Ask Shoey - Episode #1

Well, I've been promising it for a while after it was both suggested and requested that I do some Q&A's, and this weekend I actually got a Q I can and don't mind A-ing.

So here it is, the very first 'Ask Shoey' blog post:

Q: Hey Shoey, what is a young, cool and fairly normal guy like you doing in Ham Radio? Isn't it for old anti-social hermits and overweight losers with no life??

                                             Eric H.

                                             Victoria, BC

*Editor's note: This is an actual question I was asked, by a sober individual.

A: Well Eric, I would have to concede that the groups you describe are pretty well the accepted stereotypes of the average ham radio operator, I can assure you that the hobby is a lot more diverse.

There is no doubt that the average age of ham radio operators is significantly higher than that of people in today's more mainstream hobbies like parasailing and ultimate fighting, but there are a couple of big factors in play.

First, while amateur radio's popularity is increasing, it's hay day was back in the day when these septuagenarians were teenagers and it was the popular hobby of the time. 

Amateur Radio was the original Social Media, and you got 24/7 news from around the world decades before CNN hit the air!

Many, if not most have stuck with it, which should actually tell us something.

I suppose the idea of ham radio operators being anti-social hermits stems from sitting alone in rooms for hours on end playing with radios, which lots of people do, and did for many years because they had no other choice. Radios were big, heavy and fragile. The hobby is a lot more mobile these days and a lot more team oriented with clubs and group events, like contests. 

Secondly, amateur radio can be a time consuming hobby. I can tell you I don't get to put 1/10th of the time in to it that I would like, I don't have the gear and setup I'd like and when I do get to devote some time to hit the airwaves, I am often interrupted. See, I have these things called "a family" and "a job", and I can't ignore my wife, starve my kids, quit my job, let my property go to shit and default on my bills in order to be able to invest the time, effort and money in to the hobby that I'd like... But someone who is retired probably can. So the age demographic does sit a little higher. 

Now, as for the overweight losers, they're out there, LOTS OF THEM, and they're all in their parents basements thinking the world would cease to exist if they didn't check in to the weekly emergency nets. And, I'll let you in on a little secret: they're not all overweight! There are plenty of skinny losers too! 

They are in to ham radio because they can sit on their asses, stuff their faces and feel important, all at the same time.

We call them "Whackers", they are the idiots who drive around in $200 cars with 75 antennas on the roof and the only thing holding it all together is all the bumper stickers and magnets. 

It's sad, but they do give us all a bad name.

While we are on the subject, for more information on Whackers, visit Hamsexy.com and check out their Facebook page.

So yeah, the stereotypes are out there and there are reasons that the stereotypes exist, but overall my fellow hams are by far the nicest group of people I've ever met, and I run with some pretty damn nice groups of people! And, just for the record, they're are also lots of younger hams and a lot of younger female hams ;)

Now, to answer your first question: What am I doing in ham radio? Well, I fell ass backwards in to it, but I quickly fell in love with it. 

I've always been an information junkie, and having come of age right beside computers and the internet, I had never really heard about ham radio. Once I discovered it, which is a story for another blog post, I was hooked. I could not only talk to people across town and listen to all the local emergency and transportation channels, but I could talk to people around the world and listen to exotic news and entertainment programming from countries big and small. 

If I see something on the news, like say, the Arab Spring uprising a few years ago, I didn't have to take what CNN reported as gospel, I could listen to news coming straight out of Egypt, or talk to someone in the region. 

It's interesting to get other points of view. Case-in-point: North Korea has regular English programming that is downright hilarious to listen to.

Okay, I'm getting a little off topic, the listening aspect is more Shortwave radio, which is a nice side benefit of amateur radio, but it is something that anyone with a $100 radio and some wire can do, and I will do a blog post about that hobby one day too.

Amateur radio encompasses many aspects, the least of which includes talking to people via orbiting satellites, talking to astronauts on the International Space Station or bouncing signals of it. Some people even bounce signals off the moon to communicate around the globe. With the digital modes, you can text and chat via radio. Yes, I know, you can do that on your iPhone, but it's not nearly as cool! You can tweet from your phone? Well, I can tweet from my ham radio!!

