contacts. Wow what a concept! Actually using a RADIO to talk with other hams!
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by N2RRA on November 8, 2009
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Grant,
Good job on the article getting your point accross. I see the possibilities, but I think if people stay home and read about Field Day on Twitter for example it just becomes another new age technology that prevents people from coming out to experience it first hand. Some people are pestomistic and will just put it off as some antiquated form of communication without experienceing it first hand so it could play both ways. Could the experience of hearing and talking to someone wirelessly be the same has described in a Twitter content?
Problem today with internet and communicating through cell technology is it's taking away tremendously from human social contact. That's not at all the social behavior I want to see. It also makes people extremely lazy so if you give them access to what's going on at a Field Day event every minute why should they bother coming out and participating?
It also could depend on the individual or individuals who are writing the content. Can they entice people enough in their writing to give them true up to date experience enough to say, "Hey! I want to check that out" before they get bored and close out? Then again those elderly folks who would like to particpate, but can't could probably keep up to date. If they could at least make their way to a computer. So again, guess it could play both ways.
Don't get me wrong! Everyone has e-mail address and some form of text messaging capability wheather using their P.C., cell phone or Face Book. Do we really need another one of these applications. Soon no will pick up a phone or microphone to say, Hello.
73!
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by KY6R on November 8, 2009
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I think your points are all valid. The DX Cluster is a social media / social networking tool. Someone could use Twitter as their own club newsfeed, and while I don't like Twitter, I do use Facebook - just to BS with old friends. I found out that 2 old friends of mine are now hams = and we are in contact regularly.
Social Networking doesn't come anywhere near the fun of ham radio - but its still better than watching TV.
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by N4CQR on November 8, 2009
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Nice article and point of view.
Sadly, some of the comments above represent the current state of amateur radio. The blending
of technologies just flys over the heads some folks.
The more I read some of WA4D's comments, the more I agree with him. The typical ham is stuck in the past as the world moves on by.
73 Craig
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by K0BG on November 8, 2009
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What's all the twitter about twittering? What all of the press on blogging? I suspect it is a case of misery loving company! TMI indeed!
Besides, one would think that amateurs would know how to pick up a microphone a call CQ!
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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by K0BG on November 8, 2009
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One more addition. If I were writing a club newsletter (I did just that for many years), I'd write a technically related one to foster learning by my less informed club members. But, maybe no one does that any more.
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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by N0FPE on November 8, 2009
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Sorry Grant and Craig but I disagree. How abt we just pick up a microphone or use that HT to communicate? why is there is pressing need to eliminate the RF part of ham radio? Tweet abt the lunch you just had or the fun you had clipping your toe nails but stop trying to take the RF out of ham RADIO! This is almost as bad as CQ100 and Hamsphere.
Dan/NØFPE
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio & Pesto
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by K5END on November 8, 2009
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RE: article
Grant, good article. Thanks for writing it.
Our club sent announcements to major media and local politicians, sent out flyers, posted flyers on the internet, and so on for Field Day. I wish I had thought of using Facebook and Twitter to get the word out about Field Day and generate more interest in FD and our club. I plan to next year though.
RE: "pestomistic"
That's a new one for me. Can't say I know what it means. Does it mean someone sees things through basil-colored glasses or does it mean that one tends to see aromatic herb paste containers as half empty?
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by N0YXB on November 8, 2009
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There's nothing wrong with using the various tools that technology offers, but amateur radio is a hobby about the technology and process of radio communication. There can be situations where nobody is able to twitter or blog due to disasters or internet outages, but there will be hams on the air communicating. Sometimes we become enamored with new technologies like twitter for the sake of using the technology. Then it can become silly for amateurs, like having a meeting about the meeting. Use whatever tools make sense, but don't over use the tool to communicate about communicating when we already have amateur radio.
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by KE7TYY on November 8, 2009
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I cannot help but comment on the responses to this article in which peoplke complain about using the itnernet in the pursuit of this hobby. How is it that you can sneer at the suggestions made in this article and talk about only using the airwaves to discuss things? Especially considering the medium you are using to make these comments is the same as that which you are dispairing, the internet?
