Off Topic - Anyone here into shortwave or HAM radio?

[xlar54]

Curious.  I never got a license, but I used to solidly be into shortwave DXing... anyone else out there into this hobby?

[Mark Smith]

Bit of dying hobby these days isn't it ?   A colleague at work has a neighbour into it, so he has great views of a stupidly large antenna and the sub on his home theatre picks up all sorts scratchings from it :-)

I guess the modern day equivilant might be those guys trying to beat records for WiFi range.

[MachineDr]

Curious.  I never got a license, but I used to solidly be into shortwave DXing... anyone else out there into this hobby?

Actually, your post is not off topic!

Back in the middle 80's there were a few C= BBS's that were run via Ham Radio signals. I don't recall the names but I know that this was the case.

If I remember correctly, one of them ran my software and was based in Alaska.

-Jim

I found this link that might be helpful (I haven't read through it).

http://www.ipass.net/teara/packet15.html

[RobertB]

Back in the middle 80's there were a few C= BBS's that were run via Ham Radio signals.

I have software for using the Commodore with ham radio, though I don't know how to use it.  Joe Fenn of Honolulu, Hawaii is a pro with C= and ham radio, and when I visited him a year or two ago, he showed me his set-up (very nice!).  The brief time I was there to study his set-up and programs was not enough to learn.  He used the latest C=/ham radio program from Germany.  Perhaps I should go back to Hawaii for another lesson!  :-)

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[airship]

I had my phone license for broadcast (AM/FM) work, but never took the key test, which was required for a HAM license back then.

Funny, because my Dad was an expert keyer as a railroad agent and telegrapher. Of course the code was different; he could read Morse but he couldn't send it.

[jt-3d]

I started out as a shortwave listener but the ham license test was too hard for me back then. I finally got my license after they made it reasonably easy to obtain. I passed my 5wpm morse test but I've never used it. I just listen to it sometimes to keep up proficiency.

As for stupidly large antennas, they are required if you want to work the low bands well. I only use a 102ft wire. It works, just not as good as a tower with a big antenna on it. Cell phones use stupidly large antennas, it's just that they are on sombody else's lot. Back in my youth TVs required stupidly large antennas. One of those would do you well in ham radio...you know, if it was tuned right.

But yeah, I'd say it's a dying hobby. There are some new operators coming on line but not that many. It's just not that special to chat to some foriegn country these days on a radio when you can do so easily and reliably over the internet.

[airship]

Shortwave is still interesting to get news and opinions from around the world. Mine broke several years back and I miss it. I suppose I'll have to put one on my 'want list' again.

[6502Dude]

I still SWL, and tune in DX medium wave stations.

I don't spend as much time on this as I used to.

A couple of moves ago, I lived in a much more rural area.

Now, I don't have space for a decent antenna and RFI on medium wave in the city is terrible.

[Qlinkfan]

Im Ham op semi active not as much since the debates about morse code testing is using the internet ham radio (ie. Echolink, IRLP etc) but do SWL sometimes and hop on 2m repeaters.

My most fun was in the early days of packet radio and Packet BBSing and being a PBBS sysop my self for years then using NOS for TCP/IP communicating and being able to access the internet before it became Mainstream and was free but now on air stuff is mostly APRS (like a ham radio Global positioning woohoo fun not)

so to me it is goin down hill digital modes over the air NOT with the internet hasnt really progressed Todays ham thinks using a PC and connecting to another via Echolink is DXing ugh ya can do that with Google talk AIM Yahoo just no fun any more

 Oh Well 73 Mike K2HJC

[jt-3d]

I see you're an advanced. I'm a fairly new general. We should set up a sked sometime. I've never worked NJ.

No, talking through the internet is just that. I used to use the Texas Lynx network regularly down here but that was just to ragchew with some guys in Dallas. Not as a real form of radio. We used to break out and drop to 75 every now and then but they took Dallas off Lynx so that ended our sessions and pretty much my radio usage, though I started talking to a group on 75 for a while. I pretty much don't use the radio any more...which is why I guess I have time to join more forums.

73 KE5BWT

[Douglas]

I am getting interested in the HAM hobby myself, and have just ordered some Commodore HAM stuff...a cartridge RTTY interface and a MORSE training cartridge.  I can't wait to get started!!!

Maybe we could get a sub topic on HAM use as it relates to the Commodore computers here somewhere?

Douglas

[Blacklord]

I am getting interested in the HAM hobby myself, and have just ordered some Commodore HAM stuff...a cartridge RTTY interface and a MORSE training cartridge.  I can't wait to get started!!!

Maybe we could get a sub topic on HAM use as it relates to the Commodore computers here somewhere?

Douglas

Wasn't there a HAM BBS package for the 128 ?

Lance