I enjoy "going portable", which basically means packing my radio, antenna and a battery to various points, in my case mostly high hills around town and out in the woods, and using my radios from there. It's a bit of a challenge, but quite rewarding and a hell of a lot of fun.

Believe is or not, it's actually a very social hobby. I enjoy being a member of a couple of local clubs, and we have lots of events that include radio, and lots that don't.

Ham radio is also the perfect means of communication for outdoorsmen. CB radios are quite limited and constricted in what they can do, and FRS radios are a joke.

I think my favorite aspect of amateur radio is that with some basic gear, which can be as cheap or as expensive as you want, and simple antennas that I build myself, I can talk to people all over the world. It's a very satisfying part of the hobby, and in the age of the internet and all the technology we have to day it is too easy... anyone can do it!

It is a pretty open-ended hobby. You can spend as much, or as little time and money as you want, and there is always someone willing to help you and answer your questions. Most importantly, It is also a hobby that can be as challenging, or as easy as you want it to be.

That about covers it. I could go on, but I bet you're already sorry you asked....

Failed Day

Well Field Day 2014 has come and gone, and to be totally honest: I'm glad.

In this shack, the event will henceforth be known as "Failed Day" and will only be spoken of only in hush tones in the night.

I started with the best of intentions. I had two extra wire dipoles up, on top of my go-to tried and true dipole I have used since day one, and had great success with. I had thoroughly tested the two new antennas over the past weeks, and was quite impressed with the performance.

At the last minute, due to weather and family considerations, I set up my station on the kitchen table. I had my trusty FT-100D as my main transceiver and my ol' IC-756 set-up as a receiver and a back up rig should I need it.

My initial setup just minutes before the official start.
(Not pictured: High hopes)

Saturday morning, I was quite excited. This would really be my first Field Day operating with good equipment and plenty of time. Last year, I had a real POS homebrew antenna that was mickey moused together at the last minute and was a total flop.

As 11:00am drew closer, I checked and rechecked connections, power supplies, made sure pens worked, ensured the coffee pot was full and that my bladder was empty. The last hour before the start seemed like it took days, but finally - it was here. As I kissed my wife and kids goodbye, the voices on WWV announced that "at the tone it would be 1800 hours Universal Coordinated Time...........BOOP!"

My hand trembled as I flipped the switch on the power supply to 'ON' and the radios came alive....

Not a day to be operating outside.

..............................................................NOTHING..................................................................

................Every band: Static...........................All up and down each band: Static...........

I re-checked all the connections, antennas, switched out connectors, changed cables, re-attached wires...

.................................................Still, nothing...........................................................

Thankfully, a quick check of Twitter and a few texts to other local hams seemed to point to shitty band conditions, so I was somewhat relieved and plodded on undeterred.

Finally, after just over an hour, I managed to work a Hawaiian station. Then, five minutes later and thanks to a spot from a ham just down the road, I worked Alaska. Later that hour I had worked Hawaii and Alaska again, respectively. Things were looking up, and stations in other parts of the continent were beginning to be heard on the air.

After two hours of peering at the W5RP Station Live Stream, I could actually begin to hear them sporatically on 20m... Had I know how the rest of the contest would have gone, I would have tried to work them then.

After over two and half hours of spinning the dial on 20 meters and not being able to hear much and not working anything, I was just about to take a break and have some lunch when a hot tip came in from another local ham: VE8AU in The Northwest Territories was on 14.315 and booming in. I tuned it up and worked him on my first call - It was a new province for me, and in hindsight: the highlight of the contest.

It was another two hours before I worked another station, WA7NB in Arizona. Hardly DX but when the bands are like that, you accept any and all small victories.

The contacts came, but few and far between, and I was hard pressed to hit anywhere other than California. Slowly, I began to get the odd contact out east - Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, then North Dakota amongst a handful more W6 contacts, but mostly dead air, static and faint distorted voices in the noise.

