Are you a Real Ham? The Test.

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Are you a Real Ham? The Test.

You hear a lot of discussion about who's a real ham. Some say if you don't have
the code, you're not a real ham. Others say if you don't work the low bands,
you're not a real ham. Well, I'm here to tell you, whether you're a real ham or
not has nothing to do with frequency, mode, code or packet, DX, or anything
pertaining to your favored ways of operating. It pertains to your degree of
obsession with the hobby. I therefore have devised this simple test which you
can take to determine if you're a real ham.

  1. Do you spend more on radios than on cars?
  2. Do you look at cellular phone monopoles and wonder how they would load
    up as a 160 meter vertical?
  3. Do you spend more time in the shack than in bed?
  4. Do you ever eat dinner in the shack?
  5. Do you ever get up at two in the morning to see if 20 meters is open to Asia?
  6. Have you ever gone 6 months without watching TV?
  7. Do you take an HT to work?
  8. Are hamfests the biggest affairs on your social calendar?
  9. Have you ever checked zoning laws and covenants before calling the realtor
    to look at a new house?
  10. Have you ever drilled a hole in the top of your car to mount an antenna? (If
    car was new, count for 2 yesses!)
  11. Do you ever agonize about whether to spend your week-end at a hamfest
    or working a contest?
  12. Do you consider a 65 foot tower with a three element 40 meter beam an
    enhancement to the esthetic milieu of a neighborhood?
  13. Has a ham in a ragchew QSO asked you if you were married or had kids,
    and you had to stop and think about it?
  14. Have you ever had to make a choice between spending time and/or money
    on an amateur radio venture or on a major problem like a broken furnace, and
    opted for the radio project? GRADING

6 or fewer yesses--forget it, you're a wannabe.

7-9 yesses--real ham in training…you need a bit of work.

10-12 yesses--Congratulations, you're a Real Ham!

13-14 yesses--you may need counselling…perhaps therapy.

About the Author

Richard KB5JBV has been an Amateur radio operator since 1988. He has held positions with the America Radio Relay League including but not limited to Assistant Section Manager, Official Observer, Official Relay Station, Official Emergency Station, ARES Emergency Coordinator for Resonant Frequency: The Amateur Radio Podcast was created to help get information on amateur radio out to the new ham and the ham that wants to find out more about different aspects of the hobby they are thinking about getting into. So sit back have a drink and enjoy.

Richard KB5JBV has been an Amateur radio operator since 1988. He held positions with the America Radio Relay League including but not limited to Assistant Section Manager, Official Observer, Official Relay Station, Official Emergency Station, ARES Emergency Coordinator for Kaufman County Texas, Volunteer Examiner and Technical Specialist in the North Texas section.

Richard has also served as RACES assistant radio officer for the city of Mesquite, Tx. and among numerous other duties Including club president for the HAM Association of Mesquite Texas.

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