Where Have all the Elmers Gone?.........

Since I was a boy of ten, I was attracted to Amateur Radio. 

My best friends dad was a ham (I can't remember his call sign) and he took me under his wing. A real Elmer! He worked with me on theory, and code ,and was teaching me, what he called the ethics of amateur radio. Things were going along fine until one day at school, when my teacher announced that Tommys' father had passed away over the weekend, and that Tommy was going to be living with his Grandparents in New York, and would not be back to school. I was devastated over the loss of my best friend, but also over the loss of my mentor who had taught me so much.

Thirty years passed, and I still had not gotten that Novice license. In 1990, The spark was again ignited when I happened into a Ham radio Flea market. Not a Hamfest, but rather a Club here in South Florida that promotes an Amateur radio Flea Market in the Motorola parking lot here in Sunrise Florida. At this flea market, I couldn't help but think about my old friend, and his father, the kindness and patience he showed me in my studies. 

My mind was made up! 

Not knowing where to go, or what to do next, I let my fingers do the walking in the phone book, and found the local Amateur Radio shop. As soon as I could, I visited the shop, and came away with a Bearcat scanner, So I could listen to the vhf, and uhf bands, a used Hallicrafters Receiver for HF, a Novice and Technician's Manual, and several assorted code tapes. 

Six weeks later, I attended an Exam session, and passed the 5 wpm code test! I then took the written for novice, passed it, and was persuaded to attempt the Tech written at the same time. Passed that too! What to do next? 

I heard about several clubs in the area, and I thought that was probably the way to go to meet people with the same passion that I had. I was wrong! What I found was a group of self centered individuals who ran their meetings like a Southern Judge trying a Yankee speeder! After the meetings, they would break off into cliques, and That was that. I would volunteer for club duties, and even after being in the club for almost a year, would still be asked my name, and call sign! I didn't renew my membership!

I attended meetings four other clubs, and although they weren't as bad, I still felt out of place. In the interim, I passed my written for the General license, but was having a hard time with the 13 wpm code. It was about this time that I began to burn out. Over time, I stopped attending meetings, and eventually stopped working HF, and I sold My 2 meter rig. I was an Ex-Ham! 

In late 1999, I came across my station License, and saw it was about to expire. This roused old feelings in me, and on a gut reaction, I renewed it. I'm a Ham again. I dug out the remnants of my old station, and I am slowly getting my act together. This time, I am not going to get involved with cliques, or Amateur's that think they are above everyone else. What I want to find is a group that embrace the old standards that I was taught as a young boy at my friends house. A group that is WILLING to share Knowledge, and help the newcomers along, Code efficient, or not. And my only hope is that I myself can progress to the point where I can inspire, and help someone in the greatest hobby/ pastime/ way of life that there is!

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