Thoughts on HAM Radio?
 

Just got an e-mail, my corporate masters are offering a free Amateur Radio Operator course that includes taking the licensing exam. The goal is "to have a minimum of two licensed HAM operators at each entity" to "complement current disaster communication response plans" ...

I think this sounds like something I should do. I mean, I'm on call 24/7 as it is. Sure, I'd be volunteering for an extra duty, but it would make me look good, raise my visibility. Plus it sounds extra geeky, and I get the HAM license. Whatta you think?

So they're going to provide the course.. that's nice. Are they going to buy radios for you also??

"All entities will have base stations (provided to us by the ___ Hospital Council) installed directly following the training."

A free chance to learn something new? Why not? You will be a hot commodity after globothermonuclear war.

Excelsior!

http://popwatch.ew.com/photos/uncate...9__nerds_l.jpg

I got an Out of Office AutoReply from the people I'm supposed to register with. Hope they check their Blackberry(s).

Depends on what you want to get out of it. I've been licensed since '94 and have really enjoyed it, but it wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be, initially.

Find some local clubs and go to some meetings so you can get a feel for it. People in the hobby are incredibly friendly and many of them love to teach, so you are sure to get quite a bit of hands-on experience even without a ticket.

Any personal enjoyment would be a bonus, the way I'm looking at it. I'll be licensed in something new, have a new reason to meet more people within my organization, get more involved in the corporate culture, play a bigger role in disatser recovery/business continuance, etc.

You just make sure it doesn't cut into your Cellar time, young man.

I don't think it will take any actual time at all, I'll just be available for something I'll probably never have to do.

Why are you even asking? Do it!

I did! I did! I read the e-mail and then I replied, like, five minutes later.

If you enjoy little projects and tinkering, this hobby is wonderful. If not, the hobby is so commercialized that you could buy everything and not have to endure a single whiff of solder fumes.

My only disappointment comes from my local area club that was completely opposite what my old Atlanta club was founded on: getting people interested in radio, being ready for emergencies, helping the public, and having fun. Make sure you avoid organizations that are highly competitive and are only interested in getting their group callsign on an ARRL Field Day results page -- you won't learn from them, nor will you get any airtime.

Sidenote: if you get a ticket that enables you to get into the HF bands and you happen to live in an evil neighborhood with an HOA, make sure you check on antenna restrictions before you start out. There are interesting ways around them, thankfully, but they require some tricks...

Few hobbies bring the same high level of pissing off the neighbors.

Enjoy.

Am I correct in assuming that HAM radio is analogous to a pre-internet internet, IE social networking infrastructure?
This is just a point of curiosity for me, as the whole intent of pursuing this is to supprt DR/BC, not recreation.