Twittering is a bit silly I think since it is mainly used by people to spread inane news about the little things going on in their lives. However, in the application the author is referring to, it would be more like a RSS feed of what is going on. You voiced the concern that people will choose to not physically participate because they can just follow it online or on their cell phones. But honestly, the people who do that are very likely to not participate in the first place. But what aobut people who would enjoy it because they might find themselves in a situation where tehy simply cannot physically participate in the field day or whatever it is? Perhaps they had to go on a business trip or are stuck in the hospital? With the Twitter updates they could get some enjoyment of their hobby when they are physically unable to otherwise.
And as far as blogging goes, again, what do you think eHam.net is with it's articles and news feeds? It is essentially a very large semi-public blog with additional features. So should we stop using eHam.net then because it's not being done over the airwaves? I don't think so, and obviously everyone that has read and commented on this and numerous other articles feels the same way, it is a useful tool that allows us to further our hobby.
It seems that all too often people in this hobby forget it's true intentions. It was never about rag chewing or seeing who can get the most contacts, although they are certainly excellent parts of our hobby. It is a path towards innovation and expansion of communication. I am certain that when people first started building spark gap transmitters (which by the way are no longer in use) they never imagined where we would be today with over the air communications, much less the internet.
As time has gone by we've seen a melding of the two different methods of technology on both sides. Now we have digital communications (the same stuff that is sent over the internet) transmitted over amateur radio frequencies, and amateur radio communications transmitted over the internet (forums are a good example, and EchoLink is an even better one). The two are forever combined now and we will continue to see an increasing combination of the two.
I will be honest, I favor the older style of ham radio, I own a simple (compared to tday's rigs) Icom IC218H 2m radio and a Kenwood TS-520SE HF rig. The TS-520SE doesn't even have the WARC bands and uses tubes for it's finals. I'm not big into all the digital stuff and the super fancy radios. I'm not an old fart either, I'm only 28.
But I have absolutely no problem with people making these super fancy radios that can pick a signal out of immense noise for you and play it on your speaker with crystal clear quality. I'll never hear that signal on my radio unless I get very, very lucky. But for those that have the money, more power to them. I also have no problem with people transmitting digital data of any type over the airwaves (packet anyone?) or using the internet to promote the hobby (there are thousands of website devoted to this hobby, most of the individually owned by ham radio operators around the world).
This was a really long response, and I won't be surprised if I get flamed for my opinions on this, but I hope those that have commented negatively on what the author wrote will realize just how much of a hypocrite they were being when they posted their negative comments abotu the article on the very medium of communication the author was promoting.
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by KB3QFQ on November 8, 2009
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KE4ZHN, I understand where you're coming from here, but the reason our club is using Twitter and blogging is to get more people into the ham radio hobby. What if there is people out there following a ham's Twitter account (which there are) that have never experienced ham radio before? It could get them interested in ham radio, especially if you Tweet about Field Day and other events.
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by WB9URN on November 8, 2009
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The name of the thing is twitter, and to use it, you tweet.
How infantile is that naming convention? Sounds like a bunch of newly hatched chicks.
Not for me, thank you.
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by KC8VWM on November 8, 2009
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There can be situations where nobody is able to twitter or blog due to disasters or internet outages,
---------
OMG can that really happen!?!?
What will we do?!?! Will we continue to survive?
People will be crashing into one another, walking around aimlessly on the streets looking at one another not knowing what to do.
It's unbearable to even think about it...
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by N3OX on November 8, 2009
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"but none of the club members at the event are going to sit at a computer and Tweet every minute!” That’s where Tweeting from your cell phone comes in. You can send updates to your Twitter account by simply texting Twitter."
Yes, you could text Twitter. Or you could set up a portable packet setup to update your Twitter account using ham radio.
You could set up a HF digital mailbox so that you could update your Twitter account from anywhere on the planet at the right time. Maybe you could get WSPR set up so you could use very low power.
"In Yosemite in my tent transmitting solar powered 100mW" would be super cool. Updates about the repeater breakfast sent from cell phones? Maybe not so much.
For Field Day I wonder if you could make this a demo setup?
The internet is not the future of ham radio. However, digital ham radio would be well suited for updating Twitter and that could be an interesting fusion.
There are dozens and dozens of ways to use ham radio to transfer 140 character chunks around. This is a unique opportunity to interface with something the public is really excited about.
Using ham radio to do anything with the web is gone and done. Even email, while possible, is going to be relegated to emergencies (or cheaters who don't want to pay for SailMail).
You want to use Twitter to get people excited about ham radio? Send all your tweets through a bizarre and cool mode. Set up a satellite digi station and send them all via a store and forward ham satellite. Figure out how to tweet strictly via meteor scatter.
