CQ CQ CQ de K8HSY

I'm trying to get back into the swing of things on the ol' ham bands again!
As I have mentioned before, I got my ticket back in 1957, and was really
active for many years, but ham radio has really changed. I am trying to
figure it out. It seems like the bands are totally made up of clusters of
little cliques, and some of them aren't even all that little. They all know
each other, and either they don't acknowledge you, or if they do, they give
you the impression that you are a stranger, not welcome into their clique. 

When I was an active ham before, back a few years ago, I could call CQ on
any of the bands and there was a high probability that someone would come
back, and we would carry on a QSO for maybe a few minutes to maybe an hour
or so. I could break into a round table or QSO and they would usually make
you feel welcome, and after a while you fitted right into the group or QSO. 

Am I wrong and missing something? I don't get that welcome, friendly
feeling hardly anywhere anymore on the bands, except for the "Do Drop In"
net and the HandiHam nets. We blind hams seem like a pretty friendly,
smooth bunch of hams. 

Also, I don't hear much of any activity on the repeaters anymore either. I
used to be able to jump onto a repeater and say: "This is K8HSY; is there
anyone around this afternoon," and about 70% of the time someone would come
back. Even if they were busy doing something else, they would often come
back and say something like: "K8HSY this KK4QL. I'm sort of tied up working
on a little work bench project right now, but I just wanted to let you know
you were being heard. Unless there is something you really need, I'll get
back to my project..."

I feel like I've been sleeping for the last 10 years and have woken up into
a different world!

Ron, K8HSY


At 01:58 PM 6/12/2013 -0600, you wrote:
>also listen for the fm repeaters on 29.62, 64, 66 and 68.
>there is a big one out of new york state running 1500W on 29.62.  Input is 
>100K down btw.
>also, you will hear CW beacons, which are continuous automated transmitters, 
>from 28.3 down to around 28.185 or something like that.  They are a great 
>way to practice your cw because they are usually no more than 10 words per 
>minute and they repeat the same message over and over.
>
>openings on 10 are pretty spiratic in the summer, but they certainly happen, 
>and they can be relatively short distance openings which is fun.
>
>73
>Colin, V A6BKX
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "dustin thompson" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 1:16 PM
>Subject: 10M
>
>
>> there was some openings on 10 M, i heard some CW, and some net out of
>> Long Beach, CA. not sure what it was, because it was fading in and
>> out.  quite a few other stations too, i was going to look them up, but
>> they gave there call sign too fast, 
>
Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, retired Professor Western Kentucky University
Ph: 270-782-9325 
Email: [log in to unmask]

Chair, American Council of the Blind Public Relations Committee

Chair, American Council of the Blind's Monthly Monetary Support Program
(MMS) Committee

President: South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind (SCKCB)