Hi again.
Visit to the UK
I have just got back from the UK after a ‘flying visit’, and one week of chasing hither and yon and it is nice to get back to our chill-out mode. Good to see some of you at the Robin Hood last Sunday and also at the National Rally thing last Friday.
So, what did I think of the Hamfest? Not much really, although others might say different. Yes, it was ‘OK’ but I do not think I will fly 2,000kms again just for the Rally.
- The signposting for the event was non-existent.
- There was no map produced in RadComic or even written directions. Several people I spoke to, who had not visited before, all took wrong turnings, missed the junction on the A1 and even drove past the entrance as there was no sign to say that it was the site of the National Hamfest. Before you say “There must have been a sign”, yes there was. However, this consisted of two pieces of A4 paper, one saying HAM and one saying FEST, which were fixed to a post.
- There were the usual stands from Icom, Kenwood etc and also Elecraft. Eric, WA6HHQ who was on hand to answer questions and John, G3WFM, asked him all sorts of stuff about the KX-3. These were answered with a knowledge not found on other stands when enquiries were made about ‘rig architecture’, roofing filters or DSP performance.
- Graham Coomber was on holiday so was not available and the other RSGB departments could not help me with my questions. In fact, after seeing several Board Members and other RSGB hierarchy talking to people early on, they all seemed to vanish after about 30 minutes. Probably driven into hiding by people asking embarrassing questions.
- The ARDF stand was always empty when I passed it, just staffed by two bored looking chaps.
- The food area was too small and not enough seating for those who were patient enough to wait for ages to be served. The ‘Bar’ was a joke – if you did not know what it was, you would miss it. The pint of Tetley’s was however served cold which was very nice.
The Rally was not a patch on the old ‘Pickets Lock’ days and, yes, I know that was a different era, but even so as a ‘National’ event, it should have been better.
Oh, and then there were the dogs. Why were people allowed in with them? There were bloody dogs everywhere, always barking and even fighting at one stage . . .
No RSGB, this was not the way to run a Rally.
October RadCom
While in the UK I picked up my October copy of RadComic. Again not much of interest except Jim Bacon’s piece. I see in the RSGB half-year figures that ‘administration’ costs rose by over £60 grand, which they say was expected. That’s a lot of subscriptions to be wasted on an IT system so that it can accommodate the IOTA records.
I also see that the HF News in future will incorporate the IOTA news. Why? I thought the column was about HF News as the title implied, not about a load of twats running round on some rock somewhere . . .
I do wonder where this hobby is going. As has been said before, Amateur Radio is a ‘broad church’ and caters for all interests, from those who want to run QRP, to ATV, Moonbounce or just Rag Chewing. There are those who refurbish old gear and run AM on the bands as well as those who use digital modes only or contest every weekend, as I say, it is a ‘broad church’.
However, I fear that ‘modern technology’ is taking over and that within a couple of years; the ‘average’ Amateur will be looked on as a dinosaur. Two recent reports/articles in RadComic highlight the point.
The first was at the RSGB Centenary Dinner, where there was an after dinner talk by G3RVC. RadComic quotes:” He went on to challenge those radio amateurs in the room to look at the hobby differently by going up in frequency and to think about going well beyond what we know and do. He encouraged us to get into new forms of radio relay and explore things like optical fibre technology”
So when did playing with fibre optical cable become Amateur Radio? I think the answer may lay in the word – Radio. We are not Amateur Fibre Optical Cable Enthusiasts. Fiddling with BTs optical fibre cable network is not radio . . .
Second:
Did you read, or more importantly, did you understand, the complete twaddle written by the two VKs about SDR stuff in the last two RadComics? Here again those who are not into computing or cannot understand things like – and here again I quote – “Cuda is a parallel computing platform and programming model that makes using graphics simple and elegant……” will be thought of as second class citizens.
Once again, it is assumed that we are all Microsoft competent engineers and understand all the computer gobbledegook. But hang on – if you read the stuff, it also assumes that you are on the Internet all the time so that your SDR Server is connected to it – and anyway, what has graphics got to do with listening to CW or working your Mate on 80m SSB?
Using the internet to do the work for you is not, and never will be, Amateur Radio!
Both the VKs and G3RVC need telling in no uncertain terms that the average chap just wants to get on the bands and have a few contacts. He does not want to have to study for a University Degree in Computers just to ‘play radio’. I fear that if no one stands up to these sorts of people, they will become the ‘norm’ as ‘they know best’ and the Average Radio Amateur will be a thing of the past within 10 years.
Visitors from the UK
We had ‘Judge’, G4KAR and his XYL Pat, G8TNH, staying with us recently. It was like being on holiday ourselves sometimes. Had to go over to Hania to meet up with an old work colleague of my XYL and that took up three days and made a nice change from this end of the island. When we returned we did not stray very far from our favourite eating places and, of course, the little beach down the road.
He and I played radio and had fun in the Russian RTTY shindig. Not a serious entry but just throwing away some points . . .
We had a shower of rain during the evening of 16th which was our first rain since 12th June.Still, at least the rain was warm! Of course this coincided with Dave, G3VGR’s arrival on the island. Something tells me we just put the rain on to make him feel at home . . .
This month’s Country and Western line is a sure fire winner . . ..
It’s:
“I’ve been flushed from the bathroom of your heart.”
Yammas!
Dick. SV0XBN