THAT is Twitter + ham radio that I wanna see.
Then your blog could be all about how your club pulled off these projects.
73
Dan
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by N3OX on November 8, 2009
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"but none of the club members at the event are going to sit at a computer and Tweet every minute!” That’s where Tweeting from your cell phone comes in. You can send updates to your Twitter account by simply texting Twitter."
Yes, you could text Twitter. Or you could set up a portable packet setup to update your Twitter account using ham radio.
You could set up a HF digital mailbox so that you could update your Twitter account from anywhere on the planet at the right time. Maybe you could get WSPR set up so you could use very low power.
"In Yosemite in my tent transmitting solar powered 100mW" would be super cool. Updates about the repeater breakfast sent from cell phones? Maybe not so much.
For Field Day I wonder if you could make this a demo setup?
The internet is not the future of ham radio. However, digital ham radio would be well suited for updating Twitter and that could be an interesting fusion.
There are dozens and dozens of ways to use ham radio to transfer 140 character chunks around. This is a unique opportunity to interface with something the public is really excited about.
Using ham radio to do anything with the web is gone and done. Even email, while possible, is going to be relegated to emergencies (or cheaters who don't want to pay for SailMail).
You want to use Twitter to get people excited about ham radio? Send all your tweets through a bizarre and cool mode. Set up a satellite digi station and send them all via a store and forward ham satellite. Figure out how to tweet strictly via meteor scatter.
THAT is Twitter + ham radio that I wanna see.
Then your blog could be all about how your club pulled off these projects.
73
Dan
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by HR2510 on November 8, 2009
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As soon as I'm able to run Sky Command through Twitter then I'll consider it "real radio". Otherwise it's the internet with all of it's plus, minuses, and misbehaviors associated with near anonymous interaction.
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by N3OX on November 8, 2009
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"
Twittering is a bit silly I think since it is mainly used by people to spread inane news about the little things going on in their lives."
A lot of people use it for that and their Twitter accounts are boring.
Other people manage to be really funny or thought provoking in 140 characters.
It's a constrained art form for some people... and they do it very well.
Sorry for the double post BTW. That was a moonbounce echo issue (I wish)
73
Dan
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by N3OX on November 8, 2009
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"amateur radio communications transmitted over the internet (forums are a good example, and EchoLink is an even better one). The two are forever combined now and we will continue to see an increasing combination of the two.
"
The problem with that, at least for a large number of users, is it really has nothing to do with ham radio innovation. In fact, I think it might be a shortcut, and end run around the tricky bits of using ham radio.
I think EchoLink has let a lot of people get a taste of ham radio with just a license and zero financial outlay, and has let a lot of people continue to enjoy talking to their ham friends in really super restricted situations.
But I think it's been a double edged sword. If you like the talking part, but don't like the setting up a station part, when you've got no internet you get cut off. You get cut off because you've got no radio to go with your ham radio.
I don't have a fundamental problem combining the internet with ham radio. What I do have a problem with is using the internet to replace large chunks of a communications path formerly carried (perhaps with difficulty) by radio waves just because it's easier.
Repeater link across town or statewide linked web? Waaay cheaper to just use VOIP. I think it's totally inappropriate except as a toy. And I'm fine with people enjoying a toy.
It's kind of neat to have Australians checking in to the local repeater, even if by internet. But I have heard a couple of VK stations using N8AD's remote base in my old hometown to run European and North American pileups on 40m SSB.
Yeah, most of the time they say "this is VK4xxx on an N8AD internet remote base in Pennsylvania" but why should that be any more interesting, radio-wise, than contacting Erie, PA, period? It's a cool trick and N8AD clearly did a good job setting up the system... but I'm sitting here on my little tiny 50 by 100 foot lot at a time of night when I can sometimes work ACTUAL VK stations on 40m SSB, you know, where the RF is sourced in ACTUAL AUSTRALIA. But here we have Erie, PA with a VK accent running a big pileup.
I can sure say that I never managed to run any pileups.... The closest I got was at the rise of the last sunspot cycle I built myself a 10m beam out of old aluminum tent poles, stuck it on 20 feet of Radio Shack TV mast with a Radio Shack rotator and actually managed to get pretty good runs of Europeans going there.
They weren't pileups, but the were something.
Fuse the internet with ham radio all you want, but if you replace the ham radio with internet, you've lost something important.
