Manager


Manager - N2MG
Manager Notes

Survey Question

Question

Do you consume more time on Ham-related Internet sites (like this one) than you do operating or building your station? Tell us more!

Results (125 answers)

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Survey Comments

Of Course I spend more time online than on the air!

OF COURSE I spend more time online than actually on the air.

THIS is the Golden Age of Amateur Radio, and sites like eham.net are why it is so!

Straightaway, eham.net is the defacto "consumer reports" for amateur radio gear at any price point, new or used. It's where I look FIRST before a purchase. Don't we all?

If you're NOT connecting online with Expert Elmers, watching Amateur Radio shows delivered weekly live via YouTube right to your living room television, listening to podcasts, and attending virtual Ham Expo, you're short changing yourself. The same goes for the numerous construction and repair/restoration videos.

If you're not watching Dr. Skov's solar forecast, you're missing an opportunity to learn about the science of propagation and forecasting, which will help you at every point in any solar cycle to make the contacts.

If you're not working on that license upgrade when you can find every question, answer AND the explanations to the answers for BOTH the Amateur and Commercial FCC exams online, even "flashcard" style apps delivered right to your phone, you're missing the ability to convert idle time to personal achievement. Even CW classes are available to increase your skill set.

Magazines, books, and blogs are aplenty, as are notoriously cheap components, all just a mouse click away.

So why feel GUILTY about spending more time learning online about amateur radio when it enhances the time actually spent on the air?

THANKS to all of those that make this hobby so great!

73 DE W8LV BILL

Posted by W8LV on 2021-06-26

Propagation or lack of it.

Due to the low solar activity, my radio time has been on FT8 and more recently Parks on the Air as a hunter. Unfortunately due to low propagation even POTA has been slow, although I am approaching 300 Parks confirmed.
Posted by W4WNT on 2021-06-24

It’s a mix

I love operating CW and QRP CW and is the majority of my time spent in front of the radios.

I do spend quite a bit of time online with Ham forums and Amateur Radio related sites.

As the current sunspot cycle continues its March upward I’ll definitely be spending more time searching for DX and less time online.
Posted by N1XV_NEW_JERSEY on 2021-06-21

Rotten Condx

Surely the absolutely ROTTEN conditions on the HF bands for the past few years has contributed tremendously to Hams leaving their stations en masse, & parking themselves in front of the computer...

At least that's my humble opinion, anyway.

If there was some interesting DX on, or regular openings, I know where where MY destination of choice would be. But when all you hear for your troubles is the hiss of dead bands, forget about it --- www.eham.com here I come...!
Posted by VE3CUI on 2021-06-20

Renewed Interest in Ham Radio

When I was working, the answer would have been--Yes.
Now that I'm retired, I have re-discovered CW and I am having fun operating and contesting in CW.


Posted by KB1NO on 2021-06-19

I would rather be working some rare DX

Propagation being what it is (and has been for a long time) most of my shack time is spent nosing around here and on the other sites like Dx World, QRZ, Dx News, etc. I hope that will change soon.
Posted by N8EHW on 2021-06-18

Reading is good but

Like to be on the bands and always building something
Posted by AE5SB on 2021-06-17

Why yes, yes I do.

Unfortunately, I have to answer yes to this survey.

Although I do get a fair amount of operating time in the log anyway. Most of my fixed station equipment is set, and working reliably. So not much work to do at all on that front.

For the last couple of weeks, I've been beefing up my portable gear in preparation for Field Day.

First there was the upgrading of the metering in my AGM battery box. That works great now!

Tonight's task was installing a new keyboard in my laptop.
Another win for the good guys!

A new set of folding solar panels was procured and tested last weekend. That was a nice upgrade!

As soon as the second copy of the meter arrives, it'll be time to start assembling my new LiFePO4 battery box. It should be here by the weekend.
Posted by N8AUC on 2021-06-16

Guilty

Yes I spend some time everyday on sites like this one.
Have not done much radio the past few months as work and chores keep me hopping so sites like this one keep me in the loop regarding propagation items for sale and general ham radio discussions.
Posted by K2MMO on 2021-06-16

Not by choice but it keeps informed and part of the hobby

I do spend more time on-line than on-air. Not by choice. Never had an extensive antenna farm but they all need maintenance. Like many of us getting older my health has reached a point where doing maintenance is out of my window of accomplishment. Some days getting back into the shack is about all that can be done. Sites like these, podcasts, videos and some swl'ing make it possible to keep in touch with a hobby I still love.
Posted by W8RZN on 2021-06-16

Thanks to WebSDR Site Owner/Operators!