Things got a little crazy during the W5RP inspired "Topless Hour"

At about 6:00pm, and after a whopping 11 QSO's, I figured it might be time to check on my family and see what the plan was dinner. My wife, who could she the frustration in my eyes, and could hear the past seven hours of  "VE7KPM...... VE7KPM..... VE7KPM.....VE7KPM...... VE7KPM........ VE7KPM......................."

suggested I run to the store and get myself somthing special to eat for dinner, as her and the kids had made other plans in my absence, so that is exactly what I did.

Besides, I could also grab some sweet alcohol to numb my pain and relax my frustrations while I was out.

* In case you're interested, I settled on a Terriyaki Pork Kabob and a Caesar Salad kit.... AND VODKA.

While I was in the liquor store, I bumped in to the local ham who alerted me to the AK station hours before, so I asked him how our local club members made out operating out of our municipality's Emergency Communications van, and the news of terrible band conditions and few contacts made me a little more at ease with my own struggles.

Daddy & the birthday girl stocking up
for a long night of radio.

Regardless, just to be safe, when I got home and while my kabob was grilling, I once again re-checked, re-tightened, replaced, re-ran, re-re-checked, re-connected, and even streamlined my station. I removed the 756 and the laptop running it, I moved the 30A power supply further away and ran longer power lines to the FT-100D. I even removed any and all chargers I had - iPhone, iPad, two for HT's and even the one running my netbook.

After that, I could be sure my problems weren't electrical interference and the elimination of all those cables, wires and gear cleared up some valuable real estate on the table. I was running light and feeling good about it. And it was just in time, my Kabob and Caesar salad were ready to eat...

In hindsight, a terriyaki kabob wasn't exactly the greatest pairing for a caesar salad, or vice-versa, but I had a Vodka and Tonic on ice, a new lean mean
contest station and I wasn't worried about making the cover of Bon Appetit! 

With a full stomach and a quivering liver, I fired the FT-100D back up, and....... SUCCESS! The first station I heard on 20 meters was E51AND - an exotic call to be sure. A quick QRZ check confirmed some rare DX: one of only four stations in the DXCC Entity of the South Cook Islands.

This is what I needed: a nice rare DX to make up for all the wasted hours to date. Something I can brag about at the coffee shop to all the other hams... A pin to stick in the map the makes people say "Holy shit! You talked to someone all the way out there!?!?!" 

Chasing DX is what I do, so I poured a fresh drink, readjusted myself in the chair, did a quick stretch and I chased.... and chased... and chased.... FOR THREE HOURS.

Screen shot of E51AND in the South Cook Islands and my QTH with the infamous "Grey Line"

About an hour in, my lovely wife who had already endured eight hours of static and white noise and sporadic bursts the afforementioned "VE7KPM...... VE7KPM.....VE7KPM.....VE7KPM...... VE7KPM........ VE7KPM.......VE7KPM......VE7KPM......VE7KPM......VE7KPM......VE7KPM......VE7KPM......" suddenly burst in to the room with my headphones in hand and begged me to use them.

Undeterred, and with better sound, I called on. Calls close to me were getting through, and I have no problem reaching out to and even over the Pacific, my confidence was high. Despite the station having a bizarre fetish for YL Operators, I knew I could break through.

Alas, as soon as the Dark Grey Line crossed over my location, the signal suddenly disappeared, along with the hopes and dreams of my Field Day 2014.

After a few minutes of sober reflection, and some inspiration from my ham friends on Twitter, I plodded on. To hell with the Grey Line, I switched to 40 meters and prepared to dine on the flesh of the Damned Grey Line!!!

One of the more interesting calls I chased on 40 meters once the sun went down.

Once I hit 40 meters, it was more of the same.

I worked a station in Vancouver, who quite snippily asked me if I realized we were in the same zone, To which I replied, "SURE DID JACK!"

