When I tune around, especially on 75 and 20 meters, I hear groups of hams
discussing antennas, amplifiers, towers, guns, loading their own ammunition,
their cars and trucks, religion, politics, computers, gear from 50 years
ago, how their wife and kids and grandkids are doing, what they are going to
do on vacation this year, their physical problems, equipment they want to
sell, buy, or trade, what they like to eat, getting the car painted, and so
many topics unrelated to ham radio, it is unbelievable.  I heard a long talk
by a guy just recently who had been on cancer treatments and how his son got
him some marijuana and he said for a year, it kept his pain and physical
discomforts down so he could function and now he is doing great and doesn't
need the grass any longer.  This is a drop in the bucket from what I hear so
why does blind hams have to be so different?  I agree with Ron and Jim.  I
delete more than I read on any list regardless of the list main topic of
discussion.  This list has answered hundreds of my questions over the years
and I've been on blind hams since its conception.  I personally enjoy the
off topic talk as much as the on topic ham talk because that's how it works
on the air.

Phil.
K0NX


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dr. Ronald E. Milliman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2014 1:46 PM
Subject: Re: Ok already, enough!


> Jim, Alan, and any others on the list that share their views, I suspect
> you
> probably perceive many, if not most, if not all, of the messages I post to
> this list as being of no value and hence, a waste of your time.
>
> I certainly cannot speak for the other members of this list, but it is
> obvious that we have a very wide repertoire of hams subscribed, ranging
> from
> highly experienced in all phases of ham radio to newcomers who are
> struggling to comprehend the vast array of information about different
> rigs
> and their attributes and all of the variations in antennas, their
> individual
> strengths and limitations, etc. In like manner, some of us are far more
> affluent than others and can afford new, top of line equipment, while
> others
> are not so fortunate. I remember when I didn't have two nickels to rub
> together and couldn't afford anything but the cheapest used gear. So, I
> urge
> that we all step back and reflect on when we were just getting into
> electronics and ham radio and remember how it was all mumbo-jumbo to us in
> the beginning. I remember when I didn't even know what coax was.
>
> Admittedly, I, too, get a little irritated at the posts that just say
> things
> like: "I agree," or "Ron, any idiot should know that!," or other similar
> kinds of remarks that are meaningless and are simply a waste of time and
> space. So, we just delete them and go on.
>
> I've been a ham since 1957, and I know quite a bit about electronics and
> ham
> radio, but as you can tell from some of my messages and questions, I sure
> don't know it all, and I've found the information shared on this list
> extremely useful, not all of it, of course, but you all have answered some
> questions that could not be answered by searching Google or reading books
> or
> asking sighted hams. Since we are blind or low-vision, we share a common
> trait that means we also share common challenges, the solutions to which
> we
> can also share, like tricks for tuning up our rigs, reading SWR, etc.
>
> So, Jim, Alan, and others, be patient with those who are struggling to
> gain
> the knowledge and experience you have; we are all valuable in different
> ways!
>
> Ron, K8HSY
>
> Dr. Ronald E. Milliman
> Retired Professor of Marketing
> President: A3 Business Solutions (a3businesssolutions.com)
> President: M&M Properties
> Chair: American Council of the Blind's PR Committee
> Chair: American Council of the Blind's MMS Committee
> President: South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind (SCKCB.ORG)
>