73
Dan
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by W7NWH on November 8, 2009
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Twitter, Facebook, Myspace are all fads - social networking fads - to be exploited as marketing tools to hams everywhere. Use em while they are still hot for a few months until Bitter, Waistbook and Whyspace become all the rage.
The age of social networking is still looking for it's Google - it's still in flux.
The holy grail for hams is to integrate social networking with real time on-air statistics and air logs (off air happenings). Say a new site that "plugs in" to social networking sites that has a strong ham radio and technology component to it. Say a Geekbook or other such entity for those that want more out of their online social experience then finding out about some guys constant flight plans into infinity or what Mary's family had for dinner last Friday - like who cares anyway?
The internet is a wonderful tool in our marketing toolbox. More can be done online to entice new hams or the curious then any face to face or small venue club meetings - those days are done.
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by K5FH on November 8, 2009
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WB9URN:
"The name of the thing is twitter, and to use it, you tweet. How infantile is that naming convention?"
When I first heard of Twitter my reaction was, "Does that mean that the people who use it are Twits?"
Some people won't be happy until Amateur Radio is nothing but digital keyboard modes and automated store-and-forward e-mail.
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by N2EY on November 8, 2009
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I think it's a great idea. Here's why:
With any kind of on-air operation, you have to be there real-time. IOW, if you're not listening to the repeater when someone at Field Day is talking about how it's going, you'll miss it.
But with a blog, website, email reflector, twitter, IM, whatever, etc., everybody with an interest and some technology can follow along in real time or at some future time. Nothing missed because you couldn't pay attention at a particular time.
73 de Jim, N2EY
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by N0HI on November 8, 2009
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Well, I am a ham, and I do make contacts on the radio (a whole lot of them). So I can't use the internet anymore? Calm down guys, this is not the internet trying to take away your radio, this is someone suggesting a way to recruit new members. Thinking outside the box.
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by W2DAB on November 8, 2009
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Social Networking can only help Amateur Radio. I don't really think people were saying, "those darn websites are not going to replace my radio". Site often go stale as web administrators leave clubs and the news is old and it is hard to get the word out.
I would love to hear twitter updates from hams in my area wanting to connect. All clubs would benefit from posting updates about nets and events. I was active on a net for a club that had to move its repeater, now I haven't got a clue what is up with them.
No SN application is good or bad by it's technology... only its application.
Also... it you want to evangelize ham radio to a new generation you'll have to be where they are...
73 - David - W2DAB
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by KU5Q on November 8, 2009
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Thanks for the many perspectives.
The greatest thing to me about this technical Amateur Radio avocation is that for every plateau reached, there is a new area ready to examine and develop. The people make it great. For every rough spot and negative, if you stay with it, you will be rewarded with a new discovery and understanding that you didn't have before. And usually if you are considerate, accommodating, and sincere, you will gain a new friend in the process.
KU5Q
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by N9XCR on November 8, 2009
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It seems that a few people are missing the point. I believe the intent of blending Amateur Radio with social networking mediums is to help promote Amateur Radio. Some people might take a great interest in what is posted and want to find out or experience more.
Chris
N9XCR
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by KB3QFQ on November 8, 2009
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Great ideas, N3OX! These are exactly the things needed to entice more people into the radio hobby. Like W2DAB said, "if you want to evangelize ham radio to a new generation you'll have to be where they are..."
"I believe the intent of blending Amateur Radio with social networking mediums is to help promote Amateur Radio." This is exactly true.
I don't think emailing, instant messaging, or "tweeting" to someone from out of country can replace the awe of speaking to someone on the radio that far away.
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by AB7E on November 8, 2009
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The folks (KE4ZHN, K0BG, N0FPE, others) who deride things like blogs and Twitter as not being RF are totally missing the point. Hams like to talk ON ham radio, and they also like to talk ABOUT ham radio. Both are perfectly valid ways to spend your time. It's a HOBBY.
I'll bet that there is a huge percentage of hams who spend more time at club meetings, hamfests, reading reflector email, and hanging out here on eHam than they actually spend on the air. I think it's pretty funny that some people think a blog, or even Twitter, is somehow any more removed from RF than this forum.
Dave AB7E
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by KC8VWM on November 8, 2009
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Discussion:
Would a one-way transmission using packet to update your "twitter" page be considered a transmission necessary to disseminate information bulletins?
ref. 97.111(b)
Thoughts?