Then it was all California again. I chased far more than I worked, and the only real contact worthy of any mention was with Guam just before 1:00am PST.

Knowing that come morning, while it was still Field Day for the rest of the world, it was a 3 year old's birthday party in this house, I plodded on. Once again, tuning around white noise and voices in the distance.

Just after 1:30am, I heard WW1USA calling CQ from Missouri. Another quick QRZ check revealed that it is a Special Event Station at the National World War One Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Now, other than my wife & kids and ice cold vodka tonics at 1:30 in the mornning, there are three things I love in life: History, Special Event Callsigns and... oh... I already mentioned the vodka tonics. Regardless, this station fulfilled my wildest non-DX ham radio dreams.

To say I am a World War One Buff, is an understatement. I had several family members serve in both the British and Canadian Armies during WWI, most for the duration of the war, and have had at least one of my ancestors at every major battle during the war on the western front. Two of my great-grand uncles are buried in France. Canada, my home and the greatest country on earth truly became a nation in the eyes of the world and it's own people at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917, (Yes my American friends, the war lasted a lot longer than three months.)

What I am getting at, is something like a WW1USA QSL card would be a very nice addition to the the pictures, awards, medals remebrances and even the actual flag that flew over my great-grandfather's base in Northern France during the war that are already proudly displayed in my Man Cave.

Despite having made a few contacts in that neck of the woods, and a complete lack of competition for their attention in the wee hours of the morning, I was unsuccessful.

A glance at the clock and I was alerted that it was well after 4:00 am, and I had to get at least some sleep if there was any hope of adding to my abysmal tally of 22 QSO's.

Not to mention the Vodka was gone.

Bloodshot eyes after 3 hours of sleep

Off to bed I went, but I set an alarm to be up bright and early to get some operating time in before anyone got up, and before the birthday festivities got in to gear.



I think I dreamed about that friggin South Cook Islands Station.


After three hours, my alarm went off and after scanning the sky, I was back to the kitchen table for a few hours of futility.

Sunday Morning, 7:00am - I'm not operating under THAT cloud.
Back to the kitchen table.

I have to admit, despite the lack of sleep, the hair of the dog, the previous day's disappointments and the nagging feeling that something is wrong with my gear, I was high spirits.

I quickly banged off three contacts on 20 meters... all of which, as you've probably guessed, were in California. (No offence W6'ers, but if I never work another 6 station in my life, I will die a happy man.)

After that the kids, including the birthday girl, were up and they wanted pancakes. So, in desperation, I clipped a couple HT's to my belt that were tuned to the 2m, 70cm and 6m calling frequencies, in the hopes of squeezing out just one more contact!

This is what desperation looks like...

After pancakes, including a special one for dad, (pictured below), I had lost all motivation, and entertaining the princess of the day after almost 24 hours of ignoring her, took priority.

The Now Famous Coffee Pancake!

So that's where I left it.

Grand Total - 25 QSO's - 21 on 20 meters, 4 on 40 meters

Estimated Time at the Radio: 16 hours.

To add insult to injury, I also found out yesterday that my wife "hates" George Carlin... she thinks he's "dumb".

I hope you were as bored and frustrated reading this, as I was writing it.

My messy station after the contest.

One more sleep...

It's here! It's finally here!!

I look forward to it all year. The anticipation is excruciating. The practice, the preparations and then the sweaty palms...

...I'm speaking of course, of my Daughter's birthday on Sunday.

But, to kill the time until then, I guess I'll work Field Day.

I will be operating 1 Bravo British Columbia, (Did I say that right?), either from my famous patio station or from my kitchen table, depending on the weather.

I haven't decided if I'll use my FT-100D or my old trusty IC-756, that will be a game time decision.

While I'm not a serious contester, I do enjoy the easy pickings for DX, seeing what pileups I can break through, the non-stop action and filling up the log book. (I'm normally pretty slow to wrack up the QSO's because of time constraints and chasing DX ad nauseum.)

Good luck to all, I hope to hear you on the air!

(Wish me luck with the weather!!)