Wow!  Pretty harsh!  I'm not a handihams member but, judging by what I've 
read on this list from folks i have a great deal of respect for, I'm 
guessing your opinion will be in the minority.  Lou
Lou kolb
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Thurman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: helpers needed


> hanihams is a total joke  they are useless for anything except a =
> discount for buying study materials  they dont even give you the free =
> audio lecture series for download anymore as a member   no wonder they =
> are so hard up for membership!  handihams is completely irrelevant to =
> anyone that has an extra class license,a s even their op skills classes =
> are pathetic beginner junk last time I looekd into it   not only have I =
> droped them years ago, but my radio club no longer supports them based =
> on a jerk they GAVE a license to  and I say gave  I mean gave this jerk =
> is a general and he doens't knwo which end of the radio to talk into  he =
> wanted to know why he couldn't use his mag mount he uses on 2 meters to =
> talk on hf  he wipe sou tnets  transmits on top of skywarn nets during =
> tornado warnings  ect  total worthless crap  his callsign is ki4ren and =
> that's what handihams is turnng out for licensees now apparently   =
> someone who so oviously has NO CLUE couldn't have passed the test unless =
> he was given LOTS of help and probably givent he answers  how reliable =
> are the ve people there there whent he handiham  members pay over a =
> grand to go to that camp and that's just to handihams NOT their =
> transportation costs.. sounds like buying a license to me
> I remember when handihams used to be a worthwile organization and used =
> to provide real help. I remember when i didn't have a rig I couldn't get =
> to use anything formthem  yet they always talk abotu the radio loan =
> program   it was nonexistant for me when I needed it
>
> On Dec 16, 2011, at 11:15 AM, Richard Fiorello wrote:
>
>> Hi;
>> Just so folks don't feel alone, moved to this house four years ago.=20
>> That spring got in contact with most radio clubs and said I would 
>> love=20=
>
>> help with a vertical or dipole.  Didn't get much reply.  Took a cab 
>> to=20=
>
>> one of the larger clubs and the president drove me home and said to =
> his=20
>> friends that he would catch up with them for coffee after he dropped =
> me=20
>> off.  Wondered why I wasn't invited to the party.  He also suggested=20=
>
>> that there was a club much closer to my home that I should check out.=20=
>
>> Would that have happened to a new potential non disabled member?
>> Checked out the closer club and they did help me put up a hf9v in =
> 2010.=20
>>  They were going to stop back and finish the job. 18 months later=20
>> nothing and I keep going to meetings and they keep saying one of 
>> these=20=
>
>> days.  Initially the antenna had to come down to be re-tuned.  It=20
>> resonates quite nicely on 27 MHz.  There were three people working on=20=
>
>> the job, one had never touched an antenna in her life, on was also 
>> new=20=
>
>> and one was the president who is a ve but has no home station.
>> As for arr, back in the 1980s there was a local ham store that would =
> put=20
>> up antennas for a price.  It was wonderful, no need to beg.=20
>> Unfortunately I had unbelievable tvi problems.  One neighbor =
> threatened=20
>> legal action.  I contacted arrl and asked if they had anyone in the =
> area=20
>> who might help put up something less likely to interfere.  They sent=20=
>
>> over a wonderful guy that actually worked with my dad 20 years ago =
> only=20
>> problem was he was in his 80s.  Thinking back he could have taught me =
> a=20
>> lot even if nobody climbed.
>> Contacted arrl again when I moved to this qth in 2008 and got a reply=20=
>
>> that the person in charge of this area knew just where I lived 
>> because=20=
>
>> he had grandparents in the area.  Sounded very hopeful but that was =
> the=20
>> last I heard.
>> I guess my conclusion after rambling is if there is a competent-ant =
> ham!=20
>> store in the area who will do antenna work its worth every penny.  =
> Club=20
>> folks, especially older ones might be very helpful in advising what 
>> to=20=
>
>> put up.  I went through two miniquads each lasted about a year.  Then=20=
>
>> there were my adventures with the r8.  Durable is just as important 
>> as=20=
>
>> performance.
>> Also finding eager helpers is an art.  Some folks seem to be very 
>> good=20=
>
>> at and others such as yours truly are hopeless.  Maybe handihams =
> should=20
>> teach a course in how best to talk your club into helping?  They have=20=
>
>> suggested lots of food and beer and make sure you have every =
> imaginable=20
>> part but I think there may be more to it.
>> --=20
>> richard