Listening to signals on the HF bands again is absolutely wonderful! Yes, I want to listen on antennas I installed, however, that option in no longer available. WebSDR sites are!

Thank you,
Bernie, AF9US

Posted by AF9US on 2021-06-14

Not much time on air or net !

I am full time QRP/CW. My only interest. So, when I go to the ham sites, I open the QRP/CW forums. I avoid the rest.. At the end of the day it is probably 50-50 thing....on-air/on-line. 73 de F8WBD.
Posted by F8WBD on 2021-06-14

Multitasking

While SWLing, nice to learn more either on Handbooks or eham.
Posted by KD7RDZI2 on 2021-06-14

Quality Amateur Radio Time:

It is a mix. I never like too many details, and/or, too much work. I already am doing quantity time for many issues. I really need websites to steer me in directions that are productive, and cost-effective. I never have cared to say much over-the-air to begin as it is. I do more buying than I should for my modest income? I like in reading the mail foremost.
Posted by K0IC on 2021-06-13

Neither

Most amateur radio sites look like something out of the beginning of the internet. Most amateur radio sites do not follow the modern UI/UX standards. Flashing GIFs are so out of date. I really wish that someone with good web designing skills and UI/UX designers would offer to rebuild about 99% of all present amateur radio websites. If you want to attract the youth to carry on amateur radio, you have to build the brand, so that amateur radio is no longer associated with OLD fat guys. I used to be proud to state that I was an amateur radio operator, but all that does now is associate you with being old. With my career in the Silicon Valley and my startup, I do not have the time to spend on amateur radio websites. I allocate maybe an hour at the maximum to rag chew with my friends on 80 meters, then I go off and do other tasks. No contests, No DX paper chasing. People need to get involved to fight HOAs and CC&R rules, do public demonstrations, build amateur radio social media sites or else when the baby boomers die off, so will the hobby for the most part.
Posted by KB6QXM on 2021-06-13

Ham-related Internet Sites

I would rather be operating my radios than wasting time on Internet sites. I do briefly look at several Ham-related sites once per day then back to IMHO real Hamming!
Posted by WA0TML on 2021-06-13

web Vs operating

I read 3 sites every day. Takes between 15 and 30 min depending on if there is a video I watch. Most days there isn't. So I probably average a couple hours a week on the web. When I operate I am usually on for at least an hour or two -- sometimes for a few hours. I operate from one to several days a week. But I am always on at least some. So the air time exceeds the web time.
Posted by W4FID on 2021-06-13

Stay QRO my friend...

I picked Yes but its really a 50 50. I have the computer in the shack an its always on a ham related site
Posted by WI4G on 2021-06-13

Too Many Projects On My Workbench

I have to admit that I haven't operated much lately as I spend a lot of time working on the many projects currently occupying space on my workbench. As an adjunct to that I often spend a lot of time on the internet gathering data and researching information related to my projects. So much to do, so little time!
Posted by KG4RUL on 2021-06-13

Physically Unable to Build/Rebuild Station

Due to changes in health, it physically easier to go online, than it is to move my radio, or any associated equipment.

Over time I collected two PCs. One is dedicated to ham radio, the other is used for everything else.

My wife is beautiful, she volunteers to help move equipment when I need or want to move a piece.

Sadly, that's the way it is. I still cannot get used to lacking physical ability. Almost everywhere I turn - "I can't do that anymore." That gets old before I finish the though!

Now, I enjoy sharing my hobby with my wife.
Posted by AF9US on 2021-06-13

ham sites

I probably spend more time on the computer ham radio sites. Since the advent of site like echolink and the peanut app and hamcamin I spend plenty of time on the computer. But while on those sites I am sort of operating my station.
Posted by KD2HCU on 2021-06-13