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by N3OX on November 8, 2009
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Charles, I am not sure of the answer. The things I suggested might be a legal gray area.
What I suggested is also very similar to how some people use APRS, but I think there are a number of caveats and loopholes there. I think that some of the APRS update websites just pull down all the APRS traffic by monitoring nonspecifically.
I'll think about it. My feeling is that it is probably legal for me to transmit messages from one of my stations to another one of my stations. A "station" as far as I can tell is not *me* ... I'm responsible for continued proper operation of all stations I set up but it's not clear that I can't engage in two way communications where my stations are both senders and recipients, provided that I'm not doing so with the intent of circumventing paid use of a different radio service.
It may seem that using ham radio instead of a cell phone would be that sort of circumvention, but I am not sure that's the case given that the *intention* of my transmissions was to have them carried by amateur radio and then the results of that shown to the public after the fact.
The primary intention would be to carry out two way communications between station manned N3OX-1 and automatically controlled digital station N3OX-2 to send and acknowledge receipt of a message destined eventually to be posted online.
This would be a legal problem for sure if I were just trying to avoid paying for HF email services for my general communications needs. If I just ran my general email over the HF bands all the time, that would be easily construed as circumvention of paid radio services.
It's not clear to me that it would be a legal problem to update my "sent from ham radio" Twitter account with such a system because if I don't use ham radio to do that, there wouldn't be a point to doing it at all.
My feeling is that I'm allowed to talk to myself (exchange messages between myself and an automatic station under my control, which may or may not be internet linked) for the purposes of experimentation and demonstration.
Some care is required... probably the APRS folks have this all sorted out already.
73
Dan
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by N3OX on November 8, 2009
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PropNet is probably another example of a similar situation:
http://propnet.org/index.shtml
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by KE4ZHN on November 9, 2009
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Grant KB3QFQ -I understand what your club is trying to do. And I'm glad that there are clubs still out there trying to recruit more hams to the hobby. And I'm not trying to nit pick at you or your club for using this to try to get people interested. However, the biggest uphill battle you will face is trying to get them to learn about the technical aspects of radio.
Even the technician license requires some basic radio knowledge for rules and safety reasons. Not to mention having to learn on the air operating practice which to many is very foreign. This turns many people off because its not plug n play instant gratification. In many peoples minds, why should they bother to take tests and buy expensive radio gear when they can go to Wally world and buy a cheap E machine or cellphone and talk to people all over the world at the push of a button? No license, no testing etc. etc.
In other words, to some peoples way of thinking, using an HF radio to communicate is like using candles for light instead of light bulbs. You have to enjoy the medium of radio itself to really appreciate it. Its old technology that is very cool to folks who can understand it and use it. But to many its just too complicated to learn about when there's easy ways to communicate like cellphones and the internet. I liken hams to the same type of folks who enjoy classic cars. Yes, there's more modern faster cars...but they just love the old classics and enjoy restoring them and driving them. I'm afraid amateur radio just isn't for everyone. It seems to me that those interested in it usually will flock to it on their own.
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by WB4M on November 9, 2009
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If Twitter or anything else generates interest and prospective new hams, I'm all for it. It's no worse than ham digital frequencies being used to send email by non-hams, and turning ham radio into ENCOMM.
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by YB3JBJ on November 9, 2009
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technology so dizzy today but amateur radio is one of the experimental vessel for amateur radio
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by YB3JBJ on November 9, 2009
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technology so dizzy today but amateur radio is one of the experimental vessel for amateur radio
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Better with radio
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by KASSY on November 9, 2009
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The original posting was mildly amusing. So far, in my experience, I've yet to attend a Field Day that was within range of a cellular network. They've been in somewhat remote places. So, Tweeting isn't possible anyway.
Secondly, if you're really using FD as a way to test emergency preparedness, and therefore you're using the "contest" part as a way to prove that the temporary station you built is a good one - there's no time to take from the "contest" part to futz with the cell phone.
My ham experience comes from my few years licensed...and decades at gramp's knees...or rather, at his station. I went to club meetings with him, too.
It seems to me that the breakthrough event is when you get someone to finally pick up that microphone, touch that key, or tap out on the radio-connected keyboard. I've seen clubs succeed by starting a local weekly net - on a repeater or on 10/75 meters SSB doesn't matter. Get the mic-shy licensee to show up at someone's house and touch - and use - the microphone and you've made the breakthrough.
