If you don't want to read a lot of complaining by me, don't read my previous post. Read this one instead:
Things in the world of Ham are going well. My wife and I have passed our General written test with out trouble (the VE's made a point of saying that my wife scored better on the test than I did, which I think is quite amusing). She's very enthusiastic and we're both now working on studying for our Extra. I want to do that. I wasn't sure I would but my desire to reach the "top" of the licenses is strong now. It's going to be work with the larger question pool and longer test, but I think we can do it.
Also thanks to some new consulting working coming in I have the money to buy and HF radio. I probably should save that money, but I really want to get on the air. We don't have the Ham support structure in the area to give us another place to operate, at least not conveniently, and as such, we must do for ourselves. Looking at the Yaesu 897D, all band all mode. Looks like a good radio and not bad on price as these things go. Going to do that, and some form of portable HF antenna (Outbacker maybe, or perhaps a wire dipole depending on money) and just operate when and where we can. I don't plan to do much from home, mostly to keep the neighbors on good terms. There are a lot of possiblities, and I'm looking foward to getting involved in the wider HF world.
I did request a sequential call change when I upgraded, but what I got wasn't very satisfactory. It's a group D call (2X3) and not very interesting, so I went ahead and put in for my vanity call. We'll see which off the list I get. I'm sorry to let go of my KC8 call but really I've lived in Zero country for 10 years, I figure its time to change.
Wife and I have set a deadline of August for our Extra written test. Lots of studying to do.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Field Day Disapointment
A lot of good things are happening in the world of Whiskey Zero, and I'll get to those in a moment, but first I've got something to get off my chest. (Yes I know, it's more healthy to focus on the positive than to focus on the negative, but this is just bugging me and I've got to throw it out there.)
I've been looking forward to field day a great deal. I love getting on the air and working all those stations out there. I used to have great fun with it back east when I went to the ones there. So I was excited to get involved with the local (remaining nameless) club and their field day efforts. I went out and helped a couple of weeks ago when they set up their portable tower and got everything ready. I did notice back then a significant disorganization, and lack of leadership, but that's not unusual in a group like that, and really it was something I could live with. I was doing my best not to step on other's toes by jumping in and leading myself. I suppose it could have done so, but that's not my style. I don't want to threaten anyone. I helped out as much as I could and I got excited about Field Day again.
So Yesterday, I'm at work but I'm able to stop by the site where they're operating and help them set up a little. Again I had to restrain myself from not jumping in and bringing organization to the chaos, but it was still fun. Later in the day I even got on the air and worked some contacts. I was really looking forward to coming back this morning and working the morning until quit'n time.
So the wife and I head back over there after breakfast and... nothing. Basically we seemed to be more of an uncomfortable intrusion on the guys that were there than a welcome part of the group. The guy that was organizing things wasn't there, probably after a long night, and the two guys that were, were kinda... let us say more technology than people focused, and that's fine, I understand that. But basically they just let us sit around and watch and made no effort to involve us at all. There may only have been a couple of hours until the end but we had plenty of time to work some contacts. Instead they just sat at their own radios and made contacts themselves and no offer was ever made to help or to get involved.
Now I suppose I could have forced my way to one of the radios or been more vocal about becoming involved, but frankly, that's their stuff. I'm not going to be so rude as to demand to use it. And really I have no idea what's set up where, or which antenna is which or anything like that. After talking to them for a little while, then being ignored for the better part of an hour we gave up and left. They seemed surprised we were leaving, or maybe distressed that we weren't gonna stay to help take all the stuff apart, but frankly, we weren't given the opportunity to be involved, and I didn't see any reason to stay and do the work.
The whole point of field day is to get people involved. It's a great chance to sell the club and interest new members. And really this group completely failed at that with us. I'm tempted (though I won't follow through) to chancel my very recent membership to the group. I suppose I understand... they'd been there all night, they were tired, and perhaps didn't have the best interaction skills and so on, so I get why it happened. That doesn't change my significant feeling of being unwelcome compounded by my disappointment at missing out on working stations on field day!
Basically for me, it was a total club field day effort fail. I certainly have no desire to help them with future field days, at least not that group of people. I'm sure as I calm down, and the disapointment fades, my attitude toward the group will improve, but really... I don't see why any significant effort on my part is worth it with that crew. It's a shame really.
It definitely motivates me to get my own station on their air for FD next year. That way I don't have to worry about what someone else is doing and I can get my Field Day work in.
I've been looking forward to field day a great deal. I love getting on the air and working all those stations out there. I used to have great fun with it back east when I went to the ones there. So I was excited to get involved with the local (remaining nameless) club and their field day efforts. I went out and helped a couple of weeks ago when they set up their portable tower and got everything ready. I did notice back then a significant disorganization, and lack of leadership, but that's not unusual in a group like that, and really it was something I could live with. I was doing my best not to step on other's toes by jumping in and leading myself. I suppose it could have done so, but that's not my style. I don't want to threaten anyone. I helped out as much as I could and I got excited about Field Day again.
So Yesterday, I'm at work but I'm able to stop by the site where they're operating and help them set up a little. Again I had to restrain myself from not jumping in and bringing organization to the chaos, but it was still fun. Later in the day I even got on the air and worked some contacts. I was really looking forward to coming back this morning and working the morning until quit'n time.
So the wife and I head back over there after breakfast and... nothing. Basically we seemed to be more of an uncomfortable intrusion on the guys that were there than a welcome part of the group. The guy that was organizing things wasn't there, probably after a long night, and the two guys that were, were kinda... let us say more technology than people focused, and that's fine, I understand that. But basically they just let us sit around and watch and made no effort to involve us at all. There may only have been a couple of hours until the end but we had plenty of time to work some contacts. Instead they just sat at their own radios and made contacts themselves and no offer was ever made to help or to get involved.
Now I suppose I could have forced my way to one of the radios or been more vocal about becoming involved, but frankly, that's their stuff. I'm not going to be so rude as to demand to use it. And really I have no idea what's set up where, or which antenna is which or anything like that. After talking to them for a little while, then being ignored for the better part of an hour we gave up and left. They seemed surprised we were leaving, or maybe distressed that we weren't gonna stay to help take all the stuff apart, but frankly, we weren't given the opportunity to be involved, and I didn't see any reason to stay and do the work.
The whole point of field day is to get people involved. It's a great chance to sell the club and interest new members. And really this group completely failed at that with us. I'm tempted (though I won't follow through) to chancel my very recent membership to the group. I suppose I understand... they'd been there all night, they were tired, and perhaps didn't have the best interaction skills and so on, so I get why it happened. That doesn't change my significant feeling of being unwelcome compounded by my disappointment at missing out on working stations on field day!
Basically for me, it was a total club field day effort fail. I certainly have no desire to help them with future field days, at least not that group of people. I'm sure as I calm down, and the disapointment fades, my attitude toward the group will improve, but really... I don't see why any significant effort on my part is worth it with that crew. It's a shame really.
It definitely motivates me to get my own station on their air for FD next year. That way I don't have to worry about what someone else is doing and I can get my Field Day work in.
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