> [Original Message]
> From: <K3BU@aol.com>
>
> Like them guys need to read QST to push the PTT button and yak on
handheld?
> How many SOTBers does it take to equal spending of one contester?
>
> Yuri
Yuri,
We get the picture. You hold the "SOTB" people in some disdain. Too bad
for you (and them) because that's where the future radiosport players have
to come from.
Talked to a young fella on the repeater the other day who introduced
himself by saying "my first personal is Jim and you're my first contact,
QSL?".
He seemed like a nice sort, delighted that he had just received his shiny
new call sign, and was anxious to make some new friends. Kinda sounded
like I felt when I put my new call sign on the air the first time way back
when, except probably brighter, cuz Jim is one of those young computer
jocks. Me, I still got problems with the LL scale on my Pickett slide
rule. Yep, I think Jim sounded brighter than me, quick to catch on to
things.
But I don't think Jim will be back on the repeater. Before I had a chance
to really get to know much about Jim, or even wrangle an invite to lunch,
another station, with an impressive "senior" call sign joined the contact,
flashed his shiny Radio Cop badge, and proceeded to issue Jim a "verbal
speeding ticket" for improper lingo on the radio. "Radio Cop" said the
term "personal" (and for that matter "handle") were unwelcome in ham radio,
and that Q-signals were not to be used on VHF voice. Just generally made
my newfound friend feel like an unwashed interloper. (Gosh, I've been
saying "handle" since I was a conditional class. Slow to catch on, you
know.)
Now I should point out that "Radio Cop" took pains to appear very well
meaning. Didn't use any bad words that I noticed, was quite polite, even
seemed like he was trying to be "helpful." In other words, he thought he
was doing Jim a favor by pointing out his transgression from our sacred
Amateur Radio way of doing things. I think Jim felt just the same way I did
back in a new school in third grade when the well meaning teacher pointed
out that "we don't keep our pencil behind our ear in this room." Sure
enough, I looked around and none of my new classmates had pencils behind
their ears. Sure was embarrassing, and at that moment I really wished I was
back with my good old buddies in second grade. Now, if I'd been allowed to
hang out a couple of days, I'm sure I would have learned how to properly
stow my pencil. And if Jim would have hung around a couple of days on our
repeater I just bet he would have noticed that his lingo, perhaps learned
in another radio service, was a bit out of place, and pretty soon Jim would
sound "just like the rest of us." Like I said, he seemed pretty bright to
me, quick to catch on to things. Given a little attention, guy like that
might be interested in streamlining the computer lashup down at the W0EF
club station so we could run a little multi-op university like we've been
planning.
"Radio Cop", you have kept our hobby uncorrupted. I heard Jim down around
27 Mhz this morning, and saw his ad on eBay trying to sell his barely used
2-meter HT. I'm gonna miss my new friend Jim, because I think I could have
learned something from him. Maybe you could have also.
Like I said, he seemed pretty bright to me, quick to catch on to things.
But he left us. Wonder what he "caught on" to?
73, de Hans, K0HB
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