On Field Day, I've seen hams who love camping come to camp. And not much else. I've seen lots of obese hams show up for the Saturday night bloat-a-thon...and go home afterwards. I've seen computer geeks who work for ISPs, have their own websites/blogs show up - and help configure the logging computers. But they only really become "active hams" when they cross the boundary of putting a signal on the air. It's just seemed easier to do it at someone's home...in person.
Using Twitter or blogs lets the person sit safely behind their keyboard or cell phone. It does not get them any closer to being "on the air".
The local nets sure seem to work well.
Just one person's experience.
- k
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RE: How social networking can HELP ham radio
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by KC8VWM on November 9, 2009
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Charles, I am not sure of the answer. The things I suggested might be a legal gray area.
What I suggested is also very similar to how some people use APRS, but I think there are a number of caveats and loopholes there. I think that some of the APRS update websites just pull down all the APRS traffic by monitoring nonspecifically.
---
Hi Dan,
Actually I think it's a good idea. I'm not against the technology, it's just that I just don't know if it's allowed or not.
I think APRS falls uder a one way transmission for the the purpose of sending telemetry data.
Not sure how this would work either.
My Best.
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RE: How social networking can HELP ham radio
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by WI7B on November 9, 2009
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"Some members of the radio club can’t make it to Field Day, but they own a computer or cell phone."
Don't your members ALSO own VHF/UHF radios?
There is nothing wrong with Twitter feeds, or social "notworking" in general, but this one example is a replacement of amateur activity WITH Twitter, not augmenting amateur activity.
It's not building amateur radio use, its dislodging it.
One thing I like about our local amateur community, on Sunday evening they feed Amateur Radio News Service over a local 2m repeater feed. That educates the whole amateur community, and anyone else with a simple VHF receiver.
Show what Amateur Radio can do, not what can replace it.
73,
---* Ken
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by K0BG on November 10, 2009
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Dave AB7E, reread my post.
There is nothing wrong with twittering, texting, blogging, and photo facing. What it isn't is amateur radio.
Not all that long ago, I remember sitting in a meeting discussing the merits of spending club monies to build a 2 meter repeater. Like any discussion, there were pros, and cons.
It would allow members to relay club news, DX spots, and support all manner of club activities.
On the con side, several members stressed that 2 meters would eventually turn into a gathering place of misfits (a not so polite way of jabbing the sides of the club's Tech licensees). One proffered question related to having to purchase a new radio just to maintain membership.
Well, from a more-current point of view, the cons were correct. Two meters is a vast wasteland of over and under use based solely on one's perspective, and the same is true on the various Internet social networking site. All one has to do is either listen to 2 meters, or read the palaver on any of the social sites. In either case, if that's communicating, I'll eat my hat!
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by VE3LXL on November 10, 2009
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KC8VWM wrote:
There can be situations where nobody is able to twitter or blog due to disasters or internet outages,
---------
OMG can that really happen!?!?
What will we do?!?! Will we continue to survive?
People will be crashing into one another, walking around aimlessly on the streets looking at one another not knowing what to do.
It's unbearable to even think about it...
---------------
Ah, you're overreacting. What you *should* be worried about are the hordes of flesh-eating zombies that will be unleashed on our cities and suburban shopping malls in the event of an Internet failure.
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by KC0UZA on November 10, 2009
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I haven't yet experienced anything useful from twitter and facebook. Both produce almost entirely drivel. I check them rarely. I don't care if some individual is tired and has decided to take a nap.
Well lunch is over. I'm going back to work. I'm sure you wanted to know that!
73
Mike
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by K4ZMV on November 10, 2009
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More innovative crap to promote amateur radio. Just what we need. Amateur radio as defined in Part 97 is dead. What we have today are cliques of contesters, DX'ers, pot-bellied, pushy ARES types, hams making a living on amateur radio, and the 'take the Technician exam and wait for my license to expire' crowd. Most of the advances in electronic communication came from hams. Up until now. Now we administer our own exams and 8 year olds pass the Extra exam. The ARRL and CQ pushed this so they could get more members/magazine subscribers. For them, it is all about the money. My recent experience with hams in a local club is that they are only interested in the social club aspect of an amateur radio club. They know zero about electronics, despise HF, don't know or care about CW, and are the antithesis of what used to be amateur radio. All this techno crap, without RF, antennas, and logging a contact is not amateur, ham, radio. There are still many new horizons to investigate and conquer; shf and visible light frequencies, DSP and SDR, expanding our understanding of our geomagnetic environment, so on. So, instead of twittering like a little child (so to speak), get your hand book and start learning some electronics, get on the air and make a contact, apply yourself and maybe you can do something useful.
