Bob B., that is a very sad story. I suffered kind of the same, when I
was a novice in 1970 I was chastised for accidentally using the word
"break" on the air. I must have really offended some very sensitive
ears....and left the hobby alone for some decades. Luckily I had the
foresight to keep renewing my (shortly after the incident) general
class license. Today I am Amateur Extra, just passed that exam 3
years ago. I do not argue much with people on the air, or on this
group, since I have learned that you never win. And I truly love the
uBitx and love QRP also. Probably will never own a linear OR a yagi
in my life (wire antennas are pretty nifty to explore). Bob, it
doesn't matter what other people tell you or believe. It's what you
believe and are interested in. 73, Rich WB2GXM
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On 9/4/18, Robert D. Bowers <n4fbz@...> wrote:
This thread reminds me of something I've been told by hams at least
three or four times in the last 38 years - and it brings up an issue
that I've faced throughout those years.? Some of the posts have been OK
(even encouraging), but others...
When I got my tech ticket in 1980, I scrimped and saved until I put
together $300.? I was looking for a used rig of my own, to get on the
air on HF (I had an ancient crystal mobile for 2m).? One ham told me he
had a radio I could buy - and when I got to his house offered me a KW
linear with a fried transformer, for the full $300 (tube condition
unknown).? I told him it was useless without a radio and I wasn't
interested in power like that anyway.? He was furious for me 'wasting
his time' - and told me "If you cannot afford to buy new, you don't
belong in amateur radio".? He said if I could dig up a couple hundred
more dollars, he had a nice used tube only rig (that needed repair) he'd
sell me.? I walked out on him and never spoke to him again.? He and his
buddies were, shall we say, not welcoming at the local club - where they
dominated.
That almost killed all interest.? Finally, a few years later I got
interested again, and was very much into homebrew, especially antennas.
The problem was, I still didn't have a decent radio (my hf radio was an
old tube rig - that didn't work too well and had a problem I couldn't
figure out).? When I mentioned my frustration with the radio, I was told
"What do you expect?? If you can't afford to buy new, you should
consider getting out of amateur radio!"? My radio activity went downhill
again - FAST.
I have a BITX20 V2 (or version B) - that's my newest hf rig as far as
the age of the radio.? My "good" radio is an Alinco DX-70, bought used
years ago - and it was the only working radio within my price range (had
a very small inheritance come through), although I had my heart set on a
IC-706mk2G.? I also have a softrock ensemble kit, but haven't put it
together, because I have minimal interest in the hobby anymore.
The sort of thing I consider true fun - trying to make the longest
contact possible with the minimum power (over 600 miles on less than
10mw on HF) for instance, or VHF sideband, or even 6m AM (cheap and
fun), not to mention homebrew... well, that doesn't seem as important in
the hobby as more and more and MORE POWER.? I've been stomped on enough
times by the "get a gallon to get out" club, thank you (you have that
happen time after time after time - you end up shutting off the radio in
frustration).? Funny thing, because the problems mentioned with the BITX
are made far worse by attempts at increasing the power.? Maybe people
should think about LESS power???
If I do anything amateur radio-wise, I may try to convert the BITX20 to
40m and fix the VFO so it doesn't drift.? I've always wanted a small,
low to moderate power 40m monobander for mobile use.? That might raise
some interest again.? (I bought the BITX kit unfinished and completed it
- it was sold on the proviso that I actually finish the radio and use
it.)? Something with a few watts on 40 would be nice - if the
low-power/mobile section of the band hasn't been taken over by the
kilowatt motormouths.
_*The moral of the story:*_? The BITX series of radios may be the BEST
radio a ham can afford - and being poor does NOT mean being stupid or
incapable.? Having one's rig run down is disheartening AT BEST, and
buying the latest and greatest?? Out of the question for people with
little money, even if they have brains and ability.? Reading things like
I have on this thread brings back some of the not-so-pleasant memories -
and those memories are why I've only used a few pages in a single
logbook over the last 38 years.
My 2 cents worth...
Bob
N4FBZ
