eHam

eHam Forums => Clubs => Topic started by: KC3TEC on November 23, 2022, 06:16:52 PM

Title: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KC3TEC on November 23, 2022, 06:16:52 PM
What other hobbies do you do that others think is strange?
Aside from amateur radio i have a few normal hobbies,
But what others think is strange is that a retired om ( Ill be 62 in about 3 months) like myself is that im a bit of a paintball buff.
Yeah it leaves a few bruises but holy crap is it fun ;D
Heres where my navy rate and training comes in very handy.
( Gunners mate)
Its very easy for me to get the ballistics on par with just a couple of 4 burst shots to track the flight and estimate the proper angles for accurate hits.
It does amuse me when the kids are shocked that im that accurate with low end paintball guns. :D
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KC6RWI on November 23, 2022, 06:26:10 PM
I grew up in  2 story duplex and at one time there was 3 pianos in the building. I played music at school and high school. I bought a melodica way back then, and recently I have purchased a few more, Melodicas are wind driven keyboards, sometimes you will see them. They are easy to play.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: K1VSK on November 23, 2022, 06:54:34 PM
Your title (“what other…”) implies you consider ham radio a strange hobby. Obscure - maybe. Strange - not sure that’s what you meant.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: W1VT on November 23, 2022, 07:04:00 PM
I grow three hundred rose bushes and participate in rose shows. 
This year I went to shows in Hope RI, Hartford CT, and New Bedford MA.

A  few years ago I went to a show held at the Planting Field Arboretum in Long Island.
I planned my drive to pass through NYC at sunrise.

Zak W1VT
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: K1KIM on November 24, 2022, 05:55:02 AM
Originally from LI NY, I've spent a lot of time in Oyster Bay at the Coe House and the Planting Fields Arboretum overlooking LI Sound.

It's a beautiful 400 acre treasure.

Back to question........I tried to raise red wiggler worms once for fishing and the vegetable garden.  Didn't work out as planned. It seemed to bring every mole in the county to my yard.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KC3TEC on November 24, 2022, 07:15:54 AM
Your title (“what other…”) implies you consider ham radio a strange hobby. Obscure - maybe. Strange - not sure that’s what you meant.
No not strange to me but to some others around our town.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: K7MEM on November 24, 2022, 10:43:10 AM
I haven't pursued it in a while, but I have done a bit of stereo slide photography. My grandfather was a stereo photography buff and left me all his stuff when he passed. I have a camera with two lenses and a projector that has two polarized outputs. But like anything else, it is very time consuming. For good slides I need to use 50 ASA film which usually means setting things up on a tripod. Cutting/sorting/mounting are also very time consuming. I usually use cardboard mounts until I determine whether the slide is good enough. Then the slides get transferred to aluminum/glass mounts. My grandfather made the slide feed and change mechanism using relays.

It's not like taking a pic with your phone. You have to carry a lot of stuff with you. Like a light meter and extra lenses, lens cleaners, tripod, etc.. The camera is very heavy and only has a manual shutter. But, I have some very nice stereo slides of Stone Henge from back when they use to let you walk among the stones (mid 80's).
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KC3TEC on November 24, 2022, 05:59:50 PM
I haven't pursued it in a while, but I have done a bit of stereo slide photography. My grandfather was a stereo photography buff and left me all his stuff when he passed. I have a camera with two lenses and a projector that has two polarized outputs. But like anything else, it is very time consuming. For good slides I need to use 50 ASA film which usually means setting things up on a tripod. Cutting/sorting/mounting are also very time consuming. I usually use cardboard mounts until I determine whether the slide is good enough. Then the slides get transferred to aluminum/glass mounts. My grandfather made the slide feed and change mechanism using relays.

It's not like taking a pic with your phone. You have to carry a lot of stuff with you. Like a light meter and extra lenses, lens cleaners, tripod, etc.. The camera is very heavy and only has a manual shutter. But, I have some very nice stereo slides of Stone Henge from back when they use to let you walk among the stones (mid 80's).

That is a labor of love!
Attention to detail is crucial and good shot produce spectacular images.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: W9FIB on November 27, 2022, 10:15:28 AM
I restore old farm tractors.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KD8IWZ on December 07, 2022, 04:38:15 PM
In the early 70's I roadraced motorcycles, 250 cc class, also competed at Bonneville Salt Flats. (and you think playing radio is expensive)  Went broke, both financially and my body a few times, I wouldnt have traded those years for anything else!
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: WB8VLC on December 12, 2022, 03:34:22 PM
What other hobbies do you do that others think is strange?
Aside from amateur radio i have a few normal hobbies,
But what others think is strange is that a retired om ( Ill be 62 in about 3 months) like myself is that im a bit of a paintball buff.
Yeah it leaves a few bruises but holy crap is it fun ;D
Heres where my navy rate and training comes in very handy.
( Gunners mate)
Its very easy for me to get the ballistics on par with just a couple of 4 burst shots to track the flight and estimate the proper angles for accurate hits.
It does amuse me when the kids are shocked that im that accurate with low end paintball guns. :D


My dumbest hobby would have to be coming over to eham during breaks and reading nonsense in the Forums.

It's like what my XYL says is my ham radio Crack addiction!
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KC3TEC on December 13, 2022, 08:20:27 AM
What other hobbies do you do that others think is strange?
Aside from amateur radio i have a few normal hobbies,
But what others think is strange is that a retired om ( Ill be 62 in about 3 months) like myself is that im a bit of a paintball buff.
Yeah it leaves a few bruises but holy crap is it fun ;D
Heres where my navy rate and training comes in very handy.
( Gunners mate)
Its very easy for me to get the ballistics on par with just a couple of 4 burst shots to track the flight and estimate the proper angles for accurate hits.
It does amuse me when the kids are shocked that im that accurate with low end paintball guns. :D


My dumbest hobby would have to be coming over to eham during breaks and reading nonsense in the Forums.

It's like what my XYL says is my ham radio Crack addiction!

There are many things others will find as quirky considering ones age group.
One other tech forum im on is a hard core gamers forum where i provide some assistance in electronics and computer repair.
Yet i am not a gamer at all!
These guys think nothing of dropping 3 or 4 grand into a single game system.
Come to think of it, its a lot like appliance users in amateur radio.
Gotta have the biggest and best to toast the feet of the birdies.

Misc. And off topic are exactly that.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: K0FO on February 05, 2023, 02:26:43 PM
Well, I do the programming, database work, and research for a website which attempts to catalog and collect information about all the steam locomotives left on the planet. These range from operational restorations to derelicts on abandoned industrial sites. We have records for 21763 of them, and photos of 14169. Videos, maps and other goodies are included. If you're interested see https://www.steamlocomotive.info
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KX4OM on February 06, 2023, 03:14:48 PM
I seem to collect a lot of band-aids. More and more as I get older.

Ted, KX4OM
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KG4LAC on February 09, 2023, 08:05:08 PM
Amateur radio is strange? Should hear what I do for a living...

My XYL is so strange I often think I'm with a different YL.

Thanks, I'm here until Tuesday.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: WB8VLC on February 10, 2023, 03:15:51 PM
After sitting at the radio after work for the past 3 days this week attempting to listen for some resemblance of sanity on every 3Y0J frequency only to be blessed with the shear insanity provided by the multitude of rude ham jammers and such my wife says there is nothing that is as strange as ham radio these days.


She grew up around ham radio with her father and 2 uncles 5 years prior to me getting into it back in the 70's.
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: AG5T on March 29, 2023, 11:04:50 AM
Working with others who use new computer technology to convert old mono recordings into true stereo with voice and instrument separation monotostereo
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: W2JJV on March 29, 2023, 01:07:09 PM
When we retired and moved from Washington DC to Tucson we became fascinated with cactii and succulents so we have an extensive "specimen garden", that continues to expand.  In addition we have gotten involved with adeniums which are tropical flowering plants with beautiful enlarged root structures that do great in the hot Arizona sun.  And when the weather cools off I head to the woodworking shop out in the garage!

David
Title: Re: What other strange hobby do you do?
Post by: KI7YFP on March 29, 2023, 08:21:11 PM
Dual and Quad line stunt kites.
Occasionally, I will fly a single line kite.
Chipcarving, too.