73, Jim, K4ZMV
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by KB9MWR on November 10, 2009
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Jim,
Very well put. I couldn't agree more.
I went to college to futher my interests in this wonderful hobby. What I do for a living is total non-related.
I only know of a few like myself in my area.... who spend more time in the books and behind an iron than with a mic in hand.
Steve, KB9MWR
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by K8QV on November 11, 2009
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I know a family with a son who is in the midst of a combat zone. At least once a week he sends updates (sometimes live) with pictures and video to the family back home. He doesn't have to wait for a phone patch or a MARS net to be in session. Propagation doesn't have to be good.
The point is that modern methods of efficient, reliable communication have surpassed ham radio. "Playing radio" is a great hobby, but what's wrong with keeping your ham friends informed using methods other than radio? When anyone can get e-mail, twitter, text messages, photos and video on the tiny cell phone they always carry, why insist that they employ a radio and antenna and hope everyone can hit the repeater and that the noise level isn't too high?
I'm not one for pretending that the Internet is in any way a radio. The radio hobby stands alone. But if simple reliable communication is the goal, there are better ways. That's even true in the vast majority of "disaster" scenarios. The only thing that modern communication techniques can't replace is a battery operated CW station that will work when everything else is inoperable, and you know how many disaster buffs can actually do that.
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by W6ONV on November 12, 2009
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Nice article. While I have not involved myself with Twitter, I have joined Facebook. Prior to either of those social networking tools, I passed along my experience and information from my own web site (www.the6thfloor.com) and I still now. While the scope has changed over the course time, it is now focused on amateur radio (predominately) and my experiences and enjoyment from the hobby.
I don't intend on my web site or information I pass to ever replace the time I spend operating my radios or those at other stations. I do it for myself. I enjoy reading the profiles of other amateurs and looking at their sites, the radios and antennas.
Above all I maintain my website (blog, whatever you call it) for no one else but myself. I don't care about statistics or the number of people I reach. I don't believe any of these "tools" can hurt amateur radio.
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by W1RKW on November 13, 2009
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Take the reverse approach, can Twitter, Facebook and blogs benefit from amateur radio?
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by K9FON on November 14, 2009
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I use Facebook and Myspace and yes im a ham. But im also not an antisocial hermit either.
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by K2WH on November 16, 2009
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Still waiting for an in depth answer on how twitter helps ham radio. Tick, tick, tick. Still waiting.
The only thing the internet does or has done to or with ham radio is to benefit the internet.
Tweeting is what birds and farting do.
K2WH
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by NL7W on November 17, 2009
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Now, just what do tweeting and comms via RF have to do with one another? Hmm...
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by K2WH on November 17, 2009
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio Reply
by K4ZMV on November 10, 2009 Mail this to a friend!
More innovative crap to promote amateur radio. Just what we need. Amateur radio as defined in Part 97 is dead. What we have today are cliques of contesters, DX'ers, pot-bellied, pushy ARES types, hams making a living on amateur radio, and the 'take the Technician exam and wait for my license to expire' crowd. Most of the advances in electronic communication came from hams. Up until now. Now we administer our own exams and 8 year olds pass the Extra exam. The ARRL and CQ pushed this so they could get more members/magazine subscribers. For them, it is all about the money. My recent experience with hams in a local club is that they are only interested in the social club aspect of an amateur radio club. They know zero about electronics, despise HF, don't know or care about CW, and are the antithesis of what used to be amateur radio. All this techno crap, without RF, antennas, and logging a contact is not amateur, ham, radio. There are still many new horizons to investigate and conquer; shf and visible light frequencies, DSP and SDR, expanding our understanding of our geomagnetic environment, so on. So, instead of twittering like a little child (so to speak), get your hand book and start learning some electronics, get on the air and make a contact, apply yourself and maybe you can do something useful.
73, Jim, K4ZMV
Jim,
I couldn't have said it better.
K2WH
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RE: How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by K2WH on November 17, 2009
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And of course and as usual, this twitter, social networking crap is from a new technician class licensee.
K2WH
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How Social Networking Can Help Ham Radio
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by W4CPM on November 19, 2009
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I use both. God bless.
www.jameswalther.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/